Driver-assistance vehicle

• US 20060290479A1
• Filed: 06/28/2006
• Published: 12/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Uematsu, Hiroshi, Akatsuka, Koji
• Granted Patent: US 7,710,243 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/425.5
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/008 for anti-collision purposes

Abstract

Disclosed is a driver-assistance vehicle including one or more lighting members which are placed within peripheral vision of a driver and which are arranged on respective sides of the vehicle. Furthermore, the driver-assistance vehicle includes a vehicle behavior sensing unit for predicting or sensing a state of the vehicle, and a light controller for controlling the lighting members, based on the sensed state. With this driver-assistance vehicle, the driver can be assisted in distributing his attention.

Claims

1. A driver-assistance vehicle comprising:

one or more lighting members being placed within peripheral vision of a driver,

wherein the driver is assisted in distributing his attention.

2. The driver-assistance vehicle according to claim 1,

wherein the lighting members are arranged on respective sides of the vehicle.

3. The driver-assistance vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising:

a vehicle behavior sensing unit for predicting or sensing a state of the vehicle; and

a light controller for controlling the lighting members, based on the sensed state.

4. The driver-assistance vehicle according to claim 3,

wherein the vehicle behavior sensing unit senses a signal outputted from a turn-signal of the vehicle when the turn-signal lights up, and

wherein when the vehicle behavior sensing unit senses the signal, the light controller turns on one or some of the lighting members on the side where the turn signal flashes.

5. The driver-assistance vehicle according to claim 3,

wherein the vehicle behavior sensing unit determines whether or not the vehicle will change direction or lane, through a navigation system, and

wherein when the vehicle behavior sensing unit determines that the vehicle will change direction or lane, the light controller turns on one or some of the lighting members on the side where the vehicle will change direction or lane.

6. The driver-assistance vehicle according to claim 3,

wherein the vehicle behavior sensing unit determines whether or not the vehicle will change direction or lane, through a steering angle sensor, and

wherein when the vehicle behavior sensing unit determines that the vehicle will change direction or lane, the light controller turns on one or some of the lighting members on the side where the vehicle will change direction or lane.

7. The driver-assistance vehicle according to claim 3,

wherein the vehicle behavior sensing unit determines whether or not the vehicle will change direction or lane, through a yaw rate sensor, and

wherein when the vehicle behavior sensing unit determines that the vehicle will change direction or lane, the light controller turns on one or some of the lighting members on the side where the vehicle will change direction or lane.

8. The driver-assistance vehicle according to claim 1,

wherein the vehicle behavior sensing unit senses external illuminance, and

wherein the light controller varies light intensities of the lighting members in accordance with the sensed illuminance.

9. The driver-assistance vehicle according to claim 2,

wherein the vehicle behavior sensing unit senses external illuminance, and

wherein the light controller varies light intensities of the lighting members in accordance with the sensed illuminance.

10. The driver-assistance vehicle according to claim 1,

wherein the lighting members flash at a frequency of 2 Hz to 10 Hz.

11. The driver-assistance vehicle according to claim 2,

wherein the lighting members flash at a frequency of 2 Hz to 10 Hz.

12. A driver-assistance vehicle comprising:

one or more regions being painted a color of a high attention value, the regions being arranged within peripheral vision of a driver,

wherein the driver is assisted in distributing his attention.

13. A driver-assistance vehicle according to claim 12,

wherein the color of a high attention value comprises yellow, orange and red.

14. The driver-assistance vehicle according to claim 12, further comprising one or more regions being painted a color of a low attention value, the regions being located in front of the driver.

15. The driver-assistance vehicle according to claim 14,

wherein the color of a low attention value comprises blue and black.

16. The driver-assistance vehicle according to claim 12, further comprising a lamp for irradiating the regions.