Unsafe location warning system

• US 20070040705A1
• Filed: 08/03/2006
• Published: 02/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Nakagawa, Tsuyoshi, Yoshida, Ichiro, Yoshioka, Satomi
• Application Number:
  US11/498,231
• Publication Number:
  US 20070040705A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/988
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3867 Geometry of map features, e.g. shape points, polygons or for simplified maps
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0969 having a display in the form of a map

Abstract

A location warning system in a vehicle includes a position detector for detecting a vehicle position, a storage system for storing unsafe location information in a database, and a visual representation control means for visually representing the unsafe location information in a view of a driver of the vehicle when the vehicle is expected to pass the unsafe location. The unsafe location information defines a location of the unsafe factor as an unsafe location in association with the unsafe factor that affects a driving operation of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A location warning system in a vehicle comprising:

a position detector for detecting a vehicle position;

a storage system for storing unsafe location information in a database, wherein the unsafe location information that defines a location of an unsafe factor as an unsafe location in association with the unsafe factor that affects a driving of the vehicle; and

a visual representation control means for visually representing the unsafe location information in a view of a driver of the vehicle when the vehicle is expected to pass the unsafe location.

2. The location warning system as in claim 1 further comprising:

a physical response data recording means for detecting and recording a physical response data of the driver as a reflection of a mental condition of the driver;

a vehicle operation data recording means for detecting and recording vehicle operation by the driver as vehicle operation data;

a traffic information acquisition means for acquiring traffic information from an external resource; and

an unsafe location recording means for recording the unsafe location information in the database, wherein the unsafe location in the unsafe location information is determined to have the unsafe factor for the driving of the vehicle based on at least one of the physical response data, the vehicle operation data and the traffic information.

3. The location warning system as in claim 2 further comprising:

a communication unit for communicating with an external resource,

wherein the communication unit sends the unsafe location information recorded by the unsafe location recording means to the external resource, and

the unsafe location recording means records the unsafe location information received from the external resource by the communication unit.

4. The location warning system as in claim 2 further comprising:

a driving skill evaluation means for evaluating driving skill of the driver based on the vehicle operation data recorded by the vehicle operation data recording means,

wherein the visual representation control means controls visual representation of the unsafe location information in terms of representation of the unsafe factor of the unsafe location according to an evaluation level of the driving skill of the driver evaluated by the driving skill evaluation means.

5. The location warning system as in claim 4,

wherein the evaluation level of the driving skill of the driver is variably associated with formation of notification provided for the driver.

6. The location warning system as in claim 1 further comprising:

a route navigation means for calculating and providing a route navigation to a preset destination based on a map data,

wherein the route navigation means refers to the unsafe location information in the database to exclude the unsafe location from the navigation route to the preset destination.

7. The location warning system as in claim 6,

wherein the route navigation means excludes the unsafe location from the navigation route based on an input from a user.

8. The location warning system as in claim 6,

wherein the unsafe location information is provided for the driver in combination with the route navigation.

9. The location warning system as in claim 6,

wherein the unsafe location information is visually represented on a map in combination with the navigation route based on the map data.

10. The location warning system as in claim 1,

wherein the unsafe location information in the view of the driver is overlaid on a sight of the driver.

11. The location warning system as in claim 1,

wherein the unsafe location information is visually represented by using a difference of hue.

12. The location warning system as in claim 1,

wherein the unsafe location information is visually represented by using a difference of shading.

13. The location warning system as in claim 1,

wherein the unsafe location information is visually represented by using a geometrical shape.

14. The location warning system as in claim 1,

wherein the unsafe location information is visually represented by using an image.

15. The location warning system as in claim 1,

wherein the unsafe location information is graphically represented by using a moving picture.

16. The location warning system as in claim 1,

wherein the unsafe location information is visually represented by using a graphic icon.

17. The location warning system as in claim 1,

wherein the unsafe location information is visually represented by using a text.