Apparatus for remote operation

• US 20090259357A1
• Filed: 04/07/2009
• Published: 10/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Aoki, Takashi
• Granted Patent: US 8,155,832 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/29
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1868 according to driving situations
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/1868 according to driving situations
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/10 Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/29 Instruments characterised by the way in which information is handled, e.g. showing information on plural displays or prioritising information according to driving conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 37/06 of controls, e.g. controls knobs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user

Abstract

A remote operation apparatus in a vehicle has a display unit, an operation unit, a speed sensor, a brake sensor, a steer angle sensor, a side G sensor, and a control unit. The operation unit is capable of remotely controlling the display contents of the display unit. The operation of the operation unit is allowed when the vehicle is determined, by the control unit, to be stably traveling, and the operation of the operation unit is restricted when the vehicle is determined to be traveling un-stably, based on information on the travel condition of the vehicle from those sensors. The remote operation apparatus having the above-described operation scheme facilitates a stable travel of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A remote operation apparatus comprising:

an operation unit for remotely operating display contents displayed on a display unit;

a travel condition acquisition unit for acquiring information on a travel condition of a subject vehicle; and

a control unit for (a) allowing an operation of the operation unit if the travel condition of the subject vehicle is determined to be in a stable condition and for (b) restricting the operation of the operation unit if the travel condition of the subject vehicle is determined to be in a non-stable condition, based on the information acquired by the travel condition acquisition unit.

2. The operation apparatus of claim 1, wherein

the information on the travel condition is regarding behavior information of the subject vehicle on one of a steep braking and a steep turn.

3. The operation apparatus of claim 1, wherein

the information on the travel condition is in association with surroundings of the current position of the subject vehicle, and

the information on the travel condition has contents suggesting at least one of a steep braking and a steep turn expected in future by the subject vehicle, acquired from the subject vehicle, a management center communicable with the subject vehicle, a road side unit communicable with the subject vehicle, or other vehicles communicable with the subject vehicle.

4. The operation apparatus of claim 1, wherein

the control unit controls the display unit to visually display a restriction of the operation of the operation unit.

5. The operation apparatus of claim 1, wherein

the operation unit has an electric actuator for generating a variable reaction force according to an operation of the operation unit, and

the control unit controls the electric actuator to generate respectively different reaction forces for a time when the operation of the operation unit is allowed and for another time when the operation of the operation unit is not allowed.

6. The operation apparatus of claim 5, wherein

the control unit sets a greater reaction force when the operation of the operation unit is restricted relative to the reaction force when the operation of the operation unit is allowed.

7. The operation apparatus of claim 1, wherein

the control unit allows a specific operation of the operation unit when the travel condition of the subject vehicle is determined in the non-stable condition.

8. The operation apparatus of claim 7, wherein

the operation unit is capable of controlling operation of one of a wiper, a defroster of an air-conditioning system, and a light, and

the specific operation is the controlling operation of one of the wiper, the defroster of the air-conditioning system, and the light.