DRIVE ASSISTANCE DEVICE

• US 20100057348A1
• Filed: 12/25/2007
• Published: 03/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Imai, Hiroyuki, Sekiyama, Hiroaki
• Application Number:
  US12/517,218
• Publication Number:
  US 20100057348A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/207
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3691 Retrieval, searching and output of information related to real-time traffic, weather, or environmental conditions arrangements for giving variable traffic instructions G08G1/09
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3697 Output of additional, non-guidance related information, e.g. low fuel level G01C21/3679 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096811 where the route is computed offboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096844 where the complete route is dynamically recomputed based on new data

Abstract

A drive assistance device for reporting to a driver whether passage time at a point is earlier or later than reference time is disclosed. The drive assistance device is configured to detect positions of a vehicle; to record the detected positions in association with passage time at the respective detected positions; to determine whether the vehicle is running a regular route; and if the vehicle is running a regular route, to report to the driver whether current passage time at a given point on the regular route is earlier or later than previous passage time at the given point. The drive assistance device also obtains traffic jam information on a part of the regular route from the given point to a destination of the regular route and reports the traffic jam information to the driver when the vehicle passes the given point.

Claims

1. A drive assistance device for reporting to a driver whether passage time at a point is earlier or later than reference time, wherein the drive assistance device is configured:

to detect positions of a vehicle;

to record the detected positions in association with the passage time at the respective detected positions;

to determine whether the vehicle is running a regular route; and

if the vehicle is running the regular route, to report to the driver whether current passage time at a given point on the regular route is earlier or later than previous passage time at the given point.

2. The drive assistance device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the drive assistance device is configured to determine a route taken by the vehicle a predetermined number of times or more within a predetermined period as the regular route.

3. The drive assistance device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the drive assistance device is configured to determine the route taken by the vehicle the predetermined number of times or more in a time range on a same day of the week within the predetermined period as the regular route of the day of the week.

4. The drive assistance device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the drive assistance device is configured to obtain traffic jam information on a part of the regular route from the given point to a destination of the regular route and to report the traffic jam information to the driver when the vehicle passes the given point.

5. The drive assistance device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the drive assistance device is configured to determine a route taken by the vehicle a predetermined number of times or more within a predetermined period as the regular route.

6. The drive assistance device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the drive assistance device is configured to determine the route taken by the vehicle the predetermined number of times or more in a time range on a same day of the week within the predetermined period as the regular route of the day of the week.