DRIVING ASSISTANCE SYSTEM FOR VEHICLE AND VEHICLE EQUIPPED WITH DRIVING ASSISTANCE SYSTEM FOR VEHICLE

• US 20100274435A1
• Filed: 07/24/2007
• Published: 10/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Kuge, Nobuyuki, Kondoh, Takayuki, Komori, Kenji, Yamamura, Tomohiro, Takae, Yasuhiko
• Granted Patent: US 8,688,312 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/29
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/02 responsive to conditions relating to the driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/066 actuating a signalling device B60K28/063 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/09 Driving style or behaviour
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/1005 Driving resistance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/10 Interpretation of driver requests or demands
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/167 Driving aids for lane monitoring, lane changing, e.g. blind spot detection

Abstract

A driving assistance system for vehicle obtains short-duration data representing a present traveling condition and driving operation and intermediate-duration data representing a traveling condition and driving operation of that day. A drive diagnosis is carried out by comparing a distribution of the short-duration data and a distribution of the intermediate-date, and a drive diagnosis result is evaluated with two evaluation criteria so as to provide an alarm or an operation improvement suggestion.

Claims

1. A driving assistance system for vehicle characterized by comprising:

a traveling condition detection means that detects a traveling condition of a vehicle;

a drive operation detection means that detects a drive operation by a driver;

a drive diagnosis means that calculates an index for drive diagnosis based upon the traveling condition detected by the traveling condition detection means and the drive operation detected by the drive operation detection means, and diagnoses a drive operation of the driver from a calculated index;

an information setting means that evaluates a drive diagnosis result by the drive diagnosis means in accordance with an evaluation criterion so as to set a content of information provision to the driver; and

an information provision means that performs information provision to the driver with a content set by the information setting means.

2. A driving assistance system for vehicle according to claim 1, wherein:

the information setting means evaluates the drive diagnosis result with at least two evaluation criteria and sets a content of information provision.

3. A driving assistance system for vehicle according to claim 2, wherein

the drive diagnosis means uses a single index so as to carry out drive diagnosis;

and

the information setting means sets at least two evaluation criterion values with respect to the single index, and compares a drive diagnosis result using the single index with the at least two evaluation criterion values so as to set the content of information provision.

4. A driving assistance system for vehicle according to claim 3, wherein

the information setting means sets the at least two evaluation criterion values from an evaluation criterion value based upon an operating condition of a general driver, an evaluation criterion value based upon an usual operating condition of the driver, and an evaluation criterion value based upon an operating condition of that day of the driver.

5. A driving assistance system for vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the information setting means sets an alarm as the content of information provision when the drive diagnosis result falls below a predetermined evaluation criterion value.

6. A driving assistance system for vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the information setting means sets an operation improvement suggestion as the content of information provision when the drive diagnosis result exceeds a predetermined evaluation criterion value.

7. A driving assistance system for vehicle according to claim 2, wherein

the information setting means evaluates the drive diagnosis result with two evaluation criteria, and, depending upon an evaluation result, sets an alarm or an operation improvement suggestion as the content of information provision.

8. A driving assistance system for vehicle according to claim 7, wherein

the information setting means sets an alarm when the drive diagnosis result falls below a first evaluation criterion value and sets an operation improvement suggestion when the drive diagnosis result exceeds a second evaluation criterion value.

9. A driving assistance system for vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the drive diagnosis means detects risk perception characteristics of the driver as the index for drive diagnosis.

10. A driving assistance system for vehicle according to claim 9, wherein

the drive diagnosis means detects, as risk potential perception characteristics of the driver, one of a distribution of degree of closeness at a time of releasing an accelerator pedal while the vehicle is approaching a leading vehicle and a distribution of degree of closeness to a lane boundary at a time of steering adjustment performed while the vehicle is approaching a lane boundary.

11. A driving assistance system for vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the drive diagnosis means detects safety awareness and operation preference characteristics of the driver as the index for drive diagnosis.

12. A driving assistance system for vehicle according to claim 11, wherein

the drive diagnosis means detects, as safety awareness and operation preference characteristics of the driver, any of a distribution of velocity of the vehicle in a state in which there is no leading vehicle, a distribution of time headway between the vehicle and a leading vehicle while the vehicle is following the leading vehicle, and a distribution of acceleration of the vehicle at a time of start-up from a stopping state.

13. A driving assistance system for vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the drive diagnosis means detects a risk tolerance of the driver as the index for drive diagnosis.

14. A driving assistance system for vehicle according to claim 13, wherein

the drive diagnosis means detects, as a risk tolerance of the driver, one of a distribution of degree of closeness between the vehicle and a leading vehicle at a time of performing a brake operation while the vehicle is approaching the leading vehicle and a distribution of a minimum vehicle separation at a time of passing the leading vehicle from a follow-up state.

15. A driving assistance system for vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the drive diagnosis means detects a control performance of drive operation by the driver as the index for drive diagnosis.

16. A driving assistance system for vehicle according to claim 15, wherein

the drive diagnosis means detects, as a control performance of the drive operation, one of smoothness of a steering operation and smoothness of an accelerator pedal operation.

17. A driving assistance system for vehicle according to claim 1 wherein

the drive diagnosis means comprehensively detects characteristics of perception, determination, and operation of the driver as the index for drive diagnosis.

18. A driving assistance system for vehicle according to claim 17, wherein

the drive diagnosis means uses, as the index for drive diagnosis, an index that makes a comprehensive decision as to (a) a distribution of degree of closeness at a time of releasing an accelerator pedal while the vehicle is approaching a leading vehicle or a distribution of degree of closeness to a lane boundary at a time of steering adjustment performed while the vehicle is approaching a lane boundary, (b) a distribution of velocity of the vehicle in a state in which there is no leading vehicle, a distribution of time headway between the vehicle and the leading vehicle while the vehicle is following the leading vehicle, or a distribution of acceleration of the vehicle at a time of start-up from a stopping state, (c) a distribution of degree of closeness between the vehicle and the leading vehicle at a time of performing a brake operation while the vehicle is approaching the leading vehicle or a distribution of a minimum vehicle separation at a time of passing the leading vehicle from a follow-up state, and (d) smoothness of a steering operation or smoothness of an accelerator pedal operation.

20. A vehicle characterized by comprising a driving assistance system for vehicle according to claim 1.

19. A driving assistance method for vehicle characterized in:

detecting a traveling condition of a vehicle;

detecting a drive operation by a driver;

calculating an index for drive diagnosis based upon the traveling condition and the drive operation that have been detected, and diagnosing an operation of the driver from a calculated index;

evaluating a drive diagnosis result with an evaluation criterion so as to set a content of information provision to the driver; and

performing information provision to the driver with the set content.