DRIVING ASSISTANCE APPARATUS, DRIVING ASSISTANCE METHOD, AND DRIVING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

• US 20100274473A1
• Filed: 03/12/2010
• Published: 10/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Konishi, Teru
• Granted Patent: US 8,620,571 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/200
• 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 1/161 Decentralised systems, e.g. inter-vehicle communication

Abstract

A method and apparatus for providing driver assistance are provided. The apparatus includes a road recognition unit, an eligibility acquisition unit, an other vehicle recognition unit, an other vehicle eligibility acquisition unit and a guidance unit. The road recognition unit determines if a host vehicle is traveling on a restricted road having a lane with travel eligibility restrictions. The eligibility acquisition unit obtains information regarding travel eligibility of the lanes on the restricted road. The other vehicle recognition unit determines if the other vehicle is traveling in an adjacent lane and the other vehicle eligibility acquisition unit obtains travel eligibility information of the other vehicle. Based on the travel eligibility of the other vehicle, the other vehicle traveling lane or the host vehicle traveling lane, the guidance unit determines whether to provide guidance information.

Claims

1. A driving assistance apparatus comprising:

a road recognition unit that determines whether a host vehicle is traveling on a restricted eligibility road including a lane that has a travel eligibility restriction;

an eligibility acquisition unit that obtains at least one of information relating to a travel eligibility restriction of a host vehicle traveling lane and information relating to a travel eligibility restriction of an adjacent lane to the host vehicle traveling lane when the host vehicle is determined to be traveling on the restricted eligibility road;

an other vehicle recognition unit that recognizes another vehicle traveling in the adjacent lane;

an other vehicle eligibility acquisition unit that obtains information relating to a travel eligibility of the other vehicle; and

a guidance unit that determines whether to provide guidance relating to the other vehicle on the basis of the information relating to the travel eligibility of the other vehicle and at least one of the obtained information relating to the travel eligibility restriction of the host vehicle traveling lane and the obtained information relating to the travel eligibility restriction of the adjacent lane.

2. The driving assistance apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the guidance unit determines whether the other vehicle conforms to the travel eligibility restriction of the host vehicle traveling lane on the basis of the information relating to the travel eligibility of the other vehicle, and provides guidance relating to the other vehicle when the other vehicle conforms to the travel eligibility restriction of the host vehicle traveling lane.

3. The driving assistance apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the guidance unit determines whether the other vehicle conforms to the travel eligibility restriction of the adjacent lane on the basis of the information relating to the travel eligibility of the other vehicle, and provides guidance relating to the other vehicle when the other vehicle does not conform to the travel eligibility restriction of the adjacent lane.

4. The driving assistance apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the guidance unit determines whether to provide guidance relating to the other vehicle when the host vehicle is positioned within a predetermined range ahead of a lane change zone in which a lane change is possible between the adjacent lane and the host vehicle traveling lane.

7. The driving assistance apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the guidance unit further determines a relative speed between the host vehicle and the other vehicle and provides the guidance when a speed of the host vehicle exceeds a speed of the other vehicle.

16. The driving assistance apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the guidance is information based on the other vehicle.

5. A driving assistance method employing a control unit that provides a driver of a host vehicle with guidance relating to another vehicle located on the periphery of the host vehicle, wherein the control unit:

determines whether or not the host vehicle is traveling on a restricted eligibility road including a lane that has a travel eligibility restriction;

obtains at least one of information relating to a travel eligibility restriction of a host vehicle traveling lane and information relating to a travel eligibility restriction of an adjacent lane to the host vehicle traveling lane when the host vehicle is determined to be traveling on the restricted eligibility road;

recognizes another vehicle traveling in the adjacent lane;

obtains information relating to a travel eligibility of the other vehicle; and

determines whether or not to provide guidance relating to the other vehicle on the basis of the information relating to the travel eligibility of the other vehicle and at least one of the obtained information relating to the travel eligibility restriction of the host vehicle traveling lane and the obtained information relating to the travel eligibility restriction of the adjacent lane.

8. The driving assistance method according to claim 5, wherein the control unit determines whether the other vehicle conforms to the travel eligibility restriction of the host vehicle traveling lane on the basis of the information relating to the travel eligibility of the other vehicle, and provides guidance relating to the other vehicle when the other vehicle conforms to the travel eligibility restriction of the host vehicle traveling lane.

9. The driving assistance method according to claim 5, wherein the control unit determines whether the other vehicle conforms to the travel eligibility restriction of the adjacent lane on the basis of the information relating to the travel eligibility of the other vehicle, and provides guidance relating to the other vehicle when the other vehicle does not conform to the travel eligibility restriction of the adjacent lane.

10. The driving assistance method according to claim 5, wherein the control unit determines whether to provide guidance relating to the other vehicle when the host vehicle is positioned within a predetermined range ahead of a lane change zone in which a lane change is possible between the adjacent lane and the host vehicle traveling lane.

11. The driving assistance method according to claim 5, wherein the control unit determines a relative speed between the host vehicle and the other vehicle and provides the guidance when a speed of the host vehicle exceeds a speed of the other vehicle.

17. The driving assistance method according to claim 5, wherein the guidance is information based on the other vehicle.

6. A driving assistance program employing a control unit that provides a driver of a host vehicle with guidance relating to another vehicle located on the periphery of the host vehicle, wherein the control unit is caused to function as:

a road recognition unit that determines whether or not the host vehicle is traveling on a restricted eligibility road including a lane that has a travel eligibility restriction;

an eligibility acquisition unit that obtains at least one of information relating to a travel eligibility restriction of a host vehicle traveling lane and information relating to a travel eligibility restriction of an adjacent lane to the host vehicle traveling lane when the host vehicle is determined to be traveling on the restricted eligibility road;

an other vehicle recognition unit that recognizes another vehicle traveling in the adjacent lane;

an other vehicle eligibility acquisition unit that obtains information relating to a travel eligibility of the other vehicle; and

a guidance unit that determines whether or not to provide guidance relating to the other vehicle on the basis of the information relating to the travel eligibility of the other vehicle and at least one of the obtained information relating to the travel eligibility restriction of the host vehicle traveling lane and the obtained information relating to the travel eligibility restriction of the adjacent lane.

12. The driving assistance program according to claim 6, wherein the guidance unit determines whether the other vehicle conforms to the travel eligibility restriction of the host vehicle traveling lane on the basis of the information relating to the travel eligibility of the other vehicle, and provides guidance relating to the other vehicle when the other vehicle conforms to the travel eligibility restriction of the host vehicle traveling lane.

13. The driving assistance program according to claim 6, wherein the guidance unit determines whether the other vehicle conforms to the travel eligibility restriction of the adjacent lane on the basis of the information relating to the travel eligibility of the other vehicle, and provides guidance relating to the other vehicle when the other vehicle does not conform to the travel eligibility restriction of the adjacent lane.

14. The driving assistance program according to claim 6, wherein the guidance unit determines whether to provide guidance relating to the other vehicle when the host vehicle is positioned within a predetermined range ahead of a lane change zone in which a lane change is possible between the adjacent lane and the host vehicle traveling lane.

15. The driving assistance program according to claim 6, wherein the guidance unit further determines a relative speed between the host vehicle and the other vehicle and provides the guidance when a speed of the host vehicle exceeds a speed of the other vehicle.

18. The driving assistance program according to claim 6, wherein the guidance is information based on the other vehicle.