DRIVING SUPPORT DEVICE

• US 20100292895A1
• Filed: 04/27/2007
• Published: 11/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.), Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.), Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Nakamura, Motohiro, Nakamura, Masaki, Aisaka, Osamu, Ishikawa, Tomoaki, Kanba, Motoki
• Application Number:
  US12/597,853
• Publication Number:
  US 20100292895A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/41
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/582 of traffic signs
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/588 Recognition of the road, e.g. of lane markings; Recognition of the vehicle driving pattern in relation to the road
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/09623 Systems involving the acquisition of information from passive traffic signs by means mounted on the vehicle G08G1/0967 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes

Abstract

In a case where it is determined that a road surface marking exists within a specified range from a vehicle 2 (YES at S2), the road surface marking is recognized based on an image that has been acquired by a rear camera 3 (S3), an on-road distance from the vehicle 2 to a control object that is associated with the recognized road surface marking is computed (S5 to S7), and in a case where it has been determined that the on-road distance to the control object has become a specified distance (YES at S8), driving guidance and the vehicle control are performed in accordance with the type of the associated control object (S11).

Claims

1. A driving support device comprising:

image acquisition means for acquiring an image of an area around a vehicle on which the image acquisition means is disposed;

driving assistance means for assisting a driver in driving the vehicle based on the image that is acquired by the image acquisition means;

mark information storage means for storing location information for a road surface marking that is formed on a road surface;

road surface marking detection means for detecting the road surface marking that is formed on the road surface on which the vehicle is traveling, based on the image that is acquired by the image acquisition means; and

object distance computation means for computing an on-road distance from the vehicle to a control object that is associated with the detected road surface marking, based on the road surface marking detected by the road surface marking detection means and on the location information that is stored in the mark information storage means, wherein

the driving assistance means assists the driving of the vehicle based on the computed on-road distance from the vehicle to the control object.

2. The driving support device according to claim 1, further comprising:

drive control means for performing drive control of the vehicle, wherein

the driving assistance means uses the drive control means to perform the drive control of the vehicle, based on the computed on-road distance from the vehicle to the control object.

3. The driving support device according to claim 1, further comprising:

driving guidance means for providing the driver with guidance that pertains to the driving of the vehicle, wherein

the driving assistance means uses the driving guidance means to perform the guidance, based on the computed on-road distance from the vehicle to the control object.

4. The driving support device according to claim 1, further comprising:

current position detection means for detecting a current position of the vehicle; and

road surface marking existence determination means for determining whether a road surface marking exists within a specified range from the current position of the vehicle, based on the detected current position detection and on the location information that is stored in the mark information storage means, wherein

the road surface marking detection means performs detection of the road surface marking responsive to a determination by the road surface marking existence determination means that the road surface marking exists.