System and Method for Assisting with Safe Driving, Computer Program for Assisting with Safe Driving, Storage Medium Upon Which the Computer Program is Stored, and Navigation Device

• US 20110215951A1
• Filed: 11/18/2009
• Published: 09/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Mapmaster Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Mapmaster Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Yamashita, Yumiko, Ohsaki, Shintaro
• Granted Patent: US 8,502,703 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/995.19
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3415 Dynamic re-routing, e.g. recalculating the route when the user deviates from calculated route or after detecting real-time traffic data or accidents
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3461 Preferred or disfavoured areas, e.g. dangerous zones, toll or emission zones, intersections, manoeuvre types, segments such as motorways, toll roads, ferries
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3602 Input other than that of destination using image analysis, e.g. detection of road signs, lanes, buildings, real preceding vehicles using a camera
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3697 Output of additional, non-guidance related information, e.g. low fuel level G01C21/3679 takes precedence

Abstract

Disclosed is a system and method that offer improved assistance with safe driving using navigation devices, incorporating traffic regulations pertaining to route changes into guidance offered by the navigation devices. The system comprises a traffic regulations data memory (21), which associates, with roadways, data on traffic regulations pertaining to route changes, and stores the data so associated, an onboard vehicle locator (11), which locates the driver'"'"'s vehicle upon the suggested route, a comparison unit (31), which compares the location of the driver'"'"'s vehicle, as located by the onboard vehicle locator (11), with the traffic regulations data, and an output unit (40), which outputs, based on the determination made by the comparison unit (31), either information that driving regulations apply upon the road currently being traveled, as part of the suggested route, or that driving regulations apply upon roads ahead of the road currently being traveled, again, as part of the suggested route.

Claims

1. A safe driving support system comprising:

a first memory that stores traffic regulation data on a traffic regulation relating to lane changing in association with a road;

a host vehicle position identifying device that identifies a position of a host vehicle on a guided route;

a comparing device that compares the position of the host vehicle identified by said host vehicle position identifying device with the traffic regulation data; and

an output device that produces, based on a result produced by said comparing device, an output to an effect that the traffic regulation is applied to a road on which the vehicle is travelling on the guided route or a road ahead of the road on which the vehicle is travelling on the guided route. and

a speed comparing device that compares a speed of the host vehicle with a predetermined first threshold speed, wherein

said output device is operated when the speed of the host vehicle is lower than the first threshold speed.

3. A safe driving support system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a vehicle recognizing device that recognizes a vehicle running ahead, wherein

said output device is operated when said vehicle recognizing device recognizes a vehicle that runs ahead.

4. A safe driving support system according to any claim 1, further comprising:

a device that guides, based on a result produced by said comparing device, another route excluding part or entirety of the road to which the traffic regulation is applied.

5. A safe driving support system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a direction change recognizing device that recognizes a change in a running direction for a passing attempt made by the host vehicle, wherein

when said direction change recognizing device recognizes a change in the running direction made by the host vehicle and the traffic regulation is applied to the road on which the host vehicle is travelling, said output device produces an output to an effect that the traffic regulation is applied to the road on which the vehicle is travelling.

6. A safe driving support system according to claim 1, wherein that when the traffic regulation is applied to a road ahead of the road on which the host vehicle is travelling on the guided route, said output device is operated and produces an output of a distance from a current position to the road to which the traffic regulation is applied and/or a reaching time.

7. A safe driving support system according to claim 1, wherein that when the traffic regulation is applied to the road on which the host vehicle is travelling on the guided route, said output device is operated and produces an output of a distance from a current position to an end of the road to which the traffic regulation is applied and/or a reaching time.

2. (canceled)

8. A safe driving support method using a navigation system including a first memory that stores traffic regulation data on a traffic regulation relating to lane changing in association with a road, and a host vehicle position identifying device that identifies a position of a host vehicle on a guided route, the method comprising:

comparing the position of the host vehicle identified by said host vehicle position identifying device with the traffic regulation data;

producing, based on a result of the comparing, an output to an effect that the traffic regulation is applied to a road on which the vehicle is travelling on the guided route or a road ahead of the road on which the vehicle is travelling on the guided route; and

comparing a speed of the host vehicle with a predetermined first threshold speed, wherein

the producing of an output is performed when the speed of the host vehicle is lower than the first threshold speed

10. A safe driving support method according to claim 8, further comprising:

recognizing a vehicle running ahead, wherein

the producing of an output is performed when a vehicle that runs ahead is recognized in the recognizing of a vehicle.

11. A safe driving support method according to claim 8, wherein based on a result of the comparing, a guidance of another route excluding part or entirety of the road to which the traffic regulation is applied is given.

12. A safe driving support method according to claim 8, further comprising:

recognizing a change in a running direction for a passing attempt made by the host vehicle, wherein

when a change in the running direction made by the host vehicle is recognized in the recognizing of a change in the direction and the traffic regulation is applied to the road on which the host vehicle is travelling, said output device produces an output to an effect that the traffic regulation is applied to the road on which the vehicle is travelling.

13. A safe driving support method according to claim 8, wherein when the traffic regulation is applied to a road ahead of the road on which the host vehicle is travelling on the guided route, the producing of an output is performed and an output is produced of a distance from a current position to the road to which the traffic regulation is applied and/or a reaching time.

14. A safe driving support method according to claim 8, wherein when the traffic regulation is applied to the road on which the host vehicle is travelling on the guided route, the producing of an output is performed and an output is produced of a distance from a current position to an end of the road to which the traffic regulation is applied and/or a reaching time.

9. (canceled)

15. A computer program for causing a computer system to function as:

a first memory that stores traffic regulation data on a traffic regulation relating to lane changing in association with a road;

a host vehicle position identifying device that identifies a position of a host vehicle on a guided route;

a comparing device that compares the position of the host vehicle identified by said host vehicle position identifying device with the traffic regulation data;

an output device that produces, based on a result produced by said comparing device, an output to an effect that the traffic regulation is applied to a road on which the vehicle is travelling on the guided route or a road ahead of the road on which the vehicle is travelling on the guided route; and

a speed comparing device that compares a speed of the host vehicle with a predetermined first threshold speed, wherein

said output device is operated when the speed of the host vehicle is lower than the first threshold speed.

17. A computer program according to claim 15, further causing the computer system to function as:

a vehicle recognizing device that recognizes a vehicle running ahead, wherein

said output device is operated when said vehicle recognizing device recognizes a vehicle that runs ahead.

18. A computer program according to claim 15, further causing the computer system to function as:

a device that guides, based on a result produced by said comparing device, another route excluding the road to which the traffic regulation is applied.

19. A computer program according to claim 15, further causing the computer system to function as:

a direction change recognizing device for recognizing a change in a running direction for a passing attempt made by the host vehicle, wherein

when said direction change recognizing device recognizes a change in the running direction made by the host vehicle and the traffic regulation is applied to the road on which the host vehicle is travelling, said output device produces an output to an effect that the traffic regulation is applied to the road on which the vehicle is travelling.

20. A computer program according to claim 15, wherein the computer system causes, when the traffic regulation is applied to

a road ahead of the road on which the host vehicle is travelling on the guided route, said output device to be operated and produce an output of a distance from a current position to the road to which the traffic regulation is applied and/or a reaching time.

21. A computer program according to claim 15, wherein the computer system causes, when the traffic regulation is applied to the road on which the host vehicle is travelling on the guided route, said output device to be operated and produce an output of a distance from a current position to an end of the road to which the traffic regulation is applied and/or a reaching time.

16. (canceled)

22. (canceled)

23. (canceled)