TRAVEL ASSIST APPARATUS AND TRAVEL ASSIST METHOD

• US 20130321172A1
• Filed: 02/28/2011
• Published: 12/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Igarashi, Shinji, Akiyama, Tomonori, Yoshihama, Yuki
• Granted Patent: US 9,852,633 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/905
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/80 Spatial relation or speed relative to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/0956 the prediction being responsive to traffic or environmental parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/12 Lane keeping
• 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

The present invention resides in a travel assist apparatus that performs assist of warning or support so that departure of a vehicle from a traveling lane is avoided, wherein a timing to the assist is to be performed is changed depending on a lane entering angle of an oncoming vehicle and a lane departure angle of a subject vehicle with respect to the traveling lane. Accordingly, the timing at which the assist is to be performed is changed depending on the lane entering angle of the oncoming vehicle and the lane departure angle of the subject vehicle with respect to the traveling lane. Therefore, it is possible to advance the timing at which the assist is to be performed as the possibilities is higher that the behaviors of the oncoming vehicle and the subject vehicle hinder the traveling of the subject vehicle.

Claims

1. A travel assist apparatus that performs assist of warning or support so that departure of a vehicle from a traveling lane is avoided, the traveling lane being set on the basis of a non-travelable area or a road marking to indicate a lane boundary, wherein:

a timing at which the assist is to be performed is changed depending on a lane entering angle of an oncoming vehicle with respect to the traveling lane, the timing at which the assist is to be performed is changed by changing a boundary position of the traveling lane, and the timing at which the assist is to be performed is advanced by setting the boundary position of the traveling lane nearer to a side of a subject vehicle as the lane entering angle of the oncoming vehicle with respect to the traveling lane and a departure angle of the subject vehicle with respect to the traveling lane increase.

2. The travel assist apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the timing at which the assist is to be performed is changed depending on the lane departure angle of the subject vehicle with respect to the traveling lane, in addition to the lane entering angle of the oncoming vehicle with respect to the traveling lane.

3. (canceled)

4. (canceled)

5. A travel assist apparatus that performs assist of warning or support so that departure of a vehicle from a traveling lane is avoided, the traveling lane being set on the basis of a traveling-prohibited region or a road marking to indicate a lane boundary, wherein:

a timing at which the assist is to be performed is changed depending on a lane entering angle of an oncoming vehicle with respect to the traveling lane, the timing at which the assist is to be performed is changed by changing a value of a time or distance to lane crossing until the departure of the vehicle from the traveling lane boundary wherein the assist is to be performed at the timing when the time or distance arrives at the value, and the value of a time or distance to lane crossing until the departure of the vehicle from the traveling lane boundary wherein the assist is to be performed at the timing when the time or distance arrives at the value, is increased to advance the timing at which the assist is to be performed, as the lane entering angle of the oncoming vehicle with respect to the traveling lane and the departure angle of the subject vehicle with respect to the traveling lane increase.

9. The travel assist apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the timing at which the assist is to be performed is changed depending on the lane departure angle of the subject vehicle with respect to the traveling lane, in addition to the lane entering angle of the oncoming vehicle with respect to the traveling lane.

6. (canceled)

7. A travel assist method for performing assist of warning or support so that departure of a vehicle from a traveling lane is avoided, the traveling lane being set on the basis of a non-travelable area or a road marking to indicate a lane boundary, wherein:

a timing at which the assist is to be performed is changed depending on a lane entering angle of an oncoming vehicle with respect to the traveling lane, the timing at which the assist is to be performed is changed by changing a boundary position of the traveling lane, and the timing at which the assist is to be performed is advanced by setting the boundary position of the traveling lane nearer to a side of a subject vehicle as the lane entering angle of the oncoming vehicle with respect to the traveling lane and a departure angle of the subject vehicle with respect to the traveling lane increase.

8. A travel assist method for performing assist of warning or support so that departure of a vehicle from a traveling lane is avoided, the traveling lane being set on the basis of a non-travelable area or a road marking to indicate a lane boundary, wherein:

a timing at which the assist is to be performed is changed depending on a lane entering angle of an oncoming vehicle with respect to the traveling lane, the timing at which the assist is to be performed is changed by changing a value of a time or distance to lane crossing until the departure of the vehicle from the traveling lane boundary wherein the assist is to be performed at the timing when the time or distance arrives at the value, and the value of a time or distance to lane crossing until the departure of the vehicle from the traveling lane boundary wherein the assist is to be performed at the timing when the time or distance arrives at the value, is increased to advance the timing at which the assist is to be performed, as the lane entering angle of the oncoming vehicle with respect to the traveling lane and the departure angle of the subject vehicle with respect to the traveling lane increase.