APPROACHING VEHICLE DETECTION DEVICE

• US 20130338881A1
• Filed: 02/27/2012
• Published: 12/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Sato, Jun, Funayama, Ryuji, Takahashi, Norihiro
• Application Number:
  US14/001,219
• Publication Number:
  US 20130338881A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/45
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0134 responsive to imminent contact with an obstacle , e.g. using radar systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 11/14 using ultrasonic, sonic, or infrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/18 using ultrasonic, sonic, or infrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes

Abstract

An approaching vehicle detection device includes an approaching vehicle detection unit 22 that detects an approaching vehicle based on a running noise, an acquisition unit (an illumination sensor 10 and a weather information acquisition device 11) that acquires visibility information which indicates a visibility around the vehicle, and a determination unit (operation determination unit 21A) that determines whether or not to cause the approaching vehicle detection unit 22 to operate based on the visibility information acquired by the acquisition unit.

Claims

1. An approaching vehicle detection device, comprising:

an approaching vehicle detection unit that detects an approaching vehicle based on a running noise;

an acquisition unit that acquires visibility information which indicates a visibility around the vehicle; and

a determination unit that determines whether or not to cause the approaching vehicle detection unit to operate based on the visibility information acquired by the acquisition unit.

2. The approaching vehicle detection device according to claim 1,

wherein the acquisition unit acquires illumination information around the vehicle.

3. The approaching vehicle detection device according to claim 2,

wherein the determination unit determines whether or not to cause the approaching vehicle detection unit to operate based on a comparison between the illumination information acquired by the acquisition unit and a predetermined threshold value of the illumination.

4. The approaching vehicle detection device according to claim 1,

wherein the acquisition unit acquires weather information around the vehicle.

5. The approaching vehicle detection device according to claim 4,

wherein the determination unit determines whether or not to cause the approaching vehicle detection unit to operate based on a comparison between the weather information acquired by the acquisition unit and a predetermined weather conditions.

6. The approaching vehicle detection device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a detection unit that detects visibility information which indicates a visibility of the vehicle driver,

wherein the determination unit determines whether or not to cause the approaching vehicle detection unit to operate based on the visibility information detected by the detection unit.

7. The approaching vehicle detection device according to claim 6,

wherein the detection unit detects the driver'"'"'s line of sight information.

8. The approaching vehicle detection device according to claim 7,

wherein the determination unit determines whether or not to cause the approaching vehicle detection unit to operate based on a comparison between the line of sight information acquired by the detection unit and a predetermined moving status of the line of sight.

9. The approaching vehicle detection device according to claim 6,

wherein the detection unit detects the driver'"'"'s posture information.

10. The approaching vehicle detection device according to claim 9,

wherein the determination unit determines whether or not to cause the approaching vehicle detection unit to operate based on a comparison between the posture information acquired by the detection unit and a predetermined frontward inclination status of the posture.