DRIVE ASSIST APPARATUS

• US 20160246298A1
• Filed: 01/19/2016
• Published: 08/25/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: SATO, Jun, IWASAKI, Masahiro
• Granted Patent: US 9,740,203 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/175 Autonomous driving
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/28 characterised by the type of the output information, e.g. video entertainment or vehicle dynamics information; characterised by the purpose of the output information, e.g. for attracting the attention of the driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 5/005 automatically actuated
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/00 Arrangement or adaptation of signal devices not provided for in one of main groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q7/00 , e.g. haptic signalling
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2040/0818 Inactivity or incapacity of driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2040/0872 Driver physiology
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2040/0881 Seat occupation; Driver or passenger presence
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0072 Controller asks driver to take over
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/143 Alarm means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/146 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/221 Physiology, e.g. weight, heartbeat, health or special needs
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/08 related to drivers or passengers
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0061 for transition from automatic pilot to manual pilot and vice versa
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/02 Registering or indicating driving, working, idle, or waiting time only apparatus forming part of taximeters G07B13/00

Abstract

A drive assist apparatus includes an arrival window time calculation unit configured to calculate an arrival window time before the vehicle arrives at a switching completion point, a driving concentration degree estimation unit configured to estimate a driving concentration degree of a driver based on a state of the driver when the arrival window time is equal to or shorter than a predetermined time, and a stimulation providing unit configured to provide a stimulus to the driver according to the driving concentration degree. In a case where the driving concentration degree is equal to or less than a threshold value set in advance, the stimulation providing unit provides a stimulus to the driver, which is stronger than that in a case where the driving concentration degree is greater than the threshold value, or provides a stronger stimulus to the driver in accordance with reduction in the driving concentration degree.

Claims

1. A drive assist apparatus configured to execute switching of a driving mode of a vehicle from autonomous driving to manual driving at a switching completion point, the apparatus comprising:

an arrival window time calculator configured to calculate an arrival window time before the vehicle arrives at the switching completion point based on a current position and speed of the vehicle;

a driving concentration degree estimator configured to estimate a driving concentration degree of a driver based on a state of the driver of the vehicle when the arrival window time is equal to or shorter than a predetermined time; and

a stimulator configured to provide stimulation to the driver according to the driving concentration degree,

wherein, in a case where the driving concentration degree is equal to or less than a threshold value set in advance, the stimulator is configured to provide a stimulus to the driver, wherein the stimulus has a strength stronger than another strength in a case where the driving concentration degree is greater than the threshold value, or the stimulator is configured to provide the stimulus to the driver having a strength in accordance with reduction in the driving concentration degree.

2. The drive assist apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein, in a case where the driving concentration degree is greater than the threshold value, the stimulator is configured to provide the stimulus to the driver having a first strength,

wherein, in a case where the arrival window time is equal to or longer than a reference time which is shorter than the predetermined time and the driving concentration degree is equal to or less than the threshold value, the stimulator is configured to provide the stimulus to the driver having a second strength which is stronger than the first strength, and

wherein, in a case where the arrival window time is shorter than the reference time and the driving concentration degree is equal to or less than the threshold value, the stimulator is configured to provide a stimulation to the driver having a third strength which is stronger than the second strength.

3. The drive assist apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a return time estimator configured to estimate a psychological side return time which is a time required for a state of psychological side of the driver to be returned to a state suitable for the manual driving, a cognitive side return time which is a time required for a state of cognitive side of the driver to be returned to the state suitable for the manual driving, and an operative side return time which is a time required for a state of operative side of the driver to be returned to the state suitable for the manual driving, based on the driving concentration degree,

wherein, in a case where a total time of the psychological side return time, the cognitive side return time, and the operative side return time is equal to or shorter than the predetermined time, the stimulator is configured to provide to the driver a psychological side returning stimulus which returns the state of psychological side of the driver to the state suitable for the manual driving, a cognitive side returning stimulus which returns the state of cognitive side of the driver to the state suitable for the manual driving, and an operative side returning stimulus which returns the state of operative side of the driver to the state suitable for the manual driving, in an order of the psychological side returning stimulus the cognitive side returning stimulus and the operative side returning stimulus, and

wherein, in a case where the total time is longer than the predetermined time, the stimulator is configured to provide the psychological side returning stimulus, the cognitive side returning stimulus and the operative side returning stimulus to the driver by overlapping one or more of the psychological side returning stimulus, the cognitive side returning stimulus, and the operative side returning stimulus such that an aggregated time of providing the psychological side returning stimulus the cognitive side returning stimulus and the operative side returning stimulus becomes the predetermined time.

4. The drive assist apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising:

a return time estimator configured to estimate a psychological side return time which is a time required for a state of psychological side of the driver to be returned to a state suitable for the manual driving, a cognitive side return time which is a time required for a state of cognitive side of the driver to be returned to the state suitable for the manual driving, and an operative side return time which is a time required for a state of operative side of the driver to be returned to the state suitable for the manual driving, based on the driving concentration degree,

wherein, in a case where a total time of the psychological side return time, the cognitive side return time, and the operative side return time is equal to or shorter than the predetermined time, the stimulator is configured to provide to the driver a psychological side returning stimulus which returns the state of psychological side of the driver to the state suitable for the manual driving, a cognitive side returning stimulus which returns the state of cognitive side of the driver to the state suitable for the manual driving, and an operative side returning stimulus which returns the state of operative side of the driver to the state suitable for the manual driving, in an order of the psychological side returning stimulus the cognitive side returning stimulus and the operative side returning stimulus, and

wherein, in a case where the total time is longer than the predetermined time, the stimulator is configured to provide the psychological side returning stimulus, the cognitive side returning stimulus and the operative side returning stimulus to the driver by overlapping one or more of the psychological side returning stimulus, the cognitive side returning stimulus, and the operative side returning stimulus such that an aggregated time of providing the psychological side returning stimulus the cognitive side returning stimulus and the operative side returning stimulus becomes the predetermined time.

5. The drive assist apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the stimulator comprises:

any of a sound generator, a light generator, a vibration generator, and an interior mover.

6. The drive assist apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the driving concentration degree estimator estimates the driving concentration degree of the driver based on the state of the driver acquired by a driver state acquirer.

7. The drive assist apparatus according to claim 6,

wherein the driving concentration degree comprises:

at least one parameter including any of a degree of tension, a degree of wakefulness, a degree of drowsiness, a driving operation adaptability, a degree of fatigue, a degree of inattentiveness, a concentration and a degree of emotion.

8. The drive assist apparatus according to claim 7,

wherein the driving concentration degree is a value obtained by integrating the at least one parameter based on a sum of a sequence of numbers in which each of the parameters are weighted by weightings accorded to each of the at least one parameter.

9. The drive assist apparatus according to claim 6,

wherein the driver state acquirer comprises:

a sensor including any of a physiological measurement device, a seat position sensor, a seat pressure sensor, a driver monitoring camera, a human machine interface (HMI), and a system continuous-use-time counter.

10. The drive assist apparatus according to claim 6,

wherein the driver state acquirer comprises a physiological measurement device configured to detect at least one of a heart rate, a blood pressure, a body temperature, brain waves, a breathing state, a skin electrical activity as the state of the driver.

11. The drive assist apparatus according to claim 6,

wherein the driver state acquirer comprises a seat position sensor configured to detect a seat position of the driver as the state of the driver.

12. The drive assist apparatus according to claim 6,

wherein the driver state acquirer comprises a seat pressure sensor configured to detect a pressure of the seat of the driver as the state of the driver.

13. The drive assist apparatus according to claim 6,

wherein the driver state acquirer comprises a driver monitoring camera configured to detect at least one of a facial expression, an eye movement, an eye-closing time and a pupil diameter change of the driver as information relating to the state of the driver.

14. The drive assist apparatus according to claim 6,

wherein the driver state acquirer comprises a human machine interface (HMI) configured to output a sound or display requesting the driver to perform a selection and detects a selection reaction time to be used as information relating to the state of the driver

15. The drive assist apparatus according to claim 6,

wherein the driver state acquirer comprises a system continuous-use-time counter configured to detect a system continuous-use-time as information relating to the state of the driver, the continuous-use-time being a time the driver has continuously used autonomous driving.

16. The drive assist apparatus according to claim 3,

wherein when the total time is longer than the predetermined time, the stimulator is configured to select an optimization pattern such that the cognitive side returning stimulus is subsequently provided immediately after the psychological side returning stimulus is provided, and then the operative side returning stimulus is provided while the cognitive side returning stimulus is provided.

17. The drive assist apparatus according to claim 3,

wherein when the total time is longer than the predetermined time, the stimulator is configured to select an optimization pattern such that the cognitive side returning stimulus and the operative side returning stimulus are provided together and are subsequently provided immediately after the psychological side returning stimulus is provided.

18. The drive assist apparatus according to claim 3,

wherein when the total time is longer than the predetermined time, the stimulator is configured to select an optimization pattern such that the cognitive side returning stimulus and the operative side returning stimulus are subsequently provided together while the psychological side returning stimulus is provided earlier.

19. A drive assist apparatus configured to execute switching of a driving mode of a vehicle from autonomous driving to manual driving at a switching completion point, the device comprising:

a means for calculating an arrival window time before the vehicle arrives at the switching completion point based on a current position and speed of the vehicle;

a means for estimating a driving concentration degree of a driver based on a state of the driver of the vehicle when the arrival window time is equal to or shorter than a predetermined time; and

a means for providing stimulation to the driver according to the driving concentration degree,

wherein, in a case where the driving concentration degree is equal to or less than a threshold value set in advance, the stimulator is configured to provide a stimulus to the driver, wherein the stimulus has a strength stronger than another strength in a case where the driving concentration degree is greater than the threshold value, or the means for providing stimulation provides the stimulus to the driver having a strength in accordance with reduction in the driving concentration degree.

20. The drive assist apparatus according to claim 19,

wherein the means for estimating driving concentration degree estimates the driving concentration degree of the driver based on the state of the driver acquired by a means for acquiring the state of the driver.