Vehicle Information Presenting Device

• US 20170106786A1
• Filed: 03/26/2014
• Published: 04/20/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Ebina, Akihiko
• Granted Patent: US 10,086,753 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/283 Steering wheels; Gear levers
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/40 specially adapted for specific vehicle types
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/80 Circuits; Control arrangements for dashboards B60Q3/16; for mass transit vehicles B60Q3/47
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/146 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/06 Rims, e.g. with heating means; Rim covers B62D1/11 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/28 non-mechanical , e.g. following a line or other known markers
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/029 Steering assistants using warnings or proposing actions to the driver without influencing the steering system
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/021 specially adapted to land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/36 using visible light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/10 Controlling the intensity of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/105 in response to determined parameters

Abstract

A vehicle information presenting device used for an automated driving vehicle that automatically performs traveling control of the vehicle based on a traveling state of the vehicle and information on an outside of the vehicle includes: a steering wheel; a light-emitting unit that is disposed in the steering wheel and emits light; and a light-emitting control unit that causes the light-emitting unit to emit light, wherein the light-emitting control unit changes a light-emitting state of the light-emitting unit to induce a driver to switch from automated driving to manual driving in accordance with a system state of the automated driving.

Claims

1. A vehicle information presenting device used for an automated driving vehicle that automatically performs traveling control of the vehicle based on a traveling state of the vehicle and information on an outside of the vehicle, comprising:

a steering wheel;

a light-emitting unit that is disposed in the steering wheel and emits light; and

a light-emitting control unit that causes the light-emitting unit to emit light, wherein

the light-emitting control unit changes a light-emitting state of the light-emitting unit to induce a driver to switch from automated driving to manual driving in accordance with a system state of the automated driving, and causes each of gripping positions separated on left and right of an upper side of the steering wheel to emit light.

3. The vehicle information presenting device according to claim 1, wherein the light-emitting control unit categorizes the system state into areas and causes the light-emitting unit to emit light in accordance with the categorized system state.

4. The vehicle information presenting device according to claim 1, wherein the light-emitting control unit causes the light-emitting unit to emit light such that the light-emitting of the light-emitting unit is formed in a shape of a hand.

5. The vehicle information presenting device according to claim 1, wherein the light-emitting control unit enlarges a light-emitting region of the light-emitting unit as the system state becomes more unstable, and causes the light-emitting unit to emit light such that the light-emitting of the light-emitting unit is formed in a shape of a hand when the system state is categorized as the most unstable area.

6. The vehicle information presenting device according to claim 1, wherein the light-emitting control unit causes an upper portion of the steering wheel to emit light, and order of the light-emitting is from the upper portion to the gripping position of the steering wheel.

7. The vehicle information presenting device according to claim 6, wherein the light-emitting control unit enlarges the light-emitting region at the upper portion and the gripping position of the steering wheel as the system state becomes more unstable, and causes the light-emitting unit to emit light such that the light-emitting of the light-emitting unit is formed in a shape of a hand when the system state is categorized as the most unstable area.

8. The vehicle information presenting device according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the light-emitting control unit changes a time from the light-emitting of the upper portion of the steering wheel to the light-emitting of the gripping position of the steering wheel in accordance with the system state.

9. The vehicle information presenting device according to claim 1, wherein the light-emitting control unit causes an upper portion and a lower portion of the steering wheel to emit light, and order of the light-emitting is from the upper portion to the lower portion and then to the gripping position of the steering wheel.

10. The vehicle information presenting device according to claim 9, wherein the light-emitting control unit enlarges the light-emitting region at the upper portion, the lower portion, and the gripping position of the steering wheel as the system state becomes more unstable, and causes the light-emitting unit to emit light such that the light-emitting of the light-emitting unit is formed in a shape of a hand when the system state is categorized as the most unstable area.

11. The vehicle information presenting device according to claim 9, wherein the light-emitting control unit changes a time from the light-emitting of the upper portion of the steering wheel to the light-emitting of the lower portion of the steering wheel in accordance with the system state.

12. The vehicle information presenting device according to claim 1, wherein the light-emitting control unit changes at least one of brightness and a color of the light in accordance with the system state.

13. The vehicle information presenting device according to claim 1, wherein the light-emitting control unit inverts the light-emitting regions of the steering wheel and regions in which the light-emitting unit is arranged but which excludes the light-emitting regions.

14. The vehicle information presenting device according to claim 1, wherein when the steering wheel turns by the automated driving, the light-emitting control unit causes a second gripping position that is appropriate for the manual driving operation to emit light.

2. (canceled)