DRIVING ASSISTANCE DEVICE

• US 20190241189A1
• Filed: 07/12/2016
• Published: 08/08/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: ODATE, Shotaro
• Granted Patent: US 10,926,772 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/06 responsive to incapacity of driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/00 Supplying electric power to auxiliary equipment of vehicles circuit arrangements for charging batteries H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2040/0818 Inactivity or incapacity of driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/403 Image sensing, e.g. optical camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/42 Image sensing, e.g. optical camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/10 Accelerator pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/18 Steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/08 related to drivers or passengers
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/04 Monitoring the functioning of the control system
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 5/0457 characterised by control features of the drive means as such
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 6/00 Arrangements for automatically controlling steering depending on driving conditions sensed and responded to, e.g. control circuits means for initiating a change in direction B62D1/00; steering valves B62D5/06; combined with means for inclining the vehicle body or wheels on bends B62D9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/16 Anti-collision systems road vehicle drive control systems for predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision otherwise than by control of a particular sub-unit B60W30/08

Abstract

Provided is a driving assistance device such that even if the main power supply voltage of a main electricity storage device becomes less than or equal to the operable voltage of a device for monitoring the state of a driver, interruptions in driving assistance are prevented. While a voltage reduction state in which the main power supply voltage of the main electricity storage device is equal to or less than the operable voltage of the driver state monitoring device is continuing, the state of the driver is monitored by a device (steering torque sensor) that operates with the auxiliary power supply voltage of an auxiliary electricity storage device, such as a capacitor. Thus, it is possible to monitor whether or not the driver is a so-called Driver in the Loop and continue driving assistance even while the voltage reduction state of the main power supply voltage is continuing.

Claims

1. A driving assistance device comprising a control device configured to enable a driving assistance function of a vehicle only when a state of a driver monitored by a driver state monitoring device is in a predetermined state, a main power source voltage being applied from a main energy storage device of the vehicle to the driver state monitoring device,

wherein when variation of the main power source voltage is predicted, the control device is configured to change a normal technique for monitoring the state of the driver to a different technique until a prediction of the variation of the main power source voltage is cancelled.

2. The driving assistance device according to claim 1, wherein the driver state monitoring device is at least one of monitoring devices that are a driver camera and a contact sensor, the driver camera provided in the vehicle and configured to photograph the driver, the contact sensor provided for a steering part.

3. The driving assistance device according to claim 1, wherein the prediction of the variation of the main power source voltage is performed when a condition of an idle stop is satisfied or a condition of a return from the idle stop is satisfied.

4. The driving assistance device according to claim 1, wherein:

the prediction of the variation of the main power source voltage is performed on a basis of a voltage reduction state where the main power source voltage is lower than an operation possible voltage of the driver state monitoring device; and

in a period in which the voltage reduction state continues, the state of the driver is monitored by a device other than the driver state monitoring device.

5. The driving assistance device according to claim 1, wherein:

the driver state monitoring device is a contact sensor that is provided for a steering part;

the driving assistance device further comprises an electric power steering device including a steering torque sensor, and an auxiliary energy storage device;

the prediction of the variation of the main power source voltage is performed when a condition of an idle stop is satisfied or a condition of a return from the idle stop is satisfied; and

the control device is configured to, in the return from the idle stop, apply an auxiliary power source voltage from the auxiliary energy storage device to the electric power steering device, and change the normal technique for monitoring the state of the driver by an output from the contact sensor to a technique for monitoring by an output from the steering torque sensor.