Following distance displaying apparatus that changes alarming display according to operating states

• US 6,522,969 B2
• Filed: 11/14/2001
• Issued: 02/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Michihiro Kannonji
• Original Assignee: Michihiro Kannonji
• Inventors: Kannonji, Michihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Beaulieu, Yonel
• Application Number:
  US09/987,254
• Publication Number:
  US 20020062189A1
• Time in Patent Office: 461 Days
• Field of Search: 701/93, 701/96, 701/300, 701/301, 701/302, 180/167, 340/435, 340/436, 342/70
• US Class Current: 701/96
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/161 Decentralised systems, e.g. inter-vehicle communication

Abstract

The following distance alarming apparatus includes a memory responsive to an output signal value of a sensor, which changes in accordance with a driver'"'"'s operation for speed adjustment of a subject vehicle, having remained unchanged for a prescribed time period, for storing a reference value for the output signal value of the sensor, and an alarming circuit determining a possibility of collision of the subject vehicle with a preceding vehicle, based on a following distance measured by a following distance measuring device when the output signal value from the sensor remained unchanged for the prescribed time period, the output signal value from the sensor and the reference value stored in the memory, and outputting a warning sound.

Claims

1. A following distance alarming apparatus connected to receive output signals of a following distance measuring device and a sensor having an output signal value that changes in accordance with operation of a speed control device of a subject vehicle, comprising:

a memory configured to respond to the output signal value from said sensor having remained unchanged for a prescribed time period, for storing a reference value for the output signal value based on the output signal value from said sensor; and

a first alarming circuit configured to determine a possibility of collision of the subject vehicle with a preceding vehicle based on a following distance measured by said following distance measuring device when the output signal value from said sensor remains unchanged for the prescribed time period, the output signal value from said sensor and said reference value stored in said memory, to output a warning sound.

2. The following distance alarming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first alarming circuit includes

means for determining an alarm generating distance based on the following distance output from said following distance measuring device when the output signal value from said sensor remained unchanged for the prescribed time period, and

a determining circuit configured to respond to said following distance measuring device having measured said alarm generating distance, and to determine the possibility of collision by examining whether the output signal value from said sensor satisfies a prescribed relation with said reference value.

3. The following distance alarming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

said reference value stored in said memory is for determining a predetermined range, and

said determining circuit includes a circuit configured to respond to said following distance measuring device having measured said alarm generating distance, and to determine the possibility of collision based on whether the output signal value from said sensor is within said predetermined range or not.

4. The following distance alarming apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising a circuit, responsive to said determining circuit having determined that there is no possibility of collision, for resetting an operation of said following distance alarming apparatus.

5. The following distance alarming apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising:

a means for detecting, after the output value of said sensor remained unchanged for the prescribed time period, that the output value of said sensor again remains unchanged for a prescribed time period, and for causing a reference value determined based upon the output of said sensor at that time to be stored on the memory, and

a second alarming circuit configured to respond to said following distance measuring device having measured the alarm distance determined corresponding to the following distance at the time of said output value of said sensor remaining for the prescribed time period, for determining the possibility of collision of the subject vehicle with the preceding vehicle based on the output signal value from said sensor and said reference value stored in said memory, to output the alarm.

6. The following distance alarming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising

a means for detecting, after the output value of said sensor remained unchanged for the prescribed time period, that the output value of said sensor again remains unchanged for a prescribed time period, and for causing a reference value determined based upon the output of said sensor at that time to be stored on the memory, and

a second alarming circuit configured to respond to said following distance measuring device having measured the alarm distance determined corresponding to the following distance at the time of said output value of said sensor remaining for the prescribed time period, for determining the possibility of collision of the subject vehicle with the preceding vehicle based on the output signal value from said sensor and said reference value stored in said memory, to output the alarm.

7. A following distance alarming apparatus, comprising:

an alarm unit outputting a warning sound, based on a following distance measurement signal, when a following distance from a subject vehicle to a preceding vehicle decreases to a prescribed value;

a detecting unit detecting that an output signal from a sensor having an output signal value changing in accordance with operation of a speed of the subject vehicle has remained unchanged for a prescribed time period; and

a display unit for displaying the following distance at which said alarm unit activates based on the fact that said detecting unit has detected that the output signal from said sensor had remained unchanged for the prescribed time period.

8. The following distance alarming apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising:

a memory connected to said sensor and storing a reference value determined in accordance with the output signal value of said sensor; and

a display control circuit configured to respond to the output signal value of said sensor having failed to satisfy a prescribed relation with the reference value stored in said memory, for extinguishing and/or changing display on said display unit in a predetermined manner.

9. The following distance alarming apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said display control circuit extinguishes and/or changes the display on said display unit in the predetermined manner in response to a state where the output signal value of said sensor fails to satisfy the prescribed relation with the reference value stored in said memory having continued for a prescribed time period.

10. The following distance alarming apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the following distance at which said alarm unit activates is predetermined corresponding to the following distance measured when the output signal value of said sensor remained unchanged for the prescribed time period.

11. The following distance alarming apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the following distance at which said alarm unit activates is predetermined corresponding to the speed of the subject vehicle measured when the output signal value of said sensor remained unchanged for the prescribed time period.

12. A following distance alarming apparatus, comprising:

an alarm unit outputting a warning sound, based on a following distance measurement signal, when a following distance from a subject vehicle to a preceding vehicle decreases to a prescribed value;

a detecting unit detecting that a value of said following distance measurement signal has remained unchanged for a prescribed time period; and

a display unit for displaying the following distance at which said alarm unit activates based on the fact that said detecting unit has detected that the value of said following distance measurement signal had remained unchanged for the prescribed time period;

a memory connected to a sensor having an output signal value that changes in accordance with operation of a speed control device of the subject vehicle, for storing a reference value determined in accordance with the output signal value of said sensor; and

a display control circuit configured to respond to the output signal value of said sensor having failed to satisfy a prescribed relation with the reference value stored in said memory, for extinguishing and/or changing display on said display unit in a predetermined manner.

13. The following distance alarming apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said display control circuit extinguishes and/or changes the display on said display unit in the predetermined manner in response to a state where the output signal value of said sensor fails to satisfy the prescribed relation with the reference value stored in said memory having continued for a prescribed time period.

14. The following distance alarming apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the following distance at which said alarm unit activates is predetermined corresponding to the following distance measured when the value of said following distance measurement signal has remained unchanged for a prescribed time period.

15. The following distance alarming apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the following distance at which said alarm unit activates is predetermined corresponding to the speed of the subject vehicle measured when the value of said following distance measurement signal has remained unchanged for a prescribed time period.

17. The following distance alarming apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising:

a memory connected to said sensor, and storing a reference value determined in accordance with the output signal value of said sensor; and

a display control configured to respond to the output signal value of said sensor having failed to satisfy a prescribed relation with the reference value stored in said memory, for extinguishing and/or changing display on said display unit in a predetermined manner.

18. The following distance alarming apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said display control circuit extinguishes and/or changes the display on said display unit in the predetermined manner in response to a state where the output signal value of said sensor fails to satisfy the prescribed relation with the reference value stored in said memory having continued for a prescribed time period.

16. A following distance alarming apparatus, comprising:

an alarm unit outputting a warning sound, based on a following distance measurement signal, when a following distance from a subject vehicle to a preceding vehicle decreases to a prescribed value;

a detecting unit detecting that an output signal from a sensor having an output signal value changing in accordance with operation of a speed control device of the subject vehicle has remained unchanged for a prescribed time period; and

a display unit for displaying a difference between the following distance obtained from said following distance measurement signal and the following distance at which said alarm unit activates based on the fact that said detecting unit has detected that the output signal of said sensor had remained unchanged for the prescribed time period.

19. The following distance alarming apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the following distance at which said alarm unit activates is predetermined corresponding to the following distance measured when the output signal value of said sensor remained unchanged for a prescribed time period.

20. The following distance alarming apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the following distance at which said alarm unit activates is predetermined corresponding to the speed of the subject vehicle measured when the output signal value of said sensor remained unchanged for a prescribed time period.

21. A following distance alarming apparatus, comprising:

an alarm unit outputting a warning sound, based on a following distance measurement signal, when a following distance from a subject vehicle to a preceding vehicle decreases to a prescribed value;

a detecting unit detecting that a value of said following distance measurement signal has remained unchanged for a prescribed time period; and

a display unit for displaying a difference between the following distance obtained from said following distance measurement signal and the following distance at which said alarm unit activates based on the fact that said detecting unit has detected that the value of said following distance measurement signal had remained unchanged for the prescribed time period.

22. The following distance alarming apparatus according to claim 21, further comprising:

a memory connected to a sensor having an output signal value that changes in accordance with operation of a speed control device of the subject vehicle, and storing a reference value determined in accordance with the output signal value of said senor; and

a display control circuit configured to respond to the output signal value of said sensor having failed to satisfy a prescribed relation with the reference value stored in said memory, and to extinguish and/or change display on said display unit in a predetermined manner.

23. The following distance alarming apparatus according to claim 22, wherein said display control circuit extinguishes and/or changes the display on said display unit in the predetermined manner in response to a state where the output signal value of said sensor fails to satisfy the prescribed relation with the reference value stored in said memory having continued for a prescribed time period.

24. The following distance alarming apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the following distance at which said alarm unit activates is predetermined corresponding to the following distance measured when the value of said following distance measurement signal has remained unchanged for a prescribed time period.

25. The following distance alarming apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the following distance at which said alarm unit activates is predetermined corresponding to the speed of the subject vehicle measured when the value of said following distance measurement signal has remained unchanged for a prescribed time period.

26. A following distance alarming apparatus, comprising:

an alarm unit outputting a warning sound, based on a following distance measurement signal, when a following distance from a subject vehicle to a preceding vehicle decreases to a prescribed value;

a detecting unit detecting that an output signal from a sensor having an output signal value changing in accordance with operation of a speed of the subject vehicle has remained unchanged for a prescribed time period; and

an input device provided to the subject vehicle; and

a display unit displaying a difference between a following distance obtained from said following distance measurement signal and the following distance at which said alarm unit activates based on an input signal from said input device, the input signal changing in accordance with a speed control device of the subject vehicle.

27. The following distance alarming apparatus according to claim 26, wherein the distance at which said alarm unit activates is preset with respect to the following distance measured upon receiving the input signal from said input device.

28. The following distance alarming apparatus according to claim 26, wherein the distance at which said alarm unit activates is preset with respect to a speed of the subject vehicle measured upon receiving the input signal from said input device.