Security method for vehicle safe driving support system

• US 6,922,136 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2003
• Issued: 07/26/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: National Institute For Land and Infrastructure Management Ministry of Land Infrastructure and Transportation
• Original Assignee: National Institute For Land and Infrastructure Management Ministry of Land Infrastructure and Transportation
• Inventors: Maeda, Masato, Komada, Makio, Ishizaka, Makoto, Suzuki, Masateru, Kurata, Ryoichi
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAM, TOAN NGOC
• Application Number:
  US10/375,405
• Publication Number:
  US 20040145495A1
• Time in Patent Office: 880 Days
• Field of Search: 340/931, 340/907, 340/435, 340/436, 340/425.5, 340/437, 340/468, 340/471, 340/908, 340/903, 340/905, 406/12, 315/129, 315/132, 315/133, 315/136
• US Class Current: 340/425.5
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/164 Centralised systems, e.g. external to vehicles

Abstract

A security method for a vehicle safe driving system provides drivers information for safe driving, that is, when a sensor does not detect any danger when there is a danger on the road, when there are some limits in the system operations, or when a portion of the system does not work.

Claims

1. A method of delivering information from a roadside system to a driver in a vehicle traveling along a road comprising the steps of:

providing a roadside system comprising a road situation detection sensor for detecting a situation on the road, roadside equipment for delivering information regarding the situation detected by the road situation detection sensor to a roadside message board and road-to-vehicle communication equipment, a roadside message board for displaying information regarding the situation and road-to-vehicle communication equipment for delivering information regarding the situation to the driver in the vehicle;

determining whether the roadside system is functioning properly, a dangerous situation on the road is detected by the roadside system, a dangerous situation on the road is not detected by the roadside system or the roadside system is malfunctioning in another manner; and

relaying information to the driver in the vehicle as to how the roadside system is functioning.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the driver in the vehicle is given information as to whether a dangerous situation exists, there is a possibility of a dangerous situation or the system cannot provide accurate information.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the driver in the vehicle is provided with information regarding a specific dangerous situation at a site where the roadside system is installed.