Driver load measuring method, device, and program for a vehicle accompanied by attitude changes, and storage medium for storing the program

• US 7,266,444 B2
• Filed: 09/19/2005
• Issued: 09/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Katayama, Mutsumi, Kamata, Yutaka
• Primary Examiner(s): Black; Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Peche; Jorge O.
• Application Number:
  US11/228,392
• Publication Number:
  US 20060069498A1
• Time in Patent Office: 715 Days
• Field of Search: 701/124, 701/41, 180/271, 180/290, 180/218, 280/263, 280/281.1, 73/650.1
• US Class Current: 701/124
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2300/36 Cycles; Motorcycles; Scooters
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/08 related to drivers or passengers
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/12 Motorcycles, Trikes; Quads; Scooters

Abstract

A driver load measuring method, device, and program, and a storage medium for storing the program for accurately measuring a load on a driver driving a vehicle accompanied by attitude changes. The driver load measuring device includes a yaw rate detecting section for detecting a yaw rate y as an example of the angular velocity of a vehicle accompanied by attitude changes, a storing section for storing the results of detection of the yaw rate y, a predicting section for predicting an n-th yaw rate according to an actual [n-1]-th yaw rate y[n-1], an actual [n-2]-th yaw rate y[n-2], and an actual [n-3]-th yaw rate y[n-3] each detected previously, an error calculating section for calculating an error between a predicted result yp[n] of the n-th yaw rate and an actual n-th yaw rate y[n], a frequency distribution recording section for recording a frequency distribution of the errors e in a predetermined time period, and a cell setting section for obtaining a percentile (% tile) value α according to the above frequency distribution and setting a plurality of ranges (cells) discrete from this % tile value α at a predetermined rate.

Claims

1. A driver load measuring device for measuring a load on a driver driving a vehicle accompanied by attitude changes, said driver load measuring device comprising:

angular velocity detecting means for periodically detecting an angular velocity of said vehicle driven by said driver to which said load is applied;

angular velocity predicting means for predicting a value for said angular velocity at an n-th timing from values for said angular velocity at the previous timings before said n-th timing, according to time-series data of said angular velocity detected above;

means for obtaining an error between said predicted value and said detected value for said angular velocity at said n-th timing; and

load calculating means for calculating said load according to a distribution of said errors in a predetermined time periods,

wherein said load calculating means comprises;

means for obtaining a percentile value α

at a predetermined probability of said errors;

means for setting a plurality of ranges (cells) discrete from said percentile value α

at a predetermined rate, according to said percentile value α

;

means for classifying all of said errors into said plurality of cells; and

means for obtaining an entropy of said angular velocity according to the results of classification of said errors;

said load on said driver being represented by said entropy of said angular velocity.

2. The driver load measuring device according to claim 1, wherein said vehicle comprises a motorcycle.

3. The driver load measuring device according to claim 1, wherein said load calculating means comprises:

means for obtaining a percentile value α

from first errors of an angular velocity detected by applying a first load to said driver and setting reference cells according to said percentile value α

,

means for classifying said first errors into said reference cells;

means for calculating a first entropy of said angular velocity according to the results of classification of said first errors;

means for classifying into said reference cells second errors of an angular velocity detected by applying a second load to said driver;

means for recalculating a second entropy of said angular velocity according to the results of classification of said second errors; and

means for calculating the relativity between said first entropy and said second entropy.

4. A driver load measuring method for measuring a load on a driver driving a vehicle accompanied by attitude changes, said driver load measuring method comprising the steps of:

periodically detecting an angular velocity of said vehicle driven by said driver to which said load is applied;

predicting a value for said angular velocity at an n-th timing from values for said angular velocity at the previous timings before said n-th timing, according to time-series data of said angular velocity detected above;

obtaining an error between said predicted value and said detected value for said angular velocity at said n-th timing; and

calculating said load according to a distribution of said errors in a predetermined time period,

wherein said load calculating step comprises the steps of;

obtaining a percentile value α

at a predetermined probability of said errors;

setting a plurality of ranges (cells) discrete from said percentile value α

at a predetermined rate, according to said percentile value α

,

classifying all of said errors into said plurality of cells; and

obtaining an entropy of said angular velocity according to the results of classification of said errors;

said load on said driver being represented by said entropy of said angular velocity.

5. The driver load measuring method according to claim 4, wherein said vehicle comprises a motorcycle.

6. The driver load measuring method according to claim 4, wherein said load calculating step comprises the steps of:

obtaining a percentile value α

from first errors of an angular velocity detected by applying a first load to said driver and setting reference cells according to said percentile value α

,

classifying said first errors into said reference cells;

calculating a first entropy of said angular velocity according to the results of classification of said first errors;

classifying into said reference cells second errors of an angular velocity detected by applying a second load to said driver;

calculating a second entropy of said angular velocity according to the results of classification of said second errors; and

calculating the relativity between said first entropy and said second entropy.

7. The driver load measuring program for making a computer execute a driver load measuring method according to claim 6.

8. The driver load measuring program for making a computer execute a driver load measuring method according to claim 4.

9. The storage medium for storing a driver load measuring program according to claim 8 so that said program is readable by said computer.

10. A driver load measuring device for measuring a load on a driver driving a vehicle accompanied by attitude changes, said driver load measuring device comprising:

angular velocity detecting means for periodically detecting an angular velocity of said vehicle driven by said driver to which said load is applied;

angular velocity predicting means for predicting a value for said angular velocity at an n-th timing from values for said angular velocity at the previous timings before said n-th timing, according to time-series data of said angular velocity detected above;

means for obtaining an error between said predicted value and said detected value for said angular velocity at said n-th timing; and

load calculating means for calculating said load according to a distribution of said errors in a predetermined time period,

wherein said load calculating means comprises;

means for obtaining a percentile value α

from first errors of an angular velocity detected by applying a first load to said driver and setting reference cells according to said percentile value α

,

means for classifying said first errors into said reference cells;

means for calculating a first entropy of said angular velocity according to the results of classification of said first errors;

means for classifying into said reference cells second errors of an angular velocity detected by applying a second load to said driver;

means for recalculating a second entropy of said angular velocity according to the results of classification of said second errors; and

means for calculating the relativity between said first entropy and said second entropy.

11. The driver load measuring device according to claim 10, wherein said vehicle comprises a motorcycle.