Alarm device for vehicle

• US 7,346,453 B2
• Filed: 10/04/2004
• Issued: 03/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Matsuoka, Katsuji
• Primary Examiner(s): Black; Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): WEISKOPF, MARIE
• Application Number:
  US10/956,083
• Publication Number:
  US 20050248445A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,261 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 701/301
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/008 for anti-collision purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9315 Monitoring blind spots
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/167 Driving aids for lane monitoring, lane changing, e.g. blind spot detection

Abstract

An alarm device according to the present invention includes a distance measuring sensor for detecting an object in a slanting rear direction of a vehicle and a distance to the object from the vehicle, a direction indicator switch, an alarming object determination part for determining whether the object detected by the distance measuring sensor is an alarming object, and an alarm generation part for generating an alarm to the driver based on the determination result at the alarming object determination part, and so on. The alarming object determination part determines whether the object is an alarming object based on a change with time in the distance between the object detected by the distance measuring sensor and the vehicle, and detection duration of the object by the distance measuring sensor.

Claims

1. An alarm device for a vehicle, comprising:

a distance measuring sensor for detecting a distance between an object in a slanting rear direction of a vehicle and said vehicle;

a lane changing detection part for detecting said vehicle'"'"'s driver'"'"'s indication of his or her intention to make a lane change;

an alarm object determination part for determining whether an object detected by said distance measuring sensor is an alarm object; and

an alarm generation part for generating an alarm to said driver based on said distance detected by said distance measuring sensor, a determination result by said alarm object determination part, and a detection result by said lane changing detection part, wherein

said alarm object determination part determines whether a certain object is an alarm object based on a chance with time in said distance to said certain object that has been detected continuously by said distance measuring sensor, and detection duration of said certain object by said distance measuring sensor.

2. The alarm device for a vehicle according to claim 1 wherein

when said distance to a certain object that has been detected continuously by said distance measuring sensor becomes less than said distance at the moment of starting detection of said certain object by said distance measuring sensor, said alarm object determination part determines that said certain object is an alarm object, and

when said distance to said certain object that has been detected continuously is not less than said distance at the moment of starting detection of said certain object, said alarm object determination part determines that said certain object is not an alarm object when said detection duration is less than a threshold time, and determines that said certain object is an alarm object when said detection duration becomes more than said threshold time.

3. The alarm device for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

when said distance to a certain object that has been detected continuously by said distance measuring sensor becomes less than a value that subtracts a prescribed distance from said distance at the moment of starting detection of said certain object by said distance measuring sensor, said alarm object determination part determines that said certain object is an alarm object, and

when said distance to said certain object that has been detected continuously is more than a value that subtracts a prescribed distance from said distance at the moment of starting detection of said certain object, said alarm object determination part determines that said certain object is not an alarm object when said detection duration is less than a threshold time, and determines that said certain object is an alarm object when said detection duration becomes more than said threshold time.

4. The alarm device for a vehicle according to claim 2, further comprising a speed sensor for detecting a speed of said vehicle, wherein

said alarm object determination part sets said threshold time based on a speed of said vehicle, detected by said speed sensor.

5. The alarm device for a vehicle according to claim 3, further comprising a speed sensor for detecting a speed of said vehicle, wherein

said alarm object determination part sets said threshold time based on a speed of said vehicle detected by said speed sensor.

6. The alarm device for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said distance measuring sensor is provided at a corner portion of said vehicle.

7. The alarm device for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said distance measuring sensor is provided on a side surface of said vehicle.

8. The alarm device for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said distance measuring sensor is provided on a rear surface of said vehicle.

9. The alarm device for a vehicle according to claim 1,

wherein when said distance to a certain object that has been detected continuously by said distance measuring sensor becomes less than said distance at the moment of starting detection of said certain object by said distance measuring sensor, said alarm object determination part determines that said certain object is an alarm object.