Driver assisting system

• US 7,403,842 B2
• Filed: 02/13/2007
• Issued: 07/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Kondoh, Takayuki, Yamamura, Tomohiro
• Primary Examiner(s): To; Tuan C
• Application Number:
  US11/705,505
• Publication Number:
  US 20070142978A1
• Time in Patent Office: 525 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/301, 701/36, 701/96, 340/903, 340/436, 340/425.5, 340/435
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/02 related to ambient conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/12 related to parameters of the vehicle itself , e.g. tyre models
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/16 Tactile feedback to the driver, e.g. vibration or force feedback to the driver on the steering wheel or the accelerator pedal

Abstract

A method and a system for assisting a driver operating a driver controlled input device within a vehicle, acquires data including information on environment in a field around the vehicle and information on vehicle setting regarding how devices are set within the vehicle. A risk perceived from the environment is calculated using the acquired data. Using the vehicle setting, the risk perceived is modified. Accounting for the modified risk perceived, an increment in force applied to the driver via the driver controlled input device is determined.

Claims

1. A driver assisting system for a vehicle having a driver controlled input device operable by a driver and through which force may be applied to the driver, comprising:

means for acquiring data including information on environment in a field around the vehicle and information on vehicle setting regarding how devices are set within the vehicle;

means for calculating risk from the environment using the acquired data and the vehicle setting;

means for determining, accounting for the calculated risk, a change in force applied to the driver via the driver controlled input device; and

means for determining a force modification and modifying the change in force at the driver controlled input device according to the determined force modification, to convey information related to the calculated risk to the driver.

2. The driver assisting system as recited in claim 1, further comprising means for determining a driver physique based on a vehicle setting, the means for determining a force modification basing the force modification on the determined driver physique.

3. The driver assisting system as recited in claim 1, wherein the means for determining a force modification bases the force modification on at least one vehicle setting.

4. The driver assisting system as recited in claim 3, wherein a plurality of vehicle settings are prioritized into a vehicle setting priority, and the means for forming the force modification modifies change in force in accordance with the vehicle setting priority.

5. A method for assisting a driver operating a driver controlled input device within a vehicle, force being applicable to the driver through the driver controlled input device, the method comprising the steps:

acquiring data including information on environment in a field around the vehicle and information on vehicle setting regarding how devices are set within the vehicle;

calculating risk from the environment using the acquired data and the vehicle setting;

determining, accounting for the calculated risk, a change in force applied to the driver via the driver controlled input device; and

determining a force modification and modifying the change in force at the driver controlled input device according to the determined force modification to convey information related to the calculated risk to the driver.

6. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein the step of determining a force modification includes determining a driver physique based on the vehicle setting.

7. The method as recited in claim 5, further comprising prioritizing a plurality of vehicle settings into a vehicle setting priority, and wherein the step of determining a force modification is performed in accordance with the vehicle setting priority.

8. A computer program product for controlling a driving assist system having

a driver controlled input device within a vehicle, force being applicable to the driver through the driver controlled input device, the computer program product causing a controller of the driving assist system to perform the steps of:

acquiring data including information on environment in a field around the vehicle and information on vehicle setting regarding how devices are set within the vehicle;

calculating risk from the environment using the acquired data and the vehicle setting;

determining, accounting for the calculated risk, a change in force applied to the driver via the driver controlled input device; and

determining a force modification and modifying the change in force at the driver controlled input device according to the determined force modification, to convey information related to the calculated risk to the driver.

9. The computer program product as recited in claim 8, wherein the step of determining a force modification includes determining a driver physique based on the vehicle setting.

10. The computer program product as recited in claim 8, further comprising causing the controller to prioritize a plurality of vehicle settings into a vehicle setting priority, and wherein the step of determining a force modification is performed in accordance with the vehicle setting priority.