Vehicle alarm device, vehicle alarming method, and vehicle alarm generation program

• US 7,468,653 B2
• Filed: 09/22/2005
• Issued: 12/23/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Takahashi, Katsuhiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Bugg; George A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hunnings; Travis R
• Application Number:
  US11/231,909
• Publication Number:
  US 20060077050A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,188 Days
• Field of Search: 340/433, 340/436, 340/438, 340/441, 340/435, 701/96, 362/487, 116/28.R
• US Class Current: 340/435
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/008 for anti-collision purposes

Abstract

To provide a vehicle alarm device, a vehicle alarming method and a vehicle alarm generation program, capable of describing driving characteristics of a driver in detail and generating an alarm at appropriate timing, without specifying a deceleration starting operation and the time when a driver is aware of the necessity of deceleration. An alarm determination unit refers to alarm speed data in an alarm speed database and obtains an alarm speed data value corresponding to the distance to an object recognized by an object recognition unit, and then compares the alarm speed data value with a current speed of the own vehicle outputted by a speed measurement unit. If the own vehicle speed exceeds the alarm speed data value, the alarm determination unit determines that it is an abnormal state where the driver is not aware of a “red light” or a “stop sign”.

Claims

1. An alarm device for a vehicle comprising:

an object detection unit for detecting an object existing ahead of the vehicle, and measuring a distance to the object;

a speed measurement unit for measuring a speed of the vehicle;

an alarm speed database for holding alarm speed data expressing a nonlinear deceleration operation, substantially matching the individual driving characteristics of the driver, with respect to the distance from the vehicle to the object, and the speed of the vehicle;

an alarm determination unit for obtaining a speed corresponding to a distance to the object at a current time by referring to the alarm speed data and setting it as an alarm speed value at the current time, and if the speed of the vehicle at the current time exceeds the alarm speed value, determining a state as abnormal; and

alarm output unit for outputting an alarm when the alarm determination unit determines the state as abnormal.

2. The alarm device for the vehicle, as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an alarm speed database learning unit for correcting a value of the alarm speed data.

3. The alarm device for the vehicle, as claimed in claim 2, wherein the alarm speed database learning unit corrects the value of alarm speed data to better match the distance to the object detected and the speed of the vehicle.

4. The alarm device for the vehicle, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the alarm speed database includes plural pieces of alarm speed data, and the alarm determination unit determines alarm speed data used for an alarm determination based on the speed of the vehicle at a point where the distance from the object and the speed of the vehicle satisfy a predetermined condition for a first time.

5. The alarm device for the vehicle, as claimed in claim 4, wherein an alarm speed database learning unit determines an alarm speed data to be corrected based on the speed of the vehicle at the point where the distance from the object and speed of the vehicle satisfy a predetermined condition for the first time.

6. The alarm device for the vehicle, as claimed in claim 5, wherein the object detection unit recognizes a type of the object.

7. The alarm device for the vehicle, as claimed in claim 6, wherein the alarm speed database learning unit and the alarm determination unit determine alarm speed data to be used, based on the speed of the vehicle at the point where the distance from the object and the speed of the vehicle satisfy a predetermined condition for the first time and on an attribute of the object.

8. The alarm device for the vehicle, as claimed in claim 7, further comprising a road condition recognition unit for recognizing a road condition where the vehicle travels, and the alarm speed database learning unit and the alarm determination unit determine alarm speed data to be used while considering the road condition.

9. The alarm device for the vehicle, as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a sight line detection unit for detecting a sight line direction of the driver of the vehicle; and

an object awareness state judgment unit for determining whether the driver is aware of the existence of the object from information of a direction of the object and a sight line direction, wherein

even in a case where the speed of the vehicle exceeds the alarm speed value, the alarm determination unit delays a judgment of abnormality for a predetermined period when the object awareness state judgment unit determines that the driver is aware of the object.

10. An alarming method for a vehicle comprising the steps of:

detecting an object existing ahead of the vehicle, and measuring a distance to the object;

measuring a speed of the vehicle; and

setting a speed corresponding to the distance to the object as an alarm speed value at a current time by referring to an alarm speed database including alarm speed data expressing a nonlinear deceleration operation, substantially matching the individual driving characteristics of the driver, with respect to a distance to the object and the speed of the vehicle, and if the speed of the vehicle at the current time exceeds the alarm speed value, determining a state as abnormal; and

outputting an alarm when the state is abnormal.

11. The alarming method for the vehicle, as claimed in claim 10, wherein a value of the alarm speed data is corrected to better match the distance to the object and the speed of the vehicle.

12. The alarming method for the vehicle, as claimed in claim 10, wherein the alarm speed data used for an alarm determination is determined among plural pieces of alarm speed data included in the alarm speed database, based on the speed of the vehicle at a point where the distance to the object and the speed of the vehicle satisfy a predetermined condition for the first time.

13. The alarming method for the vehicle, as claimed in claim 12, wherein an alarm speed data to be corrected is determined based on the speed of the vehicle at a point where the distance to the object and the speed of the vehicle satisfy a predetermined condition for the first time.

14. The alarming method for the vehicle, as claimed in claim 13, wherein a type of the object ahead of the vehicle is recognized.

15. The alarming method for the vehicle, as claimed in claim 14, wherein an alarm speed data to be used is determined based on the speed of the vehicle at a point where the distance to the object and the speed of the vehicle satisfy a predetermined condition for the first time and on an attribute of the object.

16. The alarming method for the vehicle, as claimed in claim 15, wherein a road condition where the vehicle travels is recognized, and alarm speed data to be used is determined by referring to the road condition.

17. The alarming method for the vehicle, as claimed in claim 10, further comprising the steps of:

detecting a sight line direction of the driver of the vehicle;

determining whether the driver is aware of the object based on a direction of the object and the sight line direction detected; and

delaying a judgment of abnormality for a predetermined period when the driver is aware of the object even though the speed of the vehicle exceeds the alarm speed value.

18. An alarm generation program for a vehicle for prompting a computer to perform:

a function of an object detection unit for detecting an object existing ahead of the vehicle and measuring a distance to the object;

a function of a speed measurement unit for measuring a speed of the vehicle;

a function of an alarm determination unit for extracting a speed corresponding to the distance to the object and setting it as an alarm speed value at a current time by referring to an alarm speed database including alarm speed data expressing a nonlinear deceleration operation, substantially matching the individual driving characteristics of the driver, with respect to a distance to the object and the speed of the vehicle, and when the speed of the vehicle at the current time exceeds the alarm speed value determining a state as abnormal; and

a function of an alarm output unit for outputting an alarm when the alarm determination unit determines the state as abnormal.

19. The alarm generation program for the vehicle, as claimed in claim 18, for prompting an alarm speed database learning unit to execute a function of correcting a value of the alarm speed data to better match the distance to the object and the speed of the vehicle.

20. The alarm generation program for the vehicle, as claimed in claim 18, for prompting the alarm determination unit to execute a function of determining alarm speed data used for an alarm determination among plural pieces of alarm speed data included in the alarm speed database, based on the speed of the vehicle at a point where the distance to the object and the speed of the vehicle satisfy a predetermined condition for the first time.

21. The alarm generation program for the vehicle, as claimed in claim 20, for prompting an alarm speed database learning unit to execute a function of determining an alarm speed data to be corrected, based on the speed of the vehicle at a point where the distance to the object and the speed of the vehicle satisfy a predetermined condition for the first time.

22. The alarm generation program for the vehicle, as claimed in claim 21, for prompting the object detection unit to recognize a type of the object.

23. The alarm generation program for the vehicle, as claimed in claim 22, for prompting the alarm speed database learning unit and the alarm determination unit to execute a function of determining alarm speed data to be used, based on the speed of the vehicle at a point where the distance to the object and the speed of the vehicle satisfy a predetermined condition for the first time and on an attribute of the object.

24. The alarm generation program for the vehicle, as claimed in claim 23, for prompting a road condition recognition unit to execute a function of recognizing a road condition where the vehicle travels;

and

prompting the alarm speed database learning unit and the alarm determination unit to execute a function of determining alarm speed data to be used by referring to the road condition.

25. The alarm generation program for the vehicle, as claimed in claim 18, for prompting a sight line detection unit to execute a function of detecting a sight line direction of the driver of the vehicle, prompting an object awareness state judgment unit to execute a function of determining whether the driver is aware of an existence of the object from information of a direction of the object and the sight line direction, and even though the speed of the vehicle exceeds the alarm speed value, prompting the alarm determination unit to execute a function of delaying a judgment of abnormality for a predetermined period when the object awareness state judgment unit determines that the driver is aware of the object.