Blind-spot detection system for vehicle

• US 7,477,137 B2
• Filed: 06/22/2006
• Issued: 01/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
• Inventors: Sato, Takayuki, Seto, Takayuki, Isomoto, Kazunori, Enno, Yasuhiro, Matsumoto, Seiji, Nobutoki, Yoshikazu
• Primary Examiner(s): La; Anh V
• Application Number:
  US11/472,557
• Publication Number:
  US 20060290482A1
• Time in Patent Office: 936 Days
• Field of Search: 340/435, 340/436, 340/438, 340/472, 340/903, 340/905, 340/901, 280/735, 280/734, 280/728.1, 180/282, 180/271, 180/167, 180/169
• US Class Current: 340/436
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2665 on rear-view mirrors lighting devices for vehicle interior on or for rear-view mirrors B60Q3/258
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/525 automatically indicating risk of collision between vehicles in traffic or with pedestrians, e.g. after risk assessment using the vehicle sensor data
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/008 for anti-collision purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/00 Optical viewing arrangements; Real-time viewing arrangements for drivers or passengers using optical image capturing systems, e.g. cameras or video systems specially adapted for use in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/12 Mirror assemblies combined with other articles, e.g. clocks
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1253 with cameras, video cameras or video screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/105 using multiple cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/30 characterised by the type of image processing
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/301 combining image information with other obstacle sensor information, e.g. using RADAR/LIDAR/SONAR sensors for estimating risk of collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/302 combining image information with GPS information or vehicle data, e.g. vehicle speed, gyro, steering angle data
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/802 for monitoring and displaying vehicle exterior blind spot views
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8066 for monitoring rearward traffic
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8093 for obstacle warning
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/165 for passive traffic, e.g. including static obstacles, trees
• 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

Disclosed is a BSD system for vehicle provided with a blind spot detection module which includes obstacle in blind spot detection unit for detecting an obstacle existing in a blind spot around the rear side of a self vehicle and an obstacle indicator disposed on a side mirror of the self vehicle and adapted to display at least one of information for the existence of an obstacle in the blind spot, for a distance between the obstacle and the self vehicle, and for a relative speed of the obstacle to the self vehicle, the blind-spot detection system for vehicle. This system is provided with a unit for detecting that the blind spot detection module is in an abnormal operation state and a unit disposed on the side mirror having the obstacle indicator and adapted to visually indicate an abnormality of the blind spot detection module detected by the abnormality detection unit.

Claims

1. A blind-spot detection system for vehicle provided with a blind spot detection module which includes obstacle in blind spot detection unit for detecting an obstacle existing in a blind spot around the rear side of a self vehicle and an obstacle indicator disposed on a side mirror of the self vehicle and adapted to display at least one of information for the existence of the obstacle in the blind spot, for a distance between said obstacle and the self vehicle, and for a relative speed of said obstacle to the self vehicle, said blind-spot detection system for vehicle comprising:

a failure detection unit configured to detect an abnormal operation state of the blind spot detection module;

a failure storage unit configured to store data corresponding to the abnormal operation state of the blind spot detection module detected by said failure detection unit; and

a warning unit disposed on said side mirror having said obstacle indicator and adapted to visually indicate the abnormal operation state of said blind spot detection module based on the data corresponding to the abnormal operation state of the blind spot detection module in said failure storage unit.

2. The blind-spot detection system for vehicle as defined in claim 1, which further comprises

a mirror member included in said side mirror and is adapted to be moved between an deploy position where said mirror member deploys to mirror the rearward sight of the self vehicle and a folded position where said mirror member is folded substantially abutting to a body of the self vehicle;

and

a warning control unit configured to control said warning unit to visually indicate the the abnormal operation state when said side mirror is in said deploy position.

3. The blind-spot detection system for vehicle as defined in claim 2, which further comprises

a system start switch for switching said blind spot detection module between its ON and OFF states;

and

a mirror drive unit which is operable to move said side mirror from said folded position to said deploy position when said side mirror is in the folded position and said blind spot detection module is turned ON by said system start switch.

4. The blind-spot detection system for vehicle as defined in claim 2, which further comprises

mirror drive unit which is operable, when said side mirror is in the folded position, to move said side mirror from said folded position to said deploy position in response to the detection of an abnormality of said blind spot detection module detected by said failure detection unit.

5. The blind-spot detection system for vehicle as defined in claim 1, which further comprises

a dark environment detection unit configured to detect a dark environment in case the self vehicle is driving therein;

and

a warning-luminance adjustment unit operable to lower a luminance of an optical indication of said warning unit when said dark environment detection unit detects the dark environment.

6. The blind-spot detection system for vehicle as defined in claim 5, which further comprises

an indicator-luminance adjustment unit which is operable to lower a display luminance of said obstacle indicator when said dark environment detection unit detects the dark environment,

wherein said warning-luminance adjustment unit is adapted to lower a luminance at a rate greater than that of said indicator-luminance adjustment unit.

7. The blind-spot detection system for vehicle as defined in claim 1, which further comprises

an antiglare unit associated with said side mirror and antiglare-function control unit configured to adjust an antiglare level of said antiglare unit in such a manner that said antiglare level is increased in response to detection of said abnormal state.

8. The blind-spot detection system for vehicle as defined in claim 7, further comprises

an antiglare-function switch, included in the self vehicle, for selectively activating and deactivating said antiglare unit in a manual manner,

wherein said antiglare-function control unit is operable to forcibly activate said antiglare unit irrespective of a state of said antiglare-function switch when said warning unit is activated.

9. The blind-spot detection system for vehicle as defined in claim 1, wherein

said obstacle indicator is operable to display information relevant to an obstacle detected by said obstacle in blind spot detection unit, provided that a traveling state meets with a display condition under which the self vehicle is in a given traveling state;

and

said warning unit is operable to visually indicate an abnormality detected by said failure detection unit when the traveling state meets with the display condition.

10. The blind-spot detection system for vehicle as defined in claim 9, wherein said warning unit is operable to visually indicate the abnormality of said blind spot detection module when the self vehicle is in the given traveling state and in additional traveling state.

11. The blind-spot detection system for vehicle as defined in claim 9, wherein said warning unit is operable to visually indicate the abnormality of said blind spot detection module when the driving state meets with the display condition.

12. The blind-spot detection system for vehicle as defined in claim 9, wherein said warning unit is operable to visually indicate the abnormality of said blind spot detection module in a period before a given time has elapsed after the traveling state meets with the display condition.

13. The blind-spot detection system for vehicle as defined in claim 1, which further comprises determination unit configured to determine a level of seriousness of the abnormality detected by said failure detection unit,

wherein said warning unit is operable to change a display mode of said obstacle indicator to a first display mode in which said obstacle indicator indicates the abnormality when said determination unit determines that the abnormality detected by said failure detection unit is minor and to a second display mode in which said obstacle indicator indicates the abnormality when said determination unit determines that the abnormality detected by said failure detection unit is serious.

14. The blind-spot detection system for vehicle as defined in claim 1, which further comprises:

a mirror member which is included in said side mirror and is to reflect images of back side sight of the self vehicle;

a first light-emitting element which is included in said obstacle indicator and is disposed on the side of a back surface of said mirror member of said side mirror;

a second light-emitting element which is included in said obstacle indicator and is disposed at a position spaced apart from said first light-emitting element by a give distance on the side of the body of the self vehicle;

a graphic image formed on said mirror member by respective emitted lights from said first and second light-emitting elements; and

an indicator for indicating plurality of information by changing at least one of directions of emitted light from said first and second light-emitting elements to form the graphic image.

15. The blind-spot detection system for vehicle as defined in claim 1, which further comprises in-cabin warning unit disposed in a passenger compartment of the self vehicle and adapted to visually indicate an abnormality of said blind spot detection module detected by said failure detection unit,

wherein said in-cabin warning unit is operable to visually indicate the abnormality of the blind spot detection module when an ignition switch of the self vehicle is placed in its ON state.

16. The blind-spot detection system for vehicle as defined in claim 1, which further comprises in-cabin warning unit disposed in a passenger compartment of the self vehicle and adapted to visually indicate an abnormality of said blind spot detection module detected by said failure detection unit,

wherein said warning unit is operable, in at least one of first and second periods:

in which the first period is set when a first given time has elapsed after the ignition switch is turned ON and the second period is set when a second given time has elapsed after satisfaction of the display condition of the obstacle indicator.

17. The blind-spot detection system for vehicle as defined in claim 15 or 16, wherein said warning unit is disposed on a laterally outward side of said side mirror relative to said obstacle indicator.

18. The blind-spot detection system for vehicle as defined in claim 17, wherein said warning unit is disposed in an upper region of said side mirror.

19. The blind-spot detection system for vehicle as defined in claim 1, wherein said warning unit is designed such that a divergence angle of said indicator is enlarged in a laterally outward direction relative to that of said obstacle indicator.

20. The blind-spot detection system for vehicle as defined in claim 1, wherein

said blind spot detection module includes:

a left blind spot detection module which has a left-rear-side obstacle detection unit that detects an obstacle existing in the left rear side of the self vehicle and a left obstacle indicator mounted on a left side mirror of the self vehicle and adapted to display information relevant to an obstacle detected by said obstacle detection unit in left rear side, and

a right blind spot detection module which has a right-rear-side obstacle detection unit that detects an obstacle existing in the right rear side of the self vehicle and a right obstacle indicator mounted on a right side mirror of the self vehicle and adapted to display information relevant to an obstacle detected by said obstacle detection unit in right rear side;

said failure detection unit includes;

a left failure detection unit for detecting that said left blind spot detection module is in an abnormal state, and

a right failure detection unit for detecting that said right blind spot detection module is in an abnormal state; and

said warning unit includes;

a left warning unit mounted on the left side mirror of the self vehicle and adapted to indicate only an abnormality of said left blind spot detection module detected by said left failure detection unit, and

a right warning unit mounted on the right side mirror of the self vehicle and adapted to indicate only an abnormality of said right blind spot detection module detected by said right failure detection unit.

21. The blind-spot detection system for vehicle as defined in claim 1, wherein

said blind spot detection module includes:

a left blind spot detection module which has a left-rear-side obstacle detection unit that detects an obstacle existing in the left rear side of the self vehicle and a left obstacle indicator mounted on a left side mirror of the self vehicle and adapted to display information relevant to an obstacle detected by said obstacle detection mean unit in left rear side, and

a right blind spot detection module which has a right-rear-side obstacle detection unit that detects an obstacle existing in the right rear side of the self vehicle and a right obstacle indicator mounted on a right side mirror of the self vehicle and adapted to display information relevant to an obstacle detected by said obstacle detection mean unit in right rear side;

said failure detection unit includes;

a left failure detection unit for detecting that said left blind spot detection module is in an abnormal state, and

a right failure detection unit for detecting that said right blind spot detection module is in an abnormal state; and

said warning unit includes;

a left warning unit mounted on the left side mirror of the self vehicle and adapted to indicate both an abnormality of said left blind spot detection module detected by said left failure detection unit, and an abnormality of said right blind spot detection module detected by said right failure detection unit, and

a right warning unit mounted on the right side mirror of the self vehicle and adapted to indicate both an abnormality of said left blind spot detection module detected by said left failure detection unit, and an abnormality of said right blind spot detection module detected by said right failure detection unit.

22. The blind-spot detection system for vehicle as defined in claim 1, wherein

said blind spot detection module includes

a left blind spot detection module which has a left-rear-side obstacle detection unit that detects an obstacle existing in the left rear side of the self vehicle and a left obstacle indicator mounted on a left side mirror of the self vehicle and adapted to display information relevant to an obstacle detected by said obstacle detection unit in left rear side, and

a right blind spot detection module which has a right-rear-side obstacle detection unit that detects an obstacle existing in the right rear side of the self vehicle and a right obstacle indicator mounted on a right side mirror of the self vehicle and adapted to display information relevant to an obstacle detected by said obstacle detection unit in right rear side;

said failure detection unit includes;

a left failure detection unit for detecting that said left blind spot detection module is in an abnormal state, and

a right failure detection unit for detecting that said right blind spot detection module is in an abnormal state; and

said warming unit includes left warning unit which indicates an abnormality of said left blind spot detection module detected by said left failure detection unit and right warning unit which indicates an abnormality of said right blind spot detection module detected by said right failure detection unit, wherein said left warning unit and said right warning unit are mounted on a side mirror of the self vehicle on the side of a driver'"'"'s seat.

23. The blind-spot detection system for vehicle as defined in claim 1, wherein said warning unit is operable to change a display mode of the obstacle information for said obstacle indicator, to a given mode different from a normal mode so as to indicate an abnormality detected by said failure detection unit.

24. The blind-spot detection system for vehicle as defined in claim 23, wherein said obstacle indicator and said warning unit are composed of a common component.