Notification controller, notification control method and notification information transmitter

• US 7,616,104 B2
• Filed: 05/31/2007
• Issued: 11/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Ito, Toshiyuki, Hara, Tetsuya, Hara, Kousuke, Iwasaki, Hirotoshi, Ikeda, Hirotane
• Primary Examiner(s): TRIEU, VAN THANH
• Application Number:
  US11/806,466
• Publication Number:
  US 20080088425A1
• Time in Patent Office: 894 Days
• Field of Search: 340/438, 340/989, 340/993, 340/994, 340/995.14, 340/995.18, 340/500, 340/506, 701/36, 701/204, 701/211, 714/734, 714/744
• US Class Current: 340/438
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/161 Explanation of functions, e.g. instructions
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/161 Explanation of functions, e.g. instructions
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/28 characterised by the type of the output information, e.g. video entertainment or vehicle dynamics information; characterised by the purpose of the output information, e.g. for attracting the attention of the driver

Abstract

A notification controller allows a notification apparatus to perform notification in accordance with input of notification request information from a notification information transmitter. The notification controller determines whether or not the notification request information supplied from the notification information transmitter can be disabled from provision in accordance with a user operation. When the information supplied is determined to be disabled from provision in accordance with a user operation, the notification controller prompts a user to determine whether or not to stop the notification. The notification controller disables the notification when confirming that the user issues an instruction to stop the notification.

Claims

1. A notification controller comprising:

a storage unit for storing a table indicating information as to whether or not notification of notification request information is allowed to be disabled based on a user operation, the notification request information being supplied from a notification information transmitter and corresponding to a situation about parts of and around a vehicle;

a first notification control unit for allowing a notification apparatus to perform a notification in accordance with input of the notification request information;

a notification stop determination unit for determining, based on the information indicated in the stored table, whether or not notification of the notification request information is allowed to be disabled based on a user operation;

a notification stop confirmation unit for prompting a user to enable or disable notification when the notification stop determination unit determines that notification of the notification request information is allowed to be disabled based on a user operation; and

a notification stop unit for stopping notification performed by the first notification control unit when the notification stop confirmation unit confirms a user instruction to stop the notification.

2. The notification controller of claim 1, further comprising:

a notification continuation unit for continuing notification performed by the first notification control unit when the notification stop determination unit determines that notification of the notification request information is not allowed to be disabled based on a user operation or when the notification stop confirmation unit does not confirm a user response for stopping the notification.

3. The notification controller of claim 2, further comprising:

a notification stop request determination unit for determining whether or not the notification information transmitter issues a request to stop providing notification request information, wherein

the notification stop unit stops the notification continued by the notification continuation unit when the notification stop request determination unit determines that the notification information transmitter issues a request to stop providing notification request information.

4. The notification controller of claim 1, wherein

the notification apparatus performs a notification using at least one of notification methods of display, sound, and vibration;

the table further contains a notification method for a notification apparatus to notify notification request information supplied from the notification information transmitter; and

the first notification control unit allows the notification apparatus to perform a notification in accordance with the notification method indicated in the table.

5. The notification controller of claim 1, wherein

the notification apparatus performs a notification using at least one of notification methods of display, sound, and vibration;

and

when the notification stop confirmation unit does not confirm a user instruction to stop the notification, the first notification control unit allows the notification apparatus to perform the notification using a notification method more recognizable to the user.

6. The notification controller of claim 1, wherein

the notification apparatus performs a notification using at least one of notification methods of display, sound, and vibration;

the notification apparatus includes (i) an information acquisition unit for acquiring sight line information as to whether or not a driver'"'"'s sight line is directed forward from a notification information transmitter and (ii) a sight line determination unit for determining whether or not a driver'"'"'s sight line is directed forward, based on the site line information received via the information acquisition unit; and

when the sight line determination unit determines that the driver'"'"'s sight line is not directed forward, the first notification control unit allows a notification apparatus to provide a notification using a notification method more recognizable to the driver than that applicable to the driver'"'"'s sight line directed forward determined by the sight line determination unit.

7. The notification controller of claim 1, further comprising:

a notification target determination unit for determining which occupant is selected as a notification target for the notification request information based on information indicating an occupant as a notification target stored in the storage unit, wherein

the first notification control unit allows the notification apparatus to provide a notification to the occupant determined as a notification target by the notification target determination unit.

8. The notification controller of claim 1, wherein

the notification apparatus is allowed to notify a most highly prioritized notification request information according to priorities shown in the table in preference to multiple pieces of notification request information when supplied from the notification information transmitter.

9. The notification controller of claim 8, wherein

the first notification control unit allows the notification apparatus to provide a notification so that a user recognizes input of notification request information other than the most highly prioritized one.

10. The notification controller of claim 1, further comprising:

a detailed information determination unit for determining whether or not notification request information supplied from the notification information transmitter contains detailed information, wherein

when the detailed information determination unit determines that the notification request information contains detailed information, the first notification control unit allows multiple display units to independently display the notification request information and the detailed information.

11. The notification controller of claim 1, further comprising:

a notification stop transmission unit for, when the notification stop unit stops notification performed by the first notification control unit, transmitting information indicating the notification stop to the notification information transmitter.

12. The notification controller of claim 1, further comprising:

a notification necessity determination unit for determining necessity of a notification based on notification request information supplied from the notification information transmitter, wherein

when the notification necessity determination unit determines necessity of a notification, the first notification control unit allows the notification apparatus to perform a notification.

13. The notification controller of claim 1, wherein

the notification request information supplied from the notification information transmitter includes (i) safety notification request information concerning safety and (ii) other notification request information other than the safety notification request information, and

a notification of the other notification request information is allowed to be disabled based on a user operation.

14. A notification controller for allowing a notification apparatus to perform a notification in accordance with notification request information supplied from a notification information transmitter that detects a situation about parts of and around a vehicle, the notification controller comprising:

a storage unit for storing a priority table providing notification request information supplied from the notification information transmitter with priorities for identifying a prioritized order of notifications;

a notification request information input determination unit for determining whether or not the notification information transmitter supplies multiple pieces of notification request information; and

a second notification control unit for, when the notification request information input determination unit determines input of multiple pieces of notification request information from the notification information transmitter, allowing the notification apparatus to preferentially notify a most highly prioritized notification request information in accordance with priorities indicated in the priority table.

15. A notification information transmitter comprising:

a transmission unit for detecting a situation about parts of and around a vehicle and transmitting notification request information corresponding to the detected situation to a notification controller that allows a notification apparatus to perform a notification; and

a notification request information stop unit for allowing the transmission unit to stop transmitting notification request information when receiving, from the notification controller, information indicating a stop of a notification corresponding to notification request information in accordance with a user instruction for allowing the notification controller to stop the notification.

16. A notification control method for controlling a notification apparatus to perform notification in accordance with input of notification request information, which is supplied from a notification information transmitter and corresponding to a situation about parts of and around a vehicle, the notification control method comprising the steps of:

storing a table indicating information as to whether or not notification of notification request information is allowed to be disabled based on a user operation;

receiving notification request information from the notification information transmitter;

allowing the notification apparatus to perform a notification of the received notification request information;

determining, based on the information indicated in the stored table, whether or not notification of the received notification request information is allowed to be disabled based on a user operation;

prompting a user to enable or disable notification when the notification of the received notification request information is determined to be allowed to be disabled based on a user operation; and

stopping the performed notification of the received notification request information when a user instruction to stop the notification is determined.