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Driver condition detecting device, in-vehicle alarm system and drive assistance system

  • US 7,769,498 B2
  • Filed: 05/02/2006
  • Issued: 08/03/2010
  • Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2005
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A driver condition detecting device for detecting a driving condition of a driver of a subject vehicle relative to a preceding vehicle in a traveling direction of the subject vehicle, comprising:

  • a driver condition coefficient computation unit that computes a driver condition coefficient K that indicates a degree of change in a size of an image of the preceding vehicle as viewed from the driver of the subject vehicle, the degree of change in the size of an image of the preceding vehicle being the degree of change of an area per unit time in the size of the image of the preceding vehicle acquired by an image pickup device;

    a driver condition detecting device that detects the driving condition of the driver based on the driver condition coefficient K computed by the driver condition coefficient computation unit;

    when the driving condition indicates normal or appropriate, the driver can perform a driving operation such that a certain inter-vehicle distance is maintained, when the driving condition indicates at least inappropriate, the driver cannot perform the driving operation such that a certain inter-vehicle distance is maintained; and

    an inter-vehicle distance detecting device that detects an inter-vehicle distance between the preceding vehicle and the subject vehicle,wherein the driver condition coefficient computation unit computes the driver condition coefficient K as K=(−

    2/D3

    (dD/dt), in which the inter-vehicle distance is represented by D and change in the inter-vehicle distance per unit time is represented by dD/dt, the inter-vehicle distance being assumed equal to a distance between the driver'"'"'s eyes and the preceding vehicle.

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