Vehicle surroundings information output system and method for outputting vehicle surroundings information

• US 7,847,678 B2
• Filed: 09/25/2006
• Issued: 12/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Kawamata, Shinya, Hagisato, Yasuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; Benjamin C
• Assistant Examiner(s): EUSTAQUIO, CAL J
• Application Number:
  US11/814,371
• Publication Number:
  US 20080204208A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,534 Days
• Field of Search: 340/425.5
• US Class Current: 340/435
• 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 1/24 in front of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/30 providing vision in the non-visible spectrum, e.g. night or infrared vision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/106 using night vision cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/205 using a head-up display
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/305 merging camera image with lines or icons
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/307 virtually distinguishing relevant parts of a scene from the background of the scene
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8033 for pedestrian protection
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/804 for lane monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8053 for bad weather conditions or night vision
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes

Abstract

A vehicle surroundings information output system includes a vehicle surroundings information obtaining mechanism obtaining information about the vehicle surroundings, an object detector detecting an object around the vehicle based on the obtained vehicle surroundings information, an outputting mechanism outputting information relating to the detected object, a detection reliability determining mechanism determining the detected detection reliability of the detected object, and a notifying information generator generating notifying information that relates to that object according to the detection reliability. The notifying information generator is structured to generate notify information that does not easily stimulate at least one of the five senses of a driver when the detection reliability of the object is low as compared to when that detection reliability is high.

Claims

1. A vehicle surroundings information output system comprising:

a vehicle surroundings information obtaining device that obtains information about the vehicle surroundings;

an object detecting device that detects an object around the vehicle based on the vehicle surroundings information obtained from the vehicle surroundings information obtaining device,

an output device that outputs information relating to the object detected by the object detecting device;

a detection reliability determining device that determines a detection reliability of the object detected by the object detecting device; and

a notifying information generating device that generates first visual notifying information viewable by a driver when the detection reliability of the object is at a first level and that generates second visual notifying information when the detection reliability is at a second level higher than the first level,

wherein the notifying information generating device generates notifying information which changes a luminance of the object displayed by the output device according to the level of the detection reliability of the object.

2. The vehicle surroundings information output system according to claim 1, wherein the detection reliability determining device determines the detection reliability based on a time for which the object continues to be detected or a number of times that the object continues to be detected.

3. The vehicle surroundings information output system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first or second visual notifying information is displayed blinking by the output device according to a level of the detection reliability of the object.

4. The vehicle surroundings information output system according to claim 1, wherein the notifying information generating device continues to generate at least one of the first or second visual notifying information until the object is no longer detected.

5. The vehicle surroundings information output system according to claim 1, wherein the notifying information generating device continues to generate at least one of the first or second visual notifying information for a predetermined period of time.

9. The vehicle surroundings information output system according to claim 1, wherein the output device generates a heads up display simulating a landscape in front of the vehicle as viewed from inside the vehicle.

10. The vehicle surroundings information output system according to claim 9, wherein the heads up display is a miniature view of the landscape in front of the vehicle.

11. The vehicle surroundings information output system according to claim 3, wherein the output device stops the blinking of the at least one of the first or second visual notifying information after a predetermined period of time, regardless of whether the object continues to be detected.

6. A vehicle surroundings information output system comprising:

a vehicle surroundings information obtaining device that obtains information about the vehicle surroundings;

an object detecting device that detects an object around the vehicle based on the vehicle surroundings information obtained from the vehicle surroundings information obtaining device,

an output device that outputs information relating to the object detected by the object detecting device;

a detection reliability determining device that determines a detection reliability of the object detected by the object detecting device; and

a notifying information generating device that generates visual notifying information that increasingly visually stimulates a driver the higher the detection reliability determined by the detection reliability determining device,

wherein the notifying information generating device generates notifying information which changes a luminance of the object displayed by the output device according to the level of the detection reliability of the object.

7. A method for outputting vehicle surroundings information, comprising:

obtaining information about the vehicle surroundings;

detecting information relating to an object around the vehicle based on the obtained vehicle surroundings information;

outputting the detected information relating to the object;

determining a reliability of the detected information relating to the object; and

generating first visual notifying information for viewing by a driver when that reliability is at a first level and that generates second visual notifying information when that reliability is at a second level higher than the first level,

wherein the second visual notifying information is displayed with a higher luminescence than the luminescence with which the first visual notifying information is displayed.

8. A method for outputting vehicle surroundings information, comprising:

obtaining information about the vehicle surroundings;

detecting information relating to an object around the vehicle based on an obtained vehicle surroundings information;

outputting the detected information relating to the object;

determining a reliability of the detected information relating to detected object; and

generating visual notifying information for viewing by a driver more strongly, as the reliability increases, by changing a luminance of the object displayed by the output device according to the level of the detection reliability of the object.