Vehicular traveling regulation device and method for controlling vehicle

• US 8,838,287 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Issued: 09/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Koie, Yoshio
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G
• Assistant Examiner(s): PAIGE, TYLER D
• Application Number:
  US13/833,857
• Publication Number:
  US 20130282199A1
• Time in Patent Office: 550 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/212, 701/202, 701/209, 340/990, 340/995
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/1012 Zone surveillance means, e.g. parking lots, truck depots
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/24 Direction of travel
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/14 Adaptive cruise control
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/00 Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific functions information retrieval, database structures or file system structures therefor G06F16/00

Abstract

A position determination unit determines whether a present position of a vehicle deviates from a predetermined range. A direction determination unit determines whether a traveling direction of the vehicle is along a return direction, which is toward the predetermined range, on determination of the position determination unit that the present position deviates from the predetermined range. A traveling regulation unit regulates traveling of the vehicle when the direction determination unit determines that the traveling direction is not along the return direction.

Claims

1. A vehicular traveling regulation device comprising:

a present position detection unit configured to detect a present position of a vehicle;

a traveling direction detection unit configured to detect a traveling direction of the vehicle;

a position determination unit configured to determine whether the present position, which is detected by the present position detection unit, deviates from a predetermined range;

a direction determination unit configured to determine whether the traveling direction, which is detected by the traveling direction detection unit, is along a return direction, which is toward the predetermined range, on determination of the position determination unit that the present position deviates from the predetermined range, wherein the direction determination unit is configured to determine that the traveling direction is along the return direction in a case where the predetermined range exists on an extension line extending from the present position in the traveling direction; and

a traveling regulation unit configured to regulate traveling of the vehicle on determination of the direction determination unit that the traveling direction is not along the return direction.

2. The vehicular traveling regulation device according to claim 1, wherein

the direction determination unit is further configured to determine that the traveling direction is along the return direction, in a case where

the present position moves toward the predetermined range.

3. The vehicular traveling regulation device according to claim 1, wherein

the direction determination unit is further configured

to determine whether the traveling direction, which is detected by the traveling direction detection unit when the position determination unit determines that the present position deviates from the predetermined range, is along the return direction or

to determine whether an average direction, which is an average of a plurality of traveling directions, which are detected by the traveling direction detection unit after the position determination unit determines that the present position deviates from the predetermined range, is along the return direction.

4. The vehicular traveling regulation device according to claim 1, wherein the traveling regulation unit is further configured to release regulation imposed on traveling of the vehicle, on determination of the direction determination unit that the traveling direction is along the return direction.

5. The vehicular traveling regulation device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a warning operation unit configured to implement a predetermined warning operation on determination of the position determination unit that the present position deviates from the predetermined range.

6. The vehicular traveling regulation device according to claim 5, wherein the warning operation unit is further configured to continue the warning operation until the present position moves to be included in the predetermined range.

7. The vehicular traveling regulation device according to claim 1, wherein the direction determination unit is further configured to determine that the traveling direction is along the return direction on determination that the predetermined range exists on the extension line.

8. The vehicular traveling regulation device according to claim 1, wherein the traveling regulation unit is further configured to regulate traveling of the vehicle by decelerating the vehicle or by de-activating an engine of the vehicle after elapse of a predetermined time subsequent to the determination.

9. A method for controlling a vehicle, the method comprising:

detecting a present position of the vehicle;

detecting a traveling direction of the vehicle;

determining whether the detected present position deviates from a predetermined range;

determining whether the detected traveling direction is along a return direction, which is toward the predetermined range, on determination that the present position deviates from the predetermined range;

determining that the traveling direction is along the return direction in a case where the predetermined range exists on an extension line extending from the present position in the traveling direction; and

regulating traveling of the vehicle on determination that the traveling direction is not along the return direction.

10. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions executed by a computer, the instructions including the method according to claim 9.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein the determining that the traveling direction is along the return direction is made on determination that the predetermined range exists on the extension line.

12. The method according to claim 9, wherein the regulating includes decelerating the vehicle or by de-activating an engine of the vehicle after elapse of a predetermined time subsequent to the determination.