Vehicle approach notification device

• US 8,958,947 B2
• Filed: 02/25/2010
• Issued: 02/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Auto Tech Group LLC
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Inventors: Inakazu, Shigeru, Shimotani, Mitsuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Jabr, Fadey
• Assistant Examiner(s): INGRAM, THOMAS P
• Application Number:
  US13/521,986
• Publication Number:
  US 20120323439A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,818 Days
• Field of Search: 701/36, 340/435, 340/436, 340/437, 340/441, 340/442, 340/903
• US Class Current: 701/36
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 5/008 for signaling silent vehicles, e.g. for warning that a hybrid or electric vehicle is approaching
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3697 Output of additional, non-guidance related information, e.g. low fuel level G01C21/3679 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/207 with respect to certain areas, e.g. forbidden or allowed areas with possible alerting when inside or outside boundaries

Abstract

A vehicle approach notification device 2 includes: position detection unit 21 that detects current positions of a vehicle; map database 22 storing map data; specific area travel determination unit 23 that determines the travel in a specific area by using the current position from the unit 21 and the map data from the database 22; specific area scale determination unit 24 that, when information from the unit 23 indicates a specific area, determines a scale of the specific area; storage unit 25 that stores a list of thresholds relating to the scale of the specific area; and notification control unit 28 that compares information of the scale from the unit 24 with the list of thresholds from the unit 25, and that when the threshold is satisfied, outputs a control signal for emitting a notification sound of the vehicle to notification sound control unit 30 that controls the sound.

Claims

1. A vehicle approach notification device comprising:

a position detector configured to detect a current position of a vehicle;

a map database storing map data;

a CPU programmed to;

make a determination of a travel thereof in a specific area from a plurality of potential specific areas by using the current position from said position detector and the map data from said map database, and

when information from said determination indicates the determined specific area, calculate a scale of the determined specific area by using said map data; and

a storage storing a list of thresholds for said potential specific areas, each threshold indicating a requisite scale for emitting a notification sound of said vehicle within a corresponding one of said potential specific areas,

wherein the CPU is further programmed to compare information of the calculated scale with the threshold from said storage corresponding to said determined specific area, and when said threshold is satisfied, output a control signal for emitting a notification sound of said vehicle to a notification sound control unit that controls the notification sound.

2. The vehicle approach notification device according to claim 1, wherein said CPU is programmed to output a control signal for changing said notification sound corresponding to a degree of danger in said specific area and a change over time in said degree of danger.

3. The vehicle approach notification device according to claim 1, further comprising an operation unit into which an operation of a user is input,

wherein said CPU is programmed to correct said list in response to an operation input of the user through said operation unit.

4. A vehicle approach notification device comprising:

a drive controller configured to control a drive state of a vehicle;

a speed sensor configured to obtain a speed of said vehicle;

a light controller configured to control illumination of a light of said vehicle;

a position detector configured to detect a current position of said vehicle;

a map database storing map data;

a CPU programmed to;

make a determination of a travel in a specific area by using the current position from said position detector and the map data from said map database; and

output a control signal for emitting a notification sound to a notification sound control unit that controls the notification sound on the basis of drive information from said drive controller, speed information from said speed sensor, illumination information of the light from said light controller, and information of the specific area from said determination,

wherein under certain conditions corresponding to the drive information, speed information, and information of the determination, the CPU is programmed to output the control signal for emitting the notification sound only if the illumination information of the light from the light controller indicates that the vehicle'"'"'s headlights are extinguished.

5. The vehicle approach notification device according to claim 4, wherein, in a case where said drive information indicates drive using a motor, said speed information indicates a speed not higher than a predetermined value, and the information of said specific area indicates a specific area other than a dangerous specific area having a high degree of danger, said CPU is programmed to output the control signal for emitting the notification sound when said illumination information of the light indicates the extinguishing thereof.

6. The vehicle approach notification device according to claim 4, wherein in a case where said drive information indicates drive using a motor, said speed information indicates a speed not higher than a predetermined value, and information of said specific area indicates a dangerous specific area having a high degree of danger, said CPU is programmed to output the control signal for emitting the notification sound regardless of illumination information of said light.