Guiding apparatus, guiding method, and guiding program product
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A guiding apparatus, comprising:
- a vehicle-speed detecting unit for detecting a speed of a vehicle;
an object-candidate retrieving unit for retrieving a candidate object of interest existing in a vicinity of a guidance point, at which a driver of the vehicle needs guidance, on a travel path of the vehicle;
a recognizable-range estimating unit fordetermining a guidance distance required to provide guidance with respect to the candidate object of interest on the basis of (i) the vehicle speed detected by the vehicle-speed detecting unit and (ii) guidance output time required to provide guidance with respect to the candidate object of interest retrieved by the object-candidate retrieving unit, andestimating a recognizable range the driver will have after the vehicle travels the determined guidance distance from a start of output of the guidance with respect to the candidate object of interest and before the vehicle reaches the guidance point, wherein the candidate object of interest is visually recognizable by the driver when the candidate object of interest exists in the recognizable range;
an object retrieving unit for retrieving, as an object of interest, the candidate object of interest when the candidate object of interest exists in the recognizable range estimated by the recognizable-range estimating unit; and
a guidance control unit for providing guidance with respect to the object of interest retrieved by the object retrieving unit.
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Abstract
In a guiding method, an object of interest existing in a vicinity of a guidance point, at which a driver of a vehicle needs guidance, on a travel path of the vehicle is retrieved. A recognizable range the driver will have is estimated based on at least one of (a) time required to provide guidance with respect to the object of interest and (b) time required for the driver to visually check the object of interest after receiving the guidance. The guidance with respect to the object of interest is provided when the object of interest exists in the estimated recognizable range.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A guiding apparatus, comprising:
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a vehicle-speed detecting unit for detecting a speed of a vehicle; an object-candidate retrieving unit for retrieving a candidate object of interest existing in a vicinity of a guidance point, at which a driver of the vehicle needs guidance, on a travel path of the vehicle; a recognizable-range estimating unit for determining a guidance distance required to provide guidance with respect to the candidate object of interest on the basis of (i) the vehicle speed detected by the vehicle-speed detecting unit and (ii) guidance output time required to provide guidance with respect to the candidate object of interest retrieved by the object-candidate retrieving unit, and estimating a recognizable range the driver will have after the vehicle travels the determined guidance distance from a start of output of the guidance with respect to the candidate object of interest and before the vehicle reaches the guidance point, wherein the candidate object of interest is visually recognizable by the driver when the candidate object of interest exists in the recognizable range; an object retrieving unit for retrieving, as an object of interest, the candidate object of interest when the candidate object of interest exists in the recognizable range estimated by the recognizable-range estimating unit; and a guidance control unit for providing guidance with respect to the object of interest retrieved by the object retrieving unit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A guiding method performed by a guiding apparatus, the guiding apparatus having a vehicle-speed detecting unit and a controller, the method comprising:
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detecting, by the vehicle-speed detecting unit, a speed of a vehicle; retrieving, by the controller, a candidate object of interest existing in a vicinity of a guidance point, at which a driver of the vehicle needs guidance, on a travel path of the vehicle; determining, by the controller, a guidance distance required to provide guidance with respect to the candidate object of interest on the basis of (i) the detected vehicle speed and (ii) guidance output time required to provide guidance with respect to the retrieved candidate object of interest; estimating, by the controller, a recognizable range the driver will have after the vehicle travels the determined guidance distance from a start of output of the guidance with respect to the candidate object of interest and before the vehicle reaches the guidance point, wherein the candidate object of interest is visually recognizable by the driver when the candidate object of interest exists in the recognizable range; retrieving, as an object of interest, the candidate object of interest when the candidate object of interest exists in the estimated recognizable range; and providing, by the controller, guidance with respect to the retrieved object of interest. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A guiding program product, comprising a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium containing therein a guiding program for, when executed by a controller, causing the controller to execute a guiding method, the guiding method comprising:
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retrieving a candidate object of interest existing in a vicinity of a guidance point, at which a driver of a vehicle needs guidance, on a travel path of the vehicle; determining a guidance distance required to provide guidance with respect to the candidate object of interest on the basis of (i) a detected speed of the vehicle and (ii) guidance output time required to provide guidance with respect to the retrieved candidate object of interest; estimating a recognizable range the driver will have after the vehicle travels the determined guidance distance from a start of output of the guidance with respect to the candidate object of interest and before the vehicle reaches the guidance point, wherein the candidate object of interest is visually recognizable by the driver when the candidate object of interest exists in the recognizable range; retrieving, as an object of interest, the candidate object of interest when the candidate object of interest exists in the estimated recognizable range; and providing guidance with respect to the retrieved object of interest.
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20. A guiding method performed by a controller, the method comprising:
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retrieving, by the controller, a landmark of interest existing in a vicinity of a guidance point, at which a driver of a vehicle needs guidance, on a travel path of the vehicle; estimating, by the controller, a recognizable range the driver will have from a start of output of the guidance with respect to the landmark of interest and before the vehicle reaches the guidance point, wherein the landmark of interest is visually recognizable by the driver when the landmark of interest exists in the recognizable range; providing, by the controller, the guidance with respect to the landmark of interest when the landmark of interest exists in the estimated recognizable range.
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Specification