Poor visibility estimation system and poor visibility estimation method

• US 9,476,732 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2012
• Issued: 10/25/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Yamada, Takuji, Fujii, Shinichiro, Ohta, Kazuomi, Uno, Satoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Cuong H
• Application Number:
  US14/647,533
• Publication Number:
  US 20150330807A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,425 Days
• Field of Search: 702/3, 702/182, 702/179, 702/181, 701/41, 180/400, 362/464, 362/466
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3407 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3691 Retrieval, searching and output of information related to real-time traffic, weather, or environmental conditions arrangements for giving variable traffic instructions G08G1/09
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 17/06 Steering behaviour; Rolling behaviour
• CPC Class Codes: G01W 1/00 Meteorology
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096716 where the received information does not generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096741 where the source of the transmitted information selects which information to transmit to each vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096775 where the origin of the information is a central station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096827 where the route is computed onboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096866 where the complete route is shown to the driver

Abstract

Provided are a poor visibility estimation system and a poor visibility estimation method that can estimate poor visibility using a simpler configuration. A center has a change amount calculation unit for calculating the change amounts of operation elements of vehicles. A visibility estimation unit estimates poor visibility on the basis of the change amounts calculated by the change amount calculation unit. The center also has a distribution unit for distributing the estimation results of the visibility estimation unit.

Claims

1. A poor visibility estimation system that estimates poor visibility, comprising:

a detecting sensor configured to detect at least one of a steering angle, a steering angular velocity, and a steering torque of a vehicle; and

a microcomputer configured to perform as a visibility estimating section configured to estimate a poor visibility point or area based on at least one of the detected steering angle, steering angular velocity, and steering torque, wherein

the detecting sensor is configured to detect the steering angle of the vehicle,

the microcomputer is further configured to perform as a frequency converting section configured to subject data about the steering angle to frequency conversion, and

the visibility estimating section is configured such that, if the spectrum area of the data subjected to the frequency conversion in a predetermined frequency band exceeds a spectrum area prescribed as a reference, the visibility estimating section determines that the visibility is poor at the point where the data is acquired or that the visibility is poor in an area including this point.

2. The poor visibility estimation system according to claim 1, wherein the visibility estimating section is configured to use, as the predetermined frequency band, a frequency band in which a difference is noticeable between change in the steering angle when the visibility is poor and change in the steering angle when the visibility is favorable.

3. The poor visibility estimation system according to claim 2, wherein the visibility estimating section uses a frequency band from 0.5 to 1.0 Hz as the predetermined frequency band.

4. A poor visibility estimation system that estimates poor visibility, comprising:

a detecting sensor configured to detect at least one of a steering angle, a steering angular velocity, and a steering torque of a vehicle; and

a microcomputer configured to perform as a visibility estimating section configured to estimate a poor visibility point or area based on at least one of the detected steering angle, steering angular velocity, and steering torque, wherein

the detecting sensor is configured to detect the steering angular velocity of the vehicle, and

the visibility estimating section is configured such that, if at least one of conditions (a), (b), and (c) is satisfied, the visibility estimating section determines that the visibility is poor at a point where the steering angular velocity satisfying the condition is acquired or that the visibility is poor in an area including this point, wherein the conditions are

(a) the steering angular velocity continues to be equal to or higher than a prescribed reference used to determine whether the visibility is favorable for a time equal to or longer than a prescribed time,

(b) the number of times that the steering angular velocity has become equal to or higher than the prescribed reference used to determine whether the visibility is favorable is equal to or larger than a prescribed number, and

(c) the number of times that the steering angular velocity continues to be equal to or higher than the prescribed reference used to determine whether the visibility is favorable for a time equal to or longer than the prescribed time is equal to or larger than the prescribed number.