Driver supporting device and warning timing control method

• US 9,884,588 B2
• Filed: 10/17/2014
• Issued: 02/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Inventors: Park, Shinyoung, Murayama, Shu
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Hai
• Assistant Examiner(s): Beckley, Jonathan R
• Application Number:
  US15/519,263
• Publication Number:
  US 20170225614A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,208 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 5/006 indicating risk of collision between vehicles or with pedestrians
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/00 Arrangements or fittings on vehicles for protecting or preventing injuries to occupants or pedestrians in case of accidents or other traffic risks safety belts or body harnesses in vehicles B60R22/00; seats constructed to protect the occupant from the effect of abnormal g-forces, e.g. crash or safety seats, B60N2/42; energy-absorbing arrangements for hand wheels for steering vehicles B62D1/11; energy-absorbing arrangements for vehicle steering columns B62D1/19
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/143 Alarm means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2530/00 Input parameters relating to vehicle conditions or values, not covered by groups B60W2510/00 or B60W2520/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/00 Input parameters relating to occupants
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/30 Driving style
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/40 Coefficient of friction
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/932 using own vehicle data, e.g. ground speed, steering wheel direction
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9322 using additional data, e.g. driver condition, road state or weather data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9323 Alternative operation using light waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9324 Alternative operation using ultrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/58 Recognition of moving objects or obstacles, e.g. vehicles or pedestrians; Recognition of traffic objects, e.g. traffic signs, traffic lights or roads
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/593 Recognising seat occupancy
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0962 having an indicator mounted inside the vehicle, e.g. giving voice messages
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/16 Anti-collision systems road vehicle drive control systems for predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision otherwise than by control of a particular sub-unit B60W30/08
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/165 for passive traffic, e.g. including static obstacles, trees
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes

Abstract

Disclosed is a driver supporting device including: a warning timing control unit for setting a timing at which to output warning data in accordance with the existence or non-existence of a passenger when it is determined that a warning target which possibly collides with a driver'"'"'s vehicle exists ahead of the driver'"'"'s vehicle, and a warning data outputting unit for outputting the warning data in accordance with the timing set by the warning timing control unit.

Claims

1. A driver supporting device that outputs warning data to urge a driver to perform a braking operation in order to prevent a collision with a warning target, comprising:

a warning timing control unit to set a timing at which to output the warning data in accordance with existence or non-existence of a passenger when it is determined that a warning target which possibly collides with a driver'"'"'s vehicle exists ahead of the driver'"'"'s vehicle; and

a warning data outputting unit to output the warning data in accordance with the timing set by the warning timing control unit,

wherein when a passenger exists, the warning timing control unit sets, in addition to a first timing at which to output warning data to urge the driver to perform the braking operation, a second timing at which to output warning data for the passenger in accordance with a line of sight of the passenger, the second timing being advanced relative to the first timing, and

the warning data outputting unit outputs the respective warning data in accordance with the first and second timings set by the warning timing control unit.

2. The driver supporting device according to claim 1, wherein the warning timing control unit sets the second timing also in accordance with an age of the passenger.

3. The driver supporting device according to claim 1, wherein the warning timing control unit sets the second timing also in accordance with the passenger'"'"'s seat position.

4. The driver supporting device according to claim 1, wherein the warning timing control unit determines the first or second timing in accordance with the driver'"'"'s driver characteristics.

5. The driver supporting device according to claim 1, further comprising a time-to-collision arithmetic operation unit to calculate a time-to-collision required for the driver to perform an avoiding operation for the warning target, and the warning timing control unit calculates the first or second timing in accordance with the time-to-collision.

6. The driver supporting device according to claim 5, wherein the time-to-collision arithmetic operation unit calculates the time-to-collision in accordance with a speed of the driver'"'"'s vehicle and driver characteristics.

7. An warning timing control method for a driver supporting device that outputs warning data to urge a driver to perform a braking operation in order to prevent a collision with a warning target, the warning timing control method comprising:

in a warning timing control unit, setting a timing at which to output the warning data in accordance with existence or non-existence of a passenger when it is determined that a warning target which possibly collides with a driver'"'"'s vehicle exists ahead of the driver'"'"'s vehicle; and

in a warning data outputting unit, outputting the warning data in accordance with the timing set by the warning timing control unit,

wherein the warning timing control method further comprises;

in the warning timing control unit, when a passenger exists, setting, in addition to a first timing at which to output warning data to urge the driver to perform a braking operation, a second timing at which to output warning data for the passenger in accordance with a line of sight of the passenger, the second timing being advanced relative to the first timing, and

in the warning data outputting unit, outputting the respective warning data in accordance with the first and second timings set by the warning timing control unit.