Vehicle proximity condition detection and haptic notification system

• US 9,963,068 B2
• Filed: 01/18/2016
• Issued: 05/08/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Hada, Hideki, Prokhorov, Danil V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Do, Truc M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Whittington, Jess
• Application Number:
  US14/997,876
• Publication Number:
  US 20170203690A1
• Time in Patent Office: 841 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/0162 mainly during a motion involving steering operation, e.g. cornering, overtaking B60G17/0164 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/019 characterised by the type of sensor or the arrangement thereof B60G17/01941 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/0195 characterised by the regulation being combined with other vehicle control systems conjoint control of vehicle sub-units including control of suspension systems B60W10/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/80 Exterior conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/90 Other conditions or factors
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/704 predicting unorthodox driving conditions for safe or optimal driving
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0244 with logic circuits
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/90 Details or parts not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2002/981 Warning systems, e.g. the seat or seat parts vibrates to warn the passenger when facing a danger
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2220/20 using a deterministic algorithm
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/008 for anti-collision purposes

Abstract

A computing device for a vehicle proximity condition detection and haptic notification system is provided. The computing device includes one or more processors for controlling operation of the computing device, and a memory for storing data and program instructions usable by the one or more processors, wherein the one or more processors are configured to execute instructions stored in the memory to operate, upon detection of a vehicle proximity condition, at least one portion of the vehicle as a haptic device in a user-selected manner directed to informing a vehicle occupant of the vehicle proximity condition, and directed to suggesting to the occupant a vehicle control command that is responsive to the proximity condition.

Claims

1. A computing device for a vehicle proximity condition detection and haptic notification system, the device comprising:

one or more processors for controlling operation of the computing device, and

a memory for storing data and program instructions usable by the one or more processors, wherein the one or more processors are configured to execute instructions stored in the memory to;

enable a user to specify, operation of an active suspension system of an ego-vehicle so as to tilt one of a left or right side of the ego-vehicle upwardly relative to a side of the ego-vehicle opposite the one of the left or right side of the ego-vehicle upon detection of a first vehicle proximity condition, so as to provide a user-selected haptic response directed to informing an ego-vehicle occupant of the first vehicle proximity condition; and

operate the active suspension system in accordance with the user'"'"'s specification.

2. The computing device of claim 1 wherein the one or more processors are configured to execute instructions stored in the memory to:

enable a user to specify operation of a driver'"'"'s seat of the ego-vehicle so as to tilt the seat independently of and simultaneously with the tilting of the one of the left or right side of the ego-vehicle upon detection of a second vehicle proximity condition, so as to provide a user-selected haptic response directed to informing an ego-vehicle occupant of the second vehicle proximity condition; and

operate the driver'"'"'s seat in accordance with the user'"'"'s specification.

3. A vehicle comprising a computing device in accordance with claim 1.

13. The computing device of claim 1 wherein the one or more processors are configured to execute instructions stored in the memory to enable a vehicle occupant to:

choose, from among a menu of options, a haptic response to be provided by the ego-vehicle upon detection of a particular vehicle proximity condition; and

operate the ego-vehicle to provide the chosen haptic response upon detection of the particular vehicle proximity condition.

14. The computing device of claim 13 wherein the one or more processors are configured to execute instructions stored in the memory to:

enable a vehicle occupant to specify a degree of the chosen haptic response to be provided by the ego-vehicle upon detection of the particular vehicle proximity condition, so as to provide a user-selected degree of the chosen haptic response; and

operate the ego-vehicle to provide the user-selected degree of the chosen haptic response, upon detection of the particular vehicle proximity condition.

4. A method of operating at least a portion of an ego-vehicle responsive to the occurrence of a vehicle proximity condition, comprising steps of:

enabling a user to specify operation of an active suspension system of the ego-vehicle so as to tilt the ego-vehicle to one of a left side of the ego-vehicle and a right side of the ego-vehicle responsive to the vehicle proximity condition, to provide a user selected haptic response directed to informing an-ego-vehicle occupant of the vehicle proximity condition; and

operating the active suspension system in accordance with the user specification.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising steps of:

enabling the user to specify a degree of tilt of the ego-vehicle to one of a left side of the ego-vehicle and a right side of the ego-vehicle responsive to the vehicle proximity condition, so as to provide a user-selected degree of the user-selected haptic response; and

operating the ego-vehicle to provide the user-selected degree of tilt, responsive to the vehicle proximity condition.

6. A computing device for a vehicle proximity condition detection and haptic notification system, the device comprising:

one or more processors for controlling operation of the computing device, and

a memory for storing data and program instructions usable by the one or more processors, wherein the one or more processors are configured to execute instructions stored in the memory to;

enable a user to specify operation of a driver'"'"'s seat of an ego-vehicle so as to tilt the driver'"'"'s seat in a direction of an adjacent lane next to the ego-vehicle as a haptic response to a safe lane change condition in which no other vehicle is detected in the adjacent lane within a predetermined distance from the front of the ego-vehicle and within a predetermined distance from the rear of the ego-vehicle, to provide a user-selected haptic response directed to informing an ego-vehicle occupant of the safe lane change condition, and directed to providing to an ego-vehicle occupant a prompt to select an ego-vehicle control command that is responsive to the safe lane change condition; and

operate the active suspension system so as to tilt the entire ego-vehicle in accordance with the user specification.

7. The computing device of claim 6 wherein the one or more processors are configured to execute instructions stored in the memory to:

enable a vehicle occupant to choose, from among a menu of options, a haptic response to be provided by the ego-vehicle upon detection of a particular vehicle proximity condition; and

operate the ego-vehicle to provide the chosen haptic response upon detection of the particular vehicle proximity condition.

8. The computing device of claim 7 wherein the one or more processors are configured to execute instructions stored in the memory to:

enable a vehicle occupant to specify a degree of the chosen haptic response to be provided by the ego-vehicle upon detection of the particular vehicle proximity condition, so as to provide a user-selected degree of the chosen haptic response; and

operate the ego-vehicle to provide the user-selected degree of the chosen haptic response, upon detection of the particular vehicle proximity condition.

9. A computing device for a vehicle proximity condition detection and haptic notification system, the device comprising:

one or more processors for controlling operation of the computing device, and

a memory for storing data and program instructions usable by the one or more processors, wherein the one or more processors are configured to execute instructions stored in the memory to;

enable a user to specify operation of an active suspension system of an ego-vehicle to tilt the entire ego-vehicle in the direction of an adjacent lane next to the ego-vehicle as a haptic response to a safe lane change condition in which no other vehicle is detected in the adjacent lane within a predetermined distance from the front of the ego-vehicle and within a predetermined distance from the rear of the ego-vehicle to provide a user-selected haptic response directed to informing an ego-vehicle occupant of the safe lane change condition, and directed to providing to an ego-vehicle occupant a prompt to select an ego-vehicle control command that is responsive to the safe lane change condition; and

operate the active suspension system in accordance with the user'"'"'s specification.

10. The computing device of claim 9 wherein the one or more processors are configured to execute instructions stored in the memory to:

enable a vehicle occupant to choose, from among a menu of options, a haptic response to be provided by the ego-vehicle upon detection of a particular vehicle proximity condition; and

operate the ego-vehicle to provide the chosen haptic response upon detection of the particular vehicle proximity condition.

11. The computing device of claim 10 wherein the one or more processors are configured to execute instructions stored in the memory to:

enable a vehicle occupant to specify a degree of the chosen haptic response to be provided by the ego-vehicle upon detection of the particular vehicle proximity condition, so as to provide a user-selected degree of the chosen haptic response; and

operate the ego-vehicle to provide the user-selected degree of the chosen haptic response, upon detection of the particular vehicle proximity condition.

12. A vehicle comprising a computing device in accordance with claim 9.