Vehicle behavior detection device

• US 9,988,059 B2
• Filed: 08/30/2016
• Issued: 06/05/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Satomura, Shota
• Primary Examiner(s): Paige, Tyler
• Application Number:
  US15/251,916
• Publication Number:
  US 20170073006A1
• Time in Patent Office: 644 Days
• Field of Search: 701 41
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/085 due to special conditions, e.g. adverse weather, type of road, badly illuminated road signs or potential dangers B60Q1/10, B60Q1/12, B60Q1/1423 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/12 due to steering position
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/112 Vehicle speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/122 Steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/134 Yaw
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/142 Turn signal actuation
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/336 Crossings
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/403 Image sensing, e.g. optical camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/14 Yaw
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/20 Direction indicator values
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18145 Cornering
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/09 Driving style or behaviour
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention

Abstract

A vehicle behavior detection device mounted on an own vehicle detects own vehicle'"'"'s behavior, in particular driver'"'"'s right or left turn behavior at an intersection on a roadway. The vehicle behavior detection device is a microcomputer system having a CPU capable of providing an intended direction acquiring section, a turn direction acquiring section, a coincidence judgment section and an information output section. The intended direction acquiring section obtains an intended direction toward which the own vehicle is turning. The turn direction acquiring section acquires a direction to which the own vehicle turns. The coincidence judgment section detects whether or not the intended direction coincides with the turn direction of the own vehicle. The information output section provides warning regarding wide right or left turn of the own vehicle when the judgment result indicates that the intended direction does not coincide with the turn direction of the own vehicle.

Claims

1. A vehicle behavior detection device to be mounted on an own vehicle, comprising a computer system including a central processing unit, the computer system being configured to provide:

an intended turning direction acquiring section configured to receive a detection signal detected by and transmitted from a direction indicator mounted on the own vehicle, the detection signal representing an operation state of the own vehicle, the intended turning direction acquiring section configured to acquire an intended turning direction of the own vehicle on the basis of the received detection signal;

an actual turning direction acquiring section configured to receive turning data of the own vehicle that is detected by and transmitted from a yaw rate sensor mounted on the own vehicle, the actual turning direction acquiring section configured to acquire an actual turning direction of the own vehicle on the basis of the received turning data;

a coinciding turning direction determination section configured to determine whether the intended turning direction of the own vehicle coincides with the actual turning direction of the own vehicle; and

an information output section configured to output wide turn information to a driver of the own vehicle, the wide turn information indicating that the own vehicle is making a wide turn when the coinciding turning direction determination section determines that the intended turning direction of the own vehicle does not coincide with the actual turning direction of the own vehicle.

2. The vehicle behavior detection device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a vehicle speed acquiring section configured to receive a vehicle speed signal detected by and transmitted from a vehicle speed sensor mounted on the own vehicle, the vehicle speed acquiring section configured to acquire a vehicle speed of the own vehicle;

a vehicle speed threshold comparison determination section configured to determine whether the vehicle speed of the own vehicle is less than a vehicle speed threshold value for performing a left turn or a right turn; and

a first information output inhibiting section configured to inhibit the information output section from outputting the wide turn information when the vehicle speed threshold comparison determination determines that the vehicle speed of the own vehicle is not less than the vehicle speed threshold value.

3. The vehicle behavior detection device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a straight movement detection section configured to receive the turning data from the yaw rate sensor, integrate the turning data, and generate an integrated yaw rate value, the straight movement detection section configured to determine whether the own vehicle is moving straight by comparing the integrated yaw rate value to a predetermined yaw rate integration threshold value;

a second information output inhibiting section configured to inhibit the information output section from outputting the wide turn information when the straight movement detection section determines that the own vehicle is moving straight.

4. The vehicle behavior detection device according to claim 2, further comprising:

a straight movement detection section configured to receive the turning data from the yaw rate sensor, integrate the turning data, and generate an integrated yaw rate value, the straight movement detection section configured to determine whether the own vehicle is moving straight by comparing the integrated yaw rate value to a predetermined yaw rate integration threshold value;

a second information output inhibiting section configured to inhibit the information output section from outputting the wide turn information when the straight movement detection section determines that the own vehicle is moving straight.

5. The vehicle behavior detection device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a right or left turn information acquiring section configured to receive image data detected by and transmitted from a camera unit mounted on the own vehicle, and configured to acquire, based on the image data, information regarding a front right side area and a front left side area of the own vehicle with which the right or left turn information acquiring section determines whether a right turn possible area or a left turn possible area exists in front of the own vehicle; and

a third information output inhibiting section configured to inhibit the information output section from outputting the wide turn information when the right or left turn information acquiring section determines there is no right turn possible area and no left turn possible area in front of the own vehicle.

6. The vehicle behavior detection device according to claim 2, further comprising:

a right or left turn information acquiring section configured to receive image data detected by and transmitted from a camera unit mounted on the own vehicle, and configured to acquire, based on the image data, information regarding a front right side area and a front left side area of the own vehicle with which the right or left turn information acquiring section determines whether a right turn possible area or a left turn possible area exists in front of the own vehicle; and

a third information output inhibiting section configured to inhibit the information output section from outputting the wide turn information when the right or left turn information acquiring section determines there is no right turn possible area and no left turn possible area in front of the own vehicle.

7. The vehicle behavior detection device according to claim 1, further comprising a wide turn driving assist section configured to execute a predetermined driving assist function for the own vehicle to turn safely when the information output section outputs the wide turn information.

8. The vehicle behavior detection device according to claim 2, further comprising a wide turn driving assist section configured to execute a predetermined driving assist function for the own vehicle to turn safely when the information output section outputs the wide turn information.

9. The vehicle behavior detection device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a right or left turn information acquiring section configured to receive map information transmitted from a navigation system mounted on the own vehicle, and configured to acquire, based on the received map information, information regarding a front right side area and a front left side area of the own vehicle with which the right or left turn information acquiring section determines whether a right turn possible area or a left turn possible area exists in front of the own vehicle; and

a third information output inhibiting section to inhibit the information output section from outputting the wide turn information when the right or left turn information acquiring section determines there is no right turn possible area and no left turn possible area in front of the own vehicle.

10. The vehicle behavior detection device according to claim 2, further comprising:

a right or left turn information acquiring section configured to receive map information transmitted from a navigation system mounted on the own vehicle, and configured to acquire, based on the received map information, information regarding a front right side area and a front left side area of the own vehicle with which the right or left turn information acquiring section determines whether a right turn possible area or a left turn possible area exists in front of the own vehicle; and

a third information output inhibiting section configured to inhibit the information output section from outputting the wide turn information when the right or left turn information acquiring section determines there is no right turn possible area and no left turn possible area in front of the own vehicle.

11. The vehicle behavior detection device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a right or left turn information acquiring section configured to receive a detection result detected by and transmitted from a radar device mounted on the own vehicle, and configured to acquire, based on the received detection result, information regarding a front right side area and a front left side area of the own vehicle with which the right or left turn information acquiring section determines whether a right turn possible area or a left turn possible area exists in front of the own vehicle; and

a third information output inhibiting section configured to inhibit the information output section from outputting the wide turn information when the right or left turn information acquiring section determines there is no right turn possible area and no left turn possible area in front of the own vehicle.

12. The vehicle behavior detection device according to claim 2, further comprising:

a right or left turn information acquiring section configured to receive a detection result detected by and transmitted from a radar device mounted on the own vehicle, and configured to acquire, based on the received detection result, information regarding a front right side area and a front left side area of the own vehicle with which the right or left turn information acquiring section determines whether a right turn possible area or a left turn possible area exists in front of the own vehicle; and

a third information output inhibiting section configured to inhibit the information output section from outputting the wide turn information when the right or left turn information acquiring section determines there is no right turn possible area and no left turn possible area in front of the own vehicle.