Driving assistance device and method

• US 10,629,088 B2
• Filed: 09/21/2012
• Issued: 04/21/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Naiwala, Chandrasiri Pathiranehelage, Takeuchi, Shojiro, Sugimoto, Hironobu
• Primary Examiner(s): Thai, Xuan M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Zaman, Sadaruz
• Application Number:
  US14/346,797
• Publication Number:
  US 20140212849A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,769 Days
• Field of Search: 434 29, 434 62, 434 65
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/10 Historical data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/09 Driving style or behaviour
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/167 Control of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/12 different stations being capable of presenting different information simultaneously G09B5/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 9/042 providing simulation in a real vehicle G09B9/052, G09B9/058 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 9/052 characterised by provision for recording or measuring trainee's performance devices for psychotechnics, e.g. for vehicle drivers A61B5/16, A61B5/18

Abstract

A driving skill in input driving data is acquired from driving skill classification unit, driving data, which includes a driving skill higher than the driving skill in the input driving data and of which a similarity to the input driving data is at least a predetermined similarity, is selected from among driving data stored in a driving data storage unit, a difference between the selected driving data and the input driving data is detected, and a notice on the detected difference is issued as driving advice. As a result, it is possible to present suitable advice to improve a driving skill taking into account the skill and type of a driver.

Claims

1. A driving assistance device comprising:

a driving data storage configured to store, for a plurality of drivers, corresponding reference driving data entries in association with a driving skill for a respective driver of the plurality of the drivers;

a memory storing instructions; and

a processor that, when executing the instructions performs a method, the method comprising;

receiving input of driving data from a plurality of vehicle sensors;

determining a driving skill associated with the input driving data;

calculating a similarity between the input driving data and each of the corresponding reference driving data entries stored in the driving data storage;

selecting, after determining the driving skill, one of the corresponding reference driving data entries stored in the driving data storage that;

is associated with a higher driving skill than the determined driving skill of the input driving data, and

has a similarity with the input driving data that exceeds a threshold;

detecting a difference in driving operation between the input driving data and the selected reference driving data entry, wherein detecting comprises;

identifying an approaching curve in a path of a vehicle,

determining a maximum speed for the approaching curve, and

determining, based on data from the plurality of vehicle sensors, that a current speed of the vehicle exceeds the maximum speed for the approaching curve; and

issuing a notice of the detected difference as driving advice, wherein issuing the notice comprises;

providing, through an output device, a graphical user interface containing instructions for an operator of the vehicle including;

an instruction to decelerate the vehicle to below the maximum speed for the approaching curve, and

a graphical representation of at least one benefit to following the instruction.

2. The driving assistance device according to claim 1, wherein the similarity between the selected driving data entry and the input driving data is higher than a similarity between another reference driving data entry of the corresponding reference driving data entries and the input driving data;

and

the instruction to decelerate the vehicle to below the maximum speed for the approaching curve is provided by the graphical user interface in realtime.

3. The driving assistance device according to claim 1, wherein receiving the input driving data comprises periodically acquiring sensor data from the plurality of vehicle sensors, and converting the sensor data into data corresponding to positions at even intervals in order to obtain the input driving data;

and

wherein the graphical representation of at least one benefit to following the instruction includes;

a plot of projected kinematic data of the vehicle based on the data from the plurality of vehicle sensors, and

a plot of projected kinematic data based on the instruction to decelerate the vehicle.

10. The driving assistance device according to claim 1, wherein

calculating comprises:

plotting the input driving data and the reference driving data entries with a plot including an abscissa representing driving type and an ordinate representing driving skill; and

calculating a distance measurement between the input driving data and the reference driving data entries; and

wherein selecting comprises;

identifying one of the reference driving data entries having a driving skill that is greater than the determined driving skill associated with the input driving data and has a distance measurement that is less than a predetermined distance.

4. A driving assistance method performed by a driving assistance device that includes a driving data storage for storing, for a plurality of drivers, corresponding reference driving data entries in association with a driving skill for a respective driver of the plurality of the drivers;

and a driving skill classifier for determining a driving skill associated with input driving data, the driving assistance method comprising;

receiving the input of driving data from a plurality of vehicle sensors;

determining a driving skill of the input driving data by the driving skill classifier;

calculating a similarity between the input driving data and each of the corresponding reference driving data entries stored in the driving data storage;

selecting one of the corresponding reference driving data entries stored in the driving data storage that;

is associated with a higher driving skill than the determined driving skill of the input driving data, and

has a similarity with the input driving data that exceeds a threshold;

detecting a difference in driving operation between the input driving data and the selected reference driving data entry, wherein detecting comprises;

identifying an approaching curve in a path of a vehicle,

determining a maximum speed for the approaching curve, and

determining, based on data from the plurality of vehicle sensors, that a current speed of the vehicle exceeds the maximum speed for the approaching curve; and

issuing a notice of the detected difference as driving advice, wherein issuing the notice comprises;

providing, through an output device, a graphical user interface containing instructions for an operator of the vehicle including;

an instruction to decelerate the vehicle to below the maximum speed for the approaching curve, and

a graphical representation of at least one benefit to following the instruction.

5. The driving assistance method according to claim 4, wherein

the similarity selected driving data entry and the input driving data is higher than a similarity between another reference driving data entry of the corresponding reference driving data entries and the input driving data;

and

the instruction to decelerate the vehicle to below the maximum speed for the approaching curve is provided by the graphical user interface in realtime.

6. The driving assistance method according to claim 4, further comprising

periodically acquiring sensor data from the plurality of vehicle sensors, and

converting the sensor data into data corresponding to positions at even intervals in order to obtain the input driving data;

wherein the graphical representation of at least one benefit to following the instruction includes;

a plot of projected kinematic data of the vehicle based on the data from the plurality of vehicle sensors, and

a plot of projected kinematic data based on the instruction to decelerate the vehicle.

11. The driving assistance method according to claim 4, wherein

calculating comprises:

plotting the input driving data and the reference driving data entries with a plot including an abscissa representing driving type and an ordinate representing driving skill; and

calculating a distance measurement between the input driving data and the reference driving data entries; and

wherein selecting comprises;

identifying one of the reference driving data entries having a driving skill that is greater than the determined driving skill associated with the input driving data and has a distance measurement that is less than a predetermined distance.

7. A driving assistance device comprising:

driving data storage means for storing, for a plurality of drivers, corresponding reference driving data entries in association with a driving skill for a respective driver of the plurality of the drivers; and

driving data acquisition means for receiving input of driving data from a plurality of vehicle sensors;

driving skill classification means for determining a driving skill associated with the input driving data;

similarity calculation means for calculating a similarity between the input driving data and each of the corresponding reference driving data entries stored in the driving data storage means;

selection means for selecting one of the corresponding reference driving data entries stored in the driving data storage means that;

is associated with a higher driving skill than the determined driving skill of the input driving data, and

has a similarity with the input driving data that exceeds a threshold;

difference detection means for detecting a difference in driving operation between the input driving data and the selected reference driving data entry, wherein detecting comprises;

identifying an approaching curve in a path of a vehicle,

determining a maximum speed for the approaching curve, and

determining, based on data from the plurality of vehicle sensors, that a current speed of the vehicle exceeds the maximum speed for the approaching curve; and

driving assistance means for issuing a notice of the detected difference as driving advice, wherein issuing the notice comprises;

providing, through an output device, a graphical user interface containing instructions for an operator of the vehicle including;

an instruction to decelerate the vehicle to below the maximum speed for the approaching curve, and

a graphical representation of at least one benefit to following the instruction.

8. The driving assistance device according to claim 7, wherein the similarity between the selected driving data entry and the input driving data is higher than a similarity between another reference driving data entry of the corresponding reference driving data entries and the input driving data;

and

the instruction to decelerate the vehicle to below the maximum speed for the approaching curve is provided by the graphical user interface in realtime.

9. The driving assistance device according to claim 7, wherein the driving data acquisition means periodically acquires sensor data from the plurality of vehicle sensors, and converts the sensor data into data corresponding to positions at even intervals in order to obtain the input driving data;

and

wherein the graphical representation of at least one benefit to following the instruction includes;

a plot of projected kinematic data of the vehicle based on the data from the plurality of vehicle sensors, and

a plot of projected kinematic data based on the instruction to decelerate the vehicle.

12. The driving assistance device according to claim 7, wherein

calculating comprises:

plotting the input driving data and the reference driving data entries with a plot including an abscissa representing driving type and an ordinate representing driving skill; and

calculating a distance measurement between the input driving data and the reference driving data entries; and

wherein selecting comprises;

identifying one of the reference driving data entries having a driving skill that is greater than the determined driving skill associated with the input driving data and has a distance measurement that is less than a predetermined distance.