Alarm system for vehicle

• US 10,745,031 B2
• Filed: 05/13/2019
• Issued: 08/18/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
• Inventors: Yoshida, Yuki, Hirai, Koji
• Primary Examiner(s): Lieu, Julie B
• Application Number:
  US16/410,927
• Publication Number:
  US 20190367048A1
• Time in Patent Office: 463 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/143 Alarm means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/408 Radar; Laser, e.g. lidar
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/0956 the prediction being responsive to traffic or environmental parameters
• 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: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes

Abstract

To provide an alarm system for a vehicle that can reduce alarms that can irritate a driver. An alarm system 1 for a vehicle includes a determination and alarm part 52 that determines whether or not an object will cross a right alarm line 61 or a left alarm line 62 within a predetermined time and activates an alarm unit when it is determined that the object will cross the alarm line within the predetermined time. When the relative velocity of the object with respect to the right alarm line 61 or the left alarm line 62 is decreasing, the determination and alarm part 52 performs an alarm reduction control to reduce operation of the alarm unit compared with when the relative velocity is not decreasing.

Claims

1. An alarm system for a vehicle, comprising:

an object detection part that detects an object around the vehicle; and

a determination and alarm part that sets an alarm line that extends forward from the vehicle, determines whether or not the object crosses the alarm line within a predetermined time, and activates an alarm unit when it is determined that the object crosses the alarm line within the predetermined time,

wherein, when a relative velocity of the object with respect to the alarm line is decreasing, the determination and alarm part performs an alarm reduction control to reduce operation of the alarm unit compared with when the relative velocity is not decreasing.

2. The alarm system for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the alarm unit includes a first alarm device and a second alarm device;

the determination and alarm part activates the first alarm device and the second alarm device when the relative velocity is not decreasing; and

the determination and alarm part does not activate the first alarm device but activates the second alarm device as the alarm reduction control when the relative velocity is decreasing.

3. The alarm system for a vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the first alarm device audibly raises an alarm;

and the second alarm device visually raises an alarm.

4. The alarm system for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein when a time to collision, which is a time required for the object to cross the alarm line, is equal to or less than the predetermined time, the determination and alarm part determines that the object crosses the alarm line within the predetermined time;

the determination and alarm part calculates the time to collision on an assumption that the object is moving at a constant velocity when the relative velocity is not decreasing; and

the determination and alarm part calculates the time to collision on an assumption that the object is moving at a constant acceleration as the alarm reduction control when the relative velocity is decreasing.

5. The alarm system for a vehicle according to claim 2, wherein when a time to collision, which is a time required for the object to cross the alarm line, is equal to or less than the predetermined time, the determination and alarm part determines that the object crosses the alarm line within the predetermined time;

the determination and alarm part calculates the time to collision on an assumption that the object is moving at a constant velocity when the relative velocity is not decreasing; and

the determination and alarm part calculates the time to collision on an assumption that the object is moving at a constant acceleration as the alarm reduction control when the relative velocity is decreasing.

6. The alarm system for a vehicle according to claim 3, wherein when a time to collision, which is a time required for the object to cross the alarm line, is equal to or less than the predetermined time, the determination and alarm part determines that the object crosses the alarm line within the predetermined time;

the determination and alarm part calculates the time to collision on an assumption that the object is moving at a constant velocity when the relative velocity is not decreasing; and

the determination and alarm part calculates the time to collision on an assumption that the object is moving at a constant acceleration as the alarm reduction control when the relative velocity is decreasing.

7. The alarm system for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the determination and alarm part sets a length of the alarm line at a first length when the relative velocity is not decreasing;

and

the determination and alarm part sets the length of the alarm line at a second length, which is shorter than the first length, as the alarm reduction control when the relative velocity is decreasing.

8. The alarm system for a vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the determination and alarm part sets a length of the alarm line at a first length when the relative velocity is not decreasing;

and

the determination and alarm part sets the length of the alarm line at a second length, which is shorter than the first length, as the alarm reduction control when the relative velocity is decreasing.

9. The alarm system for a vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the determination and alarm part sets a length of the alarm line at a first length when the relative velocity is not decreasing;

and

the determination and alarm part sets the length of the alarm line at a second length, which is shorter than the first length, as the alarm reduction control when the relative velocity is decreasing.

10. The alarm system for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the determination and alarm part performs the alarm reduction control when a deceleration of the object with respect to the alarm line is equal to or higher than a predetermined deceleration.

11. The alarm system for a vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the determination and alarm part performs the alarm reduction control when a deceleration of the object with respect to the alarm line is equal to or higher than a predetermined deceleration.

12. The alarm system for a vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the determination and alarm part performs the alarm reduction control when a deceleration of the object with respect to the alarm line is equal to or higher than a predetermined deceleration.

13. The alarm system for a vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising a traffic signal detection part that detects a traffic signal emitted by a traffic light in the direction of traveling of the object,

wherein the determination and alarm part performs the alarm reduction control when the traffic light is emitting a stop signal.

14. The alarm system for a vehicle according to claim 2, further comprising a traffic signal detection part that detects a traffic signal emitted by a traffic light in the direction of traveling of the object,

wherein the determination and alarm part performs the alarm reduction control when the traffic light is emitting a stop signal.

15. The alarm system for a vehicle according to claim 3, further comprising a traffic signal detection part that detects a traffic signal emitted by a traffic light in the direction of traveling of the object,

wherein the determination and alarm part performs the alarm reduction control when the traffic light is emitting a stop signal.