Lane departure prevention apparatus

• US 20050096829A1
• Filed: 10/12/2004
• Published: 05/05/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Uemura, Yoshitaka, Sugano, Takashi
• Granted Patent: US 7,409,279 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/70
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/08 Lane monitoring; Lane Keeping Systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/083 using active brake actuation
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/086 using driver related features
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/17557 specially adapted for lane departure prevention road vehicle drive control systems for lane keeping otherwise than by controlling a particular sub-unit B60W30/12

Abstract

A lane departure prevention apparatus is configured to avoid lane departure even when the driver is not focused on driving operations, in a state in which the system-operating switch is OFF. The lane departure prevention apparatus has a driver condition detection section or device for detecting that the condition of the driver which is a condition in which the driver cannot perceive that the host vehicle is tending toward departure, and a lane departure avoidance control device for setting the braking control for avoiding departure in an operable state when the system-operating switch for the driver to instruct the operation of control braking for avoiding the lane departure is OFF, the braking control for avoiding departure is OFF, and the driver condition detection section or device has detected that the condition of the driver is a condition in which the driver cannot perceive that the host vehicle is tending toward departure.

Claims

1. A lane departure prevention apparatus comprising:

a lane departure avoidance activation section configured to be activated by a driver to conduct a braking control operation for avoiding lane departure of a host vehicle from a driving lane when the host vehicle is tending to depart from the driving lane;

a driver condition detection section configured to detect that a driver condition tending to indicate a driver may not perceive that the host vehicle is tending toward lane departure; and

a lane departure avoidance control section configured to switch the braking control operation for avoiding lane departure from a non-operating state to an operable state, when the driver condition detection section detects that the driver condition is tending to indicate that the driver may not perceive that the host vehicle is tending toward lane departure.

2. The lane departure prevention apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

an warning output section configured to output a warning prior to performing lane departure avoidance braking for avoiding lane departure when the host vehicle is tending toward lane departure from the driving lane and when the braking control operation for avoiding departure has been set in the operable state.

3. The lane departure prevention apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the warning output section is configured to output the warning with a predetermined timing when the host vehicle is tending toward departure from the driving lane, and to advance the predetermined timing when the braking control operation for avoiding lane departure has been set in the operable state in comparison to when the braking control operation for avoiding lane departure has been set in the non-operating state.

4. The lane departure prevention apparatus according to claim 3, wherein

the driver condition detection section is further configured to detect that the driver condition is tending to indicate that the driver may not perceive that the host vehicle is tending toward lane departure when the driver is operating a vehicle device that is not related to driving operations.

5. The lane departure prevention apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the driver condition detection section is further configured to detect that the driver condition is tending to indicate that the driver may not perceive that the host vehicle is tending toward lane departure when the driver is operating a vehicle device that is not related to driving operations.

6. The lane departure prevention apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the driver condition detection section is further configured to detect that the driver condition is tending to indicate that the driver may not perceive that the host vehicle is tending toward lane departure when the driver is operating a vehicle device that is not related to driving operations.

7. The lane departure prevention apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

the lane departure avoidance control section is further configured so as to determine a time for switching the braking control operation to the operable state based on an amount of time that the driver is operating the vehicle device that is not related to the driving operations of the host vehicle.

8. The lane departure prevention apparatus according to claim 7, wherein

the lane departure avoidance control section is further configured so as to adjust the time for switching the braking control operation to the operable state is lengthened as the operating time of the vehicle device becomes longer.

9. The lane departure prevention apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

the driver condition detection section is configured to detect operating a hazard switch as the driver condition in which the driver cannot perceive that the host vehicle is tending toward lane departure.

10. The lane departure prevention apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

the driver condition detection section is configured to detect operating audio equipment as the driver condition in which the driver cannot perceive that the host vehicle is tending toward lane departure.

11. The lane departure prevention apparatus according to claim 4, wherein

the driver condition detection section is configured to detect operating air conditioning equipment as the driver condition in which the driver cannot perceive that the host vehicle is tending toward lane departure.

12. The lane departure prevention apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

the driver condition detection section is configured to detect operating a navigation device as the driver condition in which the driver cannot perceive that the host vehicle is tending toward lane departure.

13. A lane departure prevention apparatus comprising:

lane departure avoidance control activation means for being activated by a driver to conduct a braking control operation for avoiding lane departure of a host vehicle from a driving lane when the host vehicle is tending to depart from the driving lane;

driver condition detection means for detecting that a driver condition tending to indicate a driver may not perceive that the host vehicle is tending toward lane departure; and

lane departure avoidance control means for switching the braking control operation for avoiding lane departure from a non-operating state to an operable state, when the driver condition detection means detects that the driver condition is tending to indicate that the driver may not perceive that the host vehicle is tending toward lane departure.

14. A method of avoiding lane departure of a host vehicle comprising:

determining an activation state by a driver of to a lane departure prevention apparatus that conducts a braking control operation for avoiding lane departure of a host vehicle from a driving lane when the host vehicle is tending to depart from the driving lane;

detecting a driver condition tending to indicate a driver may not perceive that the host vehicle is tending toward lane departure; and

switching the braking control operation for avoiding lane departure from a non-operating state to an operable state, upon detecting that the driver condition is tending to indicate that the driver may not perceive that the host vehicle is tending toward lane departure.