Driving assistance system for appropriately making the driver recognize another vehicle behind or next to present vehicle

• US 20070290823A1
• Filed: 05/21/2007
• Published: 12/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Watanabe, Takashi, Oshida, Kei, Matsumoto, Yoshiyuki, Sugimoto, Yoichi, Iwasa, Tatsuya
• Granted Patent: US 7,755,508 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/435
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2665 on rear-view mirrors lighting devices for vehicle interior on or for rear-view mirrors B60Q3/258
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/381 with several light sources activated in sequence, e.g. to create a sweep effect
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/008 for anti-collision purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/00 Optical viewing arrangements; Real-time viewing arrangements for drivers or passengers using optical image capturing systems, e.g. cameras or video systems specially adapted for use in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/1207 with lamps; with turn indicators
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/26 to the rear of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1215 with information displays
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1253 with cameras, video cameras or video screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8066 for monitoring rearward traffic
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/167 Driving aids for lane monitoring, lane changing, e.g. blind spot detection

Abstract

A driving assistance system may include a device for obtaining an image of an area behind and next to the present vehicle, the area including a lane other than the present lane; a device for displaying the obtained image so that it is visible to the driver; and a device for superimposing a mark on the image, which indicates degree of danger with respect to another vehicle running on the other lane when the present vehicle enters the other lane. The system may include a mirror for reflecting such an area behind and next to the present vehicle in a manner such that the area is visible to a driver of the present vehicle; and a device for displaying a mark on the mirror, wherein the mark indicates a degree of danger with respect to another vehicle running on the other lane when the present vehicle enters the other lane.

Claims

1. A driving assistance system comprising:

an image sensing device, installed in a vehicle, for obtaining an image of an area behind and next to the present vehicle, wherein the area includes a lane other than the present lane on which the present vehicle runs;

a display device for displaying the image obtained using the image sensing device in a manner such that the image is visible to a driver of the present vehicle; and

a mark display device for superimposing a mark on the image, wherein the mark indicates a degree of danger with respect to another vehicle running on the other lane when the present vehicle enters the other lane.

3. The driving assistance system in accordance with any one of claims 1 and 2, wherein the mark display device displays the mark on the other lane with respect to the driver'"'"'s visual point.

4. The driving assistance system in accordance with any one of claims 1 and 2, wherein the mark display device displays the mark at a display position which corresponds to a position distant behind the present vehicle by a predetermined distance, with respect to the driver'"'"'s visual point.

5. The driving assistance system in accordance with any one of claims 1 and 2, wherein the mark display device changes the display position of the mark in accordance with at least one of the speed of the present vehicle and the type of a road on which the present vehicle runs.

6. The driving assistance system in accordance with claim 5, wherein when the type of the road is an expressway, the mark display device displays the mark at a position more distant from the present vehicle, in comparison with a general road.

7. The driving assistance system in accordance with claim 5, wherein the higher the speed of the present vehicle, the more distant the position, at which the mark display device displays the mark, is from the present vehicle.

8. The driving assistance system in accordance with any one of claims 1 and 2, further comprising:

a relative relationship computing device for computing at least one of the relative speed and the relative distance between the present vehicle and the other vehicle on the other lane in the area behind and next to the present vehicle, wherein;

the mark display device changes the display position of the mark with respect to the driver'"'"'s visual point, based on relative relationship data computed by the relative relationship computing device.

9. The driving assistance system in accordance with any one of claim 8, wherein the higher the degree of danger, determined in accordance with the relative relationship data, the more distant the position, at which the mark display device displays the mark, is from the present vehicle, with respect to the driver'"'"'s visual point.

10. The driving assistance system in accordance with any one of claims 1 and 2, further comprising:

a determination device for determining whether another vehicle is present on the other lane in the area behind and next to the present vehicle, wherein;

the mark display device displays the mark only when it is determined by the determination device that another vehicle is present.

11. The driving assistance system in accordance with any one of claims 1 and 2, further comprising:

a determination device for determining whether another vehicle is present on the other lane in the area behind and next to the present vehicle, wherein;

the mark display device changes a display manner of the mark in accordance with a result of the determination of the determination device.

12. The driving assistance system in accordance with claim 11, wherein when another vehicle is present, the mark display device changes at least one of color and shape of the mark so as to increase the possibility of being noticed by the driver.

13. The driving assistance system in accordance with any one of claims 1 and 2, wherein the mark display device displays a plurality of marks, each corresponding to said mark, at different positions corresponding to different distances in a front-to-back direction of the present vehicle.

14. The driving assistance system in accordance with claim 13, wherein with respect to said plurality of the marks, the farther from the present vehicle, the smaller the size of the mark in at least one of a front-to-rear direction and a width direction of the present vehicle.

15. The driving assistance system in accordance with claim 13, further comprising:

a determination device for determining whether another vehicle is present on the other lane in the area behind and next to the present vehicle, wherein;

the mark display device displays said plurality of the marks between the present vehicle and the other vehicle, at display positions having different distances measured from the present vehicle.

16. The driving assistance system in accordance with claim 15, wherein as the other vehicle approaches the present vehicle, the mark display device terminates display of the mark corresponding to the position of the other vehicle, or decreases display strength of this mark.

17. The driving assistance system in accordance with claim 15, wherein the mark display device sets display intervals between said plurality of the marks, based on the relative speed between the present vehicle and the other vehicle.

18. The driving assistance system in accordance with any one of claims 1 and 2, wherein:

the mark display device has a state determination device for determining whether it is necessary to display the mark; and

the mark is displayed only when it is determined that it is necessary to display the mark, or when it is determined that it is necessary to display the mark, the mark is more emphasizedly displayed in comparison with when it is determined that it is unnecessary to display the mark.

19. The driving assistance system in accordance with claim 18, further comprising:

an intention sensing device for sensing the intention of the driver to enter a lane other than the present lane, wherein;

when the intention is sensed by the intention sensing device, the state determination device determines that it is necessary to display the mark.

20. The driving assistance system in accordance with claim 19, wherein the intention sensing device senses the intention of the driver to enter the other lane, when the driver operates a turn indicator, or the driver'"'"'s operation of the turn indicator is estimated.

21. The driving assistance system in accordance with claim 18, further comprising:

a course setting device for evaluating or setting a course of the present vehicle based on road map data, wherein;

the state determination device determines whether it is necessary to display the mark, based on the course evaluated or set by the course setting device.

22. The driving assistance system in accordance with claim 21, wherein the state determination device determines that it is necessary to display the mark, when the course setting device evaluates or sets a course which requires lane change or entrance into a branch or main lane.

23. The driving assistance system in accordance with claim 18, wherein the state determination device determines that it is unnecessary to display the mark, when a right or left turn of the present vehicle is detected or estimated.

32. The driving assistance system in accordance with any one of claims 1 and 2, wherein the mark is a line shape which indicates a width of a vehicle on the other lane or a width of the other lane.

33. The driving assistance system in accordance with any one of claims 1 and 2, wherein the mark is a symbol.

2. A driving assistance system comprising:

a mirror, provided at a vehicle, for reflecting an area behind and next to the present vehicle in a manner such that the area is visible to a driver of the present vehicle, wherein the area includes a lane other than the present lane on which the present vehicle runs; and

a mark display device for displaying a mark on the mirror, wherein the mark indicates a degree of danger with respect to another vehicle running on the other lane when the present vehicle enters the other lane.

24. The driving assistance system in accordance with claim 2, further comprising:

a visual-point detection device for measuring a driver'"'"'s eye position, wherein;

the mark display device changes a display position of the mark on the mirror in accordance with the eye position measured by the visual-point detection device.

25. The driving assistance system in accordance with claim 2, further comprising:

a pitching measuring device for measuring a pitching of the present vehicle, wherein;

the mark display device changes a display position of the mark on the mirror in accordance with the pitching measured by the pitching measuring device.

26. The driving assistance system in accordance with claim 2, further comprising:

one of a part in a vehicle body of the present vehicle, which is visible to the driver via the mirror, and a first adjustment member provided at an outer wall in the body of the present vehicle;

a second adjustment member which is displayed or provided on a surface of the mirror; and

an angle adjustment device for adjusting the angle of the mirror, wherein;

the mark display device sets an appropriate state in which said one of the part in the vehicle body and the first adjustment member overlaps the second adjustment member, with respect to the driver'"'"'s visual point.

27. The driving assistance system in accordance with claim 2, further comprising:

an adjustment member which is displayed or provided on a surface of the mirror; and

an angle adjustment device for adjusting the angle of the mirror, wherein;

the mark display device sets an appropriate state in which a reference position on the outside of the present vehicle, which is visible to the driver via the mirror, overlaps the adjustment member, with respect to the driver'"'"'s visual point.

28. The driving assistance system in accordance with claim 2, wherein:

the mark has a light-emitting device; and

the light-emitting device is provided in a manner such that the mark which emits light is visible to the driver of the present vehicle, and is invisible to the back or a side of the present vehicle.

29. The driving assistance system in accordance with claim 2, wherein:

the mark has a light-emitting device; and

a shielding device is provided so that the mark which emits light is visible to the driver of the present vehicle, and is invisible to the back or a side of the present vehicle.

30. The driving assistance system in accordance with claim 2, wherein:

the mark has a plurality of light-emitting devices which are aligned in a right-to-left direction with respect to the driver'"'"'s visual point, wherein;

in a predetermined running state of the present vehicle, the mark display device sequentially turns on each of the aligned light-emitting devices from one end to the other end thereof, or flashes on and off all the light-emitting devices.

31. The driving assistance system in accordance with claim 30, further comprising:

an intention sensing device for sensing the intention of the driver to enter a lane other than the present lane, wherein;

the predetermined running state is a state in which the intention of the driver to enter the other lane has been sensed by the intention sensing device.