Dangerous area alarm system

• US 6,459,365 B2
• Filed: 03/08/2001
• Issued: 10/01/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Tamura, Kazuya
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAM, TOAN NGOC
• Application Number:
  US09/800,781
• Publication Number:
  US 20010020902A1
• Time in Patent Office: 572 Days
• Field of Search: 340/425.5, 340/435, 340/436, 340/438, 340/439, 340/440, 340/441, 340/903, 340/905, 340/938, 340/939, 340/988, 340/989, 340/990, 701/117, 701/119, 701/201, 701/300, 701/301, 701/302
• US Class Current: 340/425.5
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3697 Output of additional, non-guidance related information, e.g. low fuel level G01C21/3679 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/16 Anti-collision systems road vehicle drive control systems for predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision otherwise than by control of a particular sub-unit B60W30/08
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/207 with respect to certain areas, e.g. forbidden or allowed areas with possible alerting when inside or outside boundaries

Abstract

The present invention relates to a dangerous area alarm system. This system comprises a detection device which is provided in a vehicle and detects conditions of the vehicle to output vehicle data; a communication device which is provided in the vehicle and transmits the vehicle data output by the detection device; a server which is provided outside the vehicle and stores accident data regarding the conditions of vehicles involved in past accidents; a comparison device which is provided in the server and compares the vehicle data transmitted by the communication device with the accident data stored in the server; and an alarm device which issues an alarm to a driver of the vehicle when the comparison device determines that the vehicle data corresponds to the accident data.

Claims

1. A dangerous area alarm system comprising:

a detection device, which is provided in a vehicle, detects a condition of the vehicle to output vehicle data;

a communication device, which is provided in the vehicle, transmits the vehicle data output by the detection device;

a server, which is provided outside the vehicle, comprises an accident data storage unit which stores accident data regarding the conditions of vehicles involved in past accidents;

a comparison device, which is provided in the server, compares the vehicle data transmitted by the communication device with the accident data stored in the server; and

an alarm device which issues an alarm to a driver of the vehicle when the comparison device determines that the vehicle data corresponds to the accident data

wherein the accident data storage unit updates the accident data based on reports regarding new traffic accidents.

2. A dangerous area alarm system according to claim 1, wherein

the detection device comprises a vehicle speed sensor which detects a speed of the vehicle and outputs vehicle speed data, and a present position data production device which outputs present position data corresponding to a present position of the vehicle;

the accident data includes accident position data corresponding to positions where accidents occurred and accident vehicle speed data corresponding to speeds of vehicles involved in the accidents at the time the accidents occurred;

the server further comprises a vehicle condition estimating device which estimates the vehicle speed at the time the vehicle will arrive at position indicated by the accident position data based on the vehicle speed data and the present position data included in the vehicle data transmitted by the communication device;

the comparison device compares the accident vehicle speed indicated by the accident vehicle data and the vehicle speed estimated by the vehicle condition estimating device; and

the alarm device issues an alarm to the driver if the vehicle speed estimated by the vehicle condition estimating device is equal to or greater than the accident vehicle speed.

3. A dangerous area alarm system according to claim 2, wherein

the accident data further includes accident running state data corresponding to running states of vehicles involved in past accidents;

the detection device further comprises at least one of an accelerator sensor which detects operating amount of an accelerator of the vehicle, a brake sensor which detects operating amount of a brake of the vehicle, and a steering sensor which detects operating amount of a steering of the vehicle;

the vehicle condition estimating device estimates vehicle running states of the vehicle at the time the vehicle will pass position indicated by the accident position data based on outputs of the detection device;

the comparison device compares the vehicle running states estimated by the vehicle condition estimating device with the accident running states indicated by the accident running state data; and

the alarm device issues an alarm when the vehicle running states estimated by the vehicle condition estimating device correspond to the accident running states indicated by the accident running state data.

4. A dangerous area alarm system according to claim 1, further comprising a camera which takes images from around the vehicle and produces image data;

and wherein

the accident data further includes at least one of accident weather data, which corresponds to the weather at the time the past accidents occurred, and accident time data, which corresponds to the time at which the past accidents occurred;

the detection device comprises at least one of a weather discriminating device, which discriminates the weather at the location of the vehicle to output present weather data based on the image data output by the camera, and a time data production device, which produces present time data corresponding to the present time based on the image data output by the camera; and

the comparison device performs at least one of a comparison of the accident weather data with the present weather data output by the weather discriminating device, and a comparison of the accident time data with the present time data output by the time data production device.

5. A dangerous area alarm system according to claim 1, wherein

the accident data further includes accident physical condition data corresponding to physical conditions of drivers of vehicles involved in past accidents;

the detection device comprises at least one of a heart rate sensor, which detects a heart rate of the driver of the vehicle, and a body temperature sensor, which detects a body temperature of the driver of the vehicle;

the vehicle condition estimating device estimates physical conditions of the driver at the time the vehicle will pass position indicated by the accident position data based on outputs of the heart rate sensor and/or the body temperature sensor;

the comparison device compares the physical conditions estimated by the vehicle condition estimating device with the accident physical conditions indicated by the accident physical condition data; and

the alarm device issues an alarm when the physical conditions estimated by the vehicle condition estimating device correspond to the accident physical conditions indicated by the accident physical condition data.

6. A dangerous area alarm system according to claim 1, wherein the server comprises a storage unit which stores the vehicle data for a predetermined period of time, and a control unit which reads out at least two pieces of position data stored in the storage unit and calculates a traveling direction and speed of the vehicle based on the difference between the pieces of the position data.

7. A dangerous area alarm system comprising:

a navigation device which calculates a traveling route from a present position to a destination;

a server, which is provided outside the vehicle, stores accident data regarding conditions of vehicles involved in past accidents, and wherein the server comprises an extraction device which searches accident data corresponding to the traveling route from the accident data stored in the server, and a transmitting device which transmits accident data found by the extraction device;

a communication device which is provided in the vehicle, transmits the traveling route calculated by the navigation device to the extraction device, and receives the accident data transmitted by the transmitting device;

a detection device, which is provided in a vehicle, detects conditions of the vehicle to output vehicle data;

a comparison device, which is provided in the vehicle, compares the vehicle data output by the detection device with the accident data received by the communication device; and

an alarm device which issues an alarm to a driver of the vehicle when the comparison device determines that the vehicle data corresponds to the accident data.

8. A dangerous area alarm system according to claim 7, wherein

the accident data includes accident position data corresponding to a position where accidents occurred and accident vehicle speed data corresponding to speeds of vehicles involved in the accidents when each accident occurred;

the detection device comprises;

a present position data production device which outputs present position data corresponding to the present position of the vehicle;

a vehicle speed sensor which detects the speed of the vehicle and outputs vehicle speed data; and

a vehicle condition estimating device which estimates vehicle speed at the time the vehicle will arrive at position indicated by the accident position data based on the vehicle speed data and the present position data;

the comparison device compares the accident vehicle speed indicated by the accident vehicle data and the vehicle speed estimated by the vehicle condition estimating device; and

the alarm device issues an alarm to the driver if the vehicle speed estimated by the vehicle condition estimating device is equal to or greater than the accident vehicle speed.

9. A dangerous area alarm system according to claim 8, wherein

the accident data further includes accident running state data corresponding to running states of vehicles involved in past accidents;

the detection device further comprises at least one of an accelerator sensor which detects an operating amount of an accelerator of the vehicle, a brake sensor which detects an operating amount of a brake of the vehicle, and a steering sensor which detects an operating amount of a steering of the vehicle;

the vehicle condition estimating device estimates vehicle running states of the vehicle at the time the vehicle will pass position indicated by the accident position data based on outputs of the detection device;

the comparison device compares the vehicle running states estimated by the vehicle condition estimating device with the accident running states indicated by the accident running state data; and

the alarm device issues an alarm when the vehicle running states estimated by the vehicle condition estimating device correspond to the accident running states indicated by the accident running state data.

10. A dangerous area alarm system according to claim 7, further comprising a camera which takes images from around the vehicle and produces image data;

and wherein

the accident data further include at least one of accident weather data, which corresponds to the weather at the time the past accidents occurred, and accident time data, which corresponds to the time at which the past accidents occurred;

the detection device comprises at least one of a weather discriminating device, which discriminates the weather at the location of the vehicle to output present weather data based on the image data output by the camera, and a time data production device, which produces present time data corresponding to the present time based on the image data output by the camera; and

the comparison device performs at least one of a comparison of the accident weather data with the present weather data output by the weather discriminating device, and a comparison of the accident time data with the present time data output by the time data production device.

11. A dangerous area alarm system according to claim 7, wherein

the accident data further includes accident physical condition data corresponding to physical conditions of drivers of vehicles involved in past accidents;

the detection device comprises at least one of a heart rate sensor, which detects a heart rate of the driver of the vehicle, and a body temperature sensor, which detects a body temperature of the driver of the vehicle;

the vehicle condition estimating device estimates physical conditions of the driver at the time the vehicle will pass position indicated by the accident position data based on outputs of the heart rate sensor and/or the body temperature sensor;

the comparison device compares the physical conditions estimated by the vehicle condition estimating device with the accident physical conditions indicated by the accident physical condition data; and

the alarm device issues an alarm when the physical conditions estimated by the vehicle condition estimating device correspond to the accident physical conditions indicated by the accident physical condition data.