Driving assist system for vehicle

• US 7,006,917 B2
• Filed: 10/14/2003
• Issued: 02/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Hijikata, Shunsuke
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Gary
• Application Number:
  US10/682,959
• Publication Number:
  US 20040080405A1
• Time in Patent Office: 868 Days
• Field of Search: 701/36, 701/93, 701/96, 701/301, 342/70, 342/71, 340/436, 340/903
• US Class Current: 701/301
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 26/021 with means for providing feel, e.g. by changing pedal force characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/16 Tactile feedback to the driver, e.g. vibration or force feedback to the driver on the steering wheel or the accelerator pedal

Abstract

A vehicle driving assist system of the present invention detects a vehicle condition and a traveling environment of a subject vehicle; and calculates risk potential around the subject vehicle. The vehicle driving assist system calculates operation reaction force based on the risk potential around the subject vehicle, and corrects it according to operating state of an accelerator pedal. The corrected operation reaction force is generated in the accelerator pedal.

Claims

1. A driving assist system for a vehicle, comprising:

a driving state recognition device configured to detect a vehicle condition and a traveling environment of a subject vehicle;

a risk potential calculation device configured to calculate risk potential associated with the subject vehicle based on the detected vehicle condition and the detected traveling environment;

a reaction force control device configured to control an operation reaction force applied to a vehicle operating unit, based on the calculated risk potential;

an operating state detection device configured to detect an operating state of the vehicle operating unit operated by a driver to control the subject vehicle, wherein the operating state of the vehicle operating unit includes an operating direction of the vehicle operating unit; and

a reaction force correction device configured to correct the operation reaction force applied to the vehicle operating unit, based on the operating state of the vehicle operating unit.

2. A driving assist system for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein:

the vehicle operating unit is an accelerator pedal;

the operating state of the vehicle operating unit further includes an operating speed of the accelerator pedal detected by the operating state detection device; and

the reaction force correction device is configured to correct the operation reaction force of the accelerator pedal, according to the operating speed and the operating direction of the accelerator pedal.

3. A driving assist system for a vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the reaction force correction device (a) reduces the operation reaction force in response to an increasing accelerator pedal operating speed when the accelerator pedal is being depressed, and (b) increases the operation reaction force in response to an increasing accelerator pedal operating speed when the accelerator pedal is being released.

4. A driving assist system for a vehicle according to claim 3, wherein:

the reaction force correction device sets a correction amount of the operation reaction force at a larger amount when the accelerator pedal is being depressed, than the correction amount of the operation reaction force when the accelerator pedal is being released.

5. A driving assist system for a vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the reaction force correction device sets a relationship between the accelerator pedal operating speed and a correction amount of the operation reaction force to include a region where the correction amount of the operation reaction force does not vary with a change in the accelerator pedal operating speed in a range when the accelerator pedal operating speed is lower than a predetermined value.

6. A driving assist system for a vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the reaction force correction device increases the operation reaction force in response to an decreasing accelerator pedal operating speed when the accelerator pedal is depressed at an accelerator pedal operating speed lower than a predetermined value.

7. A driving assist system for a vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the reaction force correction device (a) reduces the operation reaction force in response to an increasing accelerator pedal operating speed when the accelerator pedal is being depressed, and (b) increases the operation reaction force in response to a decreasing accelerator pedal operating speed when the accelerator pedal is being released.

8. A driving assist system for a vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the reaction force correction device (a) reduces the operation reaction force in response to an increasing accelerator pedal operating speed when the accelerator pedal is being depressed, and (b) reduces the operation reaction force in response to a decreasing accelerator pedal operating speed when the accelerator pedal is being released.

9. A driving assist system for a vehicle according to claim 8, wherein the reaction force correction device sets a correction amount of the operation reaction force at a larger amount when the accelerator pedal is being depressed, than the correction amount of the reaction force when the accelerator pedal is being released.

10. A driving assist system for a vehicle according to claim 7, wherein the correction amount of the operation reaction force does not vary with a change in the accelerator pedal operating speed in a range when the accelerator pedal operating speed is slower than a predetermined value.

11. A driving assist system for a vehicle according to claim 8, wherein the reaction force correction device sets a relationship between the accelerator pedal operating speed and correction amount of the operation reaction force to include a region where the correction amount of the operation reaction force does not vary with a change in the accelerator pedal operating speed in a range when the accelerator pedal operating speed is slower than a predetermined value.

12. A driving assist system for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the reaction force correction device sets a correction amount of the operation reaction force to be substantially 0 when the calculated risk potential is decreasing.

13. A driving assist system for a vehicle, comprising:

a driving state recognition means for detecting a vehicle condition and a traveling environment of a subject vehicle;

a risk potential calculation means for calculating risk potential associated with the subject vehicle based on the detected vehicle condition and the detected traveling environment;

a reaction force control means for controlling an operation reaction force applied to a vehicle operating unit, based on the calculated risk potential;

an operating state detection means for detecting an operating state of the vehicle operating unit operated by a driver to control the subject vehicle, wherein the operating state of the vehicle operating unit includes an operating direction of the vehicle operating unit; and

a reaction force correction means for correcting the reaction force applied to the vehicle operating unit, based on the operating state of the vehicle operating unit.

14. A vehicle driving assist method, comprising:

detecting a vehicle condition and a traveling environment of a subject vehicle;

calculating risk potential associated with the subject vehicle based on the detected vehicle condition and the detected traveling environment;

detecting an operating state of a vehicle operating unit operated by a driver to control the subject vehicle, wherein the operating state of the vehicle operating unit includes an operating direction of the vehicle operating unit; and

controlling an operation reaction force applied to the vehicle operating unit, based on the risk potential and the operating state of the vehicle operating unit.

15. A vehicle, comprising:

a vehicle operating unit;

a driving state recognition device configured to detect a vehicle condition and a traveling environment of the vehicle;

a risk potential calculation device configured to calculate risk potential associated with the vehicle based on the vehicle condition and the traveling environment;

a reaction force control device configured to control an operation reaction force applied to the vehicle operating unit, based on the calculated risk potential;

an operating state detection device configured to detect an operating state of the vehicle operating unit operated by a driver to control the vehicle, wherein the operating state of the vehicle operating unit includes an operating direction of the vehicle operating unit; and

a reaction force correction device configured to correct the operation reaction force applied to the vehicle operating unit, based on the operating state of the vehicle operating unit.