Driving support apparatus

• US 7,237,641 B2
• Filed: 04/05/2004
• Issued: 07/03/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Yanai, Tatsumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson; Paul N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MCCREARY, LEONARD
• Application Number:
  US10/816,835
• Publication Number:
  US 20040215383A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,184 Days
• Field of Search: 382/104, 384/148, 340/435, 340/436, 340/437, 340/438, 340/932.2, 340/937, 701/301, 348/148, 180/271
• US Class Current: 180/271
• 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 support apparatus of the present invention comprises an imaging device which picks up a peripheral image of a vehicle, a detecting device which detects action information of a moving object present around the vehicle, an information generating device which generates determination supporting information for supporting determinations at the time of driving the vehicle based on the action information; an information combining device which combines the determination supporting information with the peripheral image; and a display device which displays the peripheral image combined with the determination supporting information.

Claims

1. A driving support apparatus, comprising:

an imaging device which picks up a peripheral image of a vehicle;

a detecting device which detects a speed difference and a distance between the vehicle and a moving object present around the vehicle;

an information generating device which calculates a time at which the moving object is expected to reach the vehicle based on the speed difference and the distance, and calculates a display position of a determination supporting information representing a range of a predetermined time required for the moving object to reach the vehicle;

an information combining device which combines the determination supporting information with the peripheral image; and

a display device which displays the peripheral image combined with the determination supporting information.

2. The driving support apparatus of claim 1,

wherein when the moving object approaches the vehicle, the information combining device combine s a range, where a margin time for a driving action intended by a driver of the vehicle is secured, with the peripheral image based on the time at which the moving object is expected to reach the vehicle.

3. The driving support apparatus of claim 2,

wherein the driving action is a shift of the vehicle to a lane on which the moving object moves when the moving object moves on the lane different from that on which the vehicle runs and approaches the vehicle, and

the range where the margin time is secured is a distance between the vehicle and the moving object, in which the vehicle can smoothly change lanes.

4. The driving support apparatus of claim 1,

wherein the detecting device detects an action information of the moving object present in the peripheral image according to an image process.

5. The driving support apparatus of claim 1, wherein the determination supporting information is a determination line.

6. A driving support apparatus, comprising:

imaging means for picking up a peripheral image of a vehicle;

detecting means for detecting a speed difference and a distance between the vehicle and a moving object present around the vehicle;

information generating means for calculating a time at which the moving object is expected to reach the vehicle based on the speed difference and the distance, and for calculating a display position of a determination supporting information representing a range of a predetermined time required for the moving object to reach the vehicle;

information combining means for combining the determination supporting information with the peripheral image; and

display means for displaying the peripheral image combined with the determination supporting information.

7. The driving support apparatus of claim 6, wherein the determination supporting information is a determination line.

8. A method for supporting a driving, comprising:

picking up a peripheral image of a vehicle;

detecting a speed difference and a distance between the vehicle and a moving object present around the vehicle;

calculating a time at which the moving object is expected to reach the vehicle based on the speed difference and the distance, and calculating a display position of a determination supporting information representing a range of a predetermined time required for the moving object to reach the vehicle;

combining the determination supporting information with the peripheral image; and

displaying the peripheral image combined with the determination supporting information.

9. The method for supporting a driving of claim 8, wherein the determination supporting information is a determination line.