Driving assist system for vehicle

• US 7,873,474 B2
• Filed: 05/16/2007
• Issued: 01/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Masashi, Okugi, Tomokazu, Iwashita, Youhei
• Primary Examiner(s): To; Tuan C
• Application Number:
  US11/798,670
• Publication Number:
  US 20070282532A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,343 Days
• Field of Search: 701/301, 701/96, 340/902, 340/901, 340/905, 340/907, 340/904, 340/909, 340/916, 340/426.16
• US Class Current: 701/301
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01259 Brakes
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01272 Belt tensioners
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0134 responsive to imminent contact with an obstacle , e.g. using radar systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/08 Active safety systems predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision or attempting to minimise its consequences
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/04 Traffic conditions
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/163 involving continuous checking

Abstract

A mapping block locates the own vehicle and another vehicle on a map DB. Another-vehicle intersection detecting block detects intersections located on a traveling path of another vehicle. An own-vehicle intersection detecting block detects intersections located in front of the own vehicle. A collision-intersection identifying block identifies an intersection that is identical to each other as the possible collision intersection by comparing the intersections detected. An information providing block conducts information provision based on calculations of an arriving time of another vehicle by using a distance to the possible collision intersection and a vehicle speed. Accordingly, the collision possibility with another vehicle can be accurately determined.

Claims

1. A driving assist system for a vehicle, comprising

a map data memory device to memorize map data;

an inter-vehicle communication device to transmit and receive information between an own vehicle and another vehicle;

a mapping device to locate another vehicle on the map data that the own vehicle has in said map memory device, location of another vehicle being identified based on information with respect to another vehicle that is obtained by said inter-vehicle communication device;

an another-vehicle intersection detecting device to detect an intersection that is located on a traveling path of another vehicle, the traveling path of another vehicle being predicted based on the information with respect to another vehicle that is obtained by said inter-vehicle communication device;

an own-vehicle intersection detecting device to detect an intersection that is located in front of the own vehicle;

a collision-intersection identifying device to identify an intersection that is identical to each other as a possible collision intersection by comparing the intersections detected by said another-vehicle intersection detecting device and said own-vehicle intersection detecting device;

an information providing device to conduct an information provision based on calculation of an arriving time of another vehicle to reach the possible collision intersection identified by said collision-intersection identifying device; and

a collision pattern predicting device to predict a collision pattern between the own vehicle and another vehicle at the possible collision intersection, and said mapping device is configured such that another vehicle located thereby is limited to the one that has the collision pattern predicted by said collision pattern predicting device.

2. The driving assist system for a vehicle of claim 1, wherein said information providing device conducts a warning of an existence of another vehicle that is likely to collide with the own vehicle.

3. The driving assist system for a vehicle of claim 1, wherein said information providing device is configured to change a manner of the information provision in a traveling-road situation where locating another vehicle on the map data of said mapping device is inaccurate.

4. The driving assist system for a vehicle of claim 1, wherein said collision-intersection identifying device is configured to calculate a cross angle of said traveling path of another vehicle with respect to said possible collision intersection by using an equilateral triangle in a case where the traveling path of another vehicle is a road with a curve.

5. The driving assist system for a vehicle of claim 1, wherein said collision-intersection identifying device is configured to calculate a cross angle of said traveling path of another vehicle with respect to said possible collision intersection by using an intersection node among intersection nodes of the traveling path of another vehicle that is right before said possible collision intersection in a case where the traveling path of another vehicle is a road with a curve.

6. The driving assist system for a vehicle of claim 1, wherein said mapping device is configured such that another vehicle located thereby is limited to the one that exists within a specified distance from the own vehicle.

7. The driving assist system for a vehicle of claim 1, wherein said mapping device is configured such that another vehicle located thereby is limited in a maximum number thereof to be located for each traveling path.

8. The driving assist system for a vehicle of claim 1, wherein said collision pattern predicting device is configured to predict a rear-end collision or a collision at a traffic-lane change as the collision pattern when the own vehicle travels on an expressway, and said mapping device is configured such that another vehicle located thereby is the one that exits in front of or behind the own vehicle.

9. The driving assist system for a vehicle of claim 1, wherein said collision pattern predicting device is configured to predict a collision of the own vehicle making a turn or making a straight drive as the collision pattern when the own vehicle travels around the possible collision intersection, and said mapping device is configured such that another vehicle located thereby is the one that exists within a specified distance from the own vehicle.

10. The driving assist system for a vehicle of claim 1, wherein said collision pattern predicting device is configured to predict a rear-end collision or a collision at a traffic-lane change as the collision pattern when the own vehicle travels on a normal road that has two or more traffic-lanes on one side and no intersection, and said mapping device is configured such that another vehicle located thereby is the one that exits in front of or behind the own vehicle.

11. The driving assist system for a vehicle of claim 1, wherein said collision pattern predicting device is configured to predict a rear-end collision or a head-on collision as the collision pattern when the own vehicle travels on a normal road that has one traffic-lane on one side and no intersection, and said mapping device is configured such that another vehicle located thereby is the one that exits in front of the own vehicle.

12. The driving assist system for a vehicle of claim 1, wherein said mapping device is configured such that other plural vehicles located thereby are categorized as a group of vehicles that travel on a congested road when the other plural vehicles travel at a specified speed or lower within a specified distance from the own vehicle.

13. The driving assist system for a vehicle of claim 1, wherein said mapping device is configured such that another vehicle located thereby is the one that is picked up with priority as a vehicle having a specified feature based on the information with respect to another vehicle that is obtained by said inter-vehicle communication device.

14. The driving assist system for a vehicle of claim 1, wherein said mapping device is configured such that another vehicle located thereby is the one that exists in front of the own vehicle and stops, slows down, or travels at a speed that exceeds a specified relative speed with respect to the own vehicle.

15. The driving assist system for a vehicle of claim 1, wherein said mapping device is configured such that another vehicle located thereby is excluded from the one that exists behind the own vehicle and travels slower than the own vehicle.

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

a map data memory device to memorize map data;

an inter-vehicle communication device to transmit and receive information between an own vehicle and another vehicle;

a mapping device to locate another vehicle on the map data that the own vehicle has in said map memory device, location of another vehicle being identified based on information with respect to another vehicle that is obtained by said inter-vehicle communication device;

an another-vehicle intersection detecting device to detect an intersection that is located on a traveling path of another vehicle, the traveling path of another vehicle being predicted based on the information with respect to another vehicle that is obtained by said inter-vehicle communication device;

an own-vehicle intersection detecting device to detect an intersection that is located in front of the own vehicle;

a collision-intersection identifying device to identify an intersection that is identical to each other as a possible collision intersection by comparing the intersections detected by said another-vehicle intersection detecting device and said own-vehicle intersection detecting device;

an information providing device to conduct an information provision based on calculation of an aniving time of another vehicle to reach the possible collision intersection identified by said collision-intersection identifying device; and

an intersection information calculating device to calculate road information of said possible collision intersection, and an information provision timing controlling device to change timing of the information provision with respect to another vehicle by said information providing device based on the road information calculated by said intersection information calculating device.

17. The driving assist system for a vehicle of claim 16, wherein said road information is a road connection angle between a traveling path of the own vehicle and the traveling path of another vehicle at the possible collision intersection, and said information provision timing controlling device is configured such that the timing of the information provision by said information providing device is advanced in a case where said road connection angle is an accurate angle.

18. The driving assist system for a vehicle of claim 17, wherein said road connection angle is obtained from information of a traveling speed and a traveling direction of the own vehicle that is provided by a navigation system.

19. The driving assist system for a vehicle of claim 17, wherein said road connection angle is obtained from respective locations of the own vehicle, another vehicle, and the possible collision intersection.

20. The driving assist system for a vehicle of claim 17, wherein said information provision timing controlling device is configured such that the timing of the information provision by said information providing device is advanced in a case where the traveling path of another vehicle leading to said possible collision intersection has a curve, which is determined based on a location of the own vehicle, a traveling direction of the own vehicle, a location of the possible collision intersection, and a traveling direction of another vehicle.

21. The driving assist system for a vehicle of claim 16, wherein said information provision timing controlling device is configured such that the timing of the information provision by said information providing device is advanced in a case where the own vehicle makes a straight drive or makes a turn to a specified side that is opposite to a vehicle-traveling-lane side at the possible collision intersection.

22. The driving assist system for a vehicle of claim 21, wherein said timing advance of the information provision by said information providing device in the case where the own vehicle makes the straight drive or makes the turn is conducted for the information provision with respect to another vehicle that approaches from a vehicle-traveling-lane side of the own vehicle.

23. The driving assist system for a vehicle of claim 16, wherein said traveling path of another vehicle is configured to be predicted from navigation information of a navigation system that is on another vehicle.