Method of monitoring vehicle surroundings, and apparatus for monitoring vehicle surroundings

• US 8,854,197 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2010
• Issued: 10/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Ikeda, Keigo, Nagamine, Noboru
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Terrell, Emily C
• Application Number:
  US13/318,585
• Publication Number:
  US 20120056734A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,667 Days
• Field of Search: 340/425.5, 340/435
• US Class Current: 340/425.5
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/165 for passive traffic, e.g. including static obstacles, trees

Abstract

A technology is provided for monitoring the surroundings of a vehicle in which a driver approaching the vehicle is recognized, obstacles present in the surroundings of the vehicle are searched for, obstacle information is generated for searched and found obstacles, and the driver outside of the vehicle is notified of the obstacle information. The driver approaching the vehicle can be recognized via communication with a mobile communication device carried by the driver. Additionally, the technology determines whether or not the searched and found obstacle is present in a blind spot area of the driver, and notifies the driver outside the vehicle of the obstacle information related to the obstacle when the obstacle is present in the blind spot area of the driver.

Claims

1. An apparatus for monitoring the surroundings of a vehicle comprising:

an outside driver recognition unit for recognizing a driver approaching the vehicle;

an obstacle detection unit including an ultrasonic sensor or a camera for detecting the presence of an obstacle in the surroundings of the vehicle using the ultrasonic sensor or the camera;

an obstacle information generating unit for generating obstacle information related to the detected presence of the obstacle in the surroundings of the vehicle;

a notification unit for notifying the recognized driver outside of the vehicle of the obstacle information from the obstacle information generating unit; and

a blind spot determining unit for determining, based on the obstacle information, whether or not the obstacle is present in a blind spot area of the driver recognized by the outside driver recognition unit, the notification unit notifying the driver outside of the vehicle of the obstacle information when the obstacle is present in the blind spot area.

2. The apparatus for monitoring the surroundings of a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the obstacle information generating unit begins to generate the obstacle information in response to the outside driver recognition unit having recognized the driver approaching the vehicle.

3. The apparatus for monitoring the surroundings of a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the notification unit has a sound control signal generating unit for generating sound control signals for outputting a sound to notify the driver outside of the vehicle of the presence of the obstacle;

and the sound control signals are sent to a sound control module for driving and controlling a sound output device.

4. The apparatus for monitoring the surroundings of a vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the sound output device is a device for activating an unlocking sound for vehicle doors;

and there is activated a sound which is different from a usual unlocking sound as a sound for notifying of the presence of the obstacle.

5. The apparatus for monitoring the surroundings of a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein a smart entry system is installed in the vehicle as the outside driver recognition unit;

and the obstacle information generating unit begins to generate the obstacle information in response to communication being established with a mobile device being carried by the driver.

6. The apparatus for monitoring the surroundings of a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein position coordinates surrounding the vehicle regarding the driver recognized by the outside driver recognition unit are provided, whereby the blind spot determining unit calculates the blind spot area of the driver surrounding the vehicle based on the position coordinates.

7. The apparatus for monitoring the surroundings of a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the notification unit generates control signals for outputting sound, light, or both to notify the driver of the presence of the obstacle.

8. The apparatus for monitoring the surroundings of a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the notification unit is provided in at least one of a vehicle key, an IC card, a mobile telephone, and a communication-type mobile information device.

9. A method of monitoring the surroundings of a vehicle, comprising the steps of:

recognizing a driver approaching the vehicle;

searching for obstacles present in the surroundings of the vehicle;

detecting the presence of an obstacle in the surroundings of the vehicle using an ultrasonic sensor or a camera;

determining whether or not the obstacle is present in a blind spot area of the driver based on the detected presence of the an obstacle in the surroundings of the vehicle;

generating obstacle information related to a searched and found obstacle when the obstacle is present in the blind spot area; and

notifying the driver outside of the vehicle of the obstacle information.

10. A method of monitoring the surroundings of a vehicle, comprising the steps of:

recognizing a driver approaching the vehicle via communication with a mobile communication device carried by the driver;

searching for obstacles present in the surroundings of the vehicle;

detecting the presence of an obstacle in the surroundings of the vehicle using an ultrasonic sensor or a camera;

determining whether or not a searched and found obstacle is present in a blind spot area of the driver based on the detected presence of the an obstacle in the surroundings of the vehicle; and

notifying the driver outside of the vehicle of obstacle information related to the obstacle when the obstacle is present in the blind spot area of the driver.

11. A method of monitoring the surroundings of a vehicle according to claim 10, further comprising the steps of:

determining movement of the driver into the blind spot area; and

ending notification in response to the driver moving into the blind spot area.