Safety confirmation support system for vehicle driver and method for supporting safety confirmation of vehicle driver

• US 9,493,072 B2
• Filed: 06/09/2015
• Issued: 11/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Nagatomi, Yasutsugu, Goto, Hirotaka, Nishii, Katsuyoshi, Nakayama, Toshiaki, Morikawa, Shohei
• Primary Examiner(s): Badii, Behrang
• Assistant Examiner(s): TESTARDI, DAVID A
• Application Number:
  US14/734,058
• Publication Number:
  US 20150360565A1
• Time in Patent Office: 525 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/166 Navigation
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/177 Augmented reality
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/191 Highlight information
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/23 Head-up displays [HUD] optical aspects of head-up displays G02B27/01
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/28 characterised by the type of the output information, e.g. video entertainment or vehicle dynamics information; characterised by the purpose of the output information, e.g. for attracting the attention of the driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/29 Instruments characterised by the way in which information is handled, e.g. showing information on plural displays or prioritising information according to driving conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/81 for controlling displays
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/00 Optical viewing arrangements; Real-time viewing arrangements for drivers or passengers using optical image capturing systems, e.g. cameras or video systems specially adapted for use in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/23 with a predetermined field of view
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/301 combining image information with other obstacle sensor information, e.g. using RADAR/LIDAR/SONAR sensors for estimating risk of collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/70 characterised by an event-triggered choice to display a specific image among a selection of captured images
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8026 in addition to a rear-view mirror system
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8093 for obstacle warning
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0138 comprising image capture systems, e.g. camera
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/014 comprising information/image processing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/01 Head-up displays
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/2003 Display of colours specific for liquid crystal displays G09G3/3607
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/2059 using error diffusion

Abstract

In a driver'"'"'s safety confirmation support system, a moving object detection section detects a moving object approaching to a vehicle in any of detection areas around a vehicle. When the moving object detection section detects the moving object in the detection area on a left side of the vehicle, a display control section controls a right display section provided in a right area relative to a driver'"'"'s seat to display information regarding the moving object detected. When the moving object detection section detects the moving object in the detection area on a right side of the vehicle, the display control section controls a left display section provided in a left area relative to the driver'"'"'s seat to display information regarding the moving object.

Claims

1. A safety confirmation support system for supporting a safety confirmation performed by a driver of a vehicle, the safety confirmation support system comprising:

a moving object detection section including a motion detector that detects a moving object approaching to the vehicle in a plurality of detection areas around the vehicle;

a plurality of display sections that is provided in different directions from a driver'"'"'s seat of the vehicle, each of the plurality of display sections being associated with any of the plurality of detection areas in a predetermined relationship;

a display control section that controls the plurality of display sections to display information regarding the moving object detected by the moving object detection section; and

an eye direction detection section including an image capturing device that detects an eye direction of the driver when the moving object detection section has detected the moving object in a detection area that is one of the plurality of detection areas, wherein

the plurality of display sections includes a right display section provided in a right area relative to the driver'"'"'s seat and a left display section provided in a left area relative to the driver'"'"'s seat, and

the moving object detection section and the display control section cooperating as follows;

when the moving object detection section detects the moving object in a detection area that is one of the plurality of detection areas and is on a left side of the vehicle, the display control section controls the right display section to display information regarding the moving object,

the display control section and the eye direction detection section cooperating as follows;

when the moving object detection section detects the moving object in a detection area that is one of the plurality of detection areas and is on a right side of the vehicle, the display control section controls the left display section to display information regarding the moving object,

when the eye direction detection section detects the eye direction of the driver is away from the detection area in which the moving object has been detected, the display control section controls the display section that is located in a driver'"'"'s view to display the information regarding the moving object, and

when the eye direction detection section detects the eye direction of the driver is in a direction corresponding to the detection area in which the moving object has been detected, the display control section prohibits the display section that is located in the driver'"'"'s view from displaying the information regarding the moving object.

2. The safety confirmation support system according to claim 1, wherein

the driver'"'"'s seat is disposed adjacent to one of the right side and the left side of the vehicle,

the plurality of display sections includes a frontal display section provided in front of the driver'"'"'s seat,

when the moving object detection section detects the moving object in a detection area that is one of the detection areas and is on a side opposite to the one of the right side and the left side on which the driver'"'"'s seat is disposed, the display control section controls the frontal display section to display information regarding the moving object.

3. The safety confirmation support system according to claim 1, wherein

the information regarding the moving object includes a direction in which the moving object is detected.

4. The safety confirmation support system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a photographing section including a camera that captures an image of each of the detection areas, wherein

the information regarding the moving object includes an image of the detection area in which the moving object is detected and that is captured by the photographing section.

5. The safety confirmation support system according to claim 4, wherein

in the image of the detection area displayed as the information regarding the moving object, the moving object is displayed in at least one of a marked manner or an enlarged manner.

6. The safety confirmation support system according to claim 1, wherein

when the eye direction detection section detects the eye direction of the driver is in the direction corresponding to the detection area in which the moving object has been detected, the display control section prohibits the display sections that are not in the driver'"'"'s view from displaying the information regarding the moving object.

7. A method for supporting a safety confirmation of a driver of a vehicle, the method comprising:

detecting a moving object approaching to the vehicle in any of a plurality of detection areas around the vehicle;

detecting a driver'"'"'s eye direction when the moving object has been detected in any of the plurality of detection areas; and

controlling at least one of a plurality of display sections to display information regarding the moving object detected, each of the plurality of display sections being associated with any of the plurality of detection areas in a predetermined relationship, wherein

the plurality of display sections includes a right display section that is provided in a right area relative to a driver'"'"'s seat and a left display section that is provided in a left area relative to the driver'"'"'s seat,

the controlling the at least one of the plurality of display sections includes;

controlling the right display section, when the moving object has been detected in a detection area that is one of the plurality of detection areas and is on a left side of the vehicle, to display information regarding the moving object,

controlling the left display section, when the moving object is detected in a right detection area that is one of the plurality of detection areas and is on a right side of the vehicle, to display information regarding the moving object, and

prohibiting the display section that is in a driver'"'"'s view from displaying the information regarding the moving object when the driver'"'"'s eye direction is in a direction corresponding to the detection area in which the moving object has been detected.

8. A safety confirmation support system for supporting a safety confirmation performed by a driver of a vehicle, the safety confirmation support system comprising:

a moving object detection section including a motion detector that detects a moving object approaching to the vehicle in a plurality of detection areas around the vehicle;

a plurality of display sections that is provided in different directions from a driver'"'"'s seat of the vehicle, each of the plurality of display sections being associated with any of the plurality of detection areas in a predetermined relationship;

a display control section that controls the plurality of display sections to display information regarding the moving object detected by the moving object detection section; and

an eye direction detection section including an image capturing device that detects an eye direction of the driver, when the moving object detection section has detected the moving object in a detection area that is one of the plurality of detection areas, wherein

the plurality of display sections includes a right display section provided in a right area relative to the driver'"'"'s seat and a left display section provided in a left area relative to the driver'"'"'s seat, and

the moving object detection section, the display control section and the eye direction detection section cooperating as follows;

when the moving object detection section detects the moving object in a detection area that is one of the plurality of detection areas and is on a left side of the vehicle, the display control section controls the right display section to display information regarding the moving object,

when the moving object detection section detects the moving object in a detection area that is one of the plurality of detection areas and is on a right side of the vehicle, the display control section controls the left display section to display information regarding the moving object,

when the eye direction detection section detects the eye direction of the driver in a direction corresponding to the detection area in which the moving object has been detected, the display control section prohibits the plurality of display sections from displaying the information regarding the moving object.