Display control apparatus

• US 9,643,493 B2
• Filed: 06/19/2014
• Issued: 05/09/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Ten Limited (DENSO Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Ten Limited (DENSO Corporation)
• Inventors: Kasai, Kazuyoshi, Morita, Kyohei, Iguchi, Yusuke, Sugimoto, Naoya, Matsui, Yusuke
• Primary Examiner(s): Feild, Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): POINT, RUFUS C
• Application Number:
  US14/309,075
• Publication Number:
  US 20150002286A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,055 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/736 the user being the driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/066 actuating a signalling device B60K28/063 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/654 the user being the driver

Abstract

In a vehicle-mounted display system, a spare attentiveness level deriving part derives a spare attentiveness level that is a parameter determined according to a state of a driver of a vehicle at a present moment and a risk level deriving part derives a risk level that is a parameter determined according to a risk level of an accident at the present moment. Then a display continuously displays a driving state mark that is a reference graphic, determined according to the spare attentiveness level and the risk level, while the driver is driving the vehicle. Therefore, the driver can continuously understand the own state and the risk level of an accident at the present moment.

Claims

1. A display control apparatus that controls a display apparatus for providing information to a driver of a vehicle while the driver is driving the vehicle, the display control apparatus comprising a controller configured to:

(i) derive a first parameter according to a state of the driver at a present moment, the first parameter representing a load that the driver can handle in addition to a present load exerted on the driver at the present moment;

(ii) derive a second parameter according to a risk level of an accident at the present moment, wherein the second parameter is derived based on (a) a third parameter that is determined according to a risk level attributed to traveling of the vehicle, and (b) a fourth parameter that is determined according to a risk level attributed to the relationship between the vehicle and the object around the vehicle; and

(iii) cause a reference graphic, determined according to the first parameter and the second parameter, to be continuously displayed on the display apparatus while the driver is driving the vehicle, wherein

the risk level is derived based on traveling of the vehicle and a relationship between the vehicle and an object around the vehicle,

the controller is further configured to obtain, over a network from a server, a location accident rate for a location of the vehicle,

the location accident rate is a rate of accidents that have occurred on a road near the location of the vehicle, and

the third parameter is based at least in part on the obtained location accident rate for the location of the vehicle.

2. The display control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the reference graphic represents a relative relationship between the first parameter and the second parameter.

3. The display control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the reference graphic represents the relative relationship between the first parameter and the second parameter with color.

4. The display control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the reference graphic represents the relative relationship between the first parameter and the second parameter by a ratio of areas.

5. The display control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller derives the first parameter based on a difference between a load acceptable capacity that represents the load that the driver can handle at the present moment and the present load exerted on the driver at the present moment.

6. The display control apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the reference graphic represents the load acceptable capacity along with a relative relationship between the first parameter and the second parameter.

7. The display control apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the reference graphic represents the load acceptable capacity by controlling a size of an outer edge of the reference graphic.

8. The display control apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the controller derives the present load based on a determination as to whether or not a content provided to the driver matches a taste of the driver.

12. The display control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second parameter is derived also based on:

(c) a fifth parameter that is determined according to a risk level attributed to inattentive driving of the driver.

14. The display control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to:

obtain, over a network from a server, weather information for an area near a location of the vehicle,

derive, based at least in part on the obtained weather information, a road surface friction coefficient, and

determine, based at least in part on the derived road surface friction coefficient, the fourth parameter.

16. The display control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to determine, based at least in part on a derived road surface friction coefficient, the fourth parameter.

9. A display system that provides information to a driver of a vehicle while the driver is driving the vehicle, the display system comprising:

a controller configured to;

(i) derive a first parameter according to a state of the driver at a present moment, the first parameter representing a load that the driver can handle in addition to a load exerted on the driver at the present moment; and

(ii) derive a second parameter according to a risk level of an accident at the present moment, wherein the second parameter is derived based on (a) a third parameter that is determined according to a risk level attributed to traveling of the vehicle, and (b) a fourth parameter that is determined according to a risk level attributed to the relationship between the vehicle and the object around the vehicle; and

a display that continuously displays a reference graphic, determined according to the first parameter and the second parameter, while the driver is driving the vehicle, wherein the risk level is derived based on traveling of the vehicle and a relationship between the vehicle and an object around the vehicle,

the controller is further configured to obtain, over a network from a server, a location accident rate for a location of the vehicle,

the location accident rate is a rate of accidents that have occurred on a road near the location of the vehicle, and

the third parameter is based at least in part on the obtained location accident rate for the location of the vehicle.

10. An information providing method that provides information to a driver of a vehicle while the driver is driving the vehicle, the information providing method comprising the steps of:

(a) deriving a first parameter according to a state of the driver at a present moment, the first parameter representing a load that the driver can handle in addition to a load exerted on the driver at the present moment;

(b) deriving a second parameter according to a risk level of an accident at the present moment, wherein the second parameter is derived based on (a) a third parameter that is determined according to a risk level attributed to traveling of the vehicle, and (b) a fourth parameter that is determined according to a risk level attributed to the relationship between the vehicle and the object around the vehicle; and

(c) causing a reference graphic, determined according to the first parameter and the second parameter, to be continuously displayed on a display apparatus while the driver is driving the vehicle, wherein

the risk level is derived based on traveling of the vehicle and a relationship between the vehicle and an object around the vehicle,

the controller is further configured to obtain, over a network from a server, a location accident rate for a location of the vehicle,

the location accident rate is a rate of accidents that have occurred on a road near the location of the vehicle, and

the third parameter is based at least in part on the obtained location accident rate for the location of the vehicle.

13. The information providing method according to claim 10, wherein the second parameter is derived also based on:

(iii) a fifth parameter that is determined according to a risk level attributed to inattentive driving of the driver.

15. The information providing method according to claim 10, wherein the determination of the fourth parameter includes:

obtaining, over a network from a server, weather information for an area near a location of the vehicle,

deriving, based at least in part on the obtained weather information, a road surface friction coefficient, and

determining, based at least in part on the derived road surface friction coefficient, the fourth parameter.

17. The information providing method according to claim 10, wherein the determination of the fourth parameter includes determining, based at least in part on a derived road surface friction coefficient, the fourth parameter.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium that stores a program to be executed by a computer for providing information to a driver of a vehicle while the driver is driving the vehicle, the program, when executed by the computer, causing the computer to execute the steps of:

(a) deriving a first parameter according to a state of the driver at a present moment, the first parameter representing a load that the driver can handle in addition to a load exerted on the driver at the present moment;

(b) deriving a second parameter according to a risk level of an accident at the present moment, wherein the second parameter is derived based on (a) a third parameter that is determined according to a risk level attributed to traveling of the vehicle, and (b) a fourth parameter that is determined according to a risk level attributed to the relationship between the vehicle and the object around the vehicle; and

(c) causing a reference graphic, determined according to the first parameter and the second parameter, to be continuously displayed on a display apparatus while the driver is driving the vehicle, wherein

the risk level is derived based on traveling of the vehicle and a relationship between the vehicle and an object around the vehicle,

the controller is further configured to obtain, over a network from a server, a location accident rate for a location of the vehicle,

the location accident rate is a rate of accidents that have occurred on a road near the location of the vehicle, and

the third parameter is based at least in part on the obtained location accident rate for the location of the vehicle.