Notification system

Abstract

A notification system includes a contact sensor provided on a steering operator of a vehicle, a grip state determination unit, a notification unit, a map information acquisition unit, a traveling environment recognition unit, and a traveling environment determination unit. The grip state determination unit determines whether the occupant is in a first grip state or a second grip state on the basis of a capacitance generated by the contact sensor in response to contact of the occupant with the steering actuator. The traveling environment determination unit determines whether a traveling environment in which the vehicle travels is a first traveling environment or a second traveling environment. The notification unit issues a first notification when it is determined by the grip state determination unit that the occupant is in the second grip state and it is determined by the travel environment determination unit that the travel environment is the first travel environment. When the grip state determination unit determines that the occupant is in the second grip state and the travel environment determination unit determines that the travel environment is the second travel environment, the notification unit issues a second notification, or the notification unit does not issue a notification.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a notification system for assisting a vehicle. Background Art

[0002] Vehicles have become an important means of transportation for modern people, but various traffic accidents pose threats and insecurity to people. In recent years, efforts to provide access to sustainable transportation systems that also take into account the disadvantaged among traffic participants have been active. In order to achieve the above goals, research and development related to driving assistance is being devoted to further improving the safety and convenience of traffic.

[0003] With the development of driving assistance technology, the demand for Advanced Driving Assistance System (ADAS) has also increased. ADAS can achieve different levels of autonomous driving functions. Generally speaking, ADAS technology will issue a warning to remind drivers to pay attention to abnormal vehicles or road conditions when detecting potential dangers. However, when encountering dangerous situations in traffic jams, narrow roads or residential areas with poor visibility, even if the existing ADAS technology issues a warning, it may be difficult for the driver to respond immediately based on the way he currently grasps the steering operator.

[0004] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2016-068772 (Patent Document 1) discloses an occupant state estimation device that accurately estimates the driver's driving state from the steering state of the steering wheel to achieve optimal driving support. However, Patent Document 1 cannot give appropriate warnings based on the driver's grip state and the current driving environment. Summary of the invention

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a notification system for displaying warnings according to the gripping state and the driving environment, thereby improving traffic safety and contributing to the development of a sustainable transportation system.

[0006] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a notification system includes: a contact sensor provided on a steering operator of a vehicle and configured to generate electrostatic capacitance in response to contact between an occupant and the steering operator; a gripping state determination unit that determines the gripping state of the occupant on the steering operator based on the electrostatic capacitance of the contact sensor; a notification unit that notifies the occupant according to a determination result of the gripping state determination unit; a map information acquisition unit that acquires map information of the surroundings of the vehicle; a driving environment recognition unit that recognizes the driving environment in which the vehicle is driving based on the map information and the position information of the vehicle; and a driving environment determination unit that determines the driving environment based on the identification result of the driving environment recognition unit. The gripping state determination unit determines that the occupant is in a first gripping state or a second gripping state based on a detection result of the contact sensor. The driving environment determination unit determines that the driving environment in which the vehicle is driving is a first driving environment or a second driving environment. When the gripping state determination unit determines that the occupant is in the second gripping state, and the driving environment determination unit determines that the driving environment is the first driving environment, the notification unit issues a first notification. When the grip state determination unit determines that the occupant is in the second grip state and the driving environment determination unit determines that the driving environment is the second driving environment, the notification unit issues a second notification or does not issue a notification.

[0007] In the notification system according to an embodiment of the present invention, the contact sensor is configured to determine a contact position of the occupant relative to the steering operator. The gripping state determination unit determines whether the occupant is in the first gripping state or the second gripping state based on the electrostatic capacitance of the contact sensor and the contact position.

[0008] In the notification system according to an embodiment of the present invention, when the electrostatic capacity of the contact sensor is greater than or equal to a first threshold value, the gripping state judgment unit judges that the occupant is in the first gripping state. When the electrostatic capacity of the contact sensor is less than a second threshold value, the gripping state judgment unit judges that the occupant is in the second gripping state, wherein the second threshold value is less than the first threshold value. When the electrostatic capacity of the contact sensor is greater than or equal to the second threshold value and less than the first threshold value, and the contact position is in a first area, the gripping state judgment unit judges that the occupant is in the second gripping state, wherein the first area represents the lower part of the steering operator. When the electrostatic capacity of the contact sensor is greater than or equal to the second threshold value and less than the first threshold value, and the contact position is in a second area other than the first area, the gripping state judgment unit judges that the occupant is in the first gripping state.

[0009] In the notification system according to the embodiment of the present invention, the gripping state determination unit determines a third gripping state having a gripping degree lower than the second gripping state based on the electrostatic capacity of the contact sensor. When determining that the occupant is in the third gripping state, the notification unit issues the second notification.

[0010] In the notification system according to an embodiment of the present invention, when the grip state determination unit determines that the occupant is in the second grip state for a time period exceeding a predetermined time, the notification unit notifies the occupant. When the driving environment determination unit determines that the driving environment is the first driving environment, and the grip state determination unit determines that the occupant is in the second grip state for a time period exceeding a first predetermined time, the notification unit notifies the occupant. When the driving environment determination unit determines that the driving environment is the second driving environment, and the grip state determination unit determines that the occupant is in the second grip state for a time period exceeding a second predetermined time, the notification unit notifies the occupant that the second predetermined time is greater than the first predetermined time.

[0011] In the notification system according to the embodiment of the present invention, the system further includes: a posture recognition unit for recognizing the posture of the occupant; and a posture judgment unit for determining the posture of the occupant recognized by the posture recognition unit. When the posture judgment unit determines that the occupant is in the first posture that is not suitable for driving, the gripping state judgment unit determines that the occupant is in the second gripping state.

[0012] The notification system according to an embodiment of the present invention further includes: a camera unit for taking a camera of the external environment around the vehicle. The driving environment recognition unit recognizes the driving environment based on the external environment including the traffic participants in the driving environment, the map information, and the location information of the vehicle. The driving environment judgment unit judges whether the driving environment of the vehicle is the first driving environment or the second driving environment based on the recognition result of the driving environment recognition unit.

[0013] The notification system according to an embodiment of the present invention further includes: a road condition detection unit for detecting the road condition on which the vehicle is traveling. The driving environment recognition unit recognizes the driving environment based on the external environment, the map information, the location information of the vehicle, and the road condition. The driving environment judgment unit determines whether the driving environment of the vehicle is the first driving environment or the second driving environment based on the recognition result of the driving environment recognition unit.

[0014] Based on the above, the notification system disclosed herein can further determine the gripping state (e.g., one-handed gripping, two-handed gripping, hand-off, gripping position, etc.) and driving environment, and can issue more accurate warnings to passengers when the vehicle is driving on a road condition that is prone to dangerous conditions, thereby improving traffic safety. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] Figure 1 is a block diagram of a notification system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0016] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a steering operator according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0017] Figure 3 is a flow chart of a method for determining a gripping state based on electrostatic capacitance according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0018] Figure 4 is a flow chart of a method for determining a gripping state based on a contact position according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] Figure 5 is a flow chart of a method for determining a driving environment of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 6 FIG. 4 is a flow chart of a method for issuing a notification based on risk level according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] Figure 7 FIG. 4 is a flow chart of a method for issuing a notification based on risk level according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] Figure 8 is a block diagram of a notification system according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] Description of Reference Numerals

[0024] 100, 800: Notification system

[0025] 110: Contact sensor

[0026] 120: Grip state determination unit

[0027] 130: Notification Department

[0028] 140: Map Information Acquisition Department

[0029] 150: Driving environment recognition unit

[0030] 160: Driving environment judgment unit

[0031] 200: Steering operator

[0032] 210: Upper area

[0033] 220: Central region

[0034] 230: Lower area

[0035] 810: Camera Department

[0036] 820: Road Condition Detection Department

[0037] 830: Gesture Recognition Unit

[0038] 840: Posture determination unit

[0039] S305-S335: Steps for determining the gripping state

[0040] S405-S430: Steps for determining the gripping state

[0041] S505-S525: Steps for judging the driving environment

[0042] S605-S620: Steps for issuing notification

[0043] S705-S720: Steps for issuing notification DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0044] Reference will now be made in detail to exemplary embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Whenever possible, the same reference numerals are used in the drawings and the description to refer to the same or like parts.

[0045] The present invention identifies the driver's grip state (one-handed / two-handed grip, grip position) and the vehicle driving environment, and displays a warning according to the grip state when the vehicle is likely to fall into a dangerous state. In order to make the content of the present invention clearer, the following embodiments are specifically cited as examples that the present invention can actually be implemented based on.

[0046] Figure 1 is a block diagram of a notification system according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 The notification system 100 includes a contact sensor 110 , a grip state determination unit 120 , a notification unit 130 , a map information acquisition unit 140 , a driving environment recognition unit 150 , and a driving environment determination unit 160 .

[0047] The contact sensor 110 is provided on a steering operator of a vehicle, and is configured to generate electrostatic capacitance in response to contact of an occupant with the steering operator. Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a steering operator according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2In this embodiment, the steering operator 200 is a steering wheel. The passenger (driver) can change the driving direction of the vehicle through the steering operator 200. Generally speaking, during driving, whether at low speed or high speed, it is a very dangerous behavior for the driver to leave the steering operator 200 with both hands. Accordingly, a contact sensor 110 is provided on the steering operator 200 to detect the driver's gripping state of the steering operator 200.

[0048] For example, the contact sensor 110 is a capacitive sensor. The capacitive sensor includes a plurality of sensor components, which are arranged inside the steering operator 200 to generate corresponding electrostatic capacitance based on the contact of the passenger (driver) hand. Through the capacitive sensor, the hand only needs to contact the outer skin of the steering operator 200 to achieve capacitive sensing.

[0049] The gripping state determination unit 120 determines the gripping state of the occupant on the steering operator 200 based on the electrostatic capacitance of the contact sensor 110. The gripping state determination unit 120 may be implemented by an independent electronic control unit (ECU). Alternatively, the gripping state determination unit 120 may also be implemented by a software module composed of one or more code segments, and the controller executes the gripping state determination unit 120 to complete the corresponding function. The software module is stored in a storage device corresponding to the controller.

[0050] The controller may be implemented by physical hardware such as a central processing unit (CPU), a physical processing unit (PPU), a microprocessor (Microprocessor), a digital signal processor (DSP), an ECU, etc. The storage device may be, for example, a fixed or removable random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), a cache, a hard disk, or other similar devices or a combination of these devices.

[0051] In one embodiment, the gripping state determination unit 120 determines whether the occupant is in the first gripping state or the second gripping state based on the detection result of the contact sensor 110. The first gripping state is, for example, a state in which the occupant firmly grips the steering operator 200, and the second gripping state is, for example, a state in which the occupant does not firmly grip the steering operator 200.

[0052] Specifically, the gripping state determination unit 120 determines the gripping method and gripping position of the occupant on the steering operator 200 based on the detection result of the contact sensor 110. For example, based on the upper, middle, and lower parts of the steering operator 200, the steering operator 200 is divided into an upper area 210, a middle area 220, and a lower area 230. The gripping position is determined based on the area where the sensor component generating electrostatic capacitance is located. For example, in response to the sensor component generating electrostatic capacitance being located in the lower area 230, the gripping state determination unit 120 determines that the gripping position of the occupant is located in the lower area 230.

[0053] In addition, the gripping state determination unit 120 also determines the gripping mode according to the value of the electrostatic capacitance. For example, the larger the value of the electrostatic capacitance, the larger the contact area between the hand and the steering operator 200. Accordingly, the gripping state determination unit 120 can determine the gripping mode of the occupant based on the electrostatic capacitance. For example, the gripping mode can be divided into: gripping with both hands, gripping with at least three fingers on one hand, gripping with at most two fingers on one hand, and gripping with hands off.

[0054] For example, two thresholds, namely a first threshold C1 and a second threshold C2, may be set to determine the gripping state, wherein the first threshold C1 is greater than the second threshold C2. The embodiment of using two thresholds to determine the gripping state is described in detail as follows.

[0055] When the electrostatic capacity of the contact sensor 110 is greater than or equal to the first threshold value C1, the gripping state determination unit 120 determines that the occupant is in the first gripping state. Since the electrostatic capacity being greater than or equal to the first threshold value C1 indicates a large gripping area, such as five fingers of one hand or both hands firmly gripping the steering operator 200, the gripping position is not restricted, and the first gripping state (low risk) is determined as long as the electrostatic capacity is greater than or equal to the first threshold value C1.

[0056] When the electrostatic capacity of the contact sensor 110 is less than the second threshold value C2, the gripping state determination unit 120 determines that the occupant is in the second gripping state. Since the electrostatic capacity less than the second threshold value C2 indicates a small gripping area, for example, a single hand grips the steering operator 200 with at most two fingers, and this gripping method is unstable regardless of the gripping position, so there is no restriction on the gripping position, and as long as the electrostatic capacity is less than the second threshold value C2, it is determined to be the second gripping state (high risk).

[0057] When the capacitance of the touch sensor 110 is greater than or equal to the second threshold C2 and less than the first threshold C1, and the touch position is in the first area (e.g., the lower area 230), the grip state determination unit 120 determines that the occupant is in the second grip state (non - firm grip). When the capacitance of the touch sensor 110 is greater than or equal to the second threshold C2 and less than the first threshold C1, and the touch position is in the second area other than the first area (e.g., the upper area 210 or the middle area 220), the grip state determination unit 120 determines that the occupant is in the first grip state (firm grip).

[0058] In this embodiment, the case where the capacitance is in the range between the second threshold C2 and the first threshold C1 represents a one - hand three - or four - finger grip on the steering operator 200. In this case, it is further determined as a firm grip or a non - firm grip according to the grip position. The results of determining the grip state using two thresholds are shown in Table 1.

[0059] Table 1

[0060]

[0061] In addition, three thresholds, namely the first threshold C1, the second threshold C2, and the third threshold C3, can also be set to determine the grip state, where the first threshold C1 is greater than the second threshold C2, and the second threshold C2 is greater than the third threshold C3. Figure 3 It is a flowchart of a method for determining the grip state based on capacitance according to an embodiment of the present invention. Please refer to Figure 3 , in step S305, it is determined whether the capacitance is less than or equal to the third threshold C3. If the capacitance ≤ C3, in step S310, it is determined as the third grip state (e.g., the hand - off state, with a very high risk).

[0062] If the capacitance is greater than C3, in step S315, it is determined whether the capacitance is greater than or equal to the second threshold C2 and less than the first threshold C1. If step S315 determines yes (C2 ≤ capacitance < C1), in step S320, the grip position is determined. If the grip position is in the upper area 210 or the middle area 220, in step S335, it is determined as the first grip state. If the grip position is in the lower area 230, in step S325, it is determined as the second grip state (with a high risk).

[0063] In addition, if step S315 determines no, in step S330, it is determined whether the capacitance is greater than the third threshold C3 and less than the second threshold C2. If step S330 determines yes (C3 < capacitance < C2), in step S325, it is determined as the second grip state. If step S330 determines no, in step S335, it is determined as the first grip state (with a low risk).

[0064] Figure 3 The results of determining the gripping state using three thresholds are shown in Table 2. Figure 3 In the illustrated embodiment, a third threshold value C3 is further used to determine whether the occupant is in a third gripping state with a gripping degree lower than the second gripping state, such as a hands-off state.

[0065] Table 2

[0066]

[0067] The embodiment shown in Table 2 is different from the embodiment shown in Table 1 in that: when the electrostatic capacity of the contact sensor 110 is less than the second threshold value C2 and greater than the third threshold value C3, the gripping state determination unit 120 determines that the occupant is in the second gripping state. When the electrostatic capacity of the contact sensor 110 is less than or equal to the third threshold value C3, the gripping state determination unit 120 determines that the occupant is in the third gripping state, such as the hand-off state.

[0068] In other embodiments, in addition to using electrostatic capacitance to determine the gripping state, the gripping state may also be determined based on the gripping position. Figure 4 1 is a flow chart of a method for determining a gripping state based on a contact position according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the contact sensor 110 is configured to determine the contact position of the occupant relative to the steering operator 200. The gripping state determination unit 120 determines whether the occupant is in the first gripping state or the second gripping state based on the contact position of the contact sensor 110.

[0069] Please refer to Figure 4 In step S405, the gripping state determination unit 120 determines whether the occupant is in a hands-off operation based on the detection result of the contact sensor 110. If the contact sensor 110 does not detect the contact of the hand, it is determined to be in the hands-off state, and in step S410, it is determined to be the third gripping state (extremely high risk). If the contact sensor 110 detects the contact of the hand (not the hands-off state), in step S415, the gripping state determination unit 120 determines whether the gripping is performed with at least three fingers of a single hand according to the contact position, and the gripping position is in the lower area 230. If the judgment in step S415 is yes, in step S420, it is determined to be the second gripping state (high risk). If the judgment in step S415 is no, in step S425, the gripping state determination unit 120 determines whether the gripping is performed with at most two fingers of a single hand according to the contact position. If the judgment in step S425 is yes, in step S420, it is determined to be the second gripping state (high risk). If the determination in step S425 is no, in step S430, it is determined to be the first gripping state (low risk). That is, the hands-off state is the most dangerous driving posture, while the gripping state with both hands or five fingers of one hand is the safest driving posture.

[0070] return Figure 1 The notification unit 130 notifies the occupant according to the determination result of the gripping state determination unit 120. In this embodiment, the notification unit 130 is, for example, a speaker and / or a display, and can notify the occupant through sound and / or visual display. The speaker is, for example, a sound box, which converts electronic signals into sound. The display is, for example, a liquid crystal display (LCD), a plasma display (Plasma Display), a projector, etc.

[0071] The map information acquisition unit 140 is used to acquire the map information of the surroundings of the vehicle. In one embodiment, the map information acquisition unit 140 can be implemented by a global positioning system (GPS) circuit to acquire the map information of the vehicle through the GPS circuit.

[0072] The driving environment recognition unit 150 recognizes the driving environment of the vehicle based on the map information and the location information of the vehicle. The driving environment judgment unit 160 judges the driving environment based on the recognition result of the driving environment recognition unit 150. In one embodiment, the driving environment recognition unit 150 and the driving environment judgment unit 160 can be implemented by independent ECUs. In another embodiment, the driving environment recognition unit 150 and the driving environment judgment unit 160 can also be implemented by software modules composed of one or more code segments, and the controller executes the driving environment recognition unit 150 and the driving environment judgment unit 160 to complete the corresponding functions. The software module is stored in a storage device corresponding to the controller.

[0073] For example, the driving environment recognition unit 150 determines whether the current driving area is a residential area, a wide road, or a highway based on the map information and the vehicle's location information (such as coordinate position), so that the driving environment judgment unit 160 determines whether the driving environment is the first driving environment (an environment with a high degree of danger) or the second driving environment (an environment with a low degree of danger) based on the recognition result of the driving environment recognition unit 150.

[0074] In addition, the driving environment recognition unit 150 and the driving environment judgment unit 160 can be further equipped with a camera unit to complete the corresponding functions. The camera unit is, for example, a camera, and can be used to take pictures in real time. In one embodiment, the external environment around the vehicle is photographed by the camera unit to identify the external environment of traffic participants (e.g., pedestrians) included in the driving environment. The driving environment recognition unit 150 identifies the driving environment as the first driving environment or the second driving environment based on the external environment of the traffic participants including the driving environment, map information, and the location information of the vehicle.

[0075] The driving environment recognition unit 150 can use an image recognition algorithm to recognize the image captured by the camera unit, and then recognize the external environment where the vehicle is located. The external environment includes vehicle flow, pedestrian flow, traffic jam conditions (for example, determined based on the average speed of the vehicle flow and the vehicle flow), etc. In addition, the driving environment recognition unit 150 can also determine whether the road where the vehicle's current coordinate position is located is a narrow road, a wide road, or a winding road, etc. based on the map information around the vehicle acquired by the map information acquisition unit 140. For example, the map information around the vehicle acquired by the map information acquisition unit 140 includes road information such as the road coordinates, road identifiers, and road widths of multiple actual roads, as well as intersection information such as the intersection coordinates of multiple intersections and which road identifiers each intersection is connected to. Accordingly, the driving environment recognition unit 150 can identify the type of road where the vehicle's current coordinate position is located based on the map information.

[0076] In addition, a road condition detection unit (such as a vibration sensor) may be further used to detect whether the road condition (roughness of the road surface) on which the vehicle is traveling is a rough or unpaved road or a flat road. For example, the road condition detection unit detects the roughness of the road surface through vibration, suspension change, tire slip, road surface image, etc. The driving environment recognition unit 150 recognizes the driving environment based on the external environment, map information, vehicle location information, and road condition.

[0077] The driving environment determination unit 160 determines whether the driving environment of the vehicle is the first driving environment or the second driving environment. Figure 5 is a flow chart of a method for determining a vehicle's driving environment according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 5 In step S505, the driving environment recognition unit 150 determines whether the current location of the vehicle is an area with a large flow of people. For example, the driving environment recognition unit 150 determines whether the current location of the vehicle is in a residential area, or an area near a station with a large flow of people, based on the map information, the location information of the vehicle, and the image captured by the camera unit. If the vehicle is currently in an area with a large flow of people, in step S510, the driving environment judgment unit 160 determines that the driving environment is the first driving environment (high risk).

[0078] If the vehicle is currently located in an area with low traffic volume, in step S515, the driving environment recognition unit 150 determines whether the vehicle is currently located in an area that is difficult to drive. For example, the driving environment recognition unit 150 determines whether the vehicle is currently located in an unpaved road, a rough road, or other road where the steering operator 200 is easily stuck and difficult to drive, or in an area that is easy to drive, such as a straight road and a highway, based on map information, images captured by the camera unit, and road conditions detected by the road condition detection unit (e.g., a vibration sensor). If the vehicle is currently located in an area that is difficult to drive, in step S510, the driving environment determination unit 160 determines that the driving environment is the first driving environment.

[0079] If the vehicle is currently located in an area that is not difficult to drive (an area that is easy to drive), in step S520, the driving environment recognition unit 150 determines whether the vehicle is currently located in an area with a high probability of an accident. For example, the driving environment recognition unit 150 determines whether the vehicle is currently located in an area with a high probability of an accident, such as low visibility, congestion, or heavy traffic, or an area with a low probability of an accident, such as a wide road and light traffic, based on map information and images captured by the camera unit.

[0080] If the vehicle is currently located in an area with a high probability of an accident, in step S510, the driving environment determination unit 160 determines that the driving environment is the first driving environment. If the vehicle is currently located in an area with a low probability of an accident, in step S525, the driving environment determination unit 160 determines that the driving environment is the second driving environment (low risk). Figure 5 The judgment results can be summarized as shown in Table 3.

[0081] Table 3

[0082] Driving environment High traffic areas Difficult to navigate areas Areas with high accident probability First driving environment yes yes yes Second driving environment no no no

[0083] The notification system 100 may further determine whether to issue a notification based on the gripping state and the driving environment. In one embodiment, when the gripping state determination unit 120 determines that the occupant is in the second gripping state (high risk), and the driving environment determination unit 160 determines that the driving environment is the first driving environment (high risk), the notification unit 130 issues a first notification. When the gripping state determination unit 120 determines that the occupant is in the second gripping state (high risk), and the driving environment determination unit 160 determines that the driving environment is the second driving environment (low risk), the notification unit 130 issues a second notification different from the first notification, or the notification unit 130 does not issue a notification.

[0084] In addition, in other embodiments, the gripping state in Table 2 can be combined with the driving environment in Table 3 to determine whether to issue a notification. Figure 6 and Figure 7 To explain.

[0085] Figure 6 is a flow chart of a method for issuing a notification based on risk level according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 6 In step S605, the gripping state of the occupant is determined by the gripping state determination unit 120. When it is determined to be the third gripping state, it indicates that the risk is extremely high, so there is no need to further determine the driving environment, and step S615 is directly executed, and the notification unit 130 issues a notification. When it is determined to be the second gripping state, it indicates that the risk is high, and step S610 is further executed. In step S610, the driving environment is determined by the driving environment determination unit 160. In response to determining that the driving environment is the first driving environment (high risk), in step S615, the notification unit 130 issues a notification. In response to determining that the driving environment is the second driving environment (low risk), in step S620, the notification unit 130 does not issue a notification. In addition, when it is determined to be the first gripping state, it indicates that the risk is low, so there is no need to further determine the driving environment, and step S620 is directly executed, and the notification unit 130 does not issue a notification. The above Figure 6 The judgment results can be summarized as shown in Table 4.

[0086] Table 4

[0087]

[0088] As shown in Table 4, in the second driving environment, the operation demand of the steering operator 200 is small, and even in the second gripping state where one hand is released, the risk of an accident is small, so the notification unit 130 will not issue a notification. In the first driving environment, the operation demand of the steering operator 200 is large, so the notification unit 130 will issue a notification in the second gripping state and the third gripping state of unstable gripping. For the steering operator 200 that is judged as the third gripping state (i.e., the state where the occupant does not operate the steering operator 200) when the steering operator 200 is operated by leaving the hands or abnormally, the notification unit 130 will issue a notification even in the second driving environment with a low degree of danger.

[0089] Figure 7 is a flow chart of a method for issuing a notification based on risk level according to another embodiment of the present invention. Figure 7In step S705, the driving environment is judged by the driving environment judgment unit 160. In response to the driving environment being judged as the first driving environment (high risk), in step S710, the gripping state of the occupant is judged by the gripping state judgment unit 120. When it is judged as the third gripping state, it indicates that the risk is extremely high, and in step S715, the notification unit 130 issues a notification. When it is judged as the second gripping state, it indicates that the risk is high, and in step S715, the notification unit 130 issues a notification. When it is judged as the first gripping state, it indicates that the risk is low, and in step S720, the notification unit 130 does not issue a notification. In addition, in response to the driving environment being judged as the second driving environment (low risk), step S720 is directly executed, and the notification unit 130 does not issue a notification. Figure 7 In the illustrated embodiment, if it is a second driving environment with a low risk, a lenient judgment may be made taking the gripping state into consideration, and step S720 may be directly executed.

[0090] In other embodiments, the notification unit 130 may also decide whether to issue a notification as shown in Table 5. In the embodiment shown in Table 5, when the vehicle is determined to be in the second gripping state and driving in the first driving environment, the notification unit 130 issues a mild warning. When the vehicle is determined to be in the third gripping state and driving in the first driving environment or driving in the second driving environment, the notification unit 130 issues a severe warning. For example, a mild warning is a low-volume and gentle warning sound, and a severe warning is a high-volume and rapid warning sound, which is only an example and is not limited thereto.

[0091] Table 5

[0092]

[0093] In addition, in other embodiments, different warning methods may be used according to the combination of the danger level of the driving environment and the gripping state. For example, the danger level of the driving environment is low × the danger level of the gripping state is low: the notification unit 130 does not issue a notification. The danger level of the driving environment is high × the danger level of the gripping state is low, or the danger level of the driving environment is low × the danger level of the gripping state is high / very high: the notification unit 130 only issues a visual warning. The danger level of the driving environment is high × the danger level of the gripping state is high / very high: the notification unit 130 issues a visual warning plus an audible warning.

[0094] In addition, the notification unit 130 can set the time before issuing the notification, that is, how long after the grip state and / or driving environment is determined, the notification is issued. For example, in one embodiment, when the grip state determination unit 120 determines that the occupant is in the second grip state for more than a predetermined time, the notification unit 130 notifies the occupant. For example, in one embodiment, when the driving environment is determined to be the first driving environment by the driving environment determination unit 160, and the grip state determination unit 120 determines that the occupant is in the second grip state for more than a first predetermined time, the notification unit 130 notifies the occupant. When the driving environment is determined to be the second driving environment by the driving environment determination unit 160, and the grip state determination unit 120 determines that the occupant is in the second grip state for more than a second predetermined time, the notification unit 130 notifies the occupant. The second predetermined time is greater than the first predetermined time. That is, the notification unit 130 will issue a notification only after a specific grip state and / or driving environment is maintained for a predetermined time. Accordingly, misjudgment can be avoided. The predetermined time can be changed according to the combination of the grip state and the driving environment.

[0095] Figure 8 is a block diagram of a notification system according to another embodiment of the present invention. Figure 8 In addition to including Figure 1 In addition to the contact sensor 110, grip state judgment unit 120, notification unit 130, map information acquisition unit 140, driving environment recognition unit 150 and driving environment judgment unit 160 shown, it also includes a camera unit 810, a road condition detection unit 820, a posture recognition unit 830 and a posture judgment unit 840.

[0096] The camera unit 810 is, for example, a camera. In one embodiment, the camera unit 810 captures the external environment around the vehicle to identify the external environment including traffic participants (e.g., pedestrians). The driving environment recognition unit 150 recognizes the driving environment as the first driving environment or the second driving environment based on the external environment including the traffic participants in the driving environment, the map information, and the location information of the vehicle.

[0097] The road condition detection unit 820 is, for example, a vibration sensor. The road condition detection unit 820 detects the road condition on which the vehicle is traveling. For example, the road condition is a rugged mountain road or a flat road. The driving environment recognition unit 150 recognizes the driving environment based on the external environment, map information, vehicle location information, and road condition.

[0098] The posture recognition unit 830 is used to recognize the posture of the occupant. The posture judgment unit 840 is used to determine the posture of the occupant recognized by the posture recognition unit 830. When the posture judgment unit 840 determines that the occupant is in a first posture that is not suitable for driving, the gripping state judgment unit 120 determines that the occupant is in a second gripping state. In one embodiment, the posture recognition unit 830 and the posture judgment unit 840 can be implemented by using independent ECUs, and the corresponding functions can be completed with a driver monitor camera (Driver Monitor Camera, DMC) (or the camera unit 810 can be directly used). For example, the image of the driver is captured by the DMC, and the posture recognition unit 830 uses an image recognition algorithm to recognize the image captured by the DMC, and then recognizes the posture of the occupant (driver). For example, the posture of grasping the steering operator 200 is recognized, although it is a two-handed grasping but not a normal grasping method (for example, only one finger is grasped in each hand). Based on this, the posture recognition unit 830 and the posture judgment unit 840 can determine the gripping state.

[0099] In another embodiment, the gesture recognition unit 830 and the gesture judgment unit 840 may also be implemented as software modules composed of one or more code segments, and the controller executes the gesture recognition unit 830 and the gesture judgment unit 840 to complete the corresponding functions. The software module is stored in a storage device corresponding to the controller.

[0100] In the embodiment, the accuracy of determining the grip state (whether the steering operator 200 can be immediately operated) is improved by the combination of DMC.

[0101] In summary, the notification technology related to the grip of the steering operator can notify the occupant based on the grip state and driving environment, thereby improving traffic safety and contributing to the development of a sustainable transportation system. In addition, by considering the occupant's contact position on the steering operator, the detection accuracy of the grip state is improved.

[0102] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, rather than to limit them; although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the above embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that they can still modify the technical solutions described in the above embodiments, or replace some or all of the technical features therein by equivalents; and these modifications or replacements do not make the essence of the corresponding technical solutions deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention. In addition, the terms "first", "second", etc. mentioned in this specification are only used to name the names of components (element) or to distinguish different embodiments or scopes, and are not used to limit the upper or lower limits on the number of components.

Claims

1. A notification system, characterized in that: include: a contact sensor disposed on a steering operator of the vehicle and configured to generate electrostatic capacitance in response to contact of an occupant with the steering operator; a gripping state determination unit for determining a gripping state of the steering operator by the occupant based on the electrostatic capacitance of the contact sensor; a notification unit that notifies the occupant based on a determination result of the gripping state determination unit; A map information acquisition unit, which acquires map information around the vehicle; a driving environment recognition unit, which recognizes the driving environment of the vehicle based on the map information and the position information of the vehicle; as well as a driving environment determination unit, which determines the driving environment based on the recognition result of the driving environment recognition unit; The gripping state determination unit determines whether the occupant is in the first gripping state or the second gripping state based on the detection result of the contact sensor. The driving environment determination unit determines whether the driving environment of the vehicle is a first driving environment or a second driving environment, When the grip state determination unit determines that the occupant is in the second grip state, and the driving environment determination unit determines that the driving environment is the first driving environment, the notification unit issues a first notification; as well as When the grip state determination unit determines that the occupant is in the second grip state and the driving environment determination unit determines that the driving environment is the second driving environment, the notification unit issues a second notification or does not issue a notification.

2. The notification system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The contact sensor is configured to determine a contact position of the occupant relative to the steering operation device. The gripping state determination unit determines whether the occupant is in the first gripping state or the second gripping state based on the electrostatic capacitance and the contact position of the contact sensor.

3. The notification system according to claim 2, characterized in that: When the electrostatic capacity of the contact sensor is greater than or equal to a first threshold, the gripping state determination unit determines that the occupant is in the first gripping state, The gripping state determination unit determines that the occupant is in the second gripping state when the electrostatic capacity of the contact sensor is less than a second threshold value, wherein the second threshold value is less than the first threshold value, The gripping state determination unit determines that the occupant is in the second gripping state when the electrostatic capacitance of the contact sensor is greater than or equal to the second threshold value and less than the first threshold value, and the contact position is in a first region, wherein the first region indicates a lower portion of the steering operator. The gripping state determination unit determines that the occupant is in the first gripping state when the electrostatic capacity of the contact sensor is greater than or equal to the second threshold and less than the first threshold, and the contact position is in a second region outside the first region.

4. The notification system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The gripping state determination section determines a third gripping state having a gripping degree lower than the second gripping state based on the electrostatic capacity of the contact sensor, The notification portion issues the second notification when it is determined that the occupant is in the third gripping state.

5. The notification system according to claim 1, characterized in that: When the gripping state determination unit determines that the occupant is in the second gripping state for a period exceeding a predetermined time, the notification unit notifies the occupant. When the driving environment determination unit determines that the driving environment is the first driving environment, and when the gripping state determination unit determines that the occupant has been in the second gripping state for a period exceeding a first predetermined time, the notification unit notifies the occupant. When the driving environment judgment unit determines that the driving environment is the second driving environment, and when the gripping state judgment unit determines that the occupant is in the second gripping state for a time exceeding a second predetermined time, the notification unit notifies the occupant that the second predetermined time is greater than the first predetermined time.

6. The notification system according to claim 1, characterized in that: Also includes: a gesture recognition unit, configured to recognize the gesture of the occupant; as well as a posture determination unit for determining the posture of the occupant recognized by the posture recognition unit; When the posture determination unit determines that the occupant is in a first posture that is not suitable for driving, the gripping state determination unit determines that the occupant is in the second gripping state.

7. The notification system according to claim 1, characterized in that: Also includes: A camera unit is used to capture the external environment around the vehicle. The driving environment recognition unit recognizes the driving environment based on the external environment including the traffic participants in the driving environment, the map information, and the position information of the vehicle. The driving environment determination unit determines that the driving environment in which the vehicle is driving is the first driving environment or the second driving environment based on the recognition result of the driving environment recognition unit.

8. The notification system according to claim 7, characterized in that: Also includes: a road condition detection unit, for detecting the road condition on which the vehicle is traveling, The driving environment recognition unit recognizes the driving environment based on the external environment, the map information, the location information of the vehicle and the road condition. The driving environment determination unit determines that the driving environment in which the vehicle is driving is the first driving environment or the second driving environment based on the recognition result of the driving environment recognition unit.

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