Driving support device, method and program

Abstract

To provide a technique which is advantageous in further improving preventive safety technology that can be used for driving support.SOLUTION: A driving support device to be mounted on a vehicle which is capable of communicating with another vehicle comprises: calculation means for calculating a travel route of the other vehicle on the basis of a communication result with the other vehicle; computation means which determines whether the own vehicle interferes with the other vehicle which travels on the calculated travel route and if it is determined that the own vehicle interferes with the other vehicle, generates a notification signal for providing notification to that effect; and specifying means for specifying a state of a shift range of the own vehicle. If the shift range specified by the specifying means is one that suppresses travel of the own vehicle, the computation means is deactivated.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates primarily to an in-vehicle driving assistance device. [Background technology]

[0002] Recently, there have been many efforts to provide access to sustainable transportation systems that take into consideration vulnerable transport participants. To achieve this, research and development into preventive safety technologies is being widely conducted to further improve transport safety and convenience. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2022-61482 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Some vehicles provide driving assistance by performing vehicle-to-vehicle communication with other vehicles (see Patent Document 1), and there is a general demand for further improvements in preventive safety technology that can be used for driving assistance.

[0005] An exemplary object of the present invention is to provide a technology that is advantageous for further improving preventive safety technology that can be utilized for driving assistance. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] One aspect of the present invention relates to a driving assistance device, A driving assistance device mounted on a vehicle capable of communicating with other vehicles, A calculation means for calculating a travel route of the other vehicle based on a result of communication with the other vehicle; a calculation means for determining whether or not the host vehicle will interfere with the other vehicle traveling along the calculated travel route, and generating a notification signal for notifying the other vehicle when it is determined that the host vehicle will interfere with the other vehicle; A determination means for determining a state of a shift range of the host vehicle; Equipped with When the shift range specified by the specifying means is one that inhibits the movement of the host vehicle, the calculating means is deactivated. It is characterized by: Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the present invention, preventive safety technology that can be utilized for driving assistance is improved. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a system configuration of a vehicle according to an embodiment. [Figure 2A] FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining one aspect of driving assistance. [Figure 2B] FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining one aspect of driving assistance. [Figure 3A] FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining one aspect of driving assistance. [Figure 3B] FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining one aspect of driving assistance. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a typical example of a shift range of a vehicle. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining one aspect of driving assistance. [Figure 6] 4 is a flowchart showing the control content of the driving support device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Hereinafter, the embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the invention according to the claims, and not all combinations of features described in the embodiments are essential to the invention. Two or more features among the multiple features described in the embodiments may be arbitrarily combined. In addition, the same reference numbers are used for the same or similar configurations, and duplicated descriptions are omitted.

[0010] (Example of vehicle system configuration) 1 shows a vehicle 1 according to an embodiment. The vehicle 1 is a four-wheeled vehicle having two front wheels and two rear wheels as wheels 11, but the number of wheels 11 is not limited to this example and may be, for example, a two-wheeled vehicle or a three-wheeled vehicle. In addition, the vehicle 1 is a ride-on type vehicle in this embodiment, but may be a saddle-ride type vehicle in other embodiments.

[0011] In this embodiment, the vehicle 1 further includes a driving operation device 12, a position detection device 13, a communication device 14, a notification device 15, and a driving assistance device 16.

[0012] The driving operation device 12 includes an acceleration operation 12a, a braking operation 12b, a steering operation 12c, and a gear shift operation 12d, each of which is disposed near the driver's seat so as to be accessible to the driver. The acceleration operation 12a is configured to be able to receive an operation input from the driver for accelerating or maintaining the vehicle 1, and a typical example of which may be an accelerator pedal. The braking operation 12b is configured to be able to receive an operation input from the driver for decelerating or stopping the vehicle 1, and a typical example of which may be a brake pedal. The steering operation 12c is configured to be able to receive an operation input from the driver for turning the vehicle 1 or changing the traveling direction, and a typical example of which may be a steering wheel. The gear shift operation 12d is configured to be able to receive an operation input from the driver for changing the gear ratio of a transmission in a power transmission mechanism that transmits the power of a power source to the wheels 11, and a typical example of which may be a shift lever. The operators 12a to 12d may be other known configurations such as button switches.

[0013] The position detection device 13 is a sensor capable of detecting or identifying the position information of the vehicle 1, and typically a GPS (Global Positioning System) sensor can be used. Note that the position detection device 13 detects the position of the vehicle 1 in absolute coordinates, but may also detect the relative position of the vehicle 1 with respect to a reference position.

[0014] The communication device 14 is configured to realize transmission and reception of signals between the vehicle 1 and other vehicles by so-called vehicle-to-vehicle communication (in the following description, the vehicle 1 may be referred to as the vehicle itself 1 to distinguish it from other vehicles). Details of the communication content will be described later.

[0015] The notification device 15 includes a sound source device 15a and a display device 15b. The sound source device 15a is configured to generate a predetermined notification sound for the driver, and may be a known device such as a speaker that allows the driver to recognize the notification audibly. The display device 15b is configured to display image information for the driver, and may be a known device such as a liquid crystal display that allows the driver to recognize the notification visually. Details of the notification content will be described later.

[0016] The driving assistance device 16 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 16a and a memory 16b. The CPU 16a executes a predetermined program while expanding it on the memory 16b, thereby enabling the driving assistance function described below to be realized. The driving assistance device 16 may be configured with an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit). That is, the driving assistance function may be realized by either hardware or software, may be incorporated into a semiconductor device by a circuit, or may be executed based on instructions from a computer by a processor with a memory.

[0017] (Example of driving assistance function) The driving assistance provided by the driving assistance device 16 refers to directly / indirectly assisting the driver in driving. In this embodiment, the driving assistance device 16, for example, predicts interference with other vehicles based on the communication results of the communication device 14, creates map information as necessary, and issues a predetermined notification by the notification device 15, thereby providing driving assistance.

[0018] - Interference prediction based on communication with oncoming vehicles FIG. 2A shows an oncoming vehicle 9 as an example of another vehicle. OB1 The lane in which the host vehicle 1 is traveling is defined as the host vehicle lane 40, and the lane in which the host vehicle 1 is traveling is defined as the host vehicle lane 40. OB1 is traveling in oncoming lane 41, which is permitted to travel in the opposite direction to lane 40. In the figure, oncoming lanes 42 and 43 are assumed to intersect with lanes 40 and 41, and the intersection is shown as intersection 44.

[0019] In this example, lane 41 is located to the left of lane 40, but depending on the country or region, the positional relationship may be reversed (the same applies to lanes 42 and 43).

[0020] Vehicle 1 is facing oncoming vehicle 9 OB1 The communication device 14 acquires driving information from the vehicle, and the driving support device 16 performs a predetermined calculation process based on the driving information. OB1 Calculate the route of the oncoming vehicle. OB1 An example of the driving information is an oncoming vehicle OB1 The information typically includes information indicating the position, vehicle speed, and steering angle of an oncoming vehicle 9, but may further include information indicating the accelerator opening, whether or not a turn signal has been input, etc. OB1 Oncoming vehicles that can be identified by OB1 A part or all of the information indicating the travel route itself may be acquired by the communication device 14.

[0021] The driving assistance device 16 further receives position information of the vehicle 1 from the position detection device 13, and receives information indicating the content of the operation input by the driver to the driving operation device 12 from the driving operation device 12, and calculates the driving route of the vehicle 1 based on that.

[0022] The oncoming vehicle 9 obtained in this way OB1 Based on the travel route of the vehicle 1 and the travel route of the vehicle 1, the driving assistance device 16 detects the oncoming vehicle 9 OB1 This prediction is based on the fact that the host vehicle 1 is in a collision with an oncoming vehicle 9. OB1 By calculating the timing at which the vehicles will interfere with each other, the prediction can be made based on whether or not the timing is within a predetermined time from the current timing, for example, based on whether or not a Time To Collision (TTC), which is the time until the vehicles come into contact if both vehicles maintain their vehicle speeds, is less than a reference value. As another example, this prediction may be made based on another known calculation model.

[0023] In this embodiment, the host vehicle 1 and the oncoming vehicle 9 OB1 When the TTC of vehicle 1 is less than the reference value, vehicle 9 is oncoming OB1 It is assumed that the vehicle 1 is judged to interfere with the oncoming vehicle 9. OB1 When it is determined that the vehicle is interfering with the vehicle, the driving assistance device 16 generates a signal indicating the possibility of the interference and outputs it as a notification signal to the notification device 15. The notification signal here includes a sound source signal Sig15a for notifying the driver by the sound source device 15a and an image signal Sig15b for notifying the driver by the display device 15b. The sound source device 15a generates a predetermined sound based on the sound source signal Sig15a, and the display device 15b outputs a predetermined image based on the image signal Sig15b, thereby making it possible to make the driver aware of the possibility of the interference.

[0024] The above-mentioned interference prediction is mainly performed by the calculation processing of the CPU 16a in the driving support device 16, and is judged, specified, or calculated regardless of the possibility of the interference. Therefore, the above-mentioned prediction may be rephrased as judgement, specification, or calculation (the same applies to other predictions described later).

[0025] -Generating map information based on communication with oncoming vehicles If the vehicle 1 does not have map data (for example, if the map data is not stored in the memory 16b of the driving support device 16, or if the map data is not stored in another storage device), the oncoming vehicle 9 OB1 In relation to the interference prediction with the map data, other information may be generated and registered in place of the map data. The other information that may be generated is referred to as generated map information in the following description.

[0026] The generated map information is generated to mainly indicate the location of the intersection 44. OB1 The intersection of the other vehicle travel path, which is the path traveled by the other vehicle, and the host vehicle travel path, which is the path traveled by the host vehicle 1 thereafter, is associated with each other.

[0027] FIG. 2B shows an example of an oncoming vehicle 9 OB1 1 shows a state in which the host vehicle 1 starts moving and turns left after a vehicle has passed beside the host vehicle 1. When the host vehicle 1 is in a state in which the traveling is restricted (for example, when the host vehicle 1 is substantially stopped, or when the host vehicle 1 can be stopped quickly (for example, when the speed is 20 [km / h] or less)), the driving support device 16 sets a set region R1 on the front side of the host vehicle 1. The set region R1 is set to a predetermined relative position based on the position information of the host vehicle 1 acquired by the position detection device 13, and may be set to a position at a predetermined angle and a predetermined distance from the body of the host vehicle 1, for example. When the restriction on the traveling of the host vehicle 1 is released, the set region R1 is also released, and when the traveling of the host vehicle 1 is again restricted, the set region R1 can be set again to a corresponding position at that time.

[0028] Oncoming vehicle 9 OB1 When an oncoming vehicle 9 passes through the set area R1, the set area R1 is fixed. OB1 After the oncoming vehicle 9 passes through the fixed set area R1, the fixed set area R1 is maintained even if the restriction on the traveling of the vehicle 1 is released. OB1An intersection RtX is indicated between the other vehicle travel trajectory Rt1, which is the trajectory of the vehicle 1, and the host vehicle travel trajectory Rt0, which is the trajectory of the host vehicle 1. Position information of the intersection RtX can be stored and registered in the memory 16b as generated map information indicating the position of the intersection 44.

[0029] The fixed set area R1 can be released in response to the registration of generated map information and / or in response to the host vehicle 1 moving away from the set area R1 by a reference distance or more.

[0030] The driving assistance device 16 can arbitrarily refer to the generated map information thus obtained, and thereby can identify the position of the intersection 44 even if the vehicle 1 does not have map data, and can generate the above-mentioned notification signal to call the driver's attention as necessary. The generated map information may be expressed as intersection position information. Furthermore, if the restriction on the travel of the vehicle 1 is released even during such calculation processing, as described with reference to FIG. 2A, OB1 Interference prediction with the UE is appropriately performed.

[0031] - Interference prediction based on communication with vehicles crossing ahead FIG. 3A shows a vehicle 9 crossing ahead as another example of another vehicle. OB2 The following shows how interference with a vehicle crossing ahead is predicted. OB2 Assume that the vehicle 9 is traveling in the lane 42. In this example, the interference prediction can be performed in the same manner as in the example of FIG. 2A. That is, the driving support device 16 uses the information on the vehicle 9 crossing ahead acquired by the communication device 14 to OB2 Based on the driving information, 9 vehicles crossing ahead OB2 The driving route of the vehicle 1 is calculated based on the information acquired from the position detection device 13 and the driving operation device 12.

[0032] The number of vehicles crossing ahead obtained in this way9 OB2 Based on the travel route of the vehicle 1 and the travel route of the vehicle 1, the driving support device 16 detects the vehicle 9 crossing ahead. OB2 The collision between the vehicle 1 and the vehicle 9 crossing ahead is predicted. OB2 If the TTC of vehicle 1 is less than the reference value, vehicle 1 will not be able to detect vehicle 9 crossing ahead. OB2and the driving support device 16 outputs the above-mentioned notification signal to the notification device 15. This makes it possible to make the driver aware of the possibility of the above-mentioned interference.

[0033] -Generating map information based on communication with vehicles crossing ahead FIG. 3B shows an example of a vehicle crossing ahead 9 OB2 1 shows a state in which the host vehicle 1 starts moving and travels straight after a vehicle has passed in front of the host vehicle 1. When the traveling of the host vehicle 1 is restricted, the driving assistance device 16 sets a set area R2 in front of the host vehicle 1. The set area R2 is set independently of the set area R1, and similarly to the set area R1, when the restriction on the traveling of the host vehicle 1 is lifted, the set area R2 is also lifted, and when the traveling of the host vehicle 1 is again restricted, the set area R2 can be set again to a corresponding position at that time.

[0034] Vehicles crossing ahead 9 OB2 When the vehicle 9 passes through the set area R2, the set area R2 is fixed. OB2 After the vehicle 1 passes through the fixed set area R2, the fixed set area R2 is maintained even if the restriction on the travel of the vehicle 1 is released. After that, when the vehicle 1 passes through the fixed set area R2 by traveling straight, the vehicle 1 is notified of the vehicle 9 passing through the fixed set area R2. OB2 An intersection RtX is indicated between the other vehicle travel trajectory Rt2, which is the trajectory of the vehicle 1, and the host vehicle travel trajectory Rt0, which is the trajectory of the host vehicle 1. Position information of the intersection RtX can be stored and registered in the memory 16b as generated map information indicating the position of the intersection 44.

[0035] The fixed set area R2 can be released in response to the registration of generated map information and / or in response to the host vehicle 1 moving away from the set area R2 by a reference distance or more.

[0036] Based on the generated map information thus obtained, the driving support device 16 can generate the above-mentioned notification signal to call the driver's attention. In addition, when the restriction on the traveling of the vehicle 1 is released during such calculation processing, as described with reference to FIG. 3A, OB2Interference prediction with the UE is appropriately performed.

[0037] Some of the driving assistance described above can be performed regardless of whether or not there are traffic lights at the intersection 44, but can be particularly advantageous in improving convenience when there are no traffic lights.

[0038] (Suppression of unnecessary driving assistance) Some or all of the above-mentioned driving assistance may be unnecessary depending on the situation, and in such a case, the driving assistance may be a nuisance to the driver, so it may be considered to suppress some or all of it. On the other hand, it can be said that the suppression of the driving assistance should be limited to a partial one so as to avoid confusion for other vehicles and to realize an appropriate road traffic environment.

[0039] As an example, when the shift range of the transmission (hereinafter, for ease of explanation, referred to as the shift range of the vehicle 1) that can be changed by the shift position of the gear shift operator 12d in the vehicle 1 is one that inhibits the progress of the vehicle 1, it can be considered that starting of the vehicle 1 is generally not intended. In such a case, the above-mentioned driving assistance may be inhibited, and for example, the calculation process related to the prediction of interference with other vehicles can be deactivated compared to other cases.

[0040] As shown in Figure 4, for ease of understanding, typical examples of shift ranges when considering an AT (automatic transmission) vehicle are: Parking (P) range, which keeps vehicle 1 stationary; Reverse (R) range, which allows vehicle 1 to move backwards; Neutral (N) range in which the power transmission path to the wheels 11 is cut off; and Drive (D) range, which allows vehicle 1 to move forward; Examples include:

[0041] In the P range, both forward and reverse movement of the vehicle 1 are suppressed regardless of the operation input to the acceleration operating member 12a. Therefore, the P range can be said to be a shift range for suppressing the movement of the vehicle 1 (movement is a concept that includes forward and reverse movement).

[0042] In the R range, the forward movement of the vehicle 1 is suppressed, while the vehicle 1 moves backward by operating the acceleration operating element 12a, that is, the R range suppresses the forward movement of the vehicle 1 and allows it to move backward. Here, the driving assistance according to this embodiment can be mainly used in a situation where the vehicle 1 moves forward. Therefore, although details will be described later, the R range can be said to be a shift range for suppressing the movement of the vehicle 1 in one aspect.

[0043] In the N range, when the road surface is horizontal, the movement of the vehicle 1 is restricted, but when the road surface is inclined, the vehicle 1 may move in the direction of the inclination. Therefore, the N range can be said to be a shift range that does not actively permit the movement of the vehicle 1, but does not restrict the movement of the vehicle 1.

[0044] In the D range, the vehicle 1 moves forward in response to an operation input to the acceleration operating member 12a. Therefore, the D range can be said to be a shift range that allows the vehicle 1 to move forward.

[0045] Examples of additional shift ranges include a sports range (S range) or a second range (2 range) in which engine braking is utilized, and a brake range (B range) or a low range (L range) in which engine braking is further utilized. All of these are shift ranges that allow the vehicle 1 to move forward, and for ease of explanation, they are included in the concept of the D range.

[0046] From the above viewpoint, in the case of the P range, it is generally considered that the starting of the vehicle 1 is not intended. In such a case, it is unlikely that the vehicle 1 will approach and interfere with another vehicle (or another object) due to the driving operation of the driver, and the notification described with reference to the examples of Figs. 2A to 3B may unnecessarily attract the driver's attention, so the generation of the notification signal described above is suppressed. The suppression of the generation of the notification signal includes partial suppression, that is, of the sound source signal Sig15a and the image signal Sig15b, the generation of the sound source signal Sig15a may be suppressed and the generation of the image signal Sig15b may be executed. As another example, in such a case, the execution of the interference prediction itself may be suppressed, in which case the generation of both the sound source signal Sig15a and the image signal Sig15b is suppressed.

[0047] As described above, the driving assistance according to this embodiment is mainly utilized when the vehicle 1 moves forward, so even in the case of the R range, the above-mentioned notification may unnecessarily attract the driver's attention. Therefore, even in the case of the R range, the generation of the notification signal or the execution of the interference prediction itself may be suppressed, as in the case of the P range.

[0048] On the other hand, in the case of N range, it cannot be said that the starting of vehicle 1 is not intended, and in the case of D range, it can be said that the starting of vehicle 1 is intended, so in those cases, interference prediction with other vehicles is appropriately performed and a notification signal can be generated if necessary.

[0049] In summary, when the shift range inhibits the progress of the vehicle 1, the driving assistance according to the present embodiment may be bothersome to the driver of the vehicle 1. Therefore, in such a case, the generation of the notification signal or the execution of the interference prediction itself may be inhibited, and the calculation process related to the interference prediction with other vehicles may be at least partially deactivated.

[0050] Typical situations in which the above may occur include a situation in which the vehicle 1 is stopped on the shoulder of the lane 40 in P range, a situation in which the vehicle 1 is waiting at a traffic light on the lane 40 in P range, etc.

[0051] (Exceptions to the suppression of driving assistance) Incidentally, as described above, in order to realize an appropriate road traffic environment, it can be said that the suppression of the driving assistance according to this embodiment should be limited to a partial level.

[0052] - First example FIG. 5 shows a state in which the vehicle 1 is stopped in the P range near an intersection 44. Generally, in the vicinity of an intersection 44, the driver of the vehicle 1 is unaware of the oncoming vehicle 9. OB1 9 vehicles crossing ahead OB2 In such an example, it may be necessary to pay attention to various types of attention in addition to attention to other vehicles including the above. Therefore, in such an example, the driving assistance according to the present embodiment may be executed regardless of the shift range (for example, even if the shift range is P range or R range).

[0053] The vicinity of the intersection 44 here is an area where attention to a wider range or attention from multiple angles is required. For example, the area is an area where attention to the left and right as well as the area ahead of the vehicle 1 may be required, and the size of the area may be determined as a fixed value (e.g., 10 to 20 meters). The intersection 44 is identified by the procedure described with reference to Figs. 2B and 3B, and when generated map information is registered by the same procedure, the intersection 44 may be identified based on the generated map information.

[0054] In summary, when the location of a pre-specified intersection 44 is within a predetermined distance from the vehicle 1 (for example, within 10 to 20 meters), interference prediction is performed regardless of the shift range, that is, the calculation processing related to interference prediction with other vehicles is not deactivated.

[0055] - Second Example When starting the vehicle 1 that is stopped in the P range, the driver generally changes the shift range to, for example, the D range, and then inputs some operation to the acceleration operation element 12a. Therefore, it cannot be said that the start of the vehicle 1 is intended immediately after such a shift change is performed, that is, it is difficult to imagine that the vehicle 1 will immediately approach and interfere with another vehicle as a result of the shift change. Therefore, in this example, it is assumed that the above-mentioned driving assistance is executed and interference prediction is performed if the driving state of the vehicle 1 satisfies the conditions within a predetermined time after the shift from the P range to the D range.

[0056] The condition of the running state of the vehicle 1 referred to here may be any condition that can generally be determined as an intention to start the vehicle 1, and a typical example is that the vehicle speed of the vehicle 1 is equal to or greater than a reference speed (e.g., 20 kilometers per hour, etc.) As another example, alternatively / additionally, the condition may be that the accelerator opening of the vehicle 1 is equal to or greater than a reference speed.

[0057] Furthermore, the predetermined time here may be set to the time that it would typically take a driver to input an operation to the acceleration operator 12a after performing the above-mentioned shift change when starting the vehicle 1 from a stopped state, and may be set to any value within the range of 1 to 10 seconds, for example.

[0058] In this example, the case where the shift range is changed from P range to D range is illustrated, but the above is considered to be necessary not only when moving the vehicle 1 forward, but also when moving the vehicle 1 backward. Therefore, the above can be said to be applicable to the case where the shift range is changed from P range to R range (the same applies to the following explanation). In summary, interference prediction should be performed based on the running state of the vehicle 1 within a predetermined time after the shift range of the vehicle 1 is changed from one that suppresses advancement (e.g., P range) to one that allows advancement (e.g., D range or R range).

[0059] (Regarding driving assistance control content) 6 is a flowchart showing the control contents of the driving assistance device 16 when performing driving assistance according to this embodiment. This flowchart is started, for example, when the vehicle 1 is started, and the contents of each step can be realized mainly by the CPU 16a executing a program.

[0060] In step S6010 (hereinafter simply referred to as "S6010"; the same applies to other steps described below), it is determined whether or not the intersection 44 is located within a predetermined distance range from the vehicle 1. If the intersection 44 is located within the predetermined distance range from the vehicle 1, proceed to S6130, and if not, proceed to S6020.

[0061] In S6020, the shift range of the vehicle 1 is identified to determine whether it is the P range or not. If it is the P range, the process proceeds to S6030, and if not (here, the D range), the process proceeds to S6110. The shift range can be identified by obtaining a signal indicating the shift position of the gear shift operator 12d from the driving operation device 12.

[0062] In S6030, the operation mode of the driver assistance is set to the inactive mode, and then the process returns to S6010. By setting the inactive mode, the calculation process related to the interference prediction with other vehicles is deactivated, and the generation of the notification signal or the execution of the interference prediction itself is suppressed. Note that this step may be omitted if the inactive mode has already been set or if the inactive mode is set as the initial state.

[0063] In S6110, it is determined whether the elapsed time since it was determined that the shift range was changed to D range satisfies a criterion (for example, any value that can be determined within a range of 1 to 10 seconds). If the elapsed time satisfies the criterion, the process proceeds to S6120, and if not, the process returns to S6010.

[0064] In S6120, it is determined whether the running state of the vehicle 1 satisfies a condition, and in this example, it is determined whether the vehicle speed of the vehicle 1 satisfies a standard (for example, 20 kilometers per hour). If the vehicle speed satisfies the standard, the process proceeds to S6130, and if not, the process returns to S6010. That is, S6010, S6020, S6110, and S6120 are repeated from when the shift range is changed to the D range until the vehicle speed of the vehicle 1 satisfies the standard. Note that if the shift range is changed to the P range again during that time, S6010, S6020, and S6030 are repeated.

[0065] In S6130, the operation mode of the driver assistance is set to the active mode, and then the process returns to S6010. For example, if it is determined in S6010 that the location of the intersection 44 is within a predetermined distance from the vehicle 1, the active mode is set as a situation in which various attentions are required. Also, for example, if it is determined in S6110 and S6120 that the vehicle speed of the vehicle 1 in the D range meets the criteria, the active mode is set as a situation in which the vehicle 1 is intended to start. By setting the active mode, a calculation process related to interference prediction with another vehicle is activated, whereby interference prediction is performed, and a notification signal is generated as necessary.

[0066] In the second example described above, the interference prediction is performed based on the traveling state of the vehicle 1 within a predetermined time after the shift range is changed from the P range to the D range. OB1 (See Figure 2A) and 9 vehicles crossing ahead OB2 When another vehicle, including a vehicle 110 (see FIG. 3A), is detected in the vicinity of the vehicle 1, the vehicle 1 may be required to pay attention to the other vehicle without waiting for the driving state of the vehicle 1 to satisfy a condition (in the second example, the vehicle speed to satisfy a standard).

[0067] Therefore, in such a case, it is preferable to quickly set the operation mode of the driver assistance to the active mode. Referring again to the flowchart in Fig. 6, this can be relatively easily achieved by, for example, omitting S6110 and S6120 by using an interrupt process based on the detection of the presence of another vehicle by the communication device 14.

[0068] In addition, there are 9 vehicles crossing ahead. OB2 When this is detected, it is possible that the vehicle 1 is located near an intersection 44, so when the intersection 44 is identified, driving assistance based on the first example described above may be performed preferentially (see FIG. 5).

[0069] As described above, according to the present embodiment, the driving assistance device 16 detects other vehicles (oncoming vehicles 9 OB1 and / or vehicle crossing ahead 9 OB2 ), the driving route of the other vehicle is calculated based on the communication result with the vehicle 1, and it is determined whether the vehicle 1 will interfere with the other vehicle. If it is determined that the vehicle 1 will interfere with the other vehicle, a predetermined notification signal is generated and output to the notification device 15. On the other hand, if the shift range of the vehicle 1 is one that suppresses the progression, it can be said that the starting of the vehicle 1 is generally not intended, and therefore the execution of the above-mentioned determination and the calculation processing including the generation of the notification signal are deactivated. As a result, unnecessary notifications are not given to the driver, and it is possible to provide driving assistance that is more comfortable for the driver. Therefore, according to this embodiment, it can be said to be advantageous for improving preventive safety technology that can be used for driving assistance.

[0070] The detection of other vehicles may be realized by the host vehicle 1 communicating with the other vehicles via the communication device 14, or alternatively / accompanyingly, by providing the vehicle 1 with a detection device capable of detecting objects around the host vehicle 1. As the detection device, a camera configured with a CCD / CMOS image sensor or the like may be used, or a distance measuring device such as a millimeter wave radar or LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) may be used.

[0071] When the vehicle 1 further includes the detection device, the driving assistance device 16 can perform further driving assistance in combination with the communication device 14. For example, the vehicle 1 can communicate with other vehicles outside the detection range of the detection device (or in blind spots of the detection range) by the communication device 14. Therefore, according to the embodiment, it is advantageous to realize appropriate driving assistance early, diversify the content of driving assistance, and ultimately provide more advanced driving assistance.

[0072] In the above description, for ease of understanding, each element is indicated by a name related to its function, but each element is not limited to having the content described in the embodiment as its main function, and may have it as an auxiliary function. Therefore, each element is not strictly limited to the expression, and the expression can be replaced with a similar expression. In the same spirit, the expression "apparatus" may be replaced with "unit," "component, piece," "member," "structure," "assembly," etc., or may be omitted or added.

[0073] In addition, two or more elements exemplified as selectable in the embodiments are not strictly limited to the examples, and may be arbitrarily combined, for example, each of the two or more exemplified elements may be additionally or alternatively selected. As an example, when two elements A and B are arbitrarily combined, it may be expressed as "A and / or B" or "at least one of A and B" to indicate that it is either A only, B only, or both A and B.

[0074] (Summary of the embodiment) Some features exemplified in the above embodiments are as follows: First, the driving assistance device (e.g., 16) Other vehicles (e.g. 9 OB1 , 9 OB2 A driving assistance device mounted on a vehicle (e.g., 1) capable of communicating with a vehicle A calculation means (e.g., 16a, FIGS. 2A to 3B) for calculating a travel route of the other vehicle based on a communication result with the other vehicle; A calculation means (e.g., 16a, S6130) that determines whether the host vehicle will interfere with the other vehicle traveling on the calculated travel route, and generates a notification signal (e.g., Sig15a, Sig15b) to notify the other vehicle when it is determined that the host vehicle will interfere with the other vehicle; A determination means (e.g., 16a, S6020) for determining the state of the shift range of the host vehicle; Equipped with When the shift range specified by the specifying means is one that inhibits the advancement of the host vehicle, the computing means is deactivated (e.g., 16a, S6030). This prevents unnecessary notifications from being sent to the driver, making it possible to provide more comfortable driving assistance for the driver, and is advantageous for improving preventive safety technology that can be used for driving assistance.

[0075] Secondly, When the shift range specified by the specifying means is one that inhibits the movement of the host vehicle, the computing means inhibits the generation of the notification signal based on the determination. This makes it possible to suppress unnecessary notifications to the driver.

[0076] Third, The calculation means generates the notification signal based on the determination based on a traveling state of the host vehicle after a shift range of the host vehicle is changed from one that inhibits the host vehicle from moving forward to one that allows the host vehicle to move forward. This makes it possible to appropriately take into consideration the driver's intention to start the vehicle.

[0077] Fourth, The shift range that allows the progression includes the D range and the R range. This makes it possible to provide driving assistance that is applicable to both forward and reverse driving of the host vehicle.

[0078] Fifth, The running state of the host vehicle includes a vehicle speed of the host vehicle, When the vehicle speed of the host vehicle is equal to or higher than a reference speed, the calculation means generates the notification signal based on the determination. This makes it possible to appropriately take into consideration the driver's intention to start the vehicle.

[0079] Sixth, The running state of the host vehicle includes an accelerator opening degree of the host vehicle, When the accelerator opening of the host vehicle is equal to or greater than a reference value, the calculation means generates the notification signal based on the determination. This makes it possible to appropriately take into consideration the driver's intention to start the vehicle.

[0080] Seventh, When a position of a pre-specified intersection (e.g., 44) is within a predetermined distance from the vehicle, the calculation means generates the notification signal based on the determination, regardless of the shift range specified by the specification means. This makes it possible to provide even more appropriate driving assistance.

[0081] Eighth, The calculation means includes: generating the notification signal based on the determination when a shift range of the host vehicle is changed from one that inhibits the host vehicle from moving forward to one that permits the vehicle to move forward; When an oncoming vehicle is present in front of the vehicle, the notification signal is generated based on the determination on the basis of a traveling state of the vehicle. This makes it possible to provide even more appropriate driving assistance.

[0082] Ninth, The calculation means further calculates a driving route of the host vehicle based on the shift range specified by the specification means, The calculation means generates the notification signal based on the determination, based on a travel route of the host vehicle and a travel route of the other vehicle. This makes it possible to provide more appropriate driving assistance when the driver's intention to start the vehicle is taken into consideration.

[0083] Tenth, When the shift range specified by the specifying means is the R range, the calculating means generates the notification signal based on the determination. That is, from the viewpoint that driving assistance is mainly utilized in situations where the vehicle moves forward, the R range, which suppresses the forward movement of the vehicle and allows it to move backward, can be said to be a shift range for suppressing the movement of the vehicle, but it is also possible to provide more appropriate driving assistance when the host vehicle moves backward.

[0084] 11. The method includes: A method for driving assistance for a vehicle capable of communicating with another vehicle, comprising: calculating a travel route of the other vehicle based on a result of communication with the other vehicle; determining whether or not the host vehicle will interfere with the other vehicle traveling along the calculated travel route, and generating a notification signal for notifying the other vehicle when it is determined that the host vehicle will interfere with the other vehicle; Identifying a state of a shift range of the host vehicle; Including, When the specified shift range is one that inhibits the movement of the host vehicle, the step of making the determination and generating the notification signal is deactivated. This provides the same effect as the first effect.

[0085] 12. The program: A program for causing a computer to execute driving assistance for a vehicle capable of communicating with another vehicle, Calculating a travel route of the other vehicle based on a result of communication with the other vehicle; determining whether or not the host vehicle will interfere with the other vehicle traveling along the calculated travel route, and generating a notification signal for notifying the other vehicle when it is determined that the host vehicle will interfere with the other vehicle; Identifying a state of a shift range of the host vehicle; Run the command, When the specified shift range is one that inhibits the travel of the host vehicle, the determination is made and the generation of the notification signal is deactivated. This provides the same effect as the first aspect. The program can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium.

[0086] The invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications and variations are possible within the scope of the gist of the invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0087] 1: vehicle, 12: driving operation device, 13: position detection device, 14: communication device, 15: notification device, 16: driving assistance device.

Claims

1. A driving assistance device mounted on a vehicle capable of communicating with other vehicles, A calculation means for calculating a travel route of the other vehicle based on a result of communication with the other vehicle; a calculation means for determining whether or not the host vehicle will interfere with the other vehicle traveling along the calculated travel route, and generating a notification signal for notifying the other vehicle when it is determined that the host vehicle will interfere with the other vehicle; A determination means for determining a state of a shift range of the host vehicle; Equipped with When the shift range specified by the specifying means is one that inhibits the movement of the host vehicle, the calculating means is deactivated. A driving assistance device comprising:

2. When the shift range specified by the specifying means is one that inhibits the movement of the host vehicle, the computing means inhibits the generation of the notification signal based on the determination.

2. The driving support device according to claim 1.

3. The calculation means generates the notification signal based on the determination based on a traveling state of the host vehicle after a shift range of the host vehicle is changed from one that inhibits the host vehicle from moving forward to one that allows the host vehicle to move forward.

3. The driving assistance device according to claim 2.

4. The shift range that allows the progression includes a D range and an R range.

4. The driving support device according to claim 3.

5. The running state of the host vehicle includes a vehicle speed of the host vehicle, When the vehicle speed of the host vehicle is equal to or higher than a reference speed, the calculation means generates the notification signal based on the determination.

4. The driving support device according to claim 3.

6. The running state of the host vehicle includes an accelerator opening degree of the host vehicle, When the accelerator opening of the host vehicle is equal to or greater than a reference value, the calculation means generates the notification signal based on the determination.

4. The driving support device according to claim 3.

7. When a position of a pre-specified intersection is within a predetermined distance from the vehicle, the calculation means generates the notification signal based on the determination regardless of the shift range specified by the specification means.

4. The driving support device according to claim 3.

8. The calculation means includes: generating the notification signal based on the determination when a shift range of the host vehicle is changed from one that inhibits the host vehicle from moving forward to one that permits the vehicle to move forward; When an oncoming vehicle is present in front of the vehicle, the notification signal is generated based on the determination on the basis of a traveling state of the vehicle.

4. The driving support device according to claim 3.

9. The calculation means further calculates a driving route of the host vehicle based on the shift range specified by the specification means, The calculation means generates the notification signal based on the determination, based on a travel route of the host vehicle and a travel route of the other vehicle.

4. The driving support device according to claim 3.

10. When the shift range specified by the specifying means is the R range, the calculating means generates the notification signal based on the determination.

2. The driving support device according to claim 1.

11. A method for driving assistance for a vehicle capable of communicating with another vehicle, comprising: calculating a travel route of the other vehicle based on a result of communication with the other vehicle; determining whether or not the host vehicle will interfere with the other vehicle traveling along the calculated travel route, and generating a notification signal for notifying the other vehicle when it is determined that the host vehicle will interfere with the other vehicle; Identifying a state of a shift range of the host vehicle; Including, When the specified shift range is one that inhibits the movement of the host vehicle, the step of making the determination and generating the notification signal is deactivated. A method comprising:

12. A program for causing a computer to execute driving assistance for a vehicle capable of communicating with another vehicle, Calculating a travel route of the other vehicle based on a result of communication with the other vehicle; determining whether or not the host vehicle will interfere with the other vehicle traveling along the calculated travel route, and generating a notification signal for notifying the other vehicle when it is determined that the host vehicle will interfere with the other vehicle; Identifying a state of a shift range of the host vehicle; Run the command, When the specified shift range is one that inhibits the travel of the host vehicle, the determination is made and generation of the notification signal is deactivated. program.

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