Driving assistance device, driving assistance method, driving assistance program, and recording medium

Abstract

To provide a technology that can more effectively suppress unnecessary alerts regarding the detection of other vehicles located to the rear and sides of one's own vehicle. [Solution] The driver assistance device (4) includes a driving trajectory acquisition unit (42), a vehicle direction acquisition unit (43), a target direction acquisition unit (46), and a notification target determination unit (47). The driving trajectory acquisition unit acquires the driving trajectory of the vehicle. The vehicle direction acquisition unit acquires the vehicle direction, which is the direction the vehicle is facing on the driving trajectory. The target direction acquisition unit acquires the target direction, which is the direction of travel of another vehicle as an object located behind the vehicle. The notification target determination unit determines whether the other vehicle is a target for notification based on the vehicle direction and the target direction.

Description

Technical Field

[0005] , ,

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a driving support device, a driving support method, a driving support program, and a computer-readable non-transitory physical recording medium recording such a driving support program, which notify an occupant of an approach to an object based on detection information of an object around a vehicle.

Background Art

[0002] There is known a driving support device that detects an object behind and to the side of the host vehicle and prompts the driver to pay attention (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The driving support device described in Patent Document 1 includes an intersection recognition unit and a detection range change unit. The intersection recognition unit recognizes that the host vehicle is turning at an intersection. When the intersection recognition unit recognizes that the host vehicle is turning at an intersection, the detection range change unit narrows the detection range on the outer side in the turning direction of the host vehicle, out of the left rear side detection range and the right rear side detection range, in the direction approaching the vehicle.

[0003] According to this, when the host vehicle is turning at an intersection and it is assumed that the driver has no intention of advancing the host vehicle to the outside in the turning direction, the detection range on the outer side in the turning direction of the host vehicle is narrowed in the direction approaching the vehicle more than when not turning at the intersection. As a result, it becomes difficult to detect other vehicles going straight on the outside in the turning direction of the host vehicle, so that it is possible to suppress unnecessary and annoying notifications to the driver.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] In the driver assistance device described in Patent Document 1, for example, when the vehicle completes its turn, the detection range, which has been narrowed in the direction approaching the vehicle, is restored to its state before narrowing. At this time, depending on the positional relationship between the vehicle and another vehicle that is following the vehicle before it turns and is traveling straight without turning, such other vehicle may enter the detection range, which may result in unnecessary notifications.

[0006] This disclosure has been made in view of the circumstances illustrated above. Specifically, the present invention provides a technology that can more appropriately suppress unnecessary notifications of the detection of other vehicles located to the rear and sides of one's own vehicle. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In one aspect of this disclosure, a driver assistance device (4) that notifies the occupants of the vehicle of the proximity of the vehicle to an object based on detection information of an object in the vicinity of the vehicle (Vs) is, A driving trajectory acquisition unit (42) acquires the driving trajectory (Tr) of the vehicle, A vehicle direction acquisition unit (43) acquires the vehicle direction (Ds), which is the direction the vehicle is facing along the aforementioned travel trajectory, A target direction acquisition unit (46) acquires the target direction of travel (Dt), which is the direction of travel of the other vehicle (Vt) located behind the vehicle, A notification target determination unit (47) determines whether the other vehicle is a target for notification based on the direction of the own vehicle and the direction of the target's movement, It is equipped with. In another aspect of this disclosure, a driver assistance method for notifying the occupants of a vehicle (Vs) of the proximity of the vehicle to an object based on detection information of the object in the vicinity of the vehicle includes the following steps or processes: The vehicle's trajectory (Tr) is acquired. The vehicle direction (Ds), which is the direction the vehicle is facing along the aforementioned travel trajectory, is obtained. The target direction of travel (Dt), which is the direction of travel of the other vehicle (Vt) located behind the aforementioned vehicle, is obtained. Based on the direction of the own vehicle and the direction of the target's movement, it is determined whether or not the other vehicle is the target of notification. In yet another aspect of this disclosure, a driving assistance program executed by a driving assistance device (4) configured to notify the occupants of the vehicle of the proximity of the vehicle to an object based on detection information of an object in the vicinity of the vehicle (Vs) is, as a process executed by the driving assistance device, The process of obtaining the vehicle's trajectory (Tr), A process to obtain the vehicle direction (Ds), which is the direction the vehicle is facing along the aforementioned travel trajectory, A process to obtain the target direction of travel (Dt), which is the direction of travel of the other vehicle (Vt) located behind the aforementioned vehicle, A process to determine whether the other vehicle is a target for notification based on the direction of the own vehicle and the direction of the target's movement, Includes. In yet another aspect of this disclosure, a computer-readable non-transitional substantial recording medium recording a driver assistance program executed by a driver assistance device (4) configured to notify the occupants of the vehicle of the proximity of the vehicle to an object based on detection information of an object in the vicinity of the vehicle (Vs), includes, as a process included in the driver assistance program, The process of obtaining the vehicle's trajectory (Tr), A process to obtain the vehicle direction (Ds), which is the direction the vehicle is facing along the aforementioned travel trajectory, A process to obtain the target direction of travel (Dt), which is the direction of travel of the other vehicle (Vt) located behind the aforementioned vehicle, A process to determine whether the other vehicle is a target for notification based on the direction of the own vehicle and the direction of the target's movement, Includes.

[0008] In each column of the application documents, reference numerals in parentheses may be assigned to each element. However, such reference numerals merely show an example of the correspondence between the element and the specific means described in the embodiments below. Therefore, the present disclosure is not limited in any way by the description of the above reference numerals.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0009] [Figure 1] It is a schematic diagram showing a state where another vehicle is approaching from the right rear of the vehicle to which the present disclosure is applied. [Figure 2] It is a schematic diagram showing a state where the vehicle shown in FIG. 1 is making a left turn. [Figure 3] It is a block diagram showing a schematic device configuration of the in-vehicle system shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. [Figure 4] It is a block diagram showing a schematic functional configuration realized by the driving support device shown in FIG. 3. [Figure 5] It is a conceptual diagram showing an outline of the operation of the driving support device shown in FIG. 4. [Figure 6] It is a conceptual diagram showing an example of a method for determining the closest contact point shown in FIG. 5. [Figure 7] It is a flowchart showing an outline of an operation example of the driving support device shown in FIG. 3. [Figure 8] It is a flowchart showing an outline of an operation example of the driving support device shown in FIG. 3. [Figure 9] It is a flowchart showing an outline of an operation example of the driving support device shown in FIG. 3.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0010] (Embodiment) Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments or specific examples of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings as appropriate. Note that the following embodiments, their modifications, and the descriptions of the respective drawings are schematic or simplified for the purpose of briefly explaining the content of the present disclosure, and the content of the present disclosure is not limited thereby. Needless to say, the descriptions of the respective drawings do not necessarily match the specific device configurations actually manufactured and sold. That is, unless the applicant explicitly limits it during the application process of this application, the present disclosure should not be construed in a restrictive manner based on the descriptions of the respective drawings and the descriptions of the device configurations, their functions, or operations described below corresponding thereto.

[0011] (Vehicle-mounted system configuration) First, referring to FIG. 1, the vehicle-mounted system 1 is configured to execute various operations in such a vehicle by being mounted on the vehicle. Hereinafter, the vehicle on which the vehicle-mounted system 1 according to the present embodiment is mounted is referred to as the host vehicle Vs. The host vehicle Vs is a so-called ordinary motor vehicle that can travel on a road and has a box-shaped vehicle body. In the figure, the vehicle full-length direction D1 is a direction that defines the full length of the vehicle body of the host vehicle Vs and is a direction orthogonal to the vehicle width direction D2. The vehicle full-length direction D1 is parallel to the traveling direction when the host vehicle Vs is traveling straight and the host vehicle direction Ds in which the host vehicle Vs faces. The traveling direction when the host vehicle Vs is traveling straight and the host vehicle direction Ds coincide with each other.

[0012] The vehicle-mounted system 1 is configured to execute various operations of the host vehicle Vs including an alarm operation based on the detection result of an object around the host vehicle Vs using the object detection sensor 2. The object detection sensor 2 is, for example, a radar sensor or the like. In the present embodiment, a pair of object detection sensors 2 as radar sensors are provided on the rear end portion of the vehicle body of the host vehicle Vs, one on each side. And the vehicle-mounted system 1 is configured to notify an occupant such as a driver of the host vehicle Vs of the approach of the host vehicle Vs and the object based on the detection information of an object on the rear side of the host vehicle Vs by such an object detection sensor 2.

[0013] Specifically, the in-vehicle system 1 is configured to set a left rear warning area ReL within the left rear detection area RdL, and a right rear warning area ReR within the right rear detection area RdR. The left rear warning area ReL and the right rear warning area ReR are sometimes collectively referred to simply as the "warning area."

[0014] The left rear detection area RdL is the detection range of the object detection sensor 2 mounted on the left rear end of the vehicle body Vs. The right rear detection area RdR is the detection range of the object detection sensor 2 mounted on the right rear end of the vehicle body Vs. The left rear notification area ReL is a virtual rectangular area within the left rear detection area RdL that extends from the mounting position of the object detection sensor 2 to the left rear of the vehicle Vs, parallel to the vehicle length direction D1 and the vehicle width direction D2. The right rear notification area ReR is a virtual rectangular area within the right rear detection area RdR that extends from the mounting position of the object detection sensor 2 to the right rear of the vehicle Vs, parallel to the vehicle length direction D1 and the vehicle width direction D2.

[0015] The in-vehicle system 1 is configured to notify the vehicle Vs of the approach of another vehicle Vt from the rear or side when another vehicle Vt is detected within the notification area. Note that the other vehicle Vt may be a car, a motorcycle, or other two-wheeled vehicle. "Notification" can also be rephrased as "warning."

[0016] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 2, the in-vehicle system 1 is configured to reduce the notification area to at least the length of the vehicle in the vehicle length direction D1, depending on the direction of the turn, while the vehicle Vs is turning, such that its outer edge approaches the vehicle Vs. Figure 2 shows the state in which the outer right rear notification area ReR is reduced to the length of the vehicle in the vehicle length direction D1 while the vehicle Vs is turning left.

[0017] Referring to Figure 3, the in-vehicle system 1 includes an object detection sensor 2, a driving state sensor 3, a driver assistance device 4, and a warning device 5. The object detection sensor 2 and the driving state sensor 3 are connected to the driver assistance device 4 via an in-vehicle network so that their outputs are input to the driver assistance device 4. The driver assistance device 4 and the warning device 5 are also connected via the in-vehicle network so that they can exchange information or signals.

[0018] The driving state sensor 3 is designed to detect various quantities related to the driving state of the vehicle Vs. "Driving state" includes the driving operation state and the driving behavior state of the vehicle Vs. "Driving operation state" refers to the state of driving operation input to the vehicle Vs by the occupant of the vehicle Vs (i.e., typically the driver) or the driving control ECU, and includes, for example, accelerator opening, brake operation amount, steering amount, shift range, etc. ECU is an abbreviation for Electronic Control Unit. "Driving behavior state" refers to the state related to the motion or behavior of the vehicle Vs, and includes, for example, vehicle speed, acceleration, yaw rate, etc. In other words, the driving state sensor 3 is a general term for well-known on-board sensors such as pedal operation amount sensors, steering amount sensors, vehicle speed sensors, and yaw rate sensors. Furthermore, the driving state sensor 3 may also include a locator for acquiring the position information of the vehicle Vs.

[0019] The driver assistance device 4 is a so-called driver assistance ECU and is configured to control driver assistance operations, including warning operations by the warning device 5, based on the outputs of the object detection sensor 2 and the driving state sensor 3. The warning device 5 includes an audio output device that generates a warning sound and a visual output device that performs display or illumination for warning purposes. As a visual output device for notifying the approach of another vehicle Vt from the rear side, for example, a head-up display device or a light-emitting device provided on the side mirror may be used. In other words, the driver assistance device 4 is configured to notify the occupants of the vehicle Vs of the approach of an object such as another vehicle Vt to the vehicle Vs based on detection information of objects around the vehicle Vs. The other vehicle Vt that is the target of such notification is referred to as the "notification target".

[0020] In this embodiment, the driver assistance device 4 has a configuration as an in-vehicle microcomputer equipped with a processor such as a CPU and memory such as ROM. The memory is a computer-readable, non-transitional, tangible recording medium, and includes RAM and non-volatile memory. The non-volatile memory includes at least ROM, but may also include non-volatile rewritable memory. Non-volatile rewritable memory is a storage device that allows information to be rewritten while the power is on, but keeps information unrewritable when the power is off, and is, for example, flash memory. The non-volatile memory stores various data necessary for executing the computer program, such as initial values, maps, and lookup tables.

[0021] (Driving assistance system) Thus, the driver assistance device 4 is configured to perform driver assistance operations by having the processor read and execute a computer program from non-volatile memory. Figure 4 shows an example of a functional block configuration realized by the processor in the driver assistance device 4 reading and executing the driver assistance program, which is a computer program, from non-volatile memory.

[0022] As shown in Figure 4, the driver assistance system 4 has the following functional configuration, which is realized by executing a computer program. This functional configuration includes a driving state acquisition unit 41, a driving trajectory acquisition unit 42, a vehicle direction acquisition unit 43, a notification area setting unit 44, an object detection information acquisition unit 45, a target direction acquisition unit 46, and a notification target determination unit 47. These will be described in order below.

[0023] The driving state acquisition unit 41 acquires the driving state of the vehicle Vs based on the output of the driving state sensor 3. This driving state includes physical quantities related to the driving behavior of the vehicle Vs, such as vehicle speed and yaw rate, as well as driving operation quantities such as steering amount. Furthermore, this driving state may also include position information of the vehicle Vs obtained from a locator.

[0024] As shown in Figure 5, the trajectory acquisition unit 42 acquires the trajectory Tr of the vehicle Vs. The trajectory Tr is the movement trajectory of a predetermined point on the vehicle Vs. Such a predetermined point is, for example, the front end point of the vehicle body of the vehicle Vs, or the center point in the plan view shape of the vehicle body. The "plan view shape" refers to the external shape of the vehicle when viewed from vertically above to vertically below, or when the vehicle body is projected onto the horizontal plane, in a position in which the vehicle can travel on a horizontal plane (i.e., a position in which all wheels are fully in contact with the horizontal plane).

[0025] The driving trajectory Tr can be obtained (i.e., calculated or estimated) based on the driving state of the vehicle Vs acquired by the driving state acquisition unit 41. More specifically, as shown in Figure 6, the driving trajectory Tr can be obtained as a time-series set of information on multiple trajectory points Pt containing the position of the vehicle Vs, and the vehicle direction Ds at such trajectory points Pt, which are discretely arranged at predetermined time intervals. Since the calculation or estimation of the driving trajectory Tr is already publicly known or well-known at the time of filing of this application, further details are omitted in this specification.

[0026] The vehicle direction acquisition unit 43 acquires the vehicle direction Ds, which is the direction the vehicle Vs is facing on the travel trajectory Tr. As shown in Figure 5, the vehicle direction Ds on the travel trajectory Tr is the tangential direction at a specific point of interest on the travel trajectory Tr. In other words, as shown in Figure 6, the vehicle direction Ds on the travel trajectory Tr is the vehicle direction Ds stored in correspondence to a specific point among the multiple trajectory points Pt that constitute the travel trajectory Tr.

[0027] In this embodiment, the vehicle direction acquisition unit 43 acquires the vehicle direction Ds at the turning start point Pc and the nearest contact point Pn, as shown in Figure 5. The vehicle direction Ds at the nearest contact point Pn corresponds to the "first vehicle direction". The vehicle direction Ds at the turning start point Pc corresponds to the "second vehicle direction".

[0028] The turning start point Pc is a point on the travel trajectory Tr corresponding to the position where the turning behavior of the vehicle Vs begins. For example, it can be defined as the point where the radius of curvature of the travel trajectory Tr becomes less than a predetermined turning start threshold (e.g., 100m). The nearest point of contact Pn is a point on the travel trajectory Tr that is nearest to the reference point Pr on the other vehicle Vt. The reference point Pr is the center point of the other vehicle Vt, that is, the center point in the plan view shape of the vehicle body.

[0029] Specifically, the nearest junction Pn can be determined by the method shown in Figure 6. In Figure 6, the reference point Pr is the center point of the other vehicle Vt at the present time, that is, at the time when at least one specific process for determining whether the other vehicle Vt is a notification target or a routine including such a process is being executed. First, at each of the 2 to 3 points among the multiple trajectory points Pt that are close to the reference point Pr, a virtual straight line L is formed that is perpendicular to the vehicle's direction Ds at each point. Then, the trajectory point Pt corresponding to the one among the multiple virtual straight lines L that is closest to the reference point Pr can be defined as the nearest junction Pn.

[0030] The notification area setting unit 44 sets the notification area based on the driving state of the vehicle Vs acquired by the driving state acquisition unit 41. Specifically, the notification area setting unit 44 sets the shape of the notification area in a non-degenerate state as shown in Figure 1 when the vehicle Vs is driving straight, and in a degenerate state as shown in Figure 2 when the vehicle Vs is turning. Whether the vehicle is driving straight or turning can be determined by the steering amount and / or the radius of curvature of the driving trajectory Tr. The threshold value when determining by the radius of curvature of the driving trajectory Tr may be the same as or different from the turning start determination threshold value described above.

[0031] The object detection information acquisition unit 45 acquires detection information of objects around the vehicle Vs using the object detection sensor 2. This detection information includes the presence or absence of an object, its direction of movement, and its speed of movement. The target direction of travel acquisition unit 46 acquires the target direction of travel Dt, which is the direction of travel of another vehicle Vt located behind or to the rear side of the vehicle Vs.

[0032] The notification target determination unit 47 determines whether or not the vehicle Vs is a notification target when the vehicle Vs is detected within the notification area, based on the vehicle's direction Ds and the target's direction of travel Dt. Specifically, the notification target determination unit 47 excludes the other vehicle Vt from the notification target if predetermined exclusion conditions are met, while making the other vehicle Vt a notification target if the exclusion conditions are not met.

[0033] Exclusion conditions typically include conditions to exclude other vehicles Vt from notification if they are traveling behind or to the rear side of vehicle Vs before Vs turns right or left at an intersection, and continue straight after Vs turns right or left at the intersection. In other words, exclusion conditions include at least one of the following first direction conditions and second direction conditions. • First direction condition: The angle between the vehicle's direction Ds (i.e., the first vehicle direction) and the target's direction of travel Dt at the nearest contact point Pn is greater than or equal to a predetermined first threshold. • Second direction condition: The angle between the vehicle's direction Ds (i.e., the second vehicle direction) and the target direction of travel Dt at the turning start point Pc must be less than or equal to a predetermined second threshold.

[0034] In this embodiment, other vehicles Vt are excluded from notification targets when both the first and second direction conditions described above are met, and both the following time and distance conditions are met. The time condition is that the shape of the left rear notification area ReL or the right rear notification area ReR has been restored from the degenerate state shown in Figure 2 to the normal state shown in Figure 1. • Time condition: The time must be within a specified period after the turning motion of your vehicle (Vs) has finished. • Distance condition: The other vehicle Vt is within a predetermined distance range behind the vehicle Vs.

[0035] (Operation overview) The following describes the operation of the device configuration (i.e., the driving support device 4) according to this embodiment, along with the effects achieved by the device configuration and the methods and programs executed thereunder. In the following description, the device configuration according to this embodiment, and the methods and programs executed thereunder, may be collectively referred to as "this embodiment."

[0036] The object detection sensor 2 detects objects behind and to the rear and sides of the vehicle Vs. The driving state sensor 3 detects the driving state of the vehicle Vs. Based on the object detection information from the object detection sensor 2 and the detection result of the driving state of the vehicle Vs from the driving state sensor 3, the driving support system 4 notifies the occupants of the vehicle Vs via the warning device 5 of the presence of another vehicle Vt approaching the vehicle Vs from the rear and sides.

[0037] Here, for example, if there is another vehicle Vt following behind as your vehicle Vs turns left and is going straight, there is no need to include this other vehicle Vt in the notification target. Therefore, by excluding such other vehicle Vt from the notification target, it is possible to suppress unnecessary and bothersome notifications. Accordingly, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 2, the right rear notification area ReR is reduced while your vehicle Vs is turning left. As a result, it is possible to effectively suppress the other vehicle Vt from entering the right rear notification area ReR and becoming a notification target.

[0038] However, for example, immediately after a left turn is completed and the vehicle Vs returns to a straight-ahead state, and the reduction of the notification area is released, another vehicle Vt may enter the expanded area from the reduced state and become subject to notification. In such cases, it is desirable to exclude such other vehicle Vt from the notification target.

[0039] Therefore, in this embodiment, when the above-mentioned first direction condition, second direction condition, time condition, and distance condition are met, other vehicles Vt are excluded from notification targets. The first direction condition is a condition in which the difference between the direction Ds of the self-vehicle during turning and the direction of other vehicles Vt is large, and it is determined that the direction of travel of other vehicles Vt does not follow the travel trajectory Tr of the self-vehicle Vs. The second direction condition is a condition in which the difference between the direction of travel of the self-vehicle Vs at the start of turning and the direction of travel of other vehicles Vt is small, and it is inferred that other vehicles Vt are vehicles traveling in a straight line. The time condition takes into consideration measures to prevent unnecessary notifications immediately after the degeneration of the notification area is released. The distance condition is intended to limit the target range to the rear end within the notification area after the degeneration is released.

[0040] In this embodiment, immediately after the turning behavior of the own vehicle Vs ends and it enters a straight-ahead state, and the reduction of the notification area is released, it is possible to effectively suppress the entry of another vehicle Vt into the expanded area from the reduced state and become a target for notification. Therefore, according to this embodiment, it is possible to more appropriately suppress unnecessary notifications.

[0041] Figure 7 shows a flowchart of the routine corresponding to the driver assistance program, namely the rear blind spot monitoring assistance program, according to this embodiment. In this flowchart, "S" is an abbreviation for "step". The same applies to Figures 8 and 9. The processor and non-volatile memory provided in the driver assistance device 4 will hereinafter simply be referred to as "processor" and "non-volatile memory".

[0042] The processor executes the driving assistance method according to this embodiment by reading the rear blind spot monitoring support program according to this embodiment from non-volatile memory and starting it at predetermined time intervals (e.g., 10 msec). When such a program is started, the processor first executes steps 101 to 106 in order.

[0043] In step 101, the processor acquires the driving status of the vehicle Vs. In step 102, the processor acquires, i.e., calculates, the driving trajectory Tr of the vehicle Vs. In step 103, the processor performs notification area setting processing based on the driving status acquired in step 101. That is, the processor sets the shapes of the left rear notification area ReL and the right rear notification area ReR.

[0044] Figure 8 shows a flowchart of the notification area setting process in step 103. First, in step 201, the processor determines whether the vehicle Vs is turning or not. If it is not turning (i.e., step 201 = NO), the processor skips all processes from step 202 onward and terminates the notification area setting process. In this case, the degradation process for the left rear notification area ReL and the right rear notification area ReR is not performed.

[0045] In response to this, if the vehicle Vs is turning (i.e., step 201 = YES), the processor proceeds to step 202. In step 202, the processor determines whether the vehicle Vs is turning left or not.

[0046] If the vehicle Vs is turning left (i.e., step 202 = YES), the processor executes the process in step 203 and then terminates the notification area setting process. In step 203, the processor performs a reduction process for the right rear notification area ReR. That is, the processor reduces the right rear notification area ReR to at least the vehicle length direction D1.

[0047] On the other hand, if the vehicle Vs is turning to the right (i.e., step 202 = NO), the processor executes the process in step 204 and then terminates the notification area setting process. In step 204, the processor performs a reduction process for the left rear notification area ReL. That is, the processor reduces the left rear notification area ReL to at least the vehicle length direction D1.

[0048] Referring again to Figure 7, in step 104, the processor acquires detection information for objects behind and to the rear and sides of its own vehicle Vs. In step 105, the processor performs a determination process to determine whether or not there is a notification target within the notification area.

[0049] Figure 9 shows a flowchart of the notification target determination process in step 105. First, in step 301, the processor determines whether or not there is another vehicle Vt behind or to the rear side of its own vehicle Vs. If there is no vehicle behind (i.e., step 301 = NO), the processor executes the process in step 302 and then terminates the notification target determination process. In step 302, the processor determines that there is no notification target. Specifically, for example, the processor sets the notification target existence flag to "0".

[0050] If a vehicle is present behind the vehicle (i.e., step 301 = YES), the processor proceeds to step 303. In step 303, the processor determines whether the vehicle is within the notification area, that is, whether it is within the left rear notification area ReL or the right rear notification area ReR.

[0051] If the vehicle behind is outside the notification area (i.e., step 303 = NO), the processor executes the process in step 302 and then terminates the notification target determination process. In step 302, the processor determines that there is no vehicle to be notified.

[0052] If the vehicle behind is within the notification area (i.e., step 303 = YES), the processor proceeds to step 304. In step 304, the processor determines whether the exclusion condition is met.

[0053] If the exclusion condition is met (i.e., step 304 = YES), the processor executes the process in step 302 and then terminates the notification target determination process. In step 302, the processor determines that there are no notification targets.

[0054] In contrast, if the exclusion condition is not met (i.e., step 303 = NO), the processor executes the process in step 305 and then terminates the notification target determination process. In step 305, the processor determines that a notification target exists. Specifically, for example, the processor sets the notification target existence flag to "1".

[0055] Referring again to Figure 7, in step 106, the processor determines whether or not a notification target exists. Specifically, for example, the processor checks the status of the notification target existence flag. If a notification target exists (i.e., step 106 = YES), the processor executes the process in step 107 and then terminates this routine. In step 107, the processor executes the notification process. On the other hand, if no notification target exists (i.e., step 106 = NO), the processor skips the process in step 302 and terminates this routine.

[0056] (modified version) This disclosure is not limited to the embodiments and specific examples described above. Therefore, the embodiments, etc. can be modified as appropriate. Representative modifications are described below. In the description of the modifications below, the differences from the embodiments, etc. will be mainly described. In addition, parts that are the same or equivalent to each other in the embodiments, etc. and the modifications below are denoted by the same reference numerals. Therefore, in the description of the modifications below, with respect to components that have the same reference numerals as in the embodiments, etc., the descriptions in the embodiments, etc. can be appropriately referenced unless there is a technical inconsistency or special additional explanation.

[0057] This disclosure is not limited to the specific uses or device configurations shown in the embodiments described above. For example, the vehicle Vs may be a regular passenger car or a large vehicle. In other words, there are no particular limitations on the shape or size of the vehicle body.

[0058] The driver assistance device 4 may be an object detection ECU or a driving control ECU. Furthermore, all or part of the driver assistance device 4 may be configured with digital circuits, such as an ASIC or FPGA, that are capable of realizing the above-described functions or operations. ASIC stands for Application Specific Integrated Circuit. FPGA stands for Field Programmable Gate Array. In other words, the in-vehicle microcomputer and the digital circuit components can coexist in the driver assistance device 4.

[0059] The computer program according to this disclosure, which enables the execution of various operations, procedures, or processes described in the above embodiments, can be downloaded or upgraded to a non-volatile rewritable memory via V2X communication using a communication device. V2X is an abbreviation for Vehicle to X. Alternatively, such a computer program can be downloaded or upgraded via terminal equipment installed at the manufacturing plant, maintenance factory, dealership, etc., of the vehicle Vs. The non-volatile rewritable memory where such a computer program is stored is not limited to semiconductor memory such as flash memory, but may also be an optical or magnetic recording medium, etc.

[0060] Thus, each of the above functional configurations and processes may be realized by a dedicated computer provided by configuring a processor and memory programmed to execute one or more functions embodied by a computer program. Alternatively, each of the above functional configurations and processes may be realized by a dedicated computer provided by configuring a processor by one or more dedicated hardware logic circuits. Alternatively, each of the above functional configurations and processes may be realized by one or more dedicated computers configured by a combination of one or more processors programmed to execute one or more functions, one or more memories, and one or more other processors configured by one or more hardware logic circuits. Furthermore, the computer program may be stored in a computer-readable non-transitional substantial storage medium as instructions to be executed by the computer. That is, each of the above functional configurations and processes can also be represented as a computer program including procedures for realizing it, or as a non-transitional substantial storage medium storing said computer program.

[0061] This disclosure is not limited to the specific functions and operating modes shown in the embodiments described above. For example, the exclusion conditions are not limited to the logical AND of the first direction condition, second direction condition, time condition, and distance condition as in the embodiments described above. That is, for example, the first direction condition and the second direction condition may be either one or the other. Also, one or both of the time condition and the distance condition may be omitted. Specifically, for example, by omitting the time condition, it becomes possible to effectively suppress unnecessary notifications during turns or while passing through a Y-junction.

[0062] The manner in which the shape of the notification area changes from before turning, i.e., while driving straight, to during turning, can also be modified as appropriate. For example, the shapes of the left rear notification area ReL and the right rear notification area ReR during turning may be set to a partial ring shape corresponding to the turning curvature. Also, during a left turn, instead of shrinking the right rear notification area ReR, i.e. reducing its size, the right rear notification area ReR may be omitted or disappear.

[0063] It goes without saying that the elements constituting the above embodiments are not necessarily essential unless explicitly stated to be particularly essential or considered to be fundamentally essential. Furthermore, when numerical values ​​such as the number, numerical values, quantities, or ranges of components are mentioned, this disclosure is not limited to those specific numbers unless explicitly stated to be particularly essential or considered to be fundamentally limited to those specific numbers. Similarly, when the shape, orientation, positional relationship, etc., of components are mentioned, this disclosure is not limited to those shapes, orientations, positional relationships, etc., unless explicitly stated to be particularly essential or considered to be fundamentally limited to those specific shapes, orientations, positional relationships, etc.

[0064] Similar expressions such as "acquisition," "calculation," "estimation," "detection," and "detection" can be appropriately substituted for each other within the limits of what is technically consistent. Similarly, "exceeding the threshold" and "above the threshold" can be appropriately substituted for each other within the limits of what is technically consistent. The same applies to "below the threshold" and "below the threshold."

[0065] Modifications are not limited to the examples given above. For example, all or part of one of the modifications may be combined with all or part of another, provided that it does not conflict with the technical specifications. Furthermore, all or part of the specific examples may be combined with all or part of the modifications, provided that it does not conflict with the technical specifications. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0066] 1. In-vehicle systems 2. Object detection sensor 4. Driving support systems 42 Track acquisition unit 43 Vehicle direction acquisition unit 44 Notification Area Setting Unit 46 Target Direction Acquisition Unit 47. Notification Target Determination Unit 5 Alarm device Vs My Vehicle

Claims

1. A driving assistance device (4) that notifies the occupant of the vehicle of the proximity of the vehicle to an object based on detection information of an object in the vicinity of the vehicle (Vs), A driving trajectory acquisition unit (42) acquires the driving trajectory (Tr) of the vehicle, A vehicle direction acquisition unit (43) acquires the vehicle direction (Ds), which is the direction the vehicle is facing along the aforementioned travel trajectory, A target direction acquisition unit (46) acquires the target direction of travel (Dt), which is the direction of travel of the other vehicle (Vt) as an object located behind the vehicle, A notification target determination unit (47) determines whether the other vehicle is a target for notification based on the direction of the own vehicle and the direction of the target's movement, A driver assistance device equipped with this device.

2. The vehicle direction acquisition unit acquires the vehicle direction at the nearest point (Pn) on the travel trajectory that is nearest to the reference point (Pr) of the other vehicle, The notification target determination unit, when the exclusion condition is met, excludes the other vehicle from the notification target. The exclusion condition includes the fact that the angle between the direction of the vehicle and the direction of travel of the target is greater than or equal to a threshold. The driving support device according to claim 1.

3. The vehicle direction acquisition unit acquires the vehicle direction at the turning start point (Pc) where the turning behavior of the vehicle begins, The notification target determination unit, when the exclusion condition is met, excludes the other vehicle from the notification target. The exclusion condition includes the fact that the angle between the direction of the vehicle and the direction of travel of the target is less than or equal to a threshold. The driving support device according to claim 1.

4. The vehicle direction acquisition unit acquires a first vehicle direction, which is the vehicle direction at the nearest point (Pn) on the travel trajectory that is the point closest to the reference point (Pr) of the other vehicle, and a second vehicle direction, which is the vehicle direction at the turning start point (Pc) where the turning behavior of the vehicle begins. The notification target determination unit, when the exclusion condition is met, excludes the other vehicle from the notification target. The aforementioned exclusion conditions are: The angle between the first vehicle direction and the target direction of travel is greater than or equal to the first threshold. And, The angle between the second vehicle direction and the target direction of travel is less than or equal to the second threshold. including, The driving support device according to claim 1.

5. The aforementioned exclusion conditions are: The time must be within a predetermined period after the vehicle's turning motion has finished. and / or, The other vehicle is within a predetermined distance behind the vehicle itself. including, The driving support device according to any one of claims 2 to 4.

6. A driving assistance method that notifies the occupant of the vehicle of the proximity of the vehicle to an object based on detection information of an object in the vicinity of the vehicle (Vs), The vehicle's travel trajectory (Tr) is acquired. The vehicle direction (Ds), which is the direction the vehicle is facing along the aforementioned travel trajectory, is obtained. The target direction of travel (Dt), which is the direction of travel of the other vehicle (Vt) located behind the aforementioned vehicle, is obtained. Based on the direction of the own vehicle and the direction of the target's movement, it is determined whether the other vehicle is the target of notification. Driving assistance methods.

7. The acquisition of the vehicle's direction involves obtaining the vehicle's direction at the nearest point (Pn) on the travel trajectory that is closest to the reference point (Pr) of the other vehicle. The determination of whether or not the vehicle is subject to notification is made by excluding the other vehicle from the notification target if the exclusion conditions are met. The exclusion condition includes the fact that the angle between the direction of the vehicle and the direction of travel of the target is greater than or equal to a threshold. The driving assistance method according to claim 6.

8. The acquisition of the vehicle's direction involves acquiring the vehicle's direction at the turning start point (Pc) where the turning behavior of the vehicle begins. The determination of whether or not the vehicle is subject to notification is made by excluding the other vehicle from the notification target if the exclusion conditions are met. The exclusion condition includes the fact that the angle between the direction of the vehicle and the direction of travel of the target is less than or equal to a threshold. The driving assistance method according to claim 6.

9. The acquisition of the vehicle's direction involves obtaining a first vehicle direction, which is the direction of the vehicle at the nearest point (Pn) on the travel trajectory that is the point closest to the reference point (Pr) of the other vehicle, and a second vehicle direction, which is the direction of the vehicle at the turning start point (Pc) where the turning behavior of the vehicle begins. The determination of whether or not the vehicle is subject to notification is made by excluding the other vehicle from the notification target if the exclusion conditions are met. The aforementioned exclusion conditions are: The angle between the first vehicle direction and the target direction of travel is greater than or equal to the first threshold. And, The angle between the second vehicle direction and the target direction of travel is less than or equal to the second threshold. including, The driving assistance method according to claim 6.

10. The aforementioned exclusion conditions are: The time must be within a predetermined period after the vehicle's turning motion has finished. and / or, The other vehicle is within a predetermined distance behind the vehicle itself. including, A driving assistance method according to any one of claims 7 to 9.

11. A driving assistance program is performed by a driving assistance device (4) configured to notify the occupants of the vehicle of the proximity of the vehicle to an object based on detection information of an object in the vicinity of the vehicle (Vs), The processing performed by the aforementioned driving assistance device is: The process of obtaining the vehicle's travel trajectory (Tr), A process to obtain the vehicle direction (Ds), which is the direction the vehicle is facing along the aforementioned travel trajectory, A process to acquire the target direction of travel (Dt), which is the direction of travel of the other vehicle (Vt) as an object located behind the vehicle itself, A process to determine whether the other vehicle is a target for notification based on the direction of the own vehicle and the direction of the target's movement, including, Driver assistance program.

12. The process for obtaining the direction of the vehicle itself involves obtaining the direction of the vehicle at the nearest point (Pn) on the travel trajectory that is the point closest to the reference point (Pr) of the other vehicle, The process for determining whether or not the vehicle is subject to notification excludes the other vehicle from the notification target if the exclusion condition is met. The exclusion condition includes the fact that the angle between the direction of the vehicle and the direction of travel of the target is greater than or equal to a threshold. The driving support program according to claim 11.

13. The process for obtaining the vehicle's direction involves obtaining the vehicle's direction at the turning start point (Pc) where the turning behavior of the vehicle begins. The process for determining whether or not the vehicle is subject to notification excludes the other vehicle from the notification target if the exclusion condition is met. The exclusion condition includes the fact that the angle between the direction of the vehicle and the direction of travel of the target is less than or equal to a threshold. The driving support program according to claim 11.

14. The process for obtaining the vehicle's direction involves obtaining a first vehicle direction, which is the direction of the vehicle at the nearest point (Pn) on the travel trajectory that is the point closest to the reference point (Pr) of the other vehicle, and a second vehicle direction, which is the direction of the vehicle at the turning start point (Pc) where the turning behavior of the vehicle begins. The process for determining whether or not the vehicle is subject to notification excludes the other vehicle from the notification target if the exclusion condition is met. The aforementioned exclusion conditions are: The angle between the first vehicle direction and the target direction of travel is greater than or equal to the first threshold. And, The angle between the second vehicle direction and the target direction of travel is less than or equal to the second threshold. including, The driving support program according to claim 11.

15. The aforementioned exclusion conditions are: The time must be within a predetermined period after the vehicle's turning motion has finished. and / or, The other vehicle is within a predetermined distance behind the vehicle itself. including, A driving assistance program according to any one of claims 12 to 14.

16. A computer-readable, non-transitional, tangible recording medium that records a driving assistance program executed by a driving assistance device (4) configured to notify the occupants of the vehicle of the proximity of the vehicle to an object based on detection information of an object in the vicinity of the vehicle (Vs), The processing included in the aforementioned driver assistance program is: The process of obtaining the vehicle's travel trajectory (Tr), A process to obtain the vehicle direction (Ds), which is the direction the vehicle is facing along the aforementioned travel trajectory, A process to acquire the target direction of travel (Dt), which is the direction of travel of the other vehicle (Vt) as an object located behind the vehicle itself, A process to determine whether the other vehicle is a target for notification based on the direction of the own vehicle and the direction of the target's movement, including, Recording medium.

17. The process for obtaining the direction of the vehicle itself involves obtaining the direction of the vehicle at the nearest point (Pn) on the travel trajectory that is the point closest to the reference point (Pr) of the other vehicle, The process for determining whether or not the vehicle is subject to notification excludes the other vehicle from the notification target if the exclusion condition is met. The exclusion condition includes the fact that the angle between the direction of the vehicle and the direction of travel of the target is greater than or equal to a threshold. The recording medium according to claim 16.

18. The process for obtaining the vehicle's direction involves obtaining the vehicle's direction at the turning start point (Pc) where the turning behavior of the vehicle begins. The process for determining whether or not the vehicle is subject to notification excludes the other vehicle from the notification target if the exclusion condition is met. The exclusion condition includes the fact that the angle between the direction of the vehicle and the direction of travel of the target is less than or equal to a threshold. The recording medium according to claim 16.

19. The process for obtaining the vehicle's direction involves obtaining a first vehicle direction, which is the direction of the vehicle at the nearest point (Pn) on the travel trajectory that is the point closest to the reference point (Pr) of the other vehicle, and a second vehicle direction, which is the direction of the vehicle at the turning start point (Pc) where the turning behavior of the vehicle begins. The process for determining whether or not the vehicle is subject to notification excludes the other vehicle from the notification target if the exclusion condition is met. The aforementioned exclusion conditions are: The angle between the first vehicle direction and the target direction of travel is greater than or equal to the first threshold. And, The angle between the second vehicle direction and the target direction of travel is less than or equal to the second threshold. including, The recording medium according to claim 16.

20. The aforementioned exclusion conditions are: The time must be within a predetermined period after the vehicle's turning motion has finished. and / or, The other vehicle is within a predetermined distance behind the vehicle itself. including, A recording medium according to any one of claims 17 to 19.

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