Advanced driver assistance systems

Abstract

This system provides advanced driver assistance features that can alert the driver without causing discomfort to other passengers who are immersed in the driving experience. [Solution] The advanced driver assistance system 10 is an advanced driver assistance system 10 that notifies the driver D of a warning, and when the in-vehicle camera 21 or in-vehicle microphone 22 detects that an occupant P other than the driver D is immersed, the notification of the warning to the driver D is switched to a notification other than voice, and the immersed state includes a sleeping state or a focused state of the occupant P other than the driver D.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an advanced driver assistance system that notifies a driver of warnings.

Background Art

[0002] An advanced driver assistance system is a system that supports the driving operations of a driver of a vehicle. The advanced driver assistance system may, for example, warn the driver, activate safety devices, and control the vehicle as necessary to avoid an accident or collision. For example, in the advanced driver assistance system (lane departure prevention device) disclosed in Patent Document 1, when it is determined that a vehicle has a tendency to deviate from a lane, a warning is notified to the driver by voice.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, in the advanced driver assistance system disclosed in Patent Document 1, when a warning is notified to the driver by voice, if a passenger other than the driver is in an immersive state such as sleeping or reading, it will cause discomfort to the passengers other than the driver in the immersive state.

[0005] Here, for example, in the volume adjustment device disclosed in Patent Document 2, a technique for detecting whether a passenger is in a sleeping state and reducing the volume output from the acoustic output means near the passenger when it is determined that the passenger is in a sleeping state is disclosed. Therefore, it is also conceivable to apply the technique disclosed in Patent Document 2 for reducing the volume output from the acoustic output means near a passenger in a sleeping state to the voice when a warning is notified.

[0006] However, if the volume is turned down too low, the driver may not notice it. Conversely, if the volume is turned up to a level that the driver can hear, the passengers inside the car will hear it, and the desired effect will not be achieved.

[0007] Therefore, the present invention aims to provide an advanced driver assistance system that can alert the driver without causing discomfort to passengers other than the driver who is immersed in the vehicle. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The advanced driver assistance system according to the present invention is an advanced driver assistance system that notifies the driver of a warning, and is characterized in that, when an in-vehicle camera or in-vehicle microphone detects that an occupant other than the driver is immersed, the notification of the warning to the driver is switched to a notification other than voice, and the immersed state includes a sleep state or a state of concentration of an occupant other than the driver. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the advanced driver assistance system of the present invention, warnings can be issued to the driver without causing discomfort to passengers other than the driver who is immersed in the vehicle. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram illustrating an overview of an advanced driver assistance system, which is one example of an embodiment. [Figure 2] This block diagram shows the configuration of an advanced driver assistance system, which is an example of an embodiment. [Figure 3] This is a flowchart illustrating the flow of an advanced driver assistance control system, which is one example of an embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] An example of an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below. In the following description, specific shapes, materials, directions, numerical values, etc., are examples to facilitate understanding of the present invention and can be appropriately modified according to the application, purpose, specifications, etc.

[0012] [Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems] Using Figure 1, we will describe the overview of an advanced driver assistance system, which is an example of an embodiment.

[0013] Also known as Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS), the vehicle uses various sensors to understand the surrounding environment, notifies the driver D with displays and warnings, and assists the driver D by intervening in the operation of the steering wheel, brakes, etc. The Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS) ensure the safety and comfort of the driver D, pedestrians, and others.

[0014] The advanced driver assistance system 10 is installed in the vehicle 5. In this embodiment, the vehicle 5 is, for example, an electric vehicle (BEV (Battery Electric Vehicle)), which drives by rotating a motor with electricity stored in a battery. Although the vehicle 5 in this embodiment is an electric vehicle, the present invention is not limited to this. The vehicle of the present invention may be an engine-powered vehicle, a hybrid vehicle (HEV (Hybrid Electric Vehicle)), or a plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHEV (Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle)).

[0015] The advanced driver assistance system 10 may provide voice warnings to the driver D depending on the surrounding conditions of the vehicle 5. Such surrounding conditions of the vehicle 5 include situations in which the vehicle 5 may be in danger of colliding with a vehicle in front, situations in which the distance between the vehicle 5 and the vehicle in front is less than a predetermined distance, situations in which the vehicle 5 is deviating from its lane, and situations in which a pedestrian is likely to collide with the vehicle 5.

[0016] The advanced driving assistance system 10 may audibly notify the driver D of a warning according to the driving behavior of the driver D. Such driving behavior of the driver D includes the behavior of the driver D yawning, the behavior of the driver D closing eyes for 1.5 seconds or more, the behavior of the driver D smoking, the behavior of the driver D making a mobile phone call, the inattentive behavior of the driver D, and the like.

[0017] When the advanced driving assistance system 10 notifies the driver D of a warning, it may notify it audibly. The audible sound includes actual warnings, buzzer sounds, and the like. At this time, when the passenger P other than the driver D is in an immersive state such as sleeping or reading, it will cause discomfort to the passenger P.

[0018] Therefore, in the advanced driving assistance system 10 of the present embodiment, although details will be described later, when the immersive state of the passenger P other than the driver D is detected, the notification of the warning to the driver D is switched to other than audible. Thereby, it is possible to avoid giving discomfort to the passenger P.

[0019] The configuration of the advanced driving assistance system 10, which is an example of an embodiment, will be described with reference to FIG. 2.

[0020] The advanced driving assistance system 10 includes an in-vehicle camera 21, an in-vehicle microphone 22, a multi-information display 31, a steering vibration device 32, a seat belt vibration device 33, a seat massage device 34, and an ADAS-ECU (Advanced Driver Assistance System - Electronic Control Unit) 50, the details of which will be described later.

[0021] The in-vehicle camera 21 and the in-vehicle microphone 22 are a group of sensors used to detect the in-vehicle situation of the vehicle 5. The in-vehicle camera 21 images the interior of the vehicle, and can particularly image the passenger P other than the driver D. The in-vehicle microphone 22 records the sound in the vehicle interior, and can particularly pick up the sound of the passenger P other than the driver D.

[0022] The multi-information display 31 is arranged, for example, on the instrument panel and displays information regarding the fuel consumption of the vehicle 5, information regarding driving, etc. The multi-information display 31 can notify the driver D of a warning by displaying the warning. The multi-information display 31 can notify the driver D of a warning by means other than voice.

[0023] The steering vibration device 32 is built into the steering wheel and can notify the driver D of a warning by vibrating the steering wheel. The steering vibration device 32 can notify the driver D of a warning by means other than voice.

[0024] The seat belt vibration device 33 can notify the driver D of a warning by vibrating the seat belt. The seat belt vibration device 33 can notify the driver D of a warning by means other than voice.

[0025] The seat massage device 34 is provided on the seat of the driver's seat and can massage the driver D sitting on the driver's seat. When the massage operation is not ON, the seat massage device 34 can notify the driver D of a warning by means other than voice by performing the massage on the driver's seat.

[0026] When the ADAS-ECU 50 detects the immersion state of the passenger P other than the driver D, although details will be described later, it switches the notification of the warning to the driver D to means other than voice. Thereby, it is possible to avoid giving discomfort to the passenger P.

[0027] The ADAS-ECU 50 includes a processor represented by a CPU, a storage device such as a semiconductor memory, an interface with an external device, etc. Programs executed by the processor or data used by the processor for processing, etc. are stored in the storage device. The ADAS-ECU 50 may include a plurality of processors, storage devices, interfaces, etc.

[0028] The ADAS-ECU50 is connected to the in-car camera 21, in-car microphone 22, multi-information display 31, steering wheel vibration device 32, seat belt vibration device 33, and seat massage device 34, as described above.

[0029] The ADAS-ECU50 includes an in-vehicle image acquisition unit 51, an in-vehicle audio acquisition unit 52, an immersion state detection unit 53, and a warning notification modification unit 54, each of which will be described in detail later. The in-vehicle image acquisition unit 51, the in-vehicle audio acquisition unit 52, the immersion state detection unit 53, and the warning notification modification unit 54 are realized by executing a program stored in a memory device.

[0030] The in-vehicle image acquisition unit 51 captures images of the interior of the vehicle using the in-vehicle camera 21 and acquires the images of the interior as image data. The in-vehicle audio acquisition unit 52 records audio from inside the vehicle using the in-vehicle microphone 22 and acquires the recorded audio as audio data.

[0031] The immersion detection unit 53 detects the immersion state of passengers P other than the driver D by analyzing image data acquired by the in-vehicle image acquisition unit 51. Passenger P's immersion state includes states such as sleeping, reading, watching television, listening to music, etc.

[0032] The immersion state detection unit 53 may, for example, detect the sleep state of passenger P by analyzing the facial expression of passenger P other than driver D in image analysis. The immersion state detection unit 53 may, for example, detect that passenger P other than driver D is watching a monitor in image analysis, as passenger P is watching television or the like. The immersion state detection unit 53 may, for example, detect that passenger P other than driver D is listening to music if passenger P is wearing earphones in image analysis. The immersion state detection unit 53 may, for example, detect that passenger P other than driver D is reading a book in image analysis, as passenger P is reading.

[0033] Furthermore, the immersion detection unit 53 analyzes the recorded data acquired by the in-vehicle audio acquisition unit 52 to detect the immersion state of occupants P other than the driver D. The immersion detection unit 53 may, for example, detect the sleep state of occupants P other than the driver D based on their snoring. The immersion detection unit 53 may, for example, detect that occupants P other than the driver D are watching television or listening to music based on music.

[0034] If the immersion detection unit 53 detects that an occupant P other than the driver D is immersed in the vehicle, the warning notification change unit 54 switches the means of notifying the driver D of the warning to a means other than voice. This makes it possible to avoid causing discomfort to the occupant P.

[0035] Means of notifying driver D of warnings other than by voice include, for example, displaying a warning on the multi-information display 31, vibrating the steering wheel with the steering vibration device 32, vibrating the seat belt with the seat belt vibration device 33, or massaging driver D seated in the driver's seat with the seat massage device 34.

[0036] [Advanced Driver Assistance Control] Using Figure 3, we will explain the flow of an advanced driver assistance control system, which is an example of an embodiment.

[0037] Advanced driver assistance control is performed by the CPU of the ADAS-ECU50 of the advanced driver assistance system 10 described above, as follows:

[0038] In step S11, the CPU checks whether an in-vehicle camera 21 or an in-vehicle microphone 22 is installed inside the vehicle. If the answer in step S11 is YES, the process proceeds to step S12; otherwise, the process proceeds to step S15.

[0039] In step S12, if an in-vehicle camera 21 is installed inside the vehicle, the CPU checks whether it has detected the immersion state of occupants P other than the driver D by performing image analysis on the in-vehicle images acquired by the in-vehicle camera 21. If the answer in step S12 is YES, the system proceeds to step S13; otherwise, it proceeds to step S15.

[0040] In step S13, if an in-vehicle microphone 22 is installed in the vehicle, the CPU checks whether it has detected the immersion state of occupants P other than the driver D by performing image analysis on the in-vehicle images acquired by the in-vehicle microphone 22. If the answer in step S13 is YES, the system proceeds to step S14; otherwise, it proceeds to step S15.

[0041] In step S14, the CPU switches the means for notifying driver D of a warning to a means other than voice. The means for notifying the driver of a warning other than voice may be at least one of the following: displaying a warning on the multi-information display 31, vibrating the steering wheel with the steering vibration device 32, vibrating the seat belt with the seat belt vibration device 33, or massaging driver D seated in the driver's seat with the seat massage device 34. This makes it possible to avoid causing discomfort to occupant P.

[0042] In step S14, the CPU maintains that the means of notifying driver D of the warning remains an audible notification method.

[0043] As explained above, the advanced driver assistance system 10 can avoid causing discomfort to occupant P by detecting that occupant P other than driver D is immersed in the vehicle, and by switching the warning notification to driver D to something other than voice.

[0044] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments and their modifications described above, and various changes and improvements are possible within the scope of the claims of this application. [Explanation of symbols]

[0045] 5 Vehicle, 10 Advanced Driver Assistance Systems, 21 In-cabin camera, 22 In-cabin microphone, 31 Multi-information display, 32 Steering vibration device, 33 Seat belt vibration device, 34 Seat massage device, 50 ADAS-ECU, 51 In-cabin image acquisition unit, 52 In-cabin audio acquisition unit, 53 Immersion state detection unit, 54 Warning notification modification unit, D Driver, P Occupant

Claims

[Claim 1] An advanced driver assistance system that alerts the driver with warnings, If the in-vehicle camera or microphone detects that an occupant other than the driver is immersed in the game, the warning notification to the driver will be switched to a non-audio notification. The aforementioned state of immersion includes the sleep or concentration state of occupants other than the driver. Advanced driver assistance systems.

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