Equipment and Programs

Abstract

To provide an apparatus capable of suppressing the occurrence of danger caused by the driving of a vehicle by an elderly driver, reducing the possibility that the elderly driver becomes an assailant or a victim of an accident, and allowing a family to be safely driven by the elderly driver.SOLUTION: Disclosed is an apparatus 1 attachable to a vehicle driven by an elderly driver which includes the steps of: acquiring the vehicle information on the vehicle driven by the elderly driver from a front view camera 11, an OBD connector 13, and an acceleration sensor 14; determining, by control means 10, whether or not an elderly driver can become a perpetrator of an accident by driving the vehicle from the vehicle information; and notifying the warning from the notification means 19, 22 based on the determination.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to, for example, an apparatus and a program. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, various in-vehicle devices that improve the convenience of drivers have been sold. Examples of such devices include drive recorders, car navigation systems, radar detectors, etc. Such devices can be installed in vehicles and have functions such as recording images, guiding to destinations, and notifying the position of radars. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Publication No. 2016-57822 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Incidentally, accidents involving elderly drivers have been a problem for some time. In such accidents, elderly drivers may be the victims, but there are also many cases where elderly drivers are the perpetrators. In particular, when an elderly driver is the perpetrator, a heavy burden is likely to be imposed on the surviving family members, leading to continued strong anxiety for the elderly driver's family members.

[0005] On the other hand, some people think that elderly people should return their driver's licenses, but when we consider the living environment of elderly people and their relationships with their families, we cannot generalize and say that all elderly people should not drive. For example, elderly couples living alone in the countryside, or elderly people who have their own jobs such as farm work, may not be able to live without a car.

[0006] However, it cannot be denied that elderly drivers are more likely to cause accidents than normal drivers, and information has been released regarding accidents involving elderly drivers, such as the four major errors that elderly drivers are likely to make: (1) assuming that there is no one there, (2) decreased concentration, (3) being distracted by other things, and (4) difficulty seeing (see "Accidents caused by elderly drivers driving four-wheelers: trends and characteristics," Itarda Information, [online], Property Corporation Traffic Accident Comprehensive Analysis Center, June 2007, No. 68, pp. 2-12, [accessed January 24, 2017], Internet: URL: http: / / www.itarda.or.jp / itardainfomation / info68.pdf).

[0007] Thus, although accidents involving elderly drivers have been a problem for a long time, very little thought has been given to solving this problem. In particular, preventing elderly drivers from becoming victims can sometimes be achieved by taking measures to prevent accidents involving all drivers, including regular drivers, but no measures have been considered that focus on elderly drivers becoming the perpetrators of accidents.

[0008] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide equipment, etc. that suppresses the occurrence of dangers caused by elderly drivers driving vehicles, reduces the possibility of elderly drivers becoming perpetrators or victims of accidents, and allows family members to allow elderly drivers to drive with peace of mind.

[0009] The purpose of the invention of this application is not limited to this, and the applicant intends to obtain rights for configurations that aim to obtain effects from parts of the configurations disclosed in this specification and drawings, etc., by filing a divisional application, amendment, etc. For example, this specification discloses a problem in which the phrase "can be" is read as "the problem is," and the applicant intends to obtain rights for configurations that solve this problem by filing a divisional application, amendment, etc. The applicant intends to include part of the configurations described in this specification in the scope of the patent claims by amendment or divisional application. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] (1) For example, the device may be capable of being installed in a vehicle driven by an elderly driver, and may be characterized in that it acquires vehicle information regarding the vehicle driven by the elderly driver, determines from the vehicle information whether or not the elderly driver is in a situation in which he or she could be the perpetrator of an accident by driving the vehicle, and issues a warning via a notification means based on the determination.

[0011] In this way, in a situation where an elderly driver who drives a vehicle may become a perpetrator, a warning is issued to the elderly driver, thereby reducing the possibility of the elderly driver becoming a perpetrator, and the family of the elderly driver can feel more secure about having the elderly driver drive. In addition, driving a car can be a reason to go out, which may prevent the elderly driver from staying at home, leading to improved health.

[0012] Vehicle-mountable devices are those that can be mounted on vehicles such as automobiles and used. In this case, for example, it is preferable that the device has a mounting portion, and the mounting portion is structured to be mounted on the dashboard or the upper part of the windshield of the automobile.

[0013] An "elderly driver" may be, for example, an elderly person who is not yet old enough to enter a nursing home, who is not yet in need of nursing care, who can go to the toilet by himself, and who can eat his meals at home. It may also be, for example, an elderly person who lives with a son in his 40s or 50s and does farm work during the day.

[0014] For example, such an elderly person can drive a light truck to the fields, but when they go out far away, they accompany their son and his wife, so their range of independent movement by vehicle is limited to the area around their own house, and they are assumed to live in a rural area where there are no buses and they need a car to get around alone, so they have no choice but to become an elderly driver. Or, an elderly person who does not live with his family and needs a car for daily life must be an elderly driver because he needs a car to go to the hospital or buy daily necessities.

[0015] The "vehicle information relating to the vehicle" may be, for example, information acquired by the vehicle itself, or by the device installed in the vehicle. For example, the information may be acquired by a sensor or the like provided in the vehicle itself, or by a sensor or the like provided in the device.

[0016] For example, the information may be image information of the outside as seen from inside the vehicle, image information of the inside of the vehicle, detection information detected by a detection device provided in the vehicle or an apparatus attached to the vehicle, GPS information obtained by a GPS, etc. The image information may be obtained from a photographing device such as a camera, and the detection device may be a sensor such as a speed sensor or an acceleration sensor.

[0017] "Determining whether or not a situation exists in which an elderly driver may become a perpetrator of an accident by driving a vehicle from vehicle information" may be determined, for example, by matching the acquired vehicle information with predetermined condition information. The predetermined condition information may be, for example, incorporated in a program that operates the device according to the present invention, or stored in a storage means provided in the device. The predetermined condition information may be, for example, vehicle information that is considered to be acquired by a vehicle in a past case in which the elderly driver became a perpetrator of an accident. For example, an accident may be recorded using a vehicle simulator, and the predetermined condition information may be determined based on the recorded vehicle information. Then, the condition information may be compared with the vehicle information to determine whether or not a situation exists in which an elderly driver may become a perpetrator of an accident by driving a vehicle.

[0018] In addition, "determining from vehicle information whether or not a situation exists in which an elderly driver may be the perpetrator of an accident by driving a vehicle" may be a process in which the control means of the device of the present invention compares the acquired vehicle information with predetermined condition information incorporated into a program or predetermined condition information stored in a memory means, and determines whether the vehicle information conforms to the condition information.

[0019] Furthermore, for "a situation in which an elderly driver may become the perpetrator of an accident by driving a vehicle," it is advisable to determine the compatibility of a single piece of information, such as image information, GPS information, speed information, etc., with predetermined condition information, but it is even better to determine the compatibility of multiple pieces of information with the predetermined condition information. By determining the compatibility with multiple pieces of information, it is possible to more accurately determine "a situation in which an elderly driver may become the perpetrator of an accident" compared to the case of determining the compatibility with a single piece of information. The predetermined condition information is preferably multiple pieces of condition information, such as image information, GPS information, speed information, etc.

[0020] When determining whether a plurality of pieces of information match certain condition information, for example, the structure of (8) described later is used. As shown in the above configuration, the determination may be made based on whether the traffic light information and the speed information meet the predetermined condition information. In this case, the "predetermined condition" information may be, for example, information indicating that the traffic light information is in a yellow or red state and the speed information is equal to or greater than a certain speed. In addition, the "sway" in (9) described below may be determined based on whether multiple pieces of information, such as acceleration information, speed information, GPS information, and image information, meet the predetermined condition information.

[0021] For example, a part of the "predetermined condition" information stored in the storage means may be set as a fixed condition as an initial setting, while the other part may be set individually, as in the individual setting in (2) described later. Of the predetermined conditions, those that are easy to set may be set individually.

[0022] "Issuing a warning based on a judgment" may be, for example, a processing to issue a warning when it is judged that a situation in which an elderly driver may become the perpetrator of an accident meets a predetermined condition. Therefore, it is preferable to judge whether or not the situation in which the vehicle is placed meets a predetermined condition, and if it is judged that it meets the condition, to issue a warning, and if it is judged that it does not meet the condition, to not issue a warning.

[0023] On the other hand, even if it is determined that an elderly driver meets the conditions that may cause an accident, it is advisable to process the system so that a warning is not issued if other conditions are taken into consideration. When driving a vehicle, the vehicle may be placed in a situation that meets multiple conditions at the same time, and in some cases, it may be safer to drive without issuing a warning.

[0024] Also, for example, if it is determined that multiple conditions are met, a warning may be issued. For example, if the vehicle drifts to the left or right by more than a predetermined value at or above a predetermined speed, it may be determined that the elderly driver is in a situation where he or she could be the perpetrator of an accident, and a warning may be issued.

[0025] Also, for example, even if it is determined that a condition is met, if it is determined that another condition is not met, it is preferable not to issue a warning. For example, as in (11) described later, even if it is determined that the elderly driver may be the perpetrator of an accident because the vehicle has shifted to the right by more than a predetermined value, it is preferable not to issue a warning on the condition that there is no oncoming vehicle.

[0026] "Notifying a warning" may be, for example, a weaker warning than that for general drivers, a warning that calls attention or gives advice, and not a loud beep or the like. Since elderly drivers tend to become more impatient as they get older, it is advisable to notify them of a warning that does not surprise or irritate them. For example, the function of notifying a warning may be switched between a warning for general drivers and a warning for elderly drivers that is weaker than the warning for general drivers.

[0027] The device according to the present invention may, for example, have a control mode for the above-mentioned control for elderly drivers and a control mode for general drivers other than elderly drivers, and it is even more preferable that the two modes are switchable.

[0028] In the mode for general drivers, for example, the device may be installed in a vehicle driven by a general driver other than an elderly driver, acquire vehicle information on the vehicle driven by the general driver, and determine from the vehicle information whether or not the general driver is in a situation where he or she may become a victim of an accident by driving the vehicle, and cause the notification means to issue a warning based on the determination. For example, the function of issuing a warning may be switched between a warning for general drivers and a warning for elderly drivers as described above, but it is more preferable to switch between a mode for general drivers and a mode for elderly drivers, and switch according to the switching of the mode.

[0029] (2) For example, it has a function that allows a family member of the elderly driver to set the situation in which the elderly driver may become the perpetrator of an accident by driving the vehicle.

[0030] In this way, each family member of an elderly driver can individually set the settings that they consider optimal for that elderly driver, and if the settings are appropriate, a warning will be issued in the situation that is considered optimal for that elderly driver. This reduces the anxiety of the elderly driver and allows family members to feel more at ease when the elderly driver drives, compared to when the initial settings are set to situations in which the elderly driver may be the perpetrator of an accident.

[0031] The "function for the family of the elderly driver to set the situation" may be, for example, a function for the family to set some of the predetermined conditions for judging compatibility with the acquired information. For example, the family may set conditions related to "location information" in (3) described below, or conditions related to "traffic light information" and "speed information" in (8). The set conditions may be stored in the storage means of the device as setting data, for example.

[0032] For example, the condition regarding “location information” in (3) may be set as the condition that the vehicle reaches a specific location or a specific range, and the condition regarding “traffic light information” in (8) may be set as the condition that the color of the traffic light is recognized as a specified color, and the condition regarding “speed information” may be set as the condition that the vehicle speed exceeds a certain threshold.

[0033] Furthermore, the device may be provided with, for example, a display device, and the "setting function" may be, for example, a function in which the items to be set are displayed on the display device and the items are set by appropriately selecting the items. For example, a plurality of items including an item for setting the weather information situation such as (12) may be displayed on the display device, and when (12) is selected, items such as temperature, weather, and humidity may be displayed, and when temperature is selected, a display may be displayed in which the temperature at which a warning is issued may be selected in increments of 1 degree. The selection may be made by a setting unit such as an input button or a touch panel provided on the display device. Alternatively, the "setting function" may be set by an external setting device of (5).

[0034] Also, for example, items such as places, times, events, etc. that can be considered as "situations in which an elderly driver may become the perpetrator of an accident by driving a vehicle" and options for each item may be prepared in advance, and the elderly driver's family may select an option. Also, such settings may be repeated many times, taking into account the elderly driver's condition and driving situation that change daily.

[0035] For example, the "function set by the elderly driver's family" may be configured to be more difficult for the elderly driver to set than for the elderly driver's family, and more preferably, may be configured to be set only by the elderly driver's family. For example, the function may be provided for inputting information identifying the elderly driver's family.

[0036] Furthermore, the device may have a function that allows only the family member to set "a situation in which the elderly driver may become the perpetrator of an accident by driving a vehicle" and that prevents the elderly driver from setting it. For example, the device may have a function that requests a password, and before setting, the password is requested, and only the family member who knows the password can set it by inputting the password, and the elderly driver who does not know the password cannot set it.

[0037] (3) For example, the situation in which the elderly driver may become a perpetrator of an accident by driving the vehicle is analyzed based on location information in which a danger specific to the elderly driver is predicted. It would be good to have a function that can be set by the family of the person transferring.

[0038] In this way, a comprehensive warning is issued at locations where the elderly driver is likely to become a perpetrator, so family members can have the elderly driver drive with more peace of mind. Note that elderly drivers have a limited driving range, so the locations where danger is predicted are limited. Therefore, family members can comprehensively set specific locations according to each elderly driver.

[0039] The "danger specific to elderly drivers" may be, for example, a danger common to all elderly drivers, and may be a danger that focuses on the driving habits and routines of elderly drivers in general. For example, it may be a danger arising from the driving habits of elderly drivers in general, such as repeatedly moving toward and away from the center line.

[0040] A typical elderly driver cannot drive straight, and always drives to the right, moving towards the center line and then back, moving towards the center line and then back. The left side is scary because of the guardrail, but the driver is conscious that if he crosses the center line, he will not hit the car unless there is an oncoming vehicle, so he tends to drive on the inside of the line. Also, sometimes when a large truck comes, he gets scared and turns left, hitting the left side. Therefore, it is good to mark specific places where he is likely to drive like this as "positions where danger is predicted."

[0041] On the other hand, the "danger specific to elderly drivers" may be a danger that a specific elderly driver has, and may be set by the family of the elderly driver. For example, a convenience store that the specific elderly driver visits daily or a home improvement store that the driver visits regularly, and where there is a lot of traffic of people and cars, may be assumed to be a location where danger is predicted, and may be set by the family as "location information where danger specific to elderly drivers is predicted."

[0042] Also, for example, family members can set locations where previous accidents have occurred as "locations where danger is predicted." If the accident was caused by mistaking the accelerator for the brake, for example, this can be set as an example of "location information where danger specific to elderly drivers is predicted."

[0043] (4) For example, it is preferable that the situation in which the elderly driver may become the perpetrator of an accident by driving the vehicle be related to the location information, and that the family of the elderly driver be able to set event information that predicts dangers specific to the elderly driver.

[0044] In this way, the family of the elderly driver can comprehensively set the situations where the elderly driver may become a perpetrator based on the limited location information and the event information corresponding to the location. As a result, a comprehensive warning is issued for the location and event where the elderly driver is likely to become a perpetrator, so the family can have the elderly driver drive with more peace of mind. Note that the elderly driver has a limited driving range, so the events that are predicted to be dangerous within that driving range are also limited, and it is particularly preferable to have a function for the family to set the location information.

[0045] The "event information related to the location information and predicting a danger specific to the elderly driver" may be, for example, information related to the time, content, and weather of the event related to the location. Specifically, for example, if a school route for elementary school children is within the driving range of the elderly driver, the event information related to the location information of the school route may be information related to the event that elementary school children commute to school during a certain time period.

[0046] There are countless places throughout Japan where tragic vehicle accidents, such as school routes, can occur. However, if the driving range of an elderly driver is limited, location information and event information can be narrowed down to a level that can be set. Therefore, even if a family member takes the trouble to set up the information for the elderly driver, it does not impose a large burden on the family member. The family member can set up the information for the elderly driver, and the family member can feel more secure about letting the elderly driver drive.

[0047] (5) For example, an external setting device for setting the situation in the device in (4) may have a display unit, and the display unit may display map information, the location information on the map, the event information related to the location information, and warning information related to the content of the warning, and the device may have a function for a family member of the elderly driver to set the situation in which the elderly driver may become the perpetrator of an accident by driving the vehicle.

[0048] In this way, map information, location information, event information, warning information, and other information can be displayed on the display means of the external device, and the situation in which an elderly driver is thought to be a potential perpetrator can be set by the external device. Since the setting of map information and other information is easier when displayed on a large screen, each setting can be made easily if the information can be displayed on a display device of an external device other than the device that can be attached to the vehicle as in the present invention.

[0049] The external setting device may be, for example, a personal computer, a tablet, a smartphone, etc. Alternatively, the connection to the external setting device may be, for example, via a wired or wireless connection, or via a storage medium such as an SD card.

[0050] The "setting function" of the external setting device may be, for example, a function to set each setting of the predetermined conditions stored in the storage means of this device by the external setting device instead of the setting unit of this device. For example, this device may be connected to the external setting device by wire or wirelessly and have a function to set the conditions for determining the situation by the external setting device.

[0051] The external setting device allows the user to select the condition while viewing the display unit of the external device, and creates setting data as a condition for determining suitability of the situation. The setting data may then be stored as the condition in the storage means of the device. If the device can be connected to such an external setting device, for example, the device according to the present invention may be provided with only a connection unit to the external setting device, and no setting unit such as a button. In this way, the structure of the device can be simplified.

[0052] The "map information" may be, for example, an electronic map that is displayed on a part of the display screen of the display unit. The "location information on the map" may be, for example, a pin placed at a predetermined position on the displayed map.

[0053] The "warning information" may be, for example, a warning displayed on the display screen of the device in (13) described below or generated by a warning sound output means, and may be information indicating which notification means will notify the warning and in what manner. Specifically, the "warning information" may be, for example, information indicating that the warning will be notified by a single-color background and large letters on the display screen, or information indicating that the warning will be notified by a beep or a recorded voice of a family member.

[0054] (6) For example, the vehicle may further include a location information registration unit for registering the location information, and when a family member of the elderly driver drives the vehicle driven by the elderly driver on behalf of the elderly driver, the location information registration unit may be operated to have the function of registering the location information.

[0055] In this way, a family member of an elderly driver can drive on behalf of the elderly driver, registering only dangerous locations assuming that the elderly driver will be driving, and can register other information related to the registered locations after the elderly driver has finished driving.

[0056] The other information may be information such as that the location is poorly visible, that there is a traffic light at the location, that the location is a route that elementary school children go to school, etc. In this way, it becomes easy to register location information based on actual driving. Therefore, the task of setting the situation becomes easier. This makes it possible to reliably register dangerous locations and reduce the possibility of elderly drivers getting into accidents.

[0057] In addition, it is preferable that the external setting device (5) be configured so that the family of the elderly driver can set it together with the elderly driver. For example, the family of the elderly driver can use the location information registration unit to register location information while driving, and after registering the location information, they can set up situations together with the elderly driver in which the elderly driver may become the perpetrator of an accident by driving the vehicle. This is expected to improve communication between family members and the elderly driver.

[0058] The "location information registration unit" may be, for example, a pressing means such as a button or a touch panel provided on the device. In this way, the pressing means can be easily pressed even while driving, so that location information can be appropriately registered on the spot.

[0059] Furthermore, the "location information registration unit" may be provided in an external registration means such as a remote control connected wirelessly or by wire. In this way, the remote control can be placed within reach of the driver, and the driver does not need to reach for the device and can register the location information without changing his / her posture while driving.

[0060] (7) For example, a warning may be issued only when the elderly driver is in a situation where he or she may be the perpetrator of an accident, and the warning may be terminated only when the elderly driver is in a situation where he or she is no longer the perpetrator of an accident.

[0061] In this way, by ending the notification once the situation has become such that the elderly driver is unable to become a perpetrator, the elderly driver can recognize the accuracy of his or her driving and will be more likely to drive appropriately compared to when the notification is continued even in situations where the elderly driver is unable to become a perpetrator.

[0062] The "situation in which it is impossible to become a perpetrator of an accident" may be, for example, a situation in which there is absolutely no possibility of becoming a perpetrator. The "situation in which it is impossible to become a perpetrator of an accident" may be, for example, a situation in which the vehicle's moving speed is 0 km / h (when the vehicle is stopped). Alternatively, the "situation in which it is impossible to become a perpetrator of an accident" may be, for example, a situation in which there is usually no possibility of becoming a perpetrator.

[0063] If the notification is terminated in a situation where there is normally no possibility of the elderly driver becoming a perpetrator, the elderly driver can more accurately recognize the accuracy of his or her own driving compared to a situation where the notification is terminated in a situation where it is normally considered unnecessary and only in a situation where there is absolutely no possibility of the elderly driver becoming a perpetrator.

[0064] The "situation in which an elderly driver may become the perpetrator of an accident" may be, for example, a fixed condition. In general, the situation in which an elderly driver may become the perpetrator of an accident is broader than the situation in which a normal driver other than the elderly driver may become the perpetrator of an accident, and the situation in which an elderly driver may become the perpetrator of an accident includes the situation in which a normal driver other than the elderly driver may become the perpetrator of an accident. Therefore, the "situation in which an elderly driver may become the perpetrator of an accident" may be initially set to a broader range than the situation in which a general driver may become the perpetrator of an accident.

[0065] In addition, the "situation in which an elderly driver cannot be the perpetrator of an accident" may be, for example, a fixed condition. In general, the situation in which an elderly driver cannot be the perpetrator of an accident is narrower than the situation in which a normal driver other than the elderly driver cannot be the perpetrator of an accident, and the situation in which an elderly driver cannot be the perpetrator of an accident is included in the situation in which a normal driver other than the elderly driver cannot be the perpetrator of an accident. Therefore, for example, the "situation in which an elderly driver cannot be the perpetrator of an accident" may be initially set to a narrower range than the situation in which a normal driver can be the perpetrator of an accident.

[0066] In addition, for example, at least one of "situations in which an elderly driver may be the perpetrator of an accident" and "situations in which an elderly driver may not be the perpetrator of an accident" may be set as the initial setting, or (2) It is advisable for the elderly driver's family to set the following:

[0067] In particular, for example, it is preferable that the family of the elderly driver sets both "situations in which the elderly driver may become the perpetrator of an accident" and "situations in which the elderly driver may not become the perpetrator of an accident." In this way, the family can encourage the elderly driver to drive appropriately according to his or her own characteristics by setting the situations.

[0068] Also, for example, it is advisable to have the family set only "situations in which the elderly driver may be the perpetrator of an accident" without setting "situations in which the elderly driver cannot be the perpetrator of an accident." In this way, the family can leave the situations in which the notification ends to the initial settings and set only the situations in which the notification starts, making it possible to reliably issue a warning in situations specific to elderly drivers while facilitating the setting.

[0069] (8) For example, traffic light information regarding the color of the traffic light ahead of the vehicle and speed information regarding the speed of the vehicle are obtained, and based on the traffic light information and speed information, it is determined whether the elderly driver is in a situation where he or she could be the perpetrator of an accident by driving the vehicle.

[0070] In this way, the possibility of accidents frequently occurring with elderly drivers can be reduced by determining that elderly drivers are the perpetrators of accidents based on the relationship between traffic light information and speed information. Note that elderly drivers are prone to driving errors and are more likely to become the perpetrators of accidents due to a decrease in concentration due to aging and their tendency to be distracted by other things while driving. For these reasons, there are many cases where elderly drivers overlook traffic lights or are late in noticing them.

[0071] For example, the notification means may be configured to issue a warning when the traffic light ahead of the vehicle is red or yellow and the vehicle speed does not decrease, thereby reducing the possibility of an accident in which the elderly driver is largely at fault, such as entering an intersection where he or she should stop and being hit by another vehicle.

[0072] In addition, for example, if the vehicle's speed does not change even when the traffic light changes from red to green, a warning may be issued to prompt the driver to start the vehicle. This can prevent the driver from making driving errors by hastily starting the vehicle when he or she belatedly realizes that the traffic light has changed to green.

[0073] In particular, elderly drivers tend to become more impatient as they get older, and may become irritated if someone honks at them. Even if no accident occurs at the scene, there is a possibility that an accident may occur at another scene due to driving in an irritated and unstable mental state. Therefore, if the start is notified by a green light, other vehicles will not honk the horn, and irritation of elderly drivers can be suppressed.

[0074] The "traffic light information" may be obtained, for example, by a photographing means such as a camera that photographs the area in front of the vehicle. When the image photographed by the photographing means is processed, the traffic light information can be obtained by recognizing the traffic light and grasping its color using the countless flashing LEDs of the traffic light as a key.

[0075] The "speed information" can be obtained based on the speed obtained from the GPS or OBD or the acceleration obtained from an acceleration sensor, and may be information on the vehicle's speed or acceleration.

[0076] In addition, at this time, it is preferable to further include the configuration of (7). For example, based on the traffic light information and the speed information, a warning is issued when an elderly driver is in a situation where he or she may be the perpetrator of an accident. It is advisable to start reporting the accident and end the reporting when the situation becomes such that the driver is unlikely to become the perpetrator of an accident.

[0077] In this way, by ending the alert when the elderly driver is unlikely to be the perpetrator of an accident based on traffic light information and speed information, for example, by starting the alert when the traffic light information is red and the speed information is equal to or greater than a predetermined moving speed, and ending the alert when the moving speed information falls below the predetermined moving speed in relation to the distance to the traffic light, the elderly driver can recognize that he or she has responded appropriately to the red light.

[0078] If the warning continues for a while even after the moving speed falls below a specified value, elderly drivers may easily feel as if they made a mistake in slowing down, and the warning may end up making them more anxious, so it is very effective to end the warning warning appropriately.

[0079] (9) For example, it is preferable that the vehicle information has a function of determining whether the vehicle driven by the elderly driver is swerving, and based on that determination, determining whether the elderly driver is in a situation where he or she could be the perpetrator of an accident by driving the vehicle.

[0080] Elderly drivers generally have the tendency to sway from side to side when driving. In this way, a warning will be issued in situations where the elderly driver may be the perpetrator based on the swaying, thereby reducing the possibility of accidents that frequently occur among elderly drivers due to their swaying driving, which is a characteristic of elderly drivers.

[0081] "Wobble" may be, for example, a so-called wobbling state in which a vehicle moves unstably from side to side while traveling, or a state in which the direction of travel changes significantly to the right or to the left, as in (10) described below, and may be determined from vehicle information. The vehicle information used to determine "wobble" may be obtained, for example, from changes in left and right acceleration using an acceleration sensor. It may also be obtained from changes in position information obtained by GPS. It may also be obtained from images captured by a capturing means such as a camera.

[0082] "Wandering" may be, for example, a situation resulting from a driving habit specific to elderly drivers, such as repeatedly approaching the center line and then returning to the center line, or a situation resulting from a narrow field of vision specific to elderly drivers. Also, it is preferable not to distinguish between swerving and turning, and for example, if the vehicle information matches a predetermined condition for swerving, it may be uniformly determined to be swerving.

[0083] In addition, in addition to left-right sway, the "determination of sway" may also include the determination of sway caused by changes in the vehicle's forward / rearward speed or acceleration, such as sudden acceleration or sudden braking, and a warning may be given about sudden acceleration or sudden braking.

[0084] (10) For example, it is possible to determine from the vehicle information that the vehicle has drifted to the right by more than a predetermined value, and based on this determination, to determine whether or not the elderly driver is in a situation where he or she could be the perpetrator of an accident by driving the vehicle.

[0085] This reduces the possibility of a serious accident, such as a head-on collision, occurring when the vehicle drifts to the right and an oncoming vehicle approaches.

[0086] For example, elderly drivers often move toward the center line and then back toward the center line. This is a driving habit unique to elderly drivers, who are wary of the left side because there is a guardrail on the left side, but believe that there is no danger on the right side if they cross the center line as long as there is no oncoming vehicle. However, if the vehicle moves to the right side, it can cause a serious accident such as a head-on collision if an oncoming vehicle comes.

[0087] Therefore, by issuing a warning when the sway information shows a large change to the right, it is possible to reduce the occurrence of serious accidents that are specific to elderly drivers. Also, for example, it is advisable to issue a warning when the sway information shows a large change to the left. In this way, it is possible to inform the elderly driver that there may be a pedestrian or bicycle in the direction of travel.

[0088] The determination of "the vehicle has shifted to the right by a predetermined value or more" may be made based on, for example, whether the vehicle has crossed the center line or whether the distance between the vehicle and the center line has decreased.

[0089] (11) Furthermore, even if the presence or absence of an oncoming vehicle is determined, and it is determined that the elderly driver may be the perpetrator of an accident by driving the vehicle based on the determination that the vehicle has drifted to the right by more than a predetermined amount, if it is determined that there is no oncoming vehicle, a warning is not issued.

[0090] Even if elderly drivers veer to the right side, there is little possibility of causing a serious accident if there is no oncoming vehicle. Therefore, if a warning is issued every time the elderly driver frequently veers to the right, it will cause discomfort to the elderly driver. Therefore, by not issuing a warning when there is no oncoming vehicle, repeated warnings will not be issued, and discomfort to the driver can be reduced.

[0091] The oncoming vehicle information can be acquired, for example, based on whether or not an image captured by an image capturing means such as a camera includes an image of a vehicle seen from the front direction.

[0092] (12) For example, in addition to the vehicle information, weather information may be obtained, and based on the weather information together with the vehicle information, it may be determined whether or not the elderly driver is in a situation where he or she could be the perpetrator of an accident by driving the vehicle.

[0093] In this way, a warning can be issued based on weather information related to the vehicle's location, and the risk of weather-related dangers caused by elderly drivers can be reduced. Generally, elderly drivers are more susceptible to physical discomfort due to the weather, and therefore elderly drivers are more likely to encounter specific dangers due to the weather while driving than general drivers.

[0094] Therefore, when issuing a warning to general drivers based on the weather, it is advisable to issue the warning at an earlier stage and under stricter conditions than those considered dangerous for general drivers. At the time of filing this application, a configuration using weather information together with vehicle information is described, but the intention is to obtain rights to a configuration using weather information instead of vehicle information by division or the like.

[0095] "Weather information" may be information relating to the atmosphere or physical conditions in the atmosphere, such as temperature, humidity, weather, wind speed, etc., and the control means may, in addition to directly obtaining information from various sensors such as a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, and a wind speed sensor, indirectly obtain information about rainfall by obtaining information that the wipers have been operated via an OBD connector.

[0096] The vehicle information may be, for example, vehicle location information. In this way, the family of the elderly driver can comprehensively set the situations where the elderly driver may become a perpetrator based on the limited location information and the weather information corresponding to the location. As a result, a comprehensive warning is issued based on the location and weather where the elderly driver is likely to become a perpetrator, so the family can have the elderly driver drive with more peace of mind. Note that the elderly driver has a limited driving range, so the location information is limited based on the driving range.

[0097] The warning is given based on the weather information and the position information, for example, when the temperature is high enough to predict the risk of heat stroke, etc., and the user moves a predetermined distance from the position information of the starting position. It is advisable to later issue a warning to encourage the driver to drink water. This can reduce the possibility of an accident occurring in which an elderly driver becomes the victim of heat stroke due to driving errors.

[0098] In addition, "issuing a warning based on weather information" may be, for example, a warning such as a notification encouraging hydration when the temperature in the car rises sharply in summer or when the temperature inside the car rises sharply in summer. Since many elderly people are tolerant of weather changes, issuing a warning based on weather information can make elderly drivers aware of weather changes and prevent dangers specific to elderly drivers.

[0099] The warning should not restrict the driver's actions strongly, but should encourage the driver to take action by giving advice such as "You will lose concentration if you drive for too long" or "It is difficult to see ahead" when it is raining.

[0100] (13) For example, the notification means may include a display screen capable of displaying a single-color background over the entire surface, and the display screen may notify the warning by changing the color of the background.

[0101] In this way, a warning is issued as a single color change in the background of the entire display screen, which is visual information most easily recognized by elderly drivers, and is particularly easy to recognize. This allows elderly drivers to be sure that they are aware of the warning, reducing the probability of accidents caused by elderly drivers and allowing their families to feel at ease when the elderly drivers are driving.

[0102] The "color change" may be such that the display screen changes from a state in which an image such as a camera image is normally displayed to a solid red color. This makes it easier for elderly drivers to understand that the state is different from the normal state compared to a change to a color other than red, and reduces the probability of accidents caused by elderly drivers. The "color change" may also be such that the background of the same color flashes or that different colors are sequentially switched.

[0103] For example, even for elderly drivers who are suffering from various vision-related illnesses such as cataracts, changes in the color of the display background are intuitively easier to recognize than warnings in the form of text, and by remembering that danger is signaled by color, for example, the possibility of becoming the perpetrator of an accident is reduced.

[0104] (14) For example, the notification means may include a warning sound output means for notifying a warning by sound, and the display screen may display the warning by text in addition to the display background, and the notification means may notify the warning by a combination of a color of the display background and at least one of the text and the sound in accordance with the characteristics of the elderly driver.

[0105] In this way, warnings are given by a combination of at least one of text and sound in addition to the color of the display background, making it easier for elderly drivers to recognize the warning. In particular, elderly drivers may have physical problems, and in such cases, even if it is difficult for them to recognize the warning by one method, the elderly driver can recognize the warning.

[0106] The display screen may have no elements other than the background and text, and may have a function to notify warnings using only the text and background colors without displaying icons or maps. Also, for example, the color red may be set to a color that is easily recognized by elderly drivers.

[0107] For example, elderly drivers with vision problems may have difficulty recognizing text, but if the warning is accompanied by a colored background display or a sound, the driver can adequately recognize the warning. Also, elderly drivers with hearing problems may have difficulty recognizing text, but if the warning is accompanied by a colored background display or text, the driver can adequately recognize the warning. Also, even if the driver has difficulty recognizing text while driving, the driver can recognize the text when the vehicle is stopped.

[0108] (15) For example, it is preferable that the display device has a function for allowing a family member of the elderly driver to set at least one of the color of the display background, the characters, and the sound in accordance with the characteristics of the elderly driver.

[0109] In this way, the family members who know the elderly driver best can set the display according to the elderly driver's characteristics and can issue the most easily recognized warnings. This allows the elderly driver to drive the vehicle under the affection of the family members, and also increases their awareness of preventing accidents.

[0110] The setting method may be, for example, to prepare multiple combinations of display background color and text color in the initial setting, and then change only the content of the text warning. In this way, the content to be alerted can be individually set with an easy-to-see color combination according to the characteristics of elderly drivers.

[0111] The color combination should be, for example, complementary, but it is even better if it is selected according to the personality of the elderly driver. Also, it is good to record the voice of a family member, such as "Be careful, Grandpa," and set it to notify according to the situation. If it is a family member's voice, the elderly driver can easily accept the warning.

[0112] Incidentally, it is preferable to display on the display means reward information that can motivate the elderly driver to drive the vehicle based on, for example, the distance or frequency that the vehicle has been driven. In particular, as shown in the following (16), for example, the frequency of driving can be measured by counting the number of days that the vehicle has been driven.

[0113] (16) For example, the number of days that the vehicle is continuously driven may be counted, and when a predetermined number of days has been counted, reward information that can motivate the elderly driver to drive may be displayed on a display means.

[0114] By displaying reward information according to the number of days that an elderly driver has continuously driven a vehicle, the elderly driver is motivated to drive and is encouraged to drive every day. This prevents elderly drivers from coming to dislike driving and becoming reclusive, and provides an environment in which the elderly driver's family can feel at ease when driving.

[0115] "Counting the number of days" should not simply mean the distance, number of times, or frequency of driving, but should, for example, be counted as the number of days that the vehicle was driven even once in a day. In addition, when a "predetermined number of days has been counted," it should be counted as the number of days that the vehicle was driven every day in a predetermined period, such as one month. Specifically, for example, if the vehicle is driven safely for 10 days, an image of an egg hatching and an animal emerging from it should be displayed on the device's display device.

[0116] Furthermore, if the elderly person drives safely for the next 10 days, the number of animals that hatch from the eggs may increase. In this way, the elderly person may be motivated to drive every day, along with their desire to collect animals. The number of days driven may be counted, for example, based on the vehicle being started, or based on the vehicle traveling a certain distance.

[0117] The "reward information" may be, for example, a photograph of the elderly driver's family, in addition to images of animals. Since elderly drivers have deep affection for their families, this can strengthen the motivation for driving based on the reward information. For example, the reward information may be displayed from time to time according to the number of days driving is continued, and it is even better to change the reward information according to the number of days driving is continued. When changing the reward information, for example, it is good to change it so that the value of the reward increases. The number of days driving is continued when the reward information is displayed may be 2 days or more, but it is good to set it to several days, and especially 5 days. The number of days may be 5 days or more, but if it is too long, there is a possibility that the driver will stop driving halfway, so it is even better to set it to around 2 to 5 days.

[0118] Also, for example, it is preferable to display the reward information without performing a demerit process for the frequency of driving the vehicle. In this way, the elderly driver will not be discouraged from driving due to the demerit, and the incentive information will not hinder the motivation to drive. For example, even if a sudden start, sudden braking, etc. is acquired from the acceleration sensor while driving, or even if the driving distance does not reach the predetermined distance that is usually planned, the elderly driver may be counted for the days that he or she drove without causing an accident. In particular, when the frequency of driving the vehicle is counted as the number of days as in (16) above, it is preferable to use the following (17).

[0119] (17) For example, the count may be merely an addition.

[0120] If the number of days is subtracted, it may reduce the motivation of the elderly driver to continue driving every day, but since the number of days is only added, the elderly driver can continue driving every day by simply thinking about driving the vehicle. This provides an environment where the elderly driver's family can feel at ease when driving the elderly driver.

[0121] In addition, the number of times or frequency that the vehicle has been driven is calculated, and when the calculated value is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, reward information that can motivate the elderly driver to drive is displayed on a display means, and no subtraction is made when calculating.

[0122] In this way, the driver's motivation to drive can be increased by only notifying the driver of good information and not notifying the driver of bad information.

[0123] (18) The functions of the device according to any one of (1) to (17) may be configured as a program for causing a computer to execute the functions.

[0124] The above-mentioned configurations are examples, and may be partially expanded or partially limited. Also, the configurations may be combined within a range in which there is no contradiction. For example, the above-mentioned inventions (1) to (17) may be arbitrarily combined. Also, for example, the invention may not have all or a part of the configuration (1), but may have at least one of the other configurations (2) to (17). However, in particular, it is preferable to have all or a part of the configuration (1) and combine it with at least one of the configurations (2) to (17). Also, any component may be extracted from at least one of the configurations (1) to (17) and combined. The applicant of the present application intends to obtain patent rights for such configurations as well. Effect of the Invention

[0125] According to the present invention, for example, the occurrence of dangers caused by elderly drivers driving vehicles is suppressed, the possibility that elderly drivers will become perpetrators or victims of accidents is reduced, and family members can feel at ease about elderly drivers. It is possible to provide equipment that allows users to operate the vehicle with peace of mind. The effects of the invention of this application are not limited to this, and effects achieved from the configurations disclosed in this specification and drawings are also disclosed, and it is the intention to obtain rights to the configurations that achieve these effects by divisional applications, amendments, etc. For example, in this specification, the phrase "can..." is a description that clearly indicates the effect that is achieved, and there are also parts that show the effect even without the phrase "can...". [Brief description of the drawings]

[0126] [Figure 1] 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a safety system including a device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a state in which the main unit of the device is mounted on a vehicle. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a front external view of the display device shown in FIG. [Figure 4] 11A and 11B are diagrams showing how the display screen of the display device changes; [Diagram 5]FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a driving state when a vehicle equipped with the device moves to the right of the lane. [Figure 6] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a driving state when a vehicle equipped with an instrument staggers. [Figure 7] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a display screen of an external setting device connected to the device. [Figure 8] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a display example of a display screen of a display device. [Figure 9] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of how reward information is displayed on a display screen of a display device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0127] 1 to 9 are diagrams showing the configuration of a safety system including a drive recorder as a device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0128] As shown in FIG. 1, a safety system including equipment according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises a main unit (hereinafter also referred to as the "main body") 1 equipped with a control means 10, and a front view camera 11, a GPS unit 12, an OBD connector 13, an acceleration sensor 14, an additional camera 15, a temperature and humidity sensor 16, a remote control 17, a display device 18, a touch panel 19, input buttons 20, a built-in microphone 21, a speaker 22, a short-range wireless communication device 23, a memory card slot 24 and a storage means 25 (not shown).

[0129] The control means 10, acceleration sensor 14, temperature and humidity sensor 16, built-in microphone 21, speaker 22, short-range wireless communication device 23, memory card slot 24, and storage means 25 are provided in the main unit 1. In addition, the front view camera 11, GPS unit 12, OBD connector 13, additional camera 15, remote control 17, and display device 18 are provided in the vehicle separately from the main unit 1.

[0130] The control means 10 of the main unit 1 includes a microcomputer, and the processing in this embodiment is realized by a computer including the microcomputer executing a program stored in the microcomputer.

[0131] As shown in FIG. 2, the main unit 1 is fixed by attaching its bottom surface to, for example, a center console located to the left front of the driver's seat or an undercover of an instrument panel using double-sided tape.

[0132] The main unit 1 has an AV output terminal which is a terminal for outputting video signals and audio signals to a display device 18 provided separately from the main unit 1, a microphone terminal which is a terminal for inputting audio signals from an external microphone, and an SD card slot (corresponding to the memory card slot 24 in Figure 1).

[0133] Each of these terminals is connected to a corresponding connector, and The control means 10 is connected to each corresponding device via a cord (cable) connected to the AV output terminal. That is, the control means 10 is connected to the display device 18 via an AV output connector connected to the AV output terminal. The main unit 1 is also provided with an opening, and has a built-in microphone 21 connected to the control means 10 inside the opening. The main unit 1 is also provided with a speaker 22 connected to the control means 10 inside.

[0134] As shown in Fig. 3, the display device 18 is a conventionally well-known liquid crystal monitor, and is detachably attached, for example, to a dashboard in a vehicle via a mounting tool. The display device 18 receives and displays NTSC signals, such as those of a car navigation system or a car television. A touch panel 19 is provided on the display of the display device 18, and can be operated by touching the touch portion. In addition, a plurality of input buttons 20 are provided on both sides of the display of the display device 18.

[0135] In the display device 18, the displays shown on the display unit are generally arranged in a hierarchical structure. In the hierarchical display, a menu button displayed as a GUI (Graphical User Interface) input screen in a higher hierarchy is first touched to display a new menu screen in a lower hierarchy, and successive menu buttons are touched until a screen that executes the desired specified processing mode is reached.

[0136] For example, when setting a destination, if one wishes to determine the destination by inputting an address, the operation is carried out by first touching the menu button from the initial screen to display the location information setting screen, followed by touching the menu button again to display the address input screen, in the order of initial screen → location information setting screen → address input screen.

[0137] The main unit 1 also has an OBD connection terminal that connects to an OBD connector 13 provided in the vehicle, a GPS unit connection terminal that connects to a GPS unit 12, an additional camera connection terminal that connects to an additional camera 15, and a front view camera connection terminal that connects to a front view camera 11, and each of these is connected to the control means 10.

[0138] Front view camera 11 is a camera for capturing images of the area in front of the vehicle and acquiring images of the vehicle as it travels, and outputs an NTSC signal as a video signal for the captured image. Front view camera 11 is fixed to the windshield inside the vehicle cabin with double-sided tape so that the lens faces the vehicle's traveling direction to capture images of the area in front of the vehicle. The camera is fixed to a position within 20% of the total height of the windshield from the top of the windshield inside the vehicle cabin. Power for front view camera 11 is supplied from control means 10.

[0139] The GPS unit 12 is installed in a front position on the dashboard, receives GPS signals, determines the current position from the received GPS signals, and sends position information (longitude, latitude) of the determined current position, etc. to the control means 10 as NMEA format data.

[0140] The control means 10 is also connected to the vehicle speed signal line, turn signal line, brake signal line, vehicle earth line, ACC system power supply, etc. of the vehicle via the OBD connector 13 connected to the OBD connection terminal. As a result, the control means 10 obtains vehicle speed information, turn signal information, brake information, engine rotation output information, etc. from the vehicle via the OBD connector 13.

[0141] The acceleration sensor 14 detects the behavior of the vehicle from the acceleration in three dimensions of the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis. The X-axis detects the acceleration in the lateral direction, the Y-axis detects the acceleration in the forward direction, and the Z-axis detects the acceleration in the vertical direction. This allows the detection of specific vehicle behaviors such as sudden acceleration / deceleration, sudden steering, climbing up a step, or falling into a pothole. 4 is provided inside the main unit 1 and is connected to the control means 10.

[0142] The additional camera 15 is a camera that can be attached at any position to capture images of the vehicle periphery, and outputs an NTSC signal as a video signal of the captured image. For example, it is fixed to the windshield inside the vehicle with double-sided tape, facing the interior direction (from the windshield to the rear of the vehicle) as the direction to capture images. This makes it possible to capture the behavior of the driver. The power of the additional camera 15 is supplied from the control means 10.

[0143] The temperature and humidity sensor 16 is a well-known thermo-hygrometer that measures the temperature and humidity inside the vehicle. The temperature and humidity sensor 16 is provided inside the main unit 1 and is connected to the control means 10.

[0144] The remote control 17 has a location information registration button that functions as a location information registration unit, and is fixed by attaching the back side of the button with double-sided tape to a position that is easy for the driver to operate, such as a center console or an undercover of an instrument panel. When the location information registration button of the remote control 17 is pressed at a location that is to be stored while driving, the location information of that location is registered, as described later.

[0145] The short-range wireless communication device 23 performs so-called Bluetooth (registered trademark) communication, and connects the control means 10 to an external device that functions as an external setting device, such as a smartphone, tablet, or notebook PC, via short-range wireless communication so that the control means 10 can communicate with each other.

[0146] [Traffic signal warning announcement]

[0147] A case will be described in which it is determined whether or not an elderly driver may be the perpetrator of an accident by driving a vehicle based on traffic light information and speed information, and a warning is issued by the notification means based on the determination.

[0148] In the safety system, the front view camera 11 captures an image of the area ahead of the vehicle, and the control means 10 recognizes an LED traffic light from the captured image information and acquires information on the color of the traffic light as traffic light information. The control means 10 of the main unit 1 also acquires vehicle speed information from the OBD connector 13 and acceleration information in the forward / rearward direction from the acceleration sensor 14. Here, the vehicle speed information and acceleration information are included in speed information relating to the vehicle speed.

[0149] From the traffic light information and speed information, the control means 10 judges whether or not the elderly driver may become a perpetrator by driving the vehicle. Specifically, if the traffic light information meets the condition that the color of the traffic light is red or yellow, and the speed information meets the condition that the vehicle is traveling at a predetermined speed or higher, for example, 10 km / h, and is not decelerating, it is judged that the elderly driver may become a perpetrator by entering an intersection when the traffic light is red, since there is a possibility that the elderly driver does not notice the red light.

[0150] When it is determined that the elderly driver may be a perpetrator, the display unit switches from a driving screen showing the view ahead of the vehicle as shown in Fig. 4(A) to a notification screen showing a warning as shown in Fig. 4(B) and (C). On the notification screen, the text 41 saying "Watch out for the traffic lights" is displayed in white, and the background 42 alternates between a red background color only (displayed in gray in Fig. 4(B)) and a black background color only (see Fig. 4(C)). Also, the message "Watch out for the traffic lights" is issued as a warning from the speaker 22 in a voice that gives a soft impression.

[0151] In this way, the main unit determines whether the LED signal is blinking due to the power supply, and the result is displayed as a key. It can recognize red lights and the speed of the vehicle, for example the speed of travel, and changes in speed, for example acceleration or deceleration, and if the acceleration does not decrease continuously, it can notify the driver in advance that the light is red and that it is better to stop immediately.

[0152] In addition, the control means 10 recognizes the distance to the traffic light that is the basis of the traffic light information from the image information, and terminates the issuance of the warning according to the distance and the speed information. Specifically, it is determined that the vehicle is in a situation where it cannot be the cause of an accident and terminates the notification when the actual vehicle speed satisfies the condition that the vehicle has decelerated to a speed below that which is assumed to allow the vehicle to stop at the stop position corresponding to the traffic light.

[0153] [Warning regarding wobble, etc.]

[0154] We will explain a case in which it is determined from vehicle information that a vehicle driven by an elderly driver has drifted to the right of the lane by more than a predetermined amount, and from this determination it is determined whether or not the elderly driver is in a situation where he or she could be the perpetrator of an accident by driving the vehicle, and a warning is issued by the notification means based on this determination.

[0155] As shown in Fig. 5, when vehicle C driven by an elderly driver moves to the right of the lane, acceleration sensor 14 in the vehicle detects acceleration in the left-right direction, and control means 10 acquires the detected acceleration information. Control means 10 also acquires image information of the front of the vehicle from front view camera 11, and recognizes the distance between vehicle C and center line L of the road. As a result, control means 10 determines that the vehicle has moved to the right by more than a predetermined value from the acceleration information and image information, and issues a warning based on the determination.

[0156] Specifically, the control means 10 determines that the situation is such that the elderly driver may be the perpetrator if the behavior of the vehicle C meets the predetermined conditions, based on the acceleration information that the vehicle C has drifted to the right by a certain value or more and the distance between the vehicle C and the center line L is less than a certain value.

[0157] The certain value for the distance between the vehicle C and the center line L and the deviation of the vehicle C to the right is preset in the judgment program of the control device. In this embodiment, the certain value for the distance between the right end of the vehicle C and the center line L is set to 10 cm, but the certain value may be set to 0 or a negative number. However, in order to more safely judge that an elderly driver has deviated to the center line, the certain value should be set in the range of 5 cm to 50 cm. When the control means 10 judges that a situation exists in which an elderly driver may be the perpetrator of an accident by driving the vehicle, the display of the display device 18 starts flashing to issue a warning.

[0158] Elderly drivers tend to drive in a lane that moves from the center to the right, then back to the right, then back to the right, and then when an oncoming vehicle approaches, they sense the danger and move back to the left. By notifying the driver of this type of swerving behavior that is unique to elderly drivers when they move to the right, it is possible to determine situations in which a typical elderly driver may become a perpetrator.

[0159] Next, we will explain the case where the swerving of a vehicle driven by an elderly driver is determined from vehicle information, and based on that determination, it is determined whether or not the elderly driver is in a situation where he or she could be the perpetrator of an accident by driving the vehicle, and a warning is issued by the notification means based on that determination.

[0160] As shown in Figure 6, when vehicle C driven by an elderly driver sways, the acceleration sensor 14 in vehicle C detects acceleration in the left and right direction, and the control means 10 acquires the detected acceleration information. The control means 10 also acquires image information of the front of the vehicle from the front view camera 11, and recognizes the distance between vehicle C and center line L of the road. From the acceleration information and image information, the control means 10 thereby determines that vehicle C has strayed to the right by more than a predetermined value, and that vehicle C has strayed to the left by more than a predetermined value. Recognize that you have come.

[0161] When the vehicle C repeatedly veers to the right by a predetermined value or more and to the left by a predetermined position or more, the control means 10 determines that the vehicle C is swaying, and issues a warning based on the determination.

[0162] Specifically, based on image information acquired from front view camera 11, vehicle C recognizes the positional relationship between center line L, outer roadway line M, and virtual middle line N between center line L and outer roadway line M, as shown in Fig. 6. Then, based on acceleration information and image information, it is recognized that vehicle C has moved to the right by a certain value or more, and the distance between the center of vehicle C and virtual middle line N has become a certain value or more to the right, and then vehicle C has moved to the left by a certain value or more, and the distance between the center of vehicle C and virtual middle line N has become a certain value or more to the left. Then, when the predetermined condition is that the vehicle C moves left and right and the distance between the center of vehicle C and virtual middle line N has repeatedly become a certain value or more to the left and right within a predetermined time, the control means 10 determines that the elderly driver is in a situation where he or she may be the perpetrator.

[0163] The certain value when the vehicle C veers to the right is predefined in a judgment program that operates the control means 10. In this embodiment, the certain value when the vehicle C veers to the right is set to 50 cm as the distance between the center of the vehicle C and the imaginary median line N. Also, the certain value when the vehicle C veers to the left is set to 50 cm as the distance between the center of the vehicle C and the imaginary median line N. The predetermined time for judging swaying is set to 30 seconds. These values ​​can be changed as appropriate. When the control means 10 judges that a situation exists in which an elderly driver may be the perpetrator of an accident by driving the vehicle, the display of the display device 18 starts flashing to issue a warning.

[0164] Elderly drivers tend to drive in a lane that moves from the center to the right, then back again, then back to the right. By notifying the driver of this type of drift that is unique to elderly drivers, it is possible to determine situations in which a typical elderly driver may become a perpetrator.

[0165] The judgment of such excessive drift to the right and swaying is built into a judgment program that operates the control means 10 based on predetermined conditions, i.e., predetermined values, and the control means 10 automatically makes the judgment without any settings, and based on that judgment, determines a situation in which the elderly driver may be a perpetrator and issues a warning.

[0166] [Location-based warning notification]

[0167] The system registers location information and event information related to the location as a situation in which an elderly driver may be the perpetrator of an accident. If a vehicle driven by an elderly driver subsequently arrives at the registered location, a warning is issued.

[0168] The location information is registered by the external setting device using a viewer 71 as shown in Fig. 7. Various pieces of information registered by the external setting device are stored as setting data in a memory card inserted into the external setting device. The memory card storing the setting data is inserted into the memory card slot 24 of the main unit 1. Then, the control means 10 transfers the setting data from the memory card to the storage means 25 of the main unit 1. As a result, the storage means 25 of the main unit 1 stores the setting data.

[0169] When the vehicle reaches a position corresponding to the position information in the setting data, the control means 10 displays related event information on the display means and also notifies the user by voice from the speaker 22 which is an alarm sound output means.

[0170] The PC of the external setting device displays a viewer 71 as shown in Fig. 7 on a display. The viewer 71 displays map information 72, event information 73, and image information 74 captured by the front view camera 11 at a specific position on the map information 72. The map information 72, event information 73, and image information 74 are linked to each other, and for example, a position 72a where event information 72a is registered is displayed on the map. Also, the image information 73 displays image information at a position on the map pointed to by a cursor.

[0171] To register location information, for example, move the cursor on the map and click at the location where you want to register the event information. At that location, register the event information according to the menu. By clicking the cursor at any location on the map, you can register the event information at that location. Event information that can be registered includes the time of the event, the period for which the notification is to be made, the direction in which the event will occur, the content to be displayed on the display unit, the background color of the display unit, etc. Each item is configured to be set by selecting an option.

[0172] In this way, for example, conditions can be registered such as 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. Monday through Friday, target vehicles, and elementary school children commuting to school. If an elderly driver drives in a manner that meets the registered conditions, a warning can be issued, reducing the possibility of the elderly driver becoming the perpetrator of an accident involving elementary school children commuting to school.

[0173] [Climate warning announcement]

[0174] We will explain a case where weather information is obtained in addition to vehicle information, and a determination as to whether or not an elderly driver may be the perpetrator of an accident by driving a vehicle is made based on the weather information as well as the vehicle information.

[0175] The control means 10 acquires temperature information and humidity information inside the vehicle as weather information from the temperature and humidity sensor 16. The control means 10 also acquires mileage information as vehicle information from the OBD connector 13. Based on the vehicle information and weather information, the control means 10 judges whether or not the situation is such that an elderly driver may be the perpetrator of an accident by driving the vehicle. If it is judged that the situation is such that an elderly driver may be the perpetrator of an accident by driving the vehicle, the control means 10 issues a warning to other devices.

[0176] Specifically, when the temperature information and the mileage information meet the conditions that the temperature inside the vehicle is equal to or greater than a certain value and the mileage is equal to or greater than a certain distance, the control means 10 judges that the elderly driver may be the perpetrator of an accident. The certain temperature and the mileage are initially set, but the family of the elderly driver can set them by a setting device according to the characteristics of the elderly driver.

[0177] In this case, as shown in Fig. 8(A), the control means 10 displays text 81 saying "The temperature is high, so you should drink water" on the display of the display device 18. Also, a similar warning is issued by voice from the speaker 22.

[0178] The control means 10 also acquires, from the OBD connector 13, weather information about rainfall, indicating that the wipers have been operated. The control means 10 also acquires, from the OBD connector 13, mileage information as vehicle information. Based on the vehicle information and weather information, the control means 10 determines whether or not the situation is such that an elderly driver may be the perpetrator of an accident by driving the vehicle. If it is determined that the situation is such that an elderly driver may be the perpetrator of an accident by driving the vehicle, the control means 10 issues a warning to other devices.

[0179] Specifically, when the wipers are in operation and the driving distance is greater than a certain distance, If the condition is met, the control means 10 determines that the elderly driver may be the perpetrator of an accident due to rain. A certain temperature and mileage are initially set, but the elderly driver's family can set them by the setting device according to the characteristics of the elderly driver.

[0180] In this case, as shown in Fig. 8(B), the control means 10 causes characters 82 saying "It's raining, so it's slippery" to be displayed on the display device 18. Also, a similar warning is issued by voice from the speaker 22.

[0181] [Display changes to accommodate elderly drivers] An example will be described in which the display notifies a warning by changing the color of a single-color background.

[0182] The control means 10 issues a warning based on warning information determined according to a situation in which an elderly driver may be the perpetrator of an accident from among a plurality of pieces of warning information stored in the storage means 25. For example, as shown in Fig. 4(B) and (C), one set of warning information is a pattern in which the text "Watch out for the traffic lights" is displayed in white on a background of only red and only black, flashing alternately. Therefore, the control means 10 determines one or more sets of warning information according to a situation in which an elderly driver may be the perpetrator of an accident, and issues a warning.

[0183] The warning information may be set by the family of the elderly driver, who can input information suitable for the elderly driver using the setting button and touch panel 19. For example, the family of the elderly driver may set the content and color of the text to be displayed and the color of the display background to suit the personality and preferences of the elderly driver.

[0184] The method for setting up the warning display is, for example, by selecting "Warning display settings" on the touch panel 19, which leads to a display prompting the user to set items such as "Text content," "Text color," "Background color," and "Flashing." In the "Text content" item, the user can enter text such as "Watch out for the traffic lights" using the keyboard displayed on the touch panel 19. In the "Text color" and "Background color" items, the user can select colors such as red, blue, yellow, green, white, and black. In the "Flashing" item, the user can select whether to flash and the flashing interval, etc. Each item is registered as a selection and one warning pattern is set.

[0185] [Ensuring elderly drivers continue to drive safely]

[0186] A case will be described in which the number of days that the vehicle has been driven is counted, and when a predetermined number of days have been counted, reward information that motivates the elderly driver to drive is displayed on the display means.

[0187] The control means 10 recognizes that the engine of the vehicle has started, and counts the number of days that the vehicle has been driven. Specifically, the control means 10 acquires the engine speed output via the OBD connector 13, and recognizes that the engine has started. Then, the control means 10 stores the date and time when the engine started in the storage means 25. In addition, the control means 10 counts a predetermined number of days from the date and time stored in the storage means 25.

[0188] When a predetermined number of days have been counted, the control means 10 displays the reward information on the display means. Specifically, the storage means 25 stores a plurality of pieces of reward information, and the control means 10 selects reward information corresponding to the number of days counted from the plurality of pieces of reward information and displays it on the display means.

[0189] As shown in FIG. 9, the reward information is that on the first day that an elderly driver starts the engine, one day is counted and an image of an egg is displayed (FIG. 9(A)). Then, when the number of days is counted for five consecutive days, an image of a cracked egg is displayed (FIG. 9(B)). Then, after the number of days is counted for ten consecutive days, an image of a cracked egg is displayed (FIG. 9(C)). As the number of days continues to be counted, an image of an egg cracking and a chick emerging is displayed (Fig. 9(C)). Next, when 15 consecutive days have been counted, an image of an egg hatching and a chick emerging is displayed (Fig. 9(D)). Then, when 20 consecutive days have been counted, a photo of the elderly driver's family is displayed along with a message (Fig. 9(E)). In this way, the reward information may be image information of an animal hatching from an egg and growing according to the number of days counted.

[0190] In this way, the elderly driver will look forward to the changing image, and will be more motivated to continue driving. If the elderly driver's family members are too worried about becoming the perpetrator of an accident, the elderly driver will be prevented from staying indoors.

[0191] [Variations]

[0192] In this embodiment, a case has been described in which a determination is made based on traffic light information and speed information as to whether or not an elderly driver may be the perpetrator of an accident by driving a vehicle, and a warning is issued by the notification means based on the determination result, but it is also preferable to take location information into account when determining the situation.

[0193] For example, in a location where the lane is curved and the traffic light cannot be recognized until the vehicle reaches the location, the control means 10 may register the location where the traffic light can be recognized and acquire the traffic light information after the vehicle reaches the location. Specifically, when the vehicle reaches the registered location, the control means 10 may determine whether the traffic light is red or green from the moment the control means 10 recognizes the target traffic light in the image information captured by the front view camera 11, and may issue a warning if the acceleration sensor 14 or the vehicle speed does not change even though the light is red.

[0194] As another example of issuing a warning regarding traffic light information, when the color of the traffic light changes from red to green, start information may be issued. In this way, when an elderly driver is waiting for a traffic light and looking to the side absentmindedly, he or she will not be startled and jump out when a following vehicle honks the horn. Also, if the green light is notified, the driver will know to proceed and will not be surprised or irritated, so his or her heart rate will not increase and he or she can continue driving with a stable mind.

[0195] Generally, elderly drivers tend to become more impatient as they get older, so preventing their heart rate from increasing is a great effect in maintaining safe driving. The notification when the light turns blue should have a blue background with the image of "You can go!". "Start information" is a function that notifies the driver that the vehicle ahead has started moving when the vehicle is stopped, and is also called stop and go. Therefore, it is good to have a function that detects when the vehicle ahead has started moving and notifies the driver.

[0196] The timing of the notification should be earlier than when a warning is normally given to a general driver. The timing of the notification should be set by the family of the elderly driver. The elderly driver should drive the vehicle once and set the timing that seems good. If the timing does not suit the elderly driver, the elderly driver should drive the vehicle again and set it again, and so on, challenging the setting several times.

[0197] The additional camera 15 acquires image information of the inside of the vehicle, focusing on the elderly driver. The control means 10 acquires image information of the elderly driver from the additional camera 15 and recognizes the driving state of the elderly driver. Based on this, the control means 10 makes a comprehensive judgment from the images of the front view camera 11 and the additional camera 15 and issues a warning. For example, The system recognizes from the image information of the top view camera 11 that the elderly driver has pulled over to the center line, and at this time, recognizes the driving situation, such as whether the elderly driver was looking ahead or looking away, from the image information of the additional camera 15. Based on this image information, if the elderly driver has pulled over while looking ahead, a warning is issued in the form of a voice such as "You're pulling to the right," and if the elderly driver is looking away, a warning is issued in the form of a voice such as "Look ahead."

[0198] In the present embodiment, an example is shown in which a warning is issued when it is determined that an elderly driver may be a perpetrator of a traffic light, but the position or timing at which the warning is issued may be set individually by, for example, the elderly driver's family member. In this way, the family member can set the timing according to the elderly driver's personality and preferences, which they know only because they are family members.

[0199] In addition, the location or timing of issuing the warning may be such that, for example, if the control means 10 recognizes that the traffic light is red and the control means 10 recognizes that the traffic light is 200 to 500 meters away, it will start issuing a warning, and if the acceleration sensor 14 determines that the driver has decelerated, it can be determined that the elderly driver has recognized the traffic light, and the warning will be stopped.

[0200] If the warning continues until the vehicle speed really reaches 0 km / h, it may upset the elderly driver who has already applied the brakes to stop the vehicle, and in that case, the elderly driver may feel unstable and may become the perpetrator of an accident. In the individual setting by the elderly driver's family, it is recommended that the vehicle speed at which the warning ends be set so that the value is tuned to 200 to 500 meters before the vehicle reaches the destination.

[0201] Also, for example, in this embodiment, several situations are given as examples of situations in which an elderly driver may become the perpetrator of an accident, but other situations such as stepping on the accelerator by mistake that may occur at a specific location such as a convenience store parking lot are also assumed. For example, when the engine is started while the vehicle is stopped at a specific location registered at a convenience store, a message such as "Leave safely" is displayed, and when the elderly driver starts to step on the accelerator and the vehicle accelerates, the control means 10 determines that the vehicle has started to move slowly, and thereafter, since there is no risk of the vehicle crashing into the convenience store, it is preferable to end the message such as "Leave safely."

[0202] In this embodiment, in the notification of a warning regarding swaying, etc., when swaying is judged, the certain value when the vehicle C veers to the right, the certain value when the vehicle C veers to the left, and the specified time for judging swaying can be appropriately changed. For example, the certain value that serves as a criterion for judging whether the vehicle C has veered to the left or right may be obtained from the distance between the center line L and the outer roadway line M. For example, when the distance between the center line L and the outer roadway line M is 250 cm, one-fifth of this value, 50 cm, may be set as the certain value when the vehicle C veers to the right. In addition, it is also possible to judge that the vehicle has veered to the right when the distance from the center line L becomes equal to or smaller than a certain value, and judge that the vehicle is swaying when the vehicle veers to the left and then to the right again from the state where the vehicle veers to the right, based only on the acceleration information.

[0203] Elderly drivers may find themselves drifting over to the center line on the right and then back again, making it difficult for them to drive straight. This is thought to be because they think, "It's scary to go to the left because there's a guardrail, but even if I cross the center line, there won't be a direct accident as long as there's no traffic on the other side." This mindset causes typical elderly drivers to stay on the inside of the road, and when they occasionally see a large truck approaching, they become startled and swerve to the left, hitting the left guardrail and becoming the perpetrator of an accident. In anticipation of such a situation, if the vehicle moves to the right and makes a big change, it is a good idea to warn the driver, "Are you crossing the center line?" and to warn them that there may be pedestrians if they drift to the left. One of the causes of this kind of swaying is the elderly driver's narrow field of vision. It is possible that:

[0204] Furthermore, an example in which a warning is issued when the vehicle C moves to the right has been described with reference to FIG. 5, but it is also preferable to issue a warning in the following cases.

[0205] First, when the state in which the vehicle C is shifted to the right continues for a certain period of time or more (situation 1), a warning is issued. Here, the state in which the vehicle C is shifted to the right is defined as a state in which the distance between the right edge of the vehicle C and the center line L is equal to or less than a certain value. For example, the certain value may be 50 cm, and the certain period of time may be 30 seconds.

[0206] Next, when an oncoming vehicle approaches from the opposite lane and vehicle C moves to the left to avoid it (situation 2), a warning is issued. In this case, the approach of an oncoming vehicle is determined based on image information from front view camera 11. Also, moving to the left may be determined when the distance between the right edge of vehicle C and center line L is, for example, 150 cm or more.

[0207] Next, when the oncoming vehicle disappears and vehicle C moves to the right again (step 3), a warning is issued. The disappearance of the oncoming vehicle is determined from image information from front view camera 11. Also, the re-moval to the right may be determined when the distance between the right edge of vehicle C and center line L becomes, for example, 50 cm or less.

[0208] Furthermore, if situations 1 to 3 are repeated several times (situation 4), a warning is issued. Also, it is preferable to issue a warning in each of situations 1, 2, 3, and 4. For example, it is preferable to set it so that a warning is not issued in situation 1, but is issued in situation 2, or, alternatively, a warning is not issued in situations 1 and 2, but is issued only in situation 3, or, alternatively, a warning is not issued in situations 2 and 3, but is issued in situations 1 and 4. It is preferable to determine whether vehicle C has drifted to the right or left by another method, regardless of its relationship with the center line L.

[0209] In this embodiment, an example of determining sway and issuing a warning has been described, but for example, when attempting to determine sway using only the acceleration information of the acceleration sensor 14, driving that resembles swaying may occur when traveling along a road with successive curves rather than swaying. In that case, it may be possible to determine whether it is swaying or not, but it is better not to determine whether it is swaying or a curve, and to uniformly determine that even if there are repeated curves, it is swaying.

[0210] Alternatively, for example, it is advisable to uniformly not issue a warning near an intersection as a prohibited area. In this way, by excluding the vicinity of the intersection from the swerving judgment, unauthorized warnings are less likely to be issued, and the elderly driver can concentrate on driving. If the elderly driver's family sets such a setting, the elderly driver will be protected by the kindness of the family. Similarly, it is advisable not to issue a warning at sharp curves.

[0211] In this embodiment, swaying is judged based on the left-right acceleration information detected by the acceleration sensor 14, but it is better to judge sudden starts and sudden braking from changes in forward and backward acceleration information and give a warning. In this way, excessive accelerator pedal depression, mistaken brake pedal depression, etc. can be detected and a warning can be given.

[0212] In the present embodiment, an example has been shown in which control means 10 recognizes swaying of the vehicle based on image information of the front of the vehicle from front view camera 11 and lateral acceleration information from acceleration sensor 14. However, control means 10 may recognize swaying of the vehicle, for example, only from image information of the front of the vehicle from front view camera 11. In other words, control means 10 may recognize swaying of the vehicle from a single piece of information.

[0213] Furthermore, it is even better if the control means 10 recognizes swaying from, for example, GPS information, steering wheel steering angle information, etc., and by comprehensively determining vehicle swaying from these multiple pieces of information, it is possible to accurately determine swaying.

[0214] In this embodiment, an example of issuing a warning regarding location information has been shown, but the location information can be set by inputting places where other people have had accidents in the past, places where accidents often occur, places where accidents are likely to occur that only locals know about, etc., and registering places that all local residents should be careful of in advance and issuing a notification. Such location information can be shared via Internet communication, but it is preferable to set it completely individually. It is preferable to keep the information on this main unit alone and register the information of only specific elderly drivers.

[0215] Therefore, instead of creating a special website on the Internet where local information can be entered, it would be better to have family members such as the elderly driver's sons set up the system individually. Also, when a vehicle dealer buys a car for an elderly driver, they should, like a family member, register the locations that people in the area usually pay attention to.

[0216] It is advisable to limit the number of location information that can be registered to about 10. For example, elderly drivers often drive for about 15 or 20 minutes at a time, and are not expected to drive for an hour. Places that are not daily but occasionally require driving include hospitals, home improvement stores, and barber shops, but even then, the places they go to are fixed and often about 5 to 10 km away from their homes. Therefore, elderly drivers often have a limited range of movement, and the location information that can be registered in the safety device can be limited.

[0217] Therefore, in the safety device according to the present invention, the number of places that can be set is limited, and a warning is issued repeatedly when the place and time match. Setting the place and time for a general driver requires a huge amount of registration work, but in comparison, elderly drivers have a limited range of movement and time, so the amount of setting work required is not so large.

[0218] If individual settings can be made using an external setting device such as a PC or smartphone, there is no need to make settings from the main unit 1 or display device 18 of the device. Therefore, it is also possible to configure the main unit 1 and display device 18 without providing buttons for setting. For example, if the display device 18 is not provided with buttons for setting, it is possible to increase the degree of design freedom, such as by making the screen wider.

[0219] The warning may not only be issued for urgent matters, but may also be issued in advance by registering a location near the home, such as "It's almost there," or "Be careful, it's almost there." A warning may be issued based only on location information, without registering event information.

[0220] It is recommended that the elderly driver and his / her family register the location information together. For example, even if the elderly driver himself / herself says that he / she is fine, if the elderly driver and his / her family check the actual driving information together and find out that the elderly driver and his / her family are driving dangerously at a specific point, the elderly driver and his / her family can have a common understanding. The elderly driver will provide all information such as the destination and driving skills to the family, but this will strengthen the relationship of trust.

[0221] In the present embodiment, an example has been shown in which the location information is registered by an external setting device. However, the location information may be registered by a location information registration means while driving, without using an external setting device. Specifically, the location information may be registered by pressing a button on the remote control 17, which corresponds to the location information registration means. For example, when a button on the remote control 17 is pressed while driving, the location information is registered, and after driving is completed, this information is retrieved into an external setting device and event information, etc. is set to the registered location information. In this way, a highly accurate registration pattern can be created by registering locations where an elderly driver may be the perpetrator of an accident while driving and adding information to the registered locations.

[0222] It is recommended that the family of the elderly driver, while driving on behalf of the elderly driver, registers the location information using the remote control 17, and adds or modifies the registered location information together with the elderly driver, after which the elderly driver actually drives. Furthermore, it is recommended that the family of the elderly driver re-sets the information together while observing the actual driving conditions of the elderly driver.

[0223] Repeated setting work will lead to closer communication between the elderly driver and his / her family. It would be even better if the warning notification method could be registered together with the registered location. When registering location information while driving, it is better for the elderly driver to drive and for his / her family to register the location information from the remote control 17.

[0224] In this embodiment, an example has been described in which it is determined whether or not an elderly driver may be the perpetrator of an accident by driving a vehicle, based on mileage information and temperature information. However, for example, based on the time information of the GPS information, a predetermined condition is that the temperature situation continues for a certain period of time or more, and if the condition is met, the control means 10 may have a function to determine that the elderly driver is the perpetrator of an accident.

[0225] In this way, in the summer when the temperature inside the car rises rapidly, some kind of warning can be given, such as a message that the driver needs to replenish fluids, or that driving for too long will make the driver feel drowsy, etc. Elderly drivers tend to be mentally patient, and for example, they may endure even at home until they suffer from heatstroke. Therefore, it is useful to provide information about the weather.

[0226] When issuing a warning based on meteorological information, locations where heat stroke is likely to occur in the morning or during the day are determined based on the date and time from the temperature and humidity sensor 16 and the GPS unit 12.

[0227] When a warning is issued based on meteorological information, it is preferable that the warning be issued when a change in temperature is detected after a predetermined time has elapsed since the engine was started. For example, the warning may be issued only when the temperature is higher than when the driver goes out after working in the fields in summer. Also, it is preferable to issue a warning when the temperature difference is large when the driver goes out in the morning and returns home in the afternoon.

[0228] In addition, even if the control device is in a situation where it should issue a warning based on weather information, if a highly urgent event has occurred based on other information such as vehicle information and a warning is necessary, it is preferable for the control device to not issue a warning based on weather information.

[0229] When setting the location information, for example, it is a good idea to set the distance from the elderly driver's home to a field or hospital that the elderly driver regularly visits. In that case, if the distance exceeds a certain distance, it is considered to be an unusual situation, such as getting lost. In unusual situations, the driver often does not pay attention to the temperature, so it is very meaningful to issue a warning when the temperature is high.

[0230] In the present embodiment, an example has been shown in which the warning information displayed on the display is set by the family of the elderly driver. As a prerequisite for such setting, it is preferable that there are one or more default warning patterns determined as initial settings for the color and text content. On that basis, the family can set It would be good to add a warning pattern by doing so.

[0231] For example, depending on the personality and tastes of the elderly driver, it may be more appropriate to use a stronger tone of "Watch out" rather than "Be careful." The warning information displayed on the display should be arranged so that certain parts can be positioned anywhere on the display, for example, like New Year's card creation software. It should be possible to set it in a similar way to how you arrange photos, such as writing "New Year's greetings" or "Happy New Year" on the top right and "Happy New Year" on the left. Since many people experience such settings at least once a year, it is relatively easy to configure the screen. Then, it is a good idea to have an elderly driver actually drive the vehicle and try changing the settings while doing so. It is a good idea to change the background color to emphasize it, or to make it blink or light up, and find something that the person will notice easily.

[0232] In addition, text warnings are effective when the vehicle is stopped. For example, if the message "Be careful with the accelerator" appears the moment the vehicle parks at a convenience store and starts the engine, it can prevent the driver from accidentally stepping on the accelerator. Also, by repeatedly receiving the warning, it may become a habit to be careful every time.

[0233] For the notification of warnings by the display device 18, a plurality of registered patterns are stored in the storage means by default. In this way, it is preferable to register registered patterns that are easy for elderly drivers to recognize by default. Furthermore, it is preferable that the family members of the elderly driver can rewrite the registered patterns by default as users. It is preferable to change only the characters based on the registered patterns, or to change only the combination of the color of the characters and the color of the background. For example, complementary colors can be used as color combinations.

[0234] It is advisable to issue a warning by voice in addition to the warning by the display device 18. For example, the control means 10 acquires voice information via the built-in microphone 21 and stores it in the storage means 25. A family member registers the voice information as warning information corresponding to the situation. In this way, when the vehicle driven by the elderly driver is placed in the corresponding situation, a warning is issued by the voice information. Since elderly drivers have difficulty reading while driving, issuing a warning by voice is effective.

[0235] The voice notification may be made in a familiar voice, such as that of a son, daughter, or grandchild. In this embodiment, the voice is stored in the storage means by the built-in microphone 21, but voice data may be acquired by an external setting device and stored in the storage means of the main unit 1 via an SD card. Also, a startling sound such as a beep may be used instead of a voice, but a warning given in a gentle voice or sound is more likely to motivate elderly drivers to drive safely.

[0236] The voice can be set to suit an elderly driver, but it is also possible to record the sound that the elderly driver thinks should be heard. Alternatively, the voice of a great-grandchild saying "It's dangerous" can be acquired by a smartphone app and stored in the storage means of the main unit 1. The voice information can be set to suit the elderly driver, and can be notified in a manner that is most important to the elderly driver, such as the voice of the wife, who is riding next to the driver, to give the driver a sense of security that he is not driving alone.

[0237] In other words, it is best to choose something that resonates with each elderly driver. It is best to change the settings to discover whether a completely unknown voice, a simple sound, a familiar voice, or the voice of a beloved grandchild or great-grandchild is best. There may be cases where you are embarrassed to use your own voice, or where a sentence is better.

[0238] The audio warning may be given once or may be repeated several times. If the elderly driver becomes irritated and uncomfortable when the elderly driver is notified, it is advisable to notify only once. The initial setting should be set to notify only once, and then the elderly driver can be individually set to repeat the notification multiple times. It is advisable to provide a function for setting the number of repetitions and the notification period (e.g., the number of seconds). It is advisable to have registration patterns for grandparents, for calm grandparents, calm people, and people with short tempers. However, it is even better to assume that such registration patterns are only for a specific elderly driver (e.g., a grandparent) and set them individually for that grandparent.

[0239] The text content can be a sentence or message created by the elderly driver's grandchild, such as "Be careful, grandpa" or "Welcome home" when the elderly driver returns home after driving. Even if the message is not read while driving, the fact that the grandchild set it will motivate the elderly driver to be more careful about safety. By setting it individually, rather than using a notification method that is popular with everyone, it is possible to provide a notification that resonates with the elderly driver.

[0240] For example, it would be good to set the thickness of the letters and the image of the letters, whether they should be more distorted, softer, or harder, etc. Even if the color is the same red, some elderly drivers find it easier to see if it is a little brighter, while others find it easier to see if it is a really dark red like wine red. Such things can be customized while checking them on an external setting device such as a computer and having a conversation such as "Is this easy to see? What do you think?"

[0241] For example, for people who have difficulty seeing certain colors due to a physical or eye illness, it would be a good idea to provide them with a PC viewer that allows them to change gradations, whereas previously there were only viewers and displays that could only use fixed colors.

[0242] In the present embodiment, the case where reward information is given such that one egg grows until safe driving continues for 20 days has been described, but after 20 days have passed, the next egg may be prepared and another animal may hatch. In this way, the elderly driver can increase the number of animals, be given the joy of collecting them, and be more motivated to continue driving safely.

[0243] In such a case, it is possible to set a distance target for the number of days, or to deduct points for sudden starts and stops based on the acceleration information from the acceleration sensor 14. However, in this case, the system is characterized by displaying reward information to the elderly driver as a reward for being able to drive every day. In this way, the elderly driver is encouraged to go outside without being discouraged by driving due to the setting of aggressive goals or deducting points, and the onset of illnesses due to social isolation is suppressed.

[0244] In the present embodiment, the example of changing the reward image every 5 days has been described, but it is preferable to display a reward image that changes every day. The storage means may store a plurality of character images in the storage means, and the character images may be a series of characters that grow according to each stage of the number of points acquired. Specifically, if the character images of the plurality of stages are created with an image of a larva that becomes an adult after molting a plurality of times, the user can continue driving while imagining the coupon he is trying to obtain as a pet and raising the pet.

[0245] It would also be a good idea to have a system where if you continue for 10 days, you get an egg, and if you continue for another 10 days, it will hatch and your point card will be filled up on the screen. This would stimulate the habit of collecting and motivate elderly drivers to continue driving safely.

[0246] The reward information is provided on the screen with images that are considered to be pleasing to elderly drivers. The reward information may be information that is of interest to elderly drivers, such as a video, image, illustration, or picture of a dog or a cat. The information may be images, animal series, fish series of the world, railways, photos of grandchildren, photos of oneself from the past, dinosaurs, mountains, ports, world heritage sites, etc. In particular, it may be something that stimulates the elderly driver's collecting habit. In order to obtain such reward information, the elderly driver will drive the vehicle every day and maintain that state.

[0247] In addition, it is preferable that the reward image can be set by the family. For example, a plurality of photos that record the growth of the elderly driver's grandchild can be prepared, and as the number of counted days increases, photos of the grown-up grandchild are displayed. By having the family set the reward image, an image that matches the elderly driver's taste can be displayed, and the elderly driver's motivation to continue driving safely can be further increased compared to when the reward image is initially set.

[0248] When setting a reward image, the external setting device may request a password that only the elderly driver's family knows. The reward image may be kept secret from the elderly driver as a little surprise for the elderly driver, and the elderly driver may not be able to view it even if he or she operates the device. In this way, the elderly driver cannot know what kind of reward image will be registered, and the elderly driver's motivation to continue driving safely in order to view the reward image can be increased.

[0249] By having elderly drivers drive their vehicles every day, the engine will not run out of battery power, and the oil will circulate, which will lead to fewer breakdowns. In this way, the prevention of elderly drivers becoming reclusive and the reduction of vehicle breakdowns can be achieved with just the cost of gasoline, and no unnecessary expenses will be incurred.

[0250] The safety system allows the family of an elderly driver to set situations in which the elderly driver may become the perpetrator of an accident by driving a vehicle, and also allows the family of the elderly driver to set warning information to issue a warning tailored to the characteristics of the elderly driver.

[0251] Regarding a situation in which an elderly driver may become the perpetrator of an accident by driving a vehicle, the criteria for determining the situation may be incorporated into the program of the control means 10, may be stored in the memory means 25 as an initial setting, or may be set by a family member of the elderly driver.

[0252] The initial settings of the safety system are at least registered as default settings. Without default settings, some settings must be individually configured, which may be inconvenient for people who want to use the system quickly. If the elderly driver can respond to danger with the initial settings, the initial settings can be used as is, and if the elderly driver cannot respond to danger, the conditions can be added by individual configuration.

[0253] In the initial settings, the system issues warnings earlier than average drivers in their 30s and 40s. For example, if the condition for issuing a warning is distance, the condition can be 1.5 or 2 times the normal distance. Individual settings can be tailored to suit the personality and preferences of elderly drivers, determining whether repeated warnings of "It's dangerous, it's dangerous" 500 or 600 meters before the vehicle will suffice, or whether a single warning will suffice.

[0254] For example, one target age group for a safety system is 65 to 80 years old. If the driver is closer to 65 years old, one notification will be enough to catch them, but if they are closer to 80 years old, multiple notifications may be required to catch them. First, once an elderly driver drives a vehicle, the driving details are recorded along with the default notification. The family can then check the recorded driving details, and if they do not notice the notification at all, the system can increase the number of notifications, for example by notifying them two more times. It is a good idea to individually set the content of the notifications, such as by changing the display, making the sound louder, or changing the color.

[0255] According to the above-mentioned device, as illustrated in Fig. 2, it can be installed in a vehicle driven by an elderly driver, and the control means 10 of the device has a function of acquiring vehicle information, traffic light information, weather information, etc., related to the vehicle driven by the elderly driver, judging from the information whether or not the elderly driver may become the perpetrator of an accident by driving the vehicle, and issuing a warning based on the judgment through a notification means such as a display device 18 or a speaker 22 installed in the vehicle. Therefore, by issuing a warning to the elderly driver in a situation where the elderly driver who drives the vehicle may become the perpetrator, the possibility of the elderly driver becoming the perpetrator is reduced, and the family of the elderly driver can feel more secure about having the elderly driver drive the vehicle.

[0256] The device that can be installed in a vehicle can be used as a main unit 1 by an elderly driver or his / her family member when the elderly driver drives the vehicle, and can, for example, have an attachment part that can be attached to the dashboard or the top of the windshield of the vehicle.

[0257] The "vehicle information relating to the vehicle" may be, for example, information acquired by the vehicle itself, or information acquired by the device attached to the vehicle. For example, the vehicle information may be image information of the outside as seen from inside the vehicle or image information of the inside of the vehicle, detection information detected by a detection device provided on the vehicle or a device attached to the vehicle, GPS information acquired by the GPS unit 12, etc. The image information may be acquired from a photographing device such as the front view camera 11. The detection device may be a sensor such as the acceleration sensor 14.

[0258] "Determining from vehicle information whether or not a situation exists in which an elderly driver may be the perpetrator of an accident by driving a vehicle" may be determined, for example, by matching the acquired vehicle information with a predetermined condition. The predetermined condition may be incorporated, for example, in a program that operates the control means 10 of the device according to the present invention, or may be stored in the storage means 25 provided in the main unit 1.

[0259] Therefore, "determining from vehicle information whether or not a situation exists in which an elderly driver may be the perpetrator of an accident by driving the vehicle" may be a process in which the control means 10 of the equipment of the present invention compares the acquired vehicle information with predetermined conditions built into the program or predetermined conditions stored in the memory means 25, and determines whether or not the information meets the conditions.

[0260] Furthermore, the "situation in which an elderly driver may become the perpetrator of an accident by driving a vehicle" may be determined by judging whether a single piece of information, such as image information captured by the front view camera 11 or the additional camera 15, GPS information acquired from the GPS unit 12, and speed information acquired from the OBD connector 13, matches a predetermined condition, but it is more preferable to judge whether a plurality of pieces of information match the predetermined condition. By judging the match with a plurality of pieces of information, the "situation in which an elderly driver may become the perpetrator of an accident" can be determined more appropriately than when judging the match with a single piece of information.

[0261] "Issuing a warning based on a judgment" may be, for example, a process of issuing a warning by flashing the display screen of the display device 18 when it is judged that a situation in which an elderly driver may become the perpetrator of an accident meets a predetermined condition. Therefore, it is preferable to judge whether or not the situation in which the vehicle is placed meets a predetermined condition, and if it is judged that it meets the condition, to issue a warning, and if it is judged that it does not meet the condition, to not issue a warning.

[0262] "Giving a warning" may be, for example, a weaker warning than that given to general drivers, a warning that calls attention or provides advice, and if the warning is given by the speaker 22, it is better not to use a loud beep or the like. Since elderly drivers tend to become more impatient as they get older, it is better to give a warning that does not surprise or irritate them.

[0263] Furthermore, the device of the present invention may, for example, have a control mode for the above-mentioned control for elderly drivers and a control mode for general drivers other than elderly drivers, and it is even more preferable that the two modes can be switched using the touch panel 19 or input buttons 20 of the display device 18.

[0264] In the mode for general drivers, for example, the device can be installed in a vehicle driven by a general driver other than an elderly driver, and can obtain vehicle information about the vehicle driven by the general driver, and from the vehicle information determine whether or not the situation is such that the general driver could become a victim of an accident by driving the vehicle, and cause a warning means to issue a warning based on the determination.

[0265] As shown in this embodiment, it is preferable that the system has a function for allowing a family member of an elderly driver to set situations in which the elderly driver may become the perpetrator of an accident by driving a vehicle.

[0266] In this way, if each family member of an elderly driver individually sets the settings that they consider optimal for that elderly driver, a warning will be issued in the situation that is considered optimal for that elderly driver, which will reduce the elderly driver's anxiety and allow the family member to feel more secure about allowing the elderly driver to drive, compared to a case where the initial settings are set to situations in which the elderly driver may be the perpetrator of an accident.

[0267] The "function for the family of the elderly driver to set the situation" may be, for example, a function for the family to set some of the predetermined conditions for judging the conformity with the acquired information. For example, the conditions related to the vehicle's position may be set from the touch panel 19 or input buttons 20 of the external setting device or the display device 18, and conditions related to the color of the traffic light and speed may be set. The conditions set by the external setting device may be stored as setting data in the storage means of this device via a memory card. In particular, the conditions related to the "position information" may be set to the position or a predetermined range where the vehicle is located, and for example, the conditions related to the speed may be set to a threshold value.

[0268] 2, the device may include a display device 18, and the "setting function" may be, for example, a function in which items to be set are displayed on the display device 18 of the device and an item is appropriately selected using a touch panel 19. For example, an item for setting a situation related to traffic light information and an item for setting a situation related to weather information may be displayed on the display device 18, and when an item related to weather information is selected, items such as temperature, weather, humidity, etc. may be displayed, and when temperature is selected, a display may be displayed in which the temperature at which a warning is issued may be selected in 1 degree increments using input buttons 20. The selection may be made by a setting unit.

[0269] Furthermore, the device may have a function that allows only the family member to set "the situation in which the elderly driver may become the perpetrator of an accident by driving the vehicle" and that prevents the elderly driver from setting it. For example, the device may have a function that requests a password, and before setting, the password is requested, and only the family member who knows the password can set it by inputting the password on the touch panel 19, and that prevents the elderly driver who does not know the password from setting it.

[0270] In addition, for example, a situation where an elderly driver may become a perpetrator of an accident by driving the vehicle may be detected by the home of the elderly driver in relation to location information that predicts a danger specific to the elderly driver. It is preferable that the group has a function of setting by an external setting device, a touch panel 19 of the display device 18, or input buttons 20.

[0271] In this way, a comprehensive warning is issued at locations where the elderly driver is likely to become a perpetrator, so family members can have the elderly driver drive with more peace of mind. Note that elderly drivers have a limited driving range, so the locations where danger is predicted are limited. Therefore, family members can comprehensively set specific locations according to each elderly driver.

[0272] The "danger specific to elderly drivers" may be, for example, a danger common to general elderly drivers, and may be a danger focusing on the driving habits and driving patterns of general elderly drivers. For example, as shown in Fig. 6, a driving habit of a general elderly driver, such as repeatedly approaching the center line and then returning to the center line, may be determined based on image information acquired by the front view camera 11 and acceleration information in the left and right direction detected by the acceleration sensor 14.

[0273] A typical elderly driver cannot drive straight, and always drives to the right, moving towards the center line and then back, moving towards the center line and then back, and although it is scary because there is a guardrail on the left side, they tend to drive on the inside of the center line because they are aware that if they cross the center line, they will not be hit unless the other side comes. Also, sometimes when a large truck comes, they get scared and turn left, hitting the left side. Therefore, it is good to mark specific places where they are likely to drive like this as "positions where danger is predicted."

[0274] On the other hand, the "danger specific to elderly drivers" may be a danger that a specific elderly driver has, and may be set by the family of the elderly driver. For example, a convenience store that the specific elderly driver visits daily or a home center that the driver visits regularly, and where there is a lot of traffic of people and cars, may be assumed to be a location where danger is predicted, and the family may set it together with the elderly driver as "location information where danger specific to elderly drivers is predicted" using an external setting device.

[0275] Also, for example, family members can set locations where previous accidents have occurred as "locations where danger is predicted." If the accident was caused by mistaking the accelerator for the brake, for example, this can be set as event information related to "location information where danger specific to elderly drivers is predicted."

[0276] In addition, for example, it is preferable that the vehicle has a function that allows a family member of the elderly driver to set the situations in which the elderly driver may become the perpetrator of an accident by driving the vehicle, in relation to the location information, and in relation to event information that predicts dangers specific to the elderly driver.

[0277] In this way, the family of the elderly driver can comprehensively set the situations where the elderly driver may become a perpetrator based on limited position information and event information corresponding to that position. As a result, a comprehensive warning is issued for the positions and events where the elderly driver is likely to become a perpetrator, so the family can have the elderly driver drive with more peace of mind. Note that the elderly driver has a limited driving range, so the events where danger is predicted within that driving range are also limited, and it is particularly preferable to have a function that allows the family to set a number of position information that can all be displayed in the viewer shown in FIG. 7.

[0278] The "event information related to the location information and predicting a danger specific to the elderly driver" may be, for example, information related to the time, content, and weather of the event related to the location. Specifically, for example, if a school route for elementary school children is within the driving range of the elderly driver, the family of the elderly driver may store in the storage means 25 the information related to the event that the elementary school children are going to school at a specific time period, related to the location information of the school route.

[0279] Also, for example, the external setting device for setting the situation in the device may have a display unit like a personal computer or smartphone, and may display map information, location information on the map, event information related to the location information, and warning information regarding the content of the warning on the display device 18, and may have a function for a family member of an elderly driver to set situations in which the elderly driver may become the perpetrator of an accident by driving the vehicle.

[0280] In this way, map information, location information, event information, warning information, and other information can be displayed on the display unit of the external device, and the situation in which an elderly driver is thought to be a potential perpetrator can be set by the user interface of the external device. Since the setting is easier when map information and other information is displayed in a large size, each setting can be made easily if it can be displayed on the display unit of an external device other than the device that can be attached to the vehicle as in the present invention, as shown in FIG. 7.

[0281] The external setting device may be, for example, a personal computer, a tablet, a smartphone, etc. Alternatively, the connection to the external setting device may be, for example, via a wired or wireless communication such as a short-range wireless communication device 23, or via a storage medium such as an SD card.

[0282] The "setting function" of the external setting device may be, for example, a function to set the conditions for judging the situation stored in the storage means of this device by the external setting device instead of the setting unit of this device. For example, this device does not have a setting unit such as the input button 20, but is connected to the external setting device by wire or wirelessly via the short-range wireless communication device 23, and has the function of setting the conditions for judging the situation by the external setting device.

[0283] The "map information" may be, for example, an electronic map, as shown in Fig. 7, and may be displayed on a part of the screen of the display unit. The "location information on the map" may be, for example, displayed as a pin placed at a predetermined position on the displayed map.

[0284] The "warning information" may be, for example, a warning displayed on the display screen of the display device 18 or generated by a warning sound output means, and may be information indicating which notification means will notify the warning and in what manner. Specifically, for example, the information may be information indicating that the warning will be notified by a single color background and large letters on the display screen, or information indicating that the warning will be notified by a beep sound or by the voices of family members recorded by the built-in microphone 21.

[0285] For example, the remote controller 17 of the device may have a location information registration unit for registering location information, and when a family member of an elderly driver drives a vehicle driven by the elderly driver in place of the elderly driver, the location information registration unit may be pressed to register the location information. In this way, the family member of the elderly driver may register only dangerous locations while driving in place of the elderly driver, assuming that the elderly driver will be driving, and may register other information related to the registered locations after the driving is completed.

[0286] The other information may be information such as that the location is a location with poor visibility, that there is a traffic light at the location, that the location is a route for elementary school children to go to school, etc. In this way, it becomes easy to register location information based on actual driving. Therefore, the task of setting the situation becomes easy, dangerous locations can be reliably registered, and the possibility of an elderly driver having an accident can be reduced.

[0287] The external setting device should be configured so that a family member of an elderly driver can set it together with the elderly driver while looking at the viewer shown in Figure 7. For example, the family member of the elderly driver can register location information using the location information registration unit while driving, and after registering the location information, the family member can set up situations where the elderly driver may become the perpetrator of an accident by driving the vehicle together with the elderly driver, which is expected to improve communication between family members and the elderly driver.

[0288] The "location information registration unit" may be, for example, a pressing means such as a button provided on the device or a touch panel 19. In this way, the pressing means can be easily pressed even while driving, so that location information can be appropriately registered on the spot.

[0289] Furthermore, the "location information registration unit" may be, for example, a button on an external registration means such as the wirelessly or wired connected remote control 17. In this way, the remote control 17 can be placed within reach of the driver, and the driver does not need to reach for the device and can register location information without changing his / her posture while driving.

[0290] For example, as shown in Fig. 5, it is preferable to start issuing a warning after the elderly driver is in a situation where he or she may be the perpetrator of an accident, and to end the warning after the elderly driver is in a situation where he or she is not the perpetrator of an accident.

[0291] In particular, for example, it is advisable for the family of the elderly driver to set "situations in which the elderly driver may become the perpetrator of an accident" and "situations in which the elderly driver may not become the perpetrator of an accident" using an external setting device or the like as shown in Fig. 7. In this way, by the family member setting the conditions, it is possible to encourage the elderly driver to drive appropriately in accordance with his or her own characteristics.

[0292] Also, for example, the control means 10 can acquire traffic light information regarding the color of the traffic light ahead of the vehicle and speed information regarding the speed of the vehicle, and determine from the traffic light information and speed information whether or not the situation is such that an elderly driver could be the perpetrator of an accident by driving the vehicle.

[0293] In this way, the control means 10 can determine a situation in which an elderly driver is the perpetrator based on the relationship between traffic light information and speed information, thereby reducing the possibility of accidents that frequently occur with elderly drivers. Note that elderly drivers are prone to driving errors and become the perpetrators of accidents due to a decrease in concentration due to aging and their tendency to be distracted by other things while driving. For these reasons, there are many cases where they overlook traffic lights or are late in noticing them.

[0294] For example, when the color of the traffic light ahead of the vehicle captured by front view camera 11 is red or yellow and the acceleration information detected by acceleration sensor 14 indicates that the vehicle speed is not decreasing, a warning may be issued by notification means such as display device 18 or speaker 22. In this way, the possibility of an accident occurring in which the elderly driver is largely at fault, such as entering an intersection where he or she should stop and being hit by another vehicle, can be reduced.

[0295] The "traffic light information" may be obtained, for example, by an imaging means such as a front view camera 11 that captures an image in front of the vehicle. The traffic light information can be obtained by processing an image captured by the imaging means, and using the fact that the LEDs of the traffic light flash countless times as a key to recognizing the traffic light and grasping its color. The "speed information" may be obtained based on the speed that can be obtained from the GPS unit 12 or the OBD connector 13, or the acceleration detected by the acceleration sensor 14, and may be information on the speed or acceleration of the vehicle. In addition, at this time, for example, based on the traffic light information and the speed information, a warning may be issued when the elderly driver is in a situation where he or she may be the perpetrator of an accident, and the notification may be terminated when the elderly driver is in a situation where he or she may not be the perpetrator of an accident.

[0296] For example, the swaying of a vehicle driven by an elderly driver can be determined from vehicle information such as acceleration information and image information, and based on this determination, it can be determined whether or not the elderly driver is in a situation where he or she could be the perpetrator of an accident by driving the vehicle.

[0297] "Wobble" refers to, for example, the unsteady movement of a vehicle from side to side while driving. In addition to the state where the vehicle is in a swaying state, the control means 10 can determine from the vehicle information a state where the direction of travel has changed significantly to the right or to the left.The vehicle information used to determine "swaying" can be, for example, a change in left and right acceleration obtained by the acceleration sensor 14, a change in position information obtained by the GPS unit 12, or a change in an image captured by a capturing means such as the front view camera 11.

[0298] In addition, the "determination of sway" can be performed, for example, by determining, based on acceleration information detected by the acceleration sensor 14, sway caused by changes in the vehicle's forward / rearward speed or acceleration, such as sudden acceleration or sudden braking, in addition to left / right sway, and a warning about sudden acceleration or sudden braking can be issued.

[0299] Also, for example, it is preferable to determine from the vehicle information that the vehicle has moved to the right by a predetermined value or more, and to determine from the determination whether or not the elderly driver is in a situation where he or she may be the perpetrator of an accident by driving the vehicle. In this way, as shown in FIG. 5, it is possible to reduce the possibility of a serious accident such as a head-on collision occurring when the vehicle moves to the right and an oncoming vehicle approaches. For example, elderly drivers often move toward the center line and then return. This is a driving habit specific to elderly drivers, in which the driver is wary of the left side because there is a guardrail on the left side, but the right side is aware that there is no danger even if the center line is crossed, as long as there is no oncoming vehicle. However, if the vehicle moves to the right side, if an oncoming vehicle approaches, it will cause a serious accident such as a head-on collision. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the occurrence of serious accidents specific to elderly drivers by detecting a large change to the right in the sway information by the acceleration sensor 14 and issuing a warning. Also, for example, it is preferable to issue a warning when the acceleration sensor 14 detects a large change to the left. In this way, it is possible to inform the elderly driver that there is a possibility of a pedestrian or bicycle in the direction of travel.

[0300] The determination of "the vehicle has shifted to the right by more than a predetermined value" may be made, for example, based on image information acquired by the front view camera 11, such as whether the vehicle has crossed the center line or whether the distance to the center line has decreased.

[0301] Also, for example, even if the presence or absence of an oncoming vehicle is determined from image information from the front view camera 11, and it is determined that the vehicle has drifted to the right by more than a predetermined amount, it is determined whether or not the elderly driver is in a situation where he or she could be the perpetrator of an accident by driving the vehicle, if it is determined that there is no oncoming vehicle, it is preferable to process the process so as not to issue a warning.

[0302] Even if an elderly driver veers to the right, as is a characteristic of driving, there is little possibility of causing a serious accident if there is no oncoming vehicle. Therefore, if a warning is issued each time the elderly driver frequently veers to the right, it will cause discomfort to the elderly driver. Therefore, if there is no oncoming vehicle, the control means 10 does not issue a warning, so that repeated warnings are not issued and discomfort to the driver can be reduced.

[0303] For example, in addition to the vehicle information, weather information detected by the temperature and humidity sensor 16 may be obtained, and a determination as to whether or not an elderly driver may be the perpetrator of an accident by driving the vehicle may be made based on the weather information as well as the vehicle information.

[0304] Therefore, when a warning based on the weather is issued to a general driver, it is preferable to issue the warning at an earlier stage and under stricter conditions than those considered dangerous for a general driver. The "weather information" may be information on the atmosphere or physical conditions in the atmosphere, such as temperature, humidity, fine or rainy weather, and wind speed. For example, the control means 10 may directly acquire information from various sensors such as the temperature and humidity sensor 16, humidity sensor, and wind speed sensor, and may indirectly acquire information on rainfall by acquiring information on the operation of the wipers via the OBD connector 13. It is good.

[0305] The vehicle information may be, for example, vehicle location information. In this way, the family of the elderly driver can set, using an external setting device or the like, comprehensive situations where the elderly driver may become an assailant based on limited location information and weather information corresponding to that location. As a result, a comprehensive warning is issued based on the location and weather where the elderly driver is likely to become an assailant, so the family can have the elderly driver drive with more peace of mind. Note that the elderly driver has a limited driving range, so the location information is limited based on that driving range.

[0306] For example, when the temperature is high enough to predict the risk of heat stroke, etc., a warning encouraging the driver to drink water may be issued by the display means or the speaker 22 after moving a predetermined distance from the position information of the starting position. This can reduce the possibility of an accident occurring in which an elderly driver makes a driving mistake due to heat stroke and becomes the cause of the accident.

[0307] The warnings given by the display device 18 and the speaker 22 should not be of a strong nature that restricts the user's actions, but should be words that encourage the user's actions, such as advice such as "The temperature is high, so you should drink water" or "You should open the window," as shown in Fig. 8, to call attention to the situation. Furthermore, the warnings given may be words such as "You will lose concentration if you drive for too long," or, in the case of rain, words such as "It's raining, so it's slippery," as shown in Fig. 8.

[0308] Also, for example, the notification means may include a display screen capable of displaying a single-color background over the entire surface, as shown in FIG. 3, and the display screen may notify the warning by changing the color of the background.

[0309] In this way, a warning is issued as a single color change in the background of the entire display screen, which is visual information most easily recognized by elderly drivers, and is particularly easy to recognize. This allows elderly drivers to be sure that they are aware of the warning, reducing the probability of accidents caused by elderly drivers and allowing their families to feel at ease when the elderly drivers are driving.

[0310] The "color change" may be such that the display screen, which normally displays real-time image information captured by the front view camera 11, changes to solid red. This makes it easier for elderly drivers to understand that the situation is different from the normal situation compared to a change to a color other than red, and reduces the probability of accidents caused by elderly drivers. The "color change" may also be such that the background of the same color flashes or that different colors are sequentially switched between.

[0311] For example, even for elderly drivers who are suffering from various vision-related illnesses such as cataracts, changes in the color of the display background are intuitively easier to recognize than warnings in the form of text, and by remembering that danger is signaled by color, for example, the possibility of becoming the perpetrator of an accident is reduced.

[0312] For example, the notification means may include a warning sound output means such as speaker 22 that issues a warning by sound, and the display screen of display device 18 may be capable of displaying the warning by text in addition to the display background, and the notification means may issue a warning by combining the color of the display background with at least one of the text and the sound in accordance with the characteristics of an elderly driver.

[0313] In this way, warnings are given by a combination of at least one of text and sound in addition to the color of the display background, making it easier for elderly drivers to recognize the warning. In particular, elderly drivers may have physical problems, and in such cases, even if it is difficult for them to recognize the warning by one method, the elderly driver can recognize the warning.

[0314] The display screen of the display device 18 may have no elements other than the background and characters, and may have a function of notifying a warning only by the color of the characters and background without displaying icons or maps. Also, for example, it may be possible to set the color of red to a color that is easily recognized by elderly drivers.

[0315] For example, it may be desirable to have a function that allows a family member of an elderly driver to set at least one of the background color, characters, and sounds emitted from the speaker 22 displayed on the display screen of the display device 18 to suit the characteristics of the elderly driver.

[0316] In this way, the family members who know the elderly driver best can set the warning information according to the characteristics of the elderly driver and can issue the most easily recognized warnings. This allows the elderly driver to drive the vehicle under the affection of the family members, and also increases their awareness of preventing accidents.

[0317] A setting method may be, for example, to prepare multiple combinations of display background color and text color in the initial setting, and then change only the contents of the text warning message via the touch panel 19 of the display device 18. In this way, the contents to be alerted can be individually set in a color combination that is easy to see, according to the characteristics of elderly drivers.

[0318] In addition, the device according to the present invention is considered to prevent elderly drivers from staying at home because driving a car is a reason to go out, and to lead to the promotion of health. An in-vehicle device that takes into consideration the prevention of such elderly drivers from becoming perpetrators of accidents may, for example, count the frequency with which the vehicle is driven based on the presence or absence of engine start from the OBD connector 13, and display reward information that may motivate the elderly driver to drive on the display device 18. For example, the number of days the vehicle is driven may be counted, and when a predetermined number of days have been counted, reward information that may motivate the elderly driver to drive may be displayed on the display means.

[0319] By displaying reward information according to the number of days that an elderly driver drives a vehicle with the engine started, the elderly driver is motivated to drive and is encouraged to drive every day. This prevents elderly drivers from coming to dislike driving and becoming reclusive, and provides an environment in which the elderly driver's family can feel at ease when driving.

[0320] In addition to images of animals, the "reward information" may be, for example, a photo image of the elderly driver's family as shown in Fig. 9(E). Since elderly drivers have deep affection for their families, this can strengthen the motivation for driving based on the reward information.

[0321] Also, for example, the control means 10 may display the reward information without performing a point deduction process for the frequency with which the vehicle was driven. In this way, the elderly driver will not be discouraged from driving due to point deductions, and the incentive information will not hinder the motivation to drive. For example, even if a sudden start or sudden braking while driving is obtained from information from the acceleration sensor 14, or even if the driving distance does not reach the specified distance normally planned for driving, the number of days that the elderly driver drove without causing an accident may be counted. For example, the count may only be added. If the number of days is counted, the elderly driver may be discouraged from driving due to point deductions. However, because the number of days is simply counted, elderly drivers can continue to drive every day by simply thinking about driving a vehicle. This provides an environment where elderly drivers' families can feel at ease when driving.

[0322] Various aspects of the present invention have been described above using embodiments and modified examples, but it should be noted that these embodiments and descriptions are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention, but are provided to aid in understanding the present invention. The scope of the present invention is not limited to the configurations explicitly described in the specification, but also includes combinations of various aspects of the present invention disclosed in this specification. The configurations of the present invention that are to be patented are specified in the attached claims, but even if a configuration is not currently specified in the claims, it is intended that the configurations disclosed in this specification will be included in the claims in the future.

[0323] The present invention is not limited to the configurations described in the above-mentioned embodiments. The components of each of the above-mentioned embodiments and modifications may be arbitrarily selected and combined. Any component of each of the embodiments and modifications may be arbitrarily combined with any component described in the Summary for Solving the Problems of the Invention or any component that embodies any component described in the Summary for Solving the Problems of the Invention. We intend to obtain rights to these as well through amendments to this application or divisional applications, etc.

[0324] In addition, we intend to obtain rights to the overall design or partial design by filing a conversion application to a design application. The drawings show the entire device in solid lines, but they include not only the overall design but also partial designs claimed for a portion of the device. For example, some components of the device may be included as partial designs, and some parts of the device may be included as partial designs regardless of the components. A portion of the device may be a component of the device, or it may be a part of that component. We intend to obtain rights to the overall design, as well as partial designs in which any part of the solid line portion of the drawings is shown as a dashed part. [Explanation of symbols]

[0325] 1...main unit, 10...control means, 11...front view camera, 12...GPS unit, 13...OBD connector, 14...acceleration sensor, 15...additional camera, 16...temperature and humidity sensor, 17...remote control, 18...display device, 19...touch panel, 20...input button, 21...built-in microphone, 22...speaker, 23...near-field wireless communication device, 24...memory card slot, 25...storage means

Claims

1. A program for an external device that configures a device having a function of displaying information when a vehicle reaches a predetermined position, the program comprising: A program for causing a computer of the external device to realize a function of associating and setting the specified position with the background color of the display as information to be displayed when the specified position is reached, based on user operation.

2. The program described in claim 1 further provides a function for causing a computer of the external device to realize a function for associating and setting the specified position with at least one of the target period for the notification, the direction in which the event occurs, and the display content on the display unit based on user operation.

3. An external device equipped with a computer that executes the program described in claim 1 or 2.

4. An apparatus having a function of displaying information when a vehicle reaches a predetermined position based on the correlation between the predetermined position set by the external device described in claim 3 and the information to be displayed when the vehicle reaches the predetermined position.

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