Saddle-type vehicle

Abstract

To provide a vehicle that prevents excessive alarming from being raised during traveling such as continuously deviating from a lane.SOLUTION: A vehicle is characterized in that, when a time taken for an own vehicle (10) to deviate from a lane this time after raising an alarm about previous lane-deviation is within a predetermined time, an alarm about the current lane-deviation is not raised.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, a technology for issuing an alarm when a vehicle deviates from its lane is known as a driving assistance technology for a vehicle (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In Patent Document 1, in consideration of the fact that a vehicle may be forced to deviate from its lane when there is another parked vehicle in the lane in which the vehicle is traveling or when road construction is being carried out, a technology is proposed in which, when the lane in which the vehicle is traveling is substantially narrowed due to an obstacle or the like, the position at which it is determined whether or not to issue an alarm is shifted toward the oncoming lane. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 5896505 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Depending on the driving environment, the vehicle may repeatedly deviate from its lane only momentarily and then immediately return to the lane, and an immediate warning may not necessarily be required. The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned circumstances, and aims to provide a vehicle that suppresses excessive alarm issuance when the vehicle is traveling in a manner that causes continuous lane departures. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] Saddle type The vehicle includes a lane detection means for detecting the lane in which the vehicle is traveling, a lane departure warning determination means for determining whether to issue a warning when a lane departure warning issuance condition is met for the vehicle, and a warning means for issuing a warning based on the determination result of the lane departure warning determination means. a forward obstacle detection means for detecting an obstacle ahead of the host vehicle; and a forward collision warning determination means for determining whether or not an obstacle has been detected within a preset detection range based on a detection result from the forward obstacle detection means. Equipped with If the lane departure warning is issued again within a predetermined time after the lane departure warning is issued, the length of the detection range in the vehicle width direction is shortened,The warning means is characterized in that it does not issue a warning if the condition for issuing the lane departure warning is satisfied again within a predetermined time after the condition for issuing the lane departure warning is satisfied. do. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] It is possible to provide a vehicle that suppresses excessive alarms when driving in a manner that causes continuous lane departures. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] 1 is a right side view of a saddle-ride type vehicle according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] 1 is a front view of a saddle-ride type vehicle according to a first embodiment. [Figure 3] 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of a saddle-ride type vehicle according to a first embodiment. [Figure 4] 3 is an explanatory diagram of a lane departure warning determination unit and a forward collision warning determination unit according to the first embodiment. FIG. [Figure 5] 4 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the driving support device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the first embodiment. [Figure 7] 10 is a flowchart showing an operation of a lane departure warning determination unit of a driving support device according to a second embodiment. [Figure 8] 10 is a flowchart showing an operation of a forward collision warning determination unit of a driving support device according to a second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the description, directions such as front, rear, left, right, up and down are the same as directions relative to the vehicle body unless otherwise specified. In addition, in each drawing, the symbol FR indicates the front of the vehicle body, the symbol UP indicates the upper side of the vehicle body, and the symbol LH indicates the left side of the vehicle body.

[0009] [First embodiment] FIG. 1 is a right side view of a saddle-ride type vehicle 10 according to a first embodiment. The saddle-type vehicle 10 is a motorcycle that includes a body frame 11, a power unit 12 supported by the body frame 11, a front fork 14 that supports a front wheel 13 so that it can be steered, a rear swing arm (not shown) that supports a rear wheel 15, and a seat 17 for a passenger. The saddle-ride type vehicle 10 is a vehicle in which a passenger sits astride a seat 17. The seat 17 is provided above the rear part of the body frame 11.

[0010] The body frame 11 has a pair of left and right main frames 21 extending in the fore-and-aft direction. A head pipe 22 is provided at the front end of the main frame 21, which rotatably supports a steering shaft (not shown) that is turned by the handlebars 18. A pair of left and right pivot plates 23 is provided at the rear end of the main frame 21. The lower ends of the pivot plates 23 and the front end of the main frame 21 are connected by a pair of left and right lower arms (not shown). A pair of left and right seat rails (not shown) extending rearward are provided at the rear end of the main frame 21.

[0011] A front suspension mechanism 30 that supports the front wheel 13 is disposed at the front end of the main frame 21. The front suspension mechanism 30 has an upper link 31 and a lower link 32 that are disposed at the front end of the main frame 21 with a gap between them above and below. The rear ends of the upper link 31 and the lower link 32 are pivotally connected to the front end of the main frame 21. The front ends of the upper link 31 and the lower link 32 are pivotally connected to a fork support 33. The fork support 33 is cylindrical and tilted rearward.

[0012] A steering shaft 36 is supported by the fork support 33 so as to be rotatable about its axis. The steering shaft 36 has an axle portion (not shown) that passes through the fork support 33. A bridge (not shown) is provided at the lower end of the steering shaft 36. A pair of left and right front forks 14 are supported on this bridge. A front wheel 13 is rotatably supported between the pair of left and right front forks 14 via an axle 13a. The upper end of the steering shaft 36 is connected via a link 37 to a steering shaft (not shown) that is rotated by the handlebars 18. When the handlebars 18 are steered, the steering shaft 36 rotates, and the front wheel 13 is steered.

[0013] A cushion unit 34 is disposed between the main frame 21 and the lower link 32. The cushion unit 34 has a structure in which a shock absorber is inserted into a coil spring. An upper end of the cushion unit 34 is supported by the main frame 21 so as to be able to swing freely. A lower end of the cushion unit 34 is supported by the lower link 32 so as to be able to swing. The upper link 31, the lower link 32, the fork support 33, the cushion unit 34, and the pair of left and right front forks 14 constitute the front suspension mechanism 30 of this embodiment.

[0014] The front end of a rear swing arm (not shown) extending in the longitudinal direction is swingably supported by the pivot plate 23. The rear swing arm is swingable up and down via a pivot shaft 24 extending horizontally in the vehicle width direction. The rear wheel 15 is supported at the rear end of the rear swing arm.

[0015] A power unit 12 is supported by the main frame 21 and the lower arm of the body frame 11. In this embodiment, the power unit 12 is an internal combustion engine. The power unit 12 includes a crankcase and a cylinder portion that houses a reciprocating piston. An exhaust device 40 is connected to an exhaust port of the cylinder portion. A muffler 41 of the exhaust device 40 is disposed below and to the side of the rear wheel 15, and extends in the fore-and-aft direction. The output of the power unit 12 is transmitted to the rear wheels 15 by a driving force transmission member that connects the power unit 12 and the rear wheels 15 .

[0016] Above the main frame 21, a fuel tank 42 and an air cleaner box (not shown) are disposed. The seat rails support the seat 17 and the rear trunk 43. Below the rear trunk 43, left and right saddlebags 44 are provided.

[0017] The saddle-ride type vehicle 10 includes a front fender 45 that covers the front wheel 13 from above, a rear fender 46 that covers the rear wheel 15 from above, and a step 47 on which a rider places their feet. The front fender 45 is attached to the front fork 14. The rear fender 46 and the step 47 are provided below the seat 17.

[0018] FIG. 2 is a front view of the saddle-ride type vehicle 10 according to the first embodiment. A headlight unit 51 that emits light ahead of the saddle-ride type vehicle 10 is disposed at the front of the saddle-ride type vehicle 10. The headlight unit 51 of this embodiment is a twin-lens type headlight unit. The headlight unit 51 includes a left light emitting portion 52 and a right light emitting portion 52 that are symmetrical on the left and right. A pair of left and right side mirror units 53 are disposed above and behind the outside of the headlight unit 51 in the left-right direction. The side mirror units 53 support side mirrors (not shown) that enable the occupant to view rearward.

[0019] The front of the saddle-ride type vehicle 10 is covered by a front cowl 60. The front sides of the saddle-ride type vehicle 10 are covered by a pair of left and right side cowls 61. A screen 62 is disposed above the front cowl 60. The screen 62 is a windshield that reduces wind pressure experienced by the occupant while traveling. The screen 62 is formed, for example, from a transparent resin member. Behind the screen 62 and in front of the fuel tank 5, there is provided a meter panel 54 equipped with an electronic image display device or the like that displays various information to the occupant.

[0020] In this embodiment, the front cowl 60 is made up of cowl members 60a, 60b, and 60c, as shown in Fig. 2. The cowl member 60a extends in the left-right direction and constitutes the main body of the front cowl 60. The cowl member 60b constitutes the upper portion of the cowl member 60a. The cowl member 60c is disposed downward and spaced apart from the cowl member 60a.

[0021] An opening that exposes the headlight unit 51 is formed between the cowl member 60a and the cowl member 60c and between the pair of left and right side cowls 61. The upper edge of this opening is defined by the cowl member 60a. The lower edge of this opening is defined by the cowl member 60c. The left and right side edges of this opening are defined by the side cowls 61.

[0022] A detection device for detecting the situation in front of the saddle-ride type vehicle 10 is disposed behind the front cowl 60. In this embodiment, the detection device is an imaging unit 131 and a radar 132.

[0023] The imaging unit 131 includes an imaging element such as a CCD image sensor or a CMOS image sensor, and an optical system such as a lens. The imaging unit 131 captures an image of the area in front of the saddle-ride type vehicle 10. The imaging unit 131 is disposed in the center of the front cowl 60 in the left-right direction when viewed from the front of the vehicle. The imaging unit 131 is disposed behind the cowl member 60b that constitutes the upper part of the front cowl 60. An opening 60b1 that penetrates the cowl member 60b is formed in the cowl member 60b. The imaging unit 131 captures an image of the area in front of the saddle-ride type vehicle 10 through the opening 60b1.

[0024] The radar 132 is, for example, a millimeter wave radar. The radar 132 is disposed behind the cowl member 60a. The radar 132 is disposed in the center in the left-right direction of the front cowl 60 when viewed from the front of the vehicle.

[0025] By arranging the imaging unit 131 and the radar 132 in the center of the lateral direction of the saddle-ride type vehicle 10, a wider imaging range and detection range can be obtained on the left and right sides in front of the saddle-ride type vehicle 10, and the situation in front of the saddle-ride type vehicle 10 can be detected more accurately. The presence of the cowl member 60a makes the radar 132 less noticeable when viewed from the front of the saddle-ride type vehicle 10, thereby preventing the appearance of the saddle-ride type vehicle 10 from being impaired. The cowl member 60a is made of a material that is permeable to electromagnetic waves, such as resin.

[0026] FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of the saddle-ride type vehicle 10 according to the first embodiment. The saddle-ride type vehicle 10 includes a driving assistance device 100, a surrounding information acquisition unit 130 that acquires surrounding information of the saddle-ride type vehicle 10, a GPS sensor 140, a communication device 150, and a map information database 160. In the following description, the saddle-ride type vehicle 10 of this embodiment equipped with the driving assistance device 100 will also be referred to as "host vehicle 10."

[0027] The surrounding information acquisition unit (driving lane detection means, forward obstacle detection means) 130 includes a detection device that acquires information about the surroundings of the vehicle 10. The detection range of the detection device includes at least the area ahead of the vehicle 10. The detection device is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, at least one of a radar, a LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging), an ultrasonic sensor, and an imaging unit. In this embodiment, the surrounding information acquisition unit 130 includes an imaging unit 131 and a radar 132 as detection devices.

[0028] The surrounding information acquisition unit 130 constantly detects landmarks and road conditions around the vehicle 10. The surrounding information acquisition unit 130 detects the lane the vehicle 10 is traveling in. The surrounding information acquisition unit 130 detects obstacles ahead of the vehicle 10. Based on the detection results of the imaging unit 131 and the radar 132, it is possible to recognize the lane the vehicle 10 is traveling in, the presence and position of other vehicles 200, obstacles ahead, and the like.

[0029] The process of recognizing the presence of the other vehicle 200 from the detection results of the sensor device of the surrounding information acquisition unit 130, the process of recognizing the position of the other vehicle 200, and the process of recognizing an obstacle may be performed on the surrounding information acquisition unit 130 side or on the driving assistance device 100 side. Known processes can be applied as appropriate to these processes.

[0030] The GPS (Global Positioning System) sensor 140 detects the current position of the vehicle 10. The GPS sensor 140 transmits the current position of the vehicle 10 to the driving assistance device 100.

[0031] The communication device 150 communicates wirelessly with a server that provides map information and traffic information to acquire such information. The communication device 150 transmits the acquired map information and traffic information to the driving assistance device 100.

[0032] The map information database DB can store highly accurate map information. Based on the map information in the map information database DB, the driving assistance device 100 can identify with high accuracy the shape of the road on which the vehicle 10 is traveling and the position of the vehicle 10 on the lane.

[0033] The driving support device 100 includes an information processing unit 101 that processes various types of information, and an alarm unit 102 that processes an alarm to the driver (passenger) of the vehicle 10 itself. The information processing unit 101 includes a calculation unit 110 and a storage unit 120. The calculation unit 110 is configured by a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or a microcomputer. The storage unit 120 includes memories such as a ROM (Read Only Memory) and a RAM (Random Access Memory). The calculation unit 110 executes a control program stored in the storage unit 120 to function as a lane departure warning determination unit 111 and a forward collision warning determination unit 112. The information processing unit 101 may be configured as an SoC (System-on-a-chip) that integrates the calculation unit 110 and the storage unit 120. The lane departure warning determination unit 111 and the forward collision warning determination unit 112 are not limited to being configured by software, and may be configured by hardware.

[0034] The driving support device 100 of this embodiment acquires the detection results of the imaging unit 131 and the radar 132, and constantly recognizes targets and road conditions around the vehicle 10. The driving support device 100 also acquires information from the GPS sensor 140, the communication device 150, and the map information database DB. The driving assistance device 100 issues a lane departure warning AL1 and a forward collision warning AL2 that are suppressed from being issued excessively when the vehicle is driving in a manner that causes continuous lane departure. Hereinafter, driving in a manner that causes continuous lane departure will be referred to as "predetermined driving."

[0035] Fig. 4 is an explanatory diagram of the lane departure warning determination unit 111 and the forward collision warning determination unit 112 according to the first embodiment. Fig. 4 illustrates a two-lane road with lanes R1 and R2. In Fig. 4, a lane boundary line L2 is drawn between lanes R1 and R2. Lines L1 and L3 are drawn on the outer sides of lanes R1 and R2 in the vehicle width direction.

[0036] The lane departure warning determination unit (lane departure warning determination means) 111 determines whether to issue the lane departure warning AL1. In this embodiment, the lane departure warning determination unit 111 determines whether to issue the lane departure warning AL1 so as to suppress excessive issuance of the lane departure warning AL1 during a predetermined driving period. In this embodiment, the lane departure warning determination unit 111 determines whether to issue the lane departure warning AL1 based on whether the conditions for issuing the lane departure warning AL1 for the host vehicle 10 are met and whether the conditions for issuing the lane departure warning AL1 are met continuously for a predetermined period. In this specification, lane departure is used to mean that the host vehicle 10 is in a situation where there is a possibility that the host vehicle 10 will deviate from its lane. Specifically, lane departure occurs when the distance δ between the position P10 of the host vehicle 10 and the warning line λ closest to the host vehicle 10 is less than a predetermined threshold.

[0037] Specifically, the lane departure warning determination unit 111 recognizes lines L1 to L3 as boundaries between lanes R1 and R2 using the road condition detection results from the surrounding information acquisition unit 130 and map information from the map information database DB. The lane departure warning determination unit 111 sets a virtual warning line λ, which serves as a reference position for issuing a warning, based on the lines L1 to L3. The lane departure warning determination unit 111 determines whether or not the conditions for issuing a lane departure warning AL1 are met based on the position of the host vehicle 10 and the warning line λ. That is, as shown in FIG. 4, the lane departure warning determination unit 111 determines whether or not the conditions for issuing a warning are met by determining whether or not the distance δ between the position P10 of the host vehicle 10 and the warning line λ closest to the host vehicle 10 is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold. The predetermined threshold is set in advance through experiments, etc.

[0038] If the lane departure warning determination unit 111 determines that the interval δ is equal to or greater than the predetermined threshold, it determines that the conditions for issuing the lane departure warning AL1 are not met for the host vehicle 10. If the lane departure warning determination unit 111 determines that the interval δ is not equal to or greater than the predetermined threshold, that is, is less than the predetermined threshold, it determines that the conditions for issuing the lane departure warning AL1 are met for the host vehicle 10. In this embodiment, it is determined whether or not the conditions for issuing the lane departure warning AL1 are met as described above, but whether or not the conditions for issuing the lane departure warning AL1 are met can be determined by applying conventionally known processing for the conditions for issuing the lane departure warning AL1.

[0039] When the lane departure warning determination unit 111 determines that the conditions for issuing the lane departure warning AL1 have been met, it acquires the time that has elapsed since the last time the conditions for issuing the warning were met. For example, the lane departure warning determination unit 111 acquires the elapsed time by calculating the difference between the time when the last time the conditions for issuing the warning were met and the current time. The lane departure warning determination unit 111 determines whether the elapsed time is equal to or longer than a predetermined time. In this embodiment, the predetermined time is, for example, 3 seconds.

[0040] If the lane departure warning determination unit 111 determines that the elapsed time is equal to or greater than a predetermined time, it determines to issue a lane departure warning AL1. If the lane departure warning determination unit 111 determines that the elapsed time is not equal to or greater than the predetermined time, it determines not to issue a lane departure warning AL1.

[0041] In this embodiment, if the elapsed time is less than a predetermined time, the lane departure warning determination unit 111 sets a suppression flag FL1 indicating that the issuance of the lane departure warning AL1 is being suppressed, and acquires the current time as the time when the issuance condition is met. Also, if the lane departure warning determination unit 111 determines that the elapsed time is greater than or equal to the predetermined time, it sets the suppression flag FL1.

[0042] The forward collision warning determination unit (forward collision warning determination means) 112 determines whether to issue a forward collision warning AL2. In this embodiment, the forward collision warning determination unit 112 determines whether to issue a forward collision warning AL2 so as to suppress excessive issuance of the forward collision warning AL2 during a predetermined driving distance. In this embodiment, the forward collision warning determination unit 112 determines whether the conditions for issuing the forward collision warning AL2 are met based on the detection result of the surrounding information acquisition unit 130 and a preset detection range DA. That is, the forward collision warning determination unit 112 determines whether the conditions for issuing the forward collision warning AL2 are met by determining whether an obstacle is present within the detection range D.

[0043] Specifically, the forward collision warning determination unit 112 acquires the detection result from the surrounding information acquisition unit 130. The forward collision warning determination unit 112 also determines whether the suppression flag FL1 is set. If the suppression flag FL1 is set, the forward collision warning determination unit 112 narrows the detection range DA in the width direction. The amount by which the detection range DA is narrowed in the width direction is an amount by which other vehicles 200 do not excessively enter the detection range DA during a predetermined traveling time. In other words, the narrowing amount is an amount by which other vehicles 200 that are not at risk of collision do not enter the detection range DA during a predetermined traveling time. The narrowing amount may be calculated each time based on the detection result from the surrounding information acquisition unit 130, the traveling position and traveling direction of the host vehicle 10 obtained by the GPS sensor 140, etc. However, in this embodiment, a fixed value that is preset based on, for example, experiments, is used. That is, in this embodiment, a preset normal detection range DA1 and a preset detection range DA2 during a predetermined traveling time that is narrower than the normal detection range DA1 in the vehicle width direction are stored.

[0044] When the suppression flag FL1 is set, the forward collision warning determination unit 112 uses the detection range DA2 during a predetermined driving state as the detection range DA. As a result, in this embodiment, the width direction of the detection range DA is narrowed. When the suppression flag FL1 is not set, the forward collision warning determination unit 112 uses the normal detection range DA1 as the detection range DA.

[0045] The forward collision warning determination unit 112 determines whether or not there is an obstacle within the detection range DA based on the detection result of the surrounding information acquisition unit 130. If the forward collision warning determination unit 112 determines that there is an obstacle such as another vehicle 200, a pedestrian, or a fallen object within the detection range DA, it determines that the conditions for issuing the forward collision warning AL2 are met and determines to issue the forward collision warning AL2. If the forward collision warning determination unit 112 determines that there is no obstacle within the detection range DA, it determines that the conditions for issuing the forward collision warning AL2 are not met and determines not to issue the forward collision warning AL2.

[0046] The determination results of the lane departure warning determination unit 111 and the forward collision warning determination unit 112 are transmitted to the warning unit 102 .

[0047] The alarm unit (alarm means) 102 is a device that alerts the driver of the vehicle 10 of the risk of lane departure or a forward collision. The alarm unit 102 includes at least one of a display device and an audio output device provided on the vehicle 10. The alarm unit 102 issues a lane departure warning AL1 or a forward collision warning AL2 by at least one of a display and an audio. The alarm unit 102 in this embodiment includes a meter panel 54 and a speaker 55.

[0048] For example, the alarm unit 102 issues the lane departure warning AL1 or the forward collision warning AL2 by displaying predetermined image information on the meter panel 54. Also, for example, the alarm unit 102 issues the lane departure warning AL1 or the forward collision warning AL2 by outputting a predetermined warning sound or voice from the speaker 55. Note that the alarm unit 102 is not limited to a display device or a voice output device, and may be configured to transmit information via communication to a device carried by the driver and notify the driver from the device. A wide range of known notification devices can be applied to the alarm unit 102.

[0049] In this embodiment, the warning unit 102 issues the lane departure warning AL1 in a preset manner when it receives a transmission that the lane departure warning determination unit 111 has determined to issue the lane departure warning AL1. Also, in this embodiment, the warning unit 102 issues the forward collision warning AL2 in a preset manner when it receives a transmission that the forward collision warning determination unit 112 has determined to issue the forward collision warning AL2.

[0050] Fig. 5 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the driving support device 100 according to the first embodiment. The operation shown in Fig. 5 is started, for example, when the ignition of the host vehicle 10 is turned on or the engine start (power unit start) is detected. At this time, the suppression flag FL1 is set to a lowered state as an initial value. The establishment time is set to, for example, the current time.

[0051] In step ST11, the driving support device 100 determines whether or not the lane departure warning AL1 is being suppressed by the forward collision warning determination unit 112. Specifically, the driving support device 100 determines whether or not the suppression flag FL1 is set by the forward collision warning determination unit 112. When the forward collision warning determination unit 112 determines that the lane departure warning AL1 is being suppressed (step ST11; YES), the driving support device 100 proceeds to the process of step ST12. When the driving support device 100 determines by the forward collision warning determination unit 112 that the lane departure warning AL1 is not being suppressed (step ST11; NO), the driving support device 100 proceeds to the process of step ST13.

[0052] In step ST12, the driving support device 100 narrows the detection range DA for the forward collision warning AL2 using the forward collision warning determination unit 112. In this embodiment, the driving support device 100 sets a detection range DA2 for a predetermined driving time using the forward collision warning determination unit 112. Then, the driving support device 100 proceeds to step ST13.

[0053] In step ST13, the driving support device 100 causes the forward collision warning determination unit 112 to determine whether or not the conditions for issuing the forward collision warning AL2 are met. When the forward collision warning determination unit 112 determines that the condition for issuing the forward collision warning AL2 is met (step ST13; YES), the driving support device 100 proceeds to the process of step ST14. When the forward collision warning determination unit 112 determines that the conditions for issuing the forward collision warning AL2 are not met (step ST13; NO), the driving assistance device 100 proceeds to the process of step ST21.

[0054] In step ST14, the driving support device 100 issues a forward collision warning AL2 by the warning unit 102. Then, the driving support device 100 returns the process to step ST11.

[0055] In step ST21, the driving support device 100 determines, by the lane departure warning determination unit 111, whether or not the conditions for issuing the lane departure warning AL1 are met. When the lane departure warning determining unit 111 determines that the conditions for issuing the lane departure warning AL1 are met (step ST21; YES), the driving support device 100 proceeds to step ST22. When the lane departure warning determining unit 111 determines that the conditions for issuing the lane departure warning AL1 are not met (step ST21; NO), the driving support device 100 returns the process to step ST11.

[0056] In step ST22, driving support device 100 acquires the time when the previous issuance condition for lane departure warning AL1 was satisfied by lane departure warning determination unit 111, and acquires the elapsed time by calculating the difference between the satisfaction time and the current time. Then, driving support device 100 proceeds to step ST23.

[0057] In step ST23, the driving support device 100 determines, by the lane departure warning determination unit 111, whether or not the elapsed time is equal to or greater than a predetermined time. When the lane departure warning determining unit 111 of the driving support device 100 determines that the elapsed time is equal to or longer than the predetermined time (step ST23; YES), the driving support device 100 proceeds to the process of step ST24. When the lane departure warning determining unit 111 of the driving support device 100 determines that the elapsed time is not equal to or longer than the predetermined time (step ST23; NO), the driving support device 100 proceeds to the process of step ST26.

[0058] In step ST24, the driving support device 100 clears the suppression flag FL1 indicating that the suppression is in progress by the lane departure warning determination unit 111. Then, the driving support device 100 proceeds to step ST25.

[0059] In step ST25, the driving support device 100 issues a lane departure warning AL1 by the warning unit 102. Then, the driving support device 100 returns the process to step ST11.

[0060] In step ST26, driving support device 100 sets suppression flag FL1 by lane departure warning determination unit 111 to suppress issuance of lane departure warning AL1. Also in step ST26, driving support device 100 acquires the current time as the time when the condition for issuing lane departure warning AL1 is met by lane departure warning determination unit 111. Then, driving support device 100 returns the process to step ST11.

[0061] FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the first embodiment. When the power unit 12 of the host vehicle 10 starts, the driving support device 100 operates. In the driving support device 100, the operation of the lane departure warning determination unit 111 and the processing of the forward collision warning determination unit 112 start.

[0062] In this embodiment, as shown by the dashed lines in Figure 4, when the vehicle 10 is traveling along the center of the lanes R1 and R2, the vehicle 10 is far enough away from the warning line λ that the conditions for issuing the lane departure warning AL1 are not met. Therefore, the lane departure warning AL1 is not issued. The vehicle 10 then travels while determining whether the conditions for issuing the forward collision warning AL2 are met based on the presence or absence of an obstacle within the normal detection range DA1.

[0063] On the other hand, when the host vehicle 10 travels close to the edge of the lanes R1 and R2 and approaches so closely that the distance δ between the warning line λ and the host vehicle 10 becomes less than a predetermined threshold, the conditions for issuing the lane departure warning AL1 are met. Therefore, the lane departure warning AL1 is issued. At this time, as shown in FIG. 6, if the host vehicle 10 maintains a traveling state along the edge of the lanes R1 and R2 and travels at a predetermined distance, the conditions for issuing the lane departure warning AL1 are met even after a predetermined time has elapsed. In this embodiment, if the conditions for issuing the lane departure warning AL1 are met even after a predetermined time has elapsed, the lane departure warning AL1 is not issued. Therefore, excessive lane departure warning AL1 during a predetermined traveling distance can be suppressed.

[0064] Furthermore, during predetermined travel, the host vehicle 10 often passes between other vehicles 200 on the left and right. Therefore, obstacles within the detection range DA are detected based on a detection range DA2 during predetermined travel, which is narrower in the vehicle width direction than the normal detection range DA1. As a result, when the host vehicle 10 is traveling at a predetermined speed, detection of other vehicles 200 with little risk of collision on the left or right is suppressed, and the satisfaction of the conditions for issuing the forward collision warning AL2 is also suppressed. Therefore, excessive forward collision warning AL2 during predetermined travel can be suppressed.

[0065] Generally, a saddle-type vehicle 10 such as a two-wheeled vehicle may travel across multiple lanes during a predetermined driving cycle. In conventional lane departure warning processing, a lane departure warning is issued every time a warning condition is met, which may cause the driver to lose confidence in the warning or feel annoyed during predetermined driving cycles.

[0066] Furthermore, during predetermined driving, there is a possibility that excessive warnings may be issued for vehicles diagonally ahead on the left and right sides that are normally detected by a forward collision warning, which may cause the driver to lose confidence in the warnings or feel annoyed. In this embodiment, when the driving assistance device 100 observes behavior that is assumed to be predetermined driving, the driving assistance device 100 suppresses excessive issuance of the lane departure warning AL1 and the forward collision warning AL2, which is expected to reduce the driver's distrust of the warnings and to prevent the driver from feeling annoyed and thereby prevent a decrease in concentration while driving.

[0067] As described above, according to the first embodiment to which the present invention is applied, the saddle-type vehicle 10 does not issue an alarm for the current lane departure if the time elapsed between the time when the vehicle 10 issued an alarm for the previous lane departure and the time when the vehicle 10 departs from its lane this time is within a predetermined time. This configuration makes it possible to provide a vehicle that suppresses excessive alarm issuance when the vehicle is traveling in a manner that causes continuous lane departures.

[0068] Furthermore, according to the first embodiment to which the present invention is applied, the saddle-type vehicle 10 is equipped with a surrounding information acquisition unit 130 that detects the lanes R1 and R2 of the vehicle 10, a lane departure warning determination unit 111 that determines whether to issue a warning when the conditions for issuing a lane departure warning AL1 are met for the vehicle 10, and an alarm unit 102 that issues a warning based on the determination result of the lane departure warning determination unit 111, and the alarm unit 102 does not issue a warning if the conditions for issuing a lane departure warning AL1 are met again within a predetermined time after the conditions for issuing the lane departure warning AL1 are met. With this configuration, an alarm is not issued when the vehicle crosses lanes R1 and R2 consecutively in a short period of time, so excessive alarms can be suppressed when the vehicle is traveling in a manner that is considered to be predetermined driving. Therefore, with this configuration, a vehicle can be provided in which excessive alarms are suppressed when the vehicle is traveling in a manner that involves consecutive lane departures, i.e., when the vehicle is traveling in a predetermined driving mode.

[0069] In this embodiment, the vehicle is equipped with a surrounding information acquisition unit 130 that detects obstacles ahead of the vehicle 10, and a forward collision warning judgment unit 112 that judges whether or not an obstacle has been detected within a preset detection range DA based on the detection results of the surrounding information acquisition unit 130, and if the conditions for issuing the lane departure warning AL1 are met again within a predetermined time after the conditions for issuing the lane departure warning AL1 are met, the length of the detection range DA in the vehicle width direction is shortened. According to this configuration, during a predetermined driving state, excessive issuance of the lane departure warning AL1 can be suppressed, while excessive issuance of the forward collision warning AL2 can also be suppressed.

[0070] In this embodiment, when the forward collision warning determination unit 112 determines not to issue a warning, the lane departure warning determination unit 111 determines whether to issue a warning. According to this configuration, the safety of the occupants can be improved by prioritizing the forward collision warning AL2 over the lane departure warning AL1.

[0071] [Second embodiment] A second embodiment to which the present invention is applied will be described below. In this second embodiment, parts configured in the same manner as in the second embodiment above will be given the same reference numerals and descriptions thereof will be omitted.

[0072] Fig. 7 is a flowchart showing the operation of the lane departure warning determination unit 111 of the driving support device 100 according to the second embodiment. Fig. 8 is a flowchart showing the operation of the forward collision warning determination unit 112 of the driving support device 100 according to the second embodiment. In the first embodiment, the processing of the forward collision warning determination unit 112 was executed with priority over the processing of the lane departure warning determination unit 111, but in the second embodiment, the processing of the forward collision warning determination unit 112 and the processing of the lane departure warning determination unit 111 are executed in parallel, which is different from the first embodiment. In Figures 7 and 8, steps ST13, ST21, ST25, and ST26 of the first embodiment are replaced by steps ST213, ST221, ST225, and ST226.

[0073] 7 and 8 are started when, for example, the ignition of the vehicle 10 is turned on or the engine (power unit) is started. At this time, the suppression flag FL1 is set to a lowered state as an initial value. The current time is set as the establishment time, for example.

[0074] In step ST213 of FIG. 7, the driving support device 100 causes the forward collision warning determination unit 112 to determine whether or not the conditions for issuing the forward collision warning AL2 are met. When the forward collision warning determination unit 112 determines that the condition for issuing the forward collision warning AL2 is met (step ST213; YES), the driving assistance device 100 proceeds to the process of step ST15. When the forward collision warning determination unit 112 determines that the condition for issuing the forward collision warning AL2 is not met (step ST213; NO), the driving support device 100 returns the process to step ST11.

[0075] In step ST221 of FIG. 8, the driving support device 100 causes the lane departure warning determination unit 111 to determine whether or not the conditions for issuing the lane departure warning AL1 are met. When the lane departure warning determining unit 111 determines that the conditions for issuing the lane departure warning AL1 are met (step ST221; YES), the driving support device 100 proceeds to step ST22. When the lane departure warning determination unit 111 determines that the conditions for issuing the lane departure warning AL1 are not met (step ST221; NO), the driving support device 100 returns the process to step ST221.

[0076] In step ST225, the driving support device 100 issues the lane departure warning AL1 by the warning means, and then returns the process to step ST221.

[0077] In step ST226, driving support device 100 sets suppression flag FL1 by means of lane departure warning determination unit 111. Also in step ST226, driving support device 100 acquires the current time as the time when the issuance condition for lane departure warning AL1 is met by means of lane departure warning determination unit 111. Then, driving support device 100 returns the process to step ST221.

[0078] In the second embodiment, when the conditions for issuing the lane departure warning AL1 are met consecutively within a short period of time, the suppression flag FL1 is set and the detection range DA is narrowed. Thus, similar to the first embodiment, the second embodiment can provide a saddle-ride type vehicle 10 in which excessive issuance of the warning during predetermined driving is suppressed.

[0079] [Other embodiments] The above-described embodiment merely shows one aspect of the present invention, and any modifications and applications are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0080] In the above embodiment, the lane departure warning AL1 and the forward collision warning AL2 are both issued by the same warning unit 102, but a dedicated warning means may be provided for each warning. This allows for different warning locations, for example, to be changed.

[0081] In the above embodiment, a configuration has been exemplified in which the surrounding information acquisition unit 130 corresponds to the driving lane detection means and also corresponds to the forward obstacle detection means. That is, a configuration has been described in which the surrounding information acquisition unit 130 detects the driving lane of the host vehicle 10 and detects obstacles ahead of the host vehicle 10, but the driving lane detection means and the forward obstacle detection means may each be provided with a surrounding information acquisition unit specialized for their respective purposes.

[0082] In the second embodiment, the lane departure warning determination unit 111 and the forward collision warning determination unit 112 are realized by a single calculation unit 110 and storage unit 120, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the lane departure warning determination unit 111 and the forward collision warning determination unit 112 may be realized by separate calculation units and storage units. For example, the lane departure warning determination unit 111 may be realized by a single calculation unit and storage unit, and the function of the forward collision warning determination unit 112 may be realized by another calculation unit and storage unit that can process faster than the single calculation unit and storage unit. This makes it possible to prioritize the forward collision warning AL2 over the lane departure warning AL1.

[0083] In the above first and second embodiments, the lane departure warning judgment unit 111 is configured to judge that the conditions for issuing a lane departure warning AL1 for the host vehicle 10 are not met when it determines that the distance δ between the position P10 of the host vehicle 10 and the warning line λ closest to the host vehicle 10 is greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold, and to judge that the conditions for issuing a lane departure warning AL1 for the host vehicle 10 are met when it determines that the distance δ is not greater than or equal to the predetermined threshold, i.e., is less than the predetermined threshold. However, the lane departure warning determination unit 111 may determine whether the conditions for issuing the lane departure warning AL1 are met based on the configurations of the first and second embodiments. For example, the lane departure warning determination unit 111 may determine whether the conditions for issuing the lane departure warning AL1 are met based on at least whether the vehicle has departed from the lane and whether the time elapsed between the issuance of the previous lane departure warning and the current lane departure exceeds a predetermined time.

[0084] That is, the condition for issuing the lane departure warning AL1 may be based at least on whether lane departure has occurred and whether the time elapsed between the issuance of the previous lane departure warning and the current lane departure exceeds a predetermined time. That is, the condition for issuing the lane departure warning AL1 is satisfied when lane departure has occurred and the time elapsed between the issuance of the previous lane departure warning and the current lane departure exceeds a predetermined time, and the condition for issuing the lane departure warning AL1 is not satisfied when lane departure has not occurred or when the time elapsed between the issuance of the previous lane departure warning and the current lane departure does not exceed the predetermined time.

[0085] Therefore, the vehicle is provided with a surrounding information acquisition unit 130 that detects the lanes R1 and R2 of the vehicle 10, a lane departure warning judgment unit 111 that judges whether the conditions for issuing a lane departure warning AL1 have been met for the vehicle 10, and an alarm unit 102 that issues an alarm based on the judgment result of the lane departure warning judgment unit 111, and the conditions for issuing the lane departure warning AL1 may be determined based at least on whether the vehicle has departed from the lane and whether the time taken from the issuance of the previous lane departure warning to the current lane departure exceeds a predetermined time. This configuration makes it possible to provide a vehicle that suppresses excessive alarm issuance when the vehicle is traveling in a manner that causes continuous lane departures.

[0086] In the above embodiment, the power unit 12 is an internal combustion engine, but the present invention is also applicable to an electric vehicle in which the power unit is an electric motor.

[0087] In the above embodiment, a motorcycle having a front wheel 13 and a rear wheel 15 has been used as an example of the saddle-ride vehicle 10, but the present invention is not limited to this, and can be applied to a three-wheel saddle-ride vehicle having two front or two rear wheels, or a saddle-ride vehicle having four or more wheels.

[0088] [Configuration supported by the above embodiment] The above embodiment supports the following configurations.

[0089] (Configuration 1) A vehicle characterized in that if the time elapsed between the vehicle issuing a warning for the previous lane departure and the vehicle deviating from its lane this time is within a predetermined time, no warning is issued for the current lane departure. This configuration provides a vehicle that suppresses excessive alarms when driving in a manner that causes continuous lane departures.

[0090] (Configuration 2) A saddle-ride type vehicle comprising: a lane detection means for detecting the lane in which the vehicle is traveling; a lane departure warning determination means for determining whether to issue a warning when a lane departure warning issuance condition is met for the vehicle; and an alarm means for issuing a warning based on the determination result of the lane departure warning determination means, wherein the alarm means does not issue a warning if the lane departure warning issuance condition is met again within a predetermined time after the lane departure warning issuance condition is met. This configuration provides a vehicle that suppresses excessive alarms when driving in a manner that causes continuous lane departures.

[0091] (Configuration 3) A saddle-type vehicle according to Configuration 2, comprising a forward obstacle detection means for detecting an obstacle ahead of the vehicle, and a forward collision warning determination means for determining whether an obstacle has been detected within a preset detection range based on the detection result of the forward obstacle detection means, wherein if the lane departure warning issuance condition is met again within a predetermined time after the lane departure warning issuance condition is met, the length of the detection range in the vehicle width direction is shortened. According to this configuration, when the vehicle is traveling in a state where it repeatedly deviates from its lane, excessive issuance of lane departure warnings can be suppressed, while excessive issuance of forward collision warnings can also be suppressed.

[0092] (Configuration 4) The saddle-ride type vehicle according to Configuration 3, wherein the lane departure warning determination means determines whether or not to issue a warning when the forward collision warning determination means determines not to issue a warning. According to this configuration, the safety of the occupants can be improved by prioritizing the forward collision warning over the lane departure warning.

[0093] (Configuration 4) The saddle-ride type vehicle according to Configuration 2, wherein the lane departure warning determination means determines whether or not to issue a warning when the forward collision warning determination means determines not to issue a warning. According to this configuration, the safety of the occupants can be improved by prioritizing the forward collision warning over the lane departure warning.

[0094] (Configuration 5) A vehicle comprising: a lane detection means for detecting the lane in which the vehicle is traveling; a lane departure warning determination means for determining whether a condition for issuing a lane departure warning has been met for the vehicle; and an alarm means for issuing an alarm based on the determination result of the lane departure warning determination means, wherein the condition for issuing the lane departure warning is determined based at least on whether the vehicle has departed from its lane and whether the time elapsed between the issuance of the previous lane departure warning and the current lane departure exceeds a predetermined time. This configuration provides a vehicle that suppresses excessive alarms when driving in a manner that causes continuous lane departures. [Explanation of symbols]

[0095] 10. Vehicle (saddle-type vehicle) 102 Alarm section (alarm means) 111 Lane departure warning determination unit (lane departure warning determination means) 112 Forward collision warning judgment unit (forward collision warning judgment means) 130 Surrounding information acquisition unit (driving lane detection means, forward obstacle detection means) AL1 Lane Departure Warning DA detection range R1 Lane (Traveling Lane) R2 Lane (Traveling Lane)

Claims

1. a driving lane detection means (130) for detecting the driving lane (R1, R2) of the vehicle (10); a lane departure warning determination means (111) for determining whether to issue a lane departure warning (AL1) when a condition for issuing a lane departure warning is met for the vehicle (10); a warning means (102) for issuing a warning based on the judgment result of the lane departure warning judgment means (111); a forward obstacle detection means (130) for detecting an obstacle ahead of the vehicle (10); and a forward collision warning determination means (112) for determining whether or not an obstacle has been detected within a preset detection range (DA) based on the detection result of the forward obstacle detection means (130), When the condition for issuing the lane departure warning (AL1) is satisfied again within a predetermined time after the condition for issuing the lane departure warning (AL1) is satisfied, the length of the detection range (DA) in the vehicle width direction is shortened, The warning means (102) does not issue a warning if the condition for issuing the lane departure warning (AL1) is satisfied again within a predetermined time after the condition for issuing the lane departure warning (AL1) is satisfied. A saddle-type vehicle characterized by:

2. When the forward collision warning determination means (112) determines not to issue a warning, the lane departure warning determination means (111) determines whether to issue a warning.

2. The saddle-ride type vehicle according to claim 1.

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