Attention warning system and attention warning method

Abstract

To transfer a contact risk with an object around the own vehicle to a driver in a manner that is not bothersome to the driver, while taking into consideration an attention state of the driver.SOLUTION: An attention calling system comprises: an HMI device installed in the own vehicle; and an attention calling device that transfers a possibility of contact between the own vehicle and an object to a driver by means of the HMI device. The attention calling device comprises: a risk specifying unit that specifies a risk position that is a position where there is a high possibility that contact between the own vehicle and an object will occur, and a risk level that is a degree of possibility that contact will occur at the risk position; and a transfer unit that transfers the risk position and the risk level to the driver. The transfer unit applies a tactile stimulus or auditory stimulation to the driver using a tactile sense type HMI device or an auditory HMI device at a saliency level corresponding to a height of the risk level, and transfers visual information indicating a direction of the risk position as seen from the driver to the driver using a visual HMI device.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an attention calling system and an attention calling method for calling the attention of a vehicle driver. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, efforts to provide access to sustainable transport systems that take into consideration vulnerable transport participants have become more active. To achieve this, we are focusing on research and development into preventive safety technologies to further improve road safety and convenience.

[0003] Patent document 1 describes a method for simultaneously issuing an approach warning using a seat belt tension generating device and a sound generating device, with the aim of informing the driver that the vehicle is approaching an object ahead in a reliable and comfortable manner, and for canceling the approach warning when a certain time has passed since the issuance of the approach warning or when braking is detected. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 10-67301 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Incidentally, in preventive safety technology, it is important to inform the driver of the risk of contact with objects around the vehicle in a manner that is not bothersome to the driver. The present application aims to solve the above-mentioned problems by notifying the driver of the risk of contact with objects around the vehicle in a non-intrusive manner while taking into consideration the driver's attention level, thereby contributing to the development of a sustainable transportation system. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] One aspect of the present invention is an attention warning system comprising an HMI device mounted on a vehicle and an attention warning device that notifies a driver of the possibility of contact between the vehicle and an object via the HMI device, wherein the HMI device includes a tactile HMI device that stimulates the driver's tactile sense, an auditory HMI device that outputs sound as an auditory stimulus to the driver, and a visual HMI device that transmits visual information to the driver, and the attention warning system includes a risk identification unit that identifies a risk position that is a position in the surrounding environment of the vehicle where contact between the vehicle and an object is likely to occur and identifies a risk level that is the degree of likelihood of the contact occurring at the risk position, a communication unit that communicates the risk position and the risk level to the driver, an attention state determination unit that determines whether the driver is in a distracted state; a line of sight determination unit that determines whether the driver's line of sight is directed toward the risk position; and an avoidance determination unit that determines whether the driver is performing an avoidance maneuver, which is a maneuvering action to avoid the possible contact; and wherein the transmission unit provides the driver with a tactile stimulus or an auditory stimulus of a salience level corresponding to the likelihood of the contact indicated by the risk level, by the tactile HMI device or the auditory HMI device. Um, before The visual HMI device transmits visual information indicating the direction of the risk position as seen by the driver to the driver. And , Based on the judgment results of the attention state judgment unit, the line of sight judgment unit, and the avoidance judgment unit, the state of the driver is identified as one of the following: a first state in which the driver is not distracted, has his / her line of sight directed toward the risk position, and is performing an avoidance maneuver; a second state in which the driver is not distracted, has his / her line of sight directed toward the risk position, and is not performing an avoidance maneuver; a third state in which the driver is not distracted, has his / her line of sight not directed toward the risk position; and a fourth state in which the driver is distracted; and, except when the state of the driver is the first state, provides the tactile stimulus or the auditory stimulus to the driver using the tactile HMI device or the auditory HMI device. It is a warning system. Another aspect of the present invention is an attention warning system including an HMI device mounted on a host vehicle and an attention warning device that notifies a driver of the possibility of contact between the host vehicle and an object by the HMI device, wherein the HMI device includes a tactile HMI device that stimulates the tactile sense of the driver, an auditory HMI device that outputs sound as an auditory stimulus to the driver, and a visual HMI device that conveys visual information to the driver, and the attention warning system includes a risk identification unit that identifies a risk position that is a position in the surrounding environment of the host vehicle where contact between the host vehicle and an object is highly likely to occur and identifies a risk level that is the degree of likelihood of the contact occurring at the risk position, and a communication unit that communicates the risk position and the risk level to the driver, and the communication unit .... the visual HMI device transmits to the driver visual information indicating the direction of the risk location as seen by the driver, the visual HMI device is a meter display device provided on the instrument panel of the vehicle, the transmission unit displays on the meter display device a predetermined graphic for notifying the driver of the possibility of contact, the direction of the risk location as seen by the driver is transmitted to the driver by the display position of the graphic on the meter display device, and the height of the risk level is transmitted to the driver by the size and / or color of the graphic on the meter display device. According to another aspect of the present invention, the transmission unit sets the salience level of the tactile stimulus or the auditory stimulus provided to the driver using the tactile HMI device or the auditory HMI device higher when the driver is in the third state than when the driver is in the second state, and sets the salience level higher when the driver is in the fourth state than when the driver is in the third state. According to another aspect of the present invention, when the risk location identified by the risk identification unit is in front of the vehicle, the transmission unit uses the tactile HMI device to provide the driver with a tactile stimulus indicating the level of the risk, and when the risk location identified by the risk identification unit is in an area other than in front of the vehicle, the transmission unit uses the auditory HMI device to provide the driver with an auditory stimulus indicating the level of the risk. According to another aspect of the present invention, when the risk location identified by the risk identification unit is in an area other than in front of the vehicle, if the gaze determination unit determines that the driver's gaze is not directed in the direction of the risk location, it determines whether the driver's gaze through a mirror equipped on the vehicle is directed in the direction of the risk location. According to another aspect of the present invention, the tactile HMI device is an electric seat belt that is installed in the driver's seat of the vehicle and that changes the tension of the seat belt worn by the driver to provide the driver with a tactile stimulus, and the salience level of the tactile stimulus corresponds to the magnitude of the tension of the seat belt. According to another aspect of the present invention, the auditory HMI device is a speaker installed in the passenger compartment of the vehicle, and the salience level of the auditory stimulus corresponds to the intensity, frequency, shortness of the repetition period, and / or shortness of the period of change in intensity or frequency of the sound output by the speaker. Another aspect of the present invention is a computer-implemented attention warning method for an attention warning system equipped with a tactile HMI device that stimulates the tactile sense of the driver, an auditory HMI device that outputs sound as an auditory stimulus to the driver, and a visual HMI device that transmits visual information to the driver, all mounted on the vehicle, and an attention warning device that communicates the possibility of contact between the vehicle and an object to the driver using the tactile HMI device, the auditory HMI device, and / or the visual HMI device, the method including a risk identification step of identifying a risk location that is a location in the surrounding environment of the vehicle where contact between the vehicle and an object is likely to occur, and identifying a risk level that is the degree of likelihood of the contact occurring at the risk location, and a communication step of communicating the risk location and the risk level to the driver; an attention state determination step of determining whether the driver is in a distracted state; a line of sight determination step of determining whether the driver's line of sight is directed in the direction of the risk position; and an avoidance determination step of determining whether the driver is performing an avoidance maneuver, which is a maneuvering action to avoid the possible contact; In the transmitting step, the tactile HMI device or the auditory HMI device provides the driver with a tactile stimulus or an auditory stimulus of a salience level corresponding to the likelihood of contact indicated by the risk level, and the visual HMI device transmits to the driver visual information indicating the direction of the risk position as seen by the driver. And , Based on the determination results in the attention state determination step, the line of sight determination step, and the avoidance determination step, the state of the driver is identified as one of the following: a first state in which the driver is not distracted, has his / her line of sight directed toward the risk location, and is performing an avoidance maneuver; a second state in which the driver is not distracted, has his / her line of sight directed toward the risk location, and is not performing an avoidance maneuver; a third state in which the driver is not distracted, has his / her line of sight not directed toward the risk location; and a fourth state in which the driver is distracted; and, except when the state of the driver is the first state, the tactile stimulus or the auditory stimulus is provided to the driver using the tactile HMI device or the auditory HMI device. It is a way to raise awareness. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to notify the driver of the risk of contact with an object around the vehicle in a manner that is not bothersome, while taking into consideration the driver's state of attention. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of an attention calling system according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of a vehicle equipped with an attention-attention system. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the configuration of the interior of a vehicle in which an attention-attention system is installed. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a region division of the line of sight direction used to determine the driver's distracted state. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of how the HMI device is used depending on the driver's state. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of area divisions around the vehicle that define the direction of the risk position. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a warning graphic displayed on a visual HMI device. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the procedure of the process of the attention calling method executed by the attention calling system. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of an attention calling system 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. 、 FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of a vehicle 2 in which the attention calling system 1 is installed, and FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the configuration of the interior of the vehicle 2. As shown in FIG.

[0010] The attention warning system 1 is installed in the host vehicle 2 and notifies the driver of a position in the surrounding environment of the host vehicle 2 where there is a high possibility of contact between the host vehicle 2 and an object (hereinafter referred to as a risk position), and a risk level that indicates the degree of possibility of the contact occurring at the risk position. Here, "host vehicle" means a vehicle in which the attention warning system 1 is installed.

[0011] The attention warning system 1 includes an HMI device 3 mounted on the vehicle 2, and an attention warning device 4. The HMI device 3 includes a tactile HMI device 3a that stimulates the driver's tactile sense, an auditory HMI device 3b that outputs sound as an auditory stimulus to the driver, and a visual HMI device 3c that conveys visual information to the driver.

[0012] Tactile HMI Device Reference numeral 3a denotes, for example, an electric seat belt that is provided in the driver's seat 20 of the vehicle 2 and that changes the tension of the seat belt 21 worn by the driver to give the driver a tactile stimulus. However, the electric seat belt is only an example, and the tactile HMI Device 3a can be any device that can provide tactile stimulation to the driver, for example, a tactile HMI. Device 3a may be a vibration actuator that applies vibrations to the driver's hands via the steering wheel 22, or a massage seat that is provided as the driver's seat 20 and applies stimulation such as tapping, kneading, pressing, or vibrating to parts of the driver's body such as the back.

[0013] In this embodiment, the auditory HMI device 3b is a single speaker, or alternatively, the auditory HMI device 3b may be a speaker system made up of multiple speakers. In this embodiment, the visual HMI device 3c is a meter display device provided on the instrument panel 23 of the vehicle 2. However, the meter display device is just one example, and the visual HMI device 3c may be a general-purpose display device 24 that displays something other than a meter, or a head-up display (not shown) that displays an image on the windshield 25, or the like.

[0014] The host vehicle 2 also has an accelerator pedal, a brake pedal, a turn signal light, a steering wheel, and the like. 22 The vehicle controller 5 detects the operation state of the steering controllers such as the steering wheel, and also detects the motion state of the host vehicle 2 such as the vehicle speed, acceleration, and yaw rate.

[0015] The host vehicle 2 further includes a risk detection device 6 that detects the presence of a risk of contact between the host vehicle 2 and an object (including traffic participants) in the environment surrounding the host vehicle 2. The risk detection device 6 identifies risk positions where contact between the host vehicle 2 and an object is highly likely to occur, and calculates a risk level that indicates the degree of likelihood of such contact occurring at the risk positions, based on, for example, information from one or more cameras, radar, lidar, and / or sonars distributed around the body of the host vehicle 2, as well as positioning data and map information acquired from a GPS device or the like (none of which are shown). The map information may include information on road shapes such as intersections, straight roads, and curves, traffic infrastructure such as traffic lights, and building locations.

[0016] The risk detection device 6 predicts the movement path of an object and the host vehicle 2 based on, for example, the position, direction of movement, and speed of an object in the surrounding environment, the position, direction of movement, and speed of the host vehicle 2, the lighting status of traffic lights, etc., according to conventional technology. The risk detection device 6 can then calculate a risk position and risk level from the closest position between the host vehicle 2 and the object and the distance between the host vehicle 2 and the object at that position. According to conventional technology, when predicting the movement path of an object, the risk detection device 6 may take into account the lighting status of the vehicle's turn signal lights and brake lights if the object is a vehicle, or the direction of the pedestrian's face if the object is a pedestrian. Similarly, when predicting the movement path of the host vehicle 2, the risk detection device 6 may take into account the lighting status of the host vehicle's turn signal lights and brake lights obtained from the vehicle control device 5, or, if a navigation device (not shown) is providing route guidance, may take into account the route being guided.

[0017] In addition to detecting the risk of contact between the vehicle 2 and objects that are actually detected in the environment surrounding the vehicle 2, the risk detection device 6 may also be configured to estimate and detect the risk of contact with objects that have not yet been detected but may appear (such as virtual vehicles or pedestrians) based on the visibility at intersections, the number of accidents, etc.

[0018] The vehicle 2 is also provided with an interior camera 7 that captures images of the interior of the vehicle including the driver, a room mirror 8 that allows the driver to view the area behind the vehicle 2, and door mirrors 9a and 9b that allow the driver to view the left and right rearward directions. The room mirror 8 may be a rearview mirror that displays an image from a rear camera (not shown) that captures an image behind the vehicle 2.

[0019] The attention warning device 4 includes a processor 30 and a memory 31. The memory 31 is, for example, configured with a volatile and / or non-volatile semiconductor memory and / or a hard disk drive. The processor 30 is, for example, a computer including a CPU. The processor 30 may be configured to include a ROM in which a program is written, a RAM for temporarily storing data, and the like. The processor 30 includes, as functional elements or units, a risk identification unit 33, an attention state determination unit 34, a line of sight determination unit 35, an avoidance determination unit 36, and a transmission unit 37.

[0020] These functional elements of the processor 30 are realized, for example, by the processor 30, which is a computer, executing a program 32 stored in a memory 31. The program 32 can be stored in any computer-readable storage medium. Alternatively, all or part of the functional elements of the processor 30 can be configured by hardware including one or more electronic circuit components.

[0021] The risk identification unit 33 identifies, at predetermined time intervals, risk positions that are positions in the environment surrounding the vehicle 2 where there is a high possibility of contact between the vehicle 2 and an object, and identifies a risk level that is the degree of possibility of the contact occurring at the risk positions. In this embodiment, the risk identification unit 33 acquires information on the risk positions and risk levels from the risk detection device 6 at predetermined time intervals to grasp the existence of a contact risk and identify the current risk position and risk level.

[0022] The attention state determination unit 34 determines whether the driver of the vehicle 2 is in a distracted state. For example, the attention state determination unit 34 determines whether the driver is in a distracted state based on the direction of the driver's gaze and the duration of the gaze (whether the gaze is maintained for a predetermined period of time or longer) determined from the facial image of the driver captured by the interior camera 7. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 4 , the attention state determination unit 34 divides the direction of the driver's gaze into a forward region FR, a left region SL, a right region SR, where the outside world can be seen through the windshield 25, etc., and a downward region UD, which is a portion of the vehicle interior including the instrument panel 23, etc. Then, when the driver's gaze direction is maintained toward the downward region UD, the attention state determination unit 34 can determine that the driver is looking away from the outside world and is in a distracted state. On the other hand, when the driver's gaze direction is maintained toward the forward region FR, the left region SL, or the right region SR, the attention state determination unit 34 can determine that the driver is concentrating on driving and is not in a distracted state. Note that even when the driver's line of sight is fixed toward the forward region FR, the left region SL, or the right region SR, the attention state determination unit 34 may determine that the driver is in a distracted state if it detects that the driver is feeling drowsy. For example, the attention state determination unit 34 may detect that the driver is feeling drowsy from the driver's facial expression and blinking frequency based on the facial image of the driver obtained from the interior camera 7, according to conventional technology.

[0023] The line of sight determination unit 35 determines whether the line of sight of the driver, determined from the image of the driver's face captured by the interior camera 7, is directed in the direction of the current risk position identified by the risk identification unit 33. When the risk position is in an area other than the front of the vehicle 2 (for example, to the side or rear), the line of sight determination unit 35 can determine whether the driver's direct line of sight, determined from the image of the driver's face, is directed in the direction of the risk position, as well as whether the driver's line of sight, as seen through mirrors such as the rearview mirror 8 and door mirrors 9a and 9b provided on the vehicle 2, is directed in the direction of the risk position.

[0024] If the risk position is in a blind spot that the driver cannot see even through a mirror, the line-of-sight determination unit 35 can always determine that the driver's line of sight is not directed toward the risk position. Here, information about the position or area of ​​the blind spot in the host vehicle 2 can be stored in the memory 31 in advance.

[0025] The avoidance determination unit 36 ​​determines whether the driver of the host vehicle 2 is performing an avoidance maneuver, which is a maneuvering action to avoid contact between the host vehicle 2 and an object (i.e., to avoid the risk of contact) that may occur at the current risk position identified by the risk identification unit 33. For example, the avoidance determination unit 36 ​​determines whether the driver is performing an avoidance maneuver from operation information of the brake pedal, accelerator pedal, and / or steering wheel acquired from the vehicle control device 5.

[0026] The transmission unit 37 transmits to the driver of the host vehicle 2 the current risk position and risk level of the risk of contact between the host vehicle 2 and an object, which has been identified by the risk identification unit 33. In particular, in this embodiment, the transmission unit 37 uses the tactile HMI device 3a or the auditory HMI device 3b to provide the driver with tactile or auditory stimuli of a level of salience corresponding to the likelihood of contact indicated by the risk level, and also uses the visual HMI device 3c to transmit to the driver visual information indicating the direction of the risk location as seen by the driver, or visual information indicating the direction of the risk location as seen by the driver and the level of the risk level. According to the above configuration, the presence of a collision risk can be reliably communicated to the driver even when the driver is inattentive by using tactile or auditory stimuli that the driver can perceive regardless of the driver's attention level or line of sight, while the collision risk can be reliably communicated to the driver when the driver is able to concentrate on driving, and the risk location and size can be additionally communicated to the driver using visual information. This makes it possible to communicate collision risk information to the driver in a manner that takes into consideration the driver's attention level and is not bothersome.

[0027] Here, the salience level refers to the degree to which a stimulus attracts or attracts a person's attention. For example, if the tactile stimulus is output as tension in an electric seatbelt, the salience level of the tactile stimulus corresponds to the magnitude of the tension: the greater the tension, the higher the salience level of the tactile stimulus provided by the tension. Furthermore, for example, the salience level of an auditory stimulus corresponds to the intensity, frequency, repetition period, and / or intensity or frequency change period of the sound that is the auditory stimulus. The greater the intensity of the sound, the higher the frequency, the shorter the repetition period, and / or the shorter the intensity or frequency change period, the higher the salience level of the auditory stimulus provided by that sound.

[0028] Alternatively, if the tactile stimulus is vibration imparted to the driver's hands from a vibration actuator provided on the steering wheel 22 as described above, the salience level of the tactile stimulus corresponds to the vibration intensity, frequency, repetition period, and / or intensity or frequency change period of the vibration. The greater the vibration intensity, the higher the frequency, the shorter the repetition period, and / or the shorter the intensity or frequency change period, the higher the salience level of the tactile stimulus imparted by the vibration.

[0029] Alternatively, when the proximity warning is output as a graphic element such as a character or a figure displayed on a display device, the conspicuousness level may be determined by the brightness, the cycle of brightness change, the cycle of blinking, or the color of the displayed graphic element. For example, the higher the brightness, the shorter the cycle of brightness change or blinking, or the closer the color is to a warm color from a cool color, the higher the conspicuousness level of the proximity warning.

[0030] Specifically, the communication unit 37 identifies whether the state of the driver of the vehicle 2 is one of the following four states based on the determination results of the attention state determination unit 34, the line of sight determination unit 35, and the avoidance determination unit 36. A first state in which the driver is not distracted, has his / her eyes directed in the direction of the risk location, and is performing an evasive maneuver. A second state in which the driver is not distracted, has his / her eyes directed in the direction of the risk location, and is not performing evasive maneuvers. A third state in which the driver is not distracted and his or her eyes are not directed in the direction of the risk location. A fourth state in which the driver is distracted.

[0031] The transmission unit 37 then uses the tactile HMI device 3a, the auditory HMI device 3b, and the visual HMI device 3c depending on which of the four states the driver's state is, to transmit to the driver the risk location and risk level of the risk of contact between the vehicle 2 and an object.

[0032] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the driver's state and how the HMI device 3 used by the transmission unit 37 to transmit information to the driver, depending on whether the risk position is in front of or behind the vehicle 2.

[0033] The leftmost column of the table in Fig. 5 shows the risk position of the vehicle. 2The table indicates whether the HMI device 3 is in front of or behind the vehicle, and to the right of this table indicates how the HMI device 3 is used when the driver's state is in states 1 to 4. In the "HMI device selection" column, a field containing "Use" means that the HMI device 3 is used in that driver state and a stimulus is output. In addition, a blank field in the "HMI device selection" column means that the HMI device 3 is not used (a stimulus is not output) in that driver state.

[0034] 5, when the risk position is in front of the vehicle 2, the transmission unit 37 transmits to the driver a tactile stimulus with a salience level corresponding to the level of the risk level by the tactile HMI device 3a, and when the risk position is behind the vehicle 2, the transmission unit 37 transmits to the driver an auditory stimulus with a salience level corresponding to the level of the risk level by the auditory HMI device 3b. 2 The HMI device 3 to be used is switched between the tactile HMI device 3a and the auditory HMI device 3b depending on whether the vehicle is in front of or behind the vehicle. Touch Depending on whether a stimulus or an auditory stimulus is received, the driver can intuitively grasp whether the risk location is in front or behind.

[0035] Specifically, as shown in the table of Fig. 5, the transmission unit 37 transmits a tactile stimulus or an auditory stimulus to the driver using the tactile HMI device 3a or the auditory HMI device 3b, except when the driver is in the first state (i.e., when the driver is in the second, third, or fourth state). According to this configuration, in accordance with the driver's attention state with respect to the contact risk, when the driver is aware of the contact risk and is performing an avoidance maneuver (i.e., when the driver is in the first state), Touch Since no visual or auditory stimuli are used to notify the driver, unnecessary communication regarding the risk of contact can be avoided.

[0036] Here, the transmission unit 37 can be configured to vary the salience level of the tactile or auditory stimulus provided to the driver depending on whether the driving state is the second state, the third state, or the fourth state, even if the risk level is the same.

[0037] In the case of the table shown in Figure 5, the transmission unit 37 sets the salience level of the tactile or auditory stimulus provided to the driver using, for example, the tactile HMI device 3a or the auditory HMI device 3b higher when the driver is in the third state than when the driver is in the second state, and higher when the driver is in the fourth state than when the driver is in the third state. According to this configuration, the driver is given a warning according to the degree of attention the driver gives to the risk of contact. Touch The salience level of the stimulus or auditory stimulus is changed, so that the information on the risk of contact can be conveyed to the driver in a manner that is not bothersome to the driver depending on the level of attention.

[0038] 5, for example, when the driver is in the third or fourth state, the communication unit 37 uses the visual HMI device 3c to communicate to the driver visual information indicating the direction of the risk position as seen by the driver, regardless of whether the risk position is in front of or behind the vehicle 2. In this case, the communication unit 37 may also communicate the level of the risk level to the driver as visual information in addition to the direction of the risk position.

[0039] For example, the transmitter 37 divides the area around the host vehicle 2 into four areas as shown in Fig. 6, and displays information on the direction of the area where the risk position is located on the visual HMI device 3c. In Fig. 6, four areas are defined with the host vehicle 2 at the center, each with a 90-degree apex angle. The forward area FA and the rear area BA are ranges that extend forward and rearward of the host vehicle 2, respectively, and are defined by two lines that form angles of ±45 degrees with respect to the center line CL in the vehicle width direction. In addition, a left area LA and a right area RA are defined to the left and right of the forward area FA and the rear area BA.

[0040] The communication unit 37 displays a predetermined graphic on the visual HMI device 3c, which is, for example, a meter display device, to communicate the possibility of contact between the vehicle 2 and an object. The communication unit 37 communicates to the driver the direction of the risk position as seen by the driver by the display position of the graphic on the meter display device, and communicates the level of the risk level to the driver by the color and / or size of the graphic on the meter display device. With this configuration, visual information is provided from the visual HMI device 3c in the same manner as the tactile stimulus or auditory stimulus communicated by the tactile HMI device 3a or the auditory HMI device 3b at a saliency level according to the risk level, so the driver can more clearly recognize the level of the risk level.

[0041] Fig. 7 is a diagram showing an example of visual information output by the transmission unit 37 to the visual HMI device 3c, which is a meter display device. The example in Fig. 7 shows a case where the risk location is within the left area LA in Fig. 6. The upper (a), middle (b), and lower (c) sections of Fig. 7 show changes in the visual information when the risk level increases in that order.

[0042] When a collision risk has just been detected, the transmission unit 37 first performs the following operation as shown in the upper part (a) of FIG. cormorant Then, a small warning graphic 50 is displayed in light red in the upper left corner of the screen of the visual HMI device 3c to inform the driver that there is a collision risk and that the risk location is in the left area LA of the vehicle 2.

[0043] Thereafter, as the risk level increases, the communication unit 37 expands the warning graphic 50 (the hatched portion in the figure) to the right on the screen of the visual HMI device 3c, as shown in the middle (b) of Figure 7, thereby enlarging the size of the warning graphic 50 and changing its color to a darker red. As a result, the driver can more easily notice the presence of the warning graphic 50 as the color density of the warning graphic 50 increases, and can recognize the degree of increase in the risk level from the degree of enlargement of the size of the warning graphic 50. In Figure 7, the increasing color density of the warning graphic 50 is expressed by the density of the hatching in the figure.

[0044] As time passes and the risk level rises to the point where emergency measures are required, the communication unit 37 further darkens the red color and further enlarges the size of the warning graphic 50, as shown in the lower part of Figure 7(c). In this case, the size and color density of the warning graphic 50 are preferably large enough that even a driver who is not looking at the screen of the visual HMI device 3c can catch the warning graphic 50 at the edge of their line of sight. In the example of the lower part of Figure 7(c), the warning graphic 50 is large enough to reach almost the center of the screen.

[0045] The communication unit 37 can determine the display position of the warning graphic 50 on the screen depending on the direction of the risk position. For example, if the risk position is in the right area RA, front area FA, or rear area BA, the communication unit 37 can display the warning graphic 50 at the upper right corner, the center of the top edge, and the center of the bottom edge on the screen, respectively, and can increase the size of the warning graphic 50 from each position depending on the increase in the risk level.

[0046] Next, the operational procedure of the attention calling system 1 will be described. 8 is a flowchart showing the procedure of the processing of the attention method executed by the processor 30, which is a computer of the attention calling device 4 constituting the attention calling system 1. This processing is repeatedly executed at predetermined time intervals.

[0047] When the process starts, the risk identification unit 33 first identifies risk positions, which are positions in the environment surrounding the vehicle 2 where there is a high possibility of contact between the vehicle 2 and an object, based on information from the risk detection device 6, and identifies a risk level, which is the degree of possibility of the contact occurring at the risk positions (S100). Next, the risk identification unit 33 determines whether there are any risk positions where the risk level is equal to or higher than a predetermined level (S102). If there are no risk positions where the risk level is equal to or higher than the predetermined level (S102, NO), the risk identification unit 33 ends this process.

[0048] On the other hand, if there is a risk position where the risk level is equal to or higher than the predetermined level (S102, YES), the attention state determination unit 34 determines whether the driver is in a distracted state (S104). In addition, the line of sight determination unit 35 determines whether the driver's line of sight is directed toward the risk position (S106), and the avoidance determination unit 36 ​​determines whether the driver is performing an avoidance maneuver (S108).

[0049] Next, the communication unit 37 determines whether the driver is in the first state (S110) based on the determination results in steps S104, S106, and S108. If the driver is in the first state (YES in S110), the communication unit 37 ends this process.

[0050] On the other hand, when the driver's state is not the first state (S110, NO), the transmission unit 37 transmits a warning to the driver based on the driver's state and the risk level at the risk position. Touch A salience level of the stimulus or auditory stimulus is determined (S112).

[0051] Next, the communication unit 37 determines whether the driver's state is the second state (S114). If the driver's state is not the second state (S114, NO), a predetermined warning graphic 50 indicating the risk location is displayed on the visual HMI device 3c in a size according to the risk level (S116). Next, the communication unit 37 communicates the risk level to the driver using the tactile HMI device 3a or the auditory HMI device 3b, depending on whether the risk location is in front of or behind the host vehicle 2, at the saliency level determined in step S112 (S118), and ends this process.

[0052] On the other hand, in step S114, if the driver's state is the second state (S114, YES), the transmission unit 37 transfers the processing to step S118, and only transmits the risk level using the tactile HMI device 3a or the auditory HMI device 3b without displaying the warning graphic 50 using the visual HMI device 3c, and terminates this processing.

[0053] The present invention is not limited to the configurations of the above-described embodiments, and can be implemented in various forms without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0054] [Configuration supported by the above embodiment] The above-described embodiment supports the following configurations.

[0055] (Configuration 1) An attention warning system comprising an HMI device mounted on a vehicle and an attention warning device that communicates to the driver via the HMI device the possibility of contact between the vehicle and an object, wherein the HMI device includes a tactile HMI device that stimulates the driver's sense of touch, an auditory HMI device that outputs a sound that is an auditory stimulus to the driver, and a visual HMI device that communicates visual information to the driver, wherein the attention warning device comprises a risk identification unit that identifies a risk position that is a position in the surrounding environment of the vehicle where contact between the vehicle and an object is highly likely to occur and identifies a risk level that is the degree of likelihood of the contact occurring at the risk position, and a communication unit that communicates the risk position and the risk level to the driver, wherein the communication unit uses the tactile HMI device or the auditory HMI device to provide the driver with a tactile stimulus or auditory stimulus of a salience level that corresponds to the degree of likelihood of the contact indicated by the risk level, and communicates visual information indicating the direction of the risk position as seen by the driver via the visual HMI device. According to the attention warning system of configuration 1, the existence of a collision risk can be reliably communicated to the driver even when the driver is inattentive by using tactile or auditory stimuli that the driver can perceive regardless of the driver's attention state or line of sight, while the collision risk can be communicated to the driver in a confirmatory manner when the driver is able to concentrate on driving, and the risk location and size can be additionally communicated to the driver by visual information. As a result, the attention warning system of configuration 1 can communicate collision risk information to the driver in a manner that takes into consideration the driver's attention state and is not bothersome.

[0056] (Configuration 2) The attention warning device includes an attention state determination unit that determines whether the driver is in a distracted state, a line of sight determination unit that determines whether the driver's line of sight is directed in the direction of the risk position, and an avoidance determination unit that determines whether the driver is performing an evasive maneuver, which is a maneuvering action to avoid the possible contact, based on the determination results of the attention state determination unit, the line of sight determination unit, and the avoidance determination unit. The transmission unit determines the driver's state as being not in a distracted state, with the line of sight directed in the direction of the risk position, and The attention warning system described in configuration 1 identifies whether the driver is in a first state in which an evasive maneuver is being performed, a second state in which the driver is not distracted, has his / her gaze directed toward the risk location, and is not performing an evasive maneuver, a third state in which the driver is not distracted, has his / her gaze directed toward the risk location, or a fourth state in which the driver is distracted, and provides the tactile stimulus or the auditory stimulus to the driver using the tactile HMI device or the auditory HMI device unless the driver's state is the first state. According to the attention warning system of configuration 2, if the driver is aware of the risk of contact and is performing avoidance maneuvers, the system notifies the driver according to the driver's attention state regarding the risk of contact. Touch Since no visual or auditory stimuli are used to notify the driver, unnecessary communication regarding the risk of contact can be avoided.

[0057] (Configuration 3) The warning system described in Configuration 2, wherein the transmission unit sets the salience level of the tactile stimulus or the auditory stimulus provided to the driver using the tactile HMI device or the auditory HMI device higher when the driver is in the third state than when the driver is in the second state, and sets the salience level higher when the driver is in the fourth state than when the driver is in the third state. According to the warning system of the third aspect, the warning is given to the driver according to the degree of the driver's attention to the risk of contact. Touch The salience level of the stimulus or auditory stimulus is changed, so that the information on the risk of contact can be conveyed to the driver in a manner that is not bothersome to the driver depending on the level of attention.

[0058] (Configuration 4) An attention warning system described in Configuration 2 or 3, wherein when the risk location identified by the risk identification unit is in front of the vehicle, the transmission unit uses the tactile HMI device to provide the driver with a tactile stimulus indicating the level of the risk, and when the risk location identified by the risk identification unit is in an area other than in front of the vehicle, the transmission unit uses the auditory HMI device to provide the driver with an auditory stimulus indicating the level of the risk. According to the warning system of configuration 4, the HMI device to be used is switched between the tactile HMI device and the auditory HMI device depending on whether the risk position is in front of the vehicle or in an area other than the front. Touch Depending on whether a stimulus or an auditory stimulus is received, the driver can intuitively grasp whether the risk location is in front or behind.

[0059] (Configuration 5) When the risk location identified by the risk identification unit is in an area other than in front of the vehicle, the gaze determination unit determines whether the driver's gaze through a mirror equipped on the vehicle is directed toward the risk location if it determines that the driver's gaze is not directed toward the risk location, in an attention warning system described in Configuration 4. According to the warning system of configuration 5, it is possible to appropriately determine whether the driver's line of sight is directed toward a risk position in an area other than the front of the vehicle, based on the driver's line of sight through the mirrors equipped on the vehicle.

[0060] (Configuration 6) An attention warning system described in any one of configurations 1 to 5, wherein the tactile HMI device is an electric seat belt installed in the driver's seat of the vehicle and changes the tension of the seat belt worn by the driver to provide the driver with a tactile stimulus, and the salience level of the tactile stimulus corresponds to the magnitude of the tension of the seat belt. According to the warning system of configuration 6, the risk of contact can be communicated to the driver through tactile stimulation without requiring any additional special equipment.

[0061] (Configuration 7) An attention warning system described in any of configurations 1 to 6, wherein the auditory HMI device is a speaker installed in the passenger compartment of the vehicle, and the salience level of the auditory stimulus corresponds to the intensity, frequency, shortness of the repetition period, and / or shortness of the period of change in intensity or frequency of the sound output by the speaker. According to the warning system of configuration 7, various types of sounds can be used as auditory stimuli to communicate the risk of contact.

[0062] (Configuration 8) The visual HMI device is a meter display device provided on the instrument panel of the vehicle, and the transmission unit displays a predetermined graphic on the meter display device to notify the driver of the possibility of contact, communicates to the driver the direction of the risk position as seen by the driver based on the display position of the graphic on the meter display device, and communicates to the driver the level of the risk level based on the size and / or color of the graphic on the meter display device, an attention warning system described in any of configurations 1 to 7. According to the warning system of Configuration 8, visual information is provided from the visual HMI device in the same manner as the tactile or auditory stimuli transmitted by the tactile HMI device or auditory HMI device at a level of salience corresponding to the risk level, so that the driver can more clearly recognize the high level of risk.

[0063] (Configuration 9) An attention warning method executed by a computer for an attention warning system including a tactile HMI device that stimulates the tactile sense of the driver, an auditory HMI device that outputs sound as an auditory stimulus to the driver, and a visual HMI device that transmits visual information to the driver, all mounted on the vehicle, and an attention warning device that notifies the driver of the possibility of contact between the vehicle and an object by the tactile HMI device, the auditory HMI device, and / or the visual HMI device, the method identifying risk positions in the surrounding environment of the vehicle that are likely to cause contact between the vehicle and an object. The method also includes a risk identification step of identifying a risk level, which is the degree of possibility of the contact occurring at the risk location, and a transmission step of transmitting the risk location and the risk level to the driver, wherein in the transmission step, the tactile HMI device or the auditory HMI device provides the driver with a tactile or auditory stimulus of a salience level corresponding to the degree of possibility of the contact indicated by the risk level, and the visual HMI device transmits to the driver visual information indicating the direction of the risk location as seen by the driver. According to the attention warning method of configuration 9, the existence of a collision risk can be reliably notified to the driver by tactile or auditory stimulation even when the driver is in an inattentive state, while the collision risk can be reliably notified to the driver when the driver is able to concentrate on driving, and the risk location and its size can be supplementarily notified to the driver by visual information. As a result, the attention warning system of configuration 1 can convey information about the collision risk to the driver in a manner that is not bothersome, while also taking into consideration the driver's state of attention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0064] 1...attention warning system, 2...own vehicle, 3...HMI device, 3a...tactile HMI device, 3b...auditory HMI device, 3c...visual HMI device, 4...attention warning device, 5...vehicle control device, 6...risk detection device, 7...interior camera, 8...room mirror, 9a, 9b...door mirror, 20...driver's seat, 21...seat belt, 22...steering wheel, 23...instrument panel, 24...display device, 25...windshield, 30...processor, 31...memory, 32...program, 33...risk identification unit, 34...attention state judgment unit, 35...gaze judgment unit, 36...avoidance judgment unit, 37...communication unit, 50...warning graphic.

Claims

1. an HMI device mounted on the vehicle; an attention alert device that notifies the driver of the possibility of contact between the vehicle and an object via the HMI device; An attention warning system comprising: The HMI device includes a tactile HMI device that stimulates the tactile sense of the driver, an auditory HMI device that outputs sound as an auditory stimulus to the driver, and a visual HMI device that conveys visual information to the driver, The attention-calling device a risk identification unit that identifies a risk position, which is a position in the surrounding environment of the vehicle where contact between the vehicle and an object is highly likely to occur, and that identifies a risk level, which is the degree of likelihood of the contact occurring at the risk position; a communication unit that communicates the risk location and the risk level to the driver; an attention state determination unit that determines whether the driver is in a distracted state; a line-of-sight determination unit that determines whether the line of sight of the driver is directed in the direction of the risk position; an avoidance determination unit that determines whether the driver is performing an avoidance maneuver, which is a maneuvering action to avoid the possible contact; Equipped with The transmission unit is The tactile HMI device or the auditory HMI device provides the driver with a tactile stimulus or an auditory stimulus of a salience level corresponding to the likelihood of contact indicated by the risk level, and the visual HMI device transmits to the driver visual information indicating the direction of the risk position as seen by the driver, and Based on the determination results of the attention state determination unit, the line of sight determination unit, and the avoidance determination unit, the state of the driver is determined as follows: a first state in which the driver is not distracted, has his / her eyes directed toward the risk location, and is performing an avoidance maneuver; A second state in which the driver is not distracted, has his / her gaze directed toward the risk location, and is not performing an avoidance maneuver; A third state in which the driver is not distracted and his / her gaze is not directed toward the risk position; a fourth state in which the driver is distracted; Identify whether it is providing the tactile stimulus or the auditory stimulus to the driver using the tactile HMI device or the auditory HMI device, except when the state of the driver is the first state; Attention warning system.

2. An HMI device mounted on a vehicle; an attention alert device that notifies the driver of the possibility of contact between the vehicle and an object via the HMI device; An attention warning system comprising: The HMI device includes a tactile HMI device that stimulates the tactile sense of the driver, an auditory HMI device that outputs sound as an auditory stimulus to the driver, and a visual HMI device that conveys visual information to the driver, The attention-calling device a risk identification unit that identifies a risk position, which is a position in the surrounding environment of the vehicle where contact between the vehicle and an object is highly likely to occur, and that identifies a risk level, which is the degree of likelihood of the contact occurring at the risk position; a communication unit that communicates the risk location and the risk level to the driver; Equipped with The transmission unit is providing the driver with a tactile stimulus or an auditory stimulus of a salience level corresponding to the likelihood of contact indicated by the risk level, using the tactile HMI device or the auditory HMI device; The visual HMI device transmits visual information indicating the direction of the risk position as seen by the driver to the driver, The visual HMI device is a meter display device provided on an instrument panel of the vehicle, The transmission unit is displaying a predetermined graphic on the meter display device to notify the driver of the possibility of collision; The direction of the risk position as seen from the driver is communicated to the driver by the display position of the graphic on the meter display device, The size and / or color of the graphic on the meter display device is used to convey the level of the risk level to the driver. Attention warning system.

3. The transmitter is configured to set a salience level of the tactile stimulus or the auditory stimulus to be provided to the driver using the tactile HMI device or the auditory HMI device, When the driver is in the third state, the threshold is set higher than when the driver is in the second state, When the driver is in the fourth state, the threshold is set higher than when the driver is in the third state. The warning system according to claim 1 .

4. When the risk position identified by the risk identification unit is in front of the host vehicle, the transmission unit provides the driver with a tactile stimulus indicating the level of the risk level through the tactile HMI device; When the risk position identified by the risk identification unit is in an area other than the area ahead of the vehicle, The transmission unit notifies the driver of the level of the risk level by an auditory stimulus using the auditory HMI device. The warning system according to claim 1 .

5. When the risk position identified by the risk identification unit is in an area other than the area ahead of the vehicle, When determining that the driver's line of sight is not directed toward the risk position, the line of sight determination unit determines whether the driver's line of sight through a mirror provided in the vehicle is directed toward the risk position. The warning system according to claim 4 .

6. the tactile HMI device is an electric seat belt that is provided in a driver's seat of the vehicle and that changes the tension of a seat belt worn by the driver to provide the driver with a tactile stimulus, the salience level of the tactile stimulus corresponds to the magnitude of tension of the seat belt; The warning system according to claim 1 or 2.

7. the auditory HMI device is a speaker provided in the cabin of the vehicle; The salience level of the auditory stimulus corresponds to the intensity, the high frequency, the shortness of the repetition period, and / or the shortness of the change period of the intensity or frequency of the sound output by the speaker. The warning system according to claim 1 or 2.

8. a tactile HMI device that provides tactile stimulation to the driver, an auditory HMI device that outputs sound as an auditory stimulation to the driver, and a visual HMI device that transmits visual information to the driver, all of which are mounted on the vehicle; an attention alert device that alerts the driver of a possibility of contact between the vehicle and an object by the tactile HMI device, the auditory HMI device, and / or the visual HMI device; A computer-implemented alert method for an alert system comprising: a risk identification step of identifying a risk position, which is a position in the surrounding environment of the vehicle where contact between the vehicle and an object is highly likely to occur, and identifying a risk level, which is the degree of likelihood of the contact occurring at the risk position; a notification step of transmitting the risk location and the risk level to the driver; an attention state determination step of determining whether the driver is in a distracted state; a line-of-sight determination step of determining whether the line of sight of the driver is directed in the direction of the risk position; an avoidance determination step of determining whether the driver is performing an avoidance maneuver, which is a maneuvering action to avoid the possible contact; and In the transmitting step, The tactile HMI device or the auditory HMI device provides the driver with a tactile stimulus or an auditory stimulus of a salience level corresponding to the likelihood of contact indicated by the risk level, and the visual HMI device transmits to the driver visual information indicating the direction of the risk position as seen by the driver, and Based on the determination results of the attention state determination step, the line of sight determination step, and the avoidance determination step, the state of the driver is determined as follows: a first state in which the driver is not distracted, has his / her eyes directed toward the risk location, and is performing an avoidance maneuver; A second state in which the driver is not distracted, has his / her gaze directed toward the risk location, and is not performing an avoidance maneuver; A third state in which the driver is not distracted and his / her gaze is not directed toward the risk position; a fourth state in which the driver is distracted; Identify whether it is providing the tactile stimulus or the auditory stimulus to the driver using the tactile HMI device or the auditory HMI device, except when the state of the driver is the first state; How to get attention.

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