Driving assistance devices, methods, and programs

Abstract

To provide a technique which is advantageous in further improving preventive safety technology that can be used for driving support.SOLUTION: A driving support device to be mounted on a vehicle which is capable of communicating with another vehicle comprises: calculation means for calculating a travel route of the other vehicle on the basis of a communication result with the other vehicle; computation means which determines whether the own vehicle interferes with the other vehicle which travels on the calculated travel route and if it is determined that the own vehicle interferes with the other vehicle, generates a notification signal for providing notification to that effect; and specifying means for specifying a state of a shift range of the own vehicle. If the shift range specified by the specifying means is one that suppresses travel of the own vehicle, the computation means is deactivated.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This invention primarily relates to an in-vehicle driver assistance system. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, there has been a surge in efforts to provide access to sustainable transportation systems that take into account the needs of vulnerable individuals among those who use public transport. To achieve this, research and development on preventative safety technologies is being widely conducted to further improve the safety and convenience of transportation. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2022-61482 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0004] Some vehicles enable driver assistance through vehicle-to-vehicle communication (see Patent Document 1), and there is a general demand for further improvements in preventive safety technologies that can be used for driver assistance.

[0005] The exemplary objective of this invention is to provide a technology that is advantageous for further improving preventive safety technologies that can be used in driver assistance. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] One aspect of the present invention relates to a driver assistance device, and the driver assistance device is A driver assistance system installed in a vehicle capable of communicating with other vehicles, A calculation means for calculating the travel route of the other vehicle based on the communication results with the other vehicle, Calculation means for determining whether the host vehicle interferes with the other vehicle that travels along the calculated travel route, and generating a notification signal for notifying the fact when it is determined that the host vehicle interferes with the other vehicle; Specification means for specifying the state of the shift range of the host vehicle; comprising; When the shift range specified by the specification means suppresses the progress of the host vehicle, the calculation means suppresses the generation of the notification signal based on the determination, and based on the running state of the host vehicle within a predetermined time after the shift range of the host vehicle is changed from one that suppresses the progress of the host vehicle to one that allows the progress, generates the notification signal based on the determination death, The driving state of the vehicle includes the vehicle speed of the vehicle. If the vehicle speed of the vehicle is above the standard, the calculation means generates the notification signal based on the determination. to do characterized by.

Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the present invention, a preventive safety technology that can be utilized for driving support is improved.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0008] [Figure 1] It is a diagram showing an example of the system configuration of a vehicle according to an embodiment. [Figure 2A] It is a diagram for explaining one aspect of driving support. [Figure 2B] It is a diagram for explaining one aspect of driving support. [Figure 3A] It is a diagram for explaining one aspect of driving support. [Figure 3B] It is a diagram for explaining one aspect of driving support. [Figure 4] It is a diagram showing a typical example of the shift range of a vehicle. [Figure 5] It is a diagram for explaining one aspect of driving support. [Figure 6] It is a flowchart showing the control content of a driving support device. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] The embodiments will be described in detail below with reference to the attached drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the invention as defined in the claims, and not all combinations of features described in the embodiments are essential to the invention. Two or more features from the multiple features described in the embodiments may be combined arbitrarily. Furthermore, identical or similar configurations will be given the same reference numeral, and redundant descriptions will be omitted.

[0010] (Example of vehicle system configuration) Figure 1 shows a vehicle 1 according to an embodiment. Vehicle 1 is a four-wheeled vehicle equipped with two front wheels and two rear wheels as wheels 11, but the number of wheels 11 is not limited to this example, and may be a two-wheeled or three-wheeled vehicle, for example. Also, in this embodiment, vehicle 1 is a ride-on vehicle, but in other embodiments it may be a saddle-type vehicle.

[0011] In this embodiment, the vehicle 1 further comprises a driving control device 12, a position detection device 13, a communication device 14, a notification device 15, and a driving support device 16.

[0012] The driving control device 12 includes an acceleration control 12a, a braking control 12b, a steering control 12c, and a gear shift control 12d, each positioned near the driver's seat and accessible to the driver. The acceleration control 12a is configured to receive input from the driver to accelerate or maintain the vehicle 1, and a typical example of this may be an accelerator pedal. The braking control 12b is configured to receive input from the driver to decelerate or stop the vehicle 1, and a typical example of this may be a brake pedal. The steering control 12c is configured to receive input from the driver to turn the vehicle 1 or change its direction of travel, and a typical example of this may be a steering wheel. The gear shift control 12d is configured to receive input from the driver to change the gear ratio of the transmission in the power transmission mechanism that transmits power from the power source to the wheels 11, and a typical example of this may be a shift lever. Furthermore, other known configurations, such as button switches, may be used for the operators 12a to 12d.

[0013] The position detection device 13 is a sensor capable of detecting or identifying the position information of vehicle 1, and typically a GPS (Global Positioning System) sensor may be used. The position detection device 13 is intended to detect the position of vehicle 1 in absolute coordinates, but it may also detect the relative position of vehicle 1 with respect to a reference position.

[0014] The communication device 14 is configured to enable the exchange of signals with other vehicles through so-called vehicle-to-vehicle communication (for the purpose of distinguishing it from other vehicles, vehicle 1 may be referred to as "our own vehicle 1" in the following description). Details of the communication content will be described later.

[0015] The notification device 15 includes a sound source device 15a and a display device 15b. The sound source device 15a is configured to generate a predetermined notification sound to the driver, and any known device for auditory recognition by the driver, such as a speaker, may be used. The display device 15b is configured to display image information to the driver, and any known device for visual recognition by the driver, such as a liquid crystal display, may be used. Details of the notification content will be described later.

[0016] The driver assistance device 16 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 16a and memory 16b. The CPU 16a enables the driver assistance functions described later by executing a predetermined program while loading it onto the memory 16b. The driver assistance device 16 may be configured as an ASIC (Application-Specific Integrated Circuit). That is, the driver assistance functions may be implemented by hardware or software, may be incorporated into a semiconductor device by circuitry, or may be executed by a processor with memory based on instructions from a computer.

[0017] (Examples of driver assistance functions) The driving assistance provided by the driving assistance device 16 refers to directly or indirectly assisting the driver in driving. In this embodiment, the driving assistance device 16 can, for example, predict interference with other vehicles based on the communication results from the communication device 14, create map information as necessary, and provide driving assistance by making predetermined notifications via the notification device 15.

[0018] - Interference prediction based on communication with oncoming vehicles Figure 2A shows an example of other vehicles, specifically an oncoming vehicle 9 OB1 This shows the mode of interference prediction with the oncoming vehicle 9. The lane in which the vehicle 1 is traveling is designated as the vehicle's lane 40, and the oncoming vehicle 9 OB1 It is assumed that the vehicle is traveling in the opposing lane 41, which is permitted to travel in the opposite direction to lane 40. In the diagram, lanes 42 and 43, which are opposing lanes, intersect with lanes 40 and 41, and the location of this intersection is shown as intersection 44.

[0019] In this example, it is assumed that lane 41 is located on the left side of lane 40. However, depending on the country or region, their positional relationship may be reversed (the same applies to lanes 42 and 43).

[0020] The host vehicle 1 acquires traveling information from the oncoming vehicle 9 OB1 by means of the communication device 14, and based on the traveling information, the driving support device 16 performs predetermined arithmetic processing, for example, calculates the traveling route of the oncoming vehicle 9 OB1 . Examples of the traveling information of the oncoming vehicle 9 OB1 typically include information indicating the position, vehicle speed, and steering angle of the oncoming vehicle 9 OB1 , but may further include information indicating the accelerator opening degree, the presence or absence of an input to the direction indicator, etc. Alternatively, part or all of the information indicating the traveling route itself of the oncoming vehicle 9 OB1 that can be specified by the oncoming vehicle 9 OB1 may be acquired by the communication device 14.

[0021] The driving support device 16 further receives the position information of the host vehicle 1 from the position detection device 13, and receives information indicating the content of the operation input to the driving operation device 12 by the driver from the driving operation device 12, and calculates the traveling route of the host vehicle 1 based on them.

[0022] Based on the traveling route of the oncoming vehicle 9 OB1 and the traveling route of the host vehicle 1 thus acquired, the driving support device 16 predicts interference with the oncoming vehicle 9 OB1 . This prediction is made by calculating the timing at which the host vehicle 1 interferes with the oncoming vehicle 9 OB1 , and is based on whether the timing is within a predetermined time from the current timing. For example, it can be made based on whether the time to collision (TTC), which is the time until they collide when both vehicles maintain their vehicle speeds, is less than a reference value. This prediction may, as another example, be made based on other known arithmetic models.

[0023] In this embodiment, when the TTC of the host vehicle 1 and the oncoming vehicle 9 OB1 is less than the reference value, the host vehicle 1 OB1It shall be determined that it interferes with the oncoming vehicle 9. OB1 If interference is detected, the driver assistance device 16 generates a signal indicating the possibility of such interference and outputs it to the notification device 15 as a notification signal. The notification signal includes a sound source signal Sig15a for notification by the sound source device 15a and an image signal Sig15b for notification by the display device 15b. The sound source device 15a generates a predetermined sound based on the sound source signal Sig15a, and the display device 15b outputs a predetermined image based on the image signal Sig15b, thereby enabling the driver to recognize the possibility of the interference.

[0024] The interference prediction described above is mainly performed by the calculation processing of the CPU 16a in the driver assistance system 16, and the presence or absence of possibility is determined, identified, or calculated regardless of its magnitude. Therefore, the above prediction may be rephrased as determination, identification, or calculation (the same applies to other predictions described later).

[0025] - Generation of map information based on communication with oncoming vehicles If the vehicle 1 does not have map data (for example, if map data is not stored in the memory 16b of the driver assistance device 16, or if map data is not stored in another storage device), then the oncoming vehicle 9 described above OB1 In connection with interference prediction, other information that can replace the map data may be generated and registered. This other information that can be generated will be referred to as generated map information in the following description.

[0026] The generated map information is mainly generated to show the location of intersection 44, and at the location of intersection 44, there is 9 oncoming vehicles. OB1 The intersection points of the other vehicle's trajectory (the path taken by the other vehicle) and the subsequent trajectory of the self-vehicle 1 (the path taken by the self-vehicle 1) are matched.

[0027] Figure 2B shows an example of an oncoming car 9 OB1This shows the situation when vehicle 1 starts moving and turns left after another vehicle passes to its side. When vehicle 1's movement is restricted (for example, when vehicle 1 is substantially stopped, or when vehicle 1 can stop quickly (for example, when the speed is 20 km / h or less)), the driver assistance device 16 sets a setting area R1 in front of and to the side of vehicle 1. The setting area R1 is set to a predetermined relative position based on the position information of vehicle 1 acquired by the position detection device 13, and may be set to a position at a predetermined angle and distance from the body of vehicle 1, for example. When the restriction on vehicle 1's movement is released, the setting area R1 is also released, and when vehicle 1's movement is restricted again, the setting area R1 may be set again to the corresponding position at that time.

[0028] 9 oncoming cars OB1 When the vehicle passes through the set area R1, the set area R1 is fixed, and the oncoming vehicle 9 OB1 Even if the restriction on the movement of vehicle 1 is released after passing through the area, the fixed set area R1 is maintained. Subsequently, if vehicle 1 turns left and passes through the fixed set area R1, oncoming vehicle 9 OB1 The intersection point RtX is generated between the trajectory of another vehicle, Rt1, which is the trajectory of the other vehicle, and the trajectory of the own vehicle, Rt0, which is the trajectory of the own vehicle 1. The location information of this intersection point RtX can be stored and registered in memory 16b as generated map information indicating the location of intersection 44.

[0029] Furthermore, the fixed setting area R1 described above may be released in accordance with the registration of generated map information, and / or in accordance with the vehicle 1 moving beyond a certain distance from the setting area R1.

[0030] The driver assistance device 16 can arbitrarily refer to the generated map information acquired in this manner, thereby enabling it to identify the location of the intersection 44 even if the vehicle 1 does not have map data, and to generate the aforementioned notification signal as needed to alert the driver. The generated map information may also be expressed as intersection location information. Furthermore, if the restriction on the vehicle 1's movement is released during such calculation processing, as described with reference to Figure 2A, the oncoming vehicle 9 OB1Interference prediction is performed appropriately.

[0031] - Interference prediction based on communication with vehicles crossing ahead Figure 3A shows another example of other vehicles: a vehicle crossing in front of the vehicle 9 OB2 This shows the mode of interference prediction with the vehicle crossing ahead 9 OB2 Assume that the vehicle is traveling in lane 42. In this example as well, interference prediction can be performed in the same way as in the example in Figure 2A. That is, the driver assistance device 16 receives information about a vehicle crossing in front of it, which is acquired by the communication device 14. OB2 Based on the driving information, the number of vehicles crossing ahead is 9 OB2 The system calculates the travel path of the vehicle, and also calculates the travel path of the vehicle itself based on the information acquired from the position detection device 13 and the driving operation device 12.

[0032] In this way, the forward crossing vehicle 9 was acquired. OB2 Based on the travel path of the vehicle and the travel path of its own vehicle 1, the driver assistance device 16 will detect the vehicle crossing in front of it 9 OB2 Interference prediction is performed between the following: Vehicle 1 and vehicles crossing in front 9 OB2 If the TTC is below the standard value, vehicle 1 will see vehicle 9 crossing in front. OB2 If it is determined that there is interference, the driver assistance device 16 outputs the aforementioned notification signal to the notification device 15. This makes it possible to make the driver aware of the possibility of the above interference.

[0033] - Generation of map information based on communication with vehicles crossing ahead Figure 3B shows, as an example, a vehicle crossing in front of 9 OB2 This shows the situation when vehicle 1 starts moving and proceeds straight after the object has passed in front of vehicle 1. When the movement of vehicle 1 is suppressed, the driver assistance device 16 sets a setting area R2 in front of vehicle 1. Setting area R2 is set independently of setting area R1, and like setting area R1, when the suppression of vehicle 1's movement is released, setting area R2 is also released, and when vehicle 1's movement is suppressed again, setting area R2 may be set again to the corresponding position at that time.

[0034] 9 vehicles crossing ahead OB2 When the vehicle passes through the set area R2, the set area R2 is fixed, and the vehicle crossing in front 9OB2 Even if the restriction on the movement of vehicle 1 is released after the vehicle 9 has passed, the fixed set area R2 is maintained. Subsequently, if vehicle 1 moves straight and passes through the fixed set area R2, the vehicle 9 crossing in front of it will be detected. OB2 The intersection point RtX is generated between the trajectory of another vehicle, Rt2, which is the trajectory of the other vehicle, and the trajectory of the own vehicle, Rt0, which is the trajectory of the own vehicle 1. The position information of this intersection point RtX can be stored and registered in memory 16b as generated map information indicating the location of intersection 44.

[0035] Furthermore, the fixed setting area R2 described above may be released in accordance with the registration of generated map information, and / or in accordance with the vehicle 1 moving beyond a certain distance from the setting area R2.

[0036] Based on the generated map information acquired in this manner, the driver assistance device 16 can generate the aforementioned notification signal to alert the driver. Furthermore, if the restriction on the movement of the vehicle 1 is released during such calculation processing, as described with reference to Figure 3A, the forward crossing vehicle 9 OB2 Interference prediction is performed appropriately.

[0037] Some of the aforementioned driving assistance features can be implemented regardless of whether there are traffic lights at intersection 44, but they can be particularly advantageous in improving convenience when there are no traffic lights.

[0038] (Regarding the reduction of unnecessary driver assistance features) Some or all of the aforementioned driver assistance systems may become unnecessary in certain situations, and in such cases, they may even become a nuisance to the driver. Therefore, it is conceivable to restrict some or all of them. On the other hand, it can also be argued that the restriction of such driver assistance systems should be limited to a partial extent in order to ensure a proper road traffic environment, such as avoiding confusion for other vehicles.

[0039] For example, if the shift range of the transmission (hereinafter referred to as the shift range of vehicle 1 for ease of explanation) that can be changed by the shift position of the shift lever 12d in vehicle 1 suppresses the movement of vehicle 1, then it can be considered that starting vehicle 1 is generally not intended. In such cases, the above-mentioned driver assistance may be suppressed, and for example, the calculation processing related to interference prediction with other vehicles may be deactivated compared to other cases.

[0040] As illustrated in Figure 4, for ease of understanding, a typical example of a shift range when considering an automatic transmission (AT) vehicle is: Parking (P) range to keep vehicle 1 stationary; Reverse (R) range to enable vehicle 1 to move in reverse; Neutral (N) range in which the power transmission path to wheel 11 is blocked; and The drive (D) range is used to put vehicle 1 in a forward-moving position. These are some examples.

[0041] In the P range, both forward and reverse movement of the vehicle 1 is suppressed regardless of the input to the acceleration control 12a. Therefore, the P range can be said to be a shift range for suppressing the movement of the vehicle 1 (movement is a concept that includes both forward and reverse).

[0042] In the R range, the forward movement of vehicle 1 is suppressed, while the vehicle 1 moves in reverse when an input is made to the acceleration control element 12a. In other words, the R range suppresses the forward movement of vehicle 1 while allowing it to move in reverse. Here, the driving assistance according to this embodiment can be mainly used when vehicle 1 is moving forward. Therefore, although the details will be described later, the R range can be said to be a shift range for suppressing the movement of vehicle 1 in one respect.

[0043] In the N range, the movement of vehicle 1 is suppressed when the road surface is level, but when the road surface is sloped, vehicle 1 may move in the direction of the slope. Therefore, the N range can be said to be a shift range that does not actively allow the movement of vehicle 1, but does not suppress the movement of vehicle 1.

[0044] Furthermore, in the D range, the vehicle 1 moves forward in response to an input to the acceleration control 12a. Therefore, the D range can be said to be a shift range that allows the vehicle 1 to move forward.

[0045] Furthermore, examples of additional shift ranges include the sport range (S range) or second range (2 range) where engine braking is utilized, and the brake range (B range) or low range (L range) where engine braking is utilized even more. All of these are shift ranges that allow vehicle 1 to move forward, and for the sake of simplicity, they will be included in the concept of the D range here.

[0046] From the above perspective, in the case of the P range, it is generally considered that the vehicle 1 is not intended to start moving. In such a case, it is unlikely that the vehicle 1 will come into close proximity with another vehicle (or other object) and interfere with it due to the driver's driving operations, and the notification described with reference to the examples in Figures 2A to 3B may unnecessarily draw the driver's attention, so the generation of the aforementioned notification signal is suppressed. The suppression of the generation of the notification signal includes partial suppression, that is, of the sound source signal Sig15a and the image signal Sig15b, the generation of the sound source signal Sig15a is suppressed, while the generation of the image signal Sig15b may be performed. As another example, in such a case, the execution of interference prediction itself may be suppressed, in which case the generation of both the sound source signal Sig15a and the image signal Sig15b will be suppressed.

[0047] As described above, the driver assistance according to this embodiment can be used mainly when the vehicle 1 is moving forward, so even in the R range, the aforementioned notification may unnecessarily draw the driver's attention. Therefore, even in the R range, as with the P range, the generation of the notification signal or the execution of interference prediction itself may be suppressed.

[0048] On the other hand, in the case of the N range, it cannot be said that vehicle 1 is not intended to start, and in the case of the D range, it can be said that vehicle 1 is intended to start. In these cases, interference prediction with other vehicles can be appropriately performed, and a notification signal can be generated as needed.

[0049] In summary, if the shift range restricts the movement of vehicle 1, the driver assistance according to this embodiment may be a nuisance to the driver of vehicle 1. Therefore, in such cases, the generation of the notification signal or the execution of interference prediction itself may be suppressed, and the calculation processing related to interference prediction with other vehicles may be deactivated at least partially.

[0050] Typical scenarios in which the above may occur include situations where Vehicle 1 is stopped on the shoulder of Lane 40 in P (Park) gear, and situations where Vehicle 1 is waiting at a traffic light in Lane 40 in P gear.

[0051] (Regarding exceptions to the restriction of driver assistance systems) Incidentally, as mentioned above, in order to realize an appropriate road traffic environment, the suppression of driver assistance according to this embodiment should be limited to a partial extent.

[0052] - Example 1 Figure 5 shows vehicle 1 stopped in P range near intersection 44. Generally, near intersection 44, the driver of vehicle 1 is aware of oncoming traffic 9 OB1 9 vehicles crossing in front OB2In addition to paying attention to other vehicles, including the vehicle in question, various other attentions may be required. Therefore, in such cases, the driving assistance according to this embodiment should be performed regardless of the shift range (for example, even in the P or R range).

[0053] The area near intersection 44, as referred to here, is an area where attention to a wider area or multifaceted attention is required. For example, this area may require attention not only to the front of vehicle 1 but also to the left and right, and its size may be determined by a fixed value (e.g., 10 to 20 meters). Intersection 44 can be identified by the procedure described with reference to Figures 2B and 3B, and if generated map information has been registered by the same procedure, it can be identified based on that generated map information.

[0054] In summary, if the location of a predetermined intersection 44 is within a specified distance from vehicle 1 (for example, within 10 to 20 meters), interference prediction is performed regardless of the shift range, meaning that the calculation process related to interference prediction with other vehicles is not deactivated.

[0055] - Second example When starting vehicle 1 which is stopped in the P range, the driver generally changes the shift range to, for example, the D range, and then inputs some operation to the acceleration control 12a. Therefore, it cannot be said that the vehicle 1 is intended to start immediately just because such a shift change has been made, that is, it is unlikely that vehicle 1 will immediately approach and interfere with another vehicle as a result of the shift change. Accordingly, in this example, if the driving state of vehicle 1 meets the conditions within a predetermined time after changing from the P range to the D range, the aforementioned driving assistance will be performed and interference prediction will be made.

[0056] The conditions for the driving state of vehicle 1 referred to here only need to be those that can be generally judged as indicating that vehicle 1 is intended to start moving. A typical example is that the vehicle speed of vehicle 1 is equal to or greater than a certain standard (e.g., 20 kilometers per hour). Alternatively, or incidentally, the condition may also be that the accelerator opening of vehicle 1 is equal to or greater than a certain standard.

[0057] Furthermore, the predetermined time referred to here should be set to the time that a driver would generally need from the time they perform the above-mentioned gear change to the time they input an operation to the acceleration control unit 12a when starting the stationary vehicle 1. For example, any value within the range of 1 to 10 seconds can be set.

[0058] In this example, we illustrated the case of changing the shift range from the P range to the D range, but it is thought that the above is necessary not only when moving vehicle 1 forward, but also when moving vehicle 1 in reverse. Therefore, it can be said that the above is also applicable when changing the shift range from the P range to the R range (the same applies in the following explanation). In summary, interference prediction should be performed based on the driving state of vehicle 1 within a predetermined time after the shift range of vehicle 1 is changed from one that suppresses movement (e.g., the P range) to one that allows such movement (e.g., the D range or R range).

[0059] (Regarding the control details of driver assistance) Figure 6 is a flowchart showing the control contents of the driver assistance device 16 when performing driver assistance according to this embodiment. This flowchart is assumed to start, for example, when the vehicle 1 is started, and the contents of each step can be realized mainly by the CPU 16a executing a program.

[0060] In step S6010 (hereinafter simply referred to as "S6010"; the same applies to other steps described later), it is determined whether the location of intersection 44 is within a predetermined distance from vehicle 1. If the location of intersection 44 is within a predetermined distance from vehicle 1, the process proceeds to S6130; otherwise, the process proceeds to S6020.

[0061] In S6020, the shift range of vehicle 1 is identified and it is determined whether or not it is in the P range. If it is in the P range, the process proceeds to S6030; otherwise (in this case, the D range), the process proceeds to S6110. The shift range can be identified by obtaining a signal indicating the shift position of the gear shift lever 12d from the driving control device 12.

[0062] In S6030, the driver assistance operation mode is set to inactive mode, and then the process returns to S6010. By setting the inactive mode, the calculation process related to interference prediction with other vehicles is deactivated, and the generation of the aforementioned notification signal or the execution of interference prediction itself is suppressed. Note that this step may be omitted if the inactive mode is already set or if the inactive mode is set as the initial state.

[0063] In S6110, it is determined whether the elapsed time since the shift range was identified as being changed to the D range meets a criterion (for example, any value that can be determined from the range of 1 to 10 seconds). If the elapsed time meets the criterion, the process proceeds to S6120; otherwise, it returns to S6010.

[0064] In S6120, it is determined whether the driving condition of vehicle 1 meets the requirements. In this example, it is determined whether the vehicle speed of vehicle 1 meets the standard (e.g., 20 kilometers per hour). If the vehicle speed meets the standard, the process proceeds to S6130; otherwise, it returns to S6010. That is, S6010, S6020, S6110, and S6120 are repeated from the time the shift range is changed to the D range until the vehicle speed of vehicle 1 meets the standard. If the shift range is changed back to the P range during this time, S6010, S6020, and S6030 will be repeated.

[0065] In S6130, the driver assistance operation mode is set to the active mode, and then the process returns to S6010. For example, if S6010 determines that the location of intersection 44 is within a predetermined distance from vehicle 1, the active mode is set, indicating that various precautions are required. Also, for example, if S6110 and S6120 determine that the vehicle speed of vehicle 1 in D range meets the criteria, the active mode is set, indicating that vehicle 1 is intended to start moving. By setting the active mode, the calculation process related to interference prediction with other vehicles is activated, thereby performing interference prediction and generating a notification signal as needed.

[0066] In the second example mentioned above, an example was given in which the shift range is changed from P range to D range and interference prediction is made based on the driving state of vehicle 1 within a predetermined time. However, oncoming vehicle 9 OB1 (See Figure 2A) and vehicles crossing in front 9 OB2 If another vehicle, including (see Figure 3A), is detected in the vicinity of Vehicle 1, attention may be required to the other vehicle without waiting for the driving conditions of Vehicle 1 to be met (in the second example, the vehicle speed meeting the standard).

[0067] Therefore, in such cases, the driver assistance operating mode should be promptly set to the active mode. Referring again to the flowchart in Figure 6, this can be achieved relatively easily by omitting S6110 and S6120 through interrupt processing based on the detection of the presence of another vehicle by the communication device 14.

[0068] Furthermore, 9 vehicles crossing ahead OB2 If this is detected, it can be assumed that the vehicle 1 is located near intersection 44. Therefore, if intersection 44 is identified, driver assistance based on the first example described above may be given priority (see Figure 5).

[0069] As described above, according to this embodiment, the driving support device 16 communicates with other vehicles (oncoming vehicles 9) via the communication device 14. OB1 and / or vehicles crossing in front 9 OB2Based on the communication results with the other vehicle, the driving path of the other vehicle is calculated, and it is determined whether or not vehicle 1 interferes with the other vehicle. If it is determined that vehicle 1 will interfere with the other vehicle, a predetermined notification signal is generated and output to the notification device 15. On the other hand, if the shift range of vehicle 1 is set to suppress movement, it can be said that vehicle 1 is not generally intended to start moving, so the calculation process including the execution of the above determination and the generation of the notification signal is deactivated. As a result, the driver is not given unnecessary notifications, and it is possible to provide the driver with more comfortable driving assistance. Therefore, according to this embodiment, it can be said that it is advantageous for improving preventive safety technology that can be used for driving assistance.

[0070] Detection of other vehicles may be achieved by the vehicle 1 communicating with other vehicles via a communication device 14, but alternatively / incidentally, it may also be achieved by providing the vehicle 1 with a detection device capable of detecting objects around the vehicle 1. As the detection device, a camera composed of a CCD / CMOS image sensor or the like may be used, but a ranging device such as millimeter-wave radar or LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) may also be used.

[0071] If vehicle 1 is further equipped with the above-mentioned detection device, the driver assistance device 16 can also perform further driver assistance in conjunction with the communication device 14. For example, vehicle 1 can communicate with other vehicles outside the detection range of the above-mentioned detection device (or in a blind spot of the detection range) via the communication device 14. Therefore, according to this embodiment, it is advantageous for the early realization of appropriate driver assistance, the diversification of the content of driver assistance, and ultimately, the provision of more advanced driver assistance.

[0072] In the above explanation, for the sake of ease of understanding, each element has been given a name related to its function. However, each element is not limited to having the content described in the embodiment as its primary function, but may also have it as a secondary function. Therefore, each element is not strictly limited to its expression, and its expression can be replaced with a similar expression. In the same vein, the expression "apparatus" may be replaced with "unit," "component, piece," "member," "structure," "assembly," etc., or it may be omitted or added.

[0073] Furthermore, the two or more elements exemplified as selectable in the embodiment are not strictly limited to those examples and may be combined arbitrarily. For example, each of the two or more exemplified elements may be additionally selected or substituted for others. For example, when arbitrarily combining two elements A and B, it may be expressed as "A and / or B" or "at least one of A and B" to indicate that it is either A only, B only, or both A and B.

[0074] (Summary of the embodiments) Some of the features illustrated in the above embodiments are as follows: Firstly, the driver assistance device (e.g., 16) is: Other vehicles (for example, 9 OB1 , 9 OB2 A driver assistance device installed in a vehicle (for example, 1) that can communicate with, A calculation means (e.g., 16a, Figures 2A-3B) for calculating the travel route of the other vehicle based on the communication results with the other vehicle, A calculation means (e.g., 16a, S6130) that determines whether the vehicle will interfere with the other vehicle traveling along the calculated route, and generates a notification signal (e.g., Sig15a, Sig15b) to notify the other vehicle if it is determined that the vehicle will interfere with the other vehicle, The means for identifying the state of the shift range of the vehicle (e.g., 16a, S6020), Equipped with, If the shift range identified by the aforementioned identification means suppresses the progress of the vehicle, the calculation means is deactivated (for example, 16a, S6030). This is characterized by the fact that unnecessary notifications are not sent to the driver, making it possible to provide more comfortable driving assistance to the driver and contributing to the improvement of preventive safety technologies that can be used for driving assistance.

[0075] Secondly, If the shift range identified by the aforementioned identification means suppresses the movement of the vehicle, the calculation means suppresses the generation of the notification signal based on the determination. This is a key feature, which makes it possible to suppress unnecessary notifications to the driver.

[0076] Thirdly, The calculation means generates the notification signal based on the determination, based on the driving state of the vehicle after the shift range of the vehicle has been changed from one that restricts the vehicle's movement to one that allows such movement. This is characterized by the ability to appropriately consider the vehicle's intention to start moving.

[0077] Fourth, The shift ranges that allow the aforementioned progression include the D range and the R range. This is characterized by the ability to provide driving assistance that is compatible with both forward and reverse movement of the vehicle.

[0078] Fifth, The driving state of the vehicle includes the vehicle speed of the vehicle. If the vehicle speed of the vehicle is above the standard, the calculation means generates the notification signal based on the determination. This is characterized by the ability to appropriately consider the vehicle's intention to start moving.

[0079] Sixth, The driving state of the vehicle includes the accelerator pedal opening of the vehicle. If the accelerator pedal opening of the vehicle exceeds a certain threshold, the calculation means generates the notification signal based on the determination. This is characterized by the ability to appropriately consider the vehicle's intention to start moving.

[0080] Seventh, If the location of a predetermined intersection (e.g., 44) is within a predetermined distance from the vehicle, the calculation means generates the notification signal based on the determination, regardless of the shift range determined by the identification means. This is a key feature, which enables the provision of even more appropriate driving assistance.

[0081] Eighth, The aforementioned calculation means is If the shift range of the vehicle changes from one that restricts the vehicle's movement to one that allows such movement, the notification signal based on the determination is generated. If an oncoming vehicle is located in front of the vehicle, the notification signal based on the determination is generated based on the driving state of the vehicle. This is a key feature, which enables the provision of even more appropriate driving assistance.

[0082] Ninth, The calculation means further calculates the driving path of the vehicle based on the shift range identified by the identification means, The calculation means generates the notification signal based on the determination, based on the travel path of the own vehicle and the travel path of the other vehicle. This is characterized by the ability to provide more appropriate driving assistance when the vehicle's intention to start moving is taken into consideration.

[0083] Tenth, If the shift range identified by the specified means is the R range, the calculation means generates the notification signal based on the determination. This is characterized by the fact that, in the view that driver assistance is mainly used when the vehicle is moving forward, the R range, which suppresses the vehicle's forward movement while allowing it to move backward, can be said to be a shift range for suppressing the vehicle's progress, but it can also provide more appropriate driver assistance when the vehicle is moving backward.

[0084] Eleventh, the method is, A method of driver assistance for a vehicle capable of communicating with other vehicles, A step of calculating the travel route of the other vehicle based on the communication results with the other vehicle, The steps include: determining whether the vehicle will interfere with the other vehicle traveling along the calculated route, and generating a notification signal to notify the other vehicle if it is determined that the vehicle will interfere with the other vehicle; The steps include identifying the state of the shift range of the vehicle, Includes, If the specified shift range suppresses the progress of the vehicle, the step of making the determination and generating the notification signal is deactivated. This is characterized by the fact that the same effect as the first described above can be obtained.

[0085] Twelfth, the program is: A program that causes a computer to perform driving assistance for a vehicle that can communicate with other vehicles, Based on the communication results with the other vehicle, the travel route of the other vehicle is calculated. The system determines whether its own vehicle will interfere with the other vehicle traveling along the calculated route, and generates a notification signal to notify the other vehicle if it is determined that its own vehicle will interfere with the other vehicle. To identify the state of the shift range of the vehicle, Make it run, If the identified shift range suppresses the vehicle's movement, the determination is made and the generation of the notification signal is deactivated. This achieves the same effect as the first example. The program can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium.

[0086] The invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of the gist of the invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0087] 1: Vehicle, 12: Driving control device, 13: Position detection device, 14: Communication device, 15: Notification device, 16: Driving support device.

Claims

1. A driver assistance system installed in a vehicle capable of communicating with other vehicles, A calculation means for calculating the travel route of the other vehicle based on the communication results with the other vehicle, A calculation means that determines whether the vehicle will interfere with the other vehicle traveling along the calculated route, and generates a notification signal to notify the other vehicle if it is determined that the vehicle will interfere with the other vehicle. A means for identifying the state of the shift range of the vehicle, Equipped with, The calculation means suppresses the generation of the notification signal based on the determination if the shift range determined by the identification means suppresses the movement of the vehicle, and generates the notification signal based on the determination based on the driving state of the vehicle within a predetermined time period after the shift range of the vehicle is changed from one that suppresses the movement of the vehicle to one that allows such movement. The driving state of the vehicle includes the vehicle speed of the vehicle. If the vehicle speed of the vehicle is above the standard, the calculation means generates the notification signal based on the determination. A driving assistance device characterized by the following features.

2. A driver assistance device mounted on a vehicle capable of communicating with other vehicles, A calculation means for calculating the travel route of the other vehicle based on the communication results with the other vehicle, A calculation means that determines whether the vehicle will interfere with the other vehicle traveling along the calculated route, and generates a notification signal to notify the other vehicle if it is determined that the vehicle will interfere with the other vehicle. A means for identifying the state of the shift range of the vehicle, Equipped with, The calculation means suppresses the generation of the notification signal based on the determination if the shift range determined by the identification means suppresses the movement of the vehicle, and generates the notification signal based on the determination based on the driving state of the vehicle within a predetermined time period after the shift range of the vehicle is changed from one that suppresses the movement of the vehicle to one that allows such movement. The driving state of the vehicle includes the accelerator pedal opening of the vehicle. If the accelerator pedal opening of the vehicle exceeds a certain threshold, the calculation means generates the notification signal based on the determination. A driving assistance device characterized by the following features.

3. The predetermined time is within the range of 1 to 10 seconds. The driving support device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it is a driving support device.

4. The shift ranges that allow the aforementioned progression include the D range and the R range. The driving support device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it is a driving support device.

5. If the location of a predetermined intersection is within a predetermined distance from the vehicle, the calculation means generates the notification signal based on the determination, regardless of the shift range determined by the identification means. The driving support device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it is a driving support device.

6. The aforementioned calculation means is If the shift range of the vehicle changes from one that restricts the vehicle's movement to one that allows such movement, the notification signal based on the determination is generated. If an oncoming vehicle is located in front of the vehicle, the notification signal based on the determination is generated based on the driving state of the vehicle. The driving support device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it is a driving support device.

7. The calculation means further calculates the driving path of the vehicle based on the shift range identified by the identification means, The calculation means generates the notification signal based on the determination, based on the travel path of the own vehicle and the travel path of the other vehicle. The driving support device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it is a driving support device.

8. If the shift range identified by the aforementioned identification means is the R range, the calculation means generates the notification signal based on the determination. The driving support device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it is a driving support device.

9. A method of driver assistance for a vehicle capable of communicating with other vehicles, A step of calculating the travel route of the other vehicle based on the communication results with the other vehicle, The steps include: determining whether the vehicle will interfere with the other vehicle traveling along the calculated route, and generating a notification signal to notify the other vehicle if it is determined that the vehicle will interfere with the other vehicle; The steps include identifying the state of the shift range of the vehicle, Includes, If the identified shift range suppresses the vehicle's movement, the generation of the notification signal based on the determination is suppressed, and the notification signal based on the determination is generated based on the vehicle's driving state within a predetermined time period after the shift range is changed from one that suppresses the vehicle's movement to one that allows such movement. The driving status of the vehicle includes the vehicle speed, and if the vehicle speed is above a certain threshold, the notification signal based on the determination is generated. A method characterized by the following:

10. A method for assisting the driving of a vehicle capable of communicating with other vehicles, A step of calculating the travel route of the other vehicle based on the communication results with the other vehicle, The steps include: determining whether the vehicle will interfere with the other vehicle traveling along the calculated route, and generating a notification signal to notify the other vehicle if it is determined that the vehicle will interfere with the other vehicle; The steps include identifying the state of the shift range of the vehicle, Includes, If the identified shift range suppresses the vehicle's movement, the generation of the notification signal based on the determination is suppressed, and the notification signal based on the determination is generated based on the vehicle's driving state within a predetermined time period after the shift range is changed from one that suppresses the vehicle's movement to one that allows such movement. The driving state of the vehicle includes the accelerator pedal position of the vehicle, and if the accelerator pedal position of the vehicle is above a certain threshold, the notification signal based on the determination is generated. A method characterized by the following:

11. A program that causes a computer to perform driving assistance for a vehicle that can communicate with other vehicles, Based on the communication results with the aforementioned other vehicle, the travel route of the aforementioned other vehicle is calculated, The system determines whether its own vehicle will interfere with the other vehicle traveling along the calculated route, and generates a notification signal to notify the other vehicle if it is determined that its own vehicle will interfere with the other vehicle. To identify the state of the shift range of the vehicle, Make it run, If the identified shift range suppresses the vehicle's movement, the generation of the notification signal based on the determination is suppressed, and the notification signal based on the determination is generated based on the vehicle's driving state within a predetermined time period after the shift range is changed from one that suppresses the vehicle's movement to one that allows such movement. The driving status of the vehicle includes the vehicle speed, and if the vehicle speed is above a certain threshold, the notification signal based on the determination is generated. program.

12. A program for causing a computer to perform driving assistance for a vehicle capable of communicating with other vehicles, Based on the communication results with the aforementioned other vehicle, the travel route of the aforementioned other vehicle is calculated, The system determines whether its own vehicle will interfere with the other vehicle traveling along the calculated route, and generates a notification signal to notify the other vehicle if it is determined that its own vehicle will interfere with the other vehicle. To identify the state of the shift range of the vehicle, Make it run, If the identified shift range suppresses the vehicle's movement, the generation of the notification signal based on the determination is suppressed, and the notification signal based on the determination is generated based on the vehicle's driving state within a predetermined time period after the shift range is changed from one that suppresses the vehicle's movement to one that allows such movement. The driving state of the vehicle includes the accelerator pedal position of the vehicle, and if the accelerator pedal position of the vehicle is above a certain threshold, the notification signal based on the determination is generated. program.

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