Driving assistance systems

Abstract

To provide a driving support apparatus capable of reducing the frequency of requesting a driver to perform approval operation, while ensuring the safety of an own vehicle.SOLUTION: A driving support apparatus 10 executes travel control to autonomously control the traveling of a vehicle 100. The driving support apparatus notifies a driver of the vehicle of the contents of voice operation processing which is processing to be executed for the travel control in accordance with contents acquired by the voice recognition of the utterance contents of the driver, and requests the driver to perform approval operation to the contents of which the driver has been notified. When the approval operation has been performed, the driving support apparatus executes the voice operation processing. Depending on whether a road environment where the vehicle is traveling is a predetermined environment where it is possible to determine that the approval operation is required, the driving support apparatus determines whether to request the driver to perform the approval operation.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to a driving assistance device. BACKGROUND ART

[0002] Driving assistance devices that execute travel control for autonomously controlling travel of a vehicle are known. Travel control is, for example, automatic driving control such as constant speed travel control (so-called cruise control) or follow-up travel control (so-called adaptive cruise control).

[0003] As one such driving assistance device, there has been known a driving assistance device that performs speech recognition on the utterance content of the vehicle driver, notifies the driver of the content of a process to be executed for travel control (voice operation process) in accordance with the content obtained by the speech recognition (speech recognition content), requests the driver to perform an approval operation for the notified content, and executes the voice operation process when the approval operation is performed (see, for example, Patent Document 1). PRIOR ART DOCUMENTS PATENT DOCUMENTS

[0004] Patent Document 1 Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2021-66226 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] From the perspective of ensuring the traveling safety of the own vehicle, conventional driving assistance devices are configured to require the driver to perform an approval operation to let the driver confirm whether the content of speech recognition or the content of voice operation processing matches the utterance content of the driver. However, approval operations impose a considerable burden on the driver, so it is preferable that the frequency of requiring the driver to perform approval operations is low.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide a driving assistance device that can reduce the frequency of requiring a driver to perform an approval operation while ensuring the safety of the own vehicle.

[0007] One of the driver assistance devices according to the present invention is a device that performs driving control to autonomously control the movement of a vehicle, and informs the driver of the content of a voice operation process which is a process to be performed on the driving control according to the content obtained by voice recognition of the content spoken by the driver of the vehicle, and an approval operation for the content of the informed content. before This device requests the driver and, if the approval operation is performed, executes the voice operation processing. This driving assistance device will execute the voice operation processing if the road environment on which the vehicle is traveling requires the approval operation. place Whether or not it is a fixed environment , and / or whether the driver's condition is a predetermined condition requiring the approval operation. Therefore, the approval operation before Determine whether or not to require this from the driver.

[0008] According to the present invention, if the road environment on which the vehicle is traveling does not require approval operation, then approval operation to carry It is possible to avoid requiring the driver to perform the operation. Also, if the road environment on which the vehicle is traveling does not require the approval operation, that environment does not require the approval operation. to carry This environment ensures vehicle safety even when voice control processing is performed without requiring a request from the driver. Therefore, it ensures vehicle safety while requiring the driver to approve the operation. required The frequency of requests can be reduced.

[0010] Furthermore, According to the present invention, if the driver's condition does not require an approval operation, the approval operation to carry It is possible to avoid requiring the driver to perform the operation. Also, if the driver's condition does not require the approval operation, that condition is considered to be the condition for which the approval operation is not required. to carry The vehicle's driving safety can be ensured even when voice control processing is performed without requiring a request from the driver. Therefore, the vehicle's driving safety can be ensured while requiring the driver to approve the operation. required The frequency of requests can be reduced.

[0013] Furthermore, one of the driver assistance devices according to the present invention is a device that performs driving control to autonomously control the movement of a vehicle, and informs the driver of the content of a voice operation process which is a process to be performed on the driving control according to the content obtained by voice recognition of the content spoken by the driver of the vehicle, and an approval operation for the content of the informed content. before This device executes the voice control process when requested by the driver and approved. This driver assistance device will not execute the voice control process if the road environment on which the vehicle is traveling does not permit the execution of the voice control process. Place In a fixed environment and / or the driver's condition is not in a predetermined state in which the execution of the voice operation process cannot be permitted. If not, the approval operation required If the approval operation is performed, the voice operation process will be executed, and if the road environment in which the vehicle is traveling is the predetermined environment, and / or the driver's condition is in the predetermined state. In that case, the approval operation required The request is not made and the aforementioned voice control process is not executed.

[0014] According to the present invention, if the road environment on which the vehicle is traveling is an environment in which the execution of voice control processing cannot be permitted, then executing voice control processing in that environment may make it impossible to ensure the safety of the vehicle's operation. According to the present invention, if the road environment on which the vehicle is traveling is such an environment, voice control processing will not be executed. Therefore, the safety of the vehicle's operation can be ensured. Furthermore, if the road environment on which the vehicle is traveling is an environment in which the execution of voice control processing cannot be permitted, the approval operation The work It is not required of the driver. If the road environment in which the vehicle is traveling does not allow for the execution of voice control processing, then voice control processing will not be performed, and therefore approval operation is not required. to carry Since there is no need to request it from the transferee, approval operation The work It is not required of the driver. Therefore, the driver does not need to perform an approval operation. not Without requiring any specific action, the driver does not need to perform an approval operation. required The frequency of requests can also be reduced.

[0016] Furthermore,According to the present invention, when the state of the driver is a state in which execution of voice operation processing cannot be permitted, this state refers to a state in which there is a possibility that the driving safety of the vehicle cannot be ensured if the voice operation processing is executed. According to the present invention, when the driver's state is such a state, the voice operation processing is not executed. Therefore, the driving safety of the vehicle can be ensured. Note that when the driver's state is a state in which execution of voice operation processing cannot be permitted, the approval operation to carry is not required of the driver. When the driver's state is a state in which execution of voice operation processing cannot be permitted, since the voice operation processing is not executed, the approval operation to carry does not need to be requested of the driver, so the approval operation to carry is not requested of the driver. Therefore, the approval operation is not not unnecessarily requested of the driver, and as a result, the frequency of requesting the approval operation from the driver required can also be reduced.

[0017] Furthermore, the driving support method according to the present invention is a method for executing travel control that autonomously controls the travel of a vehicle, wherein the driver is notified of the content of voice operation processing, which is processing scheduled to be executed on said travel control in accordance with content obtained by speech recognition of utterance content of the driver of the vehicle, and the approval operation for the notified content before is requested of the driver, and the voice operation processing is executed when said approval operation is performed. The driving support method according to the present invention determines whether the road environment on which the vehicle is traveling is a predetermined environment that requires the approval operation place or not , and / or whether the driver's condition is a predetermined condition requiring the approval operation. , thereby comprising the step of determining whether to request the approval operation before from the driver or not.

[0018] Furthermore, the driving support program according to the present invention is a program for executing travel control that autonomously controls the travel of a vehicle, wherein the driver is notified of the content of voice operation processing, which is processing scheduled to be executed on said travel control in accordance with content obtained by speech recognition of utterance content of the driver of the vehicle, and the approval operation for the notified content beforeis a program that requests said driver and executes said voice operation processing when said approval operation is performed. The driving assistance program according to the present invention determines whether the road environment on which said vehicle is traveling is a predeterm place ined environment that requires said approval operation , and / or whether the driver's condition is a predetermined condition requiring the approval operation. , and is configured to determine based thereon whether to request said approval operation from sai before d driver.

[0019] The components of the present invention are not limited to the embodiments of the present invention described later with reference to the drawings. Other objects, other features and attendant advantages of the present invention will be readily understood from the description of the embodiments of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a diagram showing a driving assistance device according to an embodiment of the present invention and a vehicle (host vehicle) equipped therewith. [Figure 2] Figure 2(A) is a diagram showing a scene where the host vehicle is traveling under constant-speed travel control, and Figure 2(B) is a diagram showing a scene where the host vehicle is traveling under follow-up travel control. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a flowchart showing a routine executed by the driving assistance device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a flowchart showing a routine executed by the driving assistance device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a flowchart showing a routine executed by the driving assistance device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a flowchart showing a part of a routine executed by the driving assistance device according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0021] Hereinafter, a driver assistance device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in Figure 1, the driver assistance device 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention is mounted on a vehicle 100 (hereinafter referred to as "the vehicle 100").

[0022] The driver assistance system 10 includes an ECU 90, a vehicle running gear 21, a notification device 22, a display device 23, a driving control operator 31, a set speed setting operator 32, a vehicle distance setting operator 33, a surrounding information detection device 34, a voice recognition operator 35, a voice acquisition device 36, an approval operator 37, and a driver monitoring device 38.

[0023] ECU is an abbreviation for Electronic Control Unit. The ECU90 is equipped with a microcomputer as its main component. The microcomputer includes a CPU, ROM, RAM, non-volatile memory, and interfaces. The CPU implements various functions by executing instructions, programs, or routines stored in the ROM.

[0024] In this example, the driver assistance system 10 is equipped with only one ECU 90, but it may be equipped with multiple ECUs and configured so that each ECU performs a predetermined function.

[0025] The vehicle running gear 21 is a device that provides driving force (or driving torque), braking force (or braking torque), and steering force (or steering torque) to the vehicle 100. The vehicle running gear 21 is electrically connected to the ECU 90, and the ECU 90 can control the operation of the vehicle running gear 21.

[0026] The notification device 22 is a device that outputs sound, and in this example, it is a speaker 221. The speaker 221 is electrically connected to the ECU 90, and the ECU 90 can output various sounds from the speaker 221. The speaker 221 is installed in a location where the driver of the vehicle 100 can hear the sound.

[0027] The display device 23 is a device that displays images, and in this example, it is a display 231. The display 231 is electrically connected to the ECU 90, and the ECU 90 can display various images on the display 231. The display 231 is installed in a location where the driver of the vehicle 100 can see it.

[0028] The driving control operator 31 is a device such as a button or switch operated by the driver to request the ECU 90 to execute or terminate driving control, and is, for example, located on the steering wheel of the vehicle 100.

[0029] Driving control is a control performed on the vehicle 100, which autonomously controls the driving of the vehicle 100, and in particular, autonomously changes (controls) the motion of the vehicle 100. In this example, the driving control consists of constant speed driving control and follow driving control. Constant speed driving control is a control that autonomously accelerates and decelerates the vehicle 100 so that the driving speed V of the vehicle 100 is maintained at a constant speed (set speed Vset). On the other hand, follow driving control is a control that autonomously accelerates and decelerates the vehicle 100 so that the distance between the vehicle 100 and the preceding vehicle 200 (inter-vehicle distance D) is maintained at a constant distance (target inter-vehicle distance Dtgt). The inter-vehicle distance D is obtained based on surrounding detection information IS.

[0030] The driving control operator 31 is electrically connected to the ECU 90. When operated, the driving control operator 31 transmits a signal to the ECU 90. When the ECU 90 receives a signal from the driving control operator 31 while driving control is not being performed, it determines that the execution of driving control has been requested. On the other hand, when the ECU 90 receives a signal from the driving control operator 31 while driving control is being performed, it determines that the termination of driving control has been requested.

[0031] When the ECU 90 determines that it is required to execute driving control, and if the predetermined conditions (driving control prerequisites) are met, it will execute constant-speed driving control as shown in Figure 2(A) if there is no preceding vehicle 200. The driving control prerequisites are conditions that are necessary for the vehicle 100 to be driven appropriately by driving control, and include conditions such as the vehicle running gear 21 and surrounding information detection device 34 being in normal operation. Whether or not there is a preceding vehicle 200 is determined based on the surrounding detection information IS.

[0032] On the other hand, when the ECU 90 determines that it is required to perform driving control and that predetermined conditions (driving control prerequisites) are met, it performs follow-up driving control as shown in Figure 2(B) if a preceding vehicle 200 exists. The preceding vehicle 200 is a vehicle traveling in the same lane LN in front of the own vehicle 100 and within a predetermined distance from the own vehicle 100, as shown in Figure 2(B). In Figure 2, the symbol LML represents the left lane marking that defines the own lane LN, and the symbol LMR represents the right lane marking that defines the own lane LN.

[0033] The set speed setting device 32 is a device operated by the driver to set the set speed Vset in constant speed driving control, and is, for example, located on the steering wheel of the vehicle 100. In this example, the set speed setting device 32 includes an increase button 321 and a decrease button 322. The increase button 321 is a device operated by the driver to increase the set speed Vset, and the decrease button 322 is a device operated by the driver to decrease the set speed Vset.

[0034] The speed increase button 321 and the speed decrease button 322 are electrically connected to the ECU 90. When operated, the speed increase button 321 and the speed decrease button 322 send a signal to the ECU 90. When the ECU 90 receives a signal from the speed increase button 321 while constant speed driving control is being performed, it increases the set speed Vset. Conversely, when the ECU 90 receives a signal from the speed decrease button 322 while constant speed driving control is being performed, it decreases the set speed Vset.

[0035] The inter-vehicle distance setting device 33 is a device operated by the driver to set the target inter-vehicle distance Dtgt in follow-me driving control, and is, for example, located on the steering wheel of the vehicle 100. In this example, the inter-vehicle distance setting device 33 includes an inter-vehicle distance increase button 331 and an inter-vehicle distance decrease button 332. The inter-vehicle distance increase button 331 is a device operated by the driver to increase the target inter-vehicle distance Dtgt, and the inter-vehicle distance decrease button 332 is a device operated by the driver to decrease the target inter-vehicle distance Dtgt.

[0036] The distance increase button 331 and the distance decrease button 332 are electrically connected to the ECU 90. When operated, the distance increase button 331 and the distance decrease button 332 send a signal to the ECU 90. When the ECU 90 receives a signal from the distance increase button 331 while performing follow-me driving control, it increases the target distance Dtgt. Conversely, when the ECU 90 receives a signal from the distance decrease button 332 while performing follow-me driving control, it decreases the target distance Dtgt.

[0037] The surrounding information detection device 34 is a device that detects information about the surroundings of the vehicle 100, and in this example, it is equipped with a radio wave sensor 341 and an image sensor 342. The radio wave sensor 341 is, for example, a radar sensor (millimeter-wave radar, etc.). The image sensor 342 is, for example, a camera. The surrounding information detection device 34 may also be equipped with sound wave sensors such as ultrasonic sensors (clearance sonar) or optical sensors such as laser radar (LiDAR).

[0038] The radio wave sensor 341 is electrically connected to the ECU 90. The radio wave sensor 341 transmits radio waves outside the vehicle 100 and receives radio waves (reflected waves) reflected by objects in the vicinity of the vehicle 100. The radio wave sensor 341 transmits information (detection results) related to the transmitted and received radio waves (reflected waves) to the ECU 90. In other words, the radio wave sensor 341 detects objects in the vicinity of the vehicle 100 and transmits information (detection results) related to the detected objects to the ECU 90. Based on this information (radio wave information), the ECU 90 acquires information about objects in the vicinity of the vehicle 100 as surrounding detection information IS. In this example, objects include vehicles, motorcycles, bicycles, and people.

[0039] The image sensor 342 is also electrically connected to the ECU 90. The image sensor 342 captures images (takes pictures) of the area around the vehicle 100 and transmits information related to the captured images (captured images, captured images, camera images) to the ECU 90. Based on this information (captured image information, captured image information, camera image information), the ECU 90 acquires information about the area around the vehicle 100 as surrounding detection information IS.

[0040] The voice recognition control device 35 is a device operated by the driver to cause the ECU 90 to perform the voice recognition processing described later, and in this example, it is the voice recognition switch 351. The voice recognition switch 351 is electrically connected to the ECU 90 and transmits a signal to the ECU 90 when operated. When the ECU 90 receives this signal, it determines that the voice recognition switch 351 has been operated.

[0041] The voice acquisition device 36 is a device that detects sound, and in this example, it is a microphone 361. The microphone 361 is electrically connected to the ECU 90, and when it detects sound, it transmits a signal corresponding to the detected sound to the ECU 90. When the ECU 90 receives this signal, it can acquire sound based on that signal. The microphone 361 is installed in a location where it can detect the voice of the driver of the vehicle 100.

[0042] The approval control device 37 is a device operated by the driver to approve the execution of a process (voice operation process) according to the content obtained by voice recognition of the driver's speech content acquired via the microphone 361, as described later. In this example, it is the approval button 371. The approval button 371 is electrically connected to the ECU 90. When the approval button 371 is operated, it sends a signal to the ECU 90. After voice recognition of the driver's speech content, if the ECU 90 receives a signal from the approval button 371 while waiting to execute the voice operation process, it determines that an approval operation has been performed.

[0043] Furthermore, the ECU 90 may be configured to display an image (approval image) on the display 231 that the driver interacts with to approve the execution of voice operation processing, and to determine that an approval operation has been performed if the approval image is touched while waiting for the execution of voice operation processing after voice recognition of the driver's speech.

[0044] The driver monitoring device 38 is one of the devices that monitors the driver of the vehicle 100, and in this example, it is a driver monitor camera 381. The driver monitor camera 381 is a device that photographs the driver and outputs the image data of the driver that it has photographed. The driver monitor camera 381 is installed in the vehicle 100 so that it can photograph the driver. The driver monitor camera 381 is electrically connected to the ECU 90. The driver monitor camera 381 transmits the image data of the driver that it has photographed to the ECU 90. The ECU 90 obtains information about the driver (driver information ID) based on that image data.

[0045] <Overview of the operation of the driver assistance system> Next, we will explain the overview of the operation of the driver assistance device 10.

[0046] If the voice recognition switch 351 is operated while the driver assistance device 10 is not performing voice recognition processing, it will start voice recognition processing. On the other hand, if the voice recognition switch 351 is operated while the driver assistance device 10 is performing voice recognition processing, it will terminate voice recognition processing.

[0047] The speech recognition process is a process for recognizing the speech content of the driver of the vehicle 100 and obtaining that speech content as speech recognition content. In this example, it is a process for recognizing the speech content of the driver acquired via the microphone 361 and obtaining that speech content as speech recognition content.

[0048] While constant speed control is in operation, the driver can set the set speed Vset by operating the speed increase button 321 or the speed decrease button 322. However, if voice recognition processing is in operation, the driver can set the set speed Vset by speaking about the set speed Vset.

[0049] Similarly, while adaptive cruise control is running, the driver can set the target distance Dtgt by operating the distance increase button 331 or the distance decrease button 332. However, if voice recognition processing is running, the driver can change the target distance Dtgt by speaking about it.

[0050] When the driver assistance device 10 acquires the driver's speech content as speech recognition content during speech recognition processing, if the approval request conditions described later are met, it outputs a voice message (first voice message) from the speaker 221 to inform the driver of the content of the processing (voice operation processing) that will be performed on the driving control according to the speech recognition content.

[0051] Furthermore, following the first voice message, the driver assistance device 10 outputs a second voice message from the speaker 221 requesting the driver to perform an approval operation for the content of the voice operation processing notified by the first voice message.

[0052] In other words, the driver assistance device 10 outputs a first voice message and a subsequent second voice message only when it recognizes the driver's speech content during voice recognition processing and the approval request conditions described later are met.

[0053] Furthermore, the driver assistance device 10 may be configured to output a first voice message and a subsequent second voice message only when the vehicle motion control condition is met when the driver's speech content is voice-recognized during voice recognition processing, and the approval request condition described later is also met. The vehicle motion control condition is that the content of the voice operation processing is content that changes the motion of the vehicle 100. Here, content that changes the motion of the vehicle 100 is, for example, content that requires acceleration or deceleration of the vehicle 100 or steering of the vehicle 100, and therefore, content such as turning the interior lamps of the vehicle 100 on or off is not included in content that changes the motion of the vehicle 100.

[0054] The driver assistance device 10 executes voice operation processing if an approval operation is performed within a predetermined time (predetermined waiting time Tw) from the time the second voice is output from the speaker 221.

[0055] For example, if the driver speaks a desired speed as the set speed Vset, the driver assistance device 10 outputs a first voice message from the speaker 221 informing the driver of the content of the process (voice operation process) to be executed on the driving control according to the content obtained by voice recognition of the content of the utterance (voice recognition content), and a second voice message requesting an approval operation. If the approval operation is performed before a predetermined waiting time Tw has elapsed, the device executes the voice operation process (in this case, the process of setting the set speed Vset to the set speed Vset spoken by the driver).

[0056] Alternatively, if the driver speaks a desired distance as the target distance between vehicles Dtgt, the driver assistance device 10 outputs a first voice message from the speaker 221 informing the driver of the content of the process (voice operation process) to be executed on the driving control according to the content obtained by voice recognition of the content of the spoken word (voice recognition content), and a second voice message requesting an approval operation. If the approval operation is performed before a predetermined waiting time Tw has elapsed, the driver assistance device 10 executes the voice operation process (in this case, the process of setting the target distance between vehicles Dtgt to the target distance between vehicles Dtgt spoken by the driver).

[0057] Furthermore, if the approval operation is not performed before the predetermined waiting time Tw has elapsed, that is, if the predetermined waiting time Tw has elapsed without the approval operation being performed, the driver assistance device 10 will output a voice message from the speaker 221 indicating that it will not perform the voice operation process. In this case, the driver assistance device 10 will not perform the voice operation process.

[0058] Incidentally, if the content of the voice command processing involves changing the movement of the vehicle 100, considering the driving safety of the vehicle 100, it is preferable, in principle, to perform the voice command processing only when the content of the voice command processing is approved by the driver. However, when the vehicle 100 is traveling on a road with little environmental change, performing the voice command processing without obtaining approval from the driver is unlikely to significantly impair the driving safety of the vehicle 100.

[0059] Therefore, the driver assistance device 10 determines whether the approval request conditions are met when it recognizes the driver's speech content. If the approval request conditions are met, it outputs the first and second voice messages, and if an approval operation is performed, it executes voice operation processing.

[0060] On the other hand, if the driver assistance device 10 recognizes the driver's speech content and the approval request conditions are not met, it will execute voice operation processing without outputting the first and second voice messages. In other words, if the approval request conditions are not met, the driver assistance device 10 will execute voice operation processing without requiring that an approval operation has been performed. In this case, the driver assistance device 10 may be configured to execute voice operation processing while outputting the first voice message but not the second voice message. Alternatively, the driver assistance device 10 may be configured to execute voice operation processing without outputting the first and second voice messages, and then output a voice message informing the driver of the content of the executed voice operation processing.

[0061] In this example, the approval requirement is that the road environment on which the vehicle 100 is traveling is a predetermined environment that can be judged to require an approval operation, and in particular, that the driving safety of the vehicle 100 can be ensured to a certain extent even when voice operation processing is performed. In this example, the approval requirement is that the road environment changes to a certain extent due to the type of road on which the vehicle 100 is traveling (road environment condition).

[0062] For example, one or more of the following conditions may be adopted as road environmental conditions:

[0063] (1) The condition that the vehicle 100 is traveling on a road in a residential area. Whether or not this condition is met is determined, for example, based on surrounding detection information IS, but may also be determined based on the current location information of the vehicle 100 obtained from the GPS signal and map information. The map information may be stored in the ROM of the ECU 90, or it may be obtained from outside the vehicle 100 by wireless communication, etc. (2) The condition that the vehicle 100 is traveling on a road that does not have lane markings such as white lines. Whether or not this condition is met is determined, for example, based on surrounding detection information IS, but may also be determined based on the current location information of the vehicle 100 obtained from GPS signals and map information. (3) The condition that the vehicle 100 is traveling through an intersection equipped with traffic lights. Whether or not this condition is met is determined, for example, based on surrounding detection information IS, but may also be determined based on the current location information of the vehicle 100 obtained from GPS signals and map information. (4) The condition that the vehicle 100 is traveling on a road where there is no guardrail or curb between the sidewalk and the roadway. That is, the condition that the vehicle 100 is traveling on a road where the sidewalk and the roadway are not physically separated. Whether or not this condition is met is determined, for example, based on surrounding detection information IS, but it may also be determined based on the current location information of the vehicle 100 obtained from GPS signals and map information. (5) The condition that the vehicle 100 is traveling on an expressway but that the expressway does not have a strong structure such as a median strip. That is, the condition that the vehicle 100 is traveling on an expressway but the lane in which the vehicle 100 is traveling and the oncoming lane are not separated by a strong structure such as a median strip. Whether or not this condition is met is determined, for example, based on surrounding detection information IS, but it may also be determined based on the current location information of the vehicle 100 obtained from GPS signals and map information.

[0064] Furthermore, if vehicle 100 is traveling on an expressway equipped with a robust structure such as a median strip, the approval requirements are not met.

[0065] Furthermore, the determination of whether or not road environmental conditions are met is made based on surrounding detection information (IS).

[0066] According to this, if the road environment on which the vehicle 100 is traveling does not require approval operations, the driver can be avoided from being asked to perform approval operations. Furthermore, if the road environment on which the vehicle 100 is traveling does not require approval operations, that environment is such that the driving safety of the vehicle 100 can be ensured even if voice control processing is performed without requiring the driver to perform approval operations. Therefore, the frequency of requiring the driver to perform approval operations can be reduced while ensuring the driving safety of the vehicle 100.

[0067] Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications can be adopted within the scope of the present invention.

[0068] For example, there may be times when the driver's condition is unsuitable for voice-activated processing, such as when the driver is distracted. In such cases, it is preferable to execute voice-activated processing only if an approval operation has been performed.

[0069] Therefore, as a condition for approval, a condition that the driver is not in a state to properly operate the vehicle 100 (driver condition) may be adopted, and in this case, for example, one or more of the following conditions may be adopted.

[0070] (1) The condition that the driver is distracted while driving. (2) The condition that the driver is drowsy while driving. (3) The condition that the driver's driving posture is compromised. (4) The condition that the driver's eyes are closed.

[0071] Furthermore, the determination of whether or not the driver condition is met is made based on the driver information ID.

[0072] According to this, if the driver's condition does not require approval, the system can avoid requiring the driver to perform an approval operation. Furthermore, if the driver's condition does not require approval, that condition means that the driving safety of the vehicle 100 can be ensured even if voice control processing is performed without requiring the driver to perform an approval operation. Therefore, the frequency of requiring the driver to perform an approval operation can be reduced while ensuring the driving safety of the vehicle 100.

[0073] Furthermore, if the road environment on which vehicle 100 is traveling or the driver's condition is unsuitable for voice control processing, it may be preferable not to perform voice control processing.

[0074] Therefore, the driver assistance device 10 may be configured not to perform voice operation processing if a predetermined condition (first disallowance condition) is met when it recognizes the driver's speech content. Of course, in this case, the driver assistance device 10 is also configured not to output the first and second voices. In other words, the driver assistance device 10 does not require the driver to perform an approval operation.

[0075] In this example, the same road environment conditions and / or driver condition conditions described above are adopted as the first conditions for denial of permission.

[0076] According to this, if the road environment on which the vehicle 100 is traveling is an environment in which voice control processing cannot be permitted, or if the driver's condition is such that voice control processing cannot be permitted, the driver is not required to perform an approval operation. Furthermore, if the road environment on which the vehicle 100 is traveling is an environment in which voice control processing cannot be permitted, then performing voice control processing may jeopardize the vehicle's driving safety. Similarly, if the driver's condition is such that voice control processing cannot be permitted, then performing voice control processing may jeopardize the vehicle 100's driving safety. According to the driver assistance device 10, if the road environment on which the vehicle 100 is traveling is such an environment, voice control processing will not be performed. Therefore, the driving safety of the vehicle 100 can be ensured.

[0077] In this case, the driver assistance device 10 may be configured to output a voice message (third voice message) from the speaker 221 informing the driver that the voice operation process will not be performed if the first disallowance condition is met when the driver's speech content is recognized by voice recognition. The third voice message may also include a voice message informing the driver of the reason why the voice operation process will not be performed.

[0078] Furthermore, in this case, if the first disapproval condition is not met when the driver's speech content is voice-recognized, the driver assistance device 10 outputs the first and second voice messages, and executes voice operation processing when an approval operation is performed.

[0079] <Specific operation of driver assistance systems> Next, the specific operation of the driver assistance device 10 will be described. The CPU of the ECU 90 of the driver assistance device 10 is configured to execute the routine shown in Figure 3 at a predetermined calculation interval while voice recognition processing is being performed. Therefore, at a predetermined timing, the CPU starts processing from step S300 of the routine shown in Figure 3, proceeds to step S305, and determines whether the value of the processing flag X1 is "0".

[0080] If the CPU determines "Yes" in step S305, it proceeds to step S310 to determine whether it has performed speech recognition on the driver's speech and whether it has acquired the speech recognition content.

[0081] If the CPU determines "Yes" in step S310, it proceeds to step S315 to determine whether the vehicle motion control conditions are met.

[0082] If the CPU determines "Yes" in step S315, it proceeds to step S317 to determine whether the approval request conditions are met.

[0083] If the CPU determines "Yes" in step S317, it proceeds to step S320 and sets the value of the processing flag X1 to "1". As a result, the first and second audio outputs are generated by the routine shown in Figure 4. Next, the CPU proceeds to step S395 and terminates the processing of this routine.

[0084] On the other hand, if the CPU determines "No" in step S317, it proceeds to step S325 and executes the voice operation process. That is, the CPU executes the voice operation process even if it does not output the first or second voice and no approval operation is performed. Next, the CPU proceeds to step S395 and terminates the processing of this routine.

[0085] Furthermore, if the CPU determines "No" in step S315, it proceeds to step S325 and executes the voice control process. Next, the CPU proceeds to step S395 and terminates the processing of this routine.

[0086] Furthermore, if the CPU determines "No" in step S305 or step S310, it proceeds directly to step S395 and terminates the processing of this routine.

[0087] Furthermore, the CPU is configured to execute the routine shown in Figure 4 at predetermined calculation intervals while the speech recognition process is running. Therefore, when a predetermined timing occurs, the CPU starts processing from step S400 of the routine shown in Figure 4, proceeds to step S405, and determines whether the value of the processing flag X1 is "1".

[0088] If the CPU determines "Yes" in step S405, it proceeds to step S410 to determine whether or not the approval operation has been performed.

[0089] If the CPU determines "Yes" in step S410, it proceeds to step S420, and if it is currently outputting the first audio from speaker 221, it stops the output of the first audio, and if it is currently outputting the second audio from speaker 221, it stops the output of the second audio. When the CPU stops outputting the first audio from speaker 221, it also stops outputting the second audio from speaker 221. Next, the CPU proceeds to step S430 and executes the voice control process. Next, the CPU proceeds to step S435 and sets the value of the processing flag X1 to "0". Next, the CPU proceeds to step S495 and terminates the processing of this routine.

[0090] On the other hand, if the CPU determines "No" in step S410, it proceeds to step S505 of the routine shown in Figure 5 to determine whether or not the output of the first audio has been completed.

[0091] If the CPU determines "Yes" in step S505, it proceeds to step S510 to determine whether the output of the second audio has been completed.

[0092] If the CPU determines "Yes" in step S510, it proceeds to step S515 to determine whether a predetermined waiting time Tw has elapsed since the output of the second audio signal was completed.

[0093] If the CPU determines "Yes" in step S515, it proceeds to step S520 and outputs a fourth audio message from speaker 221. The fourth audio message is a message indicating that the voice control process will not be performed. The fourth audio message may also include a message explaining the reason why the voice control process will not be performed. Next, the CPU proceeds to step S525 and sets the value of the processing flag X1 to "0". Then, the CPU proceeds to step S495 of the routine shown in Figure 4 and terminates the processing of this routine.

[0094] On the other hand, if the CPU determines "No" in step S515, it proceeds to step S530 to determine whether the second disallowance condition has been met. The second disallowance condition is a predetermined condition in which the driving conditions of the vehicle 100 (the driving conditions of the vehicle) are such that it is determined that the execution of the voice operation process cannot be permitted. For example, when the voice operation process is a process to set or change the set speed Vset, the set speed Vset set by the voice operation process exceeds the speed limit applicable to the vehicle 100.

[0095] If the CPU determines "Yes" in step S530, it proceeds to step S535 and outputs a fifth audio message from speaker 221. The fifth audio message is a message indicating that the execution of the voice control process is not permitted. The fifth audio message may also include a message indicating the reason why the execution of the voice control process is not permitted. Next, the CPU proceeds to step S540 and sets the value of the processing flag X1 to "0". Then, the CPU proceeds to step S495 of the routine shown in Figure 4 and terminates the processing of this routine.

[0096] On the other hand, if the CPU determines "No" in step S530, it proceeds directly to step S495 of the routine shown in Figure 4 and terminates the processing of this routine.

[0097] Furthermore, if the CPU determines "No" in step S505, it proceeds to step S545 and executes or continues outputting the first audio from speaker 221. Next, the CPU proceeds to step S495 of the routine shown in Figure 4 and terminates the processing of this routine.

[0098] Furthermore, if the CPU determines "No" in step S510, it proceeds to step S550 and executes or continues outputting the second audio from speaker 221. Next, the CPU proceeds to step S495 of the routine shown in Figure 4 and terminates the processing of this routine.

[0099] Alternatively, the CPU executes the routine shown in Figure 6 instead of the routine shown in Figure 3. In this case, at a predetermined timing, the CPU starts processing from step S600 of the routine shown in Figure 6, proceeds to step S605, and determines whether the value of the processing flag X1 is "0".

[0100] If the CPU determines "Yes" in step S605, it proceeds to step S610 to determine whether it has performed speech recognition on the driver's speech and obtained the speech recognition content.

[0101] If the CPU determines "Yes" in step S610, it proceeds to step S615 to determine whether the vehicle motion control conditions are met.

[0102] If the CPU determines "Yes" in step S615, it proceeds to step S617 to determine whether the first disallowance condition is met.

[0103] If the CPU determines "No" in step S617, it proceeds to step S620 and sets the value of the processing flag X1 to "1". As a result, the routine shown in Figure 4 is executed to output the first and second audio from speaker 221. Next, the CPU proceeds to step S695 and terminates the processing of this routine.

[0104] On the other hand, if the CPU determines "Yes" in step S617, it proceeds to step S622 and executes the output of the third audio from speaker 221. In this case, the first and second audio are not output from speaker 221, and the voice control processing is not executed. Next, the CPU proceeds to step S695 and terminates the processing of this routine.

[0105] Furthermore, if the CPU determines "No" in step S615, it proceeds to step S625 and executes the voice control process. Next, the CPU proceeds to step S695 and terminates the processing of this routine.

[0106] Furthermore, if the CPU determines "No" in step S605 or step S610, it proceeds directly to step S695 and terminates the processing of this routine.

[0107] The above describes the specific operation of the driver assistance device 10.

[0108] Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications can be adopted within the scope of the present invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0109] 10...Driving assistance device, 21...Vehicle running gear, 22...Notification device, 221...Speaker, 31...Driving control device, 35...Voice recognition device, 351...Voice recognition switch, 36...Voice acquisition device, 361...Microphone, 37...Approval device, 371...Approval button, 38...Driver monitoring device, 381...Driver monitor camera, 90...ECU, 100...Vehicle (own vehicle), 200...Preceding vehicle

Claims

1. A driver assistance device that performs driving control to autonomously control the movement of a vehicle, In a driving assistance device that notifies the driver of the content of a voice operation process, which is a process to be executed on the driving control according to the content obtained by voice recognition of the driver's speech, requests the driver to perform an approval operation for the notified content, and executes the voice operation process when the approval operation is performed, Whether or not to request the approval operation from the driver is determined based on whether the road environment on which the vehicle is traveling is a predetermined environment requiring the approval operation, and / or whether the driver's condition is a predetermined state requiring the approval operation. Driving assistance system.

2. A driver assistance device that performs driving control to autonomously control the movement of a vehicle, In a driving assistance device that notifies the driver of the content of a voice operation process, which is a process to be executed on the driving control according to the content obtained by voice recognition of the driver's speech, requests the driver to perform an approval operation for the notified content, and executes the voice operation process when the approval operation is performed, If the road environment on which the vehicle is traveling is not a predetermined environment in which the execution of the voice control process cannot be permitted and / or the driver's condition is not a predetermined state in which the execution of the voice control process cannot be permitted, then the approval operation is requested, and if the approval operation is performed, the voice control process is executed. If the road environment on which the vehicle is traveling is the predetermined environment and / or the driver's condition is the predetermined state, the approval operation will not be requested and the voice operation processing will not be performed. Driving assistance system.

3. A driver assistance method that performs driving control to autonomously control the movement of a vehicle, In a driving assistance method that notifies the driver of the content of a voice operation process, which is a process to be executed on the driving control according to the content obtained by voice recognition of the content spoken by the driver of the vehicle, requests the driver to perform an approval operation for the notified content, and executes the voice operation process when the approval operation is performed, The system includes a step of determining whether to request the approval operation from the driver based on whether the road environment in which the vehicle is traveling is a predetermined environment requiring the approval operation, and / or whether the driver's condition is a predetermined state requiring the approval operation. Driving assistance methods.

4. A driver assistance program that performs driving control to autonomously control the movement of a vehicle, In a driving assistance program that notifies the driver of the content of a voice operation process, which is a process to be executed on the driving control according to the content obtained by voice recognition of the content spoken by the driver of the vehicle, requests the driver to perform an approval operation for the notified content, and executes the voice operation process when the approval operation is performed, The system is configured to determine whether or not to request the approval operation from the driver based on whether the road environment in which the vehicle is traveling is a predetermined environment requiring the approval operation, and / or whether the driver's condition is a predetermined state requiring the approval operation. Driver assistance program.

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