Drive Assist Device Erroneous Operation Limiting

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing drive assist devices may cause uneasiness in peripheral vehicle drivers due to dangerous operations by drivers before consent is obtained for emergency evacuation control, as they continue driving erratically during declining consciousness.

Innovation Solution

A drive assist device that includes a start signal output unit, a consent confirmation unit, and an erroneous operation determination unit, which limits or nullifies driver operations deemed erroneous, ensuring safety by preventing unsafe vehicle behavior until driver consent is given.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the system waits for driver consent before executing emergency evacuation control, then the driver's autonomy is respected, but the driver may perform dangerous operations during the waiting period

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesafety of vehicle operationVSAvoiddriver autonomy
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary detection of driver consciousness status and identifies potential erroneous operations before executing emergency evacuation control. By detecting declining consciousness in advance and preparing to limit operations, the system can quickly respond without waiting for full consent procedures, thus improving safety while maintaining driver autonomy through selective intervention.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The control section acts as an intermediary between the driver and vehicle operations. When erroneous operations are detected, the control section limits or nullifies these operations without completely taking over the vehicle, providing a middle ground that protects safety while respecting driver autonomy. This intermediary control allows the system to intervene only when necessary.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If the system limits driver operations before consent is obtained, then dangerous operations are prevented, but the driver may feel restricted or confused

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprevention of dangerous operationsVSAvoiddriver freedom of operation
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system provides feedback to the driver through notifications when operations are limited. The control section notifies the driver of the limitation and the reason (erroneous operation detection), allowing the driver to understand the system's actions. This feedback mechanism reduces confusion and maintains driver trust while preventing dangerous operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system applies preliminary anti-action by limiting operations that are likely to be erroneous based on detected consciousness decline. By preemptively restricting potentially dangerous operations while the driver is still conscious enough to understand, the system prevents harm before it occurs while minimizing the period of restricted freedom.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

3Speed

If the system quickly executes emergency evacuation control, then response time is reduced, but the driver cannot provide informed consent

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveresponse time for emergency evacuationVSAvoiddriver consent information
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary detection and assessment of driver consciousness status before initiating emergency evacuation control. By having the detection mechanism already in place and actively monitoring, the system can quickly determine when intervention is needed without delaying for extensive consent procedures, thus improving response time while still considering driver state.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adjusts the consent process based on the severity and progression of driver consciousness decline. When decline is detected, the system can expedite the consent process or proceed with limited consent, allowing response time to adapt to the emergency situation while still attempting to obtain driver input when feasible.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP2878507B1Drive assist device
Publication Date: 2017.08.30 TOYOTA JIDOSHA KK
  • EP2878507B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2878507B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2878507B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Disclosed is a drive assist device including: a driver state detection unit that outputs a control start signal; a consent confirmation unit that inquires of a driver, when receiving the control start signal from the driver state detection unit, whether the driver consents to execution of an emergency evacuation control for stopping a vehicle at a safe position regardless of a driving operation of the driver, and receives a reply to the inquiry from the driver; a control section that executes the emergency evacuation control when receiving a consent reply of the execution of the emergency evacuation control from the driver by the consent confirmation unit; and an erroneous operation determination unit that determines whether the driving operation of the driver is an erroneous operation, in which the control section limits the driving operation of the driver when it is determined that the driving operation of the driver is an erroneous operation by the erroneous operation determination unit in a period from the time when the control start signal is received by the driver state detection unit to the time when the consent reply of execution of the control is received by the consent confirmation unit.