Vehicle Drive Assist Control Using Driver Operation Recognition
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle drive assist systems require a camera to determine if the driver is looking at the road, increasing costs and complexity, as they rely on visual cues to decide when to execute deceleration control to avoid collisions.
Innovation Solution
A system that uses an electronic control unit (ECU) to set a collision index value and determine if the driver recognizes an object ahead based on the operation states of the accelerator and brake pedals, eliminating the need for a driver-facing camera by assessing driver engagement through operational inputs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a camera is mounted on the host vehicle to determine whether the driver is looking aside, then the accuracy of determining driver recognition is improved, but the cost is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the driver recognition function from the camera-based system and implements it through detection of driver operations on vehicle controls. Instead of using a camera to visually determine if the driver is looking at the object, the system monitors operational inputs (accelerator, brake, steering) to infer driver recognition, thereby eliminating the need for expensive camera hardware while maintaining recognition accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the optical/mechanical camera system with an electronic sensing system that detects driver operations through sensors on vehicle controls. The mechanical/visual approach of camera-based face detection is substituted with electronic detection of operational inputs, reducing hardware costs while achieving the same functional goal of determining driver recognition.
2Reliability
If a camera is mounted on the host vehicle to determine whether the driver is looking aside, then the reliability of collision avoidance control is improved, but the device complexity is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the camera component from the collision avoidance system and extracts the driver recognition function to be performed through operational detection. This simplifies the overall system architecture by eliminating the need for camera mounting, image processing hardware, and associated complexity, while maintaining reliable determination of driver recognition through operational inputs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent substitutes the complex optical system (camera, lenses, image processors) with a simpler electronic sensing system that monitors existing vehicle control inputs. This replacement reduces device complexity by utilizing already-present sensors and control systems rather than adding dedicated camera infrastructure.
3Speed
If deceleration control is executed based on object distance alone, then the response speed is improved, but the appropriateness of control execution is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary detection of driver operational status before executing deceleration control. By continuously monitoring driver operations (accelerator release, brake application, steering input) in advance, the system determines whether the driver has recognized the object before committing to deceleration control, ensuring both rapid response and appropriate control execution based on real-time driver state assessment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback by continuously monitoring driver operational inputs and using this information to dynamically adjust whether deceleration control should be executed. The system feeds back the driver's operational status (accelerator position, brake status, steering angle) to the control decision logic, ensuring that deceleration control is only executed when the driver has recognized the object, thereby improving control appropriateness while maintaining rapid response.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle drive assist device includes an ECU. The ECU determines whether an object recognition condition meets a predetermined condition, which means that a driver of the vehicle recognizes the presence of an object ahead of the vehicle, based on the state of an operation of an operator of the vehicle by the driver. The ECU executes deceleration control when the collision index value is smaller than a second index value smaller than a first index value and the ECU determines the object recognition condition does not meet the predetermined condition. The ECU does not execute the deceleration control when the ECU determines the object recognition condition meets the predetermined condition even when the collision index value is smaller than the second index value.