Driving Support Device Alert Timing Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing driving support devices fail to alert drivers at an appropriate timing, leading to either annoyance from early alerts or missed collision avoidance opportunities due to late alerts, especially when the approaching vehicle is traveling at low speeds.
Innovation Solution
A driving support device that includes object detection, alert, margin distance acquisition, travel speed acquisition, and alert timing determination means to select between a time-based or distance-based alert timing, depending on the vehicle's speed, ensuring the driver is alerted when the vehicle is approaching at a safe and comfortable distance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the alert timing is determined by using the margin period (time threshold), then the driver can be alerted with sufficient time for collision avoidance operations, but when the approaching vehicle is traveling at low speed, the driver feels that the alert timing is late because the vehicle is considerably close
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the alert timing determination parameter based on the approaching vehicle's speed. When speed is high, it uses margin period (time threshold); when speed is low, it switches to margin distance (distance threshold). This dynamic parameter adjustment resolves the contradiction by ensuring both sufficient reaction time for fast vehicles and appropriate spatial awareness for slow vehicles.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically switches between two different alert timing criteria (time-based and distance-based) depending on the detected speed of the approaching vehicle. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to optimize alert timing for different operating conditions, maintaining both safety and driver comfort across varying scenarios.
2Device complexity
If the alert timing is determined using a fixed time threshold, then the system is simple to implement, but it cannot adapt to different vehicle speeds, causing inappropriate alert timing
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from a static time-threshold-based alert mechanism to a dynamic system that selects between time-based and distance-based thresholds according to the approaching vehicle's speed. This dynamic approach enhances adaptability while maintaining implementation feasibility through a straightforward speed-based decision logic.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the alert timing parameter (from fixed time threshold to variable threshold) based on the detected speed condition. When the approaching vehicle's speed exceeds a predetermined value, it uses time threshold; otherwise, it uses distance threshold. This parameter adaptation resolves the contradiction between simplicity and versatility.
3Ease of operation
If the alert timing is determined using a fixed distance threshold, then the driver is always alerted at a consistent spatial distance, but when the approaching vehicle is traveling at high speed, the driver does not have sufficient time to perform collision avoidance operations
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the alert timing parameter from a fixed distance threshold to a variable threshold that depends on the approaching vehicle's speed. For high-speed vehicles, it switches to time threshold to ensure sufficient reaction time; for low-speed vehicles, it uses distance threshold to maintain spatial awareness consistency. This resolves the contradiction between consistent spatial alerting and sufficient reaction time.
Solution Approach 2:
The alert timing mechanism dynamically adjusts between distance-based and time-based criteria according to speed conditions. This dynamic switching ensures that high-speed scenarios receive time-based alerts for adequate reaction time, while low-speed scenarios maintain consistent spatial distance alerts, resolving the contradiction between awareness consistency and time sufficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
When a support ECU detects a crossing object approaching so as to cross a travel path toward which an own vehicle is heading, the support ECU calculates an object speed Vx, which is the speed of the crossing object. When the object speed Vx is more than a speed threshold Vref, the support ECU delivers an alert at a timing at which a margin period Tx becomes equal to or less than a time threshold Tref. On the other hand, when the object speed Vx is equal to or less than the speed threshold Vref, the support ECU alerts a driver at a timing at which a margin distance Dx becomes equal to or less than a distance threshold Dref.