Vehicle Driving Support Apparatus Hands-Off Detection Mode Switching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing driving support apparatuses fail to appropriately carry out hands-off driving handling processing when control modes are switched, leading to incomplete or inappropriate handling of hands-off driving scenarios, which can result in driver discomfort and safety issues.
Innovation Solution
A driving support apparatus with mode switching means, hands-off driving determination means, and handling processing means that continue measuring and maintaining the no-operation state continuation period across control mode switches, ensuring consistent hands-off driving detection and handling, even when the control mode changes from lane keep assist to lane departure alert or vice versa.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the control mode is switched between lane keep assist control mode and lane departure alert control mode, then the adaptability of the driving support apparatus is improved, but the hands-off driving handling processing reliability deteriorates because the no-operation state continuation period is counted from an initial value, causing the processing to be finished during ongoing hands-off driving
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by having the lane departure alert control unit preserve the no-operation state continuation period measurement results before mode switching occurs. This allows the measurement to continue across mode transitions rather than resetting, ensuring that hands-off driving detection remains reliable even when control modes are switched during operation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses the lane departure alert control unit as an intermediary to transfer and preserve the no-operation state continuation period data between the lane keep assist control unit and the subsequent mode. This intermediary function ensures continuous tracking of hands-off driving states across mode boundaries
2Device complexity
If the no-operation state continuation period is measured independently by each control unit, then the device complexity is reduced, but the measurement precision deteriorates because the measurement restarts from initial value during mode switching
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the measurement function by having the lane departure alert control unit preserve and continue the no-operation state continuation period measurement that was started by the lane keep assist control unit. This combining of measurement responsibilities across different control units ensures continuous and precise tracking without resetting the measurement timeline
Data Source
AI summary
Even when a control mode is switched, hands-off driving handling processing can be appropriately carried out. A hands-off determination unit is configured to start measurement of a no-operation state continuation period when a no-operation state in which a driver is estimated not to be operating a steering wheel is detected, and to determine that the driver is carrying out hands-off driving when the no-operation state continuation period is more than a hands-off driving determination period. The hands-off determination unit is configured to take over, when the control mode is switched under a state in which the measurement of the no-operation state continuation period has been started, a value of the no-operation state continuation period that has been measured until the switching of the control mode, thereby continuing the measurement of the no-operation state continuation period.