Vehicle Risk Notification System Using Segmented Displays

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing systems overwhelm drivers with excessive information when multiple risk objects are present, making it difficult for them to make timely decisions, or fail to provide sufficient information about all potential risks.

Innovation Solution

A support apparatus and method that utilizes multiple notification devices (display and light-emitting devices) to separately notify the driver of information about multiple risk objects, prioritizing the most critical ones based on type and proximity to the vehicle.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If all information about multiple risk objects is notified by a single display device, then the driver receives complete information about all risks, but the driver becomes overwhelmed with excessive information and cannot make timely decisions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinformation completenessVSAvoiddriver decision-making ability
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The notification system is segmented into multiple independent notification devices (display device, light-emitting device, and audio device), each handling specific risk objects. This segmentation divides the information load across different channels, preventing information overload on a single device while maintaining complete risk communication to the driver.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Ease of operation

If multiple notification devices are used to separately notify about risk objects, then the driver receives manageable information without overload, but the system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedriver decision-making abilityVSAvoidnotification system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system employs multiple notification devices that serve universal notification functions across different sensory modalities (visual, auditory, and light-based). Each device type can notify about different risk objects, creating a multi-functional notification system that manages complexity through standardized multi-purpose components rather than specialized dedicated systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP4651116A1Assistance device, assistance method, and driver assistance program
Publication Date: 2025.11.19 TOYOTA JIDOSHA KK
  • EP4651116A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4651116A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4651116A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present disclosure provides a support apparatus that provides support to a driver of a vehicle when a risk object including a risk of collision with the vehicle is present. The support apparatus of the present disclosure comprises a first notification device configured as a device for notifying the driver of information, a second notification device configured as a device for notifying the driver of information and different from the first notification device, and one or more processors. The one or more processors are configured to execute a recognition process for recognizing the risk object present around the vehicle, and a notification process for notifying the driver of information about a recognized risk object that is recognized by the recognition process. The notification process includes, when there is a plurality of recognized risk objects, notifying information about a part or all of the plurality of recognized risk objects separately to the first notification device and the second notification device.