JP2002063697A - Alarm system for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an alarnn system for vehicle for raising an alarm at suitable timing corresponding to the hand more skillful than the other of a driver. SOLUTION: When deciding deviation from a travel lane according to the future lateral deviation dy calculated on the basis of an image photographed by a CCD camera 2, a prescribed reference value D is controlled by correction values α and β. At such a time, the correction value α is set for a case that a steering direction required for avoiding the deviation is opposite to the hand more skillful than the other of the driver, and the correction value β is set for a case that the grip position of the steering wheel of the driver is not a proper position or that the locating position of a switch operated by the driver is opposite to the direction of the deviation. Therefore, alarm start timing corresponding to the decided result is controlled a little earlier.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an alarm device for a vehicle, and more particularly, to an alarm device suitable for being mounted on a typical vehicle such as an automobile.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in the case of an automobile, which is a typical vehicle, a device has been proposed which alerts a driver when a predetermined condition to be notified to a driver has occurred. For example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-3
No. 4774 discloses an actuator provided on a steering mechanism of an automobile that vibrates the steering mechanism in order to notify the driver of a deviation from the driving lane.
There has been proposed an alarm device for notifying a driver of danger by the vibration of the steering wheel generated by this.

[0003]

According to the above warning device, the driver who senses the danger can quickly perform the avoiding operation in the direction opposite to the departure direction.

However, as a general driving characteristic of the driver, the avoidance operation from such a state involves pulling operation (downward rotation operation) of the steering wheel by the arm in the steering direction necessary for avoiding departure. It is known that this is performed as the subject, but in the above-mentioned conventional alarm device, the driver's dominant arm is not taken into consideration, so that the steering direction necessary to avoid departure is on the driver's dominant arm side and when it is not Therefore, it is expected that a quick and accurate avoidance operation cannot be performed.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an alarm device for a vehicle which issues an alarm at an appropriate timing according to the dominant arm of the driver.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, a vehicular alarm system according to the present invention has the following features.

That is, a traveling state detecting means for detecting a value relating to a deviation amount of the vehicle from the traveling lane, and a deviation amount or a predicted value of the deviation amount relative to the traveling lane is determined by a predetermined value in accordance with a detection result by the traveling state detecting means. When the vehicle becomes larger, a warning means for warning the driver to that effect, a departure direction detecting means for detecting a departure direction of the vehicle from the traveling lane, and a departure from a right-handed driver, The alarm start timing when the departure direction detected by the direction detection means is on the right side in the traveling direction of the vehicle is earlier than the alarm start timing on the left side in the traveling direction. And alarm control means for controlling the alarm means.

In another aspect of the invention, there is provided a vehicular alarm device having another configuration that achieves the above-mentioned object. When the deviation amount or the predicted value of the deviation amount with respect to the traveling lane becomes larger than a predetermined value, an alarm means for alerting the driver to that effect, and detecting a departure direction of the vehicle from the traveling lane. Departure direction detection means, a dominant arm detection means for detecting the dominant arm of the driver of the vehicle, and an alarm start timing when the departure direction detected by the departure direction detection means is the same as the dominant arm side detected by the dominant arm detection means Alarm control means for controlling the alarm means so as to be earlier than the alarm start timing when it is different from the dominant arm side. The features.

In another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a vehicular alarm device having a driving state detecting means for detecting a value relating to an amount of deviation of a vehicle relative to a driving lane, and a driving state detecting means for detecting a deviation amount of the vehicle. When the deviation amount or the predicted value of the deviation amount with respect to the traveling lane becomes larger than a predetermined value, an alarm means for alerting the driver to that effect, and detecting a departure direction of the vehicle from the traveling lane. Departure direction detection means, a grip position detection means for detecting a grip position of a steering wheel of the driver of the vehicle,
An alarm start timing when the position detected by the grip position detection unit is a position where it is difficult to perform a pulling operation on the steering wheel for avoiding a departure in the departure direction detected by the departure direction detection unit,
An alarm control means for controlling the alarm means so as to be earlier than the alarm start timing at a position where the pulling operation is easily performed.

In a preferred embodiment, each of the vehicle alarm devices further includes a switch operation detecting means for detecting whether or not an operation switch disposed on an instrument panel in front of a driver's seat of the vehicle is operated. The alarm control means is arranged such that the position of the switch whose operation is detected by the switch operation detection means is opposite to the departure direction detected by the departure direction detection means with respect to the steering shaft of the vehicle. The alarm means may be controlled such that the alarm start timing at this time is earlier than the alarm start timing at the time when no operation is detected by the switch operation detection means.

[0011]

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an alarm device for a vehicle that issues an alarm at an appropriate timing according to the dominant arm of the driver.

That is, according to the first, second and third aspects of the present invention, when the steering direction necessary for avoiding the departure is on the opposite side of the dominant arm of the driver, the warning is started earlier. Therefore, the driver can perform an appropriate avoidance operation with a margin.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, an alarm start timing when an avoidance operation is performed by a push operation (upward steering operation by a dominant arm), which is generally difficult to operate as compared with a pull operation. Is adjusted earlier, so that the driver can perform an appropriate avoidance operation with a margin.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, when the position of the switch operated by the driver is on the opposite side to the departure direction, the alarm start timing is adjusted earlier, so that the driver can take appropriate action. The avoidance operation can be performed with a margin.

[0015]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, a vehicle alarm device according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings as an embodiment in which the alarm device is applied to a typical automobile.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of an automobile equipped with a vehicle alarm device according to this embodiment.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 2 denotes a vehicle (vehicle 10).
This is a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) camera that photographs the front of 0). Reference numeral 3 denotes a vehicle speed sensor that detects the vehicle speed V. Reference numeral 4 denotes a steering torque sensor that detects a steering torque (steering reaction force) of the steering wheel by the driver. Reference numeral 5 denotes a steering pressure sensor that detects the grip position of the steering wheel by the driver. 6 is
This is a group of various switches (instrument switches) arranged on the instrument panel in front of the driver's seat. Reference numeral 7 denotes a speaker that notifies the occupant of various information by voice. And 8
Is a steering actuator that vibrates the steering wheel.

The control unit 1 drives the steering actuator 8 based on the detection result of the above-mentioned sensor, as will be described later, to thereby provide the vehicle 10 with one mode of warning to the driver (so-called tactile warning).
A vibration is generated in the zero steering mechanism.

Incidentally, since the configuration itself of each block shown in FIG. 1 is common at present, detailed description in this embodiment will be omitted.

Next, control processing of the speaker 7 and the steering actuator 8 performed by the control unit 1 using the detection results of the sensors shown in FIG. 1 will be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram for explaining control processing performed by the control unit of the vehicle alarm device according to the present embodiment. A microcomputer (not shown) provided in the control unit 1 is stored in advance. FIG. 4 is a diagram schematically illustrating functions realized by executing a control program.

In FIG. 1, first, a forward-looking distance L based on the vehicle speed detected by the vehicle speed sensor 3 is calculated, and a lane dividing line (for example, a white line) of the currently traveling lane is determined based on an image captured by the CCD camera 2. The lateral position deviation (that is, course deviation) dy0 of the own vehicle with respect to the current target locus (for example, a locus connecting the center of the traveling lane) TR detected by general image processing and calculated based on the detected lane marking. , The yaw angle φ is detected.

Then, the target locus TR, the lateral position deviation dy
Based on 0 and the yaw angle φ, a predicted value (future lateral deviation) dy1 of the lateral position deviation at the forward fixation distance L is calculated. For example, when the local coordinate system XY is set on the trajectory (the center of the lane) of the target trajectory TR so that the lateral position deviation dy0 of the own vehicle with respect to the target trajectory TR of the vehicle 100 is on the Y axis. The value dy1 can be calculated by the following equation.

Dy1 = ΔY + (dy0 + φ × L), where φ is the yaw angle of the vehicle,
Forward fixation distance L = vehicle speed V × t (t is the time required for the vehicle 100 to reach the front fixation point y1 (headway time).

Incidentally, the method of obtaining these values is generally common at present, and a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

The lane departure warning by driving the steering actuator 8 and the sound output from the speaker 7 is obtained by calculating the future lateral deviation dy1 from the reference predetermined value D for lane departure determination by a coefficient α (> 0). And β
(> 0) is greater than the value (ie,
dy1> D− (α + β) holds.

Here, the coefficients α and β are predetermined values obtained in advance by experiments. That is, the coefficient α is a correction value for adjusting the alarm timing due to the difference of the dominant arm. In the control processing described later, whether or not to perform correction based on this correction value is determined by the driver based on the steering torque detected by the steering torque sensor 4. And the departure direction based on the yaw angle φ detected earlier. In the present embodiment, the dominant arm is determined by detecting the steering torque that changes in response to the driver's steering operation with the steering torque sensor 4 and detecting the average value of the amount of change in the detected steering torque per unit time ( For example, moving average)
May be calculated for the right direction (right turning steering) and the left direction (left turning steering), respectively, and the arm on the side where the calculated average value on the left and right is large may be determined as the dominant arm.

On the other hand, the coefficient β is set so that the driver's gripping position of the steering wheel is adjusted to a proper position (so-called 9:15) for operating the steering wheel by pulling.
This is a correction value for adjusting the alarm timing when it is not at the position near the left or right end of the steering wheel (referred to as the minute or 10:10). Whether or not this is determined by the grip position of the steering wheel detected by the steering pressure sensor 5 and the arrangement position of the switches operated by the driver among the instrument panel switches 6 on the instrument panel.

Next, a procedure of a control process of the control unit 1 for realizing the above-described operation will be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of the control process of the control unit 1 in the present embodiment.
3 shows a procedure of processing performed by a CPU (not shown).

In the figure, step S1: the detection value of each sensor described with reference to FIG. 1 is updated.

Step S2, Step S3, Step S
13: The future lateral deviation dy1 is calculated by a general procedure based on the detection result of each sensor input in step S1 (step S2), and the calculated value is used to drive the lane to the right in the traveling direction. Departure (step S) or left lane departure (step S13)
Judge. On the other hand, if no lane departure has occurred in any direction, no alarm is required, and the process returns to step S1.

Step 4 to Step S6: Step S3
Is determined to be a lane departure in the right direction toward the traveling direction, so it is determined whether the dominant arm of the driver is on the right side based on the detection result of the steering torque sensor 4 as described above (step S4). The correction value α is set only when it is determined that the dominant arm is the right arm (step S5, step S5).
6).

Steps S7 to S10: Among the instrument panel and the instrument panel switches 6 therearound, it is determined whether or not a switch disposed on the left side with respect to the steering shaft has been operated (step S7). If not, it is determined whether the driver's left hand is holding the proper position of the steering wheel based on the detection result of the steering pressure sensor 5 (step S8). In these determinations, the correction value β is set only when the driver is operating the switch disposed on the left side with respect to the steering axis and when the driver's left hand is not holding the proper position of the steering wheel. (Steps S9 and S10).

Steps S11 and S12: dy1 is calculated according to the values calculated and set in the above steps.
> D- (α + β) is determined (step S1)
1) When the condition is established, a rightward departure warning is executed by driving the steering actuator 8 and, as an information providing operation for notifying the departure, the speaker 7 is driven to emit a predetermined warning sound. The guidance is output (step S12), and the process returns to step S1.

Step 14 to Step S16: Since it is determined in Step S3 that the lane departs to the left in the traveling direction, the steering torque sensor 4 detects whether the dominant arm of the driver is on the left side as described above. The determination is made based on the result (step S14), and the correction value α is set only when it is determined that the dominant arm is the left arm (step S15, step S16).

Steps S17 to S20: Among the instrument panel and the instrument panel switches 6 therearound, it is determined whether or not a switch disposed on the right side with respect to the steering shaft is operated (step S17). If not, it is determined whether the right hand of the driver is holding the proper position of the steering wheel based on the detection result of the steering pressure sensor 5 (step S1).
8). In these determinations, the correction value β is set only when the driver is operating the switch disposed on the right side with respect to the steering axis and when the driver's right hand is not holding the proper position of the steering wheel.
Is set (step S19, step S20).

Steps S21 and S22: dy1 is calculated according to the values calculated and set in the above steps.
It is determined whether or not <−D + (α + β) holds (step S
21) When the condition is satisfied, a leftward departure warning is executed by driving the steering actuator 8 and, as an information providing operation for notifying the departure, the speaker 7 is driven to emit a predetermined warning sound. The guidance is output (step S22), and the process returns to step S1.

As described above, according to the above-described embodiment, when the steering direction necessary for avoiding the departure is on the opposite side of the dominant arm of the driver, the correction value α is set so that the warning is issued earlier. Is started, the driver can perform an appropriate avoidance operation with a margin.

When the driver's grip position of the steering wheel is not an appropriate position, an operation for avoiding departure must be performed by a pushing operation, which is generally difficult to operate as compared with a pulling operation. In the present embodiment, in such a case, the alarm start timing is adjusted earlier by setting the correction value β, so that the driver can perform an appropriate avoidance operation with a margin.

When the position of the switch operated by the driver is on the opposite side of the departure direction, the operation for avoiding the departure is performed by a pushing operation, which is generally difficult to operate as compared with the pulling operation. However, in this embodiment, in such a case, the alarm start timing is adjusted earlier by setting the correction value β, so that the driver can perform an appropriate avoidance operation with a margin.

The above-described embodiment may be combined with a tactile alarm system having another configuration.

<Modification> Next, the basic idea in the above-described embodiment is that the alarm is started earlier when the steering direction necessary for avoiding the departure is on the side opposite to the dominant arm of the driver. The following describes a modified example.

In this modification, the control processing of FIG. 3 described above is simplified on the assumption that the dominant arm of a general driver is the right arm. That is, in the present modified example, in the flowchart of FIG. 3, the determination of the dominant arm or the switch operation and the setting steps of the correction values α and β according to the determination result (steps S4 to S10, steps S13 to S20) are not performed. Step S2 and Step S
After the determination of the departure direction is performed in step S13, the flow proceeds to step S11.
Alternatively, the process of step S21 is performed. At that time, the warning is started early so that the dominant arm prompts the driver of the right arm to steer to the left to avoid departure to the right,
As the reference value D which is used as a reference for comparing the future lateral deviation dy1 used in step S11, a smaller value is set as compared with the case of step S21 (or the same reference value D is used in both steps, and in step S11, From that value, the correction value γ
(> 0) may be subtracted).

According to this modification, when the driver's dominant arm is the right arm, the alarm start timing when the departure direction is rightward in the traveling direction of the vehicle is set to the leftward direction in the traveling direction. Can be adjusted earlier than the alarm start timing at the time of (1), and the driver can perform an appropriate avoidance operation with a margin.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an overall configuration of an automobile equipped with a vehicle alarm device according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a control process performed by a control unit of the vehicle alarm device according to the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a control process of a control unit 1 in the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1: control unit, 2: CCD camera, 3: vehicle speed sensor, 4: steering torque sensor, 5: steering pressure sensor, 6: instrument panel switches, 7: speaker, 8: steering actuator, 100: vehicle,

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A traveling state detecting means for detecting a value relating to a deviation amount of a vehicle from a traveling lane, and a deviation amount or a predicted value of the deviation amount with respect to the traveling lane is set to a predetermined value according to a detection result by the traveling state detecting means. Alarm means for alerting the driver when it becomes larger, departure direction detection means for detecting the departure direction of the vehicle from the traveling lane, and departure direction detected by the departure direction detection means Alarm control for controlling the alarm means such that an alarm start timing when the vehicle is traveling rightward in the traveling direction of the vehicle is earlier than an alarm start timing when traveling leftward in the traveling direction. Means for a vehicle. 2. A traveling state detecting means for detecting a value relating to a deviation amount of the vehicle from the traveling lane, and a deviation amount or a predicted value of the deviation amount relative to the traveling lane is determined by a predetermined value according to a detection result by the traveling state detecting means. Alarm means for alarming the driver when it becomes larger; departure direction detection means for detecting the departure direction of the vehicle from the traveling lane; dominant arm detection for detecting the dominant arm of the driver of the vehicle Means, the deviation direction detected by the deviation direction detection means,
Alarm control means for controlling the alarm means, so that the alarm start timing at the same time as the dominant arm side detected by the dominant arm detection means is earlier than the alarm start timing at the time different from the dominant arm side. An alarm device for a vehicle, comprising: 3. A traveling state detecting means for detecting a value relating to a deviation amount of the vehicle from the traveling lane, and a deviation amount or a predicted value of the deviation amount with respect to the traveling lane is determined by a predetermined value according to a detection result by the traveling state detecting means. When it becomes larger, alarm means for alerting the driver to that effect, departure direction detection means for detecting the departure direction of the vehicle from the traveling lane, and the grip position of the steering wheel of the driver of the vehicle. The grip position detecting means to be detected and the position detected by the grip position detecting means are positions where it is difficult to perform a pulling operation on the steering wheel for avoiding departure in the departure direction detected by the departure direction detection means. The alarm start timing
An alarm control device for a vehicle, comprising: an alarm control unit that controls the alarm unit so that the alarm start timing is earlier than an alarm start timing at a position where the pulling operation is easily performed. 4. A grip position detecting means for detecting a grip position of a steering wheel of a driver of the vehicle, wherein the alarm control means is configured to detect the position detected by the grip position detecting means as the departure direction detecting means. The alarm start timing at the position where it is difficult to perform the pulling operation on the steering wheel for avoiding the departure in the departure direction detected by is compared with the alarm start timing at the position where the pulling operation is easily performed. So as to be faster
The vehicular alarm device according to claim 2, wherein the alarm unit is controlled. 5. A switch operation detecting means for detecting whether or not an operation switch provided on an instrument panel in front of a driver's seat of the vehicle is operated, wherein the alarm control means is operated by the switch operation detecting means. The alarm start timing when the arrangement position of the detected switch is on the opposite side of the departure direction detected by the departure direction detection unit with respect to the steering shaft of the vehicle is determined by the switch operation detection unit. The vehicle alarm device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the alarm unit is controlled so that the alarm start timing is earlier than an alarm start timing when no operation is detected.