JP2006127094A - Driving supporting device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a driving supporting device for contributing to safe driving without troubling the user of a vehicle. <P>SOLUTION: This driving supporting device is configured to detect the location of a vehicle based on attention area data having at least an area where a status that attention is required is generated and the type of the attention, and to announce warning information to the user of the vehicle when the vehicle enters or approaches the attention area. An announcing means 5 is provided with a display unit 5a for visually announcing the warning information to the user and a speaker 5b for audibly announcing the warning information. When first and second attention areas S1 and S2 being the attention areas are generated with a non-attention area S3 interposed, a control means 4 decides the announcement contents of a non-attention area S3 to be generated after the first attention area S1 based on at least a distance between the first and second attention areas S1 and S2 and the speed information of the vehicle, and makes a display unit 5a announce the decided announcement contents. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a driving support device that issues a warning when a vehicle enters or approaches a caution area that calls attention, and urges a user of the vehicle to support safe driving.

Even if it does not lead to an accident regarding road traffic, it may be dangerous, such as “satisfying” or “satisfying”. In addition, a driving support device for notifying the vehicle driver that he / she has entered or approached the attention area has been attracting attention. This driving support device is disclosed in Patent Document 1.
JP 2003-123185 A

  The driving support device includes a receiving unit that receives danger information including electronic information indicating a place where a dangerous state occurs and a type of the danger, a storage unit that stores the received dangerous information, and a request from the communication unit. According to the transmission means for distributing the danger information stored in the storage means, and based on the received danger information, the number of occurrences of the dangerous state is totaled to identify the dangerous area, and the identified Control means comprising a microcomputer for storing information relating to the dangerous area in the storage means, and notification means for confirming the danger information visually and audibly, and the host vehicle enters or approaches the caution (danger) area. In such a case, the notification means is operated to call attention to the user.

  Such a driving support device emits a warning sound (auditory information) by a buzzer when the vehicle enters or approaches the caution area, or displays warning information by a display (for example, visual information such as “steep curve, attention”). ). However, when such caution areas occur continuously, the warning sound frequently sounds or the warning display is frequently switched to the display, and the vehicle user feels troublesome. As a result, there was room for improvement as a driving support device.

  The present invention has been made in view of this problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide a driving support device that does not bother a vehicle user and can contribute to safe driving.

  According to the present invention, the driving support device according to the first aspect includes an area in which a state requiring attention and an attention area data having at least a type of the attention, and a vehicle position detection unit that detects the vehicle position. A driving support device for detecting that the vehicle has entered or approached a caution area based on own vehicle position data and informing the user of the vehicle of warning information, wherein the warning information is sent to the user; The first and second attention areas when the notification means for notifying visually or auditorily and the first and second attention areas, which are the attention areas, occur between the non-caution areas. Based on at least two pieces of information of the distance between the vehicle and the vehicle speed information of the vehicle, the notification content of the non-attention area occurring after the first attention area is determined, and the determined report And control means for notifying the content in the notification means is made comprises a.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided the driving support device according to the first aspect, wherein the control means performs the non-attention from the distance between the first and second attention areas and the vehicle speed information. The time required for the vehicle to pass through the area is calculated, and the notification content of the non-attention area occurring after the first attention area is determined according to the calculation result.

  The driving support device according to claim 3 is the driving support device according to claim 1, wherein a first time required for the vehicle to pass through the non-attention area is a second time set in advance. The notification content in the non-attention area that occurs after the first attention area at least part of the warning content in the first attention area when it is determined below or less than the second time And the notification means are controlled so as to continuously notify the warning content in the second caution area.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the driving support apparatus according to the first aspect, wherein the caution area data indicates that the vehicle has approached the first and second caution areas. , Having approach area data relating to the second approach area, and the control means has the first and second attention areas ahead when the vehicle enters the first and second approach areas. The notification means informs the prediction warning contents that the user can recognize.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the driving support apparatus according to the fourth aspect, wherein the control means sets in advance a first time required for the vehicle to pass through the non-attention area. The prediction warning during the period from when the vehicle enters the non-attention area until it reaches the second attention area when it is determined that the time is less than or equal to the second time or less than the second time. The contents are notified by the notification means.

  The present invention detects the position of a vehicle on the basis of attention area data having at least an area where a state requiring attention and the type of attention occurs, and when the vehicle enters or approaches the attention area. With respect to the driving support apparatus that notifies the user of warning information, the vehicle user is not bothered and the user can perform safe driving.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  The overall configuration of the driving support apparatus will be described with reference to FIG. The driving support apparatus A mainly includes a communication unit 1, a GPS receiving unit 2, an operation unit 3, a control unit 4, and a notification unit 5. On the other hand, the server 6 is provided as a system for delivering attention area data, which will be described in detail later, to the driving support device A. This server 6 is accessed by residents and drivers (vehicle users) from a personal computer (PC) 7, a mobile phone, a car navigation system with communication function, etc., and attention area data consisting of information is collected. The caution area data can be transmitted to the driving support device A via the mobile phone 8. The attention area data relates to an area (map data or latitude / longitude data) where a state requiring attention is generated, and a type of attention stored in a state associated with the area. It is stored in a storage medium such as a hard disk. The caution area data may be used when driving a vehicle such as an intersection where collision accidents occur frequently, intersections where frequent accidents occur when turning left, locations where there are sharp curves, areas where road surfaces may freeze, etc. This indicates an area where the (driver) needs to call attention.

  The communication means 1 is a wireless communication means such as Bluetooth, and downloads the caution area data from the server 6 to the control means 4 via the mobile phone 8.

  The GPS receiving unit 2 includes a GPS receiving antenna, and supplies the position information of the vehicle from the artificial satellite received by the receiving antenna to the control means 4.

  The operation means 3 is for selecting and determining the alert conditions for warning information, which will be described later, and the alert contents in the alert means 5, and comprises a remote operation unit such as an operation switch or a wireless remote controller.

  The control means 4 is mainly composed of a microcomputer having a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, an I / O (input / output) interface, and the like. The control means 4 performs a matching process on the position data received by the GPS receiver 2 and the attention area data downloaded via the mobile phone 8, and notifies the result of this matching process (to be described in detail later). 5 is notified. The control unit 4 has a storage medium such as a flash memory for storing the downloaded caution area data, and can process and store the caution area data.

  The notification unit 5 includes a display 5a that is a visual information confirmation unit made of, for example, a matrix-type liquid crystal display panel or an organic EL panel, and a speaker 5b that is an auditory information confirmation unit that notifies a warning content by voice. The display unit 5a and the speaker 5b operate according to an instruction signal from the control unit 4.

  The driving support device A is configured by the above-described units. Next, the notification process in the control means 4 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 2 shows a display form of the display 5 a during normal driving of the vehicle when the control means 4 receives the attention area data regarding the attention area from the server 6 via the mobile phone device 8. The display 5a has a first display area 51 for displaying various vehicle information such as the total distance of the vehicle, the remaining fuel, or the outside temperature, and a display for prompting the user of the vehicle according to the reception status of the attention area data. And a second display area 52. Various vehicle information displayed in the first display area 51 is input to the control means 4 from various units such as an engine control unit (ECU) and an air control unit via a serial transfer path. 4 can display various vehicle information by executing a predetermined display process.

  The display 5a is a display color for changing the display color to “blue” when the vehicle is traveling normally, “yellow” when approaching the caution area, and “red” when entering the caution area. It has a variable area 53. The display color variable area 53 includes information based on the attention area data, that is, as shown in FIGS. 2, 4 and 5, such as a normal operation state, an intersection indicating a location where many collisions occur, a location where frequent occurrences of a right turn are generated, and the like. This is a warning display unit that changes the color of the background 53b of the display form 53a shown in the order of “blue” → “yellow” → “red” to alert the user.

  The control means 4 inputs caution area data from the server 6 via the mobile phone 8. When the control means 4 determines that a plurality of caution areas (first and second caution areas S1, S2 in FIG. 3) are generated intermittently from the input caution area data, each caution area S1, First and second approach area data for notifying that the vehicle approaches each caution area S1 and S2 before S2 is generated by a predetermined calculation process, and first and second approach areas s1 and s2 are generated. Setting is made (FIG. 3A).

  In the generation of the first and second approach area data, the control means 4 moves the vehicle to a preset point (for example, 500 m before) from the arrival point of the first and second attention areas S1 and S2. In order to indicate that the vehicle has entered the first and second approach areas s1 and s2 (which is obtained based on the vehicle position data from the GPS receiver 2 and the attention area data) The color of the background 53b of the display color variable area 53 of the second display area 52 to be changed is changed from the normal “blue” color to the “yellow (predicted warning content)” color, and the display form 53a is changed to FIGS. The display form 53a shown in FIG. Then, when the vehicle enters the first and second attention areas S1 and S2, the control means 4 changes the color of the background 53b of the display color variable area 53 of the second display area 52 from “yellow” to “red”. Change to However, there is no change in the display form 53a.

  In the display processing of the display color variable area 53 indicating that the vehicle has entered the first and second approach areas s1 and s2, the first and second attention areas S1 are taken into account by considering the vehicle speed information of the vehicle. , It is possible to give a good preparation period for safe driving of the user when entering S2. Specifically, the vehicle speed (vehicle speed information) of the vehicle is input, the time required to enter the attention area is obtained by the control means 4, and the first and second approach areas s1,1 are determined according to the time required for the entry. This is to change the display timing (display color switching timing) of the display color variable region 53 in s2. For example, when the time required to enter the caution area at a low speed traveling below a predetermined speed (for example, 40 km / h or less) is 10 seconds or more, the first and second approach areas s1 , S2 is delayed, and if the time required to enter the caution area is 5 seconds or less when the vehicle speed is higher than a predetermined speed (for example, 60 km / h or higher), the first and first By advancing the display timing of the two approach areas s1 and s2, it is possible to prevent the user from feeling uncomfortable with respect to the timing for displaying the warning.

  Next, a case where the first and second attention areas S1 and S2 occur with the non-caution area S3 interposed therebetween will be described. Specifically, it is a notification process of the control means 4 when the non-attention area S3 exists between the first attention area S1 and the second attention area S2 shown in FIG. 3 (FIG. 3 (B)). . In the second display area 52 of the display device 5a, the indication “intersection collision caution!” Is displayed when the vehicle enters the first approach area s1.

  Based on the distance between the first and second attention areas S1 and S2 and the vehicle speed information (vehicle speed and vehicle acceleration), the control means 4 generates a non-caution generated after the first attention area S1. The display color (warning content) of the display color variable area 53 in the area S3 and the second attention area S2 is determined.

  When determining the display color of the display color variable region 53 in the non-attention area S3 and the second attention area S2, the control means 4 determines the distance between the first and second attention areas S1 and S2 and the vehicle speed information of the vehicle. A first time t1 required for the vehicle to pass through the non-attention area S3 is calculated, and the first time t1 is less than or equal to the second time t2 set in advance (t1 ≦ t2). ), Or when it is determined that it is smaller than the second time t2 (t1 <t2), the display color (“red” color) of the display color variable region 53 when the vehicle enters the first attention area S1 is The display 5 is controlled so as to continue notification until the vehicle passes through the non-caution area S3 and the second attention area S2. In the second display area 52 of the display device 5a, the display of “Warning!” Is changed from the previous display mode (“Warning about intersection collision!”) When the vehicle enters the second approaching area s2. It is what is done.

  FIG. 3C shows another notification process when the first and second caution areas S1 and S2 occur with the non-caution area S3 interposed therebetween. When determining the display color of the display color variable region 53 in the non-attention area S3 and the second attention area S2, the control means 4 determines the distance between the first and second attention areas S1 and S2 and the vehicle speed information of the vehicle. A first time t1 required for the vehicle to pass through the non-attention area S3 is calculated, and the first time t1 is less than or equal to the second time t2 set in advance (t1 ≦ t2). ) Or smaller than the second time t2 (t1 <t2), the display color “yellow” color of the display color variable area 53 in the second approach area s2 is displayed between the non-attention areas S3. The display 5 is controlled so as to notify even when it is located.

  Moreover, the control means 4 performs the alerting | reporting process by the speaker 5b based on the vehicle speed information of a vehicle in 1st, 2nd attention area S1, S2 shown to FIG. 3 (B), (C). Specifically, when it is determined that the vehicle speed is equal to or higher than the predetermined speed or faster than the predetermined speed in the first and second caution areas S1 and S2, the control means 4 uses the speaker 5b to indicate “intersection. "Please be careful." Or "Turn right. Be careful of entrainment."

  The first and second caution areas S1 and S2 have different types of danger, so the thresholds for determining the speed of the vehicle for voice guidance by the speaker 5b are not necessarily the same. It is desirable that the threshold is set according to the type. In addition to vehicle speed information, vehicle information such as inter-vehicle distance information, outside air temperature information, weather information, day / night judgment, traffic jam information, and direction change information during turn signal instruction operation of other vehicles using inter-vehicle communication is considered. By doing so, the warning guidance by the speaker 5b in the first and second attention areas S1, S2 can be notified in more detail. In addition, for the notification process including the color change of the background 53b of the display color variable region 53 in the first and second attention areas S1 and S2 and the first and second approach areas s1 and s2, the determination criterion is the vehicle speed information. In addition to the above, by considering the vehicle information, it is possible to set the notification processing timing to the user in more detail and to improve the commercial value as the driving support device A.

  Such a driving assistance device A is configured such that the vehicle enters the caution area based on the caution area data having at least the area where the state requiring attention and the type of caution and the own vehicle position data by the GPS receiver 2. The driving support device that detects that the vehicle is approaching and notifies the user of the vehicle of the warning information, the display 5a that visually notifies the user of the warning information, and the speaker that audibly notifies the warning information When the notification means 5 having 5b and the first and second caution areas S1 and S2 as the caution area occur across the non-caution area S3, the first and second caution areas S1 and S2 Based on at least two pieces of information, the distance between the vehicle and the vehicle speed information of the vehicle, the notification content of the non-caution area S3 that occurs after the first attention area S1 is determined. Control means 4 for informing the notification content on the display 5a. Specifically, the control means 4 includes the distance between the first and second caution areas S1 and S2, the vehicle speed information, and the like. The time required for the vehicle to pass through the non-attention area S3 is calculated, and the notification content of the non-attention area S3 occurring after the first attention area S1 is determined according to the calculation result.

  When the control unit 4 determines that the first time t1 required for the vehicle to pass through the non-attention area S3 is equal to or less than the preset second time t2, or less than the second time t2, the first time t1 In the present embodiment, at least a part of the warning content in the caution area S1, that is, in this embodiment, the “red” color of the background 53b of the display color variable area 53 is notified in the non-caution area S3 that occurs after the first caution area S1. The notification processing is executed to continuously notify the “red” color of the background 53b as the notification content and the fluorescent content in the non-caution area S3 and the second attention area S2. Therefore, even when the vehicle travels at a speed equal to or higher than a predetermined speed and a plurality of caution areas occur continuously, the background 53b of the display color variable area 53 of the display 5a is the non-caution area and the caution area. The information processing regarding the first and second attention areas S1 and S2 can be surely performed. Therefore, it is possible to provide a driving support device that contributes to safe driving.

  Further, the control means 4 generates approach area data regarding the first and second approach areas s1 and s2 indicating that the vehicle has approached the first and second attention areas S1 and S2 from the attention area data, When the vehicle enters the first and second approach areas s1 and s2, an indication of the predicted warning content that enables the user to recognize that the first and second attention areas S1 and S2 will be present in the future is displayed. The notification is made at 5a. In the present embodiment, the content of the prediction warning is that the background 53b in the display color variable area 53 of the display 5a is “yellow”, but the user can select “blue” and “yellow”. Since it is possible to predict that the “red” color, which is a caution area requiring attention, will follow, it is possible to call the user's attention more easily and clearly than when a message is notified.

  Further, when the control unit 4 determines that the first time t1 required for the vehicle to pass through the non-attention area S3 is equal to or less than the second time t2 set in advance or smaller than the second time t2, Between the time when the vehicle enters the non-caution area S3 and the time when the vehicle reaches the second attention area S2, the background color 53b in the display color variable area 53 of the display 5a is displayed as the yellow warning color. Therefore, if the color of the background 53b in the non-attention area in the normal time is changed, the color changes from “blue to yellow” but only “yellow”, so the vehicle is at a speed higher than the predetermined speed. Even if multiple caution areas occur continuously, it is possible to eliminate troublesome notification processing for the user, and to easily provide information that contributes to safe driving to the user. Can communicate Noh made.

  In the embodiment of the present invention, the warning content is color-changed in the background 53b of the display color variable region 53. However, the warning content may be audibly recognizable, for example, first, first, etc. In the two approach areas s1 and s2 and the first and second attention areas S1 and S2, the number of times that a buzzer is sounded or the number of times of voice guidance by a speaker may be used. The form is not limited.

  Further, in the embodiment of the present invention, the user is alerted by changing the color of the predicted warning content, but a predetermined light emitting area is provided on the display, and the number of times of light emission of this light emitting area, The frequency of the buzzer sound may be changed step by step to prompt the user to make a prediction warning, and the content of the prediction warning of the present invention is not limited to this embodiment.

It is a figure showing the whole driving support device composition in an embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure explaining the alerting | reporting means of a driving assistance device same as the above. It is a figure for demonstrating the alerting | reporting process of a driving assistance device same as the above. It is a figure explaining the alerting | reporting means at the time of the alerting | reporting process of a driving assistance device same as the above. It is a figure explaining the alerting | reporting means at the time of the alerting | reporting process of a driving assistance device same as the above.

Explanation of symbols

A driving support device 1 communication means 2 GPS receiver (own vehicle position detection means)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 3 Operation means 4 Control means 5 Notification means 5a Indicator 5b Speaker 6 Server 7 Personal computer 8 Cellular phone S1 1st attention area S2 2nd attention area s1 1st approach area s2 2nd approach area

Claims (5)

The vehicle enters the caution area based on the caution area data having at least the area where the state requiring attention and the type of the caution is present and the own vehicle position data from the own vehicle position detecting means for detecting the own vehicle position. Alternatively, it is a driving support device that detects approaching and notifies warning information to the user of the vehicle,
Informing means for informing the user of the warning information visually or at least one of hearing;
When the first and second attention areas, which are the attention areas, are generated across the non-attention area, at least two pieces of information including the distance between the first and second attention areas and the vehicle speed information of the vehicle are included. Based on the control means for determining the notification content of the non-attention area occurring after the first attention area, and causing the notification means to notify the determined notification content;
A driving assistance apparatus comprising:   The control means calculates a time required for the vehicle to pass through the non-attention area from the distance between the first and second attention areas and the vehicle speed information, and according to the calculation result, calculates the first time. The driving support device according to claim 1, wherein notification contents of the non-attention area generated after the attention area are determined.   When the control means determines that the first time required for the vehicle to pass through the non-attention area is equal to or less than a preset second time or less than the second time, At least a part of the warning content in the caution area is continuously notified by the notification content in the non-caution area and the warning content in the second caution area that occur after the first caution area. The driving support device according to claim 1, wherein the notification unit is controlled.   The caution area data includes approach area data regarding first and second approach areas indicating that the vehicle has approached the first and second caution areas, and the control means includes the first and first approach areas. When the vehicle enters the second approaching area, the notification means notifies the user of the predicted warning content that allows the user to recognize that the first and second attention areas are ahead. The driving support apparatus according to claim 1.   When the control means determines that the first time required for the vehicle to pass through the non-attention area is equal to or less than a preset second time or less than the second time, 5. The driving support device according to claim 4, wherein the prediction warning content is notified by the notification unit during a period from entering the non-attention area to reaching the second attention area.

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