JP5028302B2 - Vehicle alarm device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle alarm device.

Conventionally, for example, red data is extracted from video data to detect a red light of a traffic light and a brake lamp of a preceding vehicle, and based on a change in luminance of the red data, whether the traffic light is a red signal and If the traffic light is red, or if it is determined that the preceding vehicle is braking, the vehicle will stop safely based on the speed of the vehicle. There is known a driving support device that issues a warning to a driver with a warning sound when it is determined that the vehicle cannot be operated (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
JP 2002-175522 A

By the way, according to the driving support apparatus according to the above-described prior art, an alarm is output based on the speed of the host vehicle when it is determined that the traffic light is a red signal or the preceding vehicle is braking. However, since the state of the driver of the own vehicle is not taken into consideration, the output timing of the alarm cannot be set appropriately, and the alarm is frequently output at an excessively early timing, There may be a problem that the alarm output timing is delayed, and there is a problem that the driver feels uncomfortable with the alarm output.
The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle alarm device capable of outputting an appropriate alarm according to the state of the driver of the host vehicle.

In order to solve the above-described problems and achieve the object, the vehicle alarm device according to the first aspect of the present invention includes an object detection unit (for example, in the embodiment) that detects an object existing in the external environment of the host vehicle. A preceding vehicle detection unit 41), a traveling state detecting means for detecting the traveling state of the host vehicle (for example, the vehicle state sensor 13 in the embodiment), the object detected by the object detecting means, and the traveling Relative relationship calculating means (for example, a relative relationship calculating unit 43 in the embodiment) for calculating a relative relationship between the host vehicle and the object based on the traveling state detected by the state detecting means, and the relative relationship Based on the relative relationship calculated by the calculation means, an alarm control means (for example, a vehicle control unit 49 in the embodiment) that issues an alarm to the driver of the host vehicle, and an imaging means that images the outside of the host vehicle ( For example When the object detected by the external camera 23) and the object detection means in the embodiment is a preceding vehicle of the own vehicle, the braking of the preceding vehicle is performed based on the image obtained by the imaging of the imaging means. Lighting determination means (for example, braking light lighting determination unit 42 in the embodiment) for determining whether or not the lamp is in a lighting state, and line-of-sight detection means (for example, in the embodiment) for detecting the driver's line of sight of the host vehicle The vehicle interior sensor 12 and the line of sight / face orientation detection unit 47) and the side-by-side determination means for determining whether the driver is looking aside based on the line of sight detected by the line-of-sight detection means (for example, implementation and inattentiveness determination unit 48) in the form, when the object detected by the object detecting means is a preceding vehicle of the own vehicle, and the preceding vehicle based on the relative relationship calculated by the relative relationship calculating means A contact time calculation means (for example, a contact possibility determination unit 44 in the embodiment) that calculates a contact time (for example, a collision time TTC in the embodiment) as a time required for the vehicle to come into contact; When the contact time calculated by the contact time calculation means is a predetermined value (for example, the first determination value β in the embodiment) or less, there is a possibility of contact between the host vehicle and the preceding vehicle. It is determined that the brake light of the preceding vehicle is in a lighting state by the contact possibility determination means for determining (for example, the contact possibility determination unit 44 in the embodiment also serves) and the lighting determination means, and Braking operation execution determining means (for example, in the embodiment) that determines whether or not the driver has performed a braking operation in a state where the driver of the own vehicle has determined that the driver is not looking aside. Braking operation A detection section 45), wherein the alarm control unit, the brake lights of the preceding vehicle by the lighting determination means is determined to be lit, and, by the inattentive determining unit driver of the vehicle is inattentive It is determined to be a, and, if the is determined that the possibility of coming into contact with the preceding vehicle and the own vehicle is by the contact possibility determining means, not such to put an alarm to the driver, the contactable The sex determining means changes the predetermined value based on the contact time calculated by the contact time calculating means when the braking operation execution determining means determines that the braking operation has been executed .

Furthermore, in the vehicle alarm device according to the second aspect of the present invention, the contact possibility determination means includes a second predetermined value (for example, the contact time calculated by the contact time calculation means is smaller than the predetermined value). , When it is equal to or less than the second determination value α) in the embodiment, it is determined that there is a possibility of contact between the host vehicle and the preceding vehicle, and the warning control means is When it is determined by the second predetermined value that there is a possibility of contact between the host vehicle and the preceding vehicle, a warning is given to the driver.

Furthermore, in the vehicle alarm device according to the third aspect of the present invention, the object detection means detects the object existing in the external environment of the host vehicle based on an image obtained by imaging by the imaging means.

  According to the vehicular alarm device according to the first aspect of the present invention, the driver of the host vehicle is looking aside and may have missed the lighting state of the brake light of the preceding vehicle. If it is estimated, a warning is given to the driver, so that the driver can be appropriately prompted to check the brake light of the preceding vehicle. Even when the inter-vehicle distance is reduced, it is possible to prevent the execution of the contact avoidance operation for the preceding vehicle from being delayed due to the driver's side look. Generation | occurrence | production of dangerous states, such as contact, can be suppressed and the driving | running | working safety | security of the own vehicle can be improved.

Furthermore , the determination threshold (predetermined value) for determining whether or not there is a possibility of contact between the host vehicle and the preceding vehicle is changed based on the contact time when the driver of the host vehicle performs a braking operation. Thus, the alarm output timing can be optimized for each driver of the host vehicle.

Furthermore, according to the vehicle alarm device of the second aspect of the present invention, it is possible to output a plurality of alarms having different output timings according to the state of the driver of the host vehicle and the traveling state of the preceding vehicle. The traveling safety of the vehicle can be improved.

Furthermore, according to the vehicle alarm device according to the third aspect of the present invention, it is possible to prevent the device configuration from becoming complicated and the cost required for the device configuration from increasing.

Hereinafter, an alarm device for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
As shown in FIG. 1, for example, the vehicle alarm device 10 according to the present embodiment transmits a driving force of an internal combustion engine (E) to a driving wheel (not shown) of a vehicle via a transmission (T / M). And includes an external sensor 11, a vehicle interior sensor 12, a vehicle state sensor 13, a processing device 14, a throttle actuator 15, a brake actuator 16, a steering actuator 17, and an alarm device 18. ing.

  The external sensor 11 includes, for example, a beam scan type radar 21 and a radar control unit 22 using an electromagnetic wave such as a laser beam and a millimeter wave, an external camera 23 and an image processing unit 24 capable of imaging in, for example, a visible light region and an infrared region, It is configured with.

  For example, the radar control unit 22 divides the detection target area set in front of the traveling direction of the host vehicle into a plurality of areas in the angular direction, and transmits each electromagnetic wave transmission signal so as to scan each area. A reflection signal generated when each transmission signal is reflected by an object outside the host vehicle is received and output to the processing device 14.

  Further, for example, the image processing unit 24 performs, for example, filtering or second processing on an image of the outside world in the traveling direction of the own vehicle obtained by photographing the detection target area in the traveling direction ahead of the own vehicle. Predetermined image processing such as digitization processing is performed to generate image data composed of pixels of a two-dimensional array, and output to the processing device 14.

The vehicle interior sensor 12 includes a vehicle interior camera 31 and an image processing unit 32 that can capture an image in, for example, a visible light region or an infrared region.
The vehicle interior camera 31 is reflected, for example, from the infrared irradiation device (not shown) provided in the vehicle interior camera 31 toward the driver's face or eyeball, or from the driver's face or eyeball. Imaging visible light.
The image processing unit 32 performs predetermined image processing such as filtering and binarization processing on the image obtained by imaging with the vehicle interior camera 31 to generate image data including pixels of a two-dimensional array, The data is output to the processing device 14.

  The vehicle state sensor 13 is, for example, a vehicle speed sensor that detects the speed (vehicle speed) of the host vehicle, an acceleration sensor that detects acceleration acting on the vehicle body, and a gyro that detects the posture and traveling direction of the vehicle body. Positioning signals such as sensors, yaw rate sensors that detect the yaw rate (rotational angular velocity around the vertical axis of the vehicle's center of gravity), and GPS (Global Positioning System) signals that measure the position of the vehicle using, for example, an artificial satellite And a sensor for detecting a driving operation by the driver (for example, an accelerator pedal depression amount, a brake pedal depression amount, a steering wheel steering angle, etc.).

  The processing device 14 includes, for example, a preceding vehicle detection unit 41, a brake light lighting determination unit 42, a relative relationship calculation unit 43, a contact possibility determination unit 44, a braking operation detection unit 45, a driver detection unit 46, A line-of-sight / face orientation detection unit 47, a side look determination unit 48, and a vehicle control unit 49 are provided.

Based on the beat signal or image data output from the external sensor 11, the preceding vehicle detection unit 41 detects information related to the position of the preceding vehicle existing in each detection target region set in front of the traveling direction of the host vehicle. .
For example, the preceding vehicle detection unit 41 detects a distance to the preceding vehicle (for example, a relative distance to the host vehicle) and an azimuth (angle) based on the beat signal output from the radar control unit 22 of the external sensor 11.
In addition, the preceding vehicle detection unit 41 is installed in the vehicle interior at a predetermined interval based on a pair of image data that is captured by the external camera 23 that is a stereo camera and output from the image processing unit 24, for example. The distance to the preceding vehicle (for example, the relative distance to the host vehicle) is detected by triangulation based on the distance between the cameras and the parallax of the object on the pair of image data obtained by imaging. .

  For example, based on the image data output from the image processing unit 24 of the external sensor 11, the brake light lighting determination unit 42 has a luminance or the like at a predetermined cycle in a predetermined region of interest of the preceding vehicle detected by the preceding vehicle detection unit 41. When there is a local region that changes, it is determined that the brake light of the preceding vehicle is lit.

  The relative relationship calculating unit 43 is based on the information related to the position of the preceding vehicle detected by the preceding vehicle detecting unit 41, and is based on the relative relationship related to the relative distance of the preceding vehicle with respect to the host vehicle, for example, based on the time change of the position of the preceding vehicle. The speed of the vehicle (for example, the relative speed with respect to the host vehicle) is calculated.

The contact possibility determination unit 44, for example, the traveling state such as the speed of the preceding vehicle (for example, the relative speed with respect to the host vehicle) output from the relative relationship calculation unit 43 and the vehicle speed of the host vehicle detected by the vehicle state sensor 13. Based on the running state such as the yaw rate, the time required for the host vehicle and the preceding vehicle to contact each other (collision time TTC) is estimated.
Then, the contact possibility determination unit 44 determines whether the collision time TTC is equal to or less than a predetermined first determination value β (for example, 2.5 seconds as an initial value) or smaller than the first determination value β. When it is less than α (for example, 2 seconds), it is determined that there is a possibility that the host vehicle and the preceding vehicle are in contact with each other.

Further, the contact possibility determination unit 44, when a braking operation detection unit 45 described later detects the execution of a predetermined braking operation by the driver of the host vehicle, the collision time TTC at the start of the execution of the braking operation. And the first determination value β is adjusted according to the collision time TTC.
The braking operation detection unit 45 avoids a predetermined braking operation performed by the driver of the host vehicle, that is, contact between the preceding vehicle and the host vehicle by deceleration, for example, when the brake lamp of the preceding vehicle starts to light. the avoidance operation (e.g., depression etc. of the probe Rekipedaru) for detecting the execution presence of.

The driver detection unit 46 performs a predetermined recognition process on the image data output from the vehicle interior sensor 12 using, for example, the driver's head as a detection target, and drives based on the recognized detection target. Detect people.
The line-of-sight / face orientation detection unit 47 performs predetermined recognition processing on the image data output from the vehicle interior sensor 12 using the driver's face and eyeball detected by the driver detection unit 46 as detection objects. Based on the recognized detection object, the driver's gaze vector (gaze direction) or the driver's face orientation is calculated.
The look-ahead determination unit 48 determines whether or not the driver is looking aside based on the driver's line-of-sight vector (line-of-sight direction) or the driver's face direction detected by the line-of-sight / face orientation detection unit 47.

  The vehicle control unit 49 uses the alarm device 18 according to the determination result of the contact possibility determination unit 44 or according to the determination results of the brake light lighting determination unit 42, the contact possibility determination unit 44, and the aside look determination unit 48. A control signal for controlling the alarm output, and a control signal for controlling the running state of the host vehicle so as to avoid the occurrence of contact between the host vehicle and the preceding vehicle or reduce the damage caused by the contact (for example, transmission (T / M) a control signal for controlling the shift operation, a control signal for controlling the driving force of the internal combustion engine (E) by the throttle actuator 15, a control signal for controlling the deceleration by the brake actuator 16, and a control for controlling the turning by the steering actuator 17. The driver of the host vehicle as a contact avoidance assist operation or contact avoidance operation. Against control and alarm output, and the acceleration and deceleration of the vehicle, and a steering.

For example, the vehicle control unit 49 determines that the brake light of the preceding vehicle is in a lighting state by the brake light lighting determination unit 42, and determines that the driver of the own vehicle is looking aside by the side look determination unit 48, Further, the possibility of contact between the host vehicle and the preceding vehicle due to the fact that the collision time TTC is equal to or less than a predetermined first determination value β (for example, 2.5 seconds as an initial value) by the contact possibility determination unit 44. When it is determined that there is, a predetermined first alarm is output.
Further, for example, the vehicle control unit 49 causes the contact possibility determination unit 44 to contact the host vehicle with the preceding vehicle because the collision time TTC is equal to or shorter than a predetermined second determination value α (for example, 2 seconds). When it is determined that there is a possibility, a predetermined second alarm is output.
It should be noted that the predetermined second alarm is set so that the stimulus to the driver of the host vehicle is stronger than the predetermined first alarm. For example, the volume of the second alarm is set larger than the volume of the first alarm. For example, the output period of the second alarm is set shorter than the output period of the first alarm.

The alarm device 18 includes, for example, a tactile transmission device, a visual transmission device, and an auditory transmission device.
The tactile transmission device is, for example, a seat belt device, a steering control device, or the like, and generates a predetermined tension on the seat belt, for example, in response to a control signal input from the vehicle control unit 39, so that the passenger of the host vehicle can sense the touch. May cause contact with the preceding vehicle by applying a perceptible tightening force or by generating vibration (steering vibration) that can be perceived tactilely by the driver of the vehicle on the steering wheel, for example. Make the crew aware of this.
The visual transmission device is, for example, a display device and the like, for example, by displaying predetermined alarm information on the display device or blinking a predetermined alarm light in accordance with a control signal input from the vehicle control unit 39. The occupant is made aware that there is a possibility of contact with the preceding vehicle.
The auditory transmission device is, for example, a speaker or the like, and may generate a contact with a preceding vehicle by outputting a predetermined alarm sound or voice according to a control signal input from the vehicle control unit 39. Make the crew aware of this.

  The vehicle alarm device 10 according to the present embodiment has the above-described configuration. Next, the operation of the vehicle alarm device 10 will be described.

First, for example, in step S01 shown in FIG. 2, the detection target area ahead of the traveling direction of the host vehicle is imaged by the external camera 23 of the external sensor 11.
In step S02, the traveling state such as the vehicle speed and yaw rate of the host vehicle detected by the vehicle state sensor 13 is acquired.

In step S03, based on the image data output from the external sensor 11, information relating to the position of the preceding vehicle existing in the detection target area set in front of the traveling direction of the host vehicle is detected, and A relative relationship related to the relative distance of the preceding vehicle, for example, a speed of the preceding vehicle (for example, a relative speed with respect to the host vehicle) based on a temporal change in the position of the preceding vehicle is calculated.
In step S04, based on the traveling state such as the speed of the preceding vehicle (for example, the relative speed with respect to the own vehicle) and the traveling state such as the vehicle speed and the yaw rate of the own vehicle, the host vehicle and the preceding vehicle contact each other. Is estimated (collision time TTC).

And in step S05, the driver of the own vehicle is imaged by the vehicle interior camera 31 of the vehicle interior sensor 12.
In step S06, based on the image data output from the vehicle interior sensor 12, the driver's line-of-sight vector (line-of-sight direction) or the driver's face orientation is calculated.
In step S07, for example, based on the image data output from the image processing unit 24 of the external sensor 11, whether or not there is a local region whose luminance or the like changes in a predetermined cycle in a predetermined region of interest of the preceding vehicle. It is determined whether or not the brake light of the preceding vehicle is lit.
If this determination is “NO”, the flow proceeds to step S 11 described later.
On the other hand, if the determination is “YES”, the flow proceeds to step S08.

In step S08, it is determined whether the driver of the host vehicle is looking aside.
If this determination is “NO”, the flow proceeds to step S 13 described later.
On the other hand, if this determination is “YES”, the flow proceeds to step S 09.
In step S09, it is determined whether or not the collision time TTC is equal to or shorter than a predetermined first determination value β (for example, 2.5 seconds as an initial value).
If this determination is “NO”, the flow proceeds to the end, and the process ends.
On the other hand, if the determination is “YES”, the flow proceeds to step S10.
In step S10, a predetermined first alarm is output, and the process proceeds to step S11.

In step S11, it is determined whether or not the collision time TTC is equal to or shorter than a predetermined second determination value α (for example, 2 seconds as an initial value) that is smaller than the first determination value β.
If this determination is “NO”, the flow proceeds to the end, and the process ends.
On the other hand, if this determination is “YES”, the flow proceeds to step S12.
In step S12, a predetermined second alarm is output, the process proceeds to the end, and the process ends.

Moreover, in step S13, it is determined whether execution of the predetermined | prescribed braking operation by the driver | operator of the own vehicle was detected.
If this determination is “NO”, the flow proceeds to step S 11 described above.
On the other hand, if the determination is “YES”, the flow proceeds to step S14.
In step S14, the collision time TTC at the start of execution of a predetermined braking operation by the driver of the host vehicle is estimated.
In step S15, the first determination value β is adjusted according to the collision time TTC at the start of execution of a predetermined braking operation by the driver of the host vehicle, the process proceeds to the end, and the process ends.
When the first determination value β is adjusted in step S15, for example, when the collision time TTC is larger than the initial value (for example, 2.5 seconds) of the first determination value β, the collision time TTC is set as follows. A new first determination value β is set. For example, when the collision time TTC is smaller than the initial value (for example, 2.5 seconds) of the first determination value β, the collision time TTC is further set to a predetermined second determination value α (for example, 2 as the initial value). If it is larger than the second, the collision time TTC is newly set as the first determination value β.

  As described above, according to the vehicle alarm device 10 according to the present embodiment, the driver of the host vehicle is looking aside and may have missed the lighting state of the brake light of the preceding vehicle. When it is estimated that there is a vehicle, a predetermined first warning is output, so that the driver can be appropriately urged to check the brake light of the preceding vehicle. Even when the inter-vehicle distance to the preceding vehicle decreases, it is possible to prevent the execution of the contact avoidance operation on the preceding vehicle from being delayed due to the driver's side-view of the own vehicle. Occurrence of a dangerous state such as contact with the preceding vehicle can be suppressed, and the traveling safety of the host vehicle can be improved. In addition, since the first warning is output when the brake light of the preceding vehicle is turned on, it is possible to alert the driver of the host vehicle early and improve the traveling safety of the host vehicle. At the same time, by limiting the output of the first alarm to a case where the driver is looking aside, it is possible to prevent the first alarm from being output excessively.

Further, according to the collision time TTC when a predetermined braking operation is performed by the driver of the own vehicle due to lighting of the brake light of the preceding vehicle in a state where the driver of the own vehicle is not looking aside, Since the first determination value β for determining whether or not there is a possibility of contact between the host vehicle and the preceding vehicle is changed, it is possible to optimize the output timing of the first alarm for each driver of the host vehicle. it can.
Furthermore, even when the brake light of the preceding vehicle is not lit, the collision time TTC is equal to or shorter than a predetermined second determination value α (for example, 2 seconds as an initial value) that is smaller than the first determination value β. In this case, it is possible to improve the traveling safety of the host vehicle by outputting the second alarm that is more stimulated to the driver of the host vehicle than the first alarm.

  In the above-described embodiment, the preceding vehicle detection unit 41 is based on, for example, a beat signal output from the radar control unit 22 of the external sensor 11 and a distance to the preceding vehicle (for example, a relative distance to the own vehicle) and direction. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the radar 21 and the radar control unit 22 are omitted from the external sensor 11, and the distance to the preceding vehicle is based only on the image data output from the image processing unit 24. (For example, the relative distance to the host vehicle) may be detected.

It is a lineblock diagram of the alarm device for vehicles concerning an embodiment of the invention. It is a flowchart which shows operation | movement of the alarm device for vehicles which concerns on embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

10 Vehicle alarm device 12 Vehicle interior sensor (line-of-sight detection means)
13 Vehicle state sensor (running state detection means)
23 External camera (imaging means)
41 Leading vehicle detection unit (object detection means)
42 Brake light lighting determination unit (lighting determination means)
43 Relative relationship calculation unit (relative relationship calculation means)
44 Contact possibility determination unit (contact time calculation means, contact possibility determination means)
47 Gaze / face orientation detection unit (gaze detection means)
48 Aside look determination unit (side look determination means)
49 Vehicle control unit (alarm control means)

Claims (3)

An object detection means for detecting an object existing in the external world of the host vehicle;
Traveling state detecting means for detecting the traveling state of the host vehicle;
A relative relationship calculating means for calculating a relative relationship between the host vehicle and the object based on the object detected by the object detecting means and the running state detected by the running state detecting means;
Warning control means for giving a warning to the driver of the host vehicle based on the relative relation calculated by the relative relation calculating means;
Imaging means for imaging the external world of the host vehicle;
When the object detected by the object detection means is a preceding vehicle of the host vehicle, lighting that determines whether the brake light of the preceding vehicle is in a lighting state based on an image obtained by imaging by the imaging means A determination means;
Gaze detection means for detecting the gaze of the driver of the vehicle,
Aside look determination means for determining whether the driver is looking aside based on the line of sight detected by the line of sight detection means ;
When the object detected by the object detection means is a preceding vehicle of the own vehicle, it is necessary until the preceding vehicle and the own vehicle come into contact with each other based on the relative relationship calculated by the relative relationship calculating means. Contact time calculating means for calculating the contact time as time;
Contact possibility determination means for determining that there is a possibility of contact between the host vehicle and the preceding vehicle when the contact time calculated by the contact time calculation means is a predetermined value or less;
By the driver in a state where the lighting determination means determines that the brake light of the preceding vehicle is in a lighting state and the driver is not looking aside. Braking operation execution determining means for determining whether a braking operation has been performed;
With
The warning control means is determined by the lighting determination means that the brake light of the preceding vehicle is in a lighting state, and is determined that the driver of the own vehicle is looking aside by the looking aside determination means , and , if the is determined that the possibility of coming into contact with the preceding vehicle and the own vehicle is by the contact possibility determining means, not such to put an alarm to the driver,
The contact possibility determining means changes the predetermined value based on the contact time calculated by the contact time calculating means when the braking operation execution determining means determines that the braking operation is executed. A vehicular alarm device. The contact possibility determination means determines the possibility of contact between the host vehicle and the preceding vehicle when the contact time calculated by the contact time calculation means is equal to or less than a second predetermined value smaller than the predetermined value. It is determined that there is
The warning control means warns a driver when it is determined by the contact possibility determination means that there is a possibility of contact between the host vehicle and the preceding vehicle according to the second predetermined value. The vehicle alarm device according to claim 1 . It said object detecting means, based on the image obtained by the imaging of the imaging means, a vehicle alarm system according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that for detecting an object existing in the outside of the vehicle.

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