JPH01161599A - Vehicle drive supporting device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To display information only when the information is required so as to secure the safety of car drive by detecting the operation of a direction indicator and displaying only the information regarding the obstacle in the driving direction. CONSTITUTION:A sensor section 11 is composed of sensors SS1 and SS2 which detect obstacles on both right and left sides of a vehicle and sensors CS1 and CS2 which detect obstacles behind the car on both sides. The detect output outputted from the sensor section 11 is supplied to an obstacle detecting section 13. The detecting section 13 constituting a calculating means together with a degree-of-danger calculating section 14 calculates presence/absence, scale, distance, etc., of an obstacle from the detect output of the sensor section 11 and outputs the calculated results to the calculating section 14. On the other hand, a sensor 15 detects the operation of the direction indicator of the vehicle and supplies the detected results to the calculating section 14. The section 14 calculates the degree of danger from the output of the detecting section 13 and a degree-of-danger displaying section 16 which works as a displaying means makes a display corresponding to the calculated degree of danger so as to inform the driver of the degree of danger.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a vehicle driving support device that detects obstacles around a vehicle such as an automobile, and notifies the driver of the obstacles to support driving.

[Conventional technology]

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a conventional vehicle driving support system disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 59-144291. In the same figure, 1 is a sensor section, which is an infrared sensor.

Obstacles around the vehicle are detected using ultrasonic waves, etc.

As shown in FIG. 3, the sensor section 1 includes sensors SS1. ss2, and sensors C8I to C8 that detect the presence or absence of obstacles at the left, right, front, and rear corners.
It is composed of 4. 2 is an input interface, which supplies a detection signal from the sensor section 1 to the CPU 3. 4
is a memory and stores necessary data. 5 is an output interface, which supplies the output of the CPU 3 to the CRT controller 6. 7 is a television camera that photographs the rear of the vehicle; 8 is a memory that stores image signals; and 9 is a CRT that displays a predetermined image.

The obstacle detection signal output from the sensor section 1 is stored in the memory 4 via the input interface 2 and the CPU 3. The CPU 3 processes the data stored in the memory 4 and converts it into one image signal.

This image signal is sent to the output interface 5. controller 6
The data is stored in the memory 8 via the . The image signal stored in the memory 8 is read out by the controller 6, and placed at a predetermined position on the CRT 9 (for example, on the left side of the screen as shown in FIG. 4).
Displayed with your army mark.

On the other hand, the image output by the camera 7 is as shown in FIG.
It will be displayed as is on the right side of RT9.

In this way, the surrounding conditions of the vehicle are always displayed on the CRT 9, so that the driver can safely change lanes, turn right or left, etc. by checking this display.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

By the way, such a display is hardly necessary when the vehicle is simply traveling straight ahead.However, since conventional devices always display the display even when the vehicle is traveling straight ahead, the display is difficult for the driver to understand. Often within sight,
On the contrary, there was a risk that it would hinder safe driving. Also, because the display time is long, the warning significance is weakened, and obstacles are detected and
Even if it is displayed, there is a drawback that the driver tends to notice it late. Furthermore, because it is displayed as an image, not only does it require skill to read each display, but CR
This requires a display means having a relatively large area such as T, which has the disadvantage of increasing the size of the device.

The present invention was developed in view of the above situation, and is intended to display a predetermined display only when necessary, so that even an unskilled person can quickly detect obstacles.

[Means for solving problems]

The vehicle driving support device of the present invention includes a first sensor that detects an obstacle on the left side or the right side of the vehicle, a calculation means that calculates the degree of danger in accordance with the output of the first sensor, and a direction indicator of the vehicle. The present invention is characterized by comprising a second sensor that detects the operation of the direction indicator, and a display means that displays a display corresponding to the degree of danger when the second sensor detects the operation of the direction indicator.

[Effect]

When the first sensor detects an obstacle on the left or right side of the vehicle, the first sensor outputs the detection method to the calculation means.

The calculation means calculates the degree of danger from this detection output.

A display corresponding to this degree of risk is performed by the display means.

However, this display is performed only when the second sensor detects operation of the vehicle's direction indicator.

Therefore, information about obstacles is displayed only when necessary, such as when changing course, turning right or turning left, etc., making safer driving possible.

〔Example〕

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a vehicle driving support system according to the present invention. In the figure, 11 is a sensor unit that detects obstacles around the vehicle using infrared rays, ultrasonic waves, and the like. Sensor part 11
As shown in FIG. 5, it is composed of sensors SS1 and SS2 that detect obstacles on the left and right sides of the vehicle, and sensors C81 and C82 that detect obstacles on the left rear and right rear sides of the vehicle. Reference numeral 12 denotes an input interface section, which supplies the detection output output from the sensor section 11 to the obstacle detection section 13. The obstacle detection section 13 , which constitutes a calculation means together with the risk calculation section 14 , calculates the existence, size, distance, etc. of an obstacle from the detection output of the sensor section 11 and outputs it to the risk calculation section 14 . 15 (R8) is a sensor that detects the operation of the direction indicator of the vehicle.

The risk calculation section 14 calculates the risk from the output of the detection section 13, and the risk display section 16 as a display means displays a display corresponding to the risk to notify the driver of the risk.

The lever device operates according to a flowchart such as that shown in FIG. 6, for example. First, it is confirmed whether the direction indicator is operated to turn right (step S1).

When a right turn operation is performed, the sensor 15 detects this. At this time, the calculation unit 14 allows input of a signal related to an obstacle on the right side of the vehicle among the signals output from the detection unit 13 (S2). That is, the signals R8E, R8L, and R generated by the detection unit 13 from the detection outputs of the sensors SS2 and C82
8D, RBE, RBL and RBD are input to the calculation unit 14.

Signals R8E and RBE represent the degree of existence of obstacles on the right side and right rear side (the rate at which obstacles exist within a unit time),
For example, when the unit time is 1 second, the time when the obstacle exists is maximum when it is 1 second, and the minimum when it is 0 seconds.

Signals R5L and RBL represent the volume (size) of obstacles on the right side and right rear side.

Signals R5D and RBD represent the distance from the vehicle to obstacles on the right side and rear right side.

All values of these signals are assumed to be positive.

The risk calculation unit 14 calculates the risk RD from these signals output by the detection unit 13, for example, according to the following formula (SS)
.

RD = a 1RS E + b 1RS L +
RS D/c □+a, RBE+b, RBL+RB
D/c.

...(1) Here, a, , b, , Q, , a2, b2, and C2 are positive constants.

In the most simplified case 1, for example, the sensor C82 may be omitted and only the sensor SS2 is used, and the degree of danger RD may be set only to the distance to the obstacle on the right side. In this case, RD=R8D/C100, (2) Therefore, the calculating section 14 can be configured to output the output of the detecting section 13 as is. That is, the detection unit 13
Which of the outputs of the calculation unit 14 and the calculation unit 14 corresponds to the degree of risk is arbitrary.

The risk notification unit 16 displays at least one of audio and light in accordance with the risk level (S4). For example, if the notification section 16 is configured with a buzzer, lamp, etc., the risk level R
Volume or amount of light (brightness) corresponding to the value of D
Sound or light is generated.

Alternatively, the pitch and interval of the sound, the flashing cycle of the lamp, etc. may be changed. This display is displayed while the right turn operation is being performed (during the time the right turn blinker lamp is blinking).

As the vehicle travels, the relative position of the vehicle to the obstacle changes every moment. As a result, the degree of risk (and thus the display) also changes from moment to moment.

If a right turn operation is not performed, it is determined whether a left turn operation is performed (S5). When the sensor 15 detects a left turn operation, the sensor SS detects an obstacle on the left side.
1. Signal LSE generated by the detection unit 13 from the output of C81
, LSL, LSD, LBE, LBL, and LBD are input to the calculation unit 14 (S6). These signals LSE to L
BD is a signal similar to the signals RLS to RI3D described above except for its direction.

The calculation unit 14 calculates the degree of danger RD from these signals according to the following formula.
Calculate.

RD=a, LSE+b1LSL+LSD/c.

+ a 2 L B E + b z L B L +
L B D / c 2 (3) Then, the notification unit 16 displays a display corresponding to the calculated degree of risk RD in the same manner as described above (SS).

When neither a right turn nor a left turn operation is performed, the notification section 16 does not display anything. Therefore, the driver can drive normally.

On the other hand, as mentioned above, if you operate the turn signal.

Only while the driver is operating the vehicle, obstacles in the direction corresponding to the direction of the operation are displayed using audio or light, rather than images, so the driver can intuitively and without any skill be required. It is possible to understand the meaning of the displays and perform quick driving operations in response to each display.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, according to the present invention, the operation of the direction indicator is detected and only the information regarding obstacles in the direction of the operation is displayed. Therefore, not only can a small display means be used, but also the necessary information can be displayed. The display is only displayed occasionally to ensure driving safety.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the vehicle driving support device of the present invention, and FIG.
Figure 3 is a block diagram of a conventional vehicle driving support system, Figure 3 is an explanatory diagram of the mounting position of the sensor, Figure 4 is an explanatory diagram of its display, and Figure 5 is an illustration of the mounting position of the sensor of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a flowchart of the vehicle driving support system of the present invention. ■...Sensor section 2...Input interface 3...CPU 4...Memory 5...Output interface 6...CRT controller 7...Camera 8...Memory 9...CRT 11 ... Sensor section 12 ... Input interface 13 ... Obstacle detection section 14 ... Risk calculation section 15 ... Sensor 16 ... Risk notification section Patent applicant Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd.

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) A first sensor that detects an obstacle on the left or right side of the vehicle; a calculation means that calculates the degree of danger in response to the output of the first sensor; and a first sensor that detects the operation of a turn signal of the vehicle. 1. A vehicle driving support device comprising: a second sensor; and a display means for displaying a display corresponding to the degree of danger when the second sensor detects operation of a direction indicator. (2) The first sensor detects obstacles on the left or right side and rear, and the calculation means calculates the degree of danger by adding the outputs of the first sensors on the side and rear at a predetermined ratio. A vehicle driving support device according to claim 1, characterized in that: