KR102354211B1 - Eletronic device, system and method for providing safe distance of thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

An electronic device for providing a safe distance between vehicles is provided. The electronic device according to an embodiment may obtain road condition information in front through the image acquisition unit, and may provide a guide message when the vehicle in front is within a braking distance according to the driving speed of the vehicle. Accordingly, more accurate safety distance information may be provided to the vehicle driver, and safe driving may be induced.

Description

ELECTRONIC DEVICE, SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING SAFE DISTANCE OF THEREOF

The present invention relates to an electronic device, system and method for providing a safe distance between vehicles.

As the Internet network is opened and laws related to location data are revised, a location-based service (LBS)-related industry is activated. As a field of location-based service, the vehicle navigation-related industry that locates the current location of a vehicle equipped with a device or guides a moving route to a destination is also rapidly activating.

In general, it is necessary to maintain an appropriate safe distance from the vehicle in front while driving the vehicle. For example, there is a risk of a multiple collision accident when a sudden braking condition or an accident occurs due to a sudden factor caused to the vehicle in front while the vehicle following the vehicle in front is driving at high speed.

Accordingly, there is a need to accurately calculate a reference safe distance to be maintained between vehicles and guide the driver.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an electronic device, a system, and a method for providing a safe distance between vehicles capable of improving the reliability of a safe distance providing service provided to a vehicle driver.

The present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned problems, and other problems not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description.

An electronic device according to an aspect of the present invention for achieving the above object, the image acquisition unit; and a control unit that acquires road condition information in front through the image acquisition unit and provides a guide message when the vehicle in front is within a braking distance according to the driving speed of the vehicle.

According to another aspect of the present invention, an electronic device includes: a communication unit configured to receive distance information from a vehicle in front from an external device; and a control unit that provides a guide message when the vehicle in front is within a braking distance according to the speed of the vehicle.

A system for providing a safe distance according to another aspect of the present invention includes: an image acquisition device for acquiring road condition information in front; and a control device that receives the road condition information in front from the image acquisition device and provides a guide message when the vehicle in front is within a braking distance according to the driving speed of the vehicle.

The safe distance providing system may further include a server that transmits the information on the road ahead to the control device, wherein the control device is configured to take into account a braking distance according to a road condition and a driving speed of the vehicle. A guide message can be provided.

A method for providing a safe distance according to another aspect of the present invention includes the steps of: obtaining information about a road condition in front; acquiring the driving speed of the vehicle through the GPS module; and providing a guide message when the vehicle in front is within a braking distance according to the driving speed of the vehicle.

The details of other embodiments are included in the detailed description and drawings.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, by providing a safety distance to be maintained between vehicles according to the driving speed of the vehicle, more accurate safety distance information may be provided to the vehicle driver.

In addition, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the reliability of the safety distance providing service through the vehicle navigation system can be improved by providing the safety distance in consideration of road surface conditions in addition to the driving speed of the vehicle.

In addition, according to an embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to induce a safe driving of the vehicle driver by providing an appropriate braking distance according to the driving speed of the vehicle.

1 is a diagram of a system for providing a safe distance according to an embodiment of the present invention.
2 is a diagram of a system for providing a safe distance according to another embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a vehicle navigation system according to the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1 .
4 is a block diagram of a vehicle black box according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 .
5 is a block diagram of a communication network including the safe distance providing system shown in FIG. 3 .
6 is a diagram for explaining an example of a target to which a guide message is provided among vehicles in front received from a vehicle black box.
7 is a flowchart illustrating a method of providing a safe distance for an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
8 is a diagram illustrating an example in which braking distances for each driving speed stored in a memory of an electronic device are matched and stored according to an embodiment of the present invention.
9 to 10B are diagrams illustrating an example of a method for providing a safe distance for an electronic device according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 7 .
11 is a diagram illustrating an example of a method for providing a safe distance for an electronic device according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 9 .
12 is a diagram illustrating an example of a method for providing a safe distance for an electronic device according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 11 .
13 is a flowchart illustrating a method of providing a safe distance for an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
14 is a diagram illustrating an example of a method for providing a safe distance for an electronic device according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 13 .
15 is a flowchart illustrating a method of providing a safe distance for an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
16 is a diagram illustrating an example of a method for providing a safe distance for an electronic device according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 15 .
17 is a flowchart illustrating a method of providing a safe distance for an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
18 is a diagram illustrating an example of a method for providing a safe distance for an electronic device according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 17 .

The above-mentioned objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. However, since the present invention may have various changes and may have various embodiments, specific embodiments will be exemplified in the drawings and described in detail below. Throughout the specification, like reference numerals refer to like elements in principle.

In addition, if it is determined that a detailed description of a known function or configuration related to the present invention may unnecessarily obscure the gist of the present invention, the detailed description thereof will be omitted. In addition, numbers (eg, first, second, etc.) used in the description process of the present specification are only identification symbols for distinguishing one component from other components.

Hereinafter, a mobile terminal related to the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the drawings. The suffixes "module" and "part" for components used in the following description are given or mixed in consideration of only the ease of writing the specification, and do not have distinct meanings or roles by themselves.

1 is a diagram of a system for providing a safe distance according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The safety distance providing system includes an image acquisition device 200 and a control device 100 for guiding information related to driving of a vehicle through a predetermined image including information acquired by the image acquisition device 200 . may include Meanwhile, the safety distance providing system may include various electronic devices in addition to the image acquisition device 200 and the control device 100 .

Hereinafter, for convenience of description, in the system for providing a safe distance, the image acquisition device 200 may be a vehicle navigation device (a black box-integrated navigation device) having a camera or a vehicle black box 200 . In addition, the control device 100 may be a vehicle navigation system 100 that guides the operation of a vehicle in consideration of a front image of the vehicle acquired through an external or internal image acquisition means. Meanwhile, a vehicle navigation device may be used as a term such as a vehicle navigation system, a navigation system, and a navigation system.

The navigation system 10 may refer to a system that informs a driver and a passenger of a vehicle of various data related to operation and maintenance of the vehicle. The navigation system 10 may be the vehicle navigation system 100 itself in a narrow sense, and may be viewed as a concept including various electronic devices that operate in conjunction with the vehicle navigation system 100 in a wired or wireless manner in a broad meaning.

That is, it means that the integrated navigation system 10 can be configured by connecting various electronic devices capable of supplementing and increasing the functions of the vehicle navigation system 100 . The electronic device capable of configuring the navigation system 10 by interworking with the vehicle navigation system 100 may be another mobile terminal, a remote control, or the like, capable of accessing a mobile communication network.

*In addition, as another electronic device that is connected to the vehicle navigation system 100 to configure the navigation system 10 , there may be a vehicle black box 200 . The vehicle black box 200 may be provided integrally with or separately from the vehicle navigation system 100 . That is, although FIG. 1 shows that the vehicle black box 200 provided separately from the vehicle navigation device 100 is connected through the communication cable 300, the vehicle black box 200 may be integrated with the vehicle navigation device 100. means

The vehicle navigation device 100 may include a display unit 141 provided on a front surface of the navigation housing 191 , a navigation operation key 193 , and a navigation microphone 195 .

The navigation housing 191 forms the exterior of the vehicle navigation device 100 . The vehicle navigation device 100 may be exposed to environments of various conditions, such as being exposed to high or low temperatures due to seasonal factors, or receiving direct/indirect external shocks. The navigation housing 191 may have the purpose of protecting various electronic components inside the vehicle navigation device 100 from changes in the external environment, and making the exterior of the vehicle navigation device 100 beautiful. In order to achieve the above object, the navigation housing 191 may be processed by injection molding a material such as ABS, PC, or engineering plastic with enhanced strength.

The display unit 141 is a part that visually displays various data. Various data displayed on the display unit 141 may be map data combined with route data, etc., various broadcasting screens including DMB broadcasting, or images stored in memory. The display unit 141 may be physically or logically divided into several pieces.

The physically divided display unit 141 means a case in which two or more display units 141 are provided adjacent to each other. The logically divided display unit 141 refers to a case in which a plurality of independent screens are physically displayed on one display unit 141 . For example, when receiving and displaying a DMB broadcast, route data is displayed on a partial area of the display unit 141, or a DMB broadcast and a map screen are displayed on a partial area and a different area of the display unit 141, respectively. can be

According to the tendency of various functions to be convergence in the vehicle navigation device 100 , the case of logically dividing the display unit 141 to display various data is gradually increasing. Furthermore, in order to display various kinds of data, the display unit 141 is gradually becoming a large screen.

The entire surface or part of the display unit 141 may be a touch screen capable of receiving a user's touch input. For example, the function may be activated by touching a function selection button displayed on the display unit 141 . That is, it means that the display unit 141 can be both an image output unit ( 140 in FIG. 3 ) and an input unit ( 120 in FIG. 3 ).

The navigation operation key 193 may be provided to execute various functions of the vehicle navigation device 100 or to allow a user to directly input necessary data. Convenience of use may be improved by mapping a specific function frequently used to the navigation operation key 193 .

The navigation microphone 195 may be provided to receive a sound including voice and sound. For example, it may be possible to execute a specific function of the vehicle navigation system 100 based on a voice signal received through the navigation microphone 195 . In addition, the current state of the vehicle, such as the occurrence of an accident, may be detected based on the acoustic signal received by the navigation microphone 195 .

The vehicle black box 200 may exchange signals with the vehicle navigation device 100 to store data necessary for an accident handling process of the vehicle. For example, when an accident occurs while driving a vehicle, image data obtained and stored in the vehicle black box 200 may be analyzed and used to determine the circumstances of the accident and the degree of negligence. In addition, the vehicle black box 200 connected to the vehicle navigation device 100 may utilize various data stored in the vehicle navigation device 100 . For example, it means that the utility of the vehicle black box 200 can be increased by matching an image obtained from the vehicle black box 200 to map data stored in the vehicle navigation system 100 .

The vehicle black box 200 may acquire vehicle data while driving and stopping. That is, it is possible to capture an image while the vehicle is driving, as well as capture an image even when the vehicle is stopped. The quality of the image acquired through the vehicle black box 200 may be constant or may be changed. For example, by increasing the image quality before and after the occurrence of an accident, and lowering the image quality in a normal case, it is possible to store essential images while minimizing the required storage space.

The vehicle black box 200 may include a black box camera 221 , a black box microphone 223 , and an attachment unit 281 .

The black box camera 221 may photograph the exterior or interior of the vehicle. In addition, a single or a plurality of black box cameras 221 may be provided. If there are a plurality of black box cameras 221 , one may transmit an image taken while being integrated with the vehicle black box 200 and the rest being attached to each part of the vehicle to the vehicle black box 200 . . When the black box camera 221 is singular, the black box camera 221 may be installed to photograph the front of the vehicle. An image captured by the black box camera 221 may be stored in the vehicle black box 200 or the vehicle navigation system 100 .

The black box microphone 223 may acquire sound generated inside and outside the vehicle. The black box microphone 223 may perform a function similar to that of the navigation microphone 195 described above.

The attachment unit 281 may allow the vehicle black box 200 to be fixed to the vehicle. The attachment unit 281 may be a suction plate capable of attaching the vehicle black box 200 to the windshield of the vehicle, or a fixing device capable of being coupled to a room mirror of the vehicle.

2 is a diagram of a system for providing a safe distance according to another embodiment of the present invention, and only a part different from one embodiment of the present invention will be described.

In the safety distance providing system 10 according to another embodiment of the present invention, the vehicle navigation device 100 and the vehicle black box 200 may be wirelessly connected. That is, the vehicle navigation device 100 and the vehicle black box 200 are separate devices, meaning that there may be no physical connection device therebetween. The vehicle navigation device 100 and the vehicle black box 200 may communicate through Bluetooth, Radio Frequency Idntification (RFID), Infrared Data Association (IrDA), Ultra Wideband (UWB), ZigBee, and the like. .

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a vehicle navigation system according to the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1 .

As shown, the vehicle navigation device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a first communication unit 100 , an input unit 120 , a first sensing unit 130 , an output unit 140 , It may include a first storage unit 150 , a power supply unit 160 , and a first control unit 170 .

The first communication unit 100 may be provided for the vehicle navigation device 100 to communicate with other devices. The first communication unit 100 may include a wireless Internet module 113 , a broadcast transmission/reception module 114 , a first short-range communication module 117 , and a first wired communication module 119 . Meanwhile, the GPS module 111 disclosed separately from the first communication unit 100 may be grouped together with the first communication unit 100 .

The GPS module 111 is a device for acquiring location data through a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS). The GNSS refers to a navigation system capable of calculating the position of a receiving terminal by using a radio signal received from an artificial satellite (20 in FIG. 5). Specific examples of GNSS include GPS (Global Positioning System), Galileo, GLONASS (Global Orbiting Navigational Satellite System), COMPASS, IRNSS (Indian Regional Navigational Satellite System), QZSS (Quasi-Zenith Satellite System), etc. can The GPS module 111 of the vehicle navigation system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention may obtain location data by receiving a GNSS signal serviced in an area where the vehicle navigation system 100 is used.

The wireless Internet module 113 is a device for acquiring or transmitting data by accessing the wireless Internet. The wireless Internet accessible through the wireless Internet module 113 may be a Wireless LAN (WLAN), a Wireless broadband (Wibro), a World interoperability for microwave access (Wimax), a High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA), or the like.

The broadcast transmission/reception module 115 is a device for transmitting and receiving broadcast signals through various broadcast systems. Broadcast systems that can transmit and receive through the broadcast transmission/reception module 115 include Digital Multimedia Broadcasting Terrestrial (DMBT), Digital Multimedia Broadcasting Satellite (DMBS), Media Foeward Link Only (MediaFLO), Digital Video Broadcast Handheld (DVBH), and ISDBT (Digital Multimedia Broadcasting Terrestrial). Integrated Services Digital Broadcast Tereestrial) and the like. The broadcast signal transmitted and received through the broadcast transmission/reception module 115 may include traffic data, life data, and the like.

The short-range communication module 117 is a device for short-range communication. As described above, the short-range communication module 117 may communicate through Bluetooth, Radio Frequency Idntification (RFID), Infrared Data Association (IrDA), Ultra Wideband (UWB), ZigBee, and the like.

The first wired communication module 119 is an interface device capable of connecting the vehicle navigation device 100 to another device by wire. The first wired communication module 119 may be a USB module capable of communicating through a USB port. The vehicle navigation device 100 according to one embodiment and another embodiment of the present invention may communicate with other devices through the short-range communication module 117 or the first wired communication module 119 if necessary. Furthermore, when communicating with a plurality of devices, one of them communicates with the short-range communication module 117 , and the other communicates with the first wired communication module 119 .

The input unit 120 is a device that converts a physical input from the outside of the vehicle navigation device 100 into a specific electrical signal. The input unit 120 may include a user input module 121 and a first microphone module 123 .

The user input module 121 is a key input device that allows the user to input through a push operation or the like. The user input module 121 may be implemented as a navigation operation key (193 of FIG. 1 ) outside the housing ( 191 of FIG. 1 ) of the vehicle navigation system 100 .

The first microphone module 123 is a device for receiving a user's voice and sounds generated inside and outside the vehicle. The first microphone module 123 may be implemented as a navigation microphone 195 outside the housing ( 191 of FIG. 1 ) of the vehicle navigation device 100 .

The output unit 140 is a device through which the vehicle navigation device 100 outputs data. The output unit 140 may include a display module 141 and an audio output module 143 .

The display module 141 is a device for outputting data that can be visually recognized by the vehicle navigation system 100 . The display module 141 may be implemented as a display unit ( 145 of FIG. 1 ) provided on the front surface of the housing ( 191 of FIG. 1 ) of the vehicle navigation device 100 . Meanwhile, as described above, if the display module 141 is a touch screen, it can simultaneously serve as the data output unit 140 and the input unit 120 at the same time.

The audio output module 143 is a device for outputting data that can be audibly recognized by the vehicle navigation system 100 . The audio output module 143 may be implemented as a speaker expressing sound of data to be notified to a user including a driver by the vehicle navigation system 100 .

The first storage unit 150 is a device for storing data required for the operation of the vehicle navigation system 100 and data generated by the operation. The first storage unit 150 may be a memory built into the vehicle navigation device 100 or a removable memory. The data required for the operation of the vehicle navigation device 100 may include an OS, a route search application, a map, and the like. In addition, the data generated by the operation of the vehicle navigation apparatus 100 may be searched route data, a received image, and the like. On the other hand, the storage unit has the same meaning as the memory and is only a difference in expression.

The power supply unit 160 is a device for supplying power necessary for the operation of the vehicle navigation device 100 or the operation of another device connected to the vehicle navigation device 100 . The power supply unit 160 may be a device that receives power from a battery built into the vehicle navigation device 100 or an external power source such as a vehicle. In addition, the power supply unit 160 may be implemented as the first wired communication module 119 or as a wirelessly supplied device depending on the form of receiving power.

The first controller 170 is a device that outputs a control signal for controlling various operations of the vehicle navigation device 100 . Furthermore, the first controller 170 may output a control signal for controlling another device connected to the vehicle navigation device 100 .

4 is a block diagram of a vehicle black box according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 .

As shown, the vehicle black box 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a second communication unit 210 , an AV input unit 220 , a user input unit 230 , a sensing unit 240 , A second storage unit 250 may be included.

The second communication unit 210 is a device capable of communicating with the first communication unit 110 of the vehicle navigation system ( 100 of FIG. 3 ) or another device. The second communication unit 210 may include a second short-range communication module 211 and a second wired communication module 213 . The second short-range communication module 211 may communicate with the first short-range communication module 117 of FIG. 3 , and the second wired communication module 213 may communicate with the first wired communication module 119 .

The AV input unit 220 is a device capable of acquiring sound and images. The AV input unit 220 may include a camera module 221 and a second microphone module 223 .

The camera module 221 may acquire images inside and outside the vehicle in which the vehicle black box 200 is mounted. As described above, the camera module 221 may be implemented as a black box camera ( 222 in FIG. 1 ).

The second microphone module 223 may acquire sounds generated inside and outside the vehicle. The sound acquired through the second microphone module 223 may be used to control the operation of the vehicle black box 200 . For example, when a stronger sound than usual is received through the second microphone module 223 , the camera module 221 may acquire an image with a higher resolution. The second microphone module 223 may be implemented as a black box microphone 223 .

The user input unit 230 is a device provided so that the user can directly manipulate the operation of the vehicle black box 200 . The user input unit 230 may be implemented as a push button (not shown) provided on the outside of the vehicle black box 200 . However, if the vehicle black box 200 is controlled by the control signal of the first controller (170 of FIG. 3 ) of the vehicle navigation system 100 of FIG. 3 , the user input unit 230 is may be excluded.

The sensing unit 240 may include a radar sensor 214 . The radar sensor 214 may be a millimeter wave radar sensor, and may detect a distance between an obstacle in front and the vehicle.

The second storage unit 250 is a device for storing data required for the operation of the vehicle black box 200 and data generated by the operation. The data stored in the second storage unit 250 may be an image acquired through the camera module 221 . The second storage unit 250 may be embedded in the vehicle black box 200 or may be a memory detachable from the vehicle black box 200 .

The second control unit 270 is a device that outputs a control signal for controlling various operations of the vehicle black box 200 . The second controller 270 may be affected by a control signal of the first controller ( 170 of FIG. 3 ) of the vehicle navigation system ( 100 of FIG. 3 ). That is, the second control unit 270 may be subordinate to the first control unit ( 170 in FIG. 3 ).

5 is a block diagram of a communication network including the safe distance providing system shown in FIG. 3 .

As shown here, for convenience of description, it is assumed that the safe distance providing system is the navigation system 10 . The navigation system 10 may connect with various communication networks and other electronic devices 61 to 64 .

The navigation system 10 may calculate the current position using the radio signal received from the artificial satellite 20 . Each of the satellites 20 may transmit an L-band frequency having a different frequency band. The navigation system 10 may calculate the current location based on the time it takes for the L-band frequency transmitted from each satellite 20 to reach the navigation system 10 .

The navigation system 10 may wirelessly connect to the network 30 through the control station 40 (ACR), the base station 50 (RAS), and the like through the first communication unit ( 110 of FIG. 3 ). When the navigation system 10 is connected to the network 30 , data may be exchanged by indirectly connecting with the electronic devices 61 and 62 connected to the network 30 .

The navigation system 10 may connect to the network 30 indirectly through another device 63 having a communication function. For example, when a device capable of accessing the network 30 is not provided in the navigation system 10 , it is communicated with another device 63 having a communication function through a first short-range communication module ( 117 in FIG. 3 ) or the like. It means you can communicate.

Hereinafter, an electronic device, a system and method for providing a safe distance according to the present invention will be described in detail. For convenience of description, it is assumed that the electronic device is a vehicle navigation device. Here, the vehicle navigation device may include an image acquisition unit (eg, a camera). That is, it may be a black box integrated navigation system. Also, the electronic device may be a communication type navigation device that communicates with an external device.

6 to 18 , a method of providing an appropriate braking distance according to a distance from a vehicle in front and providing a guidance message based on road condition information in front and braking distance information according to the driving speed of the vehicle A flowchart and an electronic device for explaining the same will be described.

Here, the front road condition information may be obtained from the vehicle black box 200 physically separated from the vehicle navigation device 100 (connected through wired or wireless communication). That is, by receiving an image of the front from the camera provided in the vehicle black box 200 , information on the road condition in the front can be obtained.

However, when an image acquisition unit (eg, a camera ( 125 in FIG. 3 )) is included in the vehicle navigation device 100 , forward road condition information may be acquired from the vehicle navigation device 100 itself. That is, the electronic device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention may be a black box-integrated navigation device in which the black box and navigation functions are integrally combined.

6 is a diagram for explaining an example of a target to which a guide message is to be provided among vehicles in front. A first front vehicle exists in front of the vehicle 11 traveling at the first speed, and a braking distance of the vehicle 11 corresponding to the first speed is referred to as L1.

Referring to FIG. 6 , the vehicle navigation device 100 may acquire the distance L3 from the vehicle black box 200 or the image acquisition unit of the navigation device itself to the first front vehicle 12 . Accordingly, the first control unit 170 of the vehicle navigation system 100 may check whether the first front vehicle 12 exists within the braking distance L1 corresponding to the first speed of the vehicle 11 . When the first front vehicle 12 is within the braking distance L1, the first control unit 170 may provide a guide message to the driver.

With respect to the second front vehicle 13 existing at a distance L4 forward from the vehicle 11 , since it is outside the braking distance L1 , the vehicle navigation system 100 is not a target to provide a guidance message. However, when the vehicle 11 travels at the second travel speed, the second front vehicle 13 exists within the braking distance L2 corresponding to the second travel speed of the vehicle 11 , and thus the vehicle navigation device 100 . may provide a guide message to the driver in relation to the second front vehicle 13 .

That is, the vehicle navigation device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention receives information on the vehicle ahead through the camera 221 of the black box 200 and through the GPS module 111 of the vehicle navigation device 100 . It is possible to obtain the driving speed of the vehicle. Then, the first control unit 170 of the vehicle navigation system 100 provides a safe distance to the driver of the vehicle by using the information on the front vehicle, for example, distance information from the vehicle in front and braking distance information corresponding to the driving speed of the vehicle. You can provide a guide message to keep you.

7 is a flowchart illustrating a method for providing a safe distance according to an embodiment of the present invention. 8 to 9 are diagrams for explaining an example of a method for providing a safe distance according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 7 .

The method for providing a safe distance may be executed under the control of the first controller 170 of the vehicle navigation system 100 . Hereinafter, it will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4 , which are block diagrams of the vehicle navigation system 100 and the vehicle black box 200 . Also, the vehicle navigation device 100 may be a black box-integrated navigation system including an image acquisition unit (eg, a camera). Also, the vehicle navigation device 100 may be a communication type navigation device.

First, the vehicle navigation device 100 may acquire information on a road condition in front of it. The road condition information may be acquired through the image acquisition unit 125 of the vehicle navigation system 100 .

However, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, it may be obtained by receiving from the vehicle navigation system 100 and the vehicle black box 200 connected to the vehicle through wired or wireless communication. The second communication unit 210 of the vehicle black box 200 may transmit the front vehicle information to the vehicle navigation system 100 . The forward road condition information obtained through the camera 221 of the black box 200 may be, for example, an image of a vehicle in front. The image may be a still image or a moving image. In addition, the front road condition information may be distance information from a vehicle in front or information related to a road condition.

The distance information from the vehicle in front may be acquired through a specific image processing process for an image acquired by the image acquisition unit 125 of the vehicle navigation device 100 .

Meanwhile, the vehicle navigation device 100 may obtain forward road condition information including distance information from the vehicle in front from an external server connected to a wireless network through the first communication unit 110 .

Also, it may be obtained through the sensing unit 240 of the black box 200 . The sensing unit 240 of the black box 200 may be a millimeter wave sensor. For example, it may be a millimeter wave radar, and by using the millimeter wave laser, a distance to a vehicle in front or a relative speed of two vehicles may be detected.

Meanwhile, the forward vehicle information may be a forward vehicle traveling in the same lane as the driving vehicle, but is not limited thereto. That is, when the vehicle is traveling in the first lane among the road consisting of three lanes, the front image captured through the black box 200 is not only the vehicle in the first lane, but also the second lane or the third lane. may include an image of the vehicle in front of

In particular, when the vehicle in front driving in the second lane changes the vehicle driving direction to the first lane, there is a need to provide a guide alarm or a guide message to the driver through the method for providing a safe distance according to an embodiment of the present invention. . In particular, when the driving speed is high, when a vehicle ahead in the second lane changes lanes to the first lane, it is necessary to drive while securing a braking distance corresponding to the driving speed.

Referring to FIG. 7 , the vehicle navigation system 100 may acquire the forward road condition information through the image acquisition unit 125 ( S100 ).

When the vehicle navigation device 100 receives the front vehicle information (hereinafter, it is assumed that the front vehicle information is distance information separated from the vehicle) from the black box 200, the controller 170 controls the GPS module ( 111), it is possible to obtain the speed at which the vehicle is currently traveling (S110).

Then, the control unit 170 may check a braking distance corresponding to the acquired driving speed of the vehicle (S120), and determine whether the front vehicle exists within the braking distance (S130). That is, by comparing the braking distance corresponding to the driving speed of the vehicle and the distance information of the vehicle in front obtained from the image acquisition unit 125 of the navigation or the black box 200, the vehicle in front is within the braking distance according to the driving speed. You can check if this exists.

The control unit 170 may obtain information about a braking distance corresponding to the driving speed through the first storage unit 150 . The first storage unit 150 may store a braking distance corresponding to the driving speed of the vehicle.

Hereinafter, the braking distance information according to the driving speed stored through the first storage unit 150 of the vehicle navigation system 100 will be first described with reference to FIG. 8 .

8 illustrates an example of a form in which braking distances for each driving speed stored in a memory of an electronic device are matched and stored according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 8 , a braking distance matched for each driving speed may be stored in a table format.

For example, the braking distance corresponding to the speed of 70 km/h may be 35 m, and thus the safety distance may be 51 m. Here, the braking distance refers to a distance traveled from starting to apply braking to the vehicle's wheels until the vehicle is completely stopped. Accordingly, although the braking distance corresponding to the speed of 70 km/h is 35 m, the first storage unit 150 may store the safety distance information together by applying the concept of a safety distance greater than the braking distance in preparation for an additional situation. And the braking distance corresponding to 100 km/h is 56 m (safe distance 74 m), and the braking distance corresponding to 130 km/h is 72 m (safe distance 90 m). As such, the first storage unit 150 may match and store information related to a braking distance and a safety distance corresponding to the driving speed of the vehicle, and the first control unit 170 may store the information detected through the GPS module 111 . The braking distance corresponding to the vehicle speed may be read from the first storage unit 150 .

Meanwhile, the braking distance is proportional to the traveling speed of the vehicle, but may be affected by factors other than the traveling speed of the vehicle. Accordingly, the first storage unit 150 may also store braking distance information using the other factor affecting the braking distance of the vehicle as an additional condition.

For example, the braking distance may vary according to a friction coefficient of a road surface. The friction coefficient and the braking distance are in inverse proportion to each other. Thus, although traveling at the same speed, the braking distance on a dry road may be smaller than the braking distance on a wet road. The friction coefficient of the dry road is 0.8, the friction coefficient of the wet road is 0.6, and the friction coefficient of the road at the beginning of the rain is 0.4. That is, the braking distance when it starts to rain may be twice as much as usual.

Accordingly, the first storage unit 150 of the vehicle navigation device 100 may store braking distance information in consideration of various factors that may affect the braking distance. For example, on a wet road (friction coefficient is 0.6), braking distance information may be stored for each driving speed of the vehicle. In addition, it is possible to store information on the braking distance for each driving speed of the vehicle on a road in the initial stage of rain (a coefficient of friction of 0.4) and information on a braking distance for each driving speed of the vehicle on a dry road (with a coefficient of friction of 0.8). That is, the braking distance of the vehicle may be affected by the weather. This is because the friction coefficient may be small in the condition of the road surface in rainy or snowy weather.

Accordingly, the vehicle navigation device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention may check the road surface condition or the weather condition from the forward road condition information obtained through the image acquisition unit 125 or the black box 200 of the navigation system. . For example, the image processing unit 171 of the first control unit 170 may determine whether the road condition is dry or wet through a predetermined image processing process.

The vehicle navigation system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention predicts a road surface condition through an image captured by the image acquisition unit 125 or the black box 200, and considers the friction coefficient of the road. can be provided by calculating an appropriate braking distance of

Referring back to FIG. 7 , when the vehicle ahead is within the braking distance (S130: YES), the controller 170 may provide a guide message to the driver of the vehicle.

The guide message may be provided in the form of a predetermined text message through the display unit 141 or may be provided in the form of a voice guide through the audio output unit 143 . Meanwhile, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, it may be provided in the form of a guide alarm through the audio output unit 143 . The guidance message or the guidance alarm is, when the driver of the vehicle brakes suddenly due to a sudden stop of the vehicle in front while driving at the current driving speed, since there is a high probability that the vehicle ahead is within the braking distance according to the driving speed, In order to avoid collisions, the driving speed of the vehicle can be reduced to induce a safe distance.

As described above, the forward road condition information obtained from the image acquisition unit 125 or the black box 200 may include at least one of image information and distance information from a vehicle in front.

* FIGS. 9 to 10B are diagrams for explaining an example of a method for providing a safe distance according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 7 .

Referring to FIG. 9 , front image information acquired from the image acquisition unit 125 of the vehicle navigation device 100 may be displayed on the display unit 141 of the navigation device.

Alternatively, the front image information captured by the camera 221 of the black box 200 may be transmitted to the vehicle navigation system 100 through the second communication unit 210 , for example, the short-range communication module 211 . The control unit 170 of the vehicle navigation system 100 may display image information received from the black box 200 on the display unit 141 .

Since the image information may be a real-time image, road conditions in front (eg, lane change conditions of vehicles in front) may be provided in real time through the screen of the vehicle navigation device 100 .

FIG. 10A is an example of obtaining distance information from the vehicle in front from the image acquisition unit 125 or the black box 200 of the vehicle navigation device 100 and displaying the information on the screen of the vehicle navigation device 100 .

As described above, the sensing unit 240 of the black box 200 may include a radar sensor 241 . Through the radar sensor 241 , a distance to the preceding vehicle 12 in the same lane as the lane in which the vehicle travels or a neighboring lane may be detected. The vehicle navigation device 100 may receive distance information from the vehicle in front detected through the black box 200 through the second short-distance communication module 211 .

In addition, the distance information to the vehicle in front 12 may be displayed on the display unit 141 of the vehicle navigation system 100 . The control unit 170 of the vehicle navigation system 100 may display information on the distance to the front vehicle 12 together on the display unit 141 during driving guidance while providing map information.

Meanwhile, the controller 170 may guide the distance information as a voice message through the audio output module 143 .

In addition, the controller 170 may detect the driving speed of the vehicle through the GPS module 111 and read a braking distance corresponding to the driving speed from the first storage unit 150 . Thereafter, by comparing the distance information to the front vehicle 12 with the braking distance information read from the first storage unit 150 , if the braking distance is greater than the distance to the front vehicle 12 , It is possible to provide a voice message to reduce the driving speed. Accordingly, it is possible to induce safe driving without the risk of collision with a vehicle in front during sudden braking.

9 and 10A illustrate examples of information about the vehicle ahead obtained through the black box 200 of the image acquisition unit 125 of the vehicle navigation system 100 . However, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, in addition to the front image of the vehicle shown in FIG. 9 and distance information from the front vehicle shown in FIG. 10A, as shown in FIG. 10B, when sudden braking while driving at the current speed, a collision with the vehicle in front is possible Whether or not it can be provided as a demo video. The demo image may be provided as a PIP or PBP screen 25 separately from the driving guidance image.

Referring to FIG. 10B , when the driving speed of the vehicle becomes greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold (eg, a speed limit according to road regulations), the demo image is split screen along with the guide message 22 shown in FIG. 10A . can be provided as

In addition, the controller 170 may detect the driving speed of the vehicle through the GPS module 111 and read a braking distance corresponding to the driving speed from the first storage unit 150 . Thereafter, by comparing the distance information to the front vehicle 12 with the braking distance information read from the first storage unit 150 , if the braking distance is greater than the distance to the front vehicle 12 , It is possible to provide a voice message to reduce the driving speed. Accordingly, it is possible to induce safe driving without the risk of collision with a vehicle in front during sudden braking.

11 is a diagram illustrating an example of a method for providing a safe distance according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 9 . 12 is a view for explaining an example of a method for providing a safe distance according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 11 . The method for providing a safe distance may be executed under the control of the first controller 170 of the vehicle navigation system 100 .

Hereinafter, a description will be given with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4 , which are block diagrams of the vehicle navigation system 100 and the black box 200 . In addition, items overlapping with the above-described items among the items described below will be omitted.

The present invention may induce safer driving by providing an appropriate braking distance according to the driving speed of the vehicle to the vehicle driver. Accordingly, data on an appropriate braking distance according to the driving speed of the vehicle may be more sophisticated.

The vehicle navigation device 100 may have a vehicle account book function, and may provide a braking distance according to the driving speed of the vehicle in consideration of vehicle specifications input through the vehicle account book.

The specifications of the vehicle are, for example, size (mm), length × width × height, weight (kg), tire, engine type, year, maximum output (horsepower/rpm), maximum torque (kgm/ rpm), maximum speed (km), fuel efficiency (km/l), and displacement (cc) may be selected by being inputted. The inputted items may be stored in the first storage unit 150 .

Even if the vehicle is driven at the same speed, the older the year of the vehicle and the greater the weight of the vehicle, the longer the braking distance may be. Accordingly, the controller 170 may improve the reliability of the braking distance according to the speed provided to the vehicle driver as the number of the parameters selected by the user input increases.

When the vehicle specifications are input by the user input (S50), the front road condition information is received (S100), and when the vehicle driving speed information is obtained (S110), the controller 170 receives the vehicle specifications Taking this into consideration, the braking distance according to the driving speed may be checked from the first storage unit 150 . If a vehicle in front exists within the braking distance (S130: YES), safety distance information according to the driving speed of the vehicle may be provided through the display unit 141 or the audio output module 143 in consideration of vehicle specifications.

13 is a flowchart illustrating a method for providing a safe distance according to an embodiment of the present invention. 14 is a view for explaining an example of a method for providing a safe distance according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 13 . The method for providing a safe distance may be executed under the control of the first controller 170 of the vehicle navigation system 100 .

When the vehicle in front is within a braking distance according to the driving speed of the vehicle, the control unit 170 of the vehicle navigation unit 100 may provide vehicle speed information when the distance to the vehicle in front is regarded as a safe distance. have. That is, in the above example, if a vehicle in front exists within a braking distance according to the driving speed of the vehicle, a guidance message is provided. When considered, it can provide appropriate speed information.

As shown in FIG. 8 , the first storage unit 150 of the vehicle navigation device 100 stores braking distance information and safety distance information for each driving speed. When distance information with the vehicle in front is acquired through the image acquisition unit 125 or the black box 200, the controller 170 may recognize the acquired distance information as a braking distance or a safety distance (S141); Also, driving speed information corresponding to the recognized braking distance (or safety distance) may be read from the memory 151 and provided through the output unit 140 .

Through this, the vehicle navigation device 100 may induce safe driving by maintaining a safe distance from the vehicle in front.

14 is a screen for providing a speed at which a distance to a vehicle in front can be set as a safe distance.

When the distance from the vehicle in front obtained through the image acquisition unit 125 or the black box 200 of the vehicle navigation system 100 is 35 m, the controller 170 sets the distance from the vehicle in front to the braking distance or safety distance of 35 m. , and the recommended driving speed corresponding thereto may be obtained and provided from the first storage unit 150 . That is, since the distance from the vehicle 12 in front is 35 m, the control unit 170 sets a speed at which the driver can stop safely without exceeding the braking distance of 35 m even if the vehicle 11 suddenly brakes while driving at 70 km/h. can recommend to

15 is a flowchart illustrating a method for providing a safe distance according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 16 is a diagram for explaining an example of a method for providing a safe distance for an electronic device according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 15 . The method for providing a safe distance may be executed under the control of the first controller 170 of the vehicle navigation system 100 . Hereinafter, it will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4 , which are block diagrams of the vehicle navigation system 100 and the black box 200 .

The control unit 170 of the vehicle navigation system 100 is configured to adjust the driving speed to a real-time road image in front of the vehicle provided through the vehicle navigation system 100 when a vehicle in front exists within a braking distance according to the driving speed of the vehicle. An appropriate braking distance may be provided by matching it on the real-time road image (S144).

For example, the image acquisition unit 125 or the black box 200 may acquire an image of a road ahead. Also, the black box 200 may acquire distance information from at least one front vehicle among at least one front vehicle through the radar sensor 241 of the sensing unit 240 . Accordingly, the controller 170 may provide the obtained real-time front road image through the display unit 141 and match the distance information with the real-time front road image and display it.

That is, on the driving guidance screen provided through the vehicle navigation device 100 , the distance L1 to the vehicle in front 11_1 may be displayed, and an identifier (eg, an arrow) for identifying the distance information may be displayed. ) to provide distance information to the vehicle in front.

17 is a flowchart illustrating a method for providing a safe distance according to an embodiment of the present invention. 18 is a view for explaining an example of a method for providing a safe distance according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 17 . The method for providing a safe distance may be executed under the control of the first controller 170 of the vehicle navigation system 100 .

The braking distance of the vehicle may be affected by factors other than the traveling speed of the vehicle, as described above. For example, if the friction coefficient of the road changes according to the road surface condition of the road on which the vehicle is being driven, in this embodiment, the vehicle navigation device 100 provides appropriate braking distance information in consideration of the vehicle traveling speed and the road surface condition of the road. It is possible to improve the reliability of the braking distance provision service through

18 , the image acquisition unit 125 or the black box 200 may acquire an image of a road in front of the vehicle through a camera 221 . Since the road image includes a real-time image, a road surface condition may be detected from the acquired image through a predetermined image processing process.

On the other hand, as described above, the first storage unit 150 of the vehicle navigation device 100 includes a braking distance according to a road surface condition of a road on which the vehicle travels, a driving speed of the vehicle, and a safety distance corresponding to the braking distance, and Relevant information can be stored.

Meanwhile, the vehicle navigation device 100 may include a wireless Internet module 113 or a broadcast transmission/reception module 115 . Accordingly, the car navigation system 100 may be provided with predetermined weather information and road surface condition information corresponding to the weather information by accessing a specific server using the wireless Internet module 100 .

The vehicle navigation system 100 may acquire information related to road conditions through the image acquisition unit 125 , the black box 200 , or an external server (refer to FIG. 5 ). Accordingly, appropriate braking distance information may be obtained from the first storage unit 150 in consideration of the road surface condition information and the driving speed of the vehicle and provided to the vehicle driver. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 5 , the vehicle navigation device 100 may acquire information related to the road condition through various devices 61 to 65 connected to the external network 30 .

Those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains will understand that the present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without changing the technical spirit or essential features thereof. For example, the safety distance providing method of the present invention may be implemented through software. When executed as software, the constituent means of the present invention are code segments that perform the necessary tasks. The program or code segments may be stored on a processor-readable medium or transmitted by a computer data signal coupled with a carrier wave in a transmission medium or a communication network.

The computer-readable recording medium includes all types of recording devices in which data readable by a computer system is stored. Examples of the computer-readable recording device include ROM, RAM, CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, DVD-RAM, magnetic tape, floppy disk, hard disk, and optical data storage device. In addition, the computer-readable recording medium is distributed in network-connected computer devices so that the computer-readable code can be stored and executed in a distributed manner.

Therefore, it should be understood that the embodiments described above are illustrative of all specifications and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is indicated by the claims described below rather than the above detailed description, and all changes or modifications derived from the meaning and scope of the claims and their equivalent concepts are interpreted as being included in the scope of the present invention. should be

10: navigation system 20: satellite
30: network 40: control station
50: base station 100: vehicle navigation
120: input unit 140: output unit
150: first storage unit 152: image acquisition unit
160: power unit 170: first control unit
200: vehicle black box 210: second communication unit
220: AV input 230: user input
240: second sensing unit 260: second storage unit
300: communication cable

Claims (19)

a front sensing unit that calculates a distance from a vehicle in front of the vehicle;
an image acquisition unit configured to acquire forward images of a first lane, which is a lane in which the vehicle is traveling, and a second lane, which is a left or right lane of the first lane;
an output unit for outputting the obtained front image; and
a control unit that calculates a braking distance to the front vehicle by using the driving speed of the vehicle when the vehicle in front is present on the first lane in the obtained forward image; and
The control unit is
When the vehicle ahead in the acquired image is on the second lane, when the driving direction of the vehicle in front on the second lane is changed to the first lane, when the vehicle ahead is located on the second lane The braking distance to the vehicle is further calculated using the driving speed of the vehicle,
determining whether to provide a guide message to the driver through the output unit according to whether the front distance between the vehicle ahead and the vehicle is within the braking distance;
When the driving speed of the vehicle is equal to or greater than the threshold speed, and the direction of the vehicle in front driving in the second lane is changed to the first lane,
The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the electronic device is configured to control to output a guidance alarm or a guidance message including an identification mark for identifying a direction to the driver through the output unit. delete delete The method of claim 1,
The control unit calculates a braking distance according to the driving speed in consideration of road condition information in front,
The road condition information is
The electronic device comprising at least one of a front image of the vehicle, distance information from the vehicle in front, and road condition information. The method of claim 1,
The control unit generates a guide message related to the vehicle in front to the driver of the vehicle by using the distance between the vehicle in front and the safety distance calculated by reflecting an additional situation when braking to the braking distance of the vehicle . The method of claim 1,
The control unit is
When the vehicle in front is within a safe distance in consideration of the braking distance, the guidance message is provided,
While displaying the distance to the vehicle in front, the braking distance, the guidance alarm, or the guidance message on the screen displaying the acquired front image, map data for route search of the vehicle is divided into the screen by dividing the screen. and controlling the output unit to display. 7. The method of claim 6,
The safety distance is an electronic device, characterized in that predefined according to a user input. The method of claim 1,
The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising a memory for storing a braking distance according to the driving speed of the vehicle and a safety distance corresponding to the braking distance. The method of claim 1,
The control unit is
The electronic device of claim 1, wherein a distance between the vehicle and the vehicle in front is a braking distance, and speed information corresponding to the braking distance is provided. a front sensing device for sensing a front of a first lane, which is a lane in which the vehicle is traveling, and a second lane, which is a left or right lane of the first lane;
a storage device for storing vehicle specifications; and
As a result of sensing the front of the vehicle by the sensing device, when the vehicle in front is on the first lane, the control device is configured to calculate the braking distance to the vehicle in front by using the driving speed of the vehicle and the distance to the vehicle in front. including;
The control device is
When the vehicle in front is on the second lane, when the driving direction of the vehicle in front on the second lane is changed to the first lane, the braking distance from the vehicle ahead It is further calculated using the driving speed of the vehicle,
determining whether to provide a guidance message to the driver through an output unit according to whether the front distance between the front vehicle and the vehicle exists within the braking distance;
When the driving speed of the vehicle is equal to or greater than the threshold speed, and the direction of the vehicle in front driving in the second lane is changed to the first lane,
and controlling to output a guidance alarm or guidance message including an identification mark for identifying a direction to the driver through the output unit. delete 11. The method of claim 10,
Safety characterized in that the control device generates a guide message related to the vehicle in front to the driver of the vehicle by using the distance between the vehicle in front and the safety distance calculated by reflecting an additional situation when braking to the braking distance of the vehicle distance provision system. storing the specifications of the vehicle;
sensing the front of a first lane that is a lane in which the vehicle is traveling and a second lane that is a left or right lane of the first lane;
obtaining a traveling speed of the vehicle in consideration of a distance between the vehicle and the front vehicle and specifications of the vehicle when a vehicle in front exists on the first lane as a result of sensing the front of the vehicle;
calculating a braking distance according to the driving speed;
generating a guidance message related to the vehicle in front to a driver of the vehicle when the vehicle in front is within the calculated braking distance;
The calculating step is
When the vehicle ahead in the acquired image is on the second lane, when the driving direction of the vehicle in front on the second lane is changed to the first lane, when the vehicle ahead is located on the second lane The braking distance to the vehicle is further calculated using the driving speed of the vehicle and the calculated distance to the front vehicle,
The generating step is
determining whether to generate a guidance message to the driver through an output unit according to whether the front distance between the front vehicle and the vehicle exists within the braking distance;
When the driving speed of the vehicle is equal to or greater than the threshold speed, and the direction of the vehicle in front driving in the second lane is changed to the first lane,
A method for providing a safe distance for a vehicle, characterized in that controlling to output a guidance alarm or a guidance message including an identification mark for identifying a direction to the driver through the output unit. delete delete 14. The method of claim 13,
In the calculating step, a braking distance according to the driving speed is calculated in consideration of road condition information in front,
The road condition information is
A method for providing a safe distance for a vehicle, comprising at least one of a front image of the vehicle, distance information from the vehicle in front, and road condition information. 14. The method of claim 13,
In the calculating step, a safety distance is calculated by reflecting an additional situation when braking to the braking distance of the vehicle,
In the generating, a guide message related to the vehicle in front is generated to the driver of the vehicle by using the distance between the vehicles in front. 18. The method of claim 17,
The generating step is
When the vehicle in front is within a safe distance in consideration of the braking distance, the guidance message is provided,
While providing the distance to the vehicle in front, the braking distance, the guidance alarm, or the guidance message on the screen showing the acquired front image, map data for route search of the vehicle is divided and provided on the screen A method of providing a safe distance for a vehicle, characterized in that A computer-readable recording medium in which a program for executing the method of any one of claims 13 and 16 to 18 is recorded.

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