TWI682861B - Vehicle warning device and operation method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

A vehicle warning device includes a detecting unit, a first warning sound module and a processing unit. The detecting unit is disposed on a vehicle for detecting whether a relative distance and a relative orientation between the vehicle and an object, and a driving speed of the vehicle comply with a safety warning level, where the safety warning level includes a first, a second and a third security warning range. The first warning sound module sends a first warning sound when the vehicle and the object are within the first safety warning range, sends the first warning sound according to the orientation of the object when the vehicle and the object are in the second safety warning range, and sends a second warning sound when the vehicle and the object are in the third safety warning range. The processing unit is connected to the first warning sound module and the detecting unit to determine whether to send the first warning sound or the second warning sound.

Description

Vehicle warning device and its operating method

The invention relates to a warning device, and in particular to a warning device for a vehicle and an operation method thereof.

At present, the warning sound device used in quiet vehicles (such as electric vehicles) mainly uses various detectors (such as infrared detectors) to detect whether there are pedestrians or vehicles within the effective distance in front of them to determine whether to emit a warning sound. To achieve the effect of warning pedestrians or vehicles. However, the current warning sound device can only emit a single warning sound, and does not set a multi-level warning sound according to the vehicle's driving distance, vehicle speed and safety distance level, which needs further improvement.

The invention relates to a vehicle warning device and its operation method, which can judge the current safety warning level according to the detected relative distance, relative speed and current vehicle speed, so as to determine the size, direction and type of the warning sound that should be emitted currently Wait.

According to one aspect of the present invention, a warning device for a vehicle is provided, which includes a detection unit, a first warning sound module, and a processing unit. The detection unit is provided on a vehicle to detect the relative distance and relative distance between the vehicle and an object to be measured Whether the bearing and the driving speed of the vehicle meet a safety warning level. The safety warning level includes at least a first safety warning range, a second safety warning range, and a third safety warning range. The first warning sound module emits a first warning sound when the vehicle and the object to be tested are within the first safety warning range. The first warning sound module emits a first warning sound according to the orientation of the test object when the vehicle and the test object are within the second safety warning range, and the first warning sound module is in the third safety warning for the vehicle and the test object When within the range, a second warning sound is emitted. The processing unit is connected to the first warning sound module and the detection unit to determine whether the vehicle and the object under test are within the first safety warning range, the second safety warning range or the third safety warning range to determine whether the first warning sound is emitted Or the second warning sound.

According to one aspect of the present invention, an operation method of a warning device for a vehicle is proposed, including the following steps. Activate a detection function; detect whether the relative distance, relative orientation and driving speed of a vehicle and a test object meet at least one safety warning level, the safety warning level includes at least a first safety warning range, a second safety Warning range and a first safety warning range; when it is determined that the vehicle and the object to be tested are within the first safety warning range, a first warning sound is emitted; when it is determined that the vehicle and the object to be tested are within the second safety warning range, according to the test The first warning sound is emitted from the position of the object; when it is judged that the vehicle and the object to be tested are within the third safety warning range, a second warning sound is emitted.

In order to have a better understanding of the above and other aspects of the present invention, the following examples are specifically described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings as follows:

10‧‧‧ test object

12‧‧‧Vehicle

100‧‧‧Car warning device

110‧‧‧ detection unit

112‧‧‧Speed sensor

113‧‧‧Distance detection

114‧‧‧Azimuth detection

115‧‧‧Speed detection

120‧‧‧First warning sound module

122‧‧‧Second warning sound module

123‧‧‧ volume

124‧‧‧Direction

125‧‧‧Type

130‧‧‧Processing unit

S1‧‧‧First warning tone

S2‧‧‧Second warning tone

R1‧‧‧First safety warning range

R2‧‧‧Second safety warning range

R3‧‧‧The third safety warning range

A‧‧‧First output orientation

B‧‧‧Second output direction

C‧‧‧ Third output orientation

D‧‧‧Fourth output orientation

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a vehicle warning device according to an embodiment of the invention.

Figures 2A and 2B respectively show schematic diagrams for judging the safety warning level according to the relative distance or relative orientation between the vehicle and the object to be measured.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of an operation method of a vehicle warning device according to an embodiment of the invention.

The following is an example for detailed description. The example is only used as an example, not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. The following description uses the same/similar symbols to indicate the same/similar components. Directional terms mentioned in the following embodiments, for example: up, down, left, right, front or back, etc., are only directions referring to the drawings. Therefore, the directional terminology is used to illustrate rather than limit the invention.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a warning device for vehicles is proposed to detect whether there are pedestrians or vehicles within the safety warning range to decide whether to emit a warning sound. Please refer to FIG. 1, the vehicle warning device 100 includes a detection unit 110, a first warning sound module 120 and a processing unit 130 (for example, a computer or a central processing unit). In addition, the vehicle warning device 100 may further include a second warning sound module 122, which is disposed in a different orientation from the first warning sound module 120, for example. The first warning sound module 120 and the second warning sound module 122 are, for example, speakers.

There may be one or more first warning sound modules 120. The number of the second warning sound modules 122 may be one or more. The first warning sound module 120 is located, for example, in the first orientation (for example, left front) and the second orientation (for example, rear right) of the vehicle, and the second warning sound module 122 is, for example, located in the third position of the vehicle 12 (for example, front right) And the fourth orientation (e.g. rear left). The present invention does not limit the orientation and number of warning sound modules, and can also be installed directly in front of and behind the vehicle 12.

The detection unit 110 is disposed on a vehicle 12 to detect whether the relative distance, relative orientation, and driving speed of the vehicle 12 and a test object 10 (see FIGS. 2A and 2B) meet a safety warning level. The object to be measured 10 is, for example, a pedestrian or another vehicle traveling on the road, for example, a pedestrian passing through the road, a pedestrian walking along the road, a person riding a bicycle, a person riding a motorcycle, or the like.

The detection unit 110 is, for example, an infrared distance sensor, a laser distance sensor, an ultrasonic distance sensor, or a camera module with a distance sensing function. When the relative distance between the vehicle 12 and the object to be measured 10 is relatively short, the camera module can be used for detection, and when the relative distance between the vehicle 12 and the object to be tested 10 is relatively far, an ultrasonic distance sensor can be used Or laser distance sensor to detect. The infrared distance sensor, the laser distance sensor, the camera module, and the ultrasonic distance sensor can be used in combination, and the present invention does not limit this.

The warning device 100 for a vehicle may include a speed sensor 112, such as a speedometer or an optical encoder for a vehicle. The speed sensor 112 is used to detect whether the speed of the vehicle 12 is at a predetermined speed. Especially for quiet vehicles (such as electric vehicles), when the vehicle speed is less than 20km/hr, the noise emitted by the vehicle 12 may be Children or the elderly may have a phenomenon that the hearing sensitivity is relatively reduced and difficult to detect. Therefore, in an embodiment, the vehicle 12 is provided with a speed sensor 112 connected to the processing unit 130 to detect whether the speed of the vehicle 12 is less than a predetermined speed, when the speed of the vehicle 12 is less than a predetermined speed (for example, 50 km/hr) The processing unit 130 notifies the vehicle 12 to activate the safety warning function to emit the first warning sound S1 or the second warning sound S2.

The level of safety warning can be distinguished according to the detection method. The detection methods include distance detection 113, bearing detection 114 and speed detection 115. Taking the distance detection 113 as an example, the safety alert level may include a first safety alert range R1, a second safety alert range R2, and a third safety alert range R3, as shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B. When the detection unit 110 detects that the vehicle 12 and the object to be tested 10 are within the first safety warning range R1, the processing unit 130 may notify the first warning sound module 120 to emit the first warning sound S1. When the detection unit 110 detects that the vehicle 12 and the test object 10 are within the second safety warning range R2, the processing unit 130 may emit a first warning sound S1 according to the orientation of the test object 10. When the detection unit 110 detects that the vehicle 12 and the object to be tested 10 are within the third safety warning range R3, the processing unit 130 may notify the first warning sound module 120 to emit a second warning sound S2. In addition, in the same manner as described above, the processing unit 130 may also notify the second warning sound module 122 to emit the first warning sound S1 or the second warning sound S2.

The first warning sound module 120 can output the first warning sound S1 and the second warning sound S2 according to the volume 123, the direction 124 and the type 125. Similarly, the second warning sound module 122 can output the first warning sound S1 and the second warning sound S2 according to the volume 123, the direction 124 and the type 125. Taking the volume as an example, the first warning sound S1 has a first volume, and the second warning sound S2 has a second volume. When the vehicle 12 and the object to be measured 10 When the relative distance between them is short, the first warning sound module 120 can output a larger first volume. When the relative distance between the vehicle 12 and the object to be measured 10 is relatively long, the first warning sound module 120 may output a smaller second volume.

Or, in another embodiment, taking the output type as an example, the first warning sound S1 has a first frequency or a first tone, and the second warning sound S2 has a second frequency or a second tone. When the relative distance between the vehicle 12 and the object under test 10 is relatively short, the first warning sound module 120 may output a first frequency with a higher frequency or a relatively noisy first tone. When the relative distance between the vehicle 12 and the object 10 is far, the first warning sound module 120 may output a second frequency with a lower frequency or a second tone that is less noisy (monotonous).

Furthermore, in another embodiment, taking the output orientation as an example, the first warning sound module 120 has, for example, a first output orientation A (for example, left front) and a second output orientation B (for example, right back). When the orientation of the object to be measured 10 is relatively located in the first output orientation A, the first warning sound module 120 outputs the first warning sound S1 toward the first output orientation. When the orientation of the object to be measured 10 is relatively located in the second output orientation B, the first warning sound module 120 outputs the first warning sound S1 toward the second output orientation.

Similarly, the second warning sound module 122 has, for example, a third output orientation C (for example, front right) or a fourth output orientation D (for example, left rear). When the orientation between the vehicle 12 and the object 10 is relatively In the third output direction C, the second warning sound module 122 outputs the first warning sound S1 toward the third output direction C. When the orientation between the vehicle 12 and the object 10 is relatively located in the fourth output orientation D, the second warning sound module 122 outputs the first warning sound S1 toward the fourth output orientation D.

Please refer to FIG. 2A, the first safety warning range R1 is smaller than the second safety warning range R2, and the second safety warning range R2 is smaller than the third safety warning range R3, for example. The first safety warning range R1 is, for example, less than 5 meters, and the second safety warning range R2 is, for example, 5-25 meters. In addition, the third safety warning range R3 is, for example, 25-50 meters. When the vehicle 12 and the object under test 10 are within the first safety warning range R1 (not shown), if the vehicle 12 is in danger of collision with a pedestrian or other vehicles, the first warning sound module 120 may emit a louder volume Or high frequency or noisy first warning sound S1 to warn pedestrians or other vehicles. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 2B, when the vehicle 12 and the object under test 10 are within the second safety warning range R2, and there is no immediate danger of collision, the second warning sound module 122 may follow the object under test At the location where 10 is located, the first warning sound S1 is sounded with a horn to warn pedestrians or other vehicles. In addition, as shown in FIG. 2A, when the vehicle 12 and the object under test 10 are within the third safety warning range R3, the vehicle 12 may emit a second warning sound S2 with a low volume or low frequency or a relatively quiet sound to warn pedestrians or vehicles when Outside the third safety warning range R3, the first warning sound module 120 may choose not to emit any sound (in a mute state) to achieve the effect of reducing noise.

Please refer to FIGS. 1 and 3, wherein FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of an operation method of the vehicle warning device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. This operation method includes the following steps. In step S301, the vehicle 12 activates a detection unit 110 to activate a detection function. Next, in step S302, it is detected whether the relative distance, the relative orientation between the vehicle 12 and the object 10 and the driving speed of the vehicle 12 meet a safety warning level. For example, when the speed of the vehicle 12 is less than the predetermined speed, the processing unit 130 notifies the detection unit 110 to start detection. If the detection result matches, step S303 is performed. If If the detection result does not match, return to step S301 to continue the detection. In step S303, it is determined whether the vehicle 12 and the object under test 10 are within the first safety warning range R1. If so, step S304 is performed to emit the first warning sound S1. If not, go to step S305. In step S305, it is determined whether the vehicle 12 and the object under test 10 are within the second safety warning range R2. If so, step S306 is performed to emit a first warning sound S1 according to the orientation of the object under test 10. If not, go to step S307. In step S307, it is determined whether the vehicle 12 and the object under test 10 are within the third safety warning range R3. If so, step S308 is performed to emit a second warning sound S2. If not, step S309 is performed. In step 309, if the third safety warning range R3 is exceeded, step S310 is performed to enter the silent state, and the first warning sound S1 or the second warning sound S2 is not emitted.

In the above embodiment, the safety warning level may include a first safety warning range, a second safety range, and a third safety range. The processing unit can decide whether to issue a warning sound according to whether there are pedestrians or other vehicles within the safety warning range. The first warning sound module may emit a second warning sound with a low volume or low frequency or a first warning sound with a high volume or high frequency to warn pedestrians or vehicles 12.

In addition, the processing unit may also select to turn on the first warning sound module and/or the second warning sound module corresponding to the direction according to the position of the pedestrian or other vehicle, so as to warn against a specific object. In addition, the processing unit can also choose to enter the mute state according to the driving situation, without emitting the first warning sound or the second warning sound, so as to achieve the effect of reducing noise.

In summary, although the present invention has been disclosed as above with examples, it is not intended to limit the present invention. In the technical field of the invention Those with ordinary knowledge can make various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention shall be deemed as defined by the scope of the attached patent application.

100‧‧‧Car warning device

110‧‧‧ detection unit

112‧‧‧Speed sensor

113‧‧‧Distance detection

114‧‧‧Azimuth detection

115‧‧‧Speed detection

120‧‧‧First warning sound module

122‧‧‧Second warning sound module

123‧‧‧ volume

124‧‧‧Direction

125‧‧‧Type

130‧‧‧Processing unit

Claims (14)

A warning device for a vehicle includes: a detection unit, which is provided on a vehicle to detect whether the relative distance and relative orientation between the vehicle and a test object and the driving speed of the vehicle conform to a safety warning level. The warning level includes at least a first safety warning range, a second safety warning range, and a third safety warning range; a first warning sound module, when the vehicle and the object under test are within the first safety warning range Emit a first warning sound, when the vehicle and the object under test are within the second safety warning range, issue the first warning sound according to the orientation of the object under test, when the vehicle and the object under test are in the second When the three safety warning ranges, a second warning sound is emitted; and a processing unit is connected to the first warning sound module and the detection unit to determine whether the vehicle and the object to be tested are within the first safety warning range , Within the second safety warning range or the third safety warning range, to determine whether to emit the first warning sound or the second warning sound; wherein the first warning sound has a first frequency and the second warning sound has a The second frequency, the first frequency is higher than the second frequency. The vehicle warning device as described in item 1 of the patent application scope, wherein the first safety warning range is smaller than the second safety warning range, and the second safety warning range is smaller than the third safety warning range. The vehicle warning device as described in item 1 of the patent application, wherein the first warning sound has a first volume, the second warning sound has a second volume, and the first volume is greater than the second volume. The vehicle warning device as described in item 1 of the patent application range, wherein the first warning sound has a first tone, and the second warning sound has a second tone, and the first tone is noisy relative to the second tone. The vehicle warning device as described in item 1 of the patent application scope, wherein the first warning sound module has a first output orientation and a second output orientation, when the orientation of the object to be measured is relatively located in the first output orientation At this time, the first warning sound module outputs the first warning sound toward the first output orientation. When the orientation of the object to be measured is relatively located in the second output orientation, the first warning sound module outputs the first warning sound toward the second output orientation. The vehicle warning device as described in item 1 of the patent application scope further includes a speed sensor connected to the processing unit to detect whether the driving speed of the vehicle is at a predetermined speed. The vehicle warning device as described in item 1 of the patent application scope, wherein the detection unit includes an infrared distance sensor, a laser distance sensor, an ultrasonic distance sensor, a camera module with a distance sensing function or Its combination. An operation method of a vehicle warning device includes: initiating a detection function; detecting whether the relative distance and relative orientation between a vehicle and a test object and the driving speed of the vehicle meet at least one safety warning level, and the safety warning level at least Including a first safety warning range, a second safety warning range and a first safety warning range; when it is judged that the vehicle and the object to be tested are within the first safety warning range, a first warning sound is emitted; the vehicle is judged When the object under test is within the second safety warning range, the first warning sound is issued according to the orientation of the object under test; and when it is determined that the vehicle and the object under test are within the third safety warning range, a A second warning sound; wherein the first warning sound has a first frequency, the second warning sound has a second frequency, and the first frequency is higher than the second frequency. The operation method as described in item 8 of the patent application scope, wherein the first safety warning range is smaller than the second safety warning range, and the second safety warning range is smaller than the third safety warning range. The operation method as described in item 9 of the patent application scope, wherein when the vehicle and the object to be tested exceed the third safety warning range, the method further includes entering a silent state. The operation method as described in item 8 of the patent application range, wherein the first warning sound has a first volume, the second warning sound has a second volume, and the first volume is greater than the second volume. The operation method as described in item 8 of the patent application scope, wherein the first warning tone has a first tone, the second warning tone has a second tone, and the first tone is noisy relative to the second tone. The operation method as described in item 8 of the patent application scope, wherein the first warning sound module has a first output orientation and a second output orientation, when the orientation of the object to be measured is relatively located in the first output orientation, The first warning sound module outputs the first warning sound toward the first output orientation; when the orientation of the object to be measured is relatively located in the second output orientation, the first warning sound module outputs toward the second output orientation The first warning sound. The operation method as described in item 8 of the patent application scope, wherein detecting the relative distance between the vehicle and the object to be measured includes using an infrared distance sensor, a laser distance sensor, an ultrasonic distance sensor, having Camera module for distance sensing function or a combination thereof.

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