US20210197721A1 - Warning system implemented in a vehicle and method thereof - Google Patents
Warning system implemented in a vehicle and method thereof Download PDFInfo
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- US20210197721A1 US20210197721A1 US17/199,379 US202117199379A US2021197721A1 US 20210197721 A1 US20210197721 A1 US 20210197721A1 US 202117199379 A US202117199379 A US 202117199379A US 2021197721 A1 US2021197721 A1 US 2021197721A1
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- 230000004438 eyesight Effects 0.000 description 4
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- 238000013459 approach Methods 0.000 description 3
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- 238000013461 design Methods 0.000 description 2
- 230000010354 integration Effects 0.000 description 2
- 230000008569 process Effects 0.000 description 2
- 230000001960 triggered effect Effects 0.000 description 2
- 206010039203 Road traffic accident Diseases 0.000 description 1
- 230000004075 alteration Effects 0.000 description 1
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Classifications
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60Q—ARRANGEMENT OF SIGNALLING OR LIGHTING DEVICES, THE MOUNTING OR SUPPORTING THEREOF OR CIRCUITS THEREFOR, FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60Q9/00—Arrangement or adaptation of signal devices not provided for in one of main groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q7/00, e.g. haptic signalling
- B60Q9/008—Arrangement or adaptation of signal devices not provided for in one of main groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q7/00, e.g. haptic signalling for anti-collision purposes
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60K—ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
- B60K35/00—Arrangement of adaptations of instruments
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- B60K35/28—
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- G—PHYSICS
- G08—SIGNALLING
- G08G—TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS
- G08G1/00—Traffic control systems for road vehicles
- G08G1/01—Detecting movement of traffic to be counted or controlled
- G08G1/052—Detecting movement of traffic to be counted or controlled with provision for determining speed or overspeed
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- G—PHYSICS
- G08—SIGNALLING
- G08G—TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS
- G08G1/00—Traffic control systems for road vehicles
- G08G1/09—Arrangements for giving variable traffic instructions
- G08G1/0962—Arrangements for giving variable traffic instructions having an indicator mounted inside the vehicle, e.g. giving voice messages
- G08G1/09626—Arrangements for giving variable traffic instructions having an indicator mounted inside the vehicle, e.g. giving voice messages where the origin of the information is within the own vehicle, e.g. a local storage device, digital map
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- G—PHYSICS
- G08—SIGNALLING
- G08G—TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS
- G08G1/00—Traffic control systems for road vehicles
- G08G1/16—Anti-collision systems
- G08G1/166—Anti-collision systems for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes
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- B60K2360/179—
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60Q—ARRANGEMENT OF SIGNALLING OR LIGHTING DEVICES, THE MOUNTING OR SUPPORTING THEREOF OR CIRCUITS THEREFOR, FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60Q1/00—Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor
- B60Q1/26—Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor the devices being primarily intended to indicate the vehicle, or parts thereof, or to give signals, to other traffic
- B60Q1/2661—Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor the devices being primarily intended to indicate the vehicle, or parts thereof, or to give signals, to other traffic mounted on parts having other functions
- B60Q1/2665—Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor the devices being primarily intended to indicate the vehicle, or parts thereof, or to give signals, to other traffic mounted on parts having other functions on rear-view mirrors
Definitions
- FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a display module of the warning system disposed on a center rear-view mirror according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
Abstract
A warning system implemented in a vehicle includes an overspeed warning module and a display module. The overspeed warning module is configured to generate an overspeed warning signal when a speed of the vehicle exceeds a speed limit. The display module is configured to display an alerting signal perceptible by a driver when the overspeed warning signal is generated.
Description
- This application is a divisional application of U.S. application Ser. No. 16/244,103, filed on Jan. 10, 2019. This application claims the benefit of U.S. application Ser. No. 16/244,103, which was filed on Jan. 10, 2019, and is incorporated herein by reference.
- The present invention relates to a warning system implemented in a vehicle and method thereof, and more particularly, to a warning system that alerts drivers as to road conditions and driving conditions and method thereof.
- Traffic accidents are mostly caused by speeding or lane changing. A conventional car speeding warning system adopts satellite navigation devices to calculate the speed of a vehicle and issues a warning signal if the speed exceeds the limit in one particular road section. Recently, advanced driving assistant systems (ADAS) are emerged to provide various warning systems including lane departure warning systems (LDWS), blind-spot detection systems (BSDS), lane change warning systems (LCWS) and so on. Those systems are used to assist drivers. Although these systems may be helpful, they still fail to consider the way those warning signals are given.
- According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a warning system implemented in a vehicle is provided. The warning system includes an overspeed warning module and a display module. The overspeed warning module is configured to generate an overspeed warning signal when a speed of the vehicle exceeds a speed limit. The display module is configured to display an alerting signal perceptible by a driver when the overspeed warning signal is generated.
- According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a method for providing warnings is provided. The method includes the following actions. A speed of a vehicle is obtained. A speed limit corresponding to a road section is retrieved. An overspeed warning signal is generated when the speed of the vehicle exceeds the speed limit. An alerting signal is displayed when the overspeed warning signal is generated.
- These and other objectives of the present invention will no doubt become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment that is illustrated in the various figures and drawings.
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FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a warning system implemented in a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. -
FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a front interior of the vehicle as shown inFIG. 1 . -
FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a display module of the warning system disposed on a vehicle instrument cluster or a central console panel according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. -
FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a display module of the warning system disposed on a center rear-view mirror according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. -
FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a display module of the warning system disposed on a left rear-view mirror according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. -
FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of a display module of the warning system disposed on a right rear-view mirror according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. -
FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of a display module of the warning system disposed on a head-up display (HUD) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. -
FIG. 8 is a block diagram of the warning system with a proximity alert feature according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. -
FIG. 9 is a flowchart of a method for providing proximity alerts according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. -
FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of a truth table including multiple proximity levels, a warning threshold distance, and time of arrival thresholds. -
FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram of multiple sensor units disposed on the vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. -
FIG. 12 is a block diagram of multiple sensor unit of the proximity warning module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. -
FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram of a display module (e.g., implemented in the vehicle instrument cluster) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. -
FIG. 14 is a block diagram of a warning system with a high-speed alert feature according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. -
FIG. 15 is a flowchart of a method for providing high-speed alerts according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. -
FIG. 16 is a schematic diagram of a display module (e.g., implemented in the vehicle instrument cluster) according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. - In the following detailed description of the embodiments, reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. In this regard, a directional terminology, such as “top,” “bottom,” “front”, “back”, “left”, “right”, is used with reference to the direction of the Figure (s) being described. However, the components of the present disclosure may be positioned in several different directions. As such, the directional terminology is used for illustration purposes only. On the other hand, the drawings are only schematic, and the sizes of components may be exaggerated for clarity. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized, and structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of “including,” “comprising,” or “having” and variations thereof herein is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items. Unless limited otherwise, the terms “connected,” and “installed” and variations thereof herein are used broadly and encompass direct and indirect connections and installations. Accordingly, the drawings and descriptions will be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive.
- The present disclosure provides a system and a method to alert drivers in a less distracted way.
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FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of awarning system 1000 implemented in avehicle 2000 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In this implementation, thevehicle 2000 is a left-hand drive car, i.e., the driver'sseat 27 is on the left-hand side of thevehicle 2000. In some implementations, thevehicle 2000 may be a right-hand drive car, and the driver's seat is on the right-hand side of thevehicle 2000. As shown inFIG. 1 , avehicle 2000 includes avehicle body 2B. Thevehicle body 2B has a front side S1, a rear side S2, a left side S3 and a right side S4. The “front” and “rear” here are defined based on “forward” and “reverse” of the movement of thevehicle 2000. Furthermore, thecar body 2B further includes a left-rear side S5 and a right-rear side S6. The left-rear side S5 adjoins the left side S3 and the rear side S2. The right-rear side S6 adjoins the right side S4 and the rear side S2. - The
vehicle 2000 further includes acabin 21 confined by thevehicle body 2B. Thecabin 21 equips with a driver'sseat 27, apassenger seat 28, and aback seat 29. The driver'sseat 27 is positioned in-between the front side S1 and the rear side S2. Thepassenger seat 28 is adjacent to the driver'sseat 27. Theback seat 29 is located behind the driver'sseat 27 and thepassenger seat 28, and before the rear side S2. When a driver is seated on the driver'sseat 27 and faces forward, the left side S3 is on the driver's left-hand side, and the right side S4 is on the driver's right-hand side. Thevehicle 2000 further includessteering wheel 2A placed right in front of the driver'sseat 27. -
FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a front interior of thevehicle 2000. Thevehicle 2000 further includes avehicle instrument cluster 10, acentral console panel 22, a center rear-view mirror 23, a left rear-view mirror 24, a right rear-view mirror 25 and a head-up display (HUD) 26. Thecentral console panel 22 and the center rear-view mirror 23 are disposed in thecabin 21. The left rear-view mirror 24 and the right rear-view mirror 25 are external to thecabin 21 and located on the left and the right sides of thevehicle body 2B, respectively. The head-updisplay 26 is disposed in thecabin 21. As shown inFIG. 2 , thewarning system 1000 is disposed on thevehicle 2000. Specifically, thewarning system 1000 includes a display module for displaying a signal for notifying the driver in response to a warning signal. The display module may be integrated with thecentral console panel 22, the center rear-view mirror 23, the left rear-view mirror 24, the right rear-view mirror 25, the head-updisplay 26, or any combination of the above. -
FIG. 14 is a block diagram of awarning system 1000 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In this implementation, thewarning system 1000 provides a high-speed alert feature. As shown inFIG. 14 , thewarning system 1000 includes anoverspeed warning module 1′ and adisplay module 2. In one embodiment, theoverspeed warning module 1′ may be an intelligent hardware device, such as a central processing unit (CPU), a microcontroller, or an ASIC. Theoverspeed warning module 1′ is configured to generate an overspeed warning signal when the speed of thevehicle 2000 exceeds a limit. Thedisplay module 2 is coupled to theoverspeed warning module 1′. Thedisplay module 2 is configured to display an alerting signal when the overspeed warning signal is generated. - In one embodiment, the alerting signal may be performed through color changes, adjustments of brightness, changes of shape and/or a flashing indicator.
- As shown in
FIG. 14 , thedisplay module 2 includes adisplay panel 20. In one embodiment, thedisplay panel 20 is a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel. In some other embodiments, thedisplay panel 20 may be a light emitting diode (LED) panel, or an organic light emitting diode (OLED) panel and so on. - In the present disclosure, the
display module 2 may be disposed on thevehicle instrument cluster 10 or thecentral console panel 22 of thevehicle 2000.FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing an implementation where thedisplay module 2 is integrated with avehicle instrument cluster 10. -
FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating an integration of thedisplay module 2 with the center rear-view mirror 23 of thevehicle 2000 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In this implementation, thedisplay module 2 is implemented in a center rear-view display 14 of the center rear-view mirror 23. -
FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing thedisplay module 2 is integrated with the left rear-view mirror 24 of thevehicle 2000 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In this implementation, thedisplay module 2 is implemented in a left rear-view display 15 of the left rear-view mirror 24. -
FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram demonstrating thedisplay module 2 disposed on the right rear-view mirror 25 of thevehicle 2000 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In this implementation, thedisplay module 2 is implemented in a right rear-view display 16 of the right rear-view mirror 25. -
FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating another integration of thedisplay module 2 with the head-updisplay 26 of thevehicle 2000 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In this implementation, thedisplay module 2 is implemented in the head-updisplay 26. - Aside from the foregoing, in some other implementations, the
display module 2 of thewarning system 1000 may alternatively be implemented on other devices capable of displaying. - It should note that in the present disclosure, an alerting signal is given is a less distracted way. That is, the alerting signal may be a flashing and/or a flashing of the speedometer to draw the driver's immediate attention. Additionally, the place chosen to display alerting signals is also critical. In the present disclosure, alerting signals are display on the area perceptible by the driver without changing his/her eyesight. The detail will be discussed in the following paragraphs.
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FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram of a display module 2 (10) which is integrated with thevehicle instrument cluster 10 having adisplay panel 20 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Firstly, skilled persons should understand that a vehicle instrument cluster is provided for the display of vehicle information. The vehicle information may include, but not limited to a speedometer, a fuel gauge, a tachometer, and an odometer. The information is placed right in the middle of the display panel for a driver's clear view. As shown inFIG. 13 , thedisplay panel 20 includes anactive display area 201 for displaying. In the present disclosure, theactive display area 201 is divided into two sections, acentral area 202 and aside area 203. In one embodiment, the size ofside area 203 is rather small than the size of thecentral area 202. Thecentral area 202 is provided for the display of vehicle information as mentioned above. Apart from that, the present disclosure further provides theside area 203 for the display of alerting signals. Theside area 203 is an outer area of thedisplay panel 20 and perceptible by the driver. Theside area 203 may further divided into anupper display area 2030, alower display area 2031, aleft display area 2032 and aright display area 2033. As depicted inFIG. 13 , the alerting signals will be given within theside area 203. Thus, when an alerting signal is flashing on thedisplay panel 20, the driver will notice it without turning his/her eyesight away. - In another embodiment, alerting signals may be achieved through arrangements of light emitters. For example, as shown in
FIG. 16 , thedisplay module 2 further includes numbers of light emittingunits 17 arranged within theside area 203 of thedisplay panel 20. Thelight emitting units 17 generate alerting signals in the place perceptible by the driver to draw immediate attention. Since the driver can percept the signal without changing the eyesight, it is less distracted. Thelight emitting units 17 inFIG. 16 are arranged in a ring, but it is a mere example and other shapes such as a rectangle would also work. Additionally, although thelight emitting units 17 are placed within thedisplay panel 20, they may also be arranged alongside the boundary of thevehicle instrument cluster 10, or any similar places where the same purpose can be achieved. - Please refer back to
FIG. 14 . As shown, theoverspeed warning module 1′ includes a vehiclespeed detecting module 11, a roadinformation access module 12 and a vehicleelectronic control unit 13. The vehicleelectronic control unit 13 is coupled to the vehiclespeed detecting module 11, the roadinformation access module 12 and thedisplay module 2. The vehiclespeed detecting module 11 is configured to obtain the speed of thevehicle 2000. The roadinformation access module 12 is configured to access a speed limit in any given road section. The vehicleelectronic control unit 13 of theoverspeed warning module 1′ is configured to generate the overspeed warning signal when the vehicle speed exceeds the speed limit. -
FIG. 15 is a flowchart for providing warnings (e.g., high-speed alerts) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown, the method includes the following actions. - In action S400, the vehicle
speed detecting module 11 obtains the speed of the vehicle. For instance, when avehicle 2000 is driving on a road section, the vehiclespeed detecting module 11 detects or obtains the speed of thevehicle 2000. - In action S402, the road
information access module 12 retrieves a speed limit. For instance, the road information access module obtains the current driving road section via a positioning system (e.g., global positioning system (GPS)), and retrieves a speed limit for the road section that thevehicle 2000 is currently driving on from a database where volumes of speed limits are stored thereon. - In action S404, the vehicle
electronic control unit 13 determines whether the vehicle speed exceeds the speed limit. If the vehicle speed does not exceed the speed limit, the vehiclespeed detecting module 11 keeps tracking the vehicle speed and the speed limit, i.e., the process returns to action S400. On the other hand, if the vehicle speed exceeds the speed limit, the action S406 is performed. - In action S406, the vehicle
electronic control unit 13 generates an overspeed warning signal to control thedisplay module 2 to display an alerting signal. In one embodiment, thedisplay module 2 displays the alerting signal by flashing the display screen to draw the driver's attention even if the driver is not looking at the display screen. - Based on the above, a method for providing high-speed alerts is provided in the present disclosure. Instead of using sound or voice to warn drivers, believably an alerting signal more likely than not to have drivers' attentions. Since the alerting signal is displayed in the place perceptible by the driver, the driver could be easily aware of the overspeeding situation without being distracted from the road.
- In another implementation, the
warning system 1000 of the present disclosure provides a proximity alert feature. In one embodiment, thewarning system 1000 includes an advanced driver assistance system (ADAS). Thewarning system 1000 may be implemented in thevehicle 2000 as shown inFIG. 1 andFIG. 2 .FIG. 8 is a block diagram of thewarning system 1000 with a proximity alert feature according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown inFIG. 8 , thewarning system 1000 includes aproximity warning module 1 and thedisplay module 2. In one embodiment, theproximity warning module 1 may be an intelligent hardware device, such as a central processing unit (CPU), a microcontroller, or an ASIC. Theproximity warning module 1 is configured to detect objects around thevehicle 2000 and generate a proximity warning signal accordingly. Thedisplay module 2 is coupled to theproximity warning module 1. Thedisplay module 2 is configured to displays a signal in a side area (as defined above) of the display module when the proximity warning signal is generated. - In some embodiments, the
proximity warning module 1 includes at least onesensor unit 6000 and the vehicleelectronic control unit 13. The vehicleelectronic control unit 13 is coupled to the at least onesensor unit 6000 and thedisplay module 2. -
FIG. 12 is a block diagram of multiple sensor units of theproximity warning module 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In this embodiment, thesensor unit 6000 is selectively disposed on a periphery of thevehicle 2000. The sensor units include afirst camera 67, asecond camera 68, athird camera 69, afourth camera 70, afifth camera 71, asixth camera 72, a firstnon-contact sensor 73, a secondnon-contact sensor 74 and a thirdnon-contact sensor 75.FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram of multiple sensor units disposed on the vehicle 200 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown inFIG. 11 , thefirst camera 67 and the firstnon-contact sensor 73 are disposed on the front side S1 of thevehicle body 2B. Thesecond camera 68 is disposed on the rear side S2 of thevehicle body 2B. Thethird camera 69 is disposed on the left rear-view mirror 24. Thefourth camera 70 is disposed on the right rear-view mirror 25. The secondnon-contact sensor 74 is disposed on the left-rear side S5 of thevehicle body 2B. The thirdnon-contact sensor 75 is disposed on the right-rear side S6 of thevehicle body 2B. Thefifth camera 71 and thesixth camera 72 are disposed in thecabin 21 facing the front road and the driver, respectively. - The sensor units, including the
first camera 67, thesecond camera 68, thethird camera 69, thefourth camera 70, thefifth camera 71, thesixth camera 72, the firstnon-contact sensor 73, the secondnon-contact sensor 74 and the thirdnon-contact sensor 75, are coupled to the vehicleelectronic control unit 13. In this embodiment, the firstnon-contact sensor 73, the secondnon-contact sensor 74 and the thirdnon-contact sensor 75 may be, but not limited to, a radar module, a lidar module, a millimeter wave radar module. In some embodiments, theproximity warning module 1 with thesensor unit 6000 performs functions of the advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) to assist and alert the driver. - In one embodiment, the ADAS may include, but not limited to, a forward collision warning system (FCWS), a lane departure warning system (LDWS), a lane change decision aid system (LCDAS), a blind-spot detection system (BSDS), an adaptive cruise control (ACC), a pedestrian collision warning system (PCWS). The
sensor unit 6000 of theproximity warning module 1 may execute functions of at least one of the FCWS, the LDWS, the LCDAS, the BSDS, the ACC and the PCWS. In other words, thesensor unit 6000 may include, but not limited to, a forwardcollision sensor assembly 60, a lanedeparture sensor assembly 61, a lanechange sensor assembly 62, a blind-spotdetection sensor assembly 63, an adaptivecruise sensor assembly 64, apedestrian sensor assembly 65 and adriver sensor assembly 66. The forwardcollision sensor assembly 60, the lanedeparture sensor assembly 61, the lanechange sensor assembly 62, the blind-spotdetection sensor assembly 63, the adaptivecruise sensor assembly 64, thepedestrian sensor assembly 65 and thedriver sensor assembly 66 includes at least one of thefirst camera 67, thesecond camera 68, thethird camera 69, thefourth camera 70, thefifth camera 71, thesixth camera 72, the firstnon-contact sensor 73, the secondnon-contact sensor 74 and the thirdnon-contact sensor 75. -
FIG. 9 is a flowchart of providing proximity alerts according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown, the method includes the following actions. - In action S300, the
proximity warning module 1 generates raw sensing data when it detects at least one object approaching thevehicle 2000. - In action S302, the vehicle
electronic control unit 13 determines whether the raw sensing data matches preset proximity criteria. If not matched, theproximity warning module 1 keeps detecting the at least one object, i.e., the process returns to action S300. Alternatively, if the proximity criteria are matched, the action S304 is performed. - In action S304, the vehicle
electronic control unit 13 generates a proximity warning signal. - In action S306, the vehicle
electronic control unit 13 controls adisplay module 2 to display a signal in theperceptible side area 203 based on a relative direction from which the object is approaching thevehicle 2000. - For instance, in action S300, when the
vehicle 2000 is traveling on the road, theproximity warning module 1 detects that there is at least one object approaching thevehicle 2000. The object may be a moving vehicle, a pedestrian, an animal and so on. When the object enters the sensing range of thesensor unit 6000, thesensor unit 6000 generates the raw sensing data, and then transmits the raw sensing data to the vehicleelectronic control unit 13. For example, when the object approaches and enters the sensing range of thesensor unit 6000 from a rear side of thevehicle 2000, thesensor unit 6000 disposed on the rear side of thevehicle 2000 senses the object and generates the raw sensing data. In one embodiment, the raw sensing data include a relative direction of the approaching object and a relative distance between the object and thevehicle 2000. - As mentioned above, since the raw sensing data includes the relative distance between the object and the
vehicle 2000, inaction 302, the vehicleelectronic control unit 13 determines whether the raw sensing data matches the proximity criteria according to the relative distance. In one embodiment, the proximity criteria may include a warning threshold distance R. For example, when the vehicleelectronic control unit 13 determines that the distance between the object to the vehicle 2000 (e.g., d) is greater than the warning threshold distance R (as shown inFIG. 11 ), the vehicleelectronic control unit 13 determines that the raw sensing data does not match the proximity criteria, and then controls theproximity warning module 1 to continuously detect objects. On the other hand, if the vehicleelectronic control unit 13 determines that the distance between the object and thevehicle 2000 is not greater than the warning threshold distance R, the vehicleelectronic control unit 13 determines that the raw sensing data matches the proximity criteria, and then the vehicleelectronic control unit 13 generates the proximity warning signal (as shown in action S304). - For example, assuming the object is approaching the front side S1 of the vehicle 2000 (as shown in
FIG. 11 ), and entering into the sensing range of thesensor unit 6000. In this case, one of thesensor unit 6000 disposed on the front side S1 of the vehicle 2000 (e.g., thefirst camera 67 or the first non-contact sensor 73) generates raw sensing data. As a result, the raw sensing data may include an image captured by thefirst camera 67, and image processing may be further performed to obtain the relative distance of the object to thevehicle 2000. Alternatively, the raw sensing data may be obtained by performing a direct measurement of the relative distance through the firstnon-contact sensor 73. Manners to obtain the relative distance of the object to thevehicle 2000 of the present disclosure are not limited thereto, and categories of the raw sensing data depend on categories of thesensor unit 6000. - In some embodiments, when the object is within the warning threshold distance R, the vehicle
electronic control unit 13 further determines a relative direction from which the object is approaching thevehicle 2000 based on the location when the sensor that senses the data is disposed. For example, as shown inFIG. 11 , if the object is moving toward the front side S1 of thevehicle 2000 and entering the sensing range of thesensor unit 6000, one of thesensor unit 6000 disposed on the front side S1 of the vehicle 2000 (e.g., thefirst camera 67 or the first non-contact sensor 73) generates the raw sensing data. Based on the location of either thefirst camera 67 or the firstnon-contact sensor 73 that generating the data, the vehicle electronic control unit determines that the object is in the front side of thevehicle 2000. - Upon the detection of approaching objects, in some embodiments, the
display module 2 displays a signal at the relative position of theside area 203. For instance, the vehicleelectronic control unit 13 controls thedisplay module 2 to display the signal in theupper display area 2030 based on the direction from which the object is approaching - Similarly, a signal displayed in the
lower display area 2031 of theside area 203 may indicate that an object is approaching thevehicle 2000 from the rear side S2 and the distance between the object and thevehicle 2000 is within the warning threshold distance R. In yet another example, a signal displayed in theleft display area 2032 of theside area 203 indicates that an object is moving toward thevehicle 2000 from the left side S3 and the relative distance is within the warning threshold distance R. Further, a signal may be is displayed in theright display area 2033 to indicate that an object is on the right side S4 of thevehicle 2000 and the relative distance is within the warning threshold distance R. - In some embodiments, the relevant distance between the subject vehicle and the object will also be considered for the display of the signal on the
display panel 20. For instance, the position of the signal moves closer to the central area as the object approaches to the vehicle. In one implementation, the distance between the signal and the central area is proportional to the relative distance between the object and the vehicle. In another implementation, the distance between the signal and the central area is not proportional to the relative distance between the object and the vehicle. - As such, instead of displaying the numerical data of the relative distance and/or the relative direction between the approaching object and the vehicle on the
display panel 20, thedisplay module 2 displays the signal on theside area 203 of thedisplay panel 20. Therefore, the driver could easily recognize the relative distance and/or the relative direction between the approaching object and the vehicle according to the position of the signal on thedisplay panel 20. - In one embodiment, the signal may be performed through color changes, adjustments of brightness, changes of shape and/or a flashing indicator.
- It should be noticed that the proximity criteria of the present disclosure may include a warning threshold distance R and an estimated time of arrival. In one implementation, the estimated time of arrival indicates for how long that the object would bump into the
vehicle 2000. The estimated time of arrival may be determined by the relevant distance and the velocities of the object and thevehicle 2000. In one implementation, a relative velocity of the object to thevehicle 2000 is calculated by the vehicleelectronic control unit 13. In another implementation, the relative velocity is detected by thesensor unit 6000. For example, when the relative distance between the object and thevehicle 2000 is 20 meters and the relative velocity of the object to thevehicle 2000 is 10 meters per second, the estimated time of arrival is 2 seconds. Accordingly, the vehicleelectronic control unit 13 determines a proximity level based on the estimated time of arrival. For example, if the estimated time of arrival is less than 3 seconds, the proximity level is defined asproximity level 3. If estimated the time of arrival is greater than or equal to 3 seconds but less than 5 seconds, the proximity level is defined asproximity level 2. If the estimated time of arrival is greater than or equal to 5 seconds but less than 7 seconds, the proximity level is defined asproximity level 1. The scales of the estimated time of arrival of the proximity level may be adjusted based on factors including road regulations, road conditions, climate, seasons and so on. - In addition, the degree of proximity level may be represented by different colors. For example, a red-pattern signal indicates that the proximity level is 3; a yellow-pattern signal refers to the
proximity level 2, while a green-pattern signal represents that the proximity level is 1. Thus, by appreciating the color, the driver could be easily aware of the degree of the proximity level. - In addition, the present disclosure may adopt the proximity levels in accordance with the warning threshold distance R as the proximity criteria as well.
FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of a truth table including variables of aproximity level 3, aproximity level 2, and aproximity level 1. The variables include the warning threshold distance R and the estimated time of arrival threshold (e.g., 3, 5, 7).FIG. 10 illustrates relations of the proximity levels versus the estimated time of arrival, and the relative distance between an object and thevehicle 2000 versus the warning threshold distance R. In this implementation, the proximity levels include three degrees: the proximity level 3 (denoted by level-3), the proximity level 2 (denoted by level-2), and the proximity level 1 (denoted by level-1). Further, the estimated time of arrival is denoted by t, the relative distance between an object and thevehicle 2000 is denoted by d, and the warning threshold distance is denoted by R. In the truth table, thevalue 1 indicates true (e.g., a proximity level is triggered), and thevalue 0 indicates false (e.g., a proximity level is not triggered). - In this embodiment, both the relative distance and the estimated time of arrival are considered to determine in what degree the proximity level is. For example, as shown in
FIG. 10 , if the estimated time of arrival t is less than 3 seconds, under such circumstance the relative distance between the approaching object and thevehicle 2000 is less relevant because there is a high probability that the approaching object will collide with thevehicle 2000 within 3 seconds and there is no sufficient time to react to avoid the accident. In this case, the proximity level is determined to be level-3, and consequently, for instance a red-pattern signal may be displayed on thedisplay module 2 to indicate the urgency. - In another example, assuming the estimated time of arrival t is greater than 7 seconds and the relative distance d between the object and the
vehicle 2000 is less than or equals to the warning threshold distance R. Although it does not seem the approaching object will be close to thevehicle 2000 in any soon from the perspective of time, the risk of a collision may still exist if the relative distance d is not great enough. In such scenario, the proximity level is determined to be level-1. Thus, thedisplay module 2 displays, for instance a green-pattern signal to indicate the less urgent situation. The other conditions illustrated inFIG. 10 may be derived accordingly and related descriptions are omitted herein for simplicity. It should be noticed that the proximity criteria illustrated in the truth table inFIG. 10 , combining the estimated time of arrival t and the warning threshold distance R are merely provided for illustrative purposes. Other factors may further be considered when skilled persons design similar truth tables. - As such, the present disclosure provides several warning systems and methods for providing warnings. When a warning signal (e.g., the proximity warning signal or the overspeed warning signal) is generated, the warning system of the present disclosure controls the display module to display a signal on the side area or controls the display module to display an alerting signal to draw drivers' attention. Since the signal is displayed in the place perceptible by the driver, the driver could be easily aware of the warning without turning the eyesight from the road. Furthermore, the position where a signal may be displayed depends on the relative direction where an object approaches the subject vehicle. By adopting the information visualization techniques proposed in the present disclosure, the driver could understand the warning information at a glance. Under such design, the driver may be able to react more immediately and instinctively. Last but not least, a proximity level is determined based on several factors. The factors may include a relative distance between the approaching object and the subject vehicle, and/or an estimated time of arrival of the object to the vehicle. Based on the determined proximity level, a pattern with different color is displayed to indicate the degree of urgency of the current condition.
- Those skilled in the art will readily observe that numerous modifications and alterations of the device and method may be made while retaining the teachings of the invention. Accordingly, the above disclosure should be construed as limited only by the metes and bounds of the appended claims.
Claims (7)
1. A warning system implemented in a vehicle, comprising:
an overspeed warning module configured to generate an overspeed warning signal when a speed of the vehicle exceeds a speed limit; and
a display module configured to display an alerting signal perceptible by a driver when the overspeed warning signal is generated.
2. The warning system of claim 1 , wherein the overspeed warning module comprises:
a vehicle speed detecting module configured to obtain the speed of the vehicle;
a road information access module configured to retrieve the speed limit, wherein the speed limit corresponds to a road section; and
a vehicle electronic control unit coupled to the vehicle speed detecting module and the road information access module, and the vehicle electronic control unit is configured to generate the overspeed warning signal when the speed of the vehicle exceeds the speed limit.
3. The warning system of claim 1 , wherein the display module has an active display area, the active display area comprises a central area and a side area, the alerting signal is displayed in the side area, and the alerting signal is performed through color changes, adjustments of brightness, changes of shape, or a flashing indicator.
4. The warning system of claim 1 , wherein the display module comprises:
a display panel; and
a plurality of light emitting units disposed around a boundary of the display panel and configured to illuminate a side area of the display module.
5. The warning system of claim 1 , wherein the display module is implemented in a vehicle instrument cluster, a central console panel, a rear-view display or a head-up display.
6. A method for providing warnings, comprising:
obtaining a speed of a vehicle;
retrieving a speed limit corresponding to a road section;
generating an overspeed warning signal when the speed of the vehicle exceeds the speed limit; and
displaying an alerting signal when the overspeed warning signal is generated.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the alerting signal is displayed in a side area of the display module, and the alerting signal is performed through color changes, adjustments of brightness, changes of shape, or a flashing indicator.
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US17/199,379 US20210197721A1 (en) | 2018-01-11 | 2021-03-11 | Warning system implemented in a vehicle and method thereof |
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CN201810027834.XA CN110027471A (en) | 2018-01-11 | 2018-01-11 | Warning system suitable for a vehicle |
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US17/199,379 US20210197721A1 (en) | 2018-01-11 | 2021-03-11 | Warning system implemented in a vehicle and method thereof |
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TWI773547B (en) * | 2021-10-01 | 2022-08-01 | 廖志穎 | Speed measuring device sensing system and control method thereof |
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US11405668B2 (en) * | 2020-10-30 | 2022-08-02 | Rovi Guides, Inc. | Systems and methods for viewing-session continuity |
CN114999225B (en) * | 2022-05-13 | 2024-03-08 | 海信集团控股股份有限公司 | Information display method of road object and vehicle |
JP2023183691A (en) * | 2022-06-16 | 2023-12-28 | スズキ株式会社 | display control device |
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US4626850A (en) * | 1983-05-16 | 1986-12-02 | David Chey | Vehicle detection and collision avoidance apparatus |
US6087961A (en) * | 1999-10-22 | 2000-07-11 | Daimlerchrysler Corporation | Directional warning system for detecting emergency vehicles |
US8676431B1 (en) * | 2013-03-12 | 2014-03-18 | Google Inc. | User interface for displaying object-based indications in an autonomous driving system |
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TWI773547B (en) * | 2021-10-01 | 2022-08-01 | 廖志穎 | Speed measuring device sensing system and control method thereof |
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