WO2007029089A1 - Vehicle-mounted alarm apparatus and method - Google Patents

Vehicle-mounted alarm apparatus and method Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2007029089A1
WO2007029089A1 PCT/IB2006/002422 IB2006002422W WO2007029089A1 WO 2007029089 A1 WO2007029089 A1 WO 2007029089A1 IB 2006002422 W IB2006002422 W IB 2006002422W WO 2007029089 A1 WO2007029089 A1 WO 2007029089A1
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WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
vehicle
driver
collision
forward obstacle
time
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/IB2006/002422
Other languages
French (fr)
Other versions
WO2007029089A8 (en
Inventor
Shigeyasu Uozumi
Masayuki Usami
Kenichi Ohue
Original Assignee
Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
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Application filed by Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha filed Critical Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
Publication of WO2007029089A1 publication Critical patent/WO2007029089A1/en
Publication of WO2007029089A8 publication Critical patent/WO2007029089A8/en

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60W—CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT
    • B60W50/00—Details of control systems for road vehicle drive control not related to the control of a particular sub-unit, e.g. process diagnostic or vehicle driver interfaces
    • B60W50/08—Interaction between the driver and the control system
    • B60W50/14—Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60W—CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT
    • B60W30/00—Purposes of road vehicle drive control systems not related to the control of a particular sub-unit, e.g. of systems using conjoint control of vehicle sub-units
    • B60W30/08—Active safety systems predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision or attempting to minimise its consequences
    • 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
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G08—SIGNALLING
    • G08G—TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS
    • G08G1/00—Traffic control systems for road vehicles
    • G08G1/16—Anti-collision systems

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a vehicle-mounted alarm apparatus and method.
  • the invention relates to a vehicle-mounted alarm apparatus and method that provide an alarm if the possibility of collision with a forward obstacle reaches a threshold value level.
  • An apparatus that performs the collision alarming for a vehicle driver when the possibility of collision of a host vehicle with an obstacle present forward of the vehicle reaches a predetermined level (see, e.g., Japanese Patent Application Publication No. JP- A-2004- 145725).
  • This apparatus detects whether or not the driver is looking aside, that is, whether or not the driver has the driver's line of sight off from the front direction, through the use of images taken by a camera that is provided in the cabin. If a look-aside of the driver is detected, the predetermined level of the possibility of collision with a forward obstacle which is to be reached for performing the alarming for the vehicle driver by speaker output and display indication is changed to a reduced level. Therefore, the above-described apparatus is able to output the collision alarm early if the vehicle driver has a look-aside. As a result, it becomes possible to improve the safety during the running of the vehicle.
  • the above-descried apparatus merely changes the aforementioned level in a binary manner in accordance with whether or not the driver is looking aside. Therefore, the collision alarming can be started at one of only two timings that correspond to the non-look-aside time and the look-aside time. While the look-aside of a driver varies in the duration of gaze in accordance with the object of visual recognition, and the like, the foregoing apparatus has only one alarm start timing that is used if a look-aside is detected regardless of the length of the duration of the look-aside. Therefore, the alarm start timing is not flexibly changed in accordance with the length of the duration. Therefore, there is a risk that it will become difficult to perform the alarming in accordance with the state of driver's look-aside.
  • a first aspect of the invention relates to a vehicle-mounted alarm apparatus comprising: alarm device that performs alarming after a possibility of collision of a forward obstacle reaches a predetermined level if a vehicle driver's line of sight is in a front direction, and that starts the alarming before the possibility of collision with the forward obstacle reaches the predetermined level if the vehicle driver's line of sight is not in the front direction; and alarm timing change device that changes a timing of starting the alarming by the alarm device before the possibility of collision with the forward obstacle reaches the predetermined level, in accordance with a duration of a state where the vehicle driver's line of sight is not in the front direction.
  • This vehicle-mounted alarm apparatus makes the amount of change of the timing in accordance with the duration different between a case where ' a preceding vehicle as the forward obstacle is in a moving state and a case where the preceding vehicle is in a stopped state.
  • the timing of starting the alarming is changed so that the alarming is started before the possibility of collision with a forward obstacle reaches a predetermined level, in accordance with the duration of the look-aside state where the vehicle driver's line of sight is not in the front direction. If the aforementioned duration is relatively short, it can be judged that the driver's line of sight is promptly returned from the look-aside state to the front direction; therefore, great advancement of the alarm start timing from the time point when the possibility of collision reaches the normal predetermined level poses a risk of providing an alarm that discomforts the driver, and therefore is not very much needed.
  • the above-described vehicle-mounted alarm apparatus is able to perform alarming at an appropriate time, prior to collision with a forward obstacle, in accordance with the driver's look-aside state while minimizing the incidence of an alarm annoying the driver.
  • the amount of change of the alarm start timing in accordance with the look-aside duration is made different between the case where a preceding vehicle as the forward obstacle is in the moving state and the case where the preceding vehicle is in the stopped state. Therefore, it is possible to perform alarming at an appropriate time, prior to collision with a preceding vehicle as a forward obstacle, in accordance with the driver's look-aside state while minimizing the incidence of an alarm annoying the driver, in correspondence to the state of the preceding vehicle.
  • the amount of change of the timing in accordance with the duration may be set to be earlier in the case where the preceding vehicle as the forward obstacle is in the moving state than in the case where the preceding vehicle is in the stopped state.
  • the alarm timing change device may make the timing earlier by making lower a threshold value level that the possibility of collision with the forward obstacle needs to reach in order for the alarming to be staxted by the alarm device.
  • the possibility of collision with the forward obstacle may correspond to a time that elapses until the host vehicle collides with the forward obstacle.
  • the "front direction" is a direction of the line of sight of a driver when the driver generally has the driver's line of sight substantially in the traveling direction of the vehicle during the linear, running, of the vehicle.
  • FIG. 1 is a construction diagram of a vehicle-mounted alarm apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the invention
  • FIGS. 2 A and 2B are diagrams for describing an operation of the vehicle-mounted alarm apparatus of the embodiment
  • FIG. 3 is a map expressing a relationship between a look-aside duration and a threshold value time tt used in the embodiment
  • FIG. 4 is a flowchart of an example of a control routine executed by the vehicle-mounted alarm apparatus of the embodiment
  • FIG. 5 illustrates the maps each expressing a relationship between the look-aside duration and the threshold value time tt which are used in the embodiment for the case where a preceding vehicle, that is, a forward obstacle, is moving and the case where a preceding vehicle is at a stop;
  • FIG. 6 illustrates the maps each expressing a relationship between the look-aside duration and the threshold value time tt which are used in a modification in the invention for the case where a preceding vehicle, that is, a forward obstacle, is moving and the case where a preceding vehicle is at a stop.
  • FIG. 1 shows a construction diagram of a vehicle-mounted alarm apparatus 10 as an embodiment of the invention.
  • the vehicle-mounted alarm apparatus 10 is a pre-crash safety (PCS) system that predicts collision of a host vehicle with a preceding vehicle present forward of the host vehicle as a forward obstacle which, at least, is running in the same direction as the host vehicle. If the possibility of collision becomes relatively high, the apparatus 10 performs the alarming for collision avoidance or collision mitigation toward the vehicle driver.
  • PCS pre-crash safety
  • the vehicle-mounted alarm apparatus 10 is equipped with an electronic control unit (hereinafter, referred to as "PCS-ECU") 12 made up mainly of a computer.
  • the obstacle sensor 14 is made up of, for example, a millimeter-wave radar, a laser radar, a camera, etc., and outputs to the PCS-ECU 12 a signal that corresponds to an obstacle present forward of a host vehicle (in particular, in the path of the host vehicle).
  • the PCS-ECU 12 on the basis of output signal of the obstacle sensor 14, detects the presence/absence of a forward obstacle that ought to be most careful about in conjunction with the running of the host vehicle. If such a forward obstacle is present, the PCS-ECU 12 detects the distance between the host vehicle and the forward obstacle, and then detects the relative speed therebetween on the basis of the detected distance and the host vehicle speed detected through the use of a vehicle speed sensor or the like.
  • the vehicle-mounted alarm apparatus 10 is equipped with a camera ECU 16 that is connected for serial communication with the PCS-ECU 12, and that is made up mainly of a computer.
  • a camera 18 provided for taking pictures of the face of the vehicle driver is connected to the camera ECU 16.
  • the camera 18 is disposed, for example, on an upper surface of a steering column cover, or within a combination meter.
  • the camera 18 is directed in a direction which is opposite to the traveling direction of the vehicle and in which the vehicle driver's head is present, and takes pictures of the vehicle driver's face substantially from the front, through an opening portion that is formed in a face of the steering wheel via which the driver holds the steering wheel, and recognizes the combination meter.
  • a lamp that projects infrared radiation to the vehicle driver's face may be provided.
  • the video signal of the camera 18 is supplied to the camera ECU 16.
  • the camera ECU 16 On the basis of the video signal supplied from the camera 18, the camera ECU 16 performs a binarization process and a feature point extraction process so as to extract images showing the driver's face and detect the driver's face width and the face center line from the extracted images. From these parameters, the camera ECU 16 calculates left-right side interval ratios of the face appearing in the image.
  • the camera ECU 16 From the left-right side interval ratio, the camera ECU 16 detects the direction in which the driver's face faces, that is, the angle of the driver's face from the front direction (hereinafter, the angle is defined to be 0° when the driver directs the driver's line of sight exactly forward, that is, in the traveling direction of the vehicle along its running lane, which is referred to as "face orientation angle").
  • Information of the face orientation angle of the vehicle driver detected by the camera ECU 16 is supplied to the PCS-ECU 12.
  • the PCS-ECU 12 grasps the face orientation angle ⁇ as the direction in which the vehicle driver has directed the driver's line of sight).
  • An alarm indicator display 20 and an alarm buzzer 22 are connected to the PCS-ECU 12.
  • the alarm indicator display 20 is, for example, a meter unit provided in an instrument panel in the cabin, and alerts the vehicle driver by providing an alarm indication in accordance with a drive instruction from the PCS-ECU 12 as described below.
  • the alarm buzzer 22 is a buzzer alarm provided in the cabin, and alerts the vehicle driver by producing a buzzer sound in accordance with a drive instruction from the PCS-ECU 12 as described below.
  • FIGS. 2A and 2B show diagrams for describing an action of the vehicle-mounted alarm apparatus 10 of this embodiment.
  • FIG. 3 shows a map that expresses a relationship between a look-aside duration and a threshold value time.
  • the PCS-ECU 12 detects the presence of a forward obstacle on the basis of the output of the obstacle sensor 14, the PCS-ECU 12 computes, at every fixed time following the detection, the present-time possibility of the host vehicle colliding with the forward obstacle (possibility of collision) on the basis of the distance and the relative speed with respect to the forward obstacle as well as the path of the host vehicle and the position of the forward obstacle with respect to the path, etc.
  • the shorter the time before the host vehicle collides with the forward obstacle the higher the possibility of collision becomes.
  • the possibility of collision computed by the PCS-ECU 12 be a value that corresponds to a time (predicted collision time) obtained by dividing the distance between the host vehicle and the forward obstacle by the relative speed therebetween.
  • the thus-obtained value is larger if the predicted collision time is shorter.
  • the forward obstacle e.g., a stopped vehicle
  • a vehicle driver in many cases starts to take an action to avoid the collision, such as a steering operation, a brake operation, etc., by the time that is a predetermined time prior to the collision with the forward obstacle (e.g., 1.8 second or 2 second, that is, about 30 meters before the forward obstacle).
  • performing the alarming by display or buzzer for the vehicle driver at early timing prior to the collision is effective for attaining collision avoidance and damage mitigation.
  • the alarming for the vehicle driver is performed within the aforementioned predetermined time during which the vehicle driver can take a collision avoidance action, it can happen that an alarm is provided even when the vehicle driver plans to take a collision avoidance action in the near future. In such a case, the vehicle driver may feel that the alarm is annoying, and may be discomforted.
  • the possibility of collision that is, the time up to the collision (e.g., 1.8 seconds or 2 seconds), that allows the vehicle driver to effectively take a collision avoidance action while minimizing the incidence of discomforting the vehicle driver is stored in a storage device beforehand as a reference threshold value level (reference time tl up to the collision) for starting the alarm.
  • the frontal collision of a vehicle occurs often because the vehicle driver fails to look ahead properly when looking aside, for example, looking in the inner mirror or the driver's seat-side or navigator's seat-side outer mirror, or looking at a display indication in the cabin, or looking to the left and right of the vehicle body for visual confirmation of safety. Therefore, in order to attain collision avoidance and damage mitigation, it is appropriate to perform the alarming for a vehicle driver at a timing that is earlier than usual if the attention of the vehicle driver to the front of the vehicle is low prior to a collision.
  • a threshold value ⁇ 0 e.g. 15°
  • the PCS-ECU 12 compares the face orientation angle ⁇ with the threshold value ⁇ O stored in the storage device.
  • the PCS-ECU 12 judges that the driver's line of sight is directed substantially in the front direction. Then, when the PCS-ECU 12 has computed the possibility of collision of the host vehicle with a forward obstacle, the PCS-ECU 12 compares the possibility of collision with the reference threshold value level stored in the storage device.
  • the driver's line of sight is directed substantially in the front direction, within a period starting when the duration of the face orientation angle ⁇ being less than or equal to the threshold value ⁇ O reaches a predetermined time and ending when the duration of the face orientation angle ⁇ being greater than the threshold value ⁇ O reaches a predetermined time.
  • the calculated possibility of collision is compared with the reference threshold value level.
  • the PCS-ECU- 12 outputs drive instructions to the alarm indicator display 20 and the alarm buzzer 22 so that alarming is performed from that time point until the time of collision.
  • the alarm indicator display 20 displays an alarm, and the alarm buzzer 22 sounds (see FIG. 2A).
  • the PCS-ECU 12 judges that the driver's line of sight is not directed in the front direction. Then, the PCS-ECU 12 makes the threshold value time tt that the predicted collision time with regard to the forward obstacle needs to reach in order for the alarming for the driver to be started longer than the aforementioned reference time tl (makes it earlier with reference to the time of collision), so that the threshold value level that the possibility of collision needs to reach in order for the alarming for the driver to be started is declined from the reference threshold value level.
  • the judgment that the driver's line of sight is not directed in the front direction may be provided during a period starting when the duration of the face orientation angle ⁇ being larger than the threshold value ⁇ O reaches a predetermined time (e.g. 0.3 second) and ending when the duration of the face orientation angle ⁇ being equal to or less than the threshold value ⁇ 0 reaches a predetermined time.
  • a predetermined time e.g. 0.3 second
  • the PCS-ECU 12 operates as follows. Firstly, when the PCS-ECU 12 has judged that the driver's line of sight is not directed in the front direction due to the presence of a state where the driver's face orientation angle ⁇ based on images taken by the camera 18 is larger than the threshold value ⁇ O for the distinction of the look-aside, the PCS-ECU 12 counts the duration of the continuation of the state from that time of judgment.
  • the PCS-ECU 12 changes the amount of decline, from the reference threshold value level, of the threshold value level that the possibility of collision with the forward obstacle needs to reach for the alarming for the driver to be started. Specifically, the PCS-ECU 12 changes the time of advancement from the aforementioned reference time tl of the threshold value time tt that the predicted collision time with regard to the forward obstacle needs to reach for the alarming for the driver to be started.
  • a map expressing a relationship between the look-aside duration and the threshold value time tt as shown in FIG. 3 is stored beforehand in the storage device.
  • the threshold value time tt is longer than the reference time tl by an amount that is increased with the increasing duration (the point of the threshold value time tt becomes earlier with reference to the time of collision, that is, the time of advancement becomes longer).
  • a predetermined time s2 e.g. 1 second
  • the threshold value time tt is fixed at a predetermined time t2 (e.g., 3 seconds or 3.5 seconds up to the collision) that is longer than the reference time tl (i.e., the time of advancement is maximum).
  • this map may be modified so that the relationship therebetween is, for example, linear or stepwise.
  • the PCS-ECU 12 sets the amount of decline of the threshold value level in accordance with the length of the look-aside duration, that is, the time of advancement of the threshold value time tt in accordance the length of the look-aside duration. After that, every time the look-aside duration, is updated, the PCS-ECU 12 sets the amount of decline of the threshold value level corresponding to the look-aside duration, that is, the time of advancement of the - threshold value time tt corresponding the look-aside duration.
  • the PCS-ECU 12 compares the computed possibility of collision with the threshold value level that is declined by the amount that corresponds to the look-aside duration as described above. Concretely, the PCS-ECU 12 distinguishes whether or not the computed predicted collision time is equal to or less than the threshold value time tt.that . is advanced from the reference time tl by a time that corresponds to the look-aside duration as described above.
  • the vehicle-mounted alarm apparatus 10 of this embodiment is able, prior to collision with a forward obstacle, to provide the alarm display by the alarm indicator display 20 and the buzzer sound alarm by the alarm buzzer 22 for avoiding the collision or mitigating the damage, at the time point of passage of the timing when the driver can take a normal collision avoidance action if the driver is directing the driver's line of sight in the front direction, and is able to start providing the alarms prior to the passage of the timing at which the driver can take a normal collision avoidance action if the driver has the driver's line of sight off from the front direction.
  • the embodiment is able to prevent the driver from delaying in the collision avoidance action because of the driver's look-aside while reducing the incidence of an alarm annoying the driver as best as possible. This makes it possible to improve the safety during the running of a vehicle.
  • the look-aside state continues for a long time (s2) in a situation where there is a fairly ample amount of time before collision with a forward obstacle (concretely, an amount of time that is longer than a time obtained by summing the maximum value of the time of advancement of the threshold value time tt from the reference time tl and the minimum value of the time for which the look-aside needs to continue in order for the time of advancement to be maximized), the time of advancement of the threshold value time tt from the reference time tl becomes maximum.
  • the alarming is started at the time point when the predicted collision time becomes equal to or less than the threshold value time tt (predetermined time t2) that includes the maximized time of advancement while the look-aside continues.
  • the time of advancement increases in accordance with the duration of the look-aside state. While the time of advancement is being increased, the predicted collision time becomes equal to or less than the threshold value time tt. Therefore, at the time point when the predicted collision time becomes equal to or less than the threshold value time tt, the alarming is started. This means that the time of advancement of the threshold value time tt from the reference time tl is limited depending on the start timing of a look- aside that is determined with reference to the time of the collision.
  • the driver's look-aside occurs prior to collision with the forward obstacle. If the look-aside is discontinued and the driver directs the driver's line of sight back to the front direction before the predicted collision time becomes equal to or less than the threshold value time tt whose time of advancement is being increased with the increasing duration of the look-aside, the time of advancement may be cleared to zero so that the threshold value time tt is set to the normal reference time tl . This is appropriate since if the driver's line of sight is directed back to the front direction,, the .
  • the alarm start timing can be advanced in accordance with the length of the duration of the state in which the driver's line of sight is off from the front direction, that is, a look-aside is occurring, if the driver has the driver's line of sight off from the front direction.
  • the time of advancement, from the reference time tl, of the threshold value time tt that the predicted collision time needs to reach in order for the alarming for the driver to be started can be elongated to increase the amount of decline of the threshold value level that the possibility of collision needs to reach from the reference threshold value level, so that the alarm start timing can be advanced. [0037] Therefore, if prior to collision with a forward obstacle, the vehicle driver's look-aside duration is relatively short, the alarm start timing is not greatly advanced from the time point when the possibility of collision reaches the reference threshold value level. Thus, it becomes possible to minimize the incidence of an alarm discomforting a driver.
  • the vehicle-mounted alarm apparatus 10 of the embodiment is able to perform alarming at an appropriate time, prior to collision of the vehicle, in accordance with the state of look-aside of a driver while minimizing the incidence of an alarm annoying the driver.
  • the alarm start timing that is advanced if the driver has the driver's line of sight off from the front direction is changed in accordance with the length of the duration of the state where the line of sight is off from the front direction, that is, a look-aside is occurring, as mentioned above. Furthermore, the alarm start timing is changed also in accordance with the time preceding the collision which remains when the look-aside begins. Concretely, the aforementioned alarm start timing is likely to be more greatly advanced from the normal timing if the collision-preceding time remaining at the beginning of the look-aside is longer, and tends to be advanced less greatly if the collision-preceding time is relatively short.
  • the alarm for the driver is started without waiting till the time point when the driver's look-aside ends, that is, without checking the accurate look-aside duration. Therefore, it is possible to prompt the driver whose line of sight is not directed back to the front direction to take an action for collision avoidance or damage mitigation at an earlier stage than in a construction where the alarming for the driver is started after the accurate look-aside duration has been counted. Therefore, in this respect, too, it becomes possible to perform alarming at an appropriate time, prior to collision of the vehicle, in accordance with the look-aside state of a driver while minimizing the incidence of an alarm annoying the driver.
  • the forward obstacle of the host vehicle is a preceding vehicle that is running in the same direction as the host vehicle (in particular, a preceding vehicle running in the same lane as the host vehicle)
  • the preceding vehicle is moving forward, a sudden braking of the preceding vehicle, if one occurs, will reduce the distance between the two vehicles and will increase the relative speed therebetween within a short time, and therefore will make it more likely for the host vehicle to collide with the preceding vehicle.
  • the preceding vehicle is at a stop, the starting of the preceding vehicle will reduce the relative speed between the preceding vehicle and the host vehicle and may eventually increase the distance therebetween, and therefore will hardly ever make it more likely for the host vehicle to collide with the preceding vehicle.
  • the amount of decline of the threshold value level of the possibility of collision for starting the alarming in accordance with, the duration of a look-aside of the driver if the driver is looking aside, that is, the time of advancement of the threshold value time tt (the amount of change of the alarm start timing) is made different between the case where a preceding vehicle, that is, a forward obstacle, is in a moving state and the case where a preceding vehicle is in a stopped state.
  • FIG. 4 shows a flowchart of an example of a control routine that the PCS-ECU 12 executes in the vehicle-mounted alarm apparatus 10 of the embodiment.
  • FIG. 5 shows a diagram comparing the maps each expressing a relationship between the look-aside duration and the threshold value time tt which are used in the embodiment for the case where a preceding vehicle, that is, a forward obstacle, is moving and for the case where a preceding vehicle is at a stop.
  • the PCS-ECU 12 detects the presence of a forward obstacle that needs to be most careful about in conjunction with the running of the host vehicle, on the basis of the output of the obstacle sensor 14, as described above.
  • a preceding vehicle running in the same direction and the same lane as the host vehicle is one of the objects that have the greatest chance of becoming a forward obstacle.
  • the PCS-ECU 12 distinguishes whether or not the forward obstacle is a preceding vehicle as the one described above (step 100).
  • the PCS-ECU 12 distinguishes whether or not the driver's line of sight is off from the front direction on the basis of whether the driver's face orientation angle ⁇ based on images taken by the camera 18 is outside the threshold value ⁇ 0 set for distinction regarding the look-aside (step 102). As a result, if it is distinguished that a look-aside in which the driver's line of sight is off from the front direction is ' occurring, the PCS-ECU 12, from that time on, counts the duration during which the look-aside state continues (step 104).
  • the PCS-ECU 12 distinguishes whether or not the preceding vehicle detected as a forward obstacle is actually in a moving state or in a stopped state, on the basis of the relative speed and distance between the host vehicle and the preceding vehicle , changes in the host vehicle speed, etc. (step 106).
  • different maps each expressing a relationship between the look-aside duration and the threshold value time tt which are for the case where a preceding vehicle as a forward obstacle is actually moving and for the case where a preceding vehicle is at a stop are stored beforehand in the storage device are stored beforehand in the storage device. As shown in FIG.
  • these maps are set so that if comparison is made with the look-aside duration being same between the two maps, the time of advancement of the threshold value time tt is longer with a larger amount of decline of the threshold value level, that is, the alarm start timing is earlier, in the map for the moving preceding vehicle than in the map for the stopped preceding vehicle.
  • the PCS-ECU 12 changes the time of advancement, from the reference time tl, of the threshold value time tt that the predicted collision time needs to reach in order for the alarming for the driver to be started, in accordance with the length of the look-aside duration, with reference to the map set for the moving preceding vehicle which has been stored in the storage device, and therefore changes the amount of decline of the threshold value level that the possibility of collision needs to reach from the reference threshold value level.
  • the PCS-ECU 12 sets the time of advancement of the threshold value time tt, that is, the amount of decline of the threshold value level, that corresponds to the look-aside duration counted in step 104 (step 108).
  • the PCS-ECU 12 changes the time of advancement, from the reference time tl, of the threshold value time tt that the predicted collision time needs to reach in order for the alarming for the driver to be started, in accordance with the length of the look-aside duration, with reference to the map set for the stopped preceding vehicle which has been stored in the storage device, and therefore changes the amount of decline of the threshold value level that the possibility of collision needs to reach from the reference threshold value level.
  • the PCS-ECU 12 sets the time of advancement of the threshold value time tt, that is, the amount of decline of the threshold value level, that corresponds to the look-aside
  • the PCS-ECU 12 may refer to a map expressing a relationship between the look-aside duration and the threshold value time tt which is prepared beforehand for the oncoming vehicle or the still object separately from the map for the preceding vehicle, in order to set the time of advancement of the threshold value time tt, that is, the threshold value level, that corresponds to the look-aside duration.
  • the PCS-ECU 12 compares the computed possibility of collision with the threshold value level that is declined by the amount of decline set as described above that corresponds to the look-aside duration, by distinguishing whether of not the predicted collision time has become equal to or less than the threshold value time tt that is advanced from the reference time tl by the time of advancement set as described above that corresponds to the look-aside duration.
  • the PCS-ECU 12 does not provide any drive instruction to the alarm indicator display 20 or the alarm buzzer 22.
  • the PCS-ECU 12 provides drive instructions to the alarm indicator display 20 and the alarm buzzer 22 so that the alarming is performed from that time point until the time of collision.
  • the.alarm indicator . display 20 displays an alarm, and the alarm buzzer 22 sounds.
  • the amount of decline of the threshold value level that the possibility of collision needs to reach in order for the alarming to be started in accordance with the duration of a look-aside of the driver if the driver is looking aside, that is, the time of advancement of the threshold value time tt (the amount of change of the alarm start timing), can be made different between the case where a preceding vehicle, that is, a forward obstacle, is in the moving state and the case where a preceding vehicle is in the stopped state, with respect to the same look-aside durations.
  • the time of advancement of the threshold value time tt can be made longer and therefore the amount of decline of the threshold value level can be made larger in the case where a preceding vehicle is in the moving state than in the case where a preceding vehicle is in the stopped state.
  • the timing of starting the alarming for the driver can be made earlier than if a preceding vehicle is in the stopped state.
  • the timing of starting the alarming for the driver can be made later than if a preceding vehicle is in the moving state.
  • the preceding vehicle if prior to collision with a preceding vehicle as a forward obstacle, the preceding vehicle abruptly undergoes a sudden braking during movement so that the vehicle speed drops, the alarming is started at as early a timing as possible.
  • the alarming is less likely to be provided than in the cases where a preceding vehicle is moving. Therefore, it becomes possible to minimize the incidence of an alarm annoying a driver.
  • the vehicle-mounted alarm apparatus 10 of the embodiment is able to perform alarming at an appropriate time, prior to collision, with the preceding vehicle, in accordance with the driver's look-aside state while minimizing the incidence of an alarm annoying the driver.
  • the reference threshold value level of the possibility of collision corresponds to a "predetermined level" mentioned in the appended claims.
  • the PCS-ECU 12 realizes an "alarm device” mentioned in the claims, by providing drive instructions to the alarm indicator display 20 and the alarm buzzer 22 so that the alarming, that is, the alarm display and the buzzer sounding, is performed when the predicted collision time with regard to the forward obstacle becomes equal to or less than a reference time tl, which means that the possibility of collision has reached the reference threshold value level.
  • the PCS-ECU 12 also realizes an "alarm timing change device" mentioned in the appended claims by changing the amount of decline, from the reference threshold value level, of the threshold value level that the possibility of collision with a forward obstacle needs to reach in order for the alarming for the driver to be started in accordance with the length of the look-aside duration.
  • the angle of the driver's face from the front direction is detected as the driver's line of sight, this does not restrict the invention.
  • the direction of eyes of the vehicle driver itself may be detected.
  • different maps each expressing a relationship between the look-aside duration and the threshold value time tt are provided for the moving preceding vehicle and for the stopped preceding vehicle as shown in FIG. 5.
  • the two maps are simply shifted laterally from each other in the directions of the axis of the look-aside duration, and the maximum value t2 of the threshold value time tt is the same between the two maps.
  • this does not restrict the invention.
  • the two maps may be shifted from each other in the directions of the axis of the threshold value time tt so that the maximum value t2 of the threshold value time tt is different between the two maps.
  • the map for the stopped preceding vehicle may be the same as a map that is applied for the case where a forward obstacle is a still object such as a utility-line pole, a median strip, etc.
  • the alarm start timing is returned to the normal timing. This return may be realized by immediately clearing the time of advancement of the threshold value time tt to zero and thus immediately recovering the threshold value level of the possibility of collision to the reference threshold value level.
  • the return may also be realized by decreasing the time of advancement of the threshold value time tt in accordance with the duration of the state where the driver's line of sight is directed in the front direction after the discontinuation of the look-aside and thus gradually recovering the threshold value level of the possibility of collision to the reference threshold value level.
  • different maps expressing a relationship between the non-look-aside duration and the threshold value time tt may be provided for the case where a preceding vehicle as a forward obstacle is in the moving state and for the case where a preceding vehicle is in the stopped state.
  • a map as shown in FIG. 5 is used in which the relationship between the driver's look-aside duration and the threshold value time tt that the predicted time of collision with a forward obstacle needs to reach in order for the alarming for the driver to be started is represented by a downwardly convex curve.
  • a map expressing a relationship therebetween that is represented by. a linear line, a,stepped line, etc. may also be used.

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Abstract

The alarming is performed after the possibility of collision of a forward obstacle reaches a reference threshold value level if the vehicle driver's line of sight is in a front direction, and the alarming is performed after the possibility of collision with the forward obstacle reaches a threshold value level that is lower than the reference threshold value level if the vehicle driver's line of sight is not in the front direction. Then, the threshold value level is changed in accordance with the duration of a state where the vehicle driver's line of sight is not in the front direction. Then, the amount of change is made different between a case where a preceding vehicle as the forward obstacle is in a moving state and a case where the preceding vehicle is in a stopped state, with respect to the same set of time.

Description

VEHICLE-MOUNTED ALARM APPARATUS AND METHOD
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention [0001] The invention relates to a vehicle-mounted alarm apparatus and method.
More particularly, the invention relates to a vehicle-mounted alarm apparatus and method that provide an alarm if the possibility of collision with a forward obstacle reaches a threshold value level.
2. Description of the Related Art [0002] An apparatus that performs the collision alarming for a vehicle driver when the possibility of collision of a host vehicle with an obstacle present forward of the vehicle reaches a predetermined level (see, e.g., Japanese Patent Application Publication No. JP- A-2004- 145725). This apparatus detects whether or not the driver is looking aside, that is, whether or not the driver has the driver's line of sight off from the front direction, through the use of images taken by a camera that is provided in the cabin. If a look-aside of the driver is detected, the predetermined level of the possibility of collision with a forward obstacle which is to be reached for performing the alarming for the vehicle driver by speaker output and display indication is changed to a reduced level. Therefore, the above-described apparatus is able to output the collision alarm early if the vehicle driver has a look-aside. As a result, it becomes possible to improve the safety during the running of the vehicle.
[0003] The above-descried apparatus merely changes the aforementioned level in a binary manner in accordance with whether or not the driver is looking aside. Therefore, the collision alarming can be started at one of only two timings that correspond to the non-look-aside time and the look-aside time. While the look-aside of a driver varies in the duration of gaze in accordance with the object of visual recognition, and the like, the foregoing apparatus has only one alarm start timing that is used if a look-aside is detected regardless of the length of the duration of the look-aside. Therefore, the alarm start timing is not flexibly changed in accordance with the length of the duration. Therefore, there is a risk that it will become difficult to perform the alarming in accordance with the state of driver's look-aside.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0004] It is an object of the invention to provide a vehicle-mounted alarm apparatus and method that perform alarming at an appropriate time, prior to collision with a forward obstacle, in accordance with the driver's look-aside state while minimizing the incidence of an alarm annoying the driver.
[0005] A first aspect of the invention relates to a vehicle-mounted alarm apparatus comprising: alarm device that performs alarming after a possibility of collision of a forward obstacle reaches a predetermined level if a vehicle driver's line of sight is in a front direction, and that starts the alarming before the possibility of collision with the forward obstacle reaches the predetermined level if the vehicle driver's line of sight is not in the front direction; and alarm timing change device that changes a timing of starting the alarming by the alarm device before the possibility of collision with the forward obstacle reaches the predetermined level, in accordance with a duration of a state where the vehicle driver's line of sight is not in the front direction. This vehicle-mounted alarm apparatus makes the amount of change of the timing in accordance with the duration different between a case where' a preceding vehicle as the forward obstacle is in a moving state and a case where the preceding vehicle is in a stopped state.
[0006] In the above-described vehicle-mounted alarm apparatus, the timing of starting the alarming is changed so that the alarming is started before the possibility of collision with a forward obstacle reaches a predetermined level, in accordance with the duration of the look-aside state where the vehicle driver's line of sight is not in the front direction. If the aforementioned duration is relatively short, it can be judged that the driver's line of sight is promptly returned from the look-aside state to the front direction; therefore, great advancement of the alarm start timing from the time point when the possibility of collision reaches the normal predetermined level poses a risk of providing an alarm that discomforts the driver, and therefore is not very much needed. If the duration is relatively long, it can be judged that the driver's line of sight is not soon be returned from the look-aside state to the front direction; therefore, great advancement of the alarm start timing from the time point when the possibility of collision reaches the normal predetermined level is effective for early prompting the driver to take an action for collision avoidance. Therefore, the above-described vehicle-mounted alarm apparatus is able to perform alarming at an appropriate time, prior to collision with a forward obstacle, in accordance with the driver's look-aside state while minimizing the incidence of an alarm annoying the driver.
[0007] Furthermore, in the foregoing vehicle-mounted alarm apparatus, the amount of change of the alarm start timing in accordance with the look-aside duration is made different between the case where a preceding vehicle as the forward obstacle is in the moving state and the case where the preceding vehicle is in the stopped state. Therefore, it is possible to perform alarming at an appropriate time, prior to collision with a preceding vehicle as a forward obstacle, in accordance with the driver's look-aside state while minimizing the incidence of an alarm annoying the driver, in correspondence to the state of the preceding vehicle.
[0008] In a situation where a preceding vehicle as a forward obstacle running in the same direction as the host vehicle is moving forward, a sudden braking of the preceding vehicle, if one occurs, will reduce the distance between the two vehicles and will increase the relative speed therebetween within a short time, and therefore will make it more likely for the host vehicle to collide with the preceding vehicle. On the other hand, if a preceding vehicle is stopped, the starting of the preceding vehicle will reduce the relative speed between the preceding vehicle and the host vehicle and may eventually increase the distance therebetween, and therefore will hardly ever make it more likely for the host vehicle to collide with the preceding vehicle. Hence, the alarming may be started at earlier timing in the case where a preceding vehicle is moving than in the case where a preceding vehicle is at a stop.
[0009] Therefore, in the foregoing vehicle-mounted alarm apparatus, the amount of change of the timing in accordance with the duration may be set to be earlier in the case where the preceding vehicle as the forward obstacle is in the moving state than in the case where the preceding vehicle is in the stopped state.
[0010] In the foregoing vehicle-mounted alarm apparatus, if the duration is longer, the alarm timing change device may make the timing earlier by making lower a threshold value level that the possibility of collision with the forward obstacle needs to reach in order for the alarming to be staxted by the alarm device.
[0011] Furthermore, in the foregoing vehicle-mounted alarm apparatus, the possibility of collision with the forward obstacle may correspond to a time that elapses until the host vehicle collides with the forward obstacle. [0012] It is to be noted herein that in the invention, the "front direction" is a direction of the line of sight of a driver when the driver generally has the driver's line of sight substantially in the traveling direction of the vehicle during the linear, running, of the vehicle.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] The foregoing and further objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like numerals are used to represent like elements and wherein: FIG. 1 is a construction diagram of a vehicle-mounted alarm apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;
FIGS. 2 A and 2B are diagrams for describing an operation of the vehicle-mounted alarm apparatus of the embodiment;
FIG. 3 is a map expressing a relationship between a look-aside duration and a threshold value time tt used in the embodiment;
FIG. 4 is a flowchart of an example of a control routine executed by the vehicle-mounted alarm apparatus of the embodiment;
FIG. 5 illustrates the maps each expressing a relationship between the look-aside duration and the threshold value time tt which are used in the embodiment for the case where a preceding vehicle, that is, a forward obstacle, is moving and the case where a preceding vehicle is at a stop; and
FIG. 6 illustrates the maps each expressing a relationship between the look-aside duration and the threshold value time tt which are used in a modification in the invention for the case where a preceding vehicle, that is, a forward obstacle, is moving and the case where a preceding vehicle is at a stop.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS [0014] FIG. 1 shows a construction diagram of a vehicle-mounted alarm apparatus 10 as an embodiment of the invention. The vehicle-mounted alarm apparatus 10 according to this embodiment is a pre-crash safety (PCS) system that predicts collision of a host vehicle with a preceding vehicle present forward of the host vehicle as a forward obstacle which, at least, is running in the same direction as the host vehicle. If the possibility of collision becomes relatively high, the apparatus 10 performs the alarming for collision avoidance or collision mitigation toward the vehicle driver.
[0015] As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle-mounted alarm apparatus 10 is equipped with an electronic control unit (hereinafter, referred to as "PCS-ECU") 12 made up mainly of a computer. An obstacle sensor 14A disposed on a vehicle body front end, for example, a front bumper, a front grille, etc., is connected to the PCS-ECU 12. The obstacle sensor 14 is made up of, for example, a millimeter-wave radar, a laser radar, a camera, etc., and outputs to the PCS-ECU 12 a signal that corresponds to an obstacle present forward of a host vehicle (in particular, in the path of the host vehicle). The PCS-ECU 12, on the basis of output signal of the obstacle sensor 14, detects the presence/absence of a forward obstacle that ought to be most careful about in conjunction with the running of the host vehicle. If such a forward obstacle is present, the PCS-ECU 12 detects the distance between the host vehicle and the forward obstacle, and then detects the relative speed therebetween on the basis of the detected distance and the host vehicle speed detected through the use of a vehicle speed sensor or the like.
[0016] The vehicle-mounted alarm apparatus 10 is equipped with a camera ECU 16 that is connected for serial communication with the PCS-ECU 12, and that is made up mainly of a computer. A camera 18 provided for taking pictures of the face of the vehicle driver is connected to the camera ECU 16. The camera 18 is disposed, for example, on an upper surface of a steering column cover, or within a combination meter. The camera 18 is directed in a direction which is opposite to the traveling direction of the vehicle and in which the vehicle driver's head is present, and takes pictures of the vehicle driver's face substantially from the front, through an opening portion that is formed in a face of the steering wheel via which the driver holds the steering wheel, and recognizes the combination meter. Furthermore, for night-time picture taking, a lamp that projects infrared radiation to the vehicle driver's face may be provided.
[0017] The video signal of the camera 18 is supplied to the camera ECU 16. On the basis of the video signal supplied from the camera 18, the camera ECU 16 performs a binarization process and a feature point extraction process so as to extract images showing the driver's face and detect the driver's face width and the face center line from the extracted images. From these parameters, the camera ECU 16 calculates left-right side interval ratios of the face appearing in the image. From the left-right side interval ratio, the camera ECU 16 detects the direction in which the driver's face faces, that is, the angle of the driver's face from the front direction (hereinafter, the angle is defined to be 0° when the driver directs the driver's line of sight exactly forward, that is, in the traveling direction of the vehicle along its running lane, which is referred to as "face orientation angle"). Information of the face orientation angle of the vehicle driver detected by the camera ECU 16 is supplied to the PCS-ECU 12. On the basis of the information of the face orientation angle supplied from the camera ECU 16, the PCS-ECU 12 grasps the face orientation angle θ as the direction in which the vehicle driver has directed the driver's line of sight).
[0018] An alarm indicator display 20 and an alarm buzzer 22 are connected to the PCS-ECU 12. The alarm indicator display 20 is, for example, a meter unit provided in an instrument panel in the cabin, and alerts the vehicle driver by providing an alarm indication in accordance with a drive instruction from the PCS-ECU 12 as described below. The alarm buzzer 22 is a buzzer alarm provided in the cabin, and alerts the vehicle driver by producing a buzzer sound in accordance with a drive instruction from the PCS-ECU 12 as described below.
[0019] Next, actions of the vehicle-mounted alarm apparatus 10 of this embodiment will be described. FIGS. 2A and 2B show diagrams for describing an action of the vehicle-mounted alarm apparatus 10 of this embodiment. FIG. 3 shows a map that expresses a relationship between a look-aside duration and a threshold value time.
[0020] In this embodiment, if the PCS-ECU 12 detects the presence of a forward obstacle on the basis of the output of the obstacle sensor 14, the PCS-ECU 12 computes, at every fixed time following the detection, the present-time possibility of the host vehicle colliding with the forward obstacle (possibility of collision) on the basis of the distance and the relative speed with respect to the forward obstacle as well as the path of the host vehicle and the position of the forward obstacle with respect to the path, etc. Incidentally, the shorter the time before the host vehicle collides with the forward obstacle, the higher the possibility of collision becomes. Therefore, it is appropriate that the possibility of collision computed by the PCS-ECU 12 be a value that corresponds to a time (predicted collision time) obtained by dividing the distance between the host vehicle and the forward obstacle by the relative speed therebetween. The thus-obtained value is larger if the predicted collision time is shorter. [0021] In general, with respect to the forward obstacle (e.g., a stopped vehicle) present forward in the same lane as the host vehicle, a vehicle driver in many cases starts to take an action to avoid the collision, such as a steering operation, a brake operation, etc., by the time that is a predetermined time prior to the collision with the forward obstacle (e.g., 1.8 second or 2 second, that is, about 30 meters before the forward obstacle). Therefore, performing the alarming by display or buzzer for the vehicle driver at early timing prior to the collision is effective for attaining collision avoidance and damage mitigation. However, if the alarming for the vehicle driver is performed within the aforementioned predetermined time during which the vehicle driver can take a collision avoidance action, it can happen that an alarm is provided even when the vehicle driver plans to take a collision avoidance action in the near future. In such a case, the vehicle driver may feel that the alarm is annoying, and may be discomforted. Therefore, in the PCS-ECU 12, the possibility of collision, that is, the time up to the collision (e.g., 1.8 seconds or 2 seconds), that allows the vehicle driver to effectively take a collision avoidance action while minimizing the incidence of discomforting the vehicle driver is stored in a storage device beforehand as a reference threshold value level (reference time tl up to the collision) for starting the alarm.
[0022] Furthermore, the frontal collision of a vehicle occurs often because the vehicle driver fails to look ahead properly when looking aside, for example, looking in the inner mirror or the driver's seat-side or navigator's seat-side outer mirror, or looking at a display indication in the cabin, or looking to the left and right of the vehicle body for visual confirmation of safety. Therefore, in order to attain collision avoidance and damage mitigation, it is appropriate to perform the alarming for a vehicle driver at a timing that is earlier than usual if the attention of the vehicle driver to the front of the vehicle is low prior to a collision.
[0023] It is to be noted herein that the aforementioned look-aside of the vehicle driver is performed with the driver's line of sight being at a certain angle from the front direction. Therefore, in the PCS-ECU 12, a threshold value Θ0 (e.g. 15°) of the face orientation angle for determining whether or not the driver is looking aside with the driver's line of sight being off from the front direction is stored beforehand in the storage device. Every time the PCS-ECU 12 is supplied with information of the driver's face orientation angle θ from the camera ECU 16, the PCS-ECU 12 compares the face orientation angle θ with the threshold value ΘO stored in the storage device.
[0024] If the face orientation angle θ is less than or equal to the threshold value Θ0 as a result of the comparison, the PCS-ECU 12 judges that the driver's line of sight is directed substantially in the front direction. Then, when the PCS-ECU 12 has computed the possibility of collision of the host vehicle with a forward obstacle, the PCS-ECU 12 compares the possibility of collision with the reference threshold value level stored in the storage device. Incidentally, it may also be judged that the driver's line of sight is directed substantially in the front direction, within a period starting when the duration of the face orientation angle θ being less than or equal to the threshold value ΘO reaches a predetermined time and ending when the duration of the face orientation angle θ being greater than the threshold value ΘO reaches a predetermined time. When such a judgment is made, the calculated possibility of collision is compared with the reference threshold value level.
[0025] Then, if a result of the comparison shows that the possibility of collision has reached the reference threshold value level, that is, that the predicted collision time has become equal to or less than the reference time tl, the PCS-ECU- 12 outputs drive instructions to the alarm indicator display 20 and the alarm buzzer 22 so that alarming is performed from that time point until the time of collision. In this case, in order to prompt the driver to avoid or mitigate the collision of the host vehicle with the forward obstacle, the alarm indicator display 20 displays an alarm, and the alarm buzzer 22 sounds (see FIG. 2A). [0026] In a situation where the face orientation angle θ is outside the threshold value
Θ0 as shown by a result of the comparison, the PCS-ECU 12 judges that the driver's line of sight is not directed in the front direction. Then, the PCS-ECU 12 makes the threshold value time tt that the predicted collision time with regard to the forward obstacle needs to reach in order for the alarming for the driver to be started longer than the aforementioned reference time tl (makes it earlier with reference to the time of collision), so that the threshold value level that the possibility of collision needs to reach in order for the alarming for the driver to be started is declined from the reference threshold value level. Incidentally, the judgment that the driver's line of sight is not directed in the front direction may be provided during a period starting when the duration of the face orientation angle θ being larger than the threshold value ΘO reaches a predetermined time (e.g. 0.3 second) and ending when the duration of the face orientation angle θ being equal to or less than the threshold value Θ0 reaches a predetermined time.
[0027] In order to decline the threshold value level as described above, the PCS-ECU 12 operates as follows. Firstly, when the PCS-ECU 12 has judged that the driver's line of sight is not directed in the front direction due to the presence of a state where the driver's face orientation angle θ based on images taken by the camera 18 is larger than the threshold value ΘO for the distinction of the look-aside, the PCS-ECU 12 counts the duration of the continuation of the state from that time of judgment. Then, in accordance with the length of the counted duration of look-aside, the PCS-ECU 12 changes the amount of decline, from the reference threshold value level, of the threshold value level that the possibility of collision with the forward obstacle needs to reach for the alarming for the driver to be started. Specifically, the PCS-ECU 12 changes the time of advancement from the aforementioned reference time tl of the threshold value time tt that the predicted collision time with regard to the forward obstacle needs to reach for the alarming for the driver to be started.
[0028] Concretely, in the PCS-ECU 12, a map expressing a relationship between the look-aside duration and the threshold value time tt as shown in FIG. 3 is stored beforehand in the storage device. In this map, the relationship therebetween is of a downwardly convex curve. If the look-aside duration is shorter than a predetermined time si (e.g., 0.5 second), the threshold value time tt is substantially equal to the reference time tl (= the time of advancement being zero). However, if the look-aside duration is equal to or longer than the predetermined time si, the threshold value time tt is longer than the reference time tl by an amount that is increased with the increasing duration (the point of the threshold value time tt becomes earlier with reference to the time of collision, that is, the time of advancement becomes longer). If look-aside duration is longer than a predetermined time s2 (e.g., 1 second) that is longer than the predetermined time si, the threshold value time tt is fixed at a predetermined time t2 (e.g., 3 seconds or 3.5 seconds up to the collision) that is longer than the reference time tl (i.e., the time of advancement is maximum). Incidentally, this map may be modified so that the relationship therebetween is, for example, linear or stepwise.
[0029] Therefore, with reference to the map expressing a relationship between the look-aside duration and the threshold value time tt as shown in FIG. 3, the PCS-ECU 12 sets the amount of decline of the threshold value level in accordance with the length of the look-aside duration, that is, the time of advancement of the threshold value time tt in accordance the length of the look-aside duration. After that, every time the look-aside duration, is updated, the PCS-ECU 12 sets the amount of decline of the threshold value level corresponding to the look-aside duration, that is, the time of advancement of the - threshold value time tt corresponding the look-aside duration.
[0030] Then, in a situation where the PCS-ECU 12 judges that the driver's line of sight is not directed in the front direction, when the PCS-ECU 12 has computed the individual time-point possibility of collision of the host vehicle with the forward obstacle, the PCS-ECU 12 compares the computed possibility of collision with the threshold value level that is declined by the amount that corresponds to the look-aside duration as described above. Concretely, the PCS-ECU 12 distinguishes whether or not the computed predicted collision time is equal to or less than the threshold value time tt.that . is advanced from the reference time tl by a time that corresponds to the look-aside duration as described above. [0031] When a result of the comparison shows that the predicted collision time is longer than the threshold value time tt that is longer than the reference time tl, and the possibility of collision has not reached the threshold value level provided after the decline of level, no drive instruction is output to the alarm indicator display 20 or the alarm
. buzzer 22. On the other hand, when the predicted collision time has become equal to or less than the threshold value time tt and the possibility of collision has reached the threshold value level, drive instructions are output to the alarm indicator display 20 and the alarm buzzer 22 so that the alarming is performed from that time point until the time of collision. In this case, in order to prompt the driver to avoid or mitigate the collision of the host vehicle with the forward obstacle, the alarm indicator display 20 displays an alarm, and the alarm buzzer 22 sounds (see FIG. 2B).
[0032] Therefore, the vehicle-mounted alarm apparatus 10 of this embodiment is able, prior to collision with a forward obstacle, to provide the alarm display by the alarm indicator display 20 and the buzzer sound alarm by the alarm buzzer 22 for avoiding the collision or mitigating the damage, at the time point of passage of the timing when the driver can take a normal collision avoidance action if the driver is directing the driver's line of sight in the front direction, and is able to start providing the alarms prior to the passage of the timing at which the driver can take a normal collision avoidance action if the driver has the driver's line of sight off from the front direction. That is, prior to the collision with a forward obstacle, if the driver has the driver's line of sight off from the front direction, the alarm start timing for collision avoidance and damage mitigation is able to be made earlier than if the driver is directing the driver's line of sight in the front line. Therefore, the embodiment is able to prevent the driver from delaying in the collision avoidance action because of the driver's look-aside while reducing the incidence of an alarm annoying the driver as best as possible. This makes it possible to improve the safety during the running of a vehicle.
[0033] Furthermore, in the construction of the embodiment, if a look-aside in which the driver's line of sight is not directed in the front direction occurs and the look-aside state continues for a long time (s2) in a situation where there is a fairly ample amount of time before collision with a forward obstacle (concretely, an amount of time that is longer than a time obtained by summing the maximum value of the time of advancement of the threshold value time tt from the reference time tl and the minimum value of the time for which the look-aside needs to continue in order for the time of advancement to be maximized), the time of advancement of the threshold value time tt from the reference time tl becomes maximum. On this occasion, the alarming is started at the time point when the predicted collision time becomes equal to or less than the threshold value time tt (predetermined time t2) that includes the maximized time of advancement while the look-aside continues.
[0034] Furthermore, if a look-aside in which the driver's line of sight is not directed in the front direction occurs in a situation where there is not an ample amount of time before collision with a forward obstacle unlike the foregoing situation, the time of advancement increases in accordance with the duration of the look-aside state. While the time of advancement is being increased, the predicted collision time becomes equal to or less than the threshold value time tt. Therefore, at the time point when the predicted collision time becomes equal to or less than the threshold value time tt, the alarming is started. This means that the time of advancement of the threshold value time tt from the reference time tl is limited depending on the start timing of a look- aside that is determined with reference to the time of the collision. [0035] In the foregoing description, the driver's look-aside occurs prior to collision with the forward obstacle. If the look-aside is discontinued and the driver directs the driver's line of sight back to the front direction before the predicted collision time becomes equal to or less than the threshold value time tt whose time of advancement is being increased with the increasing duration of the look-aside, the time of advancement may be cleared to zero so that the threshold value time tt is set to the normal reference time tl . This is appropriate since if the driver's line of sight is directed back to the front direction,, the. need to advance the alarm start timing from the normal timing reduces, In this case, the alarming is started at the time point when the predicted collision time becomes equal to or less than the reference time tl, as in the normal operation. [0036] Thus, according to the vehicle-mounted alarm apparatus 10 of the embodiment, the alarm start timing can be advanced in accordance with the length of the duration of the state in which the driver's line of sight is off from the front direction, that is, a look-aside is occurring, if the driver has the driver's line of sight off from the front direction. Concretely, if the look-aside duration is longer, the time of advancement, from the reference time tl, of the threshold value time tt that the predicted collision time needs to reach in order for the alarming for the driver to be started can be elongated to increase the amount of decline of the threshold value level that the possibility of collision needs to reach from the reference threshold value level, so that the alarm start timing can be advanced. [0037] Therefore, if prior to collision with a forward obstacle, the vehicle driver's look-aside duration is relatively short, the alarm start timing is not greatly advanced from the time point when the possibility of collision reaches the reference threshold value level. Thus, it becomes possible to minimize the incidence of an alarm discomforting a driver. Furthermore, if the vehicle driver's look-aside duration is relatively long, the alarm start timing is greatly advanced from the time point when the possibility of collision reaches the reference threshold value level. Thus, it becomes possible to prompt, at an early timing, the driver whose line of sight is still not directed back to the front direction to take an action for avoiding the collision or mitigating the damage. Therefore, the vehicle-mounted alarm apparatus 10 of the embodiment is able to perform alarming at an appropriate time, prior to collision of the vehicle, in accordance with the state of look-aside of a driver while minimizing the incidence of an alarm annoying the driver.
[0038] In the embodiment, the alarm start timing that is advanced if the driver has the driver's line of sight off from the front direction is changed in accordance with the length of the duration of the state where the line of sight is off from the front direction, that is, a look-aside is occurring, as mentioned above. Furthermore, the alarm start timing is changed also in accordance with the time preceding the collision which remains when the look-aside begins. Concretely, the aforementioned alarm start timing is likely to be more greatly advanced from the normal timing if the collision-preceding time remaining at the beginning of the look-aside is longer, and tends to be advanced less greatly if the collision-preceding time is relatively short. In this construction, the alarm for the driver is started without waiting till the time point when the driver's look-aside ends, that is, without checking the accurate look-aside duration. Therefore, it is possible to prompt the driver whose line of sight is not directed back to the front direction to take an action for collision avoidance or damage mitigation at an earlier stage than in a construction where the alarming for the driver is started after the accurate look-aside duration has been counted. Therefore, in this respect, too, it becomes possible to perform alarming at an appropriate time, prior to collision of the vehicle, in accordance with the look-aside state of a driver while minimizing the incidence of an alarm annoying the driver.
[0039] If in the case where the forward obstacle of the host vehicle is a preceding vehicle that is running in the same direction as the host vehicle (in particular, a preceding vehicle running in the same lane as the host vehicle), the preceding vehicle is moving forward, a sudden braking of the preceding vehicle, if one occurs, will reduce the distance between the two vehicles and will increase the relative speed therebetween within a short time, and therefore will make it more likely for the host vehicle to collide with the preceding vehicle. On the other hand, if the preceding vehicle is at a stop, the starting of the preceding vehicle will reduce the relative speed between the preceding vehicle and the host vehicle and may eventually increase the distance therebetween, and therefore will hardly ever make it more likely for the host vehicle to collide with the preceding vehicle. Hence, it is permissible to provide a design such that the alarming can be started at an earlier timing in the case where the preceding vehicle is moving than in the case where the preceding vehicle is at a stop. [0040] Therefore, in the vehicle-mounted alarm apparatus 10 in the embodiment, the amount of decline of the threshold value level of the possibility of collision for starting the alarming in accordance with, the duration of a look-aside of the driver if the driver is looking aside, that is, the time of advancement of the threshold value time tt (the amount of change of the alarm start timing) is made different between the case where a preceding vehicle, that is, a forward obstacle, is in a moving state and the case where a preceding vehicle is in a stopped state. Hereinafter, features of the embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5.
[0041] FIG. 4 shows a flowchart of an example of a control routine that the PCS-ECU 12 executes in the vehicle-mounted alarm apparatus 10 of the embodiment. FIG. 5 shows a diagram comparing the maps each expressing a relationship between the look-aside duration and the threshold value time tt which are used in the embodiment for the case where a preceding vehicle, that is, a forward obstacle, is moving and for the case where a preceding vehicle is at a stop.
[0042] In the embodiment, the PCS-ECU 12 detects the presence of a forward obstacle that needs to be most careful about in conjunction with the running of the host vehicle, on the basis of the output of the obstacle sensor 14, as described above. A preceding vehicle running in the same direction and the same lane as the host vehicle is one of the objects that have the greatest chance of becoming a forward obstacle. In view of this and on the basis of the relative speed and distance with respect to the forward obstacle whose presence has been detected as well as the time-dependent transition of the host vehicle speed, etc., the PCS-ECU 12 distinguishes whether or not the forward obstacle is a preceding vehicle as the one described above (step 100).
[0043] If it is distinguished that the forward obstacle is a preceding vehicle, the PCS-ECU 12 distinguishes whether or not the driver's line of sight is off from the front direction on the basis of whether the driver's face orientation angle θ based on images taken by the camera 18 is outside the threshold value Θ0 set for distinction regarding the look-aside (step 102). As a result, if it is distinguished that a look-aside in which the driver's line of sight is off from the front direction is' occurring, the PCS-ECU 12, from that time on, counts the duration during which the look-aside state continues (step 104). Then, the PCS-ECU 12 distinguishes whether or not the preceding vehicle detected as a forward obstacle is actually in a moving state or in a stopped state, on the basis of the relative speed and distance between the host vehicle and the preceding vehicle , changes in the host vehicle speed, etc. (step 106). [0044] In the PCS-ECU 12 in the embodiment, different maps each expressing a relationship between the look-aside duration and the threshold value time tt which are for the case where a preceding vehicle as a forward obstacle is actually moving and for the case where a preceding vehicle is at a stop are stored beforehand in the storage device are stored beforehand in the storage device. As shown in FIG. 5, these maps are set so that if comparison is made with the look-aside duration being same between the two maps, the time of advancement of the threshold value time tt is longer with a larger amount of decline of the threshold value level, that is, the alarm start timing is earlier, in the map for the moving preceding vehicle than in the map for the stopped preceding vehicle.
[0045] If as a result of the process of step 106 it is distinguished that the preceding vehicle is in the moving state, the PCS-ECU 12 changes the time of advancement, from the reference time tl, of the threshold value time tt that the predicted collision time needs to reach in order for the alarming for the driver to be started, in accordance with the length of the look-aside duration, with reference to the map set for the moving preceding vehicle which has been stored in the storage device, and therefore changes the amount of decline of the threshold value level that the possibility of collision needs to reach from the reference threshold value level. In this manner, the PCS-ECU 12 sets the time of advancement of the threshold value time tt, that is, the amount of decline of the threshold value level, that corresponds to the look-aside duration counted in step 104 (step 108). [0046] On the other hand, if as a result of the process of step 106 it is distinguished that the preceding vehicle is in the stopped state, the PCS-ECU 12 changes the time of advancement, from the reference time tl, of the threshold value time tt that the predicted collision time needs to reach in order for the alarming for the driver to be started, in accordance with the length of the look-aside duration, with reference to the map set for the stopped preceding vehicle which has been stored in the storage device, and therefore changes the amount of decline of the threshold value level that the possibility of collision needs to reach from the reference threshold value level. In this manner, the PCS-ECU 12 sets the time of advancement of the threshold value time tt, that is, the amount of decline of the threshold value level, that corresponds to the look-aside duration counted in step 104 (step 110).
[0047] If it is distinguished that the forward obstacle is an object other than a preceding vehicle, such as an oncoming vehicle or a still object, the PCS-ECU 12 may refer to a map expressing a relationship between the look-aside duration and the threshold value time tt which is prepared beforehand for the oncoming vehicle or the still object separately from the map for the preceding vehicle, in order to set the time of advancement of the threshold value time tt, that is, the threshold value level, that corresponds to the look-aside duration.
[0048] Then, when the PCS-ECU 12 has computed an individual time-point possibility of collision of the host vehicle with the forward obstacle in a situation where it is judged that the driver's line of sight is not in the front direction, the PCS-ECU 12 compares the computed possibility of collision with the threshold value level that is declined by the amount of decline set as described above that corresponds to the look-aside duration, by distinguishing whether of not the predicted collision time has become equal to or less than the threshold value time tt that is advanced from the reference time tl by the time of advancement set as described above that corresponds to the look-aside duration.
[0049] If a result of the comparison shows that the predicted collision time is longer than the threshold value time tt that is longer than the reference time tl and the possibility of collision has not reached the threshold value level provided after the decline of level, the PCS-ECU 12 does not provide any drive instruction to the alarm indicator display 20 or the alarm buzzer 22. On the other hand, if the predicted collision time has become equal to or less than the threshold value time tt and the possibility of collision has reached the threshold value level, the PCS-ECU 12 provides drive instructions to the alarm indicator display 20 and the alarm buzzer 22 so that the alarming is performed from that time point until the time of collision. In this case, in order to prompt the driver to avoid or mitigate the collision of the host vehicle with the forward obstacle, the.alarm indicator . display 20 displays an alarm, and the alarm buzzer 22 sounds.
[0050] Thus, in the vehicle-mounted alarm apparatus 10 in the embodiment, the amount of decline of the threshold value level that the possibility of collision needs to reach in order for the alarming to be started in accordance with the duration of a look-aside of the driver if the driver is looking aside, that is, the time of advancement of the threshold value time tt (the amount of change of the alarm start timing), can be made different between the case where a preceding vehicle, that is, a forward obstacle, is in the moving state and the case where a preceding vehicle is in the stopped state, with respect to the same look-aside durations. Concretely, the time of advancement of the threshold value time tt can be made longer and therefore the amount of decline of the threshold value level can be made larger in the case where a preceding vehicle is in the moving state than in the case where a preceding vehicle is in the stopped state. [0051] In this respect, in the embodiment, if a preceding vehicle is in the moving state, the timing of starting the alarming for the driver can be made earlier than if a preceding vehicle is in the stopped state. Conversely, if a preceding vehicle is in the stopped state, the timing of starting the alarming for the driver can be made later than if a preceding vehicle is in the moving state. Therefore, if prior to collision with a preceding vehicle as a forward obstacle, the preceding vehicle abruptly undergoes a sudden braking during movement so that the vehicle speed drops, the alarming is started at as early a timing as possible. Thus, it is possible to prompt, at an early stage, the driver to avoid or mitigate the collision of the host vehicle with the preceding vehicle. Furthermore, in the cases where a preceding vehicle is at a stop, including the case where a preceding vehicle suddenly starts from the stopped state, the alarming is less likely to be provided than in the cases where a preceding vehicle is moving. Therefore, it becomes possible to minimize the incidence of an alarm annoying a driver.
[0052] Therefore, in correspondence to the state of a preceding vehicle as a forward obstacle (concretely, whether a preceding vehicle is in the moving state or the stopped ■ state), the vehicle-mounted alarm apparatus 10 of the embodiment is able to perform alarming at an appropriate time, prior to collision, with the preceding vehicle, in accordance with the driver's look-aside state while minimizing the incidence of an alarm annoying the driver. [0053] In the foregoing embodiment, the reference threshold value level of the possibility of collision corresponds to a "predetermined level" mentioned in the appended claims. Furthermore, the PCS-ECU 12 realizes an "alarm device" mentioned in the claims, by providing drive instructions to the alarm indicator display 20 and the alarm buzzer 22 so that the alarming, that is, the alarm display and the buzzer sounding, is performed when the predicted collision time with regard to the forward obstacle becomes equal to or less than a reference time tl, which means that the possibility of collision has reached the reference threshold value level. The PCS-ECU 12 also realizes an "alarm timing change device" mentioned in the appended claims by changing the amount of decline, from the reference threshold value level, of the threshold value level that the possibility of collision with a forward obstacle needs to reach in order for the alarming for the driver to be started in accordance with the length of the look-aside duration.
[0054] Although in the foregoing embodiment, the angle of the driver's face from the front direction is detected as the driver's line of sight, this does not restrict the invention. For example, the direction of eyes of the vehicle driver itself may be detected.
[0055] Furthermore, in the foregoing embodiment, different maps each expressing a relationship between the look-aside duration and the threshold value time tt are provided for the moving preceding vehicle and for the stopped preceding vehicle as shown in FIG. 5. The two maps are simply shifted laterally from each other in the directions of the axis of the look-aside duration, and the maximum value t2 of the threshold value time tt is the same between the two maps. However, this does not restrict the invention. For example, as shown in FIG. 6A, the two maps may be shifted from each other in the directions of the axis of the threshold value time tt so that the maximum value t2 of the threshold value time tt is different between the two maps.
[0056] Furthermore, although in the foregoing embodiment, different maps each expressing a relationship between the look^aside duration and the threshold value time.tt.. are provided for the moving preceding vehicle and for the stopped preceding vehicle, the map for the stopped preceding vehicle may be the same as a map that is applied for the case where a forward obstacle is a still object such as a utility-line pole, a median strip, etc.
[0057] In the foregoing embodiment, if a look-aside occurring prior to collision with a forward obstacle is discontinued before the predicted collision time becomes equal to or less than the threshold value time tt whose time of advancement is increased with the increasing look-aside duration, the alarm start timing is returned to the normal timing. This return may be realized by immediately clearing the time of advancement of the threshold value time tt to zero and thus immediately recovering the threshold value level of the possibility of collision to the reference threshold value level. Furthermore, conversely, the return may also be realized by decreasing the time of advancement of the threshold value time tt in accordance with the duration of the state where the driver's line of sight is directed in the front direction after the discontinuation of the look-aside and thus gradually recovering the threshold value level of the possibility of collision to the reference threshold value level. For gradual recovery of the threshold value level of the possibility of collision, too, different maps expressing a relationship between the non-look-aside duration and the threshold value time tt may be provided for the case where a preceding vehicle as a forward obstacle is in the moving state and for the case where a preceding vehicle is in the stopped state.
[0058] Furthermore, in the foregoing embodiment, when the alarm start timing that is advanced when the driver's line of sight is off from the front direction is to be changed in accordance with the length of the duration of the state where the driver's line of sight is off from the front direction and thus a look-aside is occurring, a map as shown in FIG. 5 is used in which the relationship between the driver's look-aside duration and the threshold value time tt that the predicted time of collision with a forward obstacle needs to reach in order for the alarming for the driver to be started is represented by a downwardly convex curve. However, a map expressing a relationship therebetween that is represented by. a linear line, a,stepped line, etc. may also be used.

Claims

1. A vehicle-mounted alarm apparatus comprising: alarm device (20, 22) that performs alarming after a possibility of collision of a forward obstacle reaches a predetermined level if a vehicle driver's line of sight is in a front direction, and that starts the alarming before the possibility of collision with the forward obstacle reaches the predetermined level if the vehicle driver's line of sight is not in the front direction; and alarm timing change device (12) that changes a timing of starting the alarming by the alarm device (20, 22) before the possibility of collision with the forward obstacle reaches the predetermined level, in accordance with a duration of a state where the vehicle driver's line of sight is not in the front direction, the vehicle-mounted alarm apparatus being characterized in that an amount of change of the timing in accordance with the duration is made different between a case where a preceding vehicle as the forward obstacle is in a moving state and a case where the preceding vehicle is in a stopped state.
2. The vehicle-mounted alarm apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that: the alarm timing change device (12) distinguishes whether or not the forward obstacle is a preceding vehicle based on a relative speed and a relative distance of a host vehicle with respect to the forward obstacle, a time transition of a host vehicle speed; and that if it is distinguished that the forward obstacle is a preceding vehicle, the alarm timing change device (12) makes the amount of change of the timing different between the case where the preceding vehicle is in the moving state and the case where the preceding vehicle is in the stopped state.
3. The vehicle-mounted alarm apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the amount of change of the timing in accordance with the duration is set to be earlier in the case where the preceding vehicle as the forward obstacle is in the moving state than in the case where the preceding vehicle is in the stopped state.
4. The vehicle-mounted alarm apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that if the duration is longer, the alarm timing change device (12) makes the timing earlier by making lower a threshold value level that the possibility of collision with the forward obstacle needs to reach in order for the alarming to be started by the alarm device (20, 22).
5. The vehicle-mounted alarm apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the possibility of collision with the forward obstacle corresponds to a time that elapses until the host vehicle collides with the forward obstacle.
6. The vehicle-mounted alarm apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the condition where the vehicle driver's line of sight is not in the front direction is satisfied when the driver's face orientation angle is grater than the threshold value.
7. An alarming method of a vehicle-mounted alarm apparatus comprising: performing alarming after a possibility of collision of a forward obstacle reaches a predetermined level if a vehicle driver's line of sight is in a front direction, and for starting the alarming before the possibility of collision with the forward obstacle reaches the predetermined level if the vehicle driver's line of sight is not in the front direction; and changing a timing of starting the alarming before the possibility of collision with the forward obstacle reaches the predetermined level, in accordance with a duration of a state where the vehicle driver's line of sight is not in the front direction, the alarming method being characterized in that an amount of change of the timing in accordance with the duration is made different between a case where a preceding vehicle as the forward obstacle is in a moving state and a case where the preceding vehicle is in a stopped state (106, 108, 110).
8. The alarming method of a vehicle-mounted alarm apparatus according to claim 7, characterized by further comprising distinguishing whether or not the forward obstacle is a preceding vehicle based on a relative speed and a relative distance of a host vehicle with respect to the forward obstacle, a time transition of a host vehicle speed (100).
9. The alarming method of a vehicle-mounted alarm apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that the amount of change of the timing in accordance with the duration is set to be earlier in the case where the preceding vehicle as the forward obstacle is in the moving state than in the case where the preceding vehicle is in the stopped state.
10. The alarming method of a vehicle-mounted alarm apparatus according to any one of claims 7 to 9, characterized in that if the duration is longer, the timing is made earlier by making lower a threshold value level that the possibility of collision with the forward obstacle needs to reach in order for the alarming to be started.
11. The alarming method of a vehicle-mounted alarm apparatus according to any one of claims 7 to 10, characterized in that the possibility of collision with the forward obstacle corresponds to a time that elapses until the host vehicle collides with the forward obstacle.
12. The alarming method of a vehicle-mounted alarm apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that the condition where the vehicle driver's line of sight is not in the front direction is satisfied when the driver's face orientation angle is grater than the threshold value.
PCT/IB2006/002422 2005-09-05 2006-09-04 Vehicle-mounted alarm apparatus and method WO2007029089A1 (en)

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