Vehicle and in-vehicle control method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11608102-B2
Application number	US-201716078717-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 7, 2017
Priority date	Feb 23, 2016
Publication date	Mar 21, 2023
Grant date	Mar 21, 2023

Abstract

A vehicle comprising a steering wheel; a steering switch disposed on the steering wheel; an other-vehicle-detector for detecting another vehicle; a tactile sensation presentation unit for presenting a tactile sensation to an operator by vibrating the steering switch; and a controller configured to, according to detection by the other-vehicle-detector, cause the tactile sensation presentation unit to vibrate the steering switch to present a tactile sensation to the operator.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A vehicle, comprising:
a steering wheel;
a steering switch disposed on the steering wheel;
an other-vehicle-detector for detecting another vehicle;
a tactile sensation presentation unit for presenting a tactile sensation to an operator by vibrating the steering switch; and
a controller configured to
acquire information related to a pressing of the steering switch,
control the other-vehicle-detector to execute detection of the presence or absence of an other vehicle within a predetermined distance around the vehicle,
upon determining that the other vehicle is within the predetermined distance around the vehicle, cause the tactile sensation presentation unit to vibrate the steering switch to present a first tactile sensation to the operator, and
upon determining that the other vehicle is not within the predetermined distance around the vehicle, cause the tactile sensation presentation unit to vibrate the steering switch to present a second tactile sensation to the operator, wherein

the first tactile sensation is different from the second tactile sensation,
the steering switch is disposed on both a right side and a left side of the steering wheel, and
the controller is configured to, according to detection by the other-vehicle-detector in response to an operation, cause the tactile sensation presentation unit to vibrate the steering switch to present to the operator the first tactile sensation corresponding to a distance to the other vehicle.

2. The vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein
the operation is either contact to the steering switch or pressing against the steering switch.

3. The vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein
the controller is configured to, based on detection of another vehicle located in a lateral direction or a rearward direction from the vehicle by the other-vehicle-detector, cause the tactile sensation presentation unit to vibrate the steering switch to present the first tactile sensation to the operator.

4. The vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein
the controller is configured to, based on detection of an approaching vehicle, cause the tactile sensation presentation unit to vibrate the steering switch to present the first tactile sensation to the operator.

5. A vehicle, comprising:
a steering wheel;
a turn signal lever;
a contact detector for detecting contact to the turn signal lever;
an other-vehicle-detector for detecting another vehicle;
a tactile sensation presentation unit for presenting a tactile sensation to an operator by vibrating the steering wheel; and
a controller configured to
detect contact to the turn signal lever by the operator,
control the other-vehicle-detector to execute detection of the presence or absence of an other vehicle within a predetermined distance around the vehicle,
upon determining that the other vehicle is within the predetermined distance around the vehicle, cause the tactile sensation presentation unit to vibrate the steering wheel to present a first tactile sensation to the operator, and
upon determining that the other vehicle is not within the predetermined distance around the vehicle, cause the tactile sensation presentation unit to vibrate the steering wheel to present a second tactile sensation to the operator, wherein

the first tactile sensation is different from the second tactile sensation, and
the controller is configured to, according to detection by the other-vehicle-detector in response to an operation, cause the tactile sensation presentation unit to vibrate the steering wheel to present to the operator the first tactile sensation corresponding to a distance to the other vehicle.

6. A vehicle, comprising:
a steering wheel;
a turn signal lever;
an other-vehicle-detector for detecting another vehicle;
a tactile sensation presentation unit for presenting a tactile sensation to an operator by vibrating the steering wheel; and
a controller configured to
detect an operation on the turn signal lever by the operator,
control the other-vehicle-detector to execute detection of the presence or absence of an other vehicle within a predetermined distance around the vehicle,
upon determining that the other vehicle is within the predetermined distance around the vehicle, cause the tactile sensation presentation unit to vibrate the steering wheel to present a first tactile sensation to the operator, and
upon determining that the other vehicle is not within the predetermined distance around the vehicle, cause the tactile sensation presentation unit to vibrate the steering wheel to present a second tactile sensation to the operator, wherein

the first tactile sensation is different from the second tactile sensation, and
the controller is configured to, according to detection by the other-vehicle-detector in response to an operation, cause the tactile sensation presentation unit to vibrate the steering wheel to present to the operator the first tactile sensation corresponding to a distance to the other vehicle.

7. A vehicle, comprising:
a steering wheel,
a steering switch disposed on the steering wheel,
an other-vehicle-detector for detecting another vehicle,
a tactile sensation presentation unit for presenting a tactile sensation to an operator by vibrating the steering switch, and
an ECU for controlling the vehicle; wherein
the ECU is configured to
acquire information related to a pressing of the steering switch,
control the other-vehicle-detector to execute detection of the presence or absence of an other vehicle within a predetermined distance around the vehicle,
upon determining that the other vehicle is within the predetermined distance around the vehicle, cause the tactile sensation presentation unit to vibrate the steering switch to present a first tactile sensation to the operator, and

upon determining that the other vehicle is not within the predetermined distance around the vehicle, cause the tactile sensation presentation unit to vibrate the steering switch to present a second tactile sensation to the operator, wherein
the first tactile sensation is different from the second tactile sensation,
the steering switch is disposed on both a right side and a left side of the steering wheel, and
the controller is configured to, according to detection by the other-vehicle-detector in response to an operation, cause the tactile sensation presentation unit to vibrate the steering switch to present to the operator the first tactile sensation corresponding to a distance to the other vehicle.

8. An in-vehicle control method for use in a vehicle including a steering wheel, a steering switch disposed on the steering wheel, an other-vehicle-detector for detecting another vehicle, a tactile sensation presentation unit for presenting a tactile sensation to an operator by vibrating the steering switch, and an ECU for controlling the vehicle; comprising
acquiring information related to a pressing of the steering switch,
controlling the other-vehicle-detector to execute detection of the presence or absence of an other vehicle within a predetermined distance around the vehicle,
upon determining that the other vehicle is within the predetermined distance around the vehicle, causing the tactile sensation presentation unit to vibrate the steering switch to present a first tactile sensation to the operator, and
upon determining that the other vehicle is not within the predetermined distance around the vehicle, causing the tactile sensation presentation unit to vibrate the steering switch to present a second tactile sensation to the operator, wherein
the first tactile sensation is different from the second tactile sensation;
the steering switch is disposed on both a right side and a left side of the steering

Assignees

• Kyocera Corp

Inventors

• Hattori Shigeto
• Murakami Kazuhiro

Classifications

• B62D1/08 Primary

  Spokes, e.g. resilient (B62D1/11 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G06V20/58

  Recognition of moving objects or obstacles, e.g. vehicles or pedestrians; Recognition of traffic objects, e.g. traffic signs, traffic lights or roads · CPC title

• B62D15/029

  Steering assistants using warnings or proposing actions to the driver without influencing the steering system · CPC title

• G05G5/28

  for preventing unauthorised access to the controlling member or its movement to a command position · CPC title

• G08B6/00 Primary

  Tactile signalling systems, e.g. tactile personal calling systems · CPC title