Drive assist apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016246298-A1
Application number	US-201615000391-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 19, 2016
Priority date	Feb 20, 2015
Publication date	Aug 25, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A drive assist apparatus includes an arrival window time calculation unit configured to calculate an arrival window time before the vehicle arrives at a switching completion point, a driving concentration degree estimation unit configured to estimate a driving concentration degree of a driver based on a state of the driver when the arrival window time is equal to or shorter than a predetermined time, and a stimulation providing unit configured to provide a stimulus to the driver according to the driving concentration degree. In a case where the driving concentration degree is equal to or less than a threshold value set in advance, the stimulation providing unit provides a stimulus to the driver, which is stronger than that in a case where the driving concentration degree is greater than the threshold value, or provides a stronger stimulus to the driver in accordance with reduction in the driving concentration degree.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A drive assist apparatus configured to execute switching of a driving mode of a vehicle from autonomous driving to manual driving at a switching completion point, the apparatus comprising:
an arrival window time calculator configured to calculate an arrival window time before the vehicle arrives at the switching completion point based on a current position and speed of the vehicle; a driving concentration degree estimator configured to estimate a driving concentration degree of a driver based on a state of the driver of the vehicle when the arrival window time is equal to or shorter than a predetermined time; and a stimulator configured to provide stimulation to the driver according to the driving concentration degree, wherein, in a case where the driving concentration degree is equal to or less than a threshold value set in advance, the stimulator is configured to provide a stimulus to the driver, wherein the stimulus has a strength stronger than another strength in a case where the driving concentration degree is greater than the threshold value, or the stimulator is configured to provide the stimulus to the driver having a strength in accordance with reduction in the driving concentration degree.

2 . The drive assist apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein, in a case where the driving concentration degree is greater than the threshold value, the stimulator is configured to provide the stimulus to the driver having a first strength, wherein, in a case where the arrival window time is equal to or longer than a reference time which is shorter than the predetermined time and the driving concentration degree is equal to or less than the threshold value, the stimulator is configured to provide the stimulus to the driver having a second strength which is stronger than the first strength, and wherein, in a case where the arrival window time is shorter than the reference time and the driving concentration degree is equal to or less than the threshold value, the stimulator is configured to provide a stimulation to the driver having a third strength which is stronger than the second strength.

3 . The drive assist apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a return time estimator configured to estimate a psychological side return time which is a time required for a state of psychological side of the driver to be returned to a state suitable for the manual driving, a cognitive side return time which is a time required for a state of cognitive side of the driver to be returned to the state suitable for the manual driving, and an operative side return time which is a time required for a state of operative side of the driver to be returned to the state suitable for the manual driving, based on the driving concentration degree, wherein, in a case where a total time of the psychological side return time, the cognitive side return time, and the operative side return time is equal to or shorter than the predetermined time, the stimulator is configured to provide to the driver a psychological side returning stimulus which returns the state of psychological side of the driver to the state suitable for the manual driving, a cognitive side returning stimulus which returns the state of cognitive side of the driver to the state suitable for the manual driving, and an operative side returning stimulus which returns the state of operative side of the driver to the state suitable for the manual driving, in an order of the psychological side returning stimulus the cognitive side returning stimulus and the operative side returning stimulus, and wherein, in a case where the total time is longer than the predetermined time, the stimulator is configured to provide the psychological side returning stimulus, the cognitive side returning stimulus and the operative side returning stimulus to the driver by overlapping one or more of the psychological side returning stimulus, the cognitive side returning stimulus, and the operative side returning stimulus such that an aggregated time of providing the psychological side returning stimulus the cognitive side returning stimulus and the operative side returning stimulus becomes the predetermined time.

4 . The drive assist apparatus according to claim 2 , further comprising:
a return time estimator configured to estimate a psychological side return time which is a time required for a state of psychological side of the driver to be returned to a state suitable for the manual driving, a cognitive side return time which is a time required for a state of cognitive side of the driver to be returned to the state suitable for the manual driving, and an operative side return time which is a time required for a state of operative side of the driver to be returned to the state suitable for the manual driving, based on the driving concentration degree, wherein, in a case where a total time of the psychological side return time, the cognitive side return time, and the operative side return time is equal to or shorter than the predetermined time, the stimulator is configured to provide to the driver a psychological side returning stimulus which returns the state of psychological side of the driver to the state suitable for the manual driving, a cognitive side returning stimulus which returns the state of cognitive side of the driver to the state suitable for the manual driving, and an operative side returning stimulus which returns the state of operative side of the driver to the state suitable for the manual driving, in an order of the psychological side returning stimulus the cognitive side returning stimulus and the operative side returning stimulus, and wherein, in a case where the total time is longer than the predetermined time, the stimulator is configured to provide the psychological side returning stimulus, the cognitive side returning stimulus and the operative side returning stimulus to the driver by overlapping one or more of the psychological side returning stimulus, the cognitive side returning stimulus, and the operative side returning stimulus such that an aggregated time of providing the psychological side returning stimulus the cognitive side returning stimulus and the operative side returning stimulus becomes the predetermined time.

5 . The drive assist apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the stimulator comprises:
any of a sound generator, a light generator, a vibration generator, and an interior mover.

6 . The drive assist apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the driving concentration degree estimator estimates the driving concentration degree of the driver based on the state of the driver acquired by a driver state acquirer.

7 . The drive assist apparatus according to claim 6 ,
wherein the driving concentration degree comprises:
at least one parameter including any of a degree of tension, a degree of wakefulness, a degree of drowsiness, a driving operation adaptability, a degree of fatigue, a degree of inattentiveness, a concentration and a degree of emotion.

8 . The drive assist apparatus according to claim 7 ,
wherein the driving concentration degree is a value obtained by integrating the at least one parameter based on a sum of a sequence of numbers in which each of the parameters are weighted by weightings accorded to each of the at least one parameter.

9 . The drive assist apparatus according to claim 6 ,
wherein the driver state acquirer comprises:
a sensor including any of a physiological measurement device, a seat position sensor, a seat pressure sensor, a driver monitoring camera, a human machine interface (HMI), and a system continuous-use-time counter.

10 . The drive assist apparatus according to claim 6 ,

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Sato Jun
• Iwasaki Masahiro

Classifications

• B60W2540/221

  Physiology, e.g. weight, heartbeat, health or special needs · CPC title

• B60W2556/50

  of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data · CPC title

• B60W2040/0881

  Seat occupation; Driver or passenger presence · CPC title

• G05B19/042 Primary

  using digital processors (G05B19/05 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G07C5/02

  Registering or indicating driving, working, idle, or waiting time only (apparatus forming part of taximeters G07B13/00) · CPC title