JP2000036098A - Inter-vehicle distance alarm - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Problem] An inter-vehicle distance alarm that allows a driver to more easily recognize that there is a possibility of contact with an obstacle different from a vehicle ahead or an increase in the possibility. Provide equipment. An inter-vehicle distance warning device includes a radar, a signal processing unit, a vehicle speed sensor, and a display. The display includes a display control unit, a switch unit, and a display.
And a speaker 9d, and the display controller 9a
When a warning instruction is issued from the signal processing unit 7, a warning is issued by turning on a warning light provided on the display unit 9c according to the possibility of collision, and a warning sound is generated from the speaker 9d if necessary. Thus, the possibility of the collision is accurately notified to the driver.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a radar system for detecting a distance between a host vehicle and a preceding vehicle by a radar device, and when it is determined that the distance between the vehicles has decreased to a predetermined distance or less, an alarm is issued. The present invention relates to an inter-vehicle distance alarm device that notifies a driver of the collision and prevents a rear-end collision.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As an apparatus for measuring the inter-vehicle distance between a host vehicle and a preceding vehicle by irradiating a beam of a radio wave, a laser, or light, and generating an alarm to a driver, for example, as shown in FIGS. There is one disclosed in JP-A-8-80792. 2 to 4, reference numeral 1 denotes a display of the own vehicle;
Are a plurality of segment display elements arranged and arranged in accordance with the inter-vehicle distance to the preceding vehicle. 3 is a red warning light,
4 is a yellow warning light and 5 is a green warning light. 2 to 4, the lit segment display element 2 and the warning lights 3 to 5 are hatched.

In this conventional inter-vehicle distance warning device, the inter-vehicle distance to the preceding vehicle is displayed on the segment display element 2. That is, when the inter-vehicle distance to the preceding vehicle is large, the lighting area is large as in the segment display element 2 in FIG. 2, and as the inter-vehicle distance becomes small, the lighting area becomes small as shown in FIGS.

[0004] The possibility of collision of the vehicle is indicated by warning lights 3-5.
Had been displayed. That is, when the inter-vehicle distance is large and the possibility of collision is low, the green warning light 5 is turned on as shown in FIG. 2, and when the inter-vehicle distance is short, the yellow warning light 4 is turned on as shown in FIG. Fig. 4 when the inter-vehicle distance decreases
The red warning light 3 is turned on as shown in FIG.

[0005]

As described above, the conventional inter-vehicle distance warning device changes the color of the warning lights 3, 4, and 5 to green-green as the vehicle approaches the preceding vehicle and the inter-vehicle distance decreases.
>Yellow-> red to make it easier for the driver to recognize. Thus, in the conventional inter-vehicle distance warning device,
Considering only one type of object that issues an alarm (usually the vehicle ahead), a display method that is easy for the driver to recognize has been devised.

However, there may be various objects other than the preceding vehicle that are dangerous to the own vehicle on the actual road. For example, parked vehicles on the own lane, falling objects,
In addition, when the visibility is extremely deteriorated due to heavy fog or snowstorm, the oncoming vehicle may run backward on the own lane.

[0007] These targets have different degrees of danger from the preceding vehicle, and it is necessary to adopt a different danger avoidance method from that for the preceding vehicle. Therefore, the warning for these targets must use a different means from that for the preceding vehicle. However, the conventional device does not employ a special display method for these obstacles, and has a problem that it is not possible to prompt the driver to perform an accurate avoidance action.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above-mentioned problems of the conventional device, it is an object of the present invention to make it easier for a driver to make contact with an obstacle different from the preceding vehicle or to increase the possibility. Is to realize an inter-vehicle distance alarm device that can be recognized by a vehicle.

[0009]

Means for Solving the Problems (1) The present invention is configured as follows to achieve the above object. That is, in an inter-vehicle distance alarm device including a radar unit that detects at least a distance and a relative speed between the host vehicle and an object ahead and an alarm unit that generates an alarm according to a detection result of the radar unit, the alarm unit includes: A stationary object determining unit that determines whether or not the detected object is stationary, using a relative speed between the vehicle and the detected object, and lights up based on the determination result of the stationary object determining unit. A stationary object display unit that can be switched between a lighting state and a non-lighting state.

(2) In the invention of the above (1),
The apparatus further includes a stationary object alarm sound generation unit that generates an alarm sound in a state where it is determined that the object in front is stationary and an alarm sound in other states.

(3) In the invention of the above (2),
An operation unit for switching whether to use the stationary object display unit is further provided.

(4) In the invention of the above (3),
The apparatus further includes a stationary object alarm on / off display unit that switches between a lit state and a non-lit state based on whether the stationary object display unit is used.

(5) In the invention of the above (3),
A control unit that switches whether or not to use the stationary object display unit, receives information on the running environment of the vehicle such as the external environment such as weather and the running speed of the vehicle, and automatically performs a control based on the information. Prepare.

(6) In the invention of the above (5),
The apparatus further includes a second operation unit that selects and switches between a state in which the switching of whether to use the stationary object display unit is manually switched and a state in which the stationary object display unit is automatically switched based on the external environment, the traveling state of the own vehicle, and the like. .

(7) In the invention of the above (6),
Based on the result of the selection of the state of manually switching whether or not to use the stationary object display unit or the state of automatically switching based on the external environment, the running state of the own vehicle, etc. And a stationary object alarm on / off switching type display unit for switching between a lit state and a non-lit state.

(8) In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a radar unit for detecting at least a distance and a relative speed between an own vehicle and a forward object, and issues an alarm according to a detection result of the radar unit. An inter-vehicle distance alarm device including a warning unit that generates a signal, wherein the warning unit uses a relative speed between the host vehicle and the detected object to determine whether the detected object is traveling in the direction of the host vehicle. And an oncoming vehicle display unit that switches between a lit state and a non-lighted state based on the determination result of the oncoming vehicle determining means.

(9) In the invention of the above (8),
The vehicle further includes an oncoming vehicle alarm sound generation unit that generates an alarm sound in a state where it is determined that the object in front is traveling in the direction of the own vehicle and an alarm sound in other states. .

(10) In the invention according to the above (9), an operation unit for switching whether to use the oncoming vehicle display unit is further provided.

(11) In the invention of the above (10), based on whether or not to use the oncoming vehicle display unit,
The vehicle further includes an oncoming vehicle alarm on / off display unit that switches between a lit state and a non-lit state.

(12) In the invention according to the above (9), a control unit for automatically switching whether or not to use the oncoming vehicle display unit based on an external environment or a running state of the own vehicle is further provided. .

(13) In the invention of the above (12), the switching of whether or not to use the oncoming vehicle display section is automatically performed based on the external environment, the running state of the own vehicle, and the like. The apparatus further includes a second operation unit that selects and switches the state to be switched.

(14) In the invention of the above (13), the switching of whether or not to use the oncoming vehicle display section is automatically performed based on the external environment, the running state of the own vehicle, and the like. An on-vehicle alarm on / off switching type display unit for switching between a lit state and a non-lit state based on the result of selecting which of the switching states is selected.

(15) In the invention of the above (1), it is determined whether or not the detected object is traveling in the direction of the own vehicle by using the relative speed between the own vehicle and the detected object. And an oncoming vehicle display unit that switches between a lit state and a non-lit state based on the determination result of the oncoming vehicle determining means.

(16) Further, in the invention of the above (1) or (8), further comprising an inter-vehicle distance display unit for displaying a distance to an object detected by the radar unit, wherein the inter-vehicle distance display unit is provided with the detection unit. And a plurality of warning display units divided and arranged so that the distances from the detected object display unit are different from each other.

In the invention of the above (1), a stationary object display section which switches between a lit state and a non-lit state based on a determination as to whether or not the preceding object is stationary is provided. This allows the driver to recognize a stationary object having a higher risk approaching at a relative speed higher than that of the preceding vehicle by displaying the driver, and to take an effective avoidance action.

In the invention of (2), the alarm sound generated when the object in front is determined to be stationary and the alarm sound generated when the object in the other state is different from the alarm sound is generated. By providing the generation unit, it is possible to recognize that the warning to the stationary object is being notified without looking at the display, and it is possible to make the driver recognize the warning more safely.

In the invention of the above (3), by providing an operation section for switching whether or not to use the stationary object display section, it is possible to invalidate the stationary object alarm at the discretion of the driver. It is possible to reduce the stress on the driver due to the frequent occurrence of the stationary object alarm under special circumstances.

In the invention of the above (4), a stationary object alarm ON / OFF display that switches between a lit state and a non-lit state based on whether the stationary object display section is used or not. By providing the unit, the driver can instantaneously check whether or not the alarm for the stationary object is valid.

In the invention of the above (5), the control unit for automatically switching whether or not to use the stationary object display unit based on the external environment such as the weather and the running state of the own vehicle such as the vehicle speed. Is provided, the burden on the driver can be reduced and the driver can concentrate on driving.

In the invention of the above (6), a state in which the switching of whether or not to use the stationary object display section is manually switched and a state in which the switching is automatically switched based on the state of the vehicle speed and the like are selected and switched. By providing the operation unit, when it is not desirable to select the state in which the stationary object alarm is automatically turned off in a special situation, the state can be manually switched.

In the invention of the above (7), either of a state of manually switching whether or not to use the stationary object display unit and a state of automatically switching based on the state of the vehicle speed or the like is selected. Switching whether to use the stationary object display unit by providing a stationary object alarm on / off switching type display unit that switches between a lit state and a non-illuminated state based on the result of whether The driver can instantaneously confirm which of the state of manual switching and the state of automatic switching based on the state of the vehicle speed or the like is selected.

In the invention of the above (8), it is determined whether or not the object is traveling in the direction of the own vehicle from the relative speed between the own vehicle and the detected object, and based on the result of the determination. In addition, by providing an oncoming vehicle display portion that can be switched between a lit state and a non-lit state, the driver can be warned that the target of the warning is approaching the host vehicle from the opponent's side with a very dangerous degree. It is possible to recognize that the vehicle is a high oncoming vehicle, and it is possible for the driver to take an effective avoidance action.

In the invention of the above (9), the sound of a warning when the object in front is determined to be moving toward the own vehicle and the sound of a warning in other states are distinguished. By providing a separate oncoming vehicle alarm sound generation unit, it is possible to recognize that an oncoming vehicle alarm is being notified without looking at the display, and to make the driver's alarm recognition safer. Can be.

In the invention of the above (10), an on-vehicle warning can be invalidated at the discretion of the driver by providing an operation section for switching whether or not to use the on-coming vehicle display section, so that a special It is possible to reduce the stress on the driver due to the frequent occurrence of oncoming vehicle alarms in a difficult situation.

In the invention of the above (11), an on-vehicle alarm on / off display for switching between a lit state and a non-lit state based on whether or not the on-coming vehicle display section is used. By providing the unit, the driver can instantly check whether or not the warning for the oncoming vehicle is valid.

In the invention of the above (12), the control unit for automatically switching whether or not to use the oncoming vehicle display unit based on the external environment such as the weather and the running state of the own vehicle such as the vehicle speed is provided. Providing this arrangement can reduce the burden on the driver and allow the driver to concentrate on driving.

In the invention of the above (13), the operation section for selecting and switching between the state of manually switching whether or not to use the oncoming vehicle display section and the state of automatically switching based on the state of the vehicle speed and the like. Is provided, when it is not desirable to select the state in which the oncoming vehicle alarm is automatically turned off in a special situation, the state can be switched manually.

In the invention of the above (14), either of a state of manually switching whether or not to use the oncoming vehicle display section and a state of automatically switching based on the state of the vehicle speed or the like is selected. By providing an oncoming vehicle alarm on / off switching type display unit that switches between a lit state and a non-lit state based on the result of whether
The driver can instantly confirm whether the state of manually switching the use of the oncoming vehicle display unit or the state of automatically switching based on the state of the vehicle speed or the like is selected. It becomes possible.

[0039]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic functional block diagram of an inter-vehicle distance warning device for an automobile according to the present invention.

The inter-vehicle distance warning device in this embodiment is
It is composed of a radar 6, a signal processing unit 7, a vehicle speed sensor 8, and a display 9.

The role of each component of the inter-vehicle distance warning device of the present embodiment will be described along the flow of processing.

As the radar 6, it is assumed that a radar capable of measuring the distance, the relative speed and the horizontal angle with respect to the object ahead is used. Here, there are various types of radar 6 such as a type using a laser, a type using a millimeter wave, and the specific radar system to be adopted is not limited in the present invention.

The distance, relative speed and horizontal angle with respect to the object ahead measured by the radar 6 are sent to the signal processing section 7 and processed. Further, the vehicle speed sensor 8 detects the traveling speed of the own vehicle by using, for example, GPS, or detects the rotation speed of wheels, and outputs the detected traveling speed to the signal processing unit 7.

The signal processing section 7 receives an instruction signal from a display 9 in addition to the data input from the radar 6 and the vehicle speed sensor 8. The signal processing unit 7 determines the position and the degree of danger of the object ahead based on these signals, and sends a warning instruction to the display 9. When displaying the distance, the relative speed, and the like according to the driver's preference, these data are also sent from the signal processing unit 7 to the display 9.

The display 9 comprises a display controller 9a, a switch 9b, a display 9c and a speaker 9d.
In the present invention, the specific configuration of the display 9c is not limited as long as the individual display as described below can be performed. For example, the display 9c may be configured using a light emitting diode, a liquid crystal, or the like. it can.

Upon receiving the data from the signal processing unit 7, the display control unit 9a selects one of several types of numerical displays such as the following distance, relative speed, and following time by inputting to the switch unit 9b by the driver. Then, display is performed on the numerical value display unit provided in the display unit 9c. Further, the display controller 9a
When a warning instruction is issued from the signal processing unit 7, a warning is issued by turning on a warning light provided on the display unit 9c according to the possibility of a collision, and if necessary, a warning sound is output from the speaker 9d. The driver will be notified of the possibility of collision.

The display 9 also includes a switch in the switch section 9b for the driver to adjust the sensitivity of alarm generation. The indicated value of this switch is displayed on the display section 9c and the display control section 9a. Is sent to the signal processing unit 7, and the signal processing unit 7 adjusts the alarm generation timing according to the indicated value. Also, the switch unit 9
b includes a stationary object alarm on / off switch and an oncoming vehicle alarm on / off switch for the driver to select whether to enable or disable the alarm of the stationary object or oncoming vehicle.

The method of displaying a warning to the driver, that is, the details of the operation of the display unit 9c will be described later.

Next, the contents displayed on the display section 9c will be described with reference to FIG.

In FIG. 5, reference numeral 11 denotes a front vehicle display unit;
Reference numeral 2 denotes a plurality of alarm display units arranged and arranged in accordance with the distance to a forward object. The alarm display unit 12 includes a red warning light 12a, a yellow warning light 12b, and a green warning light 12c. .

The red warning light 12a is closest to the front vehicle display unit 11, the yellow warning light 12b is closest to the front vehicle display unit 11, and the green warning light 12c is farthest from the vehicle display unit 11. Is located in the position.

The warning lights 12a, 12b, 12
c has a trapezoidal shape, and the size of each base is such that the warning light 12b is larger than the warning light 12a and the warning light 12c is larger than the warning light 12b.
The warning display section 12, which is a set of the warning lights 12a, 12b, and 12c, also has a trapezoidal shape.

Numeral 13 is a numerical value for displaying one of numerical values by selecting from a distance from an object in front, an inter-vehicle time, a relative speed, a horizontal angle, a sensitivity of an alarm, a loudness of an alarm sound, and an error display. A display unit 14 indicates an alarm generation sensitivity indicating unit which indicates the alarm generation sensitivity in an analog manner by indicating which of the plurality of marks is lit, and 15 indicates a stationary object which indicates an alarm for the stationary object by a red warning light. An alarm unit 16 is a stationary object alarm on / off display unit that shows whether a stationary object alarm is enabled by a green warning light, and a reference numeral 10 is a state in which the switching of the stationary object alarm on / off is performed manually or automatically. A stationary object alarm on / off switching method display unit for indicating which of the states to be performed is selected, an on-vehicle alarm unit 15a for displaying an alarm for an oncoming vehicle or an object traveling toward the own vehicle with a red warning light , 16a is the oncoming vehicle Oncoming vehicle alarm on / off display unit that indicates whether to enable broadcast a green warning light, 10
Reference numeral a denotes an oncoming vehicle alarm on / off switching method display unit that indicates whether the on / off alarm switching on / off is manually or automatically performed.

In this embodiment, the display portions 11 and 12 relating to the detection of the preceding vehicle, the display portions 10, 15 and 16 relating to the detection of the stationary object, and the display portions 10a, 15a and 16a relating to the detection of the oncoming vehicle are provided. Although provided separately, one general-purpose display area formed of liquid crystal or the like may be provided, and the display for each may be switched and displayed as needed.

Next, an example of the alarm judgment performed by the signal processing section 7 will be described.

Normally, as the traveling speed of the own vehicle increases, the inter-vehicle distance with the preceding vehicle required for ensuring safety increases, and the appropriate inter-vehicle distance changes depending on the traveling speed. Therefore, the inter-vehicle time is used as a criterion for determining whether the current inter-vehicle distance is a safe inter-vehicle distance.

The relationship between the inter-vehicle distance, the own vehicle speed and the inter-vehicle time is shown in the following equation (Equation 1).

Inter-vehicle time (sec) = inter-vehicle distance (m) / self-vehicle speed (m / sec) (Equation 1) Here, it is said that the inter-vehicle time is almost constant irrespective of the own vehicle speed. In general, an inter-vehicle time of 2 seconds or more is said to be a safe inter-vehicle distance.

Therefore, as the sensitivity of the warning, for example, the green warning light 12c of FIG.
The green warning light 12c and the yellow warning light 12b are turned on in the inter-vehicle time of 2 seconds to 1 second, and the green warning light 12c, the yellow warning light 12b, and the red warning light 12a are turned on in the inter-vehicle time of 1 second or less.

Then, based on the threshold value of the alarm level, the threshold value of the alarm level is selected from five alarm sensitivities as shown in FIGS. To be able to In FIG. 6, the vertical axis represents the inter-vehicle time (seconds), and the horizontal axis represents the alarm sensitivity.

In FIG. 6, for example, when the alarm sensitivity 17e is selected, the green warning light 12c is turned on when the inter-vehicle time is 1.5 to 1.0 seconds, and green when the inter-vehicle time is 1.0 to 0.5 seconds. The warning light 12c and the yellow warning light 12b are turned on, and the green warning light 12c, the yellow warning light 12b, and the red warning light 12a are lighted when the inter-vehicle time is 0.5 seconds or less.

Although the relationship between the alarm sensitivity and the inter-vehicle time shown in FIG. 6 is linear, the relationship may be a curve so as to better fit the driver's feeling.

Next, referring to FIG. 7, a description will be given of a procedure of an alarm, that is, a process of turning on an alarm lamp and generating an alarm sound.

First, the distance, the relative speed, and the horizontal angle between the host vehicle and the object ahead are measured by the radar 6 (step S).
1). Next, the vehicle speed of the host vehicle is measured by the vehicle speed sensor 8 (step S2).

Next, the position of the detected object with respect to the own vehicle is calculated based on the result of the detected distance and the horizontal angle (step S3). Then, it is determined whether or not the calculated position is within the own lane (step S4). If it is determined that the vehicle is not in the own lane, it is considered that the degree of danger is small, and no warning is issued (step S5).

Next, when it is determined that the vehicle is in the own lane, there is a danger of collision, and a process for generating an alarm is executed. However, the degree of danger to the host vehicle differs depending on whether the detected object is a preceding vehicle, a stationary object, or an oncoming vehicle. Therefore, the type of the object ahead is determined first.

The relative speed of the object measured by the radar (however, here, the direction approaching the host vehicle is described as positive)
Is compared with a value obtained by subtracting a predetermined value (αkm / h, α is positive) from the vehicle speed (step S6). And the relative speed is
If the value is smaller than a value obtained by subtracting a predetermined value (α km / h, α is positive) from the own vehicle speed, the target detected by the radar is determined as a preceding vehicle, and a preceding vehicle warning process is performed (step S7).

The relative speed is set to a predetermined value (α km / h,
If the value is not smaller than the value obtained by subtracting (α is positive), the relative speed of the object measured by the radar and the own vehicle speed are set to a predetermined value (β
h and β are positive) and compare them with each other (step S
8). Then, the relative speed becomes a predetermined value (βkm / h,
If β is smaller than the positive value, the target detected by the radar is determined as a stationary object, and a stationary object alarm process is performed (step S9).

The relative speed is set to a predetermined value (βkm / h, β
If the value is not smaller than the value obtained by adding (correct), the target detected by the radar is determined as an oncoming vehicle, and an oncoming vehicle alarm process is performed (step S10).

In the process of this embodiment, the values of α and β can be set to, for example, about 10% or about 20% of the traveling speed of the own vehicle, but other values may be used.

According to the inter-vehicle distance warning device of the present embodiment,
By determining the type of the object detected according to the above-described flow, it is possible to perform different alarm processes for the preceding vehicle, the stationary object, and the oncoming vehicle.

Next, the procedure of the preceding vehicle warning process will be described with reference to FIG.

First, the signal processor 7 calculates the inter-vehicle time by dividing the measured inter-vehicle distance by the vehicle speed (step S70).
1).

Next, the signal processing section 7 checks the currently set alarm sensitivity and sets a threshold value corresponding to each alarm sensitivity.

If the alarm sensitivity is set to 17a (step S704), the threshold values TH1, TH2, T
H3 is set to 4.5 seconds, 3 seconds, and 1.5 seconds, respectively (step S708).

If the alarm sensitivity is set to 17b (step S705), the thresholds TH1 and TH
2. TH3 was set to 3.75 seconds, 2.5 seconds, and 1.2 seconds, respectively.
It is set to 5 seconds (step S709).

If the alarm sensitivity is set to 17c (step S706), the threshold values TH1, TH
2, TH3 is set to 3 seconds, 2 seconds, and 1 second, respectively (step S710).

If the alarm sensitivity is set to 17d (step S707), the thresholds TH1 and TH
2. TH3 was set to 2.25 seconds, 1.5 seconds, and 0.7, respectively.
It is set to 5 seconds (step S711).

In other cases, that is, when the alarm sensitivity is set to 17e, the threshold value TH1,
TH2 and TH3 are set to 1.5 seconds, 1 second, and 0.5 seconds, respectively (step S712).

Next, the calculated inter-vehicle time is compared with the set thresholds TH1, TH2, TH3 to determine the level of the alarm to be lit.

If the calculated inter-vehicle time is greater than TH1 (step S713), it is determined that there is almost no possibility of collision, and the warning lamp is not turned on (step S716).

If the calculated inter-vehicle time is less than TH1 and greater than TH2 (step S714), the possibility of collision is determined to be small, and the green warning light 12c is turned on (step S717). If the calculated inter-vehicle time is TH2 or less and TH3
If it is greater than (Step S715), the possibility of collision is determined to be medium, and the green warning light 12c and the yellow warning light 1
At the same time as turning on 2b, the possibility of a collision with the preceding vehicle is notified with a tone and a different tone from other alerts so that the driver can recognize that the vehicle is in the middle (step S718). If the calculated inter-vehicle time is equal to or less than TH3, the possibility of collision is determined to be large, and the green warning light 12c, the yellow warning light 12b, and the red warning light 12a are turned on, and at the same time, the possibility of collision with the preceding vehicle is determined. Is notified by a tone different from the other alarms, an alarm sound of how to sound, or a specific voice message so that the driver can recognize that it is large (step S719).

If it is desired to generate an alarm in a state where the preceding vehicle is far from the vehicle by judging the alarm for the preceding vehicle by the above-mentioned flow, the alarm sensitivity adjustment switch (not shown) of the switch section 9b is operated, and FIG. The indicated alarm sensitivity is 1
This can be handled by setting the state of 7a. Conversely, if it is not desired to generate an alarm until the vehicle in front of the vehicle approaches considerably, the alarm sensitivity can be adjusted to 17e by operating an alarm sensitivity adjustment switch (not shown) of the switch section 9b.

In the present embodiment, an example in which red, yellow, and green warning lights are used has been described. However, if it is possible to clearly show the difference in the degree of danger of warning for each warning light. Alternatively, a configuration using colors other than these may be used.

Next, the procedure of the stationary object alarm process will be described with reference to FIG.

First, it is checked whether or not the stationary object alarm is valid (step S901). The driver operates a stationary object alarm on / off switch (not shown) of the switch section 9b, for example, in a short time (push time within 0.1 second) to switch between a state in which the stationary object alarm is valid and an invalid state. Can do it. When traveling on a very complicated road such as an urban area, there may be a situation where there are many obstacles and a stationary object warning is generated too frequently. In such a case, by making the stationary object alarm invalid according to the driver's judgment, it is possible to reduce the stress on the driver due to the frequent occurrence of the stationary object alarm in a special situation.

By operating the stationary object alarm on / off switch for a long time (for example, a pressing time of 3 seconds or more), it is possible to select whether to manually or automatically switch the state of the stationary object alarm. Can do so.

In the above automatic state, when the information in the own vehicle and the present apparatus are connected to a road-to-vehicle information communication device such as a beacon by a communication system such as a LAN, a specific judgment can be made by using roadside information. In this way, automatic switching can be performed. For example, the configuration may be such that the switching is performed according to the determination as to whether or not the external environment such as the weather is in a predetermined specific state.

When the vehicle travels in an urban area with many obstacles, the speed of the host vehicle is generally low. Therefore,
When the speed of the own vehicle is lower than a certain speed (for example, 40 km / h), the stationary object warning is automatically invalidated. When the speed of the vehicle is equal to or higher than a certain speed (for example, 60 km / h), the stationary object warning is automatically enabled.

When a function for detecting an external environment such as the weather is provided, the weather condition is determined, and the weather condition, the characteristics of the radar provided in the apparatus, and the own vehicle A configuration may also be adopted in which whether to perform the switching is determined in consideration of the traveling speed and the like. For example, in the case of using a millimeter-wave radar whose detection sensitivity does not decrease so much even in bad weather, control is performed so that even if the visibility is poor due to rain or snow and the running speed is reduced, it is not automatically invalidated. In addition, when the stationary object alarm is selected as an invalid state, FIG.
As shown in FIG. 1 (b), when the stationary object alarm off notification unit 16 of the display unit 9c is turned on and is selected as a valid state, the display unit 9c is stopped as shown in FIG. 11 (a). By turning off the object alarm off notification unit 16, the driver can easily confirm which state is selected for the on / off switching of the stationary object alarm.

When the automatic state of the stationary object alarm is selected, as shown in FIG.
By turning on the stationary object alarm on / off switching type display section 10, the driver can easily confirm that the automatic state of the stationary object alarm is set.
Also, when the driver manually sets the state of the stationary object alarm, as shown in FIG. 11A, the stationary object alarm on / off switching type display unit 10 of the display unit 9c is turned off. The driver can easily confirm that the driver has been manually set.

If it is determined that the stationary object alarm has been selected as an invalid state, the stationary object alarm processing ends. In this state, as shown in FIG. 12A, the stationary object alarm off notification unit 16 of the display unit 9c is turned on, and the driver can easily determine that the state in which the stationary object alarm is invalid is selected. It has become.

If it is determined that the state in which the stationary object warning is valid is selected, the signal processing section 7 calculates the inter-vehicle time by dividing the measured inter-vehicle distance by the vehicle speed (step S9).
02). In the state where the stationary object alarm is valid, as shown in FIG. 12B, the stationary object alarm off notification unit 16 of the display unit 9c is turned off, and the driver is informed that the state where the stationary object alarm is valid is selected. It can be easily identified.

[0095] Next, the calculated inter-vehicle time preset stationary for alarm threshold _{TH ST 1, TH ST 2,} TH
Determining the level of the alarm to be turned by comparing the _ST 3.

If the calculated inter-vehicle time is longer than TH _ST 1 (step S903), it is determined that there is almost no possibility of collision, and the warning lamp is not turned on (step S90).
4). If the calculated inter-vehicle time is not more than TH _ST 1, it is determined that there is a stationary object within the range to which attention should be paid, and FIG.
As shown in (c), the red warning light of the stationary object warning unit 15 is turned on (step S905). This allows the driver to distinguish between an alarm for a vehicle ahead and an alarm for a stationary object, and allows the driver to easily recognize a stationary object approaching more rapidly than the preceding vehicle.

If the calculated inter-vehicle time is less than TH _ST 1 and greater than TH _ST 2 (step S906), the possibility of collision is determined to be small, and the green warning light 12c is turned on (step S907). ). The calculated inter-vehicle time is TH _ST 2
If it is larger than TH _ST 3 below (step S90)
8) The possibility of collision is judged to be medium, and the green warning light 12c
At the same time as turning on the yellow warning light 12b and the driver, the driver can recognize the possibility of collision with a stationary object as medium or different from the other warnings, the warning sound of the sound or specific sound. The notification is made by a voice message (step S909).

If the calculated inter-vehicle time is equal to or less than TH _ST 3, the possibility of collision is determined to be large, and the green warning light 12c, the yellow warning light 12b, and the red warning light 12a are turned on and the stationary object In order to allow the driver to recognize the possibility of collision with the warning, a warning tone different in tone color and sounding from other warnings is issued (step S910).

Next, the procedure of the oncoming vehicle alarm process will be described with reference to FIG.

First, it is checked whether or not the oncoming vehicle alarm is valid (step S1001). The driver operates an on-vehicle alarm on / off switch (not shown) provided in the switch section 9b, for example, in a short time (push time within 0.1 second), so that the on-vehicle alarm is enabled and disabled. It is assumed that the state can be switched.

When traveling on a very complicated road such as an urban area, it is not unusual for an oncoming vehicle to travel in front of the host vehicle due to the narrow road width, and an oncoming vehicle warning is generated too frequently. Scenes can happen. In such a case, by making the oncoming vehicle warning invalid according to the driver's judgment, it is possible to reduce the stress on the driver due to the frequent occurrence of oncoming vehicle warnings under special circumstances. By operating the oncoming vehicle alarm on / off switch for a long time (push time of 3 seconds or more), it is possible to select whether the oncoming vehicle alarm state is manually switched or automatically switched. Can be.

In the above-mentioned automatic state, when the information in the own vehicle and this device are connected to a road-to-vehicle information communication device such as a beacon by a communication system such as a LAN, a specific judgment is made using the roadside information. Automatic switching can be performed. Oncoming vehicle alerts play an important role when visibility is poor due to bad weather such as rain, fog, snow, etc.If oncoming vehicle alerts are effective in such situations, oncoming vehicle alerts can be used in other situations. Turning off is not a problem.

Therefore, when the speed of the own vehicle is equal to or higher than a certain speed (for example, 60 km / h), it is determined that the visibility is sufficiently maintained, and the oncoming vehicle warning is automatically turned off. In addition, when weather information such as rain, fog, and snow is obtained from roadside information and the speed of the own vehicle is lower than a certain speed (for example, 40 km / h), the oncoming vehicle warning is automatically disabled. And

When the oncoming vehicle alarm is selected as an invalid state, as shown in FIG. 13 (b), the oncoming vehicle alarm off notification section 16a of the display section 9c is turned on, and the active state is set. When selected, as shown in FIG. 13A, when the oncoming vehicle alarm off notification unit 16a of the display unit 9c is turned off, the on / off switching of the oncoming vehicle alarm is performed. The driver can easily confirm that it has been selected.

When the automatic state of the oncoming vehicle alarm is selected, as shown in FIG.
By turning on the oncoming vehicle alarm on / off switching type display section 10a, the driver can easily confirm that the automatic state of the oncoming vehicle alarm is set. When the driver manually sets the oncoming vehicle alarm state, the oncoming vehicle alarm on / off switching type display section 10a of the display section 9c is turned off to select the manually set state by the driver. The driver can easily confirm that the vehicle is running.

When it is determined that the oncoming vehicle warning is selected as invalid, the oncoming vehicle warning process is terminated. In this state, as shown in FIG. 14A, the oncoming vehicle alarm off notification unit 16a of the display unit 9c is turned on, so that the driver can easily determine that the oncoming vehicle alarm invalid state is selected. Has become.

When it is determined that the oncoming vehicle warning is valid, the signal processing unit 7 divides the measured inter-vehicle distance by the own vehicle speed to calculate the inter-vehicle time (step S).
1002). In the state where the oncoming vehicle alarm is enabled, FIG.
As shown in (b), the oncoming vehicle alarm off notification unit 16 of the display unit 9c is turned off, and the driver can easily determine that the oncoming vehicle alarm is enabled. Next, the calculated inter-vehicle time is compared with a threshold value TH _AG 1, TH _AG 2, and TH _AG 3 for an oncoming vehicle alarm which is set in advance to determine an alarm level to be turned on.

If the calculated inter-vehicle time is longer than TH _AG 1 (step S1003), it is determined that there is almost no possibility of collision, and the warning lamp is not turned on (step S10).
04).

If the calculated inter-vehicle time is equal to or less than TH _AG 1, it is determined that an oncoming vehicle is present within the range to which attention should be paid, and the red warning of the oncoming vehicle alarm section 15a as shown in FIG. The lamp is turned on (step S1005). Thus, the driver can distinguish between an alarm for a preceding vehicle or a stationary object and an alarm for an oncoming vehicle, and the driver can easily recognize an oncoming vehicle that approaches more rapidly than a preceding vehicle or a stationary object. .

Next, if the calculated headway is less than TH _AG 1 and greater than TH _AG 2 (step S1006),
The possibility of collision is determined to be small, and the green warning light 12c is turned on (step S1007).

When the calculated inter-vehicle time is TH _AG 2 or less, TH _AG
If it is larger than 3 (step S1008), it is determined that the possibility of collision is medium, and the driver turns on the green warning light 12c and the yellow warning light 12b, and at the same time determines that the possibility of collision with the oncoming vehicle is medium. To be able to recognize
The alarm is notified by a tone different from the other alarms, an alarm sound of how to sound, or a specific voice message (step S100).
9).

If the calculated inter-vehicle time is equal to or less than TH _AG 3, the possibility of collision is determined to be large, and the green warning light 12c, the yellow warning light 12b, and the red warning light 12a are turned on, and at the same time, In order to enable the driver to recognize the possibility of collision with the warning, the warning is issued with a tone different from the other warnings, a warning sound of how to sound, or a specific message (step S1010).

[0113]

Since the present invention is configured as described above, it has the following effects.

According to the present invention, it is possible to recognize whether an object having an increased possibility of contacting is a preceding vehicle, a stationary object, or an oncoming vehicle, so that the driver can recognize it. It can encourage accurate avoidance behavior.

Further, by making it possible to switch between the state in which the stationary object alarm is valid and the state in which the stationary object alarm is invalid, the stationary object alarm is invalidated in a scene where the stationary object alarm is generated too frequently. It is possible to reduce the stress on the driver due to the frequent occurrence of the stationary object alarm in a complicated situation.

Further, by making it possible to switch between the state where the oncoming vehicle warning is enabled and the state where the oncoming vehicle warning is disabled, the oncoming vehicle warning is invalidated when the oncoming vehicle warning is generated too frequently. It is possible to reduce the stress on the driver due to the frequent occurrence of oncoming vehicle alarms in a difficult situation.

Further, the stationary object alarm or the oncoming vehicle alarm is automatically enabled / disabled according to the running condition of the own vehicle or the external environment.
Since the state can be switched to the invalid state, the detection of a stationary object or an oncoming vehicle and the generation of an alarm can be performed in a more accurate state.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic functional configuration diagram of an inter-vehicle distance warning device for an automobile according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which a conventional inter-vehicle distance display device displays that an inter-vehicle distance with a preceding vehicle is a safe inter-vehicle distance.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which the conventional inter-vehicle distance display device is alerting a driver because the inter-vehicle distance to a preceding vehicle is shorter than the safe inter-vehicle distance.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which the conventional inter-vehicle distance display device warns the driver that the inter-vehicle distance to the preceding vehicle is short and the possibility of collision is large.

FIG. 5 is a schematic configuration diagram of a display unit of the inter-vehicle distance alarm device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a graph showing a relationship between an alarm sensitivity and an inter-vehicle time.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating an alarm processing procedure.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating a preceding vehicle warning processing procedure.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating a stationary object alarm processing procedure.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating an oncoming vehicle alarm processing procedure.

FIG. 11A is an explanatory diagram of a display unit for a stationary object alarm. FIG. 11B is an explanatory diagram of a display unit for a stationary object alarm. FIG. 11C is an explanatory diagram of a display unit for a stationary object alarm.

FIG. 12A is an explanatory diagram of a display unit for a stationary object alarm. FIG. 12B is an explanatory diagram of a display unit for a stationary object alarm. FIG. 12C is an explanatory diagram of a display unit for a stationary object alarm.

FIG. 13A is an explanatory view of a display unit of an oncoming vehicle alarm. FIG. 13B is an explanatory diagram of an oncoming vehicle alarm display unit. FIG. 13C is an explanatory diagram of a display unit for an oncoming vehicle alarm.

FIG. 14 (a) is an explanatory diagram of an oncoming vehicle alarm display section. FIG. 14B is an explanatory diagram of an oncoming vehicle alarm display section. FIG. 14C is an explanatory diagram of a display unit for an oncoming vehicle alarm.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 6 radar 7 signal processing unit 8 vehicle speed sensor 9 display 9a display control unit 9b switch unit 9c display unit 10 stationary object alarm on / off switching type display unit 10a oncoming vehicle alarm on / off switching type display unit 11 front vehicle display unit Reference Signs List 12 Alarm display unit 12a, 12b, 12c Warning light 13 Numerical display unit 14 Alarm generation sensitivity display unit 15 Stationary object alarm unit 16 Stationary object alarm on / off display unit 15a Oncoming vehicle alarm unit 16a Oncoming vehicle alarm on / off display unit.

Continuing from the front page (72) Inventor Kazuhiko Hanawa 2520 Oji Takaba, Hitachinaka City, Ibaraki Prefecture Inside the Automotive Equipment Division of Hitachi, Ltd. Within the Automotive Equipment Division (72) Inventor Kazuo Takano 2520 Address Takahiro, Hitachinaka-shi, Ibaraki Prefecture Hitachi, Ltd. F-term in the Automotive Equipment Division (Reference) BF13 BG03 BG15

Claims (16)

[Claims] 1. An inter-vehicle distance alarm device comprising: a radar unit that detects at least a distance and a relative speed between an own vehicle and a preceding object; and an alarm unit that generates an alarm according to a detection result of the radar unit. The alarm unit uses a relative speed between the host vehicle and the detected object to determine whether or not the detected object is stationary, based on a determination result of the stationary object determination unit. An inter-vehicle distance alarm device, comprising: a stationary object display unit that switches between a lit state and a non-lit state. 2. The inter-vehicle distance alarm device according to claim 1, wherein the alarm unit outputs an alarm sound when a forward object is determined to be stationary and an alarm sound in other states. An inter-vehicle distance alarm device, further comprising an alarm sound generation unit that generates a distinction between the two. 3. The inter-vehicle distance alarm device according to claim 2, wherein the alarm unit further includes an operation unit that receives an operation command for switching whether to operate the stationary object display unit, and the stationary object display unit. Operates according to an operation command received by the operation unit. 4. The inter-vehicle distance warning device according to claim 3, wherein the warning unit switches between a lit state and a non-lit state based on a state of whether or not to operate the stationary object display unit. The inter-vehicle distance alarm device further comprises a stationary object alarm on / off display unit for switching between the two. 5. The inter-vehicle distance warning device according to claim 3, wherein the warning unit receives information on at least one of an external environment and a traveling state of the own vehicle, and displays the stationary object according to the received information. An inter-vehicle distance alarm device, further comprising a control unit that switches whether or not to operate the unit. 6. The inter-vehicle distance warning device according to claim 5, wherein the warning unit sets a state in which switching of whether or not to operate the stationary object display unit can be manually performed, or the control unit. The inter-vehicle distance warning device, further comprising a second operation unit that receives a selection command for selecting whether to automatically switch to a state in which the vehicle is to be switched. 7. The inter-vehicle distance warning device according to claim 6, wherein the warning unit switches between a state where the switching of whether or not to operate the stationary object display unit is manually switched and a state where the switching is automatically performed by the control unit. Further comprising a stationary object alarm on / off switching type display unit that switches between a lit state and a non-lit state according to which of the states is selected. . 8. An inter-vehicle distance alarm device comprising: a radar unit for detecting at least a distance and a relative speed between the host vehicle and an object ahead of the host vehicle; and an alarm unit for issuing an alarm in accordance with a detection result of the radar unit. An on-vehicle determination unit configured to determine whether the detected object is moving toward the own vehicle by using a relative speed between the own vehicle and the detected object; An inter-vehicle distance alarm device, comprising: an oncoming vehicle display unit that switches between a lit state and a non-lit state based on the determination result of the means. 9. The inter-vehicle distance alarm device according to claim 8, wherein the alarm unit outputs a sound of an alarm when it is determined that an object ahead is traveling in the direction of the own vehicle, An inter-vehicle distance warning device, further comprising a warning sound generation unit that generates a warning sound in a state different from a warning sound in a state. 10. The inter-vehicle distance alarm device according to claim 9, wherein the alarm unit further includes an operation unit for receiving an operation command for switching whether to operate the oncoming vehicle display unit, and the oncoming vehicle display unit. Operates according to an operation command received by the operation unit. 11. The inter-vehicle distance alarm device according to claim 10, wherein the alarm unit determines whether the on-vehicle display unit is turned on or off based on whether the on-coming vehicle display unit is operated. An on-vehicle distance warning device further comprising an on-vehicle warning on / off display unit for switching between the two. 12. The inter-vehicle distance warning device according to claim 9, wherein the warning unit receives information on at least one of an external environment and a traveling state of the own vehicle, and displays the oncoming vehicle display according to the received information. An inter-vehicle distance alarm device, further comprising a control unit that switches whether or not to operate the unit. 13. The inter-vehicle distance warning device according to claim 12, wherein the warning unit sets a state in which switching of whether to operate the oncoming vehicle display unit can be manually performed or the control unit. The inter-vehicle distance warning device, further comprising a second operation unit that receives a selection command for selecting whether to automatically switch to a state in which the vehicle is to be switched. 14. The inter-vehicle distance warning device according to claim 13, wherein the warning unit switches between a state of manually switching whether or not to operate the oncoming vehicle display unit and a state of automatically switching by the control unit. Further comprising: an on-vehicle warning on / off switching type display unit that switches between a lit state and a non-lit state in accordance with which of the states is selected. . 15. The inter-vehicle distance warning device according to claim 1, wherein the warning unit uses the relative speed between the own vehicle and the detected object to move the detected object toward the own vehicle. On-vehicle determining means for determining whether the vehicle is on or off, and an on-coming vehicle display unit for switching between a lighted state and a non-lighted state based on a determination result of the oncoming vehicle determining means. Characteristic inter-vehicle distance warning device. 16. The inter-vehicle distance warning device according to claim 1, further comprising an inter-vehicle distance display unit for displaying a distance to an object detected by the radar unit, wherein the inter-vehicle distance display unit detects the detected inter-vehicle distance. An inter-vehicle distance warning device, comprising: a detected object display unit indicating an object; and a plurality of warning display units that are separately arranged so as to have different distances from the detected object display unit.