JP2008186281A - Alarm display for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an alarm display for a vehicle preventing a driver from missing recognition of a dangerous state. <P>SOLUTION: A gazing time of the driver is measured when the driver is determined to gaze a display part 1, by determining whether the driver gazes the display part 1 or not. A control means controls display by the display part 1, when the gazing time exceeds a gazing time limit value, and prompts the driver to stop watching the display part 1. The alarm display for vehicle is provided with a determination means 4 for determining a dangerous state arrival time required for the own vehicle to reache the dangerous state, and the gazing time limit value is shortened when the dangerous state arrival time is shorter compared with when the dangerous state arrival time is long. The gazing time limit value is shortened, when the danger appoaches, the display part 1 is controlled before reaching the dangerous state, and the driver is prompted to stop watching the display part 1. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an alarm display device for a vehicle.

Conventionally, in a vehicle-mounted navigation device, it is determined whether the driver is gazing at the screen by detecting the direction of the driver's line of sight, and when the driver is gazing at the screen for a predetermined time or longer, There is known one that prompts the driver to stop the screen display and stop watching the screen (for example, see Patent Document 1). In the in-vehicle navigation device of Patent Document 1, the screen display is stopped when the gaze duration exceeds a preset limit value.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-147481

  However, in the prior art, for example, even when a dangerous state such as a collision is imminent, the screen display is continued if the driver's gaze duration does not exceed a preset limit value. It was. For this reason, there is a possibility that the recognition of the dangerous state may be delayed due to the driver continuously watching the screen display.

  The present invention has been made to solve such a problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle warning display device capable of avoiding a delay in recognition of a driver's dangerous state.

  The vehicle alarm display device according to the present invention is a vehicle alarm display device having a display unit for displaying information, and a gaze determination means for determining whether or not the driver is gazing at the display unit, and the driver displays Gaze time measuring means for measuring the gaze time, which is the duration of gazing at the part, and, when the gaze time exceeds the gaze time limit value, controlling the display on the display part and gazing at the display part Control means that prompts the vehicle to stop, and dangerous state arrival time determination means that determines a dangerous state arrival time that is a time until the host vehicle reaches a dangerous state. The gaze time limit value is shortened as compared with the case where the dangerous state arrival time is long.

  According to such a warning display device for a vehicle, it is determined whether or not the driver is gazing at the display unit, and when it is determined that the driver is gazing at the display unit, the driver is gazing. Measure the duration (gaze time) you are doing. The control means for controlling the display by the display area controls the display by the display unit when the driver's gaze time exceeds the gaze time limit value, and prompts the driver to stop gazing at the display unit. be able to. The vehicle alarm display device includes a determination unit that determines a dangerous state arrival time, which is a time until the host vehicle reaches a dangerous state, and can change the gaze time limit value according to the dangerous state arrival time. Specifically, when the dangerous state arrival time is short, the gaze time limit value is changed to be shorter than when the dangerous state arrival time is long. As a result, when the dangerous state is approaching, the gaze time limit value is shortened and the display by the display unit is controlled before reaching the dangerous state to prompt the driver to stop gazing at the display unit. be able to. As a result, it is possible to avoid a delay in the recognition of the driver's dangerous state. Here, the “dangerous state” includes, for example, a collision with another vehicle, an obstacle, and the like.

  Here, it is preferable that the control unit erases the display on the display unit when the gaze time exceeds a gaze time limit value. In general, when the display on the display disappears, the driver looks forward, so when the danger is approaching, the display is erased to prompt the driver to look forward. it can. The control means also prompts the driver to look forward by changing the display on the display unit or displaying an icon such as an arrow when the gaze time exceeds the gaze time limit value. Can do.

  According to the vehicle alarm display device of the present invention, the gaze time limit value can be changed short according to the dangerous state arrival time, so that it is possible to avoid the driver's recognition delay of the dangerous state.

  DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of a vehicle alarm display device according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. In the description of the drawings, the same or corresponding elements are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description is omitted. FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram showing a vehicle alarm display device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a side view for explaining a driver's gaze angle, and FIGS. It is a front view which shows the meter screen which concerns on embodiment.

  A vehicle warning display device 100 shown in FIG. 1 includes a meter (display unit) 1 that displays a vehicle speed and the like to a driver D (see FIG. 2), a gaze detection camera 2 that detects the gaze of the driver D, and gaze detection. A line-of-sight recognition electronic control unit (hereinafter referred to as “line-of-sight recognition ECU”) 3 that performs image processing based on a video signal from the camera 2 is provided.

  The meter 1 has a speed meter 21 and a tachometer 22 as shown in FIGS. In addition, a display area 23 for performing an alarm display described later is formed below the speed meter 21.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the line-of-sight detection camera 2 is installed, for example, on the upper surface of the column cover 9 and acquires a face image of the driver D. The line-of-sight recognition ECU 3 is electrically connected to the line-of-sight detection camera 2. The line-of-sight recognition ECU 3 functions as a gaze determination unit of the present invention, and determines whether or not the driver D is gazing at the meter 1 and functions as a gaze time measurement unit of the present invention. Yes, it measures the gaze time, which is the continuation time during which the driver D is gazing at the meter 1. The line-of-sight recognition ECU 3 performs image processing based on the video signal input from the line-of-sight detection camera 2 to determine the line-of-sight angle of the driver D. Note that the line-of-sight angle θ here is used to determine whether or not the driver D is gazing at the meter 1, and is based on the line-of-sight direction A when the driver D is looking in front of the vehicle. Yes. A line-of-sight direction B shown in FIG. 2 is a line-of-sight direction when the meter 1 is viewed.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle alarm display device 100 includes a collision determination electronic control unit (hereinafter referred to as “collision determination ECU”) 4. The collision determination ECU 4 functions as the dangerous state arrival time determination means of the present invention, and reaches the dangerous state, which is the time until the host vehicle reaches a dangerous state (for example, a collision with another vehicle or an obstacle). It is for judging time. The collision determination ECU 4 is electrically connected to the millimeter wave radar 5, the steering angle sensor 6, the yaw rate sensor 7, and the vehicle speed sensor 8. The millimeter wave radar 5 detects other vehicles and obstacles (hereinafter referred to as obstacles) on the course, and outputs a detection signal to the collision determination ECU 4. The collision determination ECU 4 recognizes the positional relationship between the host vehicle and the obstacle based on the input signal from the millimeter wave radar 5, and based on the signals from the steering angle sensor 6, the yaw rate sensor 7, and the vehicle speed sensor 8. It is determined whether or not there is a possibility of contact (collision) with an obstacle or the like. Further, when there is a possibility of collision, the collision determination ECU 4 calculates a dangerous state arrival time that is a time until a collision (dangerous state) is reached. Hereinafter, “dangerous state arrival time” is referred to as TTC (Time to calibration).

  The collision determination ECU 4 is electrically connected to a steering electronic control unit (hereinafter referred to as “steering ECU”) 10. The steering ECU 10 controls the electric actuator 11 that applies a steering torque to the steering device, and can control the electric actuator 11 to avoid a collision based on an input signal from the collision determination ECU 4.

  Further, the vehicle alarm display device 100 includes an alarm processing electronic control unit (hereinafter referred to as “alarm processing electronic control ECU”) 12 that is electrically connected to the line-of-sight recognition ECU 3, the collision determination ECU 4, and the meter 1 described above. I have. This alarm processing electric ECU 12 controls the display by the meter 1 to watch the meter 1 at the driver D when the gaze time during which the driver D is gazing at the meter 1 exceeds the gaze time limit value. It functions as the control means of the present invention that prompts the user to stop. Further, the alarm processing ECU 12 is electrically connected to an alarm device 13 for outputting an alarm sound and a vibrator 14 for transmitting vibrations to the driver. When the gaze time exceeds the gaze time limit value, the alarm processing ECU 12 13 and the vibrator 14 can be controlled to prompt the driver D to stop gazing at the meter 1.

  The line-of-sight recognition ECU 3, the collision determination ECU 4, the steering ECU 10, and the alarm processing ECU 12 are configured to be able to exchange data with each other by being connected by a communication circuit such as a CAN (Control Area Network). The line-of-sight recognition ECU 3, the collision determination ECU 4, the steering ECU 10, and the alarm processing ECU 12 are configured by a CPU that performs arithmetic processing, a ROM and a RAM that serve as a storage unit, an input signal circuit, an output signal circuit, a power supply circuit, and the like.

  Here, in the alarm processing ECU 12, a plurality of alarm categories (alarm phases) are set according to the TTC. The alarm processing ECU 12 changes the gaze time limit value to a smaller value as the TTC becomes smaller. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of alarm classification according to TTC. In FIG. 6, the passage of time is indicated by 1 / TTC. As it goes from the right to the left in the figure, the priority (urgentness + importance) increases, indicating that it is approaching a dangerous state. Further, in FIG. 6, the ratio between the alarm by the perceptual display and the alarm by the buzzer sound is represented as an image, and the alarm processing ECU 12 decreases the ratio of the alarm in the perceptual display and increases the ratio of the alarm by the buzzer sound as the degree of urgency increases. Is increasing.

  In the present embodiment, the warning classification is “advisory” (information provision) at the information provision stage, “caution” (attention) at the risk factor occurrence stage, and “warning” (at the stage of approaching the dangerous state) ( Alarm)). "Advisory", "Caution", and "Warning" are in order of priority. For example, “advisory” is set when there is no obstacle or the like ahead of the host vehicle, and “warning” is set when the host vehicle is approaching the obstacle or the like.

  First, in the “advisory”, the perceptual display is the main and, as shown in FIG. Next, in “caution”, as shown in FIG. 4, “forward attention” and a warning are displayed in the display area 23. Next, in the “warning”, as shown in FIG. 5, the alarm display by the display area 23 is deleted. In addition, a buzzer sound is output using the alarm device 13.

  Next, an example of the “alarm display control process” executed by the alarm process ECU 12 will be described along the flowchart of FIG. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an alarm display control process executed by the alarm process ECU 12. First, the warning processing ECU 12 inputs the gaze angle calculation result of the driver D from the line-of-sight recognition ECU 3 (S1). Next, the alarm processing ECU 12 determines whether or not the driver D is gazing at the meter 1 based on the driver's D gazing angle. For example, when the driver D is gazing at the meter 1 when the gazing angle of the driver D is equal to or larger than an angle (determination value) at which it can be determined that the driver D is gazing at the meter 1. Determine (S2). When it is determined that the driver D is gazing at the meter 1, the process proceeds to step 3, and when it is not determined that the driver D is gazing at the meter 1, the process is terminated.

  In step 3, the alarm processing ECU 12 inputs a gaze time calculation result of the driver D from the line-of-sight recognition ECU 3. In subsequent step 4, it is determined whether or not the gaze time exceeds a gaze time limit value. If the gaze time exceeds the gaze time limit value, the process proceeds to step 5 to change the alarm display. If the gaze time does not exceed the gaze time limit value, the process ends without changing the alarm display.

  In step 5, the alarm display is changed. For example, when the driver's D gaze time is long and TTC is short, the warning display by the display area 23 is deleted, and the driver D is prompted to look forward. Moreover, you may make it erase | eliminate the whole screen display which the driver | operator D is gazing at. Moreover, you may perform the display change which reduces a visual stimulus. For example, the display is changed from a color scheme with a stimulus to a color scheme with a weak stimulus. Along with the change of alarm display, alarm sound is output and vibration by the vibrator is performed in a timely manner.

Next, a setting example of the gaze time limit value will be described. FIG. 8 is a graph showing an example of setting a gaze time limit value. In FIG. 8, the horizontal axis represents the reciprocal number of TTC (elapse of time), and the vertical axis represents the gaze time limit value. Here, TTC (dangerous state arrival time) is set to T ₁ > T ₂ > T _3, and in the “advisory” (range of 1 / T ₁ ≦ 1 / TTC ≦ 1 / T ₂ ), the gaze time limit value T _L Is a constant value (for example, 2 seconds), and in “caution” (range of 1 / T ₂ <1 / TTC ≦ 1 / T ₃ ), the gaze time limit value T _L is inversely proportional to 1 / TTC. set to a small value, the "warning" (1 / TTC> range of 1 / _{T 3),} the gaze time limit _{T L} is set to the smallest value. By setting in this way, the gaze time limit value _TL is set shorter when the TTC is short than when the TTC is long.

  Such a vehicle alarm display device 100 changes the gaze time limit value according to TTC, and makes the alarm display time (information amount) variable. As a result, as the danger state approaches, the gaze time limit value is shortened, and the warning display is promptly changed before the danger state is reached, thereby prompting the driver 1 to stop the gaze of the meter 1. Cognitive delay can be avoided.

  In addition, when the gaze time exceeds the gaze time limit value, the warning display is erased and the alarm output is performed mainly with the alarm sound, reducing the time to understand the display, and the driver is in a danger situation ahead. You can earn time to recognize and judge. As a result, it is possible to further avoid the dangerous situation.

  As mentioned above, although this invention was concretely demonstrated based on the embodiment, this invention is not limited to the said embodiment. In the above embodiment, the line-of-sight angle of the driver D is detected and it is determined whether or not the driver is gazing at the meter 1. For example, the face-direction angle of the driver D is detected and driving is performed. It may be determined whether or not the driver D is gazing at the meter 1, and other methods may be used to determine whether or not the driver D is gazing at the meter 1.

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, although the display part is used as the meter screen, a display part may be a navigation screen, HUD (Head up display) etc., for example, and another display part may be sufficient as it.

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, although the alarm division | segmentation is set to 3 steps | paragraphs, an alarm division | segmentation may be divided into 1 step | paragraph and may be divided into other several steps.

  In the above embodiment, the warning display is “attention for rear-end collision” and “attention ahead”, but other characters, diagrams, videos, etc. may be displayed.

  In the above embodiment, the gaze time limit value is set so as to be inversely proportional to the increase in 1 / TTC. For example, the gaze time limit value is linearly reduced as 1 / TTC increases. Alternatively, the gaze time limit value may be made smaller in stages. In short, when the TTC is short, the gaze time limit value may be set to a smaller value than when the TTC is long.

  Further, in the above embodiment, a buzzer sound is output at “warning”, but a buzzer sound may be output at “advisory” and “caution”. For example, in this case, it is preferable to increase the sound in the order of “advisory”, “caution”, and “warning”.

1 is a system configuration diagram illustrating a vehicle alarm display device according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a side view for demonstrating a driver | operator's gaze angle. It is a front view of a meter screen on which “attention for rear-end collision” is displayed as an alarm display. It is a front view of the meter screen on which “Caution on the front” is displayed as an alarm display. It is a front view of the meter screen from which the alarm display was deleted. It is a figure which shows an example of the alarm division according to TTC. It is a flowchart which shows the warning display control process performed by warning process ECU. It is a graph which shows the example of a setting of a gaze time limit value.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Meter (display part), 3 ... Gaze recognition ECU (gaze determination means, gaze time measurement means), 4 ... Collision determination ECU (danger state arrival time determination means), 12 ... Alarm processing ECU (control means)

Claims (3)

In the vehicle alarm display device including a display unit for displaying information,
Gaze determination means for determining whether or not the driver is gazing at the display unit;
Gaze time measuring means for measuring gaze time, which is a duration time during which the driver is gazing at the display unit;
Control means for controlling the display by the display unit when the gaze time exceeds a gaze time limit value and urging to stop gazing at the display unit;
A dangerous state arrival time determining means for determining a dangerous state arrival time that is a time until the host vehicle reaches a dangerous state;
The vehicle warning display device, wherein when the dangerous state arrival time is short, the control means shortens the gaze time limit value compared to when the dangerous state arrival time is long.   The vehicle alarm display device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit erases the display by the display unit when the gaze time exceeds the gaze time limit value.   The vehicle alarm display device according to claim 1, wherein the control means changes the display on the display unit when the gaze time exceeds the gaze time limit value.

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