IP Library Granted Patent US 12,459,526
Granted Patent B2
US 12,459,526 · App. 18/456,947 · Granted Nov 4, 2025

Driving assistance device

Inventors: Taiki Iida (Nisshin, JP); Yusuke Tatesumi (Seto, JP)
Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
B60W50/14B60W40/06G06V20/58B60W2420/403B60W2554/4046
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,459,526
App. No.
18/456,947
Filed
Aug 28, 2023
Granted
Nov 4, 2025
Kind
B2
Art Unit
3668
USPC
701/1
Abstract

The driving assistance device includes: a fluctuation amount recognition unit; a driver abnormality recognition unit that recognizes an abnormality of a driver of another vehicle based on a captured image of an external camera provided in a vehicle; an abnormal state determination unit that determines whether the other vehicle is in a fluctuation abnormality state based on a comparison result between a fluctuation amount of the other vehicle and the fluctuation threshold; and a notification control unit that performs notification regarding the fluctuation abnormality state. The abnormal state determination unit determines whether a fluctuation abnormal state is present, with the fluctuation threshold value in a case where an abnormality of the driver of the other vehicle is recognized as a smaller absolute value than the fluctuation threshold value in a case where an abnormality of the driver of the other vehicle is not recognized.

Claims (16)

1 . A driving assistance device that performs driving assistance including providing notifications to an occupant of a host vehicle that includes an external sensor and an external camera, the driving assistance device comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing executable instructions that cause the processor to

acquire a detection result from the external sensor and images captured by the external camera, wherein the images captured by the external camera include images of a front view of another vehicle showing a head position of a driver of the other vehicle;

determine a fluctuation amount of the other vehicle traveling around the host vehicle, based on the acquired detection result;

determine whether the driver of the other vehicle is impaired based on the acquired images, wherein

the processor determines that the driver of the other vehicle is impaired when, in the captured front view of the other vehicle, the head position of the driver of the other vehicle is outside of a certain range visible through a windshield of the other vehicle;

compare the fluctuation amount of the other vehicle with a predetermined fluctuation amount;

determine whether the other vehicle is in a fluctuation abnormal state, based on the comparison result between the fluctuation amount of the other vehicle and a predetermined fluctuation amount, wherein the processor determines that the vehicle is in the fluctuation abnormal state when the fluctuation amount of the other vehicle and a predetermined fluctuation amount, wherein

in a case where the processor determines that the driver of the other vehicle is impaired, the processor uses an absolute value of the predetermined fluctuation amount that is set lower than an absolute value of the predetermined fluctuation amount in a case where the processor determines that the driver of the other vehicle is not impaired; and

notify the occupant of the host vehicle about the fluctuation abnormal state of the other vehicle by at least one of displaying a notification on a display of the host vehicle or outputting a sound from a speaker of the host vehicle.

2 . The driving assistance device according to claim 1 , wherein the executable instructions further cause the processor to

recognize a road surface condition of a road on which the host vehicle and the other vehicle are travelling based on the captured image, and

correct the fluctuation amount of the other vehicle based on the recognized road surface condition.

3 . The driving assistance device according to claim 1 , wherein the executable instructions further cause the processor to

cause at least one of a steering wheel, a seat, a seat belt, or a pedal of the host vehicle to vibrate as part of the notifying of the occupant about the fluctuation abnormal state of the other vehicle.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 28, 2023
From: IIDA, TAIKI; TATESUMI, YUSUKE
To: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 064724/0441 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2022-181196 · Nov 11, 2022 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20250074442A1 · Mar 6, 2025
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