IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,534,153
Granted Patent B2
US 12,534,153 · App. 18/555,840 · Granted Jan 27, 2026

Rider assistance system for a lean vehicle

Inventor: Lars Pfau (Kanagawa, JP)
Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
B62J50/21
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,534,153
App. No.
18/555,840
Granted
Jan 27, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present disclosure provides a controller and a control method for an assistance system that improves a rider's safety. A controller ( 20 ) has an acquisition section ( 21 ) and an execution section ( 22 ). The acquisition section acquires a positional relationship information regarding a lean vehicle ( 100 ) and another vehicle located behind or on a lateral side of the lean vehicle ( 100 ). The acquisition section acquires the positional relationship information while the lean vehicle ( 100 ) is traveling based on a surrounding environment information that is information about an environment around the lean vehicle. The execution section executes an assistance operation based on the positional relationship information while the lean vehicle ( 100 ) is traveling. The assistance operation assists a rider of the lean vehicle ( 100 ) in driving the lean vehicle ( 100 ). The acquisition section acquires, while the lean vehicle ( 100 ) is traveling, a turning posture information of the lean vehicle ( 100 ). The execution section changes the assistance operation according to the turning posture information acquired by the acquisition section ( 21 ).

Claims (29)

1 . A controller ( 20 ) for an assistance system ( 1 ), the controller ( 20 ) configured to:

acquire a positional relationship information regarding a lean vehicle ( 100 ) and another vehicle located behind or on a lateral side of the lean vehicle ( 100 ) while the lean vehicle ( 100 ) is traveling based on a surrounding environment information that is information about an environment around the lean vehicle ( 100 ); and

execute an assistance operation based on the positional relationship information while the lean vehicle ( 100 ) is traveling, the assistance operation assisting a rider of the lean vehicle ( 100 ) in driving the lean vehicle ( 100 ), wherein

the assistance operation includes a notification operation that generates a warning to the rider,

the controller is configured to acquire, while the lean vehicle ( 100 ) is traveling, a turning posture information of the lean vehicle ( 100 ),

the controller is configured to execute the notification operation with a small degree when the turning posture information indicates that a degree of banking or a rate of change in the degree of banking of the lean vehicle ( 100 ) is large,

the small degree is a degree smaller than a degree of the notification operation performed when the turning posture information indicates that the degree of banking or the rate of change in the degree of banking of the lean vehicle ( 100 ) is small, and

the controller executes the notification operation with the small degree by making the rider less perceive the warning.

2 . The controller ( 20 ) according to claim 1 , wherein

the notification operation includes an operation that notifies the rider of a relative distance of the another vehicle with respect to the lean vehicle ( 100 ) or a passing time difference between the another vehicle and the lean vehicle ( 100 ).

3 . The controller ( 20 ) according to claim 1 , wherein

the notification operation includes an operation that notifies the rider that the another vehicle is tailgating the lean vehicle ( 100 ).

4 . The controller ( 20 ) according to claim 1 , wherein

the notification operation includes an operation that notifies the rider that the another vehicle is located in a blind spot of the lean vehicle ( 100 ).

5 . The controller ( 20 ) according to claim 1 , wherein

the notification operation includes an operation that notifies the rider of a possibility of collision between the lean vehicle ( 100 ) and the another vehicle.

6 . The controller ( 20 ) according to claim 1 , wherein

the assistance operation includes a control operation that controls a speed, acceleration, or a jerk of the lean vehicle ( 100 ).

7 . The controller ( 20 ) according to claim 1 , wherein

the assistance operation includes a control operation that controls a speed, acceleration, or a jerk of the lean vehicle ( 100 ), and

the controller executes the notification operation with the small degree by decreasing a change in the speed, the acceleration, or the jerk.

8 . A control method for an assistance system ( 1 ), the control method comprising:

acquiring, using a controller ( 20 ), a positional relationship information regarding a lean vehicle ( 100 ) and another vehicle located behind or on a lateral side of the lean vehicle ( 100 ) to acquire the positional relationship information while the lean vehicle ( 100 ) is traveling based on a surrounding environment information that is information about an environment around the lean vehicle ( 100 ); and

executing, using the controller ( 20 ), an assistance operation based on the positional relationship information while the lean vehicle ( 100 ) is traveling, the assistance operation assisting a rider of the lean vehicle ( 100 ) in driving the lean vehicle ( 100 ), wherein

the assistance operation includes a notification operation that generates a warning to the rider,

the controller is configured to acquire, while the lean vehicle ( 100 ) is traveling, a turning posture information of the lean vehicle ( 100 ),

the controller is configured to execute the notification operation with a small degree when the turning posture information indicates that a degree of banking or a rate of change in the degree of banking of the lean vehicle ( 100 ) is large,

the small degree is a degree smaller than a degree of the notification operation performed when the turning posture information indicates that the degree of banking or the rate of change in the degree of banking of the lean vehicle ( 100 ) is small, and

the controller executes the notification operation with the small degree by making the rider less perceive the warning.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 18, 2023
From: PFAU, LARS
To: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
Reel/Frame 065265/0233 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2021-076945 · Apr 29, 2021 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240199161A1 · Jun 20, 2024
References Cited (20)
US 20080290618A1 · Yanaka · 2008 [cited by examiner]
US 20130311075A1 · Tran et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 20160061132A1 · Hieda · 2016 [cited by examiner]
US 20170158195A1 · Uchida · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 20170327109A1 · Watanabe · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 20200216136A1 · Hara · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 20200398750A1 · Aizawa · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 20210179225A1 · Hara · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 20220135165A1 · Tamashima · 2022 [cited by examiner]
US 20220161788A1 · Tamashima · 2022 [cited by examiner]
US 20220169273A1 · Horn · 2022 [cited by examiner]
US 20220242420A1 · Morishima · 2022 [cited by examiner]
US 20220315161A1 · Katayama · 2022 [cited by examiner]
US 20230306848A1 · Nakaoka · 2023 [cited by examiner]
EP 3335955A1 · 2018 [cited by applicant]
JP 2009116882A · 2009 [cited by applicant]
WO 2017030132A1 · 2017 [cited by applicant]
WO 2018229566A1 · 2018 [cited by applicant]
WO 2020041188A1 · 2020 [cited by applicant]
International Search Report and Written Opinion for Application No. PCT/IB2022/053765 dated Jul. 22, 2022 (8 pages). [cited by applicant]