IP Library Granted Patent US 8,666,644
Granted Patent B2
US 8,666,644 · App. 13/129,971 · Granted Mar 4, 2014

Drive assistance apparatus

Inventor: Hiroki Goto (Susono, JP)
Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
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 8,666,644
App. No.
13/129,971
Granted
Mar 4, 2014
Kind
B2
Abstract

Disclosed is a drive assistance apparatus capable of assisting safer driving of a vehicle. The drive assistance apparatus that includes a position detection unit detecting a positional relationship between a preceding vehicle present in front of a subject vehicle and the subject vehicle and executes a drive assistance control assisting the driving of the subject vehicle according to the detected results, wherein the drive assistance apparatus includes an acquisition unit that acquires signal device information regarding a signal device on a traveling path of the subject vehicle and a setting unit that sets execution conditions for executing the drive assistance control based on the signal device information acquired by the acquisition unit.

Claims (19)

1. A drive assistance apparatus configured to execute a drive assistance control to assist driving a subject vehicle, the drive assistance apparatus comprising:

a sensor configured to detect a positional relationship between obstacles present in front of the subject vehicle and the subject vehicle itself;

a communication device configured to acquire signal device information regarding signal devices on a traveling path of the subject vehicle; and

a controller configured to set a threshold value for determining whether to execute the drive assistance control based on the signal device information and to execute the drive assistance control in response to the threshold value being exceeded,

wherein:

the signal device information includes switching information regarding a switching of a signal type; and

the controller is configured to change the threshold value based on the switching information.

2. The drive assistance apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an inattentiveness detection unit configured to detect an inattentiveness of a driver driving the subject vehicle,

wherein the controller is configured to set the threshold value when the inattentiveness detection unit detects the inattentiveness of the driver.

3. The drive assistance apparatus of claim 1 , wherein

the sensor is a millimeter-wave radar.

4. The drive assistance apparatus of claim 1 , wherein

the sensor is an image sensor.

5. The drive assistance apparatus of claim 2 , wherein

the inattentiveness detection unit is a monitoring camera configured to image and analyze the face of the driver.

6. The drive assistance apparatus of claim 1 , wherein

the threshold value is a numerical value based on road conditions near the subject vehicle.

7. The drive assistance apparatus of claim 6 , wherein

road conditions include the proximity of a preceding vehicle.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 18, 2011
From: GOTO, HIROKI
To: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 026296/0725 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20110245993A1 · Oct 6, 2011