IP Library Granted Patent US 12,466,408
Granted Patent B2
US 12,466,408 · App. 18/169,602 · Granted Nov 11, 2025

Driving assistance device, driving assistance method, and program

Inventor: Daisuke Shiraishi (Nisshin, JP)
Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
B60W30/165B60W30/18118B60W50/08B60W2540/12
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,466,408
App. No.
18/169,602
Granted
Nov 11, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

To increase convenience of an operation performed from a vehicle stop state until ACC is started or resumed, provided is a driving assistance device for a vehicle, including: a control unit ( 11 ) configured to execute travel control of at least one of constant-speed travel control or follow-up travel control, and to stop the travel control during stop of the own vehicle ( 100 ); a detection unit ( 43, 13 ) configured to detect release of a brake pedal by an occupant of the own vehicle ( 100 ); and a reception unit ( 60, 13 ) configured to receive an assistance request from the occupant. The control unit ( 11 ) is configured to execute one of start or resumption of the travel control when the detection unit ( 43, 13 ) detects the release of the brake pedal and the reception unit ( 60, 13 ) receives the assistance request during the stop of the own vehicle ( 100 ).

Claims (27)

1 . A driving assistance device for a vehicle, comprising:

an electronic control unit (ECU) configured to execute, based on a situation of a periphery of an own vehicle, travel control of at least one of constant-speed travel control of causing the own vehicle to travel at a constant speed or follow-up travel control of causing the own vehicle to travel to follow a preceding vehicle, and to disable the travel control during stop of the own vehicle when the own vehicle is stopped by operation of a brake pedal by an occupant of the own vehicle;

a brake pedal detector configured to detect release of the brake pedal by an occupant of the own vehicle; and

an interface configured to receive an assistance request from the occupant,

wherein the electronic control unit is configured to execute resumption of the travel control when the brake pedal detector detects the release of the brake pedal and the interface receives the assistance request during the stop of the own vehicle upon disabling the travel control by operation of the brake pedal.

2 . The driving assistance device according to claim 1 , wherein the electronic control unit is configured to determine whether the own vehicle is in a start possible state in which the own vehicle is allowed to start forward, based on the situation of the periphery of the own vehicle during the stop of the own vehicle, and

wherein the electronic control unit is configured to enable execution of one of start or resumption of the travel control when the brake pedal detector detects the release of the brake pedal and the interface receives the assistance request after the electronic control unit determines that the own vehicle is in the start possible state during the stop of the own vehicle.

3 . The driving assistance device according to claim 2 , wherein the electronic control unit is configured to:

execute braking force holding control of holding a braking force for maintaining the own vehicle in a stop state when the own vehicle has stopped on an uphill road; and

hold the braking force even when the brake pedal detector detects the release of the brake pedal during the execution of the braking force holding control, and release the braking force and enable the travel control when the interface receives the assistance request.

4 . The driving assistance device according to claim 2 , wherein the electronic control unit is further configured to:

recognize a light color of a traffic light based on a detection result of a sensor when the own vehicle is stopping at the traffic light; and

determine whether the own vehicle is in the start possible state in which the own vehicle is allowed to start forward, based on the recognition result of the light color of the traffic light.

5 . The driving assistance device according to claim 4 , wherein the sensor is at least one of a radar sensor and a camera sensor.

6 . The driving assistance device according to claim 2 , wherein the electronic control unit is configured to:

enable the travel control, when the brake pedal detector detects the release of the brake pedal and the interface receives the assistance request during the stop of the own vehicle before an elapsed time reaches the predetermined threshold time, the elapsed time being from the time when it is determined that the own vehicle is in the start possible state.

7 . The driving assistance device according to claim 1 , wherein the electronic control unit is configured to:

execute braking force holding control of holding a braking force for maintaining the own vehicle in a stop state when the own vehicle has stopped on an uphill road; and

hold the braking force even when the brake pedal detector detects the release of the brake pedal during the execution of the braking force holding control, and release the braking force and enable the travel control when the interface receives the assistance request.

8 . The driving assistance device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the own vehicle is an EPB-non-installed vehicle in which an electric parking brake is not installed.

9 . A driving assistance method for a vehicle, comprising:

executing, based on a situation of a periphery of an own vehicle, travel control of at least one of constant-speed travel control of causing the own vehicle to travel at a constant speed or follow-up travel control of causing the own vehicle to travel to follow a preceding vehicle, and disable stopping the travel control during stop of the own vehicle when the own vehicle is stopped by operation of a brake pedal by an occupant of the own vehicle; and

executing resumption of the travel control when release of a brake pedal by an occupant of the own vehicle is detected and an assistance request from the occupant is received during the stop of the own vehicle upon disabling the travel control by operation of the brake pedal.

10 . A non-transitory computer readable medium containing a program containing executable instructions for causing a computer of a driving assistance device for a vehicle to execute the processes of:

executing, based on a situation of a periphery of an own vehicle, travel control of at least one of constant-speed travel control of causing the own vehicle to travel at a constant speed or follow-up travel control of causing the own vehicle to travel to follow a preceding vehicle, and disabling the travel control during stop of the own vehicle when the own vehicle is stopped by operation of a brake pedal by an occupant of the own vehicle; and

executing resumption of the travel control when release of a brake pedal by an occupant of the own vehicle is detected and an assistance request from the occupant is received during the stop of the own vehicle upon disabling the travel control by operation of the brake pedal.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 15, 2023
From: SHIRAISHI, DAISUKE
To: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 062711/0153 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2022-047780 · Mar 24, 2022 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230303072A1 · Sep 28, 2023
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