US 12,391,269 B2
Apparatus and method for message notification
Takuya Fujiki, Tokyo-to (JP); Kenichiro Aoki, Machida (JP); Ryusuke Kuroda, Tokyo-to (JP); and Osamu Ozaki, Mishima (JP)
Assigned to TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Toyota (JP); and DENSO CORPORATION, Kariya (JP)
Filed by TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Toyota (JP); and DENSO CORPORATION, Kariya (JP)
Filed on Mar. 21, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/187,200.
Claims priority of application No. 2022-081098 (JP), filed on May 17, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2023/0373509 A1, Nov. 23, 2023
Int. Cl. B60W 50/14 (2020.01); B60Q 9/00 (2006.01); B60W 60/00 (2020.01)
CPC B60W 50/14 (2013.01) [B60Q 9/00 (2013.01); B60W 60/00 (2020.02); B60W 2050/146 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus for message notification, comprising a processor configured to:
detect a looking direction of a driver of a vehicle;
determine whether travel of the vehicle is being controlled in autonomous driving mode in which driving operation by the driver is unnecessary;
based on a determination that the vehicle is being controlled in autonomous driving mode, determine whether the looking direction of the driver is in a direction that is not related to the driving operation;
based on a determination that the looking direction of the driver is in a direction that is not related to the driving operation:
determine whether a change in environment around the vehicle causing the driver to turn his/her attention forward is detected,
determine whether an action of the vehicle that the driver can sense is detected, and
determine whether an operation by the driver of a vehicle-mounted device in front of the driver's seat is detected; and
display a message to be known to the driver on a display disposed in front of a driver's seat on which the driver is sitting when at least one of a change in environment around the vehicle causing the driver to turn his/her attention forward is detected, an action of the vehicle that the driver can sense is detected, or operation by the driver of a vehicle-mounted device in front of the driver's seat is detected.