US 12,403,923 B2
Driving support system for vehicle to assist a driver via notifications
Yuki Nakagawa, Toyota (JP)
Assigned to TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Toyota (JP)
Filed by TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Toyota (JP)
Filed on Jan. 26, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/101,800.
Claims priority of application No. 2022-042556 (JP), filed on Mar. 17, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2023/0294721 A1, Sep. 21, 2023
Int. Cl. B60W 50/08 (2020.01); B60W 40/02 (2006.01)
CPC B60W 50/08 (2013.01) [B60W 40/02 (2013.01); B60W 2554/80 (2020.02)] 6 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A driving support system for a vehicle configured for notifying a driver of the vehicle to selectively either temporary stop the vehicle at an obstacle or pass the obstacle, the driving support system comprising:
a positioning antenna, a plurality of sensors, and an external communication antenna configured to acquire information including position information of the obstacle that obstructs traffic; and
a processor configured to:
acquire a current position of the vehicle via the positioning antenna;
receive a plurality of information on the obstacle that obstructs traffic through the external communication antenna received from the obstacle that obstructs traffic;
notify a driver of a presence of the obstacle when the obstacle is present within a predetermined range from the vehicle, based on peripheral information of the vehicle, the predetermined range is a distance that allows the driver of the vehicle to avoid the obstacle that obstructs traffic without making sudden operations;
determine, when a plurality of obstacles is present within the predetermined range, whether an inter-obstacle distance between a first obstacle that is closest to the vehicle from among the obstacles, and a second obstacle other than the first obstacle is smaller than a first predetermined distance that is set in advance;
analyze the plurality of information on the second obstacle to determine whether it is possible to avoid the first and second obstacles while passing through them, or whether it is necessary to stop temporarily when the vehicle approaches the first obstacle and the second obstacle is acquired;
determine, when a distance between the first obstacle and the second obstacle is equal to or greater than the first predetermined distance, whether the distance is smaller than a second predetermined distance, the second predetermined distance is a distance greater than a reference distance, the reference distance is smaller than the predetermined range, the reference distance serving as a reference for starting a detailed notification of the presence of the obstacle to the vehicle and the first predetermined distance is smaller than the reference distance;
control, when the distance between the first obstacle and the second obstacle is equal to or greater than the first predetermined distance and smaller than the second predetermined distance, a notification informing the driver of the presence of the first obstacle and a notification informing the driver of the presence of the second obstacle such that the notifications are continuous;
when the distance between the first obstacle and the second obstacle is equal to or greater than the first predetermined distance and smaller than the second predetermined distance, perform control for continuing a notification even after the notification regarding the first obstacle ends until the notification regarding the second obstacle is started, such that the notifications are continuous;
perform control for restricting a notification of a presence of the second obstacle to the driver when the inter-obstacle distance is smaller than the first predetermined distance.