Communications: electrical – Condition responsive indicating system – Specific condition
Patent
1998-05-22
2000-01-11
Hofsass, Jeffery A.
Communications: electrical
Condition responsive indicating system
Specific condition
340575, 340439, 340995, 701208, G08B 2300
Patent
active
06014081&
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to a driving condition-monitoring apparatus for automotive vehicles, which instructs the driver to take a rest depending on the driving condition of an automotive vehicle.
BACKGROUND ART
A long-time driving-warning apparatus for an automotive vehicle is conventionally known which measures a traveling time of the automotive vehicle, and detects a geographical position of the vehicle whenever the measured traveling time reaches a predetermined time period, to search the vicinity of the detected geographical position of the vehicle for a place where the driver can take a rest, and supply information on the place to the driver (Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 5-262163).
However, the conventional apparatus does not contemplate cases where the driver becomes fatigued before the traveling time reaches the predetermined time period, and therefore there remains room for improvement.
The present invention has been made in view of the above inconvenience, and it is an object of the invention to provide a driving condition-monitoring apparatus for automotive vehicles, which is capable of instructing the driver to take a rest at more suitable timing through monitoring the driving condition of the driver.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a driving condition-monitoring apparatus for an automotive vehicle, shown in FIG. 1, which is comprised of driving time-measuring means 1 for measuring a continuous driving time period over which the vehicle is continuously driven, driving condition-determining means 2 for determining a driving condition of a driver of the vehicle, rest necessity-determining means 3 for determining, based on the continuous driving time period and the driving condition of the driver, whether or not it is necessary for the driver to take a rest, map information output means 5 for outputting map information including information on roads on which the automotive vehicle is to travel, vehicle position-detecting means 6 for detecting a position of the vehicle within the map information, route-setting means 7 for setting a driving route to a destination of a drive of the vehicle, scheduled rest point-setting means 8 for setting rest points along the driving route set by the route-setting means at intervals of a predetermined distance and/or a predetermined expected traveling time period, extraordinary rest point search means 4 for searching a place in the vicinity of the position of the vehicle as an extraordinary rest point suitable for the driver to take a rest when it is determined that it is necessary for the driver to take a rest, and rest-instructing means 9 for indicating one of the scheduled rest points when the vehicle comes near the one of the scheduled rest points and indicating the extraordinary rest points when it is determined that it is necessary for the driver to take a rest.
Wherein, when it is determined that it is necessary for the driver to take a rest and then the driver takes a rest at the rest point newly searched out by the rest point search means, the rest point-setting means 8 changes subsequent ones of the set rest points.
Preferably, the scheduled rest point-setting means 8 changes the subsequent ones of the scheduled rest points in a manner such that the rest points are set at shorter intervals of a distance and/or a time period than the intervals of the predetermined distance and/or the predetermined expected traveling time.
Preferably, the driving condition-monitoring apparatus includes vehicle speed-detecting means for detecting a vehicle speed at which the automotive vehicle is traveling, and wherein the rest necessity-determining means 3 determines whether it is necessary for the driver to take a rest only when the vehicle speed is equal to or higher than a predetermined value.
Preferably, the rest-instructing means 9 displays a map including the rest points.
Preferably, the rest-instructing means 9 instructs the driver to take a rest by using voices or by an indicator.
According to the p
REFERENCES:
patent: 5694116 (1997-12-01), Kojima
Kojima Kouichi
Yoshikawa Kenji
Blackman William D.
Carrier Joseph P.
Hofsass Jeffery A.
Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
Huang Sihong
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