Communications: electrical – Land vehicle alarms or indicators – Of relative distance from an obstacle
Reexamination Certificate
2001-11-23
2004-02-24
Hofsass, Jeffery (Department: 2632)
Communications: electrical
Land vehicle alarms or indicators
Of relative distance from an obstacle
C340S426250, C340S426320, C340S436000, C340S466000, C340S903000, C340S904000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06696929
ABSTRACT:
This application is based on Japanese Patent Application Nos. 2000-357254 filed on Nov. 24, 2000 and 2001-273015 filed on Sep. 10, 2001, the contents of which are incorporated hereinto by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a warning apparatus.
2. Discussion of Related Art
JP-A-6-231400 discloses a warning apparatus provided on an automotive vehicle to generate a warning signal or an alarm indication when a distance between the vehicle and an object in front of the vehicle has become shorter than a predetermined threshold value. In this warning apparatus, the threshold value of the distance is determined on the basis of a running speed, a free running time and a maximum deceleration value of the vehicle. The free running time and maximum deceleration value of the vehicle are set or determined for a specific operator or driver of the vehicle, on the basis of empirical data indicative of braking conditions of the vehicle in which the vehicle was braked by the specific operator in the past. Accordingly, the warning apparatus disclosed in the above-identified publication is capable of generating the warning signal at a timing that suits the particular vehicle operating or driving characteristic or habit of the specific operator.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a warning apparatus provided on an automotive vehicle, which generates a warning signal at a timing that better suits a particular vehicle operating characteristic or habit of a specific operator of the vehicle, than the warning apparatus disclosed in the publication identified above.
The above object may be achieved according to any one of the following modes of the present invention in the form of a warning apparatus. Each of the following modes of the invention is numbered like the appended claims and depends from the other mode or modes, where appropriate, to indicate and clarify possible combinations of elements or technical features. It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the technical features or any combination thereof which will be described for illustrative purpose only. It is to be further understood that a plurality of elements or features included in any one of the following modes of the invention are not necessarily provided all together, and that the invention may be embodied without some of the elements or features described with respect to the same mode.
(1) A warning apparatus for an automotive vehicle, operable to generate a warning signal when a distance between the vehicle and an object existing in front of the vehicle is shorter than a predetermined threshold value, comprising:
a characteristic-value storage portion which stores at least one characteristic-value relationship between at least two of a plurality of brake operating characteristic values relating to a braking operation by an operator of the vehicle to brake the vehicle; and
a threshold-value determining portion operable to determine the threshold value of the distance, on the basis of at least one of an estimated braking state of the vehicle estimated on the basis of the at least one characteristic-value relationship stored in the characteristic-value storage portion; a running-state quantity indicative of a running state of the vehicle; and a moving-state quantity indicative of a moving state of said object.
The warning apparatus according to the above mode (1) is arranged to generate a warning signal or provide a warning indication when the actual distance between the automotive vehicle in question (hereinafter referred to as “present vehicle”) and the object in front of the present vehicle (e.g., a front vehicle running in front of the present vehicle, or a stationary object) has become smaller than the predetermined threshold value. In the present warning apparatus, the threshold value of the actual distance is determined on the basis of at least one of the estimated braking state of the present vehicle estimated on the at least one characteristic-value relationship between at least two brake operating characteristic values relating to the vehicle operator's braking operation to brake the present vehicle, the running-state quantity indicative of the running state of the present vehicle, and the moving-state quantity indicative of the moving state of the object. This arrangement permits the warning apparatus to generate the warning signal at a timing that better suits the specific brake operating characteristic or habit of the vehicle operator, than in the known warning apparatus.
Each characteristic-value relationship used is a relationship between two brake operating characteristic values relating to the vehicle operator's operation to apply a normal brake to the vehicle during normal running of the vehicle or to apply an emergency brake to the vehicle. The at least one characteristic-value relationship is selected depending upon the object of generating the warning signal. Each characteristic-value relationship used by the threshold-value determining portion may be determined either theoretically or experimentally. The case of the theoretical determination may be based on an human-oriented engineering technology. The characteristic-value relationship may be either held constant, or changed depending upon the running state of the present vehicle and the state of the roadway surface on which the present vehicle is running. Further, the characteristic-value relationship may be updated by a learning compensation technique. The at least one characteristic-value relationship may consist of only one relationship between two brake operating characteristic values, or at least two characteristic-value relationships among three or more brake operating characteristic values. In the latter case, the at least two characteristic-value relationships may consist of two or more relationships of one brake operating characteristic value with the other brake operating characteristic values, or two or more relationships of two or more brake operating characteristic values with respective two or more other brake operating characteristic values. Alternatively, two or more characteristic-value relationships are determined by each other in connection with each other, such that one brake operating characteristic value is related to another characteristic value, and a further characteristic value is related to the above-indicated one characteristic value, and so on.
The running-state quantity may include the running speed and/or acceleration value of the present vehicle, and the moving-state quantity of the object may similarly include the moving speed and/or acceleration value of the object. Where the running-state quantity include both of the running speed and acceleration value of the present vehicle while the moving-state quantity include both of the moving speed and acceleration value of the object, it is possible to obtain a relative speed and a relative acceleration value of the present vehicle and the object.
(2) A warning apparatus according to the above mode (1), wherein the characteristic-value storage portion stores at least two characteristic-value relationships of one of the plurality of brake operating characteristic values with respective at least two other characteristic values of the plurality of brake operating characteristic values, and the threshold-value determining portion is operable to estimate at least two braking-state quantities indicative of a braking state of the present vehicle, on the basis of the above-indicated one brake operating characteristic value and the characteristic-value relationships.
In the warning apparatus according to the above mode (2), the characteristic-value storage portion stores at least two characteristic-value relationships of one brake operating characteristic value with the other brake operating characteristic values. Accordingly, at least two braking-state quantities of the present vehicle can be obtained on the basis of the above-indicted one brake
Igaki Munenaga
Kuzuya Keiji
Nagiri Sueharu
Nakasho Takayuki
Nonaka Masakatsu
Hofsass Jeffery
Oliff & Berridg,e PLC
Previl Daniel
Toyota Jidosha & Kabushiki Kaisha
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