JP6370249B2 - In-vehicle warning device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an in-vehicle warning device that warns of the approach of another vehicle to its own vehicle.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a technique for detecting and warning an approaching vehicle when a vehicle approaches from behind or the like is used as a reference for determination of avoidance behavior.
However, in the actual driving environment of a vehicle, other vehicles approach frequently to the host vehicle, and if a warning is given immediately when the vehicle approaches, information unnecessary to avoid a rear-end collision is given to the driver of the host vehicle. There is a possibility of providing. Therefore, a technique for determining whether or not a warning is necessary in consideration of the actual traveling environment of the vehicle has been proposed. For example, in Patent Document 1, a warning for preventing a rear-end collision between another vehicle and the host vehicle in consideration of a lane in which the host vehicle is traveling and a lane in which another vehicle is traveling, and this It is determined whether or not guidance related to the driving operation accompanying the warning is necessary.

JP 2007-257228 A

By the way, when the own vehicle and another vehicle collide, for example, if the other vehicle is a large vehicle, it is highly possible that the own vehicle will develop into a major accident.
In addition, when the other vehicle is relatively small, the behavior of the other party is changed if it is a motorcycle. When the own vehicle is large, the other vehicle may be seriously damaged by the collision.
In this way, the damage caused by a collision and the actions to be taken will vary greatly depending on the size of the vehicle, so the driver must know what size of the vehicle is approaching and then take the next driving action. There is also a desire to judge. However, Patent Document 1 does not consider this point.

  This invention solves said subject and it aims at obtaining the vehicle-mounted warning apparatus which can perform the warning used as the reference of judgment of the driving action according to the magnitude | size of the vehicle which approaches the own vehicle.

The in-vehicle warning device according to the present invention is a warning control unit that determines the size of a vehicle approaching the host vehicle and changes a warning mode according to the size of the vehicle, and a mode determined by the warning control unit. An output control unit that outputs a warning, and the warning control unit determines that the output of the warning is necessary when it is determined that the vehicle approaching the host vehicle is a vehicle of a detection target size, and the detection target If it is determined that the vehicle is not a vehicle of the size, it is determined that the warning output is unnecessary, and the output control unit is approaching the host vehicle when the warning control unit determines that the warning output is required. A warning about is output .

  According to the present invention, the warning that is used as a reference for determining the driving action according to the size of the vehicle approaching the host vehicle by changing the mode of the warning according to the size of the vehicle approaching the host vehicle. There is an effect that can be performed.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the vehicle-mounted warning apparatus which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the reference information which the information storage part of FIG. 1 memorize | stores. It is a flowchart which shows operation | movement of the vehicle-mounted warning apparatus of FIG. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the vehicle-mounted warning apparatus which concerns on Embodiment 2 of this invention. 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of the in-vehicle warning device according to the second embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the vehicle-mounted warning apparatus which concerns on Embodiment 3 of this invention. 10 is a flowchart showing the operation of the in-vehicle warning device according to the third embodiment. It is a figure which shows the outline | summary of the guidance which promotes the lane change in Embodiment 3. FIG.

Embodiment 1 FIG.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an in-vehicle warning device 1 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.
The in-vehicle warning device 1 is a device that warns the approach of another vehicle to the host vehicle, and may be configured as a dedicated device that executes warning processing. For example, the in-vehicle warning device 1 is realized as one function of a car navigation device. Also good.

As shown in FIG. 1, the in-vehicle warning device 1 includes an output unit 2, a front distance sensor 3a, a rear distance sensor 3b, a front camera 4a, a rear camera 4b, and a vehicle ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 5 provided in the host vehicle. Connected by wire or wireless.
The in-vehicle warning device 1 includes a warning control unit 10 and an output control unit 11.

  The output unit 2 outputs the warning information input from the output control unit 11 visually or audibly or both. The output unit 2 is embodied by, for example, a display and a speaker mounted on the host vehicle. In addition, as a display, you may share the display with which a car navigation apparatus is provided.

  The front distance sensor 3a and the rear distance sensor 3b are sensors that detect a distance from a vehicle traveling around the host vehicle. For example, a millimeter wave radar that detects a distance by irradiating a millimeter wave and receiving a reflected wave from another vehicle is used.

The front distance sensor 3a is installed in front of the host vehicle and detects a distance from the front vehicle traveling in the same lane as the host vehicle. In addition to this, the distance to the vehicle in front of the vehicle traveling in the lane adjacent to the traveling lane of the host vehicle may be detected.
Similarly, the rear distance sensor 3b is installed behind the host vehicle and detects the distance from the following vehicle traveling in the same lane as the host vehicle. In addition to this, the distance to the vehicle behind the vehicle that is traveling in the lane adjacent to the traveling lane of the host vehicle may be detected.

The front camera 4a and the rear camera 4b are cameras that photograph the periphery of the host vehicle.
The front camera 4a is installed in front of the host vehicle, and images the front vehicle traveling in the same lane as the host vehicle. Similarly, the rear camera 4b is installed behind the host vehicle and captures a subsequent vehicle traveling in the same lane as the host vehicle.
Further, the front camera 4a and the rear camera 4b may be provided with a zoom function so that a vehicle running around the host vehicle can be projected greatly according to an instruction from the warning control unit 10.

  The vehicle ECU 5 is mounted on the host vehicle and comprehensively controls the host vehicle in accordance with a driver's operation or other input. The vehicle ECU 5 includes a microcomputer including a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a memory, and an input / output interface as main components. In the example of FIG. 1, an information storage unit 50 is constructed in the memory of the vehicle ECU 5.

The warning control unit 10 determines the size of the vehicle approaching the host vehicle, and changes the warning mode according to the size of the vehicle. In the present invention, the warning mode includes the presence or absence of a warning.
That is, in the first embodiment, the warning control unit 10 determines whether or not the vehicle approaching the host vehicle is the size of the detection target. When it is determined that the size of the detection target is determined, it is determined that warning output is necessary, and when it is determined that the size is not the detection target, it is determined that warning output is unnecessary. The size of the detection target is preset in the warning control unit 10 so that a warning is executed when a vehicle of this size approaches the host vehicle. The size of the detection target may be set in advance in the in-vehicle warning device 1 or may be set by the user.

As a vehicle having a size to be detected, for example, a large vehicle may be set.
Large vehicles include ordinary freight vehicles such as large trucks, ordinary shared vehicles such as buses, special purpose vehicles such as concrete mixers, and large special vehicles such as crane vehicles.
By setting the large vehicle as a detection target in this way, it is possible to accurately warn that the large vehicle has approached the host vehicle.

  The output control unit 11 outputs a warning in a manner determined by the warning control unit 10. For example, when the warning control unit 10 determines that warning output is necessary, a warning regarding a vehicle approaching the host vehicle is output. When it is determined that warning output is necessary, the output control unit 11 outputs warning information of the warning content instructed from the warning control unit 10 to the output unit 2.

The warning control unit 10 and the output control unit 11 are realized by a processing circuit such as a CPU or a system LSI (large scale integrated circuit) that executes a program stored in a memory.
A plurality of processing circuits may execute the functions of the warning control unit 10 and the output control unit 11 in cooperation with each other.

  The information storage unit 50 is a storage unit that stores reference information, and is constructed in, for example, a storage device provided in the vehicle ECU 5. In the reference information, information indicating the shape of the vehicle in the camera image corresponding to each distance from the host vehicle is information set for each vehicle type of the size of the detection target, and the warning control unit 10 determines the size of the detection target. This is referred to when determining whether or not the vehicle type is the same.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of reference information stored in the information storage unit 50. The reference information in FIG. 2 indicates the shape of a vehicle on a camera image taken when a vehicle of a vehicle type having a detection target size follows the host vehicle. The camera image is taken by the rear camera 4b.
For example, when the vehicle of the size to be detected is a large truck, the large truck is the subject as shown in FIG. 2 in the camera image corresponding to the inter-vehicle distance of 150 m.

Information A0 indicating the width a0, height b0, and outer shape of the large truck identified from the camera image becomes reference information corresponding to the inter-vehicle distance of 150 m, and is stored in the information storage unit 50.
Similarly, the information A1 indicates the width a1, the height b1, and the outer shape of the large truck from the camera image taken when the inter-vehicle distance is 100 m. The reference information photographed when the inter-vehicle distance is 50 m is information A2 indicating the width a2, the height b2, and the outer shape of the large truck. Note that a0 <a1 <a2 and b0 <b1 <b2.

The information A0 to A2 indicating the outer shape is information indicating the outline of a large truck as viewed from the front, for example, as indicated by a thick line in FIG. In the reference information about the vehicle traveling in front of the host vehicle, information indicating the outline of the vehicle viewed from the rear is information indicating the outer shape.
The reference information as shown in FIG. 2 is set for each vehicle type having a size to be detected.

Next, the operation will be described.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the in-vehicle warning device 1 and shows a series of processes for determining whether or not a warning regarding a vehicle approaching the host vehicle is necessary.
While the host vehicle is traveling, the warning control unit 10 uses the front camera 4a and the rear camera 4b at the inter-vehicle distance between the host vehicle and the other vehicle detected by the front distance sensor 3a and the rear distance sensor 3b and the inter-vehicle distance. Input the captured camera image.

  First, the warning control unit 10 determines whether or not a vehicle in front of or behind the host vehicle has approached based on the inter-vehicle distance detected by the front distance sensor 3a and the rear distance sensor 3b (step ST1). For example, when the vehicle is closer to the host vehicle than the allowable value of the inter-vehicle distance, it is determined that the vehicle has approached the host vehicle.

When the warning control unit 10 determines that another vehicle is not approaching the host vehicle (step ST1; NO), the process of step ST1 is repeated.
When it is determined that another vehicle has approached the host vehicle (step ST1; YES), the warning control unit 10 determines whether or not the vehicle approaching the host vehicle is a model of a size to be detected. Determination is made (step ST2).
For example, the warning control unit 10 analyzes the inter-vehicle distance between the host vehicle and another vehicle and the camera image at the inter-vehicle distance, and obtains information indicating the width, height, and outer shape of the vehicle approaching the host vehicle. . Next, the warning control unit 10 determines whether there is information matching the vehicle approaching the host vehicle from the reference information stored in the information storage unit 50 based on the information thus obtained and the inter-vehicle distance. Confirm whether or not. If there is no information that matches the reference information, it is determined that the vehicle type is not the size of the detection target, and if there is information that matches the reference information, it is determined that the vehicle type is the size of the detection target.

When it is determined that there is no information that matches the reference information and the vehicle type is not the size of the detection target (step ST2; NO), the process returns to step ST1, and the series of processes described above is repeated.
When there is reference information that matches a vehicle approaching the host vehicle and it is determined that the vehicle type is the size of the detection target (step ST2; YES), the warning control unit 10 needs to warn of the approach of the vehicle. Determine that there is. At this time, the warning control unit 10 instructs the output control unit 11 of the warning content corresponding to the vehicle.

The output control unit 11 generates warning information indicating the warning content instructed from the warning control unit 10 and outputs the warning information to the output unit 2. Thereby, the output part 2 outputs the warning information input from the output control part 11 visually or auditorily or both (step ST3).
That is, the warning content is displayed on the display, or the warning content is output from the speaker. Or do both of these. In the case of warning by voice output, a warning sound may be output.

For example, the warning control unit 10 determines at least one of the vehicle type of the size of the detection target, the degree of approach to the own vehicle, and information indicating the danger of loading as the warning content, and the output control unit 11 The content warning information may be output to the output unit 2.
In addition, as the vehicle type of the size to be detected, it may indicate any of ordinary cargo vehicles, ordinary shared vehicles, special purpose vehicles and large special vehicles, but more specific such as buses, tank trucks, large trucks, etc. A typical vehicle type may be indicated.
The degree of approach to the host vehicle is determined by providing a plurality of threshold values for the inter-vehicle distance. Moreover, you may warn by the content which calls attention strongly as another vehicle approaches the own vehicle.
Information indicating the danger of loading is specified from a mark indicating the danger of loading installed in the vehicle. The mark includes a “danger” mark indicating that the cargo is dangerous, a “poison” mark indicating that it is a poisonous substance and a deleterious substance, a “high pressure gas” mark indicating that it is a high pressure gas, and the like. The presence or absence of these marks and their contents are specified by analyzing the camera image.
By warning with such contents, it is possible to make the driver recognize the danger of the vehicle approaching the host vehicle, and to promote the driving action to avoid the collision with the vehicle.

If it is determined in step ST2 that the vehicle type is not the size of the detection target, the flow returns to step ST1 again. In this case, a warning is output in a manner corresponding to the case where the detection target size is not the case. May be.
If the vehicle is the size of the detection target, a warning corresponding to the vehicle of the detection target size is given. For example, in the case of a large vehicle, as described above, a warning in a mode indicating the vehicle type, the degree of approach, the risk of loading, and the like is given. On the other hand, if the detection target is not large, a simple warning such as sounding a warning sound such as a beep sound is given. In this manner, the warning may be performed in a manner corresponding to the size of the vehicle.

Moreover, although the description so far showed the case where the warning of the approach of the vehicle currently drive | working the front or back of the own vehicle was shown, it is not limited to this.
For example, you may warn of the approach of the vehicle of the diagonally forward traveling in the lane adjacent to the driving lane of the own vehicle. Thus, even when a vehicle larger than the host vehicle suddenly cuts into the travel lane of the host vehicle, it is possible to accurately warn the driver of the approach of the vehicle.

Furthermore, although the case where the vehicle of the magnitude | size of a detection target is a large vehicle was shown, this invention is not limited to a large vehicle.
For example, when the host vehicle is a motorcycle, a small passenger car may be set as a detection target.
Further, when the vehicle type of the host vehicle is an ordinary freight vehicle, a vehicle type smaller than the host vehicle may be detected. In this way, it is possible to accurately warn that a vehicle classified into a size different from that of the host vehicle has approached.
The size of the detection target may be set in advance in the in-vehicle warning device 1, but may be set as appropriate by the user.

As described above, the in-vehicle warning device 1 according to Embodiment 1 includes the warning control unit 10 and the output control unit 11. The warning control unit 10 determines the size of the vehicle approaching the host vehicle, and changes the warning mode according to the size of the vehicle. The output control unit 11 outputs a warning in a manner determined by the warning control unit 10.
In the first embodiment, the warning control unit 10 determines whether or not the vehicle approaching the host vehicle is a vehicle type having a size to be detected. If it is determined that the vehicle type is the size of the detection target, it is determined that a warning output is necessary, and if it is determined that the vehicle type is not the size of the detection target, it is determined that warning output is unnecessary. The output control unit 11 outputs a warning regarding a vehicle approaching the host vehicle when the warning control unit 10 determines that a warning output is necessary.
In this way, by changing the mode of warning according to the size of the vehicle approaching the host vehicle, a warning that serves as a reference for determining the driving action according to the size of the vehicle approaching the host vehicle is given. Can do.

  Further, in the in-vehicle warning device 1 according to the first embodiment, the vehicle having a size to be detected is a large vehicle. As a result, it is possible to accurately warn that a large vehicle has approached the host vehicle.

Furthermore, in the in-vehicle warning device 1 according to the first embodiment, the warning control unit 10 is based on the detection data of the inter-vehicle distance between the other vehicle and the host vehicle, the camera image of the other vehicle, and the reference information. It is determined whether or not the other vehicle is a vehicle type having a size to be detected.
With this configuration, it is possible to accurately determine whether or not another vehicle approaching the host vehicle is a vehicle type having a size to be detected from the shape of the vehicle displayed in the camera image.

  Further, in the in-vehicle warning device 1 according to the first embodiment, the warning control unit 10 warns at least one of information indicating the type of vehicle to be detected, the degree of approach to the host vehicle, and the risk of loading. To be determined. The output control unit 11 outputs a warning having the content determined by the warning control unit 10. With this configuration, the driver can be made aware of the danger of a vehicle approaching the host vehicle, and driving behavior that avoids a collision with the vehicle can be promoted.

Embodiment 2. FIG.
FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the in-vehicle warning device 1A according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention, and also shows the internal configuration of the warning control unit 10A. In FIG. 4, the same components as those in FIG.
The in-vehicle warning device 1A is a device that warns the approach of another vehicle to the host vehicle, and may be configured as a dedicated device that executes warning processing, but may be realized as one function of a car navigation device, for example. Good.

The in-vehicle warning device 1A includes a warning control unit 10A and an output control unit 11.
As shown in FIG. 4, the warning control unit 10A includes a camera control unit 100, an image analysis unit 101, a vehicle type determination unit 102, and a warning content determination unit 103.
The camera control unit 100 is a component that controls the zoom function of the front camera 4a and the rear camera 4b. For example, when it is determined by the vehicle type determination unit 102 that the vehicle approaching the host vehicle is the vehicle type of the size to be detected, the camera control unit 100 checks the number plate of the vehicle, so that the front camera 4a Alternatively, the rear camera 4b is zoomed in for shooting.

The image analysis unit 101 analyzes camera images taken by the front camera 4a and the rear camera 4b, and obtains information regarding the vehicle displayed in the camera images.
For example, the camera image is analyzed to obtain information indicating the width, height, and outer shape of the vehicle approaching the host vehicle. Further, a mark indicating the danger of loading attached to a vehicle approaching the host vehicle is determined.
In particular, in the second embodiment, the image analysis unit 101 identifies the contents of the license plate of the vehicle approaching the host vehicle from the camera image.

Based on the image analysis result of the image analysis unit 101 and the inter-vehicle distance detected by the front distance sensor 3a or the rear distance sensor 3b, the vehicle type determination unit 102 detects that the vehicle approaching the host vehicle is the size of the detection target. It is determined whether or not the vehicle type.
For example, the vehicle is approaching from the reference information stored in the information storage unit 50 based on the image analysis result of the image analysis unit 101 and the inter-vehicle distance detected by the front distance sensor 3a or the rear distance sensor 3b. Check if there is information that matches the vehicle. If there is no information that matches the reference information, it is determined that the vehicle type is not the size of the detection target, and if there is information that matches the reference information, it is determined that the vehicle type is the size of the detection target.

  Further, the vehicle type determination unit 102 determines whether the license plate corresponds to the vehicle type of the size of the detection target based on the content of the license plate specified by the image analysis unit 101. For example, the contents of the license plate corresponding to the vehicle type of the size to be detected are set in the reference information. The vehicle type determination unit 102 checks whether there is reference information that matches the content of the license plate specified by the image analysis unit 101, so that it is a license plate corresponding to the vehicle type of the detection target size. Determine.

  The warning content determination unit 103 determines the content of the warning corresponding to the approaching vehicle when the vehicle type determination unit 102 determines that the vehicle approaching the host vehicle is a vehicle type having a detection target size. To do. For example, as in the first embodiment, at least one of information indicating the vehicle type of the size to be detected, the degree of approach to the host vehicle, and the risk of loading is determined as the content of the warning.

  The warning control unit 10A and the output control unit 11 are realized by a processing circuit such as a CPU or a system LSI that executes a program stored in a memory. A plurality of processing circuits may execute the functions of the warning control unit 10A and the output control unit 11 in cooperation with each other.

Next, the operation will be described.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the operation of the in-vehicle warning device 1A, and shows a series of processes for determining whether or not a warning regarding a vehicle approaching the host vehicle is necessary. Note that steps ST1, ST2, and ST3 in FIG. 5 perform the same processing as in FIG.
If the vehicle type determination unit 102 determines in step ST2 that the vehicle approaching the host vehicle is the vehicle type of the size to be detected, the vehicle control unit 100 causes the camera control unit 100 to take a picture of the number plate of this vehicle. Instruct.

  The camera control unit 100 controls the zoom function of the camera in the direction in which the vehicle is approaching, of the front camera 4a and the rear camera 4b, according to the instruction from the vehicle type determination unit 102, and zooms in the vehicle image Shoot. The camera image shot in this way is output to the image analysis unit 101.

The image analysis unit 101 identifies the contents of the license plate by analyzing an image area corresponding to the license plate in the camera image in which the vehicle approaching the host vehicle is zoomed up. For example, the size of the license plate and the classification number are obtained.
The contents of the license plate thus obtained are output to the vehicle type determination unit 102.

Subsequently, based on the content of the license plate specified by the image analysis unit 101, the vehicle type determination unit 102 determines whether or not the license plate of this vehicle is a license plate corresponding to the vehicle type of the size to be detected. judge.
For example, the size of the license plate and the first digit of the classification number are set in the reference information for each vehicle size of the detection target, and the contents of the license plate specified by the image analysis unit 101 and this reference Judgment is made by collating with information.
By confirming the contents of the license plate in this way, it is possible to more reliably specify that the vehicle type is the size of the detection target.
The process so far corresponds to step ST2-1.

If the model of the size to be detected is a large vehicle, if the first digit of the classification number is 0, 1, 2, 8, 9, the content of the license plate of the vehicle approaching the host vehicle is a large vehicle. It can be determined that
For example, when the first digit of the classification number is 1, the vehicle approaching the host vehicle is an ordinary freight vehicle. When the first digit of the classification number is 2, the vehicle approaching the host vehicle is an ordinary passenger car such as a bus. If the first digit of the classification number is 8, this vehicle is a special purpose vehicle such as a concrete mixer truck. If the first digit of the classification number is 9 or 0, a large special vehicle such as a crane vehicle is used. It is.
When the size of the number plate specified according to the inter-vehicle distance is a so-called “large plate”, it can be determined that the number plate of the vehicle approaching the host vehicle corresponds to the large vehicle.
In addition, by setting the content of the license plate corresponding to the country or region where the in-vehicle warning device 1A is used as reference information, the determination according to the country or region can be performed.

When it is determined that the license plate of the vehicle approaching the host vehicle does not correspond to the vehicle type of the detection target size (step ST2-1; NO), it is determined that the determination result in step ST2 is incorrect, The process returns to step ST1.
If it is determined that the license plate corresponds to the vehicle type of the size to be detected (step ST2-1; YES), the process proceeds to step ST3, and a warning regarding the approach of the vehicle is output to the output unit 2. Is output by.

In the description so far, if it is determined in step ST2 that the vehicle is not the size of the detection target, and if it is determined in step ST2-1 that it is not the license plate corresponding to the vehicle of the size of detection, The flow of returning to step ST1 is shown.
Also in this case, as shown in the first embodiment, the warning may be output in a manner corresponding to the case where the size of the detection target is not satisfied.
If the vehicle is the size of the detection target and the license plate corresponds to this, a warning corresponding to the vehicle of the detection target size is given. For example, in the case of a large vehicle, a warning of a mode indicating the vehicle type, the degree of approach, the risk of loading, etc. is given.
On the other hand, if the detection target is not large or the contents of the license plate do not correspond, a simple warning such as a beep sound is issued.
In this manner, the warning may be performed in a manner corresponding to the size of the vehicle.

As described above, in the in-vehicle warning device 1A according to the second embodiment, the warning control unit 10A analyzes the license plate in the camera image of the vehicle that is approaching the host vehicle, so that the vehicle type of the size to be detected. It is determined whether or not the license plate corresponds to.
By confirming the contents of the license plate in this way, it is possible to more reliably specify that the vehicle type is the size of the detection target.

Embodiment 3 FIG.
FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the in-vehicle warning device 1B according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention, and also shows the internal configuration of the warning control unit 10B. In FIG. 6, the same components as those in FIGS. 1 and 4 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof is omitted.
The in-vehicle warning device 1B is a device that warns the approach of another vehicle to the host vehicle, and may be configured as a dedicated device that executes warning processing, but may be realized as one function of a car navigation device, for example. Good.

The in-vehicle warning device 1B includes a warning control unit 10B and an output control unit 11.
As shown in FIG. 6, the warning control unit 10B includes a camera control unit 100, an image analysis unit 101, a vehicle type determination unit 102, and a warning content determination unit 103A. The warning content determination unit 103A inputs the position information and map information of the host vehicle from the navigation processing unit 6.

The navigation processing unit 6 performs navigation processing such as route search to the destination, route guidance, and map display based on the position information and map information of the host vehicle.
The navigation processing unit 6 is provided in a car navigation device provided separately from the in-vehicle warning device 1B or a navigation device having the in-vehicle warning device 1B as one function.

  When the vehicle type determination unit 102 determines that the vehicle approaching the host vehicle is the vehicle type of the size to be detected, the warning content determination unit 103A determines the guidance for prompting the lane change of the host vehicle as the warning mode. . The warning content determination unit 103A instructs the output control unit 11 not to output guidance when another vehicle is traveling behind the lane change destination or the lane change destination.

  The warning control unit 10B and the output control unit 11 are realized by a processing circuit such as a CPU or a system LSI that executes a program stored in a memory. A plurality of processing circuits may cooperate to execute the functions of the warning control unit 10B and the output control unit 11.

Next, the operation will be described.
FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the operation of the in-vehicle warning device 1B, and shows a series of processes for determining whether or not a warning is required for a vehicle approaching the host vehicle and for prompting a lane change accompanying the warning.
Note that the processing in step ST1, step ST2, step ST2-1, and step ST3 in FIG. 7 is the same as in FIG. 3 and FIG.

When a warning is output from the output unit 2 in step ST3, the warning content determination unit 103A determines the road on which the host vehicle is traveling based on the position information and map information of the host vehicle input from the navigation processing unit 6. It is confirmed whether or not there are two or more lanes (step ST4).
For example, the road on which the host vehicle is traveling is identified from the position of the host vehicle, and road information related to the road is extracted from the map information to check whether the number of lanes is two or more.

If the road on which the host vehicle is traveling is one lane (step ST4; NO), the lane change is not possible, so the processing is terminated.
When the traveling road of the own vehicle is two or more lanes (step ST4; YES), the warning content determination unit 103A confirms whether another vehicle is traveling behind the line change destination or the lane change destination ( Step ST5).
For example, the warning content determination unit 103A instructs the camera control unit 100 to obliquely forward the own vehicle in the adjacent lane, that is, the lane change destination, and obliquely behind the own vehicle in the lane, that is, behind the lane change destination. Is photographed by the front camera 4a and the rear camera 4b.
Then, the image analysis unit 101 analyzes the image of the camera image taken in this way.
As a result of this image analysis, the warning content determination unit 103A determines that if another vehicle is reflected diagonally forward or diagonally behind the host vehicle in an adjacent lane, the other vehicle travels behind or behind the lane change destination. Judge that

As shown in FIG. 8 (a), when another vehicle is traveling at or behind the lane change destination (step ST5; YES), the warning content determination unit 103A changes the lane at this time to change to another vehicle. May collide with. For this reason, the warning content determination unit 103A does not output guidance for urging the output control unit 11 to change lanes. Thereafter, the process of step ST5 is repeated until there is no other vehicle at the lane change destination or behind it.
In this way, when changing the lane of the host vehicle in order to avoid the approach of the detection target vehicle, it is possible to reliably prevent a collision between the host vehicle and another vehicle that is traveling behind or behind the lane change destination. it can.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 8B, if another vehicle is not traveling behind or behind the lane change (step ST5; NO), the warning content determination unit 103A prompts the lane change to the adjacent lane. The guidance is determined as the output content.
The output control unit 11 outputs the content guidance determined by the warning content determination unit 103 </ b> A to the output unit 2. The output unit 2 visually or audibly outputs guidance that prompts the driver to change lanes (step ST6).
In this way, it is possible to prompt a driving operation that reliably avoids a collision between the host vehicle and the vehicle to be detected.

Note that the necessity of guidance for prompting the lane change to the adjacent lane is determined based on whether or not another vehicle is traveling ahead or behind the lane change destination, but may be determined based on other criteria.
For example, based on the road information input from the navigation processing unit 6, when traffic congestion on the road on which the host vehicle is traveling is confirmed, it is expected to approach the detection target vehicle even if the lane change is performed. . Therefore, in this case, it is possible not to output a guidance for lane change.

  In the third embodiment, in addition to the series of processes shown in the second embodiment, a case where a process related to guidance for prompting a lane change is performed. In addition to the processes shown in the first embodiment, a lane You may perform the process regarding the guidance which prompts a change. That is, even if the process of step ST2-1 in FIG. 7 is omitted, the same effect as described above can be obtained.

  As described above, in the in-vehicle warning device 1B according to the third embodiment, the warning control unit 10B prompts the user to change the lane of the own vehicle when the vehicle approaching the own vehicle is a vehicle type having a size to be detected. It is determined as the content to output guidance. The output control unit 11 outputs guidance of the content determined by the warning control unit 10B. With this configuration, it is possible to prompt a driving operation that reliably avoids a collision between the host vehicle and the vehicle to be detected.

  In the in-vehicle warning device 1B according to the third embodiment, the warning control unit 10B outputs guidance to the output control unit 11 when another vehicle is traveling behind the lane change destination or the lane change destination. do not do. Thereby, when changing the lane of the host vehicle in order to avoid the approach of the vehicle to be detected, it is possible to reliably prevent a collision between the lane change destination or another vehicle traveling behind it and the host vehicle.

  In the present invention, within the scope of the invention, any combination of each embodiment, any component of each embodiment can be modified, or any component can be omitted in each embodiment. .

  1, 1A, 1B In-vehicle warning device, 2 output unit, 3a front distance sensor, 3b rear distance sensor, 4a front camera, 4b rear camera, 5 vehicle ECU, 6 navigation processing unit, 10, 10A, 10B warning control unit, 11 Output control unit, 50 information storage unit, 100 camera control unit, 101 image analysis unit, 102 vehicle type determination unit, 103, 103A warning content determination unit.

Claims (7)

A warning control unit that determines the size of the vehicle approaching the host vehicle, and changes a warning mode according to the size of the vehicle;
An output control unit that outputs a warning in a mode determined by the warning control unit ,
The warning control unit determines that a warning output is necessary when it is determined that a vehicle approaching the host vehicle is a vehicle having a detection target size, and determines that the vehicle is not a detection target size vehicle. If it is determined that warning output is unnecessary,
The in-vehicle warning device , wherein the output control unit outputs a warning about a vehicle approaching the host vehicle when the warning control unit determines that a warning output is necessary . Vehicle size to be detected vehicle warning device according to claim 1, wherein the certain large vehicles. The warning control unit includes detection data of a distance between the host vehicle and another vehicle traveling around the host vehicle, a camera image of the other vehicle at this distance, and each distance from the host vehicle. Whether or not the other vehicle is a vehicle type of the detection target size based on the reference information set for each vehicle type of the detection target size is the information indicating the shape of the vehicle in the camera image corresponding to vehicle warning device according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the determining. The warning control unit is determined to warn at least one of a vehicle type of a size to be detected, a degree of approach to the host vehicle, and information indicating a danger of loading,
The in-vehicle warning device according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein the output control unit outputs a warning having a content determined by the warning control unit. The warning control unit analyzes a license plate in a camera image of a vehicle approaching the host vehicle, and determines whether the license plate corresponds to a vehicle type having a size to be detected. The in-vehicle warning device according to any one of claims 1 to 4 . When the vehicle approaching the host vehicle is a size to be detected, the warning control unit is determined as content to output guidance for prompting a lane change of the host vehicle,
The in-vehicle warning device according to any one of claims 1 to 5 , wherein the output control unit outputs a guide having contents determined by the warning control unit. The in-vehicle system according to claim 6 , wherein the warning control unit does not output the guidance to the output control unit when another vehicle is traveling behind the lane change destination or the lane change destination. Warning device.

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