U.S. patent application number 14/631004 was filed with the patent office on 2015-10-15 for information presentation system and presentation apparatus.
The applicant listed for this patent is DENSO CORPORATION. Invention is credited to Nozomi KITAGAWA.
Application Number | 20150292900 14/631004 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 54264850 |
Filed Date | 2015-10-15 |
United States Patent
Application |
20150292900 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
KITAGAWA; Nozomi |
October 15, 2015 |
INFORMATION PRESENTATION SYSTEM AND PRESENTATION APPARATUS
Abstract
An information presentation system includes a road
identification portion specifying a road that a vehicle goes
through, a road usage information storage portion storing road
usage information, which associates with and indicates usage status
of a road, a traffic hazard information storage portion storing
traffic hazard information, which indicates a caution point in road
travelling, an information presentation portion presenting the
traffic hazard information of the road specified by the road
identification portion, and a presentation suppression portion
suppressing presentation of the traffic hazard information of the
road, which is specified by the road identification portion, when
the usage status of the road indicated by the road usage
information satisfies a presentation suppression condition.
Inventors: |
KITAGAWA; Nozomi;
(Okazaki-city, JP) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
DENSO CORPORATION |
Kariya-city |
|
JP |
|
|
Family ID: |
54264850 |
Appl. No.: |
14/631004 |
Filed: |
February 25, 2015 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
340/425.5 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06K 9/4642 20130101;
G06K 9/6276 20130101; G01C 21/3691 20130101; G08G 1/0112 20130101;
G08G 1/09626 20130101; G08G 1/0141 20130101; B60Q 9/00 20130101;
G08G 1/0129 20130101; B60C 9/00 20130101; G06K 9/00785 20130101;
G06K 9/6262 20130101; G06K 9/6202 20130101; G06K 9/6215
20130101 |
International
Class: |
G01C 21/36 20060101
G01C021/36; B60Q 1/52 20060101 B60Q001/52; G01C 21/34 20060101
G01C021/34 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Apr 15, 2014 |
JP |
2014-83791 |
Claims
1. An information presentation system comprising: a road
identification portion specifying a road that a subject vehicle is
going through; a road usage information storage portion storing
road usage information, which associates with and indicates usage
status of a road; a traffic hazard information storage portion
storing traffic hazard information, which indicates a caution point
in road travelling; an information presentation portion presenting
the traffic hazard information of the road specified by the road
identification portion; and a presentation suppression portion
suppressing presentation of the traffic hazard information of the
road, which is specified by the road identification portion, when
the usage status of the road indicated by the road usage
information satisfies a presentation suppression condition.
2. The information presentation system according to claim 1,
wherein the presentation suppression portion determines that the
presentation suppression condition is satisfied and suppresses the
presentation of the traffic hazard information as a usage frequency
of the road by the subject vehicle is increased.
3. The information presentation system according to claim 1,
wherein the presentation suppression portion presents the traffic
hazard information when the traffic hazard information has not been
presented predetermined times.
4. The information presentation system according to claim 1,
wherein the presentation suppression portion presents the traffic
hazard information on a specified day.
5. The information presentation system according to claim 1 further
comprising a driver status estimation portion estimating a driver
status, wherein the presentation suppression portion presents the
traffic hazard information when the driver status estimation
portion determines that the driver status is in a wrong
condition.
6. The information presentation system according to claim 1 further
comprising a driving environment estimation portion estimating a
driving environment at a position of the subject vehicle, wherein
the presentation suppression portion presents the traffic hazard
information when the driving environment estimation portion
determines that the driving environment is in a wrong
condition.
7. The information presentation system according to claim 1,
wherein a travelling frequency indicating the usage status of the
road is reduced when a driver does not use sequentially for a
predetermined period.
8. The information presentation system according to claim 1 further
comprising a driver identification portion identifying a driver,
wherein the presentation suppression portion suppresses the
presentation of the traffic hazard information with respect to the
road specified by the road identification portion when the usage
status of the road by the driver specified by the driver
identification portion satisfies the presentation suppression
condition.
9. A presentation apparatus used in an information presentation
system, wherein the information presentation system including: a
road identification portion specifying a road that a vehicle goes
through; a road usage information storage portion storing road
usage information, which associates with and indicates usage status
of a road; a traffic hazard information storage portion storing
traffic hazard information, which indicates a caution point in road
travelling; an information presentation portion presenting the
traffic hazard information of the road specified by the road
identification portion; and a presentation suppression portion
suppressing presentation of the traffic hazard information of the
road, which is specified by the road identification portion, when
the usage status of the road indicated by the road usage
information satisfies a presentation suppression condition, and the
presentation apparatus includes at least the information
presentation portion.
10. The information presentation system according to claim 3,
further comprising: a driver status estimation portion estimating a
driver status; a driving environment estimation portion estimating
a driving environment at a position of the vehicle; and a driver
identification portion identifying a driver, wherein the
presentation suppression portion presents the traffic hazard
information when the driver status estimation portion determines
that the driver status is in a wrong condition, the presentation
suppression portion presents the traffic hazard information when
the driving environment estimation portion determines that the
driving environment is in a wrong condition, and the presentation
suppression portion suppresses the presentation of the traffic
hazard information with respect to the road specified by the road
identification portion executed by the information presentation
portion when the usage status of the road by the driver specified
by the driver identification portion satisfies the presentation
suppression condition.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is based on Japanese Patent Application No.
2014-83791 filed on Apr. 15, 2014, the disclosure of which is
incorporated herein by reference.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The present disclosure relates to an information
presentation system and a presentation apparatus used in a vehicle
or the like.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Patent literature 1: JP2011-234042A
[0004] A living area configuration system specifies a living area
of a user in order to provide suitable information for the user and
provides information in the specified living area to the user
(referring to patent literature 1).
[0005] A navigation apparatus includes traffic hazard information
about a caution position such as a sharp bend and an accident prone
position. The navigation apparatus performs a warning when a
vehicle approaches the caution position.
[0006] The inventor of the present application has found the
following. A warning based on traffic hazard information may be
convenient when the warning is performed on a road with which a
user is unfamiliar. However, the warning may be annoying for the
user when the warning is performed on a road with which the user is
familiar.
[0007] By using a living area configuration system, all warnings
may be stopped uniformly in a living area. However, the user may
not necessarily be familiar with a road in the living area.
[0008] Suppressing the warning with respect to the road in the
living area may be inconvenient for the user since the user may go
through the road in the living area even when the user is
unfamiliar with the road.
SUMMARY
[0009] It is an object of the present disclosure to provide an
information presentation system performing a warning based on
traffic hazard information with respect to a caution position to a
user without feeling annoyance and without feeling inconvenience.
It is an object of the present disclosure to provide a presentation
apparatus used in the information presentation system.
[0010] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, an
information presentation system includes a road identification
portion specifying a subject road that a vehicle goes through, a
road usage information storage portion storing road usage
information with respect to road usage status, a traffic hazard
information storage portion storing traffic hazard information that
indicates a caution point in travelling on a road, an information
presentation portion presenting the traffic hazard information of
the road specified by the road identification portion, and a
presentation suppression portion suppressing presentation of the
traffic hazard information by the information presentation portion
with respect to the road specified by the road identification
portion when the road usage status indicated by the road usage
information satisfies a presentation suppression condition.
[0011] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a
presentation apparatus used in the information presentation system
is provided. The presentation apparatus at least includes the
information presentation portion.
[0012] According to the information presentation system and the
presentation apparatus, since a presentation (a warning) of the
traffic hazard information is suppressed when the subject vehicle
often goes through a certain road, it may be possible to reduce
annoyance due to the warning performed in the road with which a
user is familiar.
[0013] With respect to a road that the user does not often use, the
warning is surely presented and the user may not feel inconvenience
even when the road is included in a living area. According to the
information presentation system and the presentation apparatus, it
may be possible that the warning is performed based on the traffic
hazard information regarding a caution point without causing the
user to feel annoyance and to feel inconvenience.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] The above and other objects, features and advantages of the
present disclosure will become more apparent from the following
detailed description made with reference to the accompanying
drawings. In the drawings:
[0015] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a navigation
apparatus in a first embodiment;
[0016] FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating information presentation
processing in the first embodiment;
[0017] FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating presentation suppression
processing in the first embodiment;
[0018] FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating travelling frequency
processing in the first embodiment;
[0019] FIG. 5 is a diagram conceptually illustrating a map when the
information presentation processing in the first embodiment is
executed; and
[0020] FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating presentation suppression
processing in a second embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
First Embodiment
[0021] In the following, a first embodiment of the present
disclosure will be explained with referring to the drawings.
[0022] The present embodiment relates to a navigation apparatus 1
to which an information presentation system of the present
disclosure is applied.
[0023] The navigation apparatus 1 includes a main body 2 and
external devices 30, 32, 34 that are connected to the main body 2,
as illustrated in FIG. 1.
[0024] The main body 2 includes a central control unit 20 provided
with a CPU, a ROM, a RAM 20a, or the like.
[0025] The main body 2 includes a hard disk 3 (HD 3) as a storage
device, a display 22, an audio output device 24, an input part 26,
and another device 28 that is required for a product.
[0026] As the external devices, the navigation apparatus 1 includes
a GPS antenna device 30, an external monitoring camera 32, and a
biosignal obtaining device 34.
[0027] The central control unit 20 communicates with the HD 3, the
display 22, the audio output device 24, the input part 26, another
device 28, the GPS antenna device 30, the external monitoring
camera 32, and the biosignal obtaining device 34 through a bus 29,
and executes various processing.
[0028] The HD 3 stores multiple kinds of information and, for
example, the HD 3 stores road usage information, traffic hazard
information, map information and ID information of each user.
[0029] The road usage information, the traffic hazard information,
the map information and the ID information of each user are
respectively stored to a road usage information storage area 3a, a
traffic hazard information storage area 3b, a map information
storage area 3c, and an ID information storage area 3d in the HD 3.
The road usage information storage area 3a may correspond to a road
usage information storage portion. The traffic hazard information
storage area 3b may correspond to a traffic hazard information
storage portion.
[0030] The road usage information corresponds to information with
respect to usage status of each road and each user, and is recorded
for each user and each road. Herein, each road means a portion
connecting each intersection (also referred to as a crossroads or a
branch point). More specifically, a single road will be explained
with referring to FIG. 5. Two cross roads attached with symbols R1,
R2 are described in FIG. 5, and a road connecting the two
crossroads R1, R2 corresponds to a single road.
[0031] In addition, in the present embodiment, it is considered
that two different roads connecting the two crossroads R1, R2 exist
based on a direction connecting between the crossroads R1, R2. That
is, with respect to roads connecting the crossroads R1 and the
crossroads R2 in FIG. 5, it is considered that a road connecting
from the crossroads R1 to the crossroads R2 is different from a
road connecting from the crossroads R2 to the crossroads R1.
[0032] Incidentally, this definition of the road is applied to the
present embodiment. It should be noted that any kind of a
definition of a road may be used. For example, a road connecting
between the crossroads R1 and the crossroads R2 may be defined as a
single road irrespective of the connecting direction.
[0033] The road usage information corresponds to information
connecting information that specifies a road, travelling frequency
information (also, referred to as information on the number of
travelling times) that represents the number of travelling times of
the road, skipping frequency information (also, referred to as
information on the number of skipping times or information on the
number of passing times) that represents the number of times that a
presentation of the traffic hazard information is skipped, addition
date information that represents a last addition date when a
travelling frequency are added, ID information, and addition
history information that represents a history representing the
travelling frequency is added, in the information presentation
processing.
[0034] In the present embodiment, it is considered that the
travelling frequency to the same road is counted as one time even
when the road is used multiple times in a day. Therefore, the
travelling frequency information is added once a day.
[0035] In the present embodiment, with respect to the skipping
frequency information, the skipping frequency is added by one each
time when the same road that the driver goes through.
[0036] The traffic hazard information represents a caution in
travelling on a road. Specifically, the traffic hazard information
includes information of a position where a temporary stop or a stop
is instructed, information of a position where various cautions
such as a running out caution, a railway crossing caution, a sharp
bend caution, and speed limit information are indicated,
information of a traffic change point such as a left-turn only lane
and a right-turn only lane, and information indicating an accident
prone position. The traffic hazard information is not limited to
information mentioned in the present embodiments and a user may
define the traffic hazard information appropriately.
[0037] The map information corresponds to image information for
displaying a map on the display 22.
[0038] The map information in the present embodiment is used at the
time of route guidance. In addition, since the display 22 displays
a map including a mark or the like that illustrate the traffic
hazard information, the map information is used at the time of an
illustrating of the map so as to notify the traffic hazard
information for a user.
[0039] The ID information is used for identifying a driver. The ID
information is used in order to identify a user who corresponds to
a driver.
[0040] In the present embodiment, since the road usage information
is separately stored for each user, the ID information is used for
distinguishing a user from other users.
[0041] The user operates the input part 26 to input the ID
information in the present embodiment.
[0042] The display 22 corresponds to a built-in liquid-crystal type
image output device. The display 22 is built into a housing of the
navigation apparatus 1 in the present embodiment so that a screen
of the display 22 is positioned to one face of the housing of the
navigation apparatus 1.
[0043] The screen of the display 22 is provided so as to face to a
passenger compartment of a vehicle when the navigation apparatus 1
is mounted to the vehicle.
[0044] The audio output device 24 includes a speaker 24a or the
like and outputs sound for notifying the traffic hazard
information. Incidentally, the speaker 24a may be a speaker
provided to the vehicle in advance.
[0045] The input part 26 includes multiple operation buttons or the
like and each operation button is provided around the screen of the
display 22 on a surface of the housing of the navigation apparatus
1. The input part 26 includes the number and kinds of operation
buttons so that a user enables to input the ID information at
least.
[0046] The GPS antenna device 30 receives a signal of a positional
measurement from a GPS satellite, calculates a position of the
subject vehicle having the navigation apparatus 1 from the received
signal, and transmits calculated information as positional
information to the central control unit 20 at any time.
[0047] The central control unit 20 stores the positional
information to the RAM 20a when the central control unit 20
receives the positional information from the GPS antenna device 30.
The positional information is deleted after being stored for a
predetermined period.
[0048] The external monitoring camera 32 is a device capturing the
outside of the vehicle, and transmits a captured image to the
central control unit 20.
[0049] When the central control unit 20 in the present embodiment
receives the image from the external monitoring camera 32, the
central control unit 20 analyzes the image, specifies a driving
environment outside the vehicle such as weather around the subject
vehicle, and stores the specified information as driving
environment information to the RAM 20a. The driving environment
information is updated at any time while the vehicle is
operating.
[0050] The biosignal obtaining device 34 is a device attached to a
driver, and obtains biomedical signals such as a pulse and blood
pressure of the driver.
[0051] When the central control unit 20 in the present embodiment
receives a biosignal (a biomedical signal) from the biosignal
obtaining device 34, the central control unit 20 analyzes the
biosignal, specifies a status of the driver, and stores the
specified information as driver status information to the RAM 20a.
The driver status information is updated at any time while the
vehicle is operating and the driver puts on the biosignal obtaining
device 34.
[0052] The navigation apparatus 1 in the present embodiment
determines a status of the driver such as annoyance and impatience
of the driver by obtaining the driver status information.
[0053] (Information Presentation Processing)
[0054] The information presentation processing will be explained
with referring to FIG. 2.
[0055] The central control unit 20 executes the information
presentation processing. The information presentation processing is
initiated when a user instructs the central control unit 20 to
execute the information presentation processing with the input part
26 or the like.
[0056] Incidentally, hereinafter, processing will be executed in an
order from a step with a small number.
[0057] When the information presentation processing is initiated,
processing of 510 is initially executed.
[0058] At S10, processing for instructing a user to input an ID is
executed. At S12, when the user inputs the ID by operating the
input part 26, the ID information is stored to the RAM 20a.
[0059] At S14, the central control unit 20 performs a map matching
between the map information stored in the map information storage
area 3c and multiple positional information stored in the RAM 20a,
specifies a road where the subject vehicle drives currently, and
stores road information of the road to the RAM 20a.
[0060] At S14, based on multiple positional information stored in
the RAM 20a, the central control unit 20 specifies a travelling
direction of the subject vehicle in the specified road, and stores
the travelling direction as the road information to the RAM
20a.
[0061] At S16, when there is the traffic hazard information being
set to the road and corresponding to the travelling direction
specified at S14, the central control unit 20 reads the traffic
hazard information from the HD 3.
[0062] At S18, the central control unit 20 determines whether the
traffic hazard information read out at S16 includes the traffic
hazard information to the road specified at S14.
[0063] When there is not traffic hazard information to be read out
initially or when there is traffic hazard information to the road
but the traffic hazard information corresponds to a direction
opposite to the travelling direction of the vehicle (S18: NO), the
processing shifts to S28. In other words, the processing shifts to
S28 when the traffic hazard information which should be presented
does not exist. After S28, the processing of S14 and thereafter is
repeatedly executed.
[0064] When the traffic hazard information to be presented is
stored (S18: YES), the processing shifts to S20.
[0065] At S20, the road usage information corresponding to the ID
information input at S12 and corresponding to the road specified at
S14 is read from the HD 3. The road usage information is stored to
the RAM 20a.
[0066] At S22, the central control unit 20 obtains the recent
driving environment information with the external monitoring camera
32 and stores the driving environment information to the RAM
20a.
[0067] At S24, the central control unit 20 obtains the recent
driver status information with the biosignal obtaining device 34
and stores the driver status information to the RAM 20a. The
processing shifts to S5.
[0068] At S5, the presentation suppression processing that
suppresses a presentation of the traffic hazard information is
executed. A detail of the presentation suppression processing will
be described later. After S5, processing of S26 is executed.
[0069] At S26, processing that presents the traffic hazard
information is executed based on a processing result of S5.
Specifically, the display 22 displays a map with a position where
the traffic hazard information is set and a present position of the
subject vehicle. The audio output device 24 outputs a type of the
traffic hazard information with sound.
[0070] In addition, at S26, the skipping frequency information of
the road usage information with respect to the road that the
traffic hazard information has been presented is set to zero.
[0071] At S28, the central control unit 20 updates the road usage
information of the road specified at S14.
[0072] The travelling frequency of the road usage information is
updated once a day. Therefore, when the last addition date
corresponds to today, the road usage information is not updated.
When the last addition date does not correspond to today, one is
added to the travelling frequency so that the travelling frequency
is updated.
[0073] With respect to a skipping record represented by the
skipping frequency information, when the traffic hazard information
is not presented at S26, one is added to the skipping frequency, so
that the skipping frequency is updated. When the traffic hazard
information is presented, the skipping frequency is changed to
zero.
[0074] With respect to the last addition date, even when the
traffic hazard information is not presented at S26, the last
addition date is updated to a current day when the last addition
date corresponds to a past date.
[0075] After the update processing of S28 completes, the processing
of S14 and thereafter are repeatedly executed.
[0076] (Presentation Suppression Processing)
[0077] The presentation suppression processing will be explained
with referring to FIG. 3.
[0078] The central control unit 20 executes the presentation
suppression processing.
[0079] Incidentally, processing will be executed in an order from a
small step number.
[0080] In the presentation suppression processing, the processing
of S50 is initially executed.
[0081] At S50, the central control unit 20 determines whether the
road specified at S14 corresponds to a road that the driver goes
through once a day based on the road usage information.
Specifically, the central control unit 20 determines the travelling
frequency from the addition history information of the road usage
information. When the travelling frequency in a week is divided by
four, and a result of the division is one or more, it is determined
that the driver goes through the road once a day.
[0082] It may be considered that the road determined as a road that
a driver goes through once a day corresponds to a road used for
commuting to an office, commuting to a school, shopping, or the
like. The road determined as a road that the driver goes through
once a day is not limited to the examples.
[0083] When the traffic hazard information of the road that a
driver goes through often is presented, the presentation may be
annoying for the driver in many cases. Therefore, at S50, the
presentation of the traffic hazard information may be
suppressed.
[0084] That is, when the road specified at S14 corresponds to a
road where the driver goes through once a day based on the road
usage information (S50: YES), processing of S60 and thereafter are
executed and the traffic hazard information is not presented
basically.
[0085] When it is determined that the road specified at S14 does
not correspond to the road where the driver goes through once a day
according to the road usage information (S50: NO), processing of
S52 is executed.
[0086] At S52, it is determined whether the road specified at S14
corresponds to the road where the driver goes through once a week
according to the road usage information. Specifically, the central
control unit 20 determines the travelling frequency from the
addition history information of the road usage information. When
the travelling frequency in a month is divided by three, and a
result of the division is one or more, it is determined that the
driver goes through the road once a week. It may be considered that
the road determined as being used once a week corresponds to a road
used for shopping, commuting to a hospital, leisure, or the like.
However, the road determined as being used once a week is not
limited to these examples.
[0087] When the traffic hazard information of the road that the
driver goes through often is presented, the presentation may be
annoying for the driver in many cases. However, in a case where the
driver goes through the road about once a week, the driver may
forget a position where the traffic hazard information is
presented. Therefore, at S52, it is determined whether the road
where the driver goes through at the moment corresponds to such a
road.
[0088] When the road specified at S14 corresponds to the road where
the driver goes through once a week according to the road usage
information (S52: YES), processing of S54 is executed. When the
road specified at S14 does not correspond to a road where the
driver goes through once a week according to the road usage
information (S52: NO), processing of S56 is executed.
[0089] At S54, the central control unit 20 determines whether the
traffic hazard information with respect to the road where the
driver goes through at the moment has not been presented over
previous three times. Specifically, based on the skipping frequency
information of the road usage information, it is determined whether
the traffic hazard information has not been presented over previous
three times.
[0090] When it is determined that the presentation of the traffic
hazard information has skipped over the three previous times (S54:
YES), the processing shifts to S26 since the driver may forget the
position where the traffic hazard information is presented. At S26,
the traffic hazard information is presented.
[0091] When it is determined that the presentation of the traffic
hazard information has not been skipped over the previous three
times (S54: NO), processing of S60 and thereafter are executed and
the traffic hazard information is not presented basically since the
driver may be less likely to forget the position where the traffic
hazard information is presented.
[0092] At S56, it is determined whether the road specified at S14
corresponds to a road where the driver goes through once a month
according to the road usage information. Specifically, the central
control unit 20 determines the travelling frequency based on the
addition history information of the road usage information. It is
determined that the road is used once a month when the travelling
frequency in six months is divided by five and a result of the
division is one or more. It may be considered that a road used once
a month corresponds to a road for commuting to a hospital, leisure,
driving or the like. The road determined as being used once a month
is not limited to the examples.
[0093] When the traffic hazard information of the road, which the
driver knows since the driver goes through occasionally although
the driver does not go through often, is presented, the
presentation may be annoying for the driver in a case. Therefore,
at S56, it is determined whether a road where the driver goes
through at the moment corresponds to such a road.
[0094] When the road specified at S14 corresponds to a road where
the driver goes through once a month according to the road usage
information (S56: YES), processing of S58 is executed. When the
road specified at S14 does not correspond to a road where the
driver goes through once a month according to the road usage
information (S56: NO), the traffic hazard information is presented
(S26). Incidentally, the road corresponding to the road where the
driver does not go through once a month includes a road where the
driver goes through for the first time, a road used for returning
home, a road for driving, for example.
[0095] At S58, the central control unit 20 determines whether the
traffic hazard information with respect to the road where the
driver goes through at the moment is not presented in a previous
time. A recording of information whether the traffic hazard
information is skipped in a previous time is similar to S54. Based
on the skipping frequency information of the road usage
information, it is determined whether the traffic hazard
information is not presented in the previous time.
[0096] When it is determined that the presentation of the traffic
hazard information is skipped in a previous time (S58: YES), the
traffic hazard information is presented in processing of S26.
[0097] When it is determined that the presentation of the traffic
hazard information is not skipped in a previous time (S58: NO),
processing of S60 and thereafter are executed and the traffic
hazard information is not presented basically.
[0098] At S60, based on the driving environment information
obtained at S22, it is determined whether weather in a position of
the subject vehicle is fine.
[0099] The traffic hazard information is not presented basically
when it is determined as YES at S50, NO at S54, or NO at S58.
However, the driver may not recognize that the subject vehicle has
reached the position where the traffic hazard information known by
the driver is presented when the vehicle reaches the position in a
condition where rain falls heavily, fog is dense, snow falls, a
road is iced, or the like.
[0100] At S60, it is determined whether the traffic hazard
information is presented exceptionally based on the driving
environment even in a case where the traffic hazard information is
not presented basically. Incidentally, a determination standard may
be set appropriately.
[0101] When it is determined that weather is not fine and the
driving environment indicates that the traffic hazard information
may be presented exceptionally (S60: NO), the traffic hazard
information is presented (S26). When it is determined that weather
is fine (S60: YES), the traffic hazard information is not presented
basically and processing of S62 is executed.
[0102] At S62, it is determined whether the driver is annoyed based
on the driver status information obtained at S24.
[0103] Even when the traffic hazard information is not presented
basically, the driver may forget the traffic hazard information
when the driver is annoyed and the driver drives the vehicle in a
poor mental condition.
[0104] Therefore, at S62, it is determined whether the traffic
hazard information may be presented based on the status of the
driver even when the traffic hazard information is not presented
basically. Incidentally, a determination standard may be set
appropriately and, for example, the determination standard may be a
case where a pulse of the driver is higher than a predetermined
value.
[0105] When it is determined that the status of the driver is not
good (S62: NO), the traffic hazard information is presented (S26).
When it is determined that the status of the driver is good (S62:
YES), the traffic hazard information is not presented basically and
processing of S64 is executed.
[0106] At S64, the central control unit 20 determines whether today
corresponds to a specified day.
[0107] The specified day corresponds to, for example, a day when
the number of a traffic death is aimed to be zero, a day in a
traffic safety week, a day when a driver and a pedestrian should
pay attention to traffic safety especially.
[0108] When it is determined that today corresponds to the
specified day (S64: YES), the traffic hazard information is
presented (S26). When today does not correspond to the specified
day (S64: NO), the traffic hazard information is not presented
basically, and processing of S66 is executed.
[0109] At S66, the skipping frequency information of the road usage
information is updated by adding one, and processing of S28 is
executed (3).
[0110] Incidentally, at S50, S52, and S56, it is determined whether
a driver goes through a road once a day, a week, and a month
respectively. It should be noted that the standard is not limited
to the present embodiment. When a determination whether the
standard is satisfied cannot be performed, the traffic hazard
information may be presented each time until the number of the
traveling time reaches ten times.
[0111] This manner is an example and the manner is not limited to
the present embodiment.
[0112] (Travelling Frequency Processing)
[0113] Travelling frequency processing manages the number of
travelling times of a road, and the travelling frequency processing
will be explained with referring to FIG. 4.
[0114] Incidentally, hereinafter, processing will be executed in an
order from a small step number.
[0115] The travelling frequency processing manages the travelling
frequency information, which is linked with the road usage
information.
[0116] The travelling frequency processing may be executed at any
time while the navigation apparatus 1 is operating.
[0117] The travelling frequency processing is executed one by one
with respect to the road usage information other than road usage
information whose travelling frequency information is equal to
zero. In the following explanation, processing to certain road
usage information will be explained.
[0118] In the travelling frequency processing, processing of S70 is
executed initially.
[0119] At S70, it is determined whether the travelling frequency is
one or two with respect to a certain road. When the travelling
frequency is one or two (S70: YES), processing of S74 is executed.
When the travelling frequency is not one or two (S70: NO), that is,
the travelling frequency is three or more, processing of S72 is
executed.
[0120] At S74, processing to determine whether the travelling
frequency has been added in a month is executed. The determination
is executed based on the addition history information.
[0121] At S74, when it is determined that the travelling frequency
has not been added for a month (S74: NO), processing of S76 is
executed and the travelling frequency information is set to zero. A
step described as (1) in FIG. 4 and FIG. 3 is performed and the
travelling frequency processing ends. This process is performed
since the traffic hazard information may not be presented even
though the traffic hazard information should be presented at the
present moment when an old travelling frequency information derived
from an old usage record is tied with the road usage information
indefinitely.
[0122] When it is determined that the travelling frequency is added
in a month (S74: YES), the travelling frequency processing
ends.
[0123] At S72, it is determined whether the travelling frequency is
three to six with respect to the certain road. When the travelling
frequency is three to six (S72: YES), processing of S78 is
executed. When the travelling frequency is seven or more (S72: NO),
processing of S82 is executed.
[0124] At S78 and S82, processing to determine whether the
travelling frequency has been added within three months is
executed.
[0125] At S78 and S82, when it is determined that the travelling
frequency has not been added for three months (S78: NO, S82: NO),
processing of S80 or S84 is executed and the travelling frequency
information is reduced. A step described as (1) in FIG. 4 and FIG.
3 is performed and the travelling frequency processing ends. When
the travelling frequency is three to six (S72: YES), the travelling
frequency is set to one at S80. When the travelling frequency is
equal to seven or more (S72: NO), the travelling frequency is set
to five at S84. An extent of a reduction of the travelling
frequency is different in these cases since it may be less likely a
driver forgets the traffic hazard information to a road that the
driver goes through often.
[0126] When it is determined that the travelling frequency has
added within three months (S78: YES or S82: YES), the travelling
frequency processing ends. The navigation apparatus 1 in the
embodiment includes the following technical effects.
[0127] When the information presentation processing is executed, a
travelling status of a road is obtained as described in FIG. 5 in a
conceptual sense.
[0128] In FIG. 5, for example, a road between a house and an office
is recognized as a road that a driver uses more than once a day. A
road between a school and a station, a road between a school and a
store via a station, and a road going to an direction opposite to
the station from the school are also recognized as a road that the
driver uses more than once a day.
[0129] Most roads around the house or the school are considered as
roads that the driver uses more than once a week or roads that the
driver uses more than once a month.
[0130] In FIG. 5, a living area is surrounded by a dashed line. The
living area includes the house, the school, the store, or the like.
Most roads outside the living area are considered as a road that
the driver uses less than once a month. When the information
presentation processing is executed, the traffic hazard information
may not be presented basically to a road that the driver uses more
than once a day even when the traffic hazard information is set to
the road.
[0131] With respect to a road that the driver uses more than once a
week, the traffic hazard information is presented after the traffic
hazard information is skipped three times.
[0132] With respect to a road that the driver uses more than once a
month, the traffic hazard information is presented every other
time. With respect to a road having a lower usage frequency, the
traffic hazard information is presented each time. The road having
a lower usage frequency may correspond to a road that the driver
uses less than once a month or a road that the driver uses for the
first time.
[0133] According to the present embodiment, when a usage frequency
is determined as high to a certain road (S50: YES, S54: NO, S58:
NO), the presentation of the traffic hazard information is
suppressed. Therefore, it may be possible to reduce annoyance due
to a warning performed in a road with which the user is familiar. A
case where the usage frequency is determined as high may correspond
to a case where a presentation suppression condition is
satisfied.
[0134] With respect to a road that the user does not use often, the
warning is surely presented and the user may not feel inconvenience
even when the road is included in a living area.
[0135] Therefore, according to the navigation apparatus 1 in the
present embodiment, it may be possible to perform the warning based
on the traffic hazard information without feeling annoyance and
without feeling inconvenience for the user.
[0136] In addition, since the warning is performed based on a
degree to which the user knows the road, it may be possible to
perform the warning based on the traffic hazard information
regarding a caution point without causing the user to feel
annoyance and to feel inconvenience.
Second Embodiment
[0137] The second embodiment in the present disclosure will be
explained.
[0138] The second embodiment is different from the first embodiment
in presentation suppression processing.
[0139] Since a configuration and processing other than the
presentation suppression processing is similar to the first
embodiment, the configurations and the processing have the
identical symbols. A point different from the first embodiment is
explained with referring to FIG. 6.
[0140] The presentation suppression processing in the second
embodiment is executed by the central control unit 20.
[0141] Incidentally, processing will be executed in an order from a
small step number.
[0142] In the presentation suppression processing, processing of
S150 is initially executed.
[0143] At S150, the central control unit 20 determines whether the
road specified at S14 corresponds to a road whose travelling
frequency is twice or less according to the road usage information.
It may be considered that the driver does not recognize the traffic
hazard information of such roads.
[0144] Therefore, when the road specified at S14 corresponds to the
road whose travelling frequency is twice or less based on the road
usage information (S150: YES), the central control unit 20 performs
the traffic hazard information at S26.
[0145] When the road specified at S14 corresponds to the road whose
travelling frequency is three times or more based on the road usage
information (S150: NO), processing of S152 is executed.
[0146] At S152, the central control unit 20 determines whether the
road specified at S14 corresponds to a road whose travelling
frequency is three to six based on the road usage information. It
may be considered that such roads correspond to a road for
commuting to a hospital, leisure, driving or the like. The road is
not limited to the examples.
[0147] When the traffic hazard information of the road, which the
driver knows since the driver goes through occasionally although
the driver does not go through often, is presented, the
presentation may be annoying for the driver in a case. Therefore,
at S152, it is determined whether a road where the driver goes
through corresponds to such roads.
[0148] When the road specified at S14 corresponds to the road whose
travelling frequency is three to six based on the road usage
information (S152: YES), processing of S154 is executed.
[0149] When the road specified at S14 corresponds to the road whose
travelling frequency is seven or more based on the road usage
information (S152: NO), processing of S156 is executed.
[0150] At S154, it is determined whether the presentation of the
traffic hazard information with respect to the road that the driver
goes through at the moment is skipped in a previous time.
[0151] When it is determined that the presentation of the traffic
hazard information is skipped in the previous time, that is, it is
determined that the traffic hazard information is not presented in
the previous time (S154: NO), the traffic hazard information is
presented at S26.
[0152] When it is determined that the presentation of the traffic
hazard information is not skipped in the previous time, that is,
the traffic hazard information presented in the previous time
(S154: YES), processing of S162 and thereafter is executed and the
traffic hazard information is not presented basically.
[0153] At S156, the central control unit 20 determines whether the
road specified at S14 corresponds to a road whose travelling
frequency is seven to ten based on the road usage information. It
may be considered that such roads correspond to a road used for
shopping, commuting to a hospital, leisure, or the like. However,
the road is not limited to these examples.
[0154] When the traffic hazard information of the road that the
driver goes through often is presented, the presentation may be
annoying for the driver in many cases. However, in a case where the
travelling frequency is seven to ten, the driver may forget a
position where the traffic hazard information is presented.
Therefore, at S156, it is determined whether the road where the
driver goes through at the moment corresponds to such roads.
[0155] When the road specified at S14 corresponds to the road whose
travelling frequency is seven to ten based on the road usage
information (S156: YES), processing of S158 is executed. When the
road specified at S14 corresponds to the road whose travelling
frequency is eleven or more based on the road usage information
(S156: NO), processing of S162 is executed and the traffic hazard
information is not presented basically.
[0156] It may be considered that the road whose travelling
frequency is eleven or more corresponds to a road used for
commuting to an office, commuting to a school, shopping, or the
like. When the traffic hazard information is presented in a road
whose travelling frequency is high, the presentation may be
annoying for the driver in many cases. In the present embodiment,
the presentation of the traffic hazard information is
suppressed.
[0157] At S158, it is determined whether the road that the driver
goes through at the moment corresponds to a road to which the
traffic hazard information is presented within a week. In other
words, it is determined whether the traffic hazard information with
respect to the road has been skipped for a week. Incidentally,
information representing whether the traffic hazard information is
presented within a week may be stored to the HD 3 with the road
usage information, or may be stored to a storage medium when the
central control unit 20 includes a non-volatile storage, or may be
stored in another method.
[0158] When it is determined that the presentation of the traffic
hazard information has skipped for a week (S158: YES), processing
of S160 is executed and it is determined whether the traffic hazard
information is presented five times before.
[0159] When it is determined that the presentation of the traffic
hazard information has not skipped within a week (S158: NO) or it
is determined that the traffic information is presented five times
before (S160: YES), it may be less likely that the driver forgets a
position where the traffic hazard information is presented.
Processing of S162 and thereafter is executed, and the traffic
hazard information is not presented basically. The term "basically"
may mean that it is temporarily determined that the traffic hazard
information is not presented.
[0160] When the presentation of the traffic hazard information has
skipped for a week (S158: YES) and the traffic hazard information
is not presented five times before (S160: NO), the driver may
forget the position where the traffic hazard information is
presented. In processing of S26, the traffic hazard information is
presented.
[0161] At S162, it is determined whether the traffic hazard
information has presented within six months. The driver may forget
the traffic hazard information with respect to a road where the
driver often goes through after six months. When it is determined
that the traffic hazard information has not been presented for six
months (S162: NO), processing of S26 is executed and the traffic
hazard information is presented. When it is determined that the
traffic hazard information is presented within six months (S162:
YES), processing of S164 is executed.
[0162] At S164, based on the driving environment information
obtained at S22, it is determined whether weather in a position of
the subject vehicle is fine.
[0163] When it is determined that weather is not fine and the
driving environment indicates that the traffic hazard information
should be presented exceptionally (S164: NO), the traffic hazard
information is presented (S26). When it is determined that weather
is fine (S164: YES), the traffic hazard information is not
presented basically. Processing of S166 is executed.
[0164] At S166, it is determined whether the driver is annoyed
based on the driver status information obtained at S24.
[0165] When it is determined that the driver status is not good
(S166: NO), the traffic hazard information is presented (2) (S26).
When it is determined that the driver status is good (S166: YES),
the traffic hazard information is not presented basically.
Processing of S168 is executed.
[0166] At S168, the central control unit 20 determines whether
today corresponds to a specified day.
[0167] The specified day corresponds to, for example, a day when
the number of a traffic death is aimed to zero, a day in a traffic
safety week, a day when a driver and a pedestrian should especially
pay attention to traffic safety.
[0168] When it is determined that today corresponds to the
specified day (S168: YES), the traffic hazard information is
presented (2) (S26). When today does not correspond to the
specified day (S168: NO), the traffic hazard information is not
presented basically, and processing of S28 is executed (3). The
processing of S26 is not executed.
[0169] According to the present embodiment, when a road usage
degree is determined as high to a certain road (S150: NO, S154:
YES, S158: NO, S160: YES), the presentation of the traffic hazard
information is suppressed. Therefore, it may be possible to reduce
annoyance due to the warning performed in a road with which a user
is familiar. Incidentally, a case where the road usage degree is
determined as high may correspond to a case where the presentation
suppression condition is satisfied.
[0170] The warning is surely presented with respect to the road
that the user does not use often, and the user may not feel
inconvenience even when the road is included in the living
area.
[0171] Therefore, according to the navigation apparatus 1 in the
present embodiment, it may be possible to perform the warning based
on the traffic hazard information without feeling annoyance and
without feeling inconvenience for the user.
[0172] In addition, according to the present embodiment, since it
is determined whether the traffic hazard information is presented
based on the travelling frequency, it may be possible to determine
whether the traffic hazard information is presented.
Other Embodiments
[0173] Although the embodiments of the present disclosure are
explained, the present disclosure is not limited to the present
embodiments. It should be noted that the present disclosure may
take various modes.
[0174] (1) The navigation apparatus 1 explained in the present
embodiments is an example to which the information presentation
system in the present disclosure is applied, and the present
disclosure is not limited to the present disclosure.
[0175] (2) In the present embodiments, a liquid crystal image
output device is an example of the display 22. The display 22 is
not limited to a liquid crystal. In addition, a display that is
built into a housing of the navigation apparatus 1 is exemplified
as the display 22. A display may be separated from the navigation
apparatus 1, that is, a display may be an external display.
[0176] (3) In the present embodiments, the multiple operation
buttons are exemplified as the input part 26. The input part 26 may
be a transparent touch panel, which is provided and overlapped on a
screen of the display 22. In this case, a pseudo operation button
is displayed on the screen of the display 22. When a user touches a
portion where the pseudo operation button is displayed, the central
control unit 20 may determine that an operation corresponding to
the operation button is performed. The input part 26 may be a
remote control device or various devices (for example, a mobile
phone), which can wirelessly communicate with the navigation
apparatus 1.
[0177] A specifying method of a driver is not limited to the ID
information, and any kind of information may be used. For example,
a camera taking an image of the interior of the vehicle may capture
a driver and the driver may be identified based on information of
the captured image. A microphone may analyze a voice print of a
driver and the driver may be identified. A driver may be identified
with an ID of a keyless device.
[0178] (4) In the present embodiment, the traffic hazard
information stored in the HD 3 is used. An external device provided
outside the vehicle and providing or storing the traffic hazard
information may communicate with the navigation apparatus 1. The
traffic hazard information obtained from the external device may be
used.
[0179] Even when the traffic hazard information stored in the HD 3
is used, the traffic hazard information stored in the HD 3 may be
updated with the traffic hazard information obtained from the
external device at any time and the updated traffic hazard
information may be used.
[0180] In this case, the navigation apparatus 1 may include a
communication device for communicating with the external device.
The communication device may be a general public line network
communicably connected to the external device or may be a
communication device wirelessly communicable to an internet
network.
[0181] The communication device may not be included in the
navigation apparatus 1. The communication device may communicate
with an external communication device such as a mobile phone to
communicate to the external device.
[0182] (5) In the present embodiments, the navigation apparatus 1
includes the display 22 or the audio output device 24 as a
configuration corresponding to an information presentation portion
in the present disclosure. The information presentation portion is
not limited to the display 22 or the audio output device 24. For
example, the information presentation portion may be an indicator,
a steering vibration device, a sheet vibration device, a buzzer, or
the like.
[0183] (6) In the present embodiment, the HD 3 corresponds to a
caution point memory portion in the present disclosure. The caution
point memory portion may be an external device provided to the
outside of the vehicle. In this case, a device may be required for
communicating to the external device, similar to a case of
obtaining the traffic hazard information.
[0184] (7) In the present embodiment, the external monitoring
camera 32 corresponds to a driving environment estimation portion
in the present disclosure, and the driving environment information
is obtained by analyzing a captured image. The driving environment
information (for example, information provided from AMEDAS) such as
weather of the position of the subject vehicle may be obtained by
communicating with an external portion. The driving environment
information may be obtained from the vehicle signal that indicates
an operation status of a windshield wiper or an antilock brake
system.
[0185] (8) In the present embodiment, the navigation apparatus 1
includes the biosignal obtaining device 34 as a driver status
estimation portion in the present disclosure. The driver status
estimation portion, which obtains the driver status information
from a driver, may be an internal monitoring camera. In this case,
by capturing a driver with the internal monitoring camera,
analyzing an image, and analyzing whether the driver dozes off or
whether the driver behaves strangely or the like, it may be
possible to utilize the analyzed result as the driver status
information.
[0186] A deice for indirectly obtaining the driver status
information may be the external monitoring camera 32, the inter
vehicle radar device, a device outputting a vehicle signal with
respect to an acceleration of the subject vehicle or a steering
angle. When the subject vehicle approaches another vehicle or the
like unnaturally or when a steering operation is performed
unnaturally, a driver status such as a doze of the driver and an
irritation of the driver may be considered.
[0187] (9) In order to improve usability, a usage frequency may be
increased when a driver sequentially uses a certain road within a
predetermined period.
[0188] (10) Incidentally, each component in the present disclosure
corresponds to conceptual one, and each component is not limited to
the present embodiment. For example, a function in a single
component may be divided into multiple components. Functions in
multiple components may be combined into a single component. At
least one part of configurations in the present embodiments may be
replaced with a well-known configuration having a similar function.
At least one part of configurations in the present embodiments may
be added or replaced with a configuration in another
embodiment.
[0189] Incidentally, each of the processing of S50, S52, S54, S56,
S58, S60, S62, S64, S150, S152, S154, S156, S158, S160, S162, S164,
S166, and S168 may be an example of the presentation suppression
condition.
[0190] Incidentally, the navigation apparatus 1 and a mobile
terminal correspond to an example of a presentation apparatus used
in the information presentation system. The presentation apparatus
includes at least presentation portion. The display 22 and the
audio output device, and the processing of S26 correspond to the
presentation portion. When the presentation apparatus does not
includes another configuration, the presentation apparatus may
include a communication portion that communicates with a
configuration. The external monitoring camera 32 corresponds to a
driving environment estimation portion. The input part 26 and
processing of S10 and S12 correspond to a driver identification
portion. The processing of S14 corresponds to a road identification
portion. The processing of S5 corresponds to a presentation
suppression portion.
[0191] It is noted that a flowchart or the processing of the
flowchart in the present application includes steps (also referred
to as sections), each of which is represented, for instance, as
S10. Further, each step may be divided into several sub-steps while
several steps may be combined into a single step. While the present
disclosure has been described with reference to embodiments
thereof, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not limited
to the embodiments and constructions. The present disclosure is
intended to cover various modification and equivalent arrangements.
In addition, while the various combinations and configurations,
other combinations and configurations, including more, less or only
a single element, are also within the spirit and scope of the
present disclosure.
* * * * *