# US 10,118,641 B2 · Drive assist device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,118,641 B2 - Document ID: US10118641B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/520,275 - Filed: 2014-10-22 - Published: 2017-11-09 - Granted: 2018-11-06 - Earliest claimed: 2014-10-22 - Assignees: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Susumu Fujita - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10118641B2 ## CPC - B62D 15/0255: {Automatic changing of lane, e.g. for passing another vehicle} - B60W 30/09: Taking automatic action to avoid collision, e.g. braking and steering - B60W 30/18163: {Lane change; Overtaking manoeuvres} - B62D 6/00: Arrangements for automatically controlling steering depending on driving conditions sensed and responded to, e.g. control circuits (means for initiating a change in direction B62D1/00; steering valves B62D5/06; combined with means for inclining the vehicle body or wheels on bends B62D9/00) - G01C 21/34: Route searching; Route guidance - G01C 21/3602: {Input other than that of destination using image analysis, e.g. detection of road signs, lanes, buildings, real preceding vehicles using a camera} - G01C 21/3658: {Lane guidance} - G05D 1/00: Control of position, course, altitude or attitude of land, water, air or space vehicles, e.g. using automatic pilots (drive control systems specially adapted for autonomous road vehicles B60W60/00) - G08G 1/167: {Driving aids for lane monitoring, lane changing, e.g. blind spot detection} - B62D: MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS (steering, or guiding on a desired track, of agricultural machines or implements A01B69/00; wheels, castors, axles, increasing wheel adhesion B60B; vehicle tyres, tyre inflation or tyre changing B60C; connections between vehicles of a train or the like B60D; vehicles for use on rail and road, amphibious or convertible vehicles B60F; suspension arrangements B60G; heating, cooling, ventilating or other air treating devices B60H; windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors or similar devices, protective coverings for vehicles not in use B60J; propulsion plant arrangements, auxiliary drives, transmissions, controls, instrumentation or dashboards B60K; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L; power supply for electrically-propelled vehicles B60M; passenger accommodation not otherwise provided for B60N; adaptations for load transportation or to carry special loads or objects B60P; arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q; vehicles, vehicle fittings or vehicle parts not otherwise provided for B60R; servicing, cleaning, repairing, supporting, lifting, or manoeuvring, not otherwise provided for, B60S; brake arrangements, brake control systems or parts thereof B60T; air-cushion vehicles B60V; motor-cycles, accessories therefor B62J, B62K; testing of vehicles G01M) - B60W: CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT - G01C: MEASURING DISTANCES, LEVELS OR BEARINGS; SURVEYING; NAVIGATION; GYROSCOPIC INSTRUMENTS; PHOTOGRAMMETRY OR VIDEOGRAMMETRY (measuring liquid level G01F; radio navigation, determining distance or velocity by use of propagation effects, e.g. Doppler effects, propagation time, of radio waves, analogous arrangements using other waves G01S) - G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES - G08G: TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS (guiding railway traffic, ensuring the safety of railway traffic B61L; arrangement of road signs or traffic signals E01F9/00; radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91, G01S15/88, G01S17/88; {radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for anti-collision purposes G01S13/93, G01S15/93, G01S17/93}) ## Abstract A drive assist device for assisting a drive when a subject vehicle changes lanes comprises a position measurement unit configured to measure a position of the subject vehicle; a detection unit provided at the subject vehicle and configured to detect a surrounding situation of the subject vehicle; a database configured to store map information; and a setting unit configured to set a lane change location and a reference point on a travel route of the subject vehicle on the basis of the position of the subject vehicle and the map information. The reference point is located ahead of the lane change location in a travel direction of the subject vehicle. The setting unit sets, on the basis of a detection range of the detection unit and a position of the reference point, a point at which the subject vehicle should complete changing lanes, as a lane change completion point. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A drive assist device for assisting a drive when a subject vehicle changes lanes, comprising: a position measurement device configured to measure a position of the subject vehicle; a sensor provided at the subject vehicle and configured to detect a surrounding situation of the subject vehicle; a database configured to store map information; and a controller configured to: set a lane change location and a reference point on a travel route of the subject vehicle on a basis of the position of the subject vehicle and the map information, the lane change location being a location at which the subject vehicle should change lanes, the reference point being located ahead of the lane change location in a travel direction of the subject vehicle, set, on a basis of a detection range of the sensor and a position of the reference point, a point at which the subject vehicle should complete changing lanes, as a lane change completion point, and set the lane change completion point at a position separate from the reference point at least by a length of the detection range in a direction opposite to the travel direction. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The drive assist device according to claim 1, wherein the controller sets, as the reference point, a position that should be detected by the sensor for travel after changing lanes at the lane change completion point. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The drive assist device according to claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to: estimate a vehicle speed at which the subject vehicle should travel at the lane change completion point, on a basis of a distance from the lane change completion point to the reference point and a deceleration from the lane change completion point to the reference point. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The drive assist device according to claim 1, wherein the controller further: specifies any one of an intersection, a merging point and a branching point that are represented by the map information, as a specified point; and sets a location that requires lane change for traveling at the specified point, as the lane change location. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The drive assist device according to claim 1, wherein the controller sets the reference point on a basis of a structure of a road represented by the map information. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The drive assist device according to claim 1, wherein the controller sets, as the reference point, a start end of a lane change prohibited zone represented by the map information or a start end when changing lanes after changing lanes at the lane change completion point. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The drive assist device according to claim 1, wherein the detection range is set on a basis of a typical value of the sensor. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The drive assist device according to claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to correct the detection range, and set the lane change completion point on a basis of the detection range after correction. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The drive assist device according to claim 8, wherein the controller corrects the detection range on a basis of performance of the sensor. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The drive assist device according to claim 8, wherein the controller is further configured to estimate a crowded state of the travel route on which the subject vehicle travels, and correct the detection range on a basis of the crowded state. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The drive assist device according to claim 10, wherein the controller estimates the crowded state on a basis of the surrounding situation of the subject vehicle detected by the sensor. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The drive assist device according to claim 10, wherein the controller acquires traffic jam information via communication and estimates the crowded state on a basis of the traffic jam information. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The drive assist device according to claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to: specify a first lane change completion point at a position separate from the reference point by a length of the detection range in a direction opposite to the travel direction; calculate a travel distance for the subject vehicle to travel to the reference point after the subject vehicle changes lanes on a basis of a vehicle speed after the subject vehicle changes lanes and a deceleration from a point of the lane change to the reference point; specify a second lane change completion point at a position separate from the reference point at least by the travel distance in the direction opposite to the travel direction; and set the second lane change completion point as the lane change completion point when the travel distance is longer than a length of the detection range.