# US 10,768,617 B2 · Drive assistance device and drive assistance method, and moving body > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,768,617 B2 - Document ID: US10768617B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/773,389 - Filed: 2016-08-31 - Published: 2018-11-15 - Granted: 2020-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2015-11-19 - Assignees: Sony Corporation - Applicants: Sony Corporation - Inventors: Shinji Igarashi; Naoki Ide; Kenta Kawamoto; Takuya Fujita; Takashi Ogata - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10768617B2 ## CPC - B60W 60/0057: {Estimation of the time available or required for the handover} - B60R 21/00: Arrangements or fittings on vehicles for protecting or preventing injuries to occupants or pedestrians in case of accidents or other traffic risks (safety belts or body harnesses in vehicles B60R22/00; seats constructed to protect the occupant from the effect of abnormal g-forces, e.g. crash or safety seats, B60N2/42; energy-absorbing arrangements for hand wheels for steering vehicles B62D1/11; energy-absorbing arrangements for vehicle steering columns B62D1/19) - B60W 30/182: Selecting between different operative modes, e.g. comfort and performance modes - B60W 40/08: related to drivers or passengers - B60W 50/082: {Selecting or switching between different modes of propelling} - B60W 50/14: Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention - B60W 50/16: Tactile feedback to the driver, e.g. vibration or force feedback to the driver on the steering wheel or the accelerator pedal - B60W 60/0053: {from vehicle to occupant} - 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 1/16: Anti-collision systems (road vehicle drive control systems for predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision otherwise than by control of a particular sub-unit B60W30/08) - B60W 2040/0827: {due to sleepiness} - B60W 2050/143: {Alarm means} - B60W 2050/146: {Display means} - B60W 2420/403: Image sensing, e.g. optical camera - B60W 2420/408: Radar; Laser, e.g. lidar - B60W 2420/54: Audio sensitive means, e.g. ultrasound - B60W 2510/0638: Engine speed - B60W 2520/28: Wheel speed - B60W 2540/045: Occupant permissions - B60W 2540/10: Accelerator pedal position - B60W 2540/12: Brake pedal position - B60W 2540/18: Steering angle - B60W 2540/221: Physiology, e.g. weight, heartbeat, health or special needs - B60W 2540/223: Posture, e.g. hand, foot, or seat position, turned or inclined - B60W 2540/227: Position in the vehicle - B60W 2540/229: Attention level, e.g. attentive to driving, reading or sleeping - B60W 2540/26: Incapacity - B60W 2555/20: Ambient conditions, e.g. wind or rain - B60W 2756/10: Involving external transmission of data to or from the vehicle - 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 - B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - 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 Provided is a drive assistance device for assisting driving of a vehicle by using an automatic driving function. Assuming various conditions of the driver, a plurality of notification timings to notify of switching from an automatic driving mode to a manual driving mode is set. Notifying a driver who is drowsing at a notification timing of long premature time allows the driver to have sufficient time margin to be ready for manual driving and to shift to driving action more safely. A driver who is reading a book or operating a smartphone is expected to be able to shift to driving action immediately after a notification, and thus it is sufficient to notify at a notification timing of short premature time, which can reduce inconvenience for the driver. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A drive assistance device, comprising: a condition detector configured to detect a first condition of a driver in an automatic driving mode of a vehicle; and a microcomputer configured to: control a first timing of a notification of switch of driving modes of the vehicle, wherein the control of the first timing is based on the detected first condition of the driver, and the driver corresponds to a first passenger of the vehicle; notify the switch of the driving modes of the vehicle to the first passenger at the first timing; and set a second passenger of the vehicle as a new driver of the vehicle based on no reaction of the first passenger to the notification of the switch of the driving modes of the vehicle, wherein the condition detector is further configured to detect a condition of the new driver, and the microcomputer is further configured to control, based on the detected condition of the new driver, a second timing of the notification of the switch of the driving modes of the vehicle. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The drive assistance device according to claim 1, wherein the switch of the driving modes of the vehicle corresponds to switch of the vehicle from the automatic driving mode to a manual driving mode. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The drive assistance device according to claim 2, wherein the microcomputer is further configured to: set a first value of a premature time based on driver's readiness to perform manual driving; and control the first timing of the notification based on the first value of the premature time. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The drive assistance device according to claim 3, wherein the microcomputer is further configured to: set the first value of the premature time based on a first condition in which the driver is conscious but is performing a work; and set a second value of the premature time based on a second condition in which driver's attention is distracted, and the second value is larger than the first value. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The drive assistance device according to claim 4, wherein the microcomputer is further configured to set a third value of the premature time based on a third condition in which the driver is drowsing or away from driver's seat, and the third value is larger than the second value. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The drive assistance device according to claim 2, wherein the switch of the vehicle from the automatic driving mode to the manual driving mode is at a switching timing, the microcomputer is further configured to change the switching timing from a third timing to one of a fourth timing or a fifth timing, based on a request from the driver, and the fourth timing and the fifth timing are based on a current travelling speed of the vehicle, a degree of congestion of traffic, and a condition of a road on which the vehicle travels. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The drive assistance device according to claim 1, wherein the microcomputer is further configured to control a notification method for the notification of the switch of the driving modes of the vehicle, and the notification method is controlled based on the detected first condition of the driver. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The drive assistance device according to claim 7, wherein the microcomputer is further configured to control the notification method based on time or distance to switch the vehicle from the automatic driving mode to a manual driving mode. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The drive assistance device according to claim 7, wherein the microcomputer is further configured to: use a plurality of notification methods for the notification of the switch of the driving modes of the vehicle; and combine the plurality of notification methods based on no margin in time or no margin in distance to switch the vehicle from the automatic driving mode to a manual driving mode. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The drive assistance device according to claim 9, wherein the microcomputer is further configured to notify the switch of the driving modes of the vehicle based on at least two out of audio output, image display, presentation of a kinesthetic sense and a tactile sense, and an information terminal held by the first passenger of the vehicle. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The drive assistance device according to claim 1, wherein the microcomputer is further configured to: control the condition detector to detect a second condition of the driver after the notification of the switch of the driving modes of the vehicle; and control the switch of the driving modes of the vehicle based on the second condition of the driver. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The drive assistance device according to claim 1, wherein the microcomputer is further configured to set a third timing to switch the vehicle from the automatic driving mode to a manual driving mode based on a request from the driver. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The drive assistance device according to claim 1, wherein the microcomputer is further configured to communicate information to a surrounding vehicle or an external device, and the information indicates the switch of the vehicle from the automatic driving mode to a manual driving mode. ### Claim 14 A drive assistance method, comprising: detecting a condition of a driver in an automatic driving mode of a vehicle; controlling a first timing of a notification of switching of driving modes of the vehicle, wherein the control of the first timing is based on the detected condition of the driver, and the driver corresponds to a first passenger of the vehicle; notifying the switching of the driving modes of the vehicle to the first passenger at the first timing; setting a second passenger of the vehicle as a new driver of the vehicle based on no reaction of the first passenger to the notification of the switching of the driving modes of the vehicle; detecting a condition of the new driver; and controlling, based on the detected condition of the new driver, a second timing of the notification of the switching of the driving modes of the vehicle. ### Claim 15 A moving body, comprising: a condition detector configured to detect a condition of a driver in an automatic driving mode of the moving body; and a microcomputer configured to: control a driving system to drive the moving body to travel in one of a plurality of driving modes; control a first timing of a notification of switch of the plurality of driving modes, wherein the control of the first timing is based on the detected condition of the driver, and the driver corresponds to a first passenger of the moving body; notify the switch of the plurality of driving modes to the first passenger at the first timing; and set a second passenger of the moving body as a new driver of the moving body based on no reaction of the first passenger to the notification of the switch of the plurality of driving modes, wherein the condition detector is further configured to detect a condition of the new driver, and the microcomputer is further configured to control, based on the detected condition of the new driver, a second timing of the notification of the switch of the plurality of driving modes.