# US 10,864,915 B2 · Passing assist device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,864,915 B2 - Document ID: US10864915B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/074,270 - Filed: 2017-02-02 - Published: 2020-05-07 - Granted: 2020-12-15 - Earliest claimed: 2016-02-02 - Assignees: Denso Corporation - Applicants: Denso Corporation - Inventors: Koji Fujiki; Hiroaki Niino; Shotaro Fukuda - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10864915B2 ## CPC - B60W 30/18163: {Lane change; Overtaking manoeuvres} - B62D 15/0255: {Automatic changing of lane, e.g. for passing another vehicle} - B60W 10/04: including control of propulsion units - B60W 10/20: including control of steering systems - B60W 30/14: {Adaptive} cruise control - B60W 50/14: Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention - G08G 1/052: with provision for determining speed or overspeed {(speed measuring in general G01P)} - G08G 1/166: {for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes} - G08G 1/167: {Driving aids for lane monitoring, lane changing, e.g. blind spot detection} - B60W 2520/10: Longitudinal speed - B60W 2554/4041: Position - B60W 2554/801: Lateral distance - B60W 2554/804: Relative longitudinal speed - B60W 2555/60: Traffic rules, e.g. speed limits or right of way - B60W 2710/20: Steering systems - B60W 2720/10: Longitudinal speed - B60W 2720/106: Longitudinal acceleration - 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 - 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) - 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 passing assist device includes a detection unit, a passing control unit, a speed setting unit, and a suspending unit. When the speed of an own vehicle set by the speed setting unit is lower than a preset speed when the own vehicle is traveling in a passing lane, the suspending unit suspends a lane change from the passing lane to a traveling lane by the passing control unit. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A passing assist device for controlling a subject vehicle to perform a lane change from a traveling lane in which the subject vehicle is traveling, the subject vehicle equipped with an object detection sensor, the device comprising: a microcomputer comprising a processor, the microcomputer being configured to: detect, using the object detection sensor, a first vehicle ahead of the subject vehicle in the traveling lane; control a steering system and a power train system of the subject vehicle to change lanes from the traveling lane to a passing lane, pass the first vehicle detected, and change lanes from the passing lane to the traveling lane; set a speed of the subject vehicle traveling in the passing lane to a lower one of a preset speed and a speed of a preceding second vehicle in the passing lane; and suspend the lane change from the passing lane to the traveling lane in response to the speed of the subject vehicle set being lower than the preset speed while the subject vehicle is traveling in the passing lane. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The passing assist device according to claim 1, wherein the microcomputer is further configured to make a notification recognizable to a passenger in the subject vehicle in response to suspending the lane change from the passing lane to the traveling lane. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The passing assist device according to claim 1, wherein the microcomputer is further configured to acquire other vehicle information including at least a first inter-vehicle time between the first vehicle passed by the subject vehicle and the subject vehicle and a second inter-vehicle time between a third vehicle ahead of the first vehicle and the subject vehicle in response to the subject vehicle traveling in the passing lane, and execute the lane change from the passing lane to the traveling lane on a condition that the other vehicle information acquired satisfies a preset requirement. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The passing assist device according to claim 3, wherein the preset requirement is a requirement that the first inter-vehicle time and the second inter-vehicle time are greater than respective preset thresholds. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The passing assist device according to claim 1, wherein in response to suspending the lane change from the passing lane to the traveling lane, the microcomputer continues the traveling of the subject vehicle in the passing lane. ### Claim 6 A computer-implemented method for controlling a subject vehicle to perform a lane change from a traveling lane in which the subject vehicle is traveling, the subject vehicle equipped with an object detection sensor, the method comprising: detecting, using the object detection sensor and a processor, a first vehicle ahead of the subject vehicle in the traveling lane; controlling, using the processor, a steering system and a power train system of the subject vehicle to change lanes from the traveling lane to a passing lane, pass the first vehicle, and change lanes from the passing lane to the traveling lane; setting, using the processor, a speed of the subject vehicle traveling in the passing lane to a lower one of a preset speed and a speed of a preceding second vehicle in the passing lane; and suspending, using the processor, the lane change from the passing lane to the traveling lane in response to the speed of the subject vehicle being lower than the preset speed while the subject vehicle is traveling in the passing lane.