# US 10,870,435 B2 · Notice management apparatus and notice management method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,870,435 B2 - Document ID: US10870435B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/767,975 - Filed: 2016-09-06 - Published: 2018-10-18 - Granted: 2020-12-22 - Earliest claimed: 2015-10-16 - Assignees: Denso Corporation - Applicants: Denso Corporation - Inventors: Yuki Fujisawa; Norio Yamamoto - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10870435B2 ## CPC - B60W 50/14: Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention - B60W 30/18163: {Lane change; Overtaking manoeuvres} - 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 - B62D 15/0255: {Automatic changing of lane, e.g. for passing another vehicle} - B62D 15/029: {Steering assistants using warnings or proposing actions to the driver without influencing the steering system} - G01C 21/365: {Guidance using head up displays or projectors, e.g. virtual vehicles or arrows projected on the windscreen or on the road itself} - G01C 21/3655: {Timing of guidance instructions} - G01C 21/3658: {Lane guidance} - G05D 1/0212: {with means for defining a desired trajectory (involving a plurality of land vehicles G05D1/0287)} - G08G 1/09626: {where the origin of the information is within the own vehicle, e.g. a local storage device, digital map} - G08G 1/167: {Driving aids for lane monitoring, lane changing, e.g. blind spot detection} - B60W 2050/143: {Alarm means} - B60W 2050/146: {Display means} - B60W 2520/10: Longitudinal speed - B60W 2540/00: Input parameters relating to occupants - B60W 2540/22: Psychological state; Stress level or workload - B60W 2710/20: Steering systems - G01C 21/34: Route searching; Route guidance - 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) - 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 notice management apparatus controls a notice instrument that provides a notice to an occupant of a vehicle. The notice instrument is mounted to the vehicle together with a vehicle control apparatus that achieves an assistance function assisting a lane change of the vehicle. The notice management apparatus includes a start time obtainer section and a notice adjuster section. The start time obtainer section obtains the information which indicates a steering start point of time at which the vehicle control apparatus starts a lane change of the vehicle. The notice adjuster section causes the notice instrument to provide continuously a notice indicating a decrease in a residual period of time up to the steering start point of time obtained by the start time obtainer section. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A notice management apparatus controlling a notice instrument that provides a notice to an occupant of a vehicle, the notice instrument being mounted to the vehicle together with a vehicle control apparatus providing a lane change assistance function assisting a lane change of the vehicle by generating a steering force to move the vehicle to an adjacent lane, the notice management apparatus comprising: a control circuit configured to obtain (i) information indicating a steering start point of time at which a lane change of the vehicle is started by the lane change assistance function of the vehicle control apparatus, and (ii) information indicating at least a state of the vehicle to calculate a notice start point of time at which a notice to the occupant is started before the steering start point of time, and cause the notice instrument to provide continuously the notice to the occupant in a notice continued duration from the notice start point of time to the steering start point of time, the notice indicating a decrease in a residual period of time up to the steering start point of time in the notice continued duration. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The notice management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the occupant is under states of needing more time to recognize the notice indicating the lane change, the notice start point of time is set to have a longer interval up to the steering start point of time. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The notice management apparatus according to claim 2, wherein: the control circuit is further configured to obtain information indicating a travel speed of the vehicle; and wherein as the travel speed is greater, the notice start point of time is set to have a longer interval up to the steering start point of time. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The notice management apparatus according to claim 2, wherein: the control circuit is further configured to obtain information indicating a driving load of a driver of the vehicle; and wherein as the driving load of the driver is greater, the notice start point of time is set to have a longer interval up to the steering start point of time. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The notice management apparatus according to claim 2, wherein: the control circuit is further configured to obtain information indicating an arousal degree of a driver of the vehicle; and wherein as the arousal degree of the driver is less, the notice start point of time is set to have a longer interval up to the steering start point of time. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The notice management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control circuit causes the notice instrument to perform a countdown that decreases a number as the residual period of time up to the steering start point of time decreases. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The notice management apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the control circuit sets the notice start point of time to have a longer interval up to the steering start point of time by increasing a numerical value with which the countdown is started. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The notice management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the vehicle control apparatus performs lane changes repeatedly, the control circuit makes a duration of continuing a notice indicating a residual period of time up to a second lane change less than a duration of continuing a notice indicating a residual period of time up to a first lane change that is followed by the second lane change. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The notice management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control circuit notifies the occupant of a residual period of time up to a lane change via sound by controlling a sound output interface included in the notice instrument. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The notice management apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the control circuit changes a pitch of the sound of the notice as the residual period of time up to the lane change decreases. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The notice management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control circuit notifies the occupant of a residual period of time up to a lane change via display by controlling a display unit included in the notice instrument. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The notice management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the notice instrument includes a vibrator providing a vibration in a part which the occupant touches; and the control circuit notifies the occupant of a residual period of time up to a lane change by a control that changes a frequency of the vibration provided by the vibrator. ### Claim 13 A notice management method for managing a notice by a notice instrument providing a notice to an occupant of a vehicle, the notice instrument being mounted to the vehicle together with a vehicle control apparatus providing a lane change assistance function assisting a lane change of the vehicle by generating a steering force to move the vehicle to an adjacent lane, the notice management method being executed by at least one processor, the notice management method comprising: obtaining (i) information indicating a steering start point of time at which a lane change of the vehicle is started by the lane change assistance function of the vehicle control apparatus, and (ii) information indicating at least a state of the vehicle to calculate a notice start point of time at which a notice to the occupant is started before the steering start point of time; and causing the notice instrument to provide the notice to the occupant continuously in a notice continued duration from the notice start point of time to the steering start point of time, the notice indicating a decrease in a residual period of time up to the steering start point of time in the notice continued duration. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The notice management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein in response to the occupant having approved the lane change by the vehicle control apparatus, the control circuit causes the notice instrument to provide continuously the notice indicating the decrease in the residual period of time up to the steering start point of time. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The notice management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein based on the information indicating the steering start point of time at which the lane change of the vehicle is started, the control circuit is configured to cause the notice instrument to provide continuously the notice indicating the decrease in the residual period of time up to a point of time when the vehicle starts to move in a lateral direction for the lane change. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The notice management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control circuit is configured to control a display included in the notice instrument to display a content indicating a scheduled travel locus to the lane change to appear on a road surface. ### Claim 17 A notice management apparatus controlling a notice instrument configured to provide notice to an occupant of a vehicle such that the occupant recognizes when the vehicle will start a lane change, the notice instrument being mounted to the vehicle together with a vehicle control apparatus configured to provide an assistance function for assisting the lane change of the vehicle, the notice management apparatus comprising: a control circuit configured to obtain information indicating a steering start point of time at which a lane change of the vehicle will be started by the vehicle control apparatus, and cause the notice instrument to continuously provide a notice indicating a decrease in a residual period of time up to the steering start point of time, the decrease in the residual period of time indicating to the occupant of the vehicle that the lane change will start at the steering start point of time such that the occupant recognizes when the vehicle will start the lane change, wherein when the occupant is under states of needing more time to recognize a notice indicating a lane change, the control circuit sets a notice start point of time to have a longer interval up to the steering start point of time, the notice start point of time being a point of time at which a notice of the residual period of time is started before the steering start point of time. ### Claim 18 A notice management apparatus controlling a notice instrument that provides a notice to an occupant of a vehicle, the notice instrument being mounted to the vehicle together with a vehicle control apparatus providing a lane change assistance function assisting a lane change of the vehicle by generating a steering force to move the vehicle to an adjacent lane, the notice management apparatus comprising: a control circuit configured to obtain (i) control information on a steering control to a lane change of the vehicle started by the lane change assistance function of the vehicle control apparatus, and (ii) peripheral monitoring information on a different vehicle in the adjacent lane, cause the notice instrument to provide continuously a notice indicating an approach up to start of movement for the lane change by the lane change assistance function of the vehicle control apparatus, based on the obtained control information, by performing countdown up to the start of movement using at least one of (i) a change of a notice sound, (ii) a decrease of a numeric value, and (iii) a progress bar, and change, based on the obtained peripheral monitoring information, a notice start point of time at which the notice is started by the notice instrument. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The notice management apparatus according to claim 17, wherein based on the information indicating the steering start point of time at which the lane change of the vehicle is started, the control circuit is configured to cause the notice instrument to provide continuously the notice indicating the decrease in the residual period of time up to a point of time when the vehicle starts to move in a lateral direction for the lane change. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The notice management apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the control circuit is configured to control a display included in the notice instrument to display a content indicating a scheduled travel locus to the lane change to appear on a road surface. ### Claim 21 A notice management apparatus controlling a notice instrument that provides a notice to an occupant of a vehicle, the notice instrument being mounted to the vehicle together with a vehicle control apparatus achieving an assistance function assisting a lane change of the vehicle, the notice management apparatus comprising: a start time obtainer section configured to obtain information indicating a steering start point of time at which a lane change of the vehicle is started by the vehicle control apparatus; and a notice adjuster section configured to cause the notice instrument to provide continuously a notice indicating a decrease in a residual period of time up to the steering start point of time obtained by the start time obtainer section, wherein when the occupant is under states of needing more time to recognize a notice indicating a lane change, the notice adjuster section sets a notice start point of time to have a longer interval up to the steering start point of time, the notice start point of time being a point of time at which a notice of the residual period of time is started before the steering start point of time. ### Claim 22 (depends on 18) The notice management apparatus according to claim 18, wherein in response to the occupant having approved the lane change by the lane change assistance function of the vehicle control apparatus, the control circuit causes the notice instrument to provide continuously the notice indicating the approach up to the start of movement for the lane change. ### Claim 23 (depends on 18) The notice management apparatus according to claim 18, wherein: in response to the different vehicle being present around the adjacent lane, the control circuit causes the notice instrument to provide a notice suspending the lane change; and in response to the different vehicle being not present around the adjacent lane, the control circuit causes the notice instrument to start the countdown. ### Claim 24 (depends on 18) The notice management apparatus according to claim 18, wherein when the occupant is under states of needing more time to recognize a notice indicating a lane change, a notice start point of time is set to have a longer interval up to the steering start point of time, the notice start point of time being a point of time at which the notice is started before the steering start point of time.