Patent US5850176A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5850176A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Drive assist system for vehicle
Assignee: Subaru Corp
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Filing: 1997-06-19
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Granted: 1998-12-15
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Expires: 2017-06-19
Abstract
Abstract In a vehicular drive assist system for warning a driver to pay attention to a preceding vehicle running ahead when a vehicle comes close to the preceding vehicle and the distance between these two vehicles becomes smaller than a safe inter-vehicle distance, this safe inter-vehicle distance is automatically established in two stages according to traffic conditions. One stage is where road is empty and another is where road is crowded. Since the safe inter-vehicle distance at the crowded condition is established to be a smaller value than the one at the empty condition, when road is crowded, due to the shortened safe inter-vehicle distance, warning is prevented from being issued so frequently.
Inventors
- 👤 Masahiro Kinoshita
- 👤 Atsushi Ikeda
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 20:22
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01S; G01S11/00; G01S11/12; B; B60; B60T; B60T7/00; B60T7/12; B60T7/22
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
139 words
A drive assist system for a vehicle, comprising: traffic conditions judging means for judging a traffic condition for said vehicle; first safe inter-vehicle distance establishing means for establishing a first safe inter-vehicle distance according to said judged traffic condition; first inter-vehicle distance comparing means for comparing a calculated inter-vehicle distance between the vehicle and a preceding vehicle with said first safe inter-vehicle distance and for outputting a first signal when said calculated inter-vehicle distance becomes smaller than said first safe inter-vehicle distance; second safe inter-vehicle distance establishing means for establishing a second safe inter-vehicle distance smaller than said first safe inter-vehicle distance; and second inter-vehicle distance comparing means for comparing said calculated inter-vehicle distance with said second safe inter-vehicle distance and for outputting a second signal when said calculated inter-vehicle distance becomes smaller than said second safe inter-vehicle distance.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
139 words
A drive assist system for a vehicle, comprising: traffic conditions judging means for judging a traffic condition for said vehicle; first safe inter-vehicle distance establishing means for establishing a first safe inter-vehicle distance according to said judged traffic condition; first inter-vehicle distance comparing means for comparing a calculated inter-vehicle distance between the vehicle and a preceding vehicle with said first safe inter-vehicle distance and for outputting a first signal when said calculated inter-vehicle distance becomes smaller than said first safe inter-vehicle distance; second safe inter-vehicle distance establishing means for establishing a second safe inter-vehicle distance smaller than said first safe inter-vehicle distance; and second inter-vehicle distance comparing means for comparing said calculated inter-vehicle distance with said second safe inter-vehicle distance and for outputting a second signal when said calculated inter-vehicle distance becomes smaller than said second safe inter-vehicle distance.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
70 words
The drive assist system according to claim 3, wherein said crowded condition is defined as a condition during a time period in which said preceding vehicle exists within a specified range of distance after said first signal or second signal is output and in which said preceding vehicle is out of said specified range of distance but within a specified time after said first signal or second signal is output.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
25 words
The drive assist system according to claim 1, wherein said traffic conditions judging means judges between at least a crowded condition and an empty condition.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
54 words
The drive assist system according to claim 3, wherein said first safe inter-vehicle distance is established to be relatively short when said traffic condition is judged to be said crowded condition and said first safe inter-vehicle distance is established to be relatively long when said traffic condition is judged to be said empty condition.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
37 words
The drive assist system according to claim 1, further including inter-vehicle distance calculating means for detecting a preceding vehicle running ahead of said vehicle and for calculating said inter-vehicle distance between said vehicle and said preceding vehicle.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
37 words
The drive assist system according to claim 1, further including preceding vehicle speed calculating means for calculating a vehicle speed of said preceding vehicle based on said calculated inter-vehicle distance and said vehicle speed of said vehicle.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
33 words
The drive assist system according to claim 1, wherein said first signal is employed to activate a warning device, and the second signal is employed to activate a braking system for said vehicle.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
20 words
The drive assist system according to claim 7, wherein said first signal is employed to activate an audible warning device.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
19 words
The drive assist system according to claim 7, wherein said second signal is employed to activate a warning device.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
20 words
The drive assist system according to claim 9, wherein said second signal is employed to activate an audible warning device.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
22 words
The drive assist system according to claim 1, wherein the second safe inter-vehicle distance is established irrespective of said judged traffic condition.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US5670953A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-12-14 | 2002-06-15 | 2002-12-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-12-14 | 2006-06-15 | 2006-12-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-12-14 | 2010-06-15 | 2010-12-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |