Toyota jidosha kabushiki kaisha (20240177610). VEHICLE CONTROL DEVICE, VEHICLE CONTROL METHOD, AND NON-TRANSITORY STORAGE MEDIUM STORING VEHICLE CONTROL PROGRAM simplified abstract

VEHICLE CONTROL DEVICE, VEHICLE CONTROL METHOD, AND NON-TRANSITORY STORAGE MEDIUM STORING VEHICLE CONTROL PROGRAM

Organization Name

toyota jidosha kabushiki kaisha

Inventor(s)

Masashi Nose of Nagoya-shi (JP)

Tomoaki Miyazawa of Nagoya-shi (JP)

Kazuya Kumazawa of Nagoya-shi (JP)

Miki Tsujino of Nagakute-shi (JP)

Tsukasa Kitazawa of Toyota-shi (JP)

VEHICLE CONTROL DEVICE, VEHICLE CONTROL METHOD, AND NON-TRANSITORY STORAGE MEDIUM STORING VEHICLE CONTROL PROGRAM - A simplified explanation of the abstract

This abstract first appeared for US patent application 20240177610 titled 'VEHICLE CONTROL DEVICE, VEHICLE CONTROL METHOD, AND NON-TRANSITORY STORAGE MEDIUM STORING VEHICLE CONTROL PROGRAM

Simplified Explanation

The patent application describes a vehicle control device that assists with lane changes by receiving requests from occupants, analyzing surroundings information, determining the viability of the lane change, and displaying a message to confirm the continuation of the lane change assistance.

• The processor in the vehicle control device receives requests for lane changes from occupants.
• Surroundings information of the vehicle is acquired to assess the feasibility of the lane change.
• A message is displayed on a cabin display asking for confirmation to proceed with the lane change assistance if it is deemed difficult.

Potential Applications

This technology could be applied in autonomous vehicles, advanced driver assistance systems, and smart transportation systems.

Problems Solved

1. Enhances safety by assisting drivers with challenging lane changes. 2. Improves convenience for drivers by automating part of the lane change process.

Benefits

1. Reduces the risk of accidents during lane changes. 2. Increases driver confidence and comfort on the road. 3. Enhances overall driving experience for occupants.

Potential Commercial Applications

"Smart Lane Change Assistance Technology for Vehicles" could be used in self-driving cars, luxury vehicles, and fleet management systems.

Possible Prior Art

One possible prior art could be existing lane departure warning systems that alert drivers when they unintentionally drift out of their lane.

What are the technical specifications of the vehicle control device described in the patent application?

The technical specifications of the vehicle control device, such as the type of processor used, the method of acquiring surroundings information, and the display technology employed, are not detailed in the abstract of the patent application.

How does the lane change assistance system differentiate between viable and difficult lane change scenarios?

The abstract does not provide specific information on how the system distinguishes between viable and difficult lane change scenarios based on the acquired surroundings information.

Original Abstract Submitted

a vehicle control device that is installed at a vehicle configured to perform lane change assistance and that comprises a processor, wherein the processor is configured to: receive a request for a lane change by lane change assistance from an occupant of the vehicle; acquire surroundings information of the vehicle; when the request for a lane change has been received, determine whether or not the lane change by lane change assistance is viable based on the acquired surroundings information; and display a message, asking whether or not the request for a lane change by lane change assistance is to be continued, on a display section provided in a cabin of the vehicle in cases in which the lane change by lane change assistance has been determined to be difficult.