The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 02, 1998
Filed:
Mar. 22, 1996
Hiroshi Sekine, Saitama, JP;
Nobuyoshi Asanuma, Saitama, JP;
Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
When a subject vehicle is traveling on a main line which is a preferential road, the number of lanes of the main line and a lane on which the subject vehicle is traveling are detected (at steps S1 and S2). When there is a merging section with a subordinate line (at step S3), an information transmitted from another vehicle is received (at step S4). If another vehicle which will merge to the subject vehicle exists on the subordinate line (at step S5), an approach degree between the subject vehicle and the other vehicle at the merging section is determined based on the vehicle speed of the subject vehicle and the information of the other vehicle (at steps S6 and S7). If the approach degree is large, namely, there is a possibility that the subject vehicle may interfere with the other vehicle (at step S8), a vehicle traveling behind the subject vehicle is detected by a radar or the like (at step S9). If no vehicle exists behind the subject vehicle, and it is possible for the subject vehicle to change the lane (at step S10), the lane change is indicated to a driver (at step S11). If the lane change is impossible (at step S10), a warning is given to the driver (at step S12). Thus, it is possible for the subject vehicle to smoothly merge at the merging section of a road.