Patent ID: 9207091
Filing Date: 2015-12-08
Classification: B60W,G01C,G08G

Abstract:
1. A drive assistance method for use with a vehicle, comprising: obtaining estimated driving route information including information regarding an estimated driving route along which own vehicle as said vehicle is expected to drive and a position of a site at which a traffic light is provided along said estimated driving route; obtaining, from a global positioning system receiver, information regarding an own vehicle position indicating a position of said own vehicle and an own vehicle speed indicating a speed of said own vehicle; obtaining schedule information including information of a traffic light passable time zone during which said traffic light makes an indication that said site is passable; obtaining traffic information of said estimated driving route; estimating one of a number of stopping vehicles and a length of a stopping vehicle line of different vehicles that are stopping at said site along said estimated driving route ahead of said own vehicle closer to said site than said own vehicle, based on a position information of said site, said own vehicle position, said own vehicle speed, and said traffic information; estimating a passable time zone during which said own vehicle is passable through said site based on the one of said number of stopping vehicles and said length of the stopping vehicle line that have been estimated by said estimating of one of the number of stopping vehicles and the length of a stopping vehicle line, and on said schedule information; calculating a speed pattern to reduce consumption energy when driving, based on said passable time zone, said estimated driving route information, said own vehicle position, and said own vehicle speed; and notifying a driver of a recommended speed using the speed pattern which has been calculated.