Vehicle periphery alert device

Abstract

A vehicle periphery alert device is installed in a vehicle that operates when the vehicle starts to reverse from a parked state. The vehicle periphery alert device includes a detecting unit configured to detect a position and a movement direction of another vehicle behind the vehicle; an alert operation activating unit configured to perform a predetermined alert operation in the vehicle; and a control unit configured to set a virtual alert area behind the vehicle according to an angle formed by a movement direction of the vehicle and the movement direction of the another vehicle, and to activate the alert operation activating unit when a condition, including that the position of the another vehicle is in the alert area that has been set, is satisfied.

1 . A vehicle periphery alert device installed in a vehicle that operates when the vehicle starts to reverse from a parked state, the vehicle periphery alert device comprising:
 a detecting unit configured to detect a position and a movement direction of another vehicle behind the vehicle;   an alert operation activating unit configured to perform a predetermined alert operation in the vehicle; and   a control unit configured to set a virtual alert area behind the vehicle according to an angle formed by a movement direction of the vehicle and the movement direction of the another vehicle, and to activate the alert operation activating unit when a condition, including that the position of the another vehicle is in the alert area that has been set, is satisfied.   
     
     
         2 . The vehicle periphery alert device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the control unit is configured to determine a distance between the vehicle and a furthest end part from the vehicle in the alert area, according to the angle formed by the movement direction of the vehicle and the movement direction of the another vehicle.   
     
     
         3 . The vehicle periphery alert device according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the control unit is configured to set the alert area so that the furthest end part is closer to the vehicle as the angle formed by the movement direction of the vehicle and the movement direction of the another vehicle becomes closer to 90 degrees, and   the control unit is configured to set the alert area so that the furthest end part is further away from the vehicle as the angle formed by the movement direction of the vehicle and the movement direction of the another vehicle becomes closer to 180 degrees.   
     
     
         4 . The vehicle periphery alert device according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the control unit is configured to set the alert area so that the furthest end part is closer to the vehicle as the angle formed by the movement direction of the vehicle and the movement direction of the another vehicle becomes closer to 90 degrees, and   the control unit is configured to set the alert area so that the furthest end part is further away from the vehicle as the angle formed by the movement direction of the vehicle and the movement direction of the another vehicle becomes further away from 90 degrees.   
     
     
         5 . The vehicle periphery alert device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the control unit is configured to dynamically reset the alert area according to a movement of the vehicle.   
     
     
         6 . The vehicle periphery alert device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the control unit is configured to set the alert area so that a longitudinal direction of the alert area extends along the movement direction of the another vehicle.   
     
     
         7 . A vehicle periphery alert device installed in a vehicle that operates when the vehicle starts to reverse from a parked state, the vehicle periphery alert device comprising:
 a detecting unit configured to detect a position and a movement direction of another vehicle behind the vehicle;   an alert operation activating unit configured to perform a predetermined alert operation in the vehicle; and   a control unit configured to set a virtual alert line extending behind the vehicle from a side edge part of the vehicle, and to activate the alert operation activating unit when the another vehicle is determined to cross the alert line within a predetermined time.   
     
     
         8 . The vehicle periphery alert device according to  claim 7 , wherein the control unit is configured to extend and contract the alert line according to an angle formed by a movement direction of the vehicle and the movement direction of the another vehicle. 
     
     
         9 . The vehicle periphery alert device according to  claim 8 , wherein
 the control unit is configured to set the alert area line so that the alert line is shorter as the angle formed by the movement direction of the vehicle and the movement direction of the another vehicle becomes closer to 90 degrees, and   the control unit is configured to set the alert line so that the alert line is longer as the angle formed by the movement direction of the vehicle and the movement direction of the another vehicle becomes closer to 180 degrees.   
     
     
         10 . The vehicle periphery alert device according to  claim 8 , wherein
 the control unit is configured to set the alert line so that the alert line is shorter as the angle formed by the movement direction of the vehicle and the movement direction of the another vehicle becomes closer to 90 degrees, and   the control unit is configured to set the alert line so that the alert line is longer as the angle formed by the movement direction of the vehicle and the movement direction of the another vehicle becomes further away from 90 degrees.   
     
     
         11 . The vehicle periphery alert device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the alert operation activating unit includes a speaker and/or a buzzer, and   the predetermined alert operation is an operation of emitting an alert sound in an interior of the vehicle.   
     
     
         12 . The vehicle periphery alert device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the alert operation activating unit includes an electronic control type brake device, and   the predetermined alert operation is an operation for automatically applying a brake on the vehicle.