JP3885930B2 - Obstacle detection device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an obstacle detection device that detects an obstacle in a vehicle and issues an alarm.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Generally, in this kind of obstacle detection device, an ultrasonic burst wave is transmitted from an ultrasonic sensor installed at an appropriate position such as a bumper before and after the vehicle as an obstacle detection sensor, and a reflected wave from the obstacle is received. Until a distance from the sensor according to the measurement time to the obstacle is shorter than a predetermined distance, an alarm is issued. For the alarm, the detection position is displayed, and the alarm indicator / buzzer is driven with a flashing / intermittent sound within a range of 20 cm to 50 cm, for example, and with a continuous lighting / continuous sound below 20 cm.
As another conventional example, there is also known an apparatus that arranges a TV camera behind a vehicle and displays a predicted traveling trajectory of the vehicle as guidance along with a rear image.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the conventional obstacle detection device, a warning is uniquely issued when the distance from the sensor to the obstacle is shorter than a predetermined distance. For example, the warning is issued regardless of the vehicle state such as the turning direction or traveling direction of the vehicle. For this reason, there is a problem that it is troublesome for the driver because an unnecessary alarm is issued or a necessary alarm is not issued. For example, when the vehicle turns to the left front, an unnecessary alarm is issued when an obstacle on the right front that does not collide is detected. Further, when an obstacle in the direction opposite to the traveling direction of the vehicle is detected, an unnecessary alarm is issued.
[0004]
The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems of the conventional example, and an object of the present invention is to provide an obstacle detection device that can issue an optimal alarm in accordance with the vehicle turning direction.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, the present invention estimates a vehicle trajectory on which a vehicle will travel, issues a warning in consideration of the estimated distance from the vehicle trajectory to an obstacle , and further includes a vehicle trajectory. That the detection area where the distance from the vehicle to the obstacle is less than the predetermined distance is displayed on the back monitor screen so that it is different from other areas, and that the obstacle is detected even when the detection area is in the direction of the vehicle that does not appear on the back monitor screen Is displayed.
With the above configuration, since an alarm is issued in consideration of not only the distance from the sensor to the obstacle but also the estimated distance from the vehicle trajectory to the obstacle, an optimal alarm according to the turning direction of the vehicle can be issued. .
[0006]
The present invention also estimates a vehicle trajectory on which the vehicle will travel, issues an alarm in consideration of the estimated distance from the vehicle trajectory to the obstacle, and further provides a distance from the vehicle trajectory to the obstacle. Is displayed on the back monitor screen so that the detection area with a predetermined distance or less is different from other areas, and the detection area is displayed differently according to the second distance, and the detection area is displayed on the back monitor screen. An indication that an obstacle has been detected is displayed even in the case of no vehicle direction.
With the above configuration, it is possible to issue an optimal alarm according to the vehicle state.
[0007]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of an obstacle detection apparatus according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining the processing of the microcomputer of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is an explanatory view showing a steering angle-vehicle trajectory table. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the detection area of the sensor of FIG. 1, FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the vehicle track and an obstacle, FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing the distance from the vehicle track to the obstacle, and FIG. It is explanatory drawing which shows an example of a monitor screen.
[0008]
In FIG. 1, ultrasonic sensors 11, 12, 13, and 14 that are obstacle detection sensors are installed at appropriate obstacle detection positions such as bumpers before and after the vehicle, and analog SW 5 in the processing unit 1 that is a central controller. A star connection is made through each line. In this example, the sensors 11, 12, 13, and 14 are described as being attached to the left corner, rear left (center side), rear right (center side), and right corner of the rear bumper (may be front). .
[0009]
The microcomputer 2 has a case where the vehicle shift position 22 is R (D or 2 or L when the front bumper is also provided with a sensor) and the vehicle speed signal 21 indicates 10 km / h or less, for example. When the analog SW 5 is switched to, for example, the sensor 11 side, the ultrasonic wave transmission command is generated and the ultrasonic signal is transmitted to the sensor 11 via the analog SW 5. Is output. If the sensor 11 detects an obstacle, the reflected signal is output from the sensor 11 to the microcomputer 2 via the analog SW 5 and the receiving circuit 4.
[0010]
In addition, when the camera 15 is arranged behind the vehicle and the shift position 22 is R, the rear video is imaged by the camera 15 and the imaging signal is sent to the image processing circuit 6 in the processing unit 1. By the control and the processing of the image processing circuit 6, the rear image and the predicted traveling track of the vehicle are displayed on the monitor 16.
[0011]
Next, the processing of the microcomputer 2 will be described with reference to FIG. When the shift position 22 of the vehicle is R and the vehicle speed signal 21 indicates, for example, 10 km / h or less, the microcomputer 2 first inputs the steering angle 23 of the steering (step S1), and then the input steering angle 23 Then, as shown in FIG. 3, based on a table corresponding to the steering angle θs and trajectory coordinates stored in advance for each vehicle, an area where the vehicle will travel is estimated as a vehicle trajectory (step S2). This estimated vehicle trajectory is also referred to as an estimated trajectory. The estimated trajectory is given by the left side trajectory coordinates (XL1, YL1)... And the right trajectory coordinates (XR1, YR1). Next, the sensor counter S = 1 is set, the sensor 11 with the counter S = 1 is selected by the analog SW 5 (step S3), and then an ultrasonic wave is generated from the sensor 11 (step S4).
[0012]
Next, the reflected wave level from the receiving circuit 4 is taken in, and the presence / absence of obstacle detection is determined based on the reflected wave level (step S5). When the obstacle is detected, the time from the time of ultrasonic transmission to the time of reception of the reflected wave is detected. Based on this, a distance L from the sensor to the obstacle ◎ is calculated as shown in FIG. 4 (step S6). Next, the sensor counter S is incremented (step S7), and then it is determined whether or not S = 4 (step S8). If S = 4, the process returns to step S4 to execute the same obstacle detection process for the next sensor. On the other hand, if S = 4, the process proceeds to step S9.
[0013]
In step S9, the coordinates of the obstacle ◎ are obtained as shown in FIG. 5 based on the vehicle trajectory obtained in step S2, the distance L from the sensor obtained in step S6 to the obstacle ◎, and the detection area (approximately direction). Next, as shown in FIG. 6, a distance D from the vehicle track to the obstacle ◎ is obtained. Here, for the distance D, a track closer to the obstacle ◎ is applied to the left and right tracks defining the vehicle track. Next, an alarm is issued based on the distance D (step S10), and then the process returns to step S1. In step S10, for example, the warning indicator lamp / buzzer is driven with blinking / intermittent sound when D = 20 cm to 50 cm, for example, and with continuous lighting / continuous sound when D = 20 cm or less.
[0014]
In step S10, the display method of the detection area 101 on the back monitor screen 100 of the monitor 16 is changed as shown in FIG. As a display method, the outline of the area 101 where the obstacle ◎ is detected is displayed continuously or continuously. Further, the detection area 101 is further continuously or continuously displayed so that the color tone, gradation, luminance, and brightness of the detection area 101 are different from those of other areas. Further, the image of the back monitor screen 100 is transmitted through the detection area 101 and displayed so that the obstacle is not hidden by the detection area display. Further, the display is changed according to the distance D from the vehicle track to the obstacle ◎. For example, yellow is displayed in the range of D = 20 cm to 50 cm, and red is displayed when D = 20 cm or less. Further, the distance D itself is displayed. Furthermore, information for notifying the driver of the obstacle ◎ is also displayed in the case of a vehicle angle (camera angle) where the obstacle ◎ is not reflected on the back monitor screen 101.
[0015]
As described above, according to the present invention, an alarm is issued in consideration of not only the distance from the sensor to the obstacle but also the estimated distance from the vehicle trajectory to the obstacle, so that the optimum according to the turning direction of the vehicle. Alarm can be issued.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of an obstacle detection apparatus according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining processing of the microcomputer of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a steering angle-vehicle trajectory table.
4 is an explanatory diagram showing a detection area of the sensor of FIG. 1. FIG.
FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a vehicle track and an obstacle.
FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing a distance from a vehicle track to an obstacle.
FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a back monitor screen.
[Explanation of symbols]
2 Microcomputers 11 to 14 Sensor 15 Camera 16 Monitor 100 Back monitor screen 101 Detection area

Claims (2)

Means for calculating a vehicle trajectory based on a turning direction of the vehicle;
Means for calculating the coordinates of the obstacle and a first distance to the obstacle based on obstacle detection signals detected by a plurality of obstacle detection sensors installed at appropriate positions of the vehicle;
Means for calculating a second distance from the vehicle track to the obstacle based on the coordinates of the vehicle track and the obstacle;
Means for issuing an alarm based on the first distance and the second distance ;
A monitor that displays a back monitor screen that images the back of the vehicle;
Display on the back monitor screen such that a detection area whose distance from the vehicle track to the obstacle is equal to or less than a predetermined distance is different from other areas, and the detection area does not appear on the back monitor screen. An obstacle detection device that displays that an obstacle has been detected. Means for calculating a vehicle trajectory based on a turning direction of the vehicle;
Means for calculating the coordinates of the obstacle and a first distance to the obstacle based on obstacle detection signals detected by a plurality of obstacle detection sensors installed at appropriate positions of the vehicle;
Means for calculating a second distance from the vehicle track to the obstacle based on the coordinates of the vehicle track and the obstacle;
Means for issuing an alarm based on the first distance and the second distance;
And a monitor that displays the back monitor screen of the captured rear of the vehicle,
And displaying on the back monitor screen such that a detection area whose distance from the vehicle track to the obstacle is a predetermined distance or less is different from other areas, and the detection area is displayed according to the second distance. An obstacle detection device that displays differently and displays that an obstacle has been detected even in a vehicle direction where the detection area is not reflected on the back monitor screen .

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