JP2003019937A - Obstacle detector - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an obstacle detector of a vehicle which gives an optimum alarm according to a vehicle turning direction. SOLUTION: A microcomputer 2 operates a vehicle track based on the steering angle θs, operates the coordinate of an obstacle based on an obstacle detection signal detected by sensors 11-14, operates the distance from the vehicle track to the obstacle based on the vehicle track and the coordinate of the obstacle, and gives an alarm based on the distance from the vehicle track to the obstacle. The microcomputer displays the obstacle on a screen 100 of a back monitor 16 so that a detection area 101 in which the distance from the vehicle track to the obstacle is below the predetermined value is different from other areas.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an obstacle detecting device for detecting an obstacle in a vehicle and issuing an alarm.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, in this type of obstacle detection device,
As an obstacle detection sensor, ultrasonic sensors installed at appropriate positions such as bumpers in the front and rear of the vehicle transmit ultrasonic burst waves and measure the time until the reflected waves from the obstacle are received. It is configured to issue an alarm when the distance from the sensor to the obstacle is shorter than a predetermined distance. For alarms, the detected position is displayed and
The warning indicator light / buzzer is driven by blinking / intermittent sound in the range of 20 cm to 50 cm, and by continuous lighting / continuous sound at 20 cm or less, for example. As another conventional example, there is also known a device in which a TV camera is arranged at the rear of the vehicle and a predicted traveling path of the vehicle is displayed as guidance together with a rear image.

[0003]

However, in the conventional obstacle detecting device, an alarm is uniquely issued when the distance from the sensor to the obstacle is shorter than a predetermined distance. Therefore, for example, the turning direction or the traveling direction of the vehicle, etc. However, there is a problem in that the driver is annoyed regardless of the vehicle state, and thus an unnecessary warning is issued or a necessary warning is not issued, which is annoying to the driver. For example, if the vehicle turns left front,
When an obstacle in front of the right that does not collide is detected, an unnecessary alarm is issued. Further, when an obstacle in the direction opposite to the traveling direction of the vehicle is detected, an unnecessary alarm is issued.

In view of the above-mentioned problems of the conventional example, it is an object of the present invention to provide an obstacle detection device capable of issuing an optimum alarm according to the turning direction of a vehicle.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention estimates a vehicle trajectory in which a vehicle will travel and gives an alarm in consideration of the distance from the estimated vehicle trajectory to an obstacle. I tried to emit. With the above configuration, since the alarm is issued in consideration of not only the distance from the sensor to the obstacle but also the distance from the estimated vehicle trajectory to the obstacle,
It is possible to issue an optimum alarm according to the turning direction of the vehicle.

The present invention also displays on the back monitor screen such that the detection area where the distance from the vehicle track to the obstacle is a predetermined distance or less is different from other areas. Further, the detection area is displayed differently according to the distance from the vehicle track to the obstacle. In addition, the fact that an obstacle is detected is displayed even when the detection area is in the vehicle direction not displayed on the back monitor screen. With the above configuration, it is possible to issue an optimum alarm according to the vehicle state.

[0007]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT 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 device according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a flow chart for explaining processing of the microcomputer of FIG. 1, and FIG.
Is an explanatory view showing a steering angle-vehicle locus table, FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing a detection area of the sensor of FIG. 1, FIG. 5 is an explanatory view showing an example of a vehicle trajectory and an obstacle, and FIG. 6 is an obstacle from the vehicle trajectory. FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing a distance to, and FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a back monitor screen.

In FIG. 1, ultrasonic sensors 11, 12, 13, and 14 which are obstacle detection sensors are installed at appropriate obstacle detection positions such as bumpers in the front and rear of a vehicle, and are installed in a processing unit 1 which is a central control unit. It is star-connected to the analog SW5 via each line. Sensors 11, 1
In this example, reference numerals 2, 13, and 14 will be described as being attached to the left corner, the left rear (close to the center), the right rear (close to the center), and the right corner of the rear bumper (which may be the front).

The microcomputer 2 has a shift position 22 of the vehicle.
Is R (either D, 2, or L when a sensor is also provided in the previous bumper) and the vehicle speed signal 21 indicates, for example, 10 km / h or less, an ultrasonic wave transmission command is transmitted to the transmission circuit. When the analog SW5 is switched to the sensor 11 side while being output to the sensor 3, the transmission circuit 3 generates an ultrasonic signal, and this ultrasonic signal is output to the sensor 11 via the analog SW5. If the sensor 11 detects an obstacle, its reflected signal is sent from the sensor 11 to the analog SW.
5, output to the microcomputer 2 via the receiving circuit 4.

Further, a camera 15 is arranged at the rear of the vehicle, and when the shift position 22 is R, a rear image is picked up by the camera 15, and the picked-up image signal is sent to the image processing circuit 6 in the processing unit 1. By the control of the microcomputer 2 and the processing of the image processing circuit 6, the rear image and the predicted travel path of the vehicle are displayed on the monitor 16.

Next, the processing of the microcomputer 2 will be described with reference to FIG. In the microcomputer 2, the vehicle shift position 22 is R
When the vehicle speed signal 21 indicates, for example, 10 km / h or less, first, the steering angle 23 of the steering wheel is input (step S1), and then the input steering angle 23 and the vehicle steering angle as shown in FIG. Based on the table in which the steering angle θs and the trajectory coordinates stored for each case correspond, the area in which the vehicle will travel is estimated as the vehicle trajectory (step S2). This estimated vehicle trajectory is also called an estimated trajectory. The estimated trajectory is the coordinates (XL1, YL1) on the left side of the vehicle and the coordinates (XR1, Y) on the right side of the vehicle.
R1) ... Next, the sensor counter S =
Set to 1 and select the sensor 11 with the counter S = 1 by the analog SW5 (step S3).
An ultrasonic wave is generated from 1 (step S4).

Next, the level of the reflected wave from the receiving circuit 4 is fetched, and the presence or absence of obstacle detection is judged based on this reflected wave level (step S5). When the obstacle is detected, from the time of transmitting the ultrasonic wave to the time of receiving the reflected wave. As shown in FIG. 4, the distance L from the sensor to the obstacle ⊚ is calculated based on the time (step S6). Then, the sensor counter S is incremented (step S7), and then it is determined whether S = 4 (step S8). If S = 4, the process returns to step S4 and the same obstacle detection process is executed for the next sensor. On the other hand, if S = 4, the process proceeds to step S9.

In step S9, as shown in FIG. 5, the obstacle ◎ is determined based on the vehicle trajectory obtained in step S2, the distance L from the sensor to the obstacle ◎ obtained in step S6, and the detection area (approximate direction). Then, the distance D from the vehicle track to the obstacle ◎ is calculated as shown in FIG. Here, for the distance D, of the left and right trajectories that define the vehicle trajectory, the trajectory closer to the obstacle ◎ is applied. Next, an alarm is issued based on this distance D (step S10), and then the process returns to step S1. Step S1
At 0, for example, a warning indicator light / buzzer, for example, D =
Blinking / intermittent sound in the range of 20 cm to 50 cm, and D =
If it is less than 20 cm, it will be driven continuously and continuously.

In step S10, the display method of the detection area 101 on the back monitor screen 100 of the monitor 16 is changed and displayed as shown in FIG. As a display method, the contour of the area 101 in which the obstacle ◎ is detected is continuously or continuously displayed. In addition, the color tone, gradation of the detection area 101,
The brightness and brightness are displayed continuously or continuously so that they are different from other areas. In addition, the image of the back monitor screen 100 is transmitted to the detection area 101 and displayed by the above-mentioned detection area display so that the obstacle is not hidden. Further, the display is changed according to the distance D from the vehicle track to the obstacle ◎.
For example, in the range of D = 20 cm to 50 cm, it is displayed in yellow and D
If it is less than 20 cm, it is displayed in red. Also, the distance D itself is displayed. Furthermore, even when the vehicle angle (camera angle) is such that an obstacle ◎ is not displayed on the back monitor screen 101,
Display information to notify the driver of an obstacle ◎.

As described above, according to the present invention, not only the distance from the sensor to the obstacle but also the estimated distance from the vehicle trajectory to the obstacle is taken into consideration to issue the alarm, so that the vehicle is turned in the turning direction. It is possible to issue the optimum alarm according to the situation.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of an obstacle detection device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart for explaining the processing of the microcomputer of FIG.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a steering angle-vehicle locus table.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a detection area of the sensor of FIG.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a vehicle track and obstacles.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing a distance from a vehicle track to an obstacle.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a back monitor screen.

[Explanation of symbols]

2 microcomputer 11-14 sensors 15 camera 16 monitors 100 Back monitor screen 101 detection area

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Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A means for calculating a vehicle trajectory based on a turning direction of a vehicle, and coordinates of an obstacle based on obstacle detection signals detected by a plurality of obstacle detection sensors installed at appropriate positions of the vehicle. And a means for calculating a first distance to the obstacle, a means for calculating a second distance from the vehicle trajectory to the obstacle based on coordinates of the vehicle trajectory and the obstacle, the first An obstacle detection device having means for issuing an alarm on the basis of the distance and the second distance. 2. A back monitor having a monitor for displaying a back monitor screen imaged behind the vehicle, so that a detection area in which a distance from the vehicle track to the obstacle is a predetermined distance or less is different from other areas. The obstacle detection device according to claim 1, which is displayed on a screen. 3. The obstacle detection device according to claim 2, wherein the display of the detection area is displayed differently according to the second distance. 4. The obstacle detecting device according to claim 2, wherein the fact that an obstacle is detected is displayed even when the detection area is in a vehicle direction that is not displayed on the back monitor screen.