JP2009186276A - Object detection device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To set properly a prescribed range, when recognizing a plurality of objects detected in the prescribed range integrally as a single object. <P>SOLUTION: This object detection device 10 includes an external sensor 11 for transmitting an electromagnetic wave to a detection object domain in a traveling direction of one's own vehicle, and receiving a reflected wave from an object; an object position detection part 31 and an absolute speed calculation part 32 for calculating the position and the absolute speed of the object relative to one's own vehicle based on a detection result by the external sensor 11; and an object integration part 33 for recognizing a plurality of objects in a prescribed integrated range integrally as a single object based on at least the object position, when receiving a plurality of different reflected waves relative to the inside of the prescribed integrated range. The object integration part 33 sets a prescribed integrated range having an approximately rectangular shape based on an optional object position among the plurality of objects, and sets a front-to-back direction width and a right-to-left direction width in the prescribed integrated range mutually independently based on the absolute speed of the optional object. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an object detection device.

Conventionally, for example, when a plurality of objects detected by an on-vehicle radar device are close to each other and objects whose variations in relative speed with respect to the vehicle are within a predetermined range are integrated into a target object, The representative position and left and right end points of the target object are calculated, and the representative position is the target when performing follow-up control, and the right and left end point closest to the center line of the estimated trajectory of the vehicle is targeted when performing contact avoidance control. A travel control device is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
Japanese Patent No. 3660301

By the way, according to the traveling control device according to the above-described prior art, a plurality of objects detected within a predetermined range by the in-vehicle radar device are simply collected as a single target object, such as a vehicle larger than the predetermined range. If a certain target object is detected, a single target object may not be set. On the other hand, if the predetermined range is excessively large, different objects such as a plurality of vehicles may be set as a single target object. Therefore, it is desired to set a predetermined range appropriately.
The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object detection apparatus capable of appropriately setting a predetermined range when a plurality of objects detected within a predetermined range are integrated and recognized as a single object. It is intended to provide.

  In order to solve the above-described problems and achieve the object, the object detection apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention transmits electromagnetic waves to a predetermined region (for example, a detection target region in the embodiment) in the traveling direction of the host vehicle. Transmitting and receiving means for transmitting and receiving a reflected wave from an object existing in the predetermined area (for example, external sensor 11 in the embodiment), and based on the transmission and reception results by the transmitting and receiving means, An object information calculating unit (for example, the object position detecting unit 31 and the absolute velocity calculating unit 32 in the embodiment) for calculating information related to the position and absolute velocity of the object and a predetermined range (for example, implementation) by the transmitting / receiving unit. The plurality of objects calculated by at least the object information calculation means when a plurality of different reflected waves corresponding to the plurality of objects existing within a predetermined integration range in the form of An object detection apparatus including an integration unit (for example, the object integration unit 33 in the embodiment) that integrates the plurality of objects existing in the predetermined range and recognizes them as a single object based on a position. The integration unit sets the predetermined range in a substantially rectangular shape with reference to the position of the arbitrary object among the plurality of objects, and the absolute value of the arbitrary object calculated by the object information calculation unit Based on the speed, at least one of the width in the front-rear direction and the width in the left-right direction of the predetermined range is set.

  Furthermore, in the object detection apparatus according to the second aspect of the present invention, the integration unit is configured to increase the absolute speed of the arbitrary object calculated by the object information calculation unit, and to increase or decrease the predetermined range. The direction width is changed to a tendency to extend in the traveling direction of the host vehicle with reference to the position of the arbitrary object calculated by the object information calculating means.

  Furthermore, in the object detection device according to the third aspect of the present invention, the integration unit increases the absolute velocity of the arbitrary object calculated by the object information calculation unit and increases the left and right of the predetermined range. The direction width is changed to a tendency to extend in the left-right direction of the host vehicle with reference to the position of the arbitrary object calculated by the object information calculation means.

  Furthermore, in the object detection device according to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the integration means converges the horizontal width of the predetermined range to a predetermined upper limit value (for example, the upper limit value WM in the embodiment). Thus, the vehicle is changed to a tendency to expand in the left-right direction.

According to the object detection device of the first aspect of the present invention, the predetermined range when the plurality of objects existing within the predetermined range are integrated and recognized as a single object is substantially rectangular, and the predetermined range is Detection by setting at least one of a predetermined range of the front-rear width and the left-right width with respect to the front-rear direction and the left-right direction of the host vehicle according to the absolute speed of an arbitrary object serving as a position reference. Set a suitable range corresponding to the motion state of the object, and among the positions of the plurality of objects detected based on the transmission and reception results by the transmission / reception means, actually a plurality of different positions on a single object The positions of the objects corresponding to can be accurately integrated into a single object.
Furthermore, according to the object detection device according to the second aspect of the present invention, as the absolute speed of an arbitrary object (for example, a preceding vehicle with respect to the host vehicle) that is a position reference with respect to a predetermined range increases, It can be determined that the distance between an arbitrary object and another object (for example, a preceding vehicle) existing in front of the arbitrary object changes in an increasing tendency. For this reason, an appropriate predetermined range is set by changing the longitudinal width of the predetermined range in an expansion tendency as the absolute velocity of an arbitrary object increases, and based on the transmission and reception results by the transmission / reception means A plurality of detected objects can be accurately integrated into a single object.

Furthermore, according to the object detection apparatus according to the third aspect of the present invention, since the width of the lane usually changes as the road design speed increases, the position reference with respect to the predetermined range. As the absolute speed of any object (for example, the preceding vehicle relative to the host vehicle) increases, that is, as the design speed of the traveling lane of the preceding vehicle increases, the lateral width of the predetermined range tends to expand. Thus, it is possible to set an appropriate predetermined range and accurately integrate a plurality of objects detected based on the transmission and reception results by the transmission / reception means into a single object.
Furthermore, according to the object detection device of the fourth aspect of the present invention, the horizontal width of the predetermined range is converged to the predetermined upper limit value and is changed to an expansion tendency. Prevent excessive increase to a value corresponding to the width of multiple lanes, set an appropriate predetermined range, and accurately integrate multiple objects detected based on transmission and reception results by the transmitting and receiving means It can be a single object.

Hereinafter, an object detection device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
As shown in FIG. 1, for example, the object detection device 10 according to the present embodiment is applied to a vehicle that transmits a driving force of an internal combustion engine (E) to a driving wheel (not shown) of the vehicle via a transmission (T / M). It is equipped with an external sensor 11, a vehicle state sensor 12, a processing device 13, a throttle actuator 14, a brake actuator 15, a steering actuator 16, and an alarm device 17.

The external sensor 11 includes, for example, a beam scan radar 21 and a radar control unit 22 using electromagnetic waves such as laser light and millimeter waves.
For example, the radar control unit 22 divides the detection target area set in front of the traveling direction of the host vehicle into a plurality of areas in the angular direction, and transmits each electromagnetic wave transmission signal so as to scan each area. A reflection signal generated by reflection of each transmission signal by an object outside the host vehicle is received, and the reflection signal and the transmission signal are mixed to generate a beat signal, which is output to the processing device 13.

  The vehicle state sensor 12 is, for example, a vehicle speed sensor that detects the speed (vehicle speed) of the host vehicle, an acceleration sensor that detects acceleration acting on the vehicle body, and a gyro that detects the posture and traveling direction of the vehicle body. Positioning signals such as sensors, yaw rate sensors that detect the yaw rate (rotational angular velocity around the vertical axis of the vehicle's center of gravity), and GPS (Global Positioning System) signals that measure the position of the vehicle using, for example, an artificial satellite And a sensor for detecting a driving operation by the driver (for example, an accelerator pedal depression amount, a brake pedal depression amount, a steering wheel steering angle, etc.).

  Further, the processing device 13 includes, for example, an object position detection unit 31, an absolute speed calculation unit 32, an object integration unit 33, a representative position calculation unit 34, a left / right position calculation unit 35, a host vehicle locus estimation unit 36, A control target determination unit 37 and a vehicle control unit 38 are provided.

The object position detection unit 31 of the processing device 13 is based on the beat signal output from the external sensor 11 and the position of an object (for example, another vehicle) existing in the detection target region set in front of the traveling direction of the host vehicle. Information related to the is detected.
For example, the object position detection unit 31 detects the distance to the object (for example, a relative distance to the host vehicle) and the direction (angle) based on the beat signal output from the radar control unit 22 of the external sensor 11.

  The absolute speed calculation unit 32 is based on information related to the position of the object detected by the object position detection unit 31 and the speed of the host vehicle detected by the vehicle state sensor 12, for example, according to a change in the position of the object over time. The relative speed of the object (that is, the speed relative to the host vehicle) is calculated, and the absolute speed (ground speed) of the object is calculated from the relative speed of the object and the speed of the host vehicle.

The object integration unit 33 receives a plurality of different reflected signals reflected from within a substantially rectangular predetermined integration range by the external sensor 11 and detects a plurality of objects within the predetermined integration range detected by the object position detection unit 31. Based on at least the position of each object calculated by the object position detection unit 31, a plurality of objects within a predetermined integration range are integrated and recognized as a single target object.
For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the object integration unit 33 includes a plurality of objects T1, T2, T3 (PC1) in which deviations in speed (relative speed or absolute speed) are substantially equal within a predetermined range within a predetermined integration range TE3. Are detected by the object position detection unit 31, the plurality of objects T1, T2, T3 (PC1) are collected as a single target object Qb.

  The object integration unit 33 sets a position of a predetermined integration range that is substantially rectangular with reference to the position of an arbitrary object among the plurality of objects detected by the object position detection unit 31, and this predetermined integration range Is set to change according to the absolute speed (ground speed) of the object. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, the object integration unit 33 changes the longitudinal direction width of the predetermined integration range in a tendency to expand in the traveling direction of the host vehicle as the absolute speed (ground speed) of the object increases. The horizontal width of the predetermined integration range is set to converge to a predetermined upper limit value WM so as to change in an expanding tendency in the horizontal direction of the host vehicle.

The representative position calculation unit 34 calculates a representative position for a target object obtained by integration by the object integration unit 33 and for a single object that has not been integrated by the object integration unit 33.
The left-right position calculation unit 35 calculates the left-right direction end point with respect to the target object obtained by integration by the object integration unit 33, and further for a single object that has not been integrated by the object integration unit 33.
For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the position of the object T3 (PC1) that is closest to the host vehicle among the plurality of objects T1, T2, T3 (PC1) integrated by the object integration unit 33 is the representative position. The distance from the representative position to the object T1 existing at the position PL1 farthest in the left-right direction of the host vehicle is set to a value of ½ of the left-right width of the target object. Positions PL1 and PR1 separated by a value of / 2 are set as left and right end points.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 2, an object T4 (PC2) that has not been integrated by the object integration unit 33, that is, a single object Qc in which another object to be integrated is not detected by the object position detection unit 31 is used. Thus, the position of the object T4 (PC2) having the relative speed Vc is set as the representative position, and the positions PL2 and PR2 separated from the representative position in the left-right direction by a predetermined distance (for example, 1 m) are set in the left-right direction. Set as an end point.

  The own vehicle trajectory estimation unit 36 determines whether or not the vehicle's own vehicle has been detected by at least one of the positioning signal received by the vehicle state sensor 12 and the autonomous navigation calculation process based on the vehicle speed and yaw rate detected by the vehicle state sensor 12. Calculate the position (current position). Then, based on the time change of the position of the own vehicle and the vehicle speed and yaw rate detected by the vehicle state sensor 12, the traveling locus of the own vehicle is estimated.

The control target determination unit 37 uses the target object's representative position and left / right direction end points output from the representative position calculation unit 34 and the left / right position calculation unit 35, and the own vehicle's travel locus output from the own vehicle locus estimation unit 36. Based on whether the target object obtained by integration by the object integration unit 33 or the object that has not been integrated by the object integration unit 33 is a control object for follow-up travel, and whether it is a control object for contact avoidance It is determined whether or not.
For example, as illustrated in FIG. 2, the control target determination unit 37 determines whether any object (for example, the object T <b> 1) among the plurality of objects constituting the target object Qb exists in the traveling locus of the host vehicle P. The target object Qb is determined to be a control object for follow-up traveling or contact avoidance.
When the relative speed Vb of the target object Qb is equal to or lower than the predetermined speed and is relatively small, and the representative position of the target object Qb is present in the traveling locus of the host vehicle P, the target object Qb is It is determined that it is a subject to be controlled for follow-up running.
Further, when the relative speed Vb of the target object Qb is a speed approaching the host vehicle P and one of the left and right end points of the target object Qb is present in the travel locus of the host vehicle P, this It is determined that the target object Qb is a contact avoidance control target.

  The vehicle control unit 38 includes, for example, a follow-up travel control unit 38a and a contact avoidance control unit 38b, and controls the transmission operation of the transmission (T / M) according to the determination result of the control target determination unit 37. At least one of the control signal, the control signal for controlling the driving force of the internal combustion engine (E) by the throttle actuator 14, the control signal for controlling the deceleration by the brake actuator 15, and the control signal for controlling the turning by the steering actuator 16 A control signal is output to control acceleration and deceleration of the host vehicle and turning. Further, the vehicle control unit 38 outputs a control signal for controlling the notification operation of the alarm device 17 according to the determination result of the control target determination unit 37.

  The follow-up travel control unit 38a performs the follow-up travel while maintaining a predetermined relative distance with respect to the control target of the follow-up travel according to the determination result of the control target determination unit 37, so that the throttle actuator 14 and the brake The actuator 15 is controlled to control acceleration or deceleration of the host vehicle.

  The contact avoidance control unit 38b controls contact avoidance with the host vehicle when the relative position of the control target for contact avoidance is closer to the host vehicle than a predetermined operation threshold position according to the determination result of the control target determination unit 37. The alarm operation of the alarm device 17 is controlled so as to avoid the occurrence of contact with the object or reduce the damage at the time of contact occurrence, and the brake actuator 15 is controlled to control the deceleration of the own vehicle, or the steering actuator 16 To control the steering of the host vehicle.

The alarm device 17 includes, for example, a tactile transmission device, a visual transmission device, and an auditory transmission device.
The tactile transmission device is, for example, a seat belt device, a steering control device, or the like, and generates a predetermined tension on the seat belt, for example, in response to a control signal input from the vehicle control unit 38 so that the passenger of the host vehicle can sense the tactile force. There is a possibility of contact with an object by applying a perceptible tightening force or by generating vibration (steering vibration) that can be perceived tactilely by the driver of the vehicle on the steering wheel. Is recognized by the passenger.
The visual transmission device is, for example, a display device or the like, for example, by displaying predetermined alarm information on the display device or blinking a predetermined alarm light in accordance with a control signal input from the vehicle control unit 38. Let the occupant recognize that there is a possibility of contact with the object.
The auditory transmission device is, for example, a speaker or the like, and may generate contact with an object by outputting a predetermined alarm sound or voice according to a control signal input from the vehicle control unit 38. Is recognized by the passenger.

  The object detection device 10 according to the present embodiment has the above-described configuration. Next, the operation of the object detection device 10, particularly among a plurality of objects detected by the external sensor 11, exists within a predetermined integrated range. A process of integrating a plurality of objects to be recognized as a single target object will be described.

First, for example, in step S01 shown in FIG. 4, information (for example, positions) of a plurality of objects existing in the external environment of the host vehicle is acquired based on the beat signal output from the external sensor 11.
And in step S02, the information (for example, a position, speed, a yaw rate etc.) of the own vehicle is acquired based on the signal output from the vehicle state sensor 12.
In step S03, the speed of the object relative to the host vehicle (the relative speed) is calculated based on the information related to the detected position of the object, and the absolute speed of the object is calculated based on the relative speed and the speed of the host vehicle. (Ground speed) is calculated.

In step S04, a predetermined integrated range is set for each object according to the detected absolute velocities of the plurality of objects.
In step S05, it is determined whether or not there are a plurality of objects detected by the object position detection unit 31 in each predetermined integration range.
If this determination is “YES”, the flow proceeds to step S 06, and in this step S 06, a plurality of objects whose relative speeds are substantially equal within the predetermined speed ranges are determined as a single target object. As a result, the representative position and the left and right end points of the target object are calculated, and the series of processing ends.
On the other hand, if this determination is “NO”, the flow proceeds to step S 07, where the representative position of the object that has not been integrated with another object is calculated for each predetermined integration range, and this The representative position is set as the end point in the left-right direction, and the series of processing ends.

As described above, according to the object detection device 10 according to the present embodiment, the predetermined integrated range when integrating a plurality of objects existing in the predetermined integrated range and recognizing as a single target object is substantially rectangular. The front-rear direction width and the left-right direction width of the predetermined integration range are set with respect to the front-rear direction and the left-right direction of the host vehicle in accordance with the absolute speed of an arbitrary object serving as a position reference for the predetermined integration range Thus, an appropriate predetermined integrated range corresponding to the motion state of the object detected by the object position detecting unit 31 is set, and among the positions of the plurality of objects detected by the object position detecting unit 31, the single actual range is actually It is possible to accurately integrate the positions of objects corresponding to a plurality of different positions on the object to form a single target object.
Further, as the absolute speed of an arbitrary object (for example, a preceding vehicle with respect to the host vehicle) that is a position reference with respect to the predetermined integration range increases, the arbitrary object exists in front of the arbitrary object. It can be determined that the distance from another object (for example, the vehicle ahead) changes in an increasing trend. For this reason, an appropriate predetermined integration range is set by changing the longitudinal width of the predetermined integration range in an expansion tendency as the absolute velocity of an arbitrary object increases, and is detected by the object position detection unit 31. In addition, among the positions of the plurality of objects, the positions of the objects corresponding to the plurality of different positions on the single object can be accurately integrated into a single target object.

  In addition, as the road design speed increases, the width of the lane usually increases, so any object that serves as a reference for the position with respect to the predetermined integrated range (for example, a preceding vehicle relative to the host vehicle). As the absolute speed of the vehicle increases, that is, as the design speed of the travel path of an arbitrary object increases, the right and left width of the predetermined integration range is changed to a tendency to expand, so that an appropriate predetermined integration range can be obtained. A single target object is obtained by accurately integrating the positions of objects corresponding to a plurality of different positions on a single object among the positions of the plurality of objects detected by the object position detection unit 31. It can be. Further, as the absolute speed of an arbitrary object (for example, a preceding vehicle with respect to the host vehicle) that serves as a position reference with respect to the predetermined integration range increases, the horizontal width of the predetermined integration range is set to a predetermined upper limit value WM. Since it is changed so as to converge and the tendency to expand, for example, the horizontal width of the predetermined integration range is prevented from excessively increasing to a value corresponding to the width of a plurality of lanes, and an appropriate predetermined integration range is set. can do.

In the above-described embodiment, for example, as shown in FIG. 3, the object integration unit 33 corresponds to a preset absolute speed (ground speed) of an object and a front-rear direction width and a left-right direction width of a predetermined integration range. The size of the predetermined integration range is set according to the relationship, but is not limited to this. For example, the predetermined inter-vehicle time (for example, 1 second), the absolute velocity of the object, and the predetermined left-right width (for example, predetermined) The width in the front-rear direction and the width in the left-right direction of the predetermined integration range may be set according to the vehicle width. In this case, for example, the front-rear width is a range obtained by integrating the predetermined inter-vehicle time and the absolute speed of the object.
In the embodiment described above, the left / right position calculation unit 35 may calculate the left / right width instead of the left / right end point.

It is a block diagram of the object detection apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the example of the predetermined integration range which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the example of the change of the front-back direction width | variety and the left-right direction width | variety of the predetermined integrated range according to the absolute speed of the object which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows operation | movement of the object detection apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

10 object detection device 11 external sensor (transmission and reception means)
31 Object position detector (object information calculation means)
32 Absolute velocity calculation unit (object information calculation means)
33 Object integration unit (integration means)

Claims (4)

Transmitting and receiving means for transmitting an electromagnetic wave to a predetermined area in the traveling direction of the host vehicle and receiving a reflected wave from an object existing in the predetermined area;
Object information calculation means for calculating information on the position and absolute speed of the object relative to the host vehicle based on the transmission and reception results by the transmission / reception means;
When a plurality of different reflected waves corresponding to a plurality of the objects existing within a predetermined range are received by the transmission / reception means, based on at least the positions of the plurality of objects calculated by the object information calculation means, An object detection apparatus comprising: an integration unit that integrates the plurality of objects existing within the predetermined range and recognizes the objects as a single object;
The integration unit sets the predetermined range of a substantially rectangular shape based on the position of the arbitrary object among the plurality of objects, and sets the absolute velocity of the arbitrary object calculated by the object information calculation unit. Based on this, at least one of the front-rear width and the left-right width of the predetermined range is set. The integration means includes
As the absolute velocity of the arbitrary object calculated by the object information calculating unit increases, the front-rear direction width of the predetermined range is set to the position of the arbitrary object calculated by the object information calculating unit. The object detection device according to claim 1, wherein the object is changed to an extension tendency in the traveling direction of the host vehicle with reference to the vehicle. The integration means includes
As the absolute velocity of the arbitrary object calculated by the object information calculating unit increases, the horizontal width of the predetermined range is set to the position of the arbitrary object calculated by the object information calculating unit. The object detection device according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle is changed to an extension tendency in the left-right direction of the host vehicle with reference to the vehicle. 4. The object detection apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the integration unit changes the horizontal width of the predetermined range to a predetermined upper limit value so as to extend in the horizontal direction of the host vehicle. .

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