JP2012008658A - Obstacle detector and program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an obstacle detector and a program capable of accurately detecting an obstacle.SOLUTION: An inventive obstacle detector comprises; distance acquisition means for acquiring a distance from a vehicle to an object to be measured for each of a plurality of measurement points; and detection means for detecting presence/absence of an obstacle within a prescribed distance on the basis of the distances at one or more measurement points in positions corresponding to the shape of the vehicle among the respective distances acquired by the distance acquisition means. If a predetermined number or more number of distances, which are shorter than the prescribed distance, are present among the distances at the one or more measurement points, the detection means detects the presence of the obstacle within the prescribed distance.

Description

  The present invention relates to an obstacle detection apparatus and program for detecting an obstacle.

  As this type of technology, for example, Patent Document 1 discloses a sensor for detecting an obstacle, vehicle control means for controlling the driving force and braking force of the vehicle, and the speed of the vehicle. When the vehicle detects an obstacle within a preset deceleration determination range, the vehicle speed detection means outputs a command to decelerate the vehicle to the vehicle control means, and the vehicle speed detection means There is disclosed an obstacle detection device for a vehicle that includes obstacle detection determination means for setting the deceleration determination range wider as the detection speed of the vehicle increases.

JP 2000-267729 A

  However, in the obstacle detection device disclosed in Patent Document 1, since the deceleration determination range is merely changed according to the detection speed, the obstacle may not be detected with high accuracy.

  The present invention has been made in view of these points, and an object of the present invention is to provide an obstacle detection device and a program that can accurately detect an obstacle.

The obstacle detection device according to the first aspect of the present invention is:
Distance acquisition means for acquiring the distance from the vehicle to the measurement object for each of a plurality of measurement points;
Detecting means for detecting the presence or absence of an obstacle within a predetermined distance based on a distance at one or more measurement points at a position corresponding to the shape of the vehicle among the distances acquired by the distance acquiring means;
Is provided.

The obstacle detection device according to the second aspect of the present invention is:
Distance acquisition means for acquiring the distance from the vehicle to the measurement object for each of a plurality of measurement points;
Detecting means for detecting the presence or absence of an obstacle within a predetermined distance based on a distance at one or more measurement points at a predetermined position among the distances acquired by the distance acquiring means;
With
The detection means detects the absence of the obstacle, and when the distance at one or more measurement points in the lower region of the plurality of measurement points satisfies a predetermined criterion, the traveling direction The vehicle is notified that the vehicle can get over the obstacle.

The program according to the third aspect of the present invention is:
On the computer,
A distance acquisition step of acquiring the distance from the vehicle to the measurement object for each of the plurality of measurement points;
A detection step of detecting the presence or absence of an obstacle within a predetermined distance based on a distance at one or more measurement points at a position corresponding to the shape of the vehicle among the distances acquired in the distance acquisition step;
To do.

The program according to the fourth aspect of the present invention is:
On the computer,
A distance acquisition step of acquiring the distance from the vehicle to the measurement object for each of the plurality of measurement points;
A detection step of detecting the presence or absence of an obstacle within a predetermined distance based on a distance at one or more measurement points at a predetermined position among the distances acquired in the distance acquisition step;
Let
In the detection step, when it is detected that there is no obstacle, and when a distance at one or more measurement points in the lower region among the plurality of measurement points satisfies a predetermined criterion, the traveling direction This is a step of notifying that the vehicle can get over the obstacle.

  According to the obstacle detection device and the program according to the present invention, an obstacle can be detected with high accuracy.

It is the block diagram which showed the structure of the obstruction detection apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is the block diagram which showed the hardware constitutions of the obstacle detection apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure for demonstrating the measurement of the distance to the measuring object of the obstruction detection apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is the figure which looked at a mode that the vehicle carrying the obstacle detection device concerning one embodiment of the present invention is going to enter a tunnel from the side of a vehicle. It is the figure which looked at a mode that the vehicle carrying the obstacle detection device concerning one embodiment of the present invention is going to enter a tunnel from the back of a vehicle. It is a figure which shows the content of the distance information in the case of FIG.4 and FIG.5. It is the figure which looked at a mode that the vehicle carrying the obstacle detection device concerning one embodiment of the present invention is going to enter a tunnel from the side of a vehicle. It is the figure which looked at a mode that the vehicle carrying the obstacle detection device concerning one embodiment of the present invention is going to enter a tunnel from the back of a vehicle. It is a figure which shows the content of the distance information in the case of FIG.7 and FIG.8. It is a flowchart of the detection process which the obstruction detection apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention performs. It is a figure which shows the relationship between each distance in each measurement point on the two-dimensional coordinate of distance information in the case of FIG.4, FIG.5 etc., and the preset collision area | region. It is a figure which shows the relationship between each distance in each measurement point on the two-dimensional coordinate of distance information in the case of FIG.7, FIG.8 etc., and the collision area | region preset. It is a figure which shows the relationship etc. between each distance in each measurement point on the two-dimensional coordinate of distance information, and the collision area | region preset.

  Embodiments according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In addition, this invention is not limited by the following description and drawing. It goes without saying that the configuration and the like shown in the following description and the drawings can be changed as appropriate (including deletion of components). Moreover, in the following description, in order to make an understanding of this invention easy, description of a known technical matter is abbreviate | omitted suitably.

  The configuration of the obstacle detection device 100 and the like will be described with reference to FIGS. The obstacle detection device 100 is a device that controls the device 140 of the vehicle 1 and is mounted in the vehicle 1.

  The obstacle detection apparatus 100 includes an information supply unit 110, a control unit 120, a storage unit 130, and a device 140. The obstacle detection device 100 may not include any of the information supply unit 110, the storage unit 130, and the device 140. That is, any of the information supply unit 110, the storage unit 130, and the device 140 may be outside the obstacle detection device 100.

  The device 140 is, for example, a display, a buzzer, a vibration generation device, or a reaction force motor. Further, the obstacle detection apparatus 100 may include a plurality of devices 140. The device 140 is controlled by the control unit 120 and performs a predetermined operation. The display is composed of an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) or the like, and displays predetermined information under the control of the control unit 120. Under the control of the control unit 120, the buzzer sounds a predetermined sound. The vibration generator is attached to a member to be vibrated such as a handle, a driver's seat, an accelerator pedal, and the like, and vibrates the member to be vibrated under the control of the control unit 120. Under the control of the control unit 120, the reaction force motor causes the accelerator pedal to generate a reaction force that works in a direction opposite to the depression direction of the accelerator pedal.

  The information supply unit 110 includes a distance sensor 111, a rotation sensor 112, a distance sensor 113, and an ECU (electronic control unit) 115. The distance sensor 111, the rotation sensor 112, and the distance sensor 113 operate under the control of the ECU 115.

  The distance sensors 111 and 113 are attached to the front and rear of the vehicle 1 (own vehicle), for example. The distance sensors 111 and 113 are sensors that measure the distance to the measurement object. Either one of the distance sensors 111 and 113 operates under the control of the ECU 115. The ECU 115 is supplied with a signal (for example, a signal for designating the gear of the vehicle 1) that can specify whether the vehicle 1 is moving forward or backward (back) from the outside. Based on this, the sensor on the traveling direction side of the vehicle 1 is operated. For example, when the vehicle 1 is moving forward, a sensor in front of the vehicle 1 operates.

  For example, the distance sensor 111 or 113 sequentially changes the measurement points in two dimensions vertically and horizontally under the control of the ECU 115, and sequentially measures the distance to the measurement object for each measurement point. The distance sensor 111 or 113 sequentially supplies distance data, which is the distance data measured as described above, to the ECU 115. The distance sensor 111 or 113 measures from the first measurement point (for example, the upper left measurement point in the distance information 6 in FIG. 6) to the last measurement point (for example, the lower right measurement point in the distance information 6 in FIG. 6). Once done, the measurement starts again from the first measurement point. As described above, the distance sensor 111 or 113 periodically performs measurement from the first measurement point to the last measurement point. The distance sensor 111 or 113 adds to the distance data for the first measurement point and / or the distance data for the last measurement point to indicate that this distance data is the distance data for the first or last measurement point. Append data as appropriate. Thereby, the distance data for one cycle is grasped. Note that the change of the measurement point is performed, for example, by changing the measurement direction. The vertical is the vertical direction, and the horizontal is the horizontal direction.

  The distance sensors 111 and 113 are each configured by a laser reflection type sensor, for example. As shown in FIG. 3, this sensor emits laser light forward (or rearward) of the vehicle 1 and receives laser light that is reflected by the measurement object 3 and returns from the emitted laser light. . This sensor measures the distance from the vehicle 1 to the measurement object by measuring the time from the emission of the laser light to the reception of light. The sensor scans the laser beam in two dimensions in the vertical and horizontal directions as time elapses, thereby sequentially changing the measurement points in the two dimensions.

  The rotation sensor 112 is used to measure the travel distance of the vehicle 1 and the like. Under the control of the ECU 115, the rotation sensor 112 generates a pulse electric signal (rotation number signal) having a period corresponding to the rotation period of the wheel of the vehicle 1 and supplies the pulse electric signal to the ECU 115.

  The ECU 115 controls the engine of the vehicle 1 and the like. The ECU 115 stores the distance data sequentially supplied from the distance sensor 111 or 113 in the storage unit in the ECU 115. When ECU 115 stores distance data for one cycle from the first measurement point to the last measurement point (for example, grasped by the additional data), distance information is obtained using the distance data for one cycle. Data to be expressed (distance information data) is generated. This distance information is information representing the distance to the measurement object at each measurement point, with each predetermined point on the two-dimensional coordinates in the horizontal and vertical directions as each measurement point when viewed in the traveling direction. Each measurement point on the distance information is naturally arranged so as to be the same as the actual positional relationship of each measurement point when viewed in the traveling direction of the vehicle 1. For example, when the measurement point moves from the upper left to the upper right, one step down, right to left, one step down from the left to the right ... These measurement points are also arranged in this order and positional relationship, so that the positional relationship between each distance and each measurement point becomes the same. These are performed according to a predetermined rule. The ECU 115 sequentially generates distance information.

  When the vehicle 1 is about to enter the tunnel 5 as shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, the generated distance information is as the distance information 6 in FIG. In FIG. 6, the distance information 6 and the tunnel 5 are displayed so as to overlap each other in order to clarify the positional relationship between each measurement point and the tunnel 5. Both have a positional relationship as shown in FIG. The distance information 6 can be handled as an image having each measurement point as one or more pixels. In this case, the distance at each measurement point is represented by the gradation of the pixel. The number in the distance information 6 is the distance from the vehicle 1 to the measurement object at the measurement point (unit is meter). “−” Is a portion where the inside of the tunnel 5 is a measurement point, and indicates that the measurement object does not exist or the measurement object is separated by a certain distance or more. The number of measurement points is determined as appropriate. In addition, the actual measurement point here corresponds to the center of the region (the region where numerals are described) divided by the distance information 6.

  When the vehicle 1 is about to enter the tunnel 7 as shown in FIGS. 7 to 9, the generated distance information is as shown in the distance information 8 of FIG. Other explanations are the same as those in FIGS.

  Further, the ECU 115 acquires the rotation speed signal supplied from the rotation sensor 112, counts the number of pulses in the acquired rotation speed signal for each predetermined period, specifies the travel distance, and indicates travel distance data. Is generated. Since the cycle of the pulse of the rotation speed signal is a (same) cycle corresponding to the cycle of one rotation of the wheel, the travel distance is set to the number of pulses and the length of the circumference of the wheel (set in advance) )). The ECU 115 calculates the travel distance by performing such calculation according to the rotation speed signal. Then, ECU 115 divides the calculated travel distance by the predetermined period to calculate the travel speed of vehicle 1 (generates travel speed data). The ECU 115 continuously repeats this process.

  The ECU 115 supplies the distance information data and the traveling speed data generated above to the control unit 120 based on, for example, CAN (Controller Area Network).

  Note that the rotation speed signal, the distance data, and the like may be supplied to the control unit 120 not via the ECU 115 or directly via the ECU 115. In this case, the control unit 120 (distance acquisition unit 120a, travel speed acquisition unit 120b) acquires these data by generating each data in the same process as described above. Alternatively, the distance information data and the traveling speed data may be separately generated using a device other than the ECU 115 and supplied to the control unit 120.

  The control unit 120 includes a distance acquisition unit 120a, a traveling speed acquisition unit 120b, and a detection unit 120c. For example, an input port 121, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 122, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 123, and the like. , And a D / A (Digital / Analog) converter 124. In the present embodiment, the distance acquisition unit 120a, the traveling speed acquisition unit 120b, and the detection unit 120c are configured by a CPU 122 that performs processing according to a control program.

  Distance information data and travel speed data are input from the ECU 115 to the input port 121. Data supplied via the input port 121 is temporarily recorded in the RAM 123.

  The CPU 122 controls the entire obstacle detection device 100 (particularly, the device 140) according to a control program stored in a ROM (Read Only Memory) 131, as well as a control unit 120 (distance acquisition unit 120a, travel speed acquisition unit 120b, and The detection process performed by the detection unit 120c) is performed. At this time, the CPU 122 uses various data stored in the ROM 131 as necessary. The CPU 122 uses data recorded in the RAM 123.

  The RAM 123 functions as a main memory that appropriately stores data such as data generated by the CPU 122 and data used by the CPU 122.

  The D / A converter 124 converts data (digital data) received from the CPU 122 via the RAM 123 into an analog signal, and supplies the converted signal to the device 140. The device 140 performs a predetermined operation according to the supplied signal. As a result, the device 140 performs a predetermined operation under the control of the detection unit 120c (CPU 122).

  The storage unit 130 stores data used by the control unit 120 (distance acquisition unit 120a, travel speed acquisition unit 120b, and detection unit 120c). The storage unit 130 includes a ROM 131 and stores a control program, various data, and the like. These are read directly to the CPU 122 and used, or read to the RAM 123 as needed before being used by the CPU 122. The storage unit 130 may be configured by another storage device such as a flash memory.

  Next, detection processing performed by the obstacle detection device 100 will be described with reference to FIG. This process is started, for example, when the engine of the vehicle 1 is started, and is ended when the operation of the engine of the vehicle 1 is stopped.

  First, the distance information acquisition unit 120a and the travel speed acquisition unit 120b respectively acquire distance information data and travel speed data supplied from the information supply unit 110 (step S101).

  The detection unit 120c acquires the threshold value P based on the travel speed acquired by the travel speed acquisition unit 120b and, based on the distance information acquired by the distance information acquisition unit 120a, out of the distances at each measurement point, the threshold value P It is determined whether there is a distance less than (step S102).

  For example, the detection unit 120c refers to a correspondence table recorded in the storage unit 130 that records the correspondence relationship between the traveling speed and the threshold value, and acquires the threshold value P corresponding to the traveling speed acquired by the traveling speed acquisition unit 120b. Alternatively, the threshold value P is obtained by calculating the threshold value P using the relational expression between the traveling speed and the threshold value recorded in the storage unit 130. The threshold value P increases as the traveling speed increases. The threshold value P is set, for example, to a distance that gives a slight margin to the distance (braking distance + idle distance) that stops when sudden braking is applied at the traveling speed. This is because if the traveling speed is fast, the obstacle is reached quickly, so that the threshold value P is increased and a warning or the like is given before the obstacle is reached (collision). Here, the threshold value P is assumed to be 10 m. Based on the acquired threshold value P, the detection unit 120c determines whether there is a distance less than the threshold value P among the distances included in the distance information. When the distance information is the distance information 6 shown in FIG. 6, the distance information 6 includes a measurement point with a distance of 9 m (a portion other than the hole of the tunnel 5). It is determined that there is a distance less than (step S102; YES). In this case, there is an object to be measured (a candidate for an obstacle, here a portion other than a hole such as a tunnel edge) in the traveling direction of the vehicle 1.

  If the detection unit 120c determines that there is no distance less than the threshold P among the distances (step S102; NO), the detection unit 120c performs the process of step S101 again. In this way, the detection unit 120c performs acquisition of distance information and the like and determination as described above until the vehicle 1 approaches a measurement object ahead of the traveling direction.

  If it is determined YES in step S102, the detection unit 120c determines whether the distance in the distance information satisfies a predetermined condition (step S103). For example, when the vehicle 1 travels in the traveling direction as it is on the two-dimensional coordinates in the distance information, the detection unit 120c displays a region that may collide with the obstacle when there is an obstacle there. (Refer to the region 10 represented by the dotted line in FIGS. 11 and 12). This collision area is, for example, a shape (an example of a shape corresponding to the vehicle 1) in which the vehicle 1 that is the host vehicle is projected from the front or rear, and the position and shape of the collision area on the two-dimensional coordinates are actual It is assumed that the positional relationship between the position of the vehicle and the position of the actual measurement point is determined in advance so as to be reproduced on two-dimensional coordinates (this data is recorded in advance in the storage unit 120). The collision area may be a shape corresponding to the vehicle 1, and may be an area having a size corresponding to the width and height of the vehicle 1, for example. For example, in the distance information 6, the detection unit 120 c may include a predetermined number (in consideration of noise) of a plurality of measurement points whose distance is less than the threshold P among measurement points where the collision area and at least a part of the area overlap. Here, when there are three or more, for example, it is determined that the distance of the distance information satisfies the condition (step S103; YES), and the process of step S104 is performed. For example, as illustrated in FIGS. 11 and 12, the detection unit 120 c can handle distance information as an image, and thus can handle the above processing as image processing. Specifically, by superimposing a collision area on an image of distance information, a measurement point at which at least a part of the collision area overlaps can be specified, and a distance at the measurement point can be specified by gradation or the like. The detection unit 120c determines that the distance of the distance information does not satisfy the condition when the number of measurement points where the distance is less than the threshold P is less than the predetermined number (step S103; NO) ), The process of step S105 is performed.

  When the distance of the distance information satisfies the above condition (step S103; YES), when the vehicle 1 goes straight in the traveling direction of the vehicle 1, the vehicle 1 actually collides with an obstacle (measurement object). Probability is high. For example, when the distance information is the distance information 8 of FIGS. 9 and 12 (that is, in the situation shown in FIG. 7 and the like), the distance is 9 m among the measurement points that overlap the region 10 (that is, the threshold value). There are more than a predetermined number of measurement points (which is a distance less than P (10 m)). In this case, the distance of the distance information 8 satisfies the above criteria. Here, when the distance information 8 of FIG. 12 is obtained, the actual vehicle 1 is about to enter the tunnel 7 (see FIGS. 7 and 8), but the ceiling of the tunnel 7 is the vehicle as shown in FIGS. Lower than 1. For this reason, the edge on the ceiling side of the tunnel 7 which is the measurement object at the measurement point with a distance of 9 m hits the vehicle 1 as an obstacle. For this reason, the vehicle 1 collides with an obstacle. As described above, when YES is determined in step S103, the measurement object (edge on the ceiling side of the tunnel 7) detected in step S102 and in the position close to the vehicle 1 can collide with the vehicle 1 traveling straight as it is. Is expensive. In this case, the detection unit 120c controls the device 140 to notify the driver of the collision and notifies the collision (step S104). For example, when the device 140 is a display, the detection unit 120c controls the display to display “the possibility of collision is high”. When the device 140 is a buzzer, the detection unit 120c controls the buzzer to sound a sound effect “boo”. When the device is a vibration generating device, the detection unit 120c controls the vibration generating device to generate vibration, thereby vibrating the non-vibrating member. When the device 140 is a reaction force motor, the detection unit 120c controls the reaction force motor and rotates it to apply a reaction force to the accelerator pedal. In this way, the device 140 functions as a notification unit that notifies that there is a high possibility of a collision.

  When the distance of the distance information does not satisfy the reference (step S103; NO), even if the vehicle 1 travels straight in the traveling direction of the vehicle 1, the possibility that the vehicle 1 collides with an obstacle is small. For example, when the distance information is the distance information 6 in FIGS. 6 and 11, the number of measurement points that are less than the threshold P (10 m) among the measurement points that overlap the region 10 is less than a predetermined number (here, , 0). In this case, the distance of the distance information 8 does not satisfy the above criteria. Here, when the distance information 6 of FIG. 11 is obtained, the actual vehicle 1 is about to enter the tunnel 5 (see FIGS. 4 and 5), but the ceiling of the tunnel 5 is the vehicle as shown in FIGS. Higher than one. For this reason, the edge on the ceiling side of the tunnel 7 does not hit the vehicle 1. For this reason, the vehicle 1 does not collide with an obstacle. As described above, when NO is determined in step S103, the measurement object (edge on the ceiling side of the tunnel 7) detected in step S102 at a position close to the vehicle 1 can collide with the vehicle 1 traveling straight as it is. Will be low. In this case, the detection unit 120c controls the device 140 to notify the driver that there is no collision, and notifies that the vehicle can pass (step S105). For example, when the device 140 is a display, the detection unit 120c controls the display to display “passable”. When the device 140 is a buzzer, the detection unit 120c controls the buzzer to sound a sound effect “ping pong”. When there are a plurality of types of devices 140, the detection unit 120c performs notification by combining them. In this way, the device 140 also functions as a notification unit that notifies that there is a high possibility of passing.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the distance acquisition unit 120a acquires the distance from the vehicle 1 to the measurement object for each of the plurality of measurement points, and the detection unit 120c acquires the distance acquisition unit 120a through the above processing. Among the measured distances, the distance at a measurement point at a position corresponding to the shape of the vehicle 1 (in this embodiment, it is a measurement point that overlaps with the collision area, and may be any number of one or more measurement points). Based on this, the presence or absence of an obstacle within a predetermined distance is detected. As a result, the shape of the vehicle 1 is reflected and an obstacle is detected. Therefore, the detected obstacle is highly likely to actually collide as described above. For this reason, in this embodiment, an obstacle can be detected with high accuracy. In particular, with respect to the height direction of the vehicle 1, it can be accurately identified whether the vehicle 1 collides with an obstacle. In addition, useless avoidance behavior in the driver can be eliminated, and in turn, safe and comfortable travel can be provided to the driver.

  In the present embodiment, the detection unit 130c performs the above process when the distance closer to the measurement point than the predetermined distance (threshold value P in the present embodiment) is equal to or greater than a predetermined number. Detecting the presence of an obstacle within a predetermined distance. This makes it possible to accurately detect an obstacle that is an object that is highly likely to collide.

  In the present embodiment, the traveling speed acquisition unit 120b acquires the traveling speed of the vehicle 1 by the above processing, and the detection unit 120c performs the predetermined distance according to the traveling speed acquired by the traveling speed acquisition unit 120b. (In this embodiment, the threshold value P) is changed. This makes it easy to prevent a collision between the vehicle 1 and an obstacle.

  Further, in the present embodiment, when the detection unit 120c detects the presence of an obstacle by the above processing, the detection unit 120c notifies the fact (by the device 140). Thereby, the driver of the vehicle 1 can prevent a collision with an obstacle.

  The detection unit 120c may detect an obstacle that the vehicle 1 can get over and notify the driver to that effect. That is, when the detection unit 120c detects that no obstacle is present within the predetermined distance (step S103; NO in the present embodiment), the lower region of the plurality of measurement points When the distance at one or more measurement points in the vehicle satisfies a predetermined criterion, it may be notified that the vehicle 1 can get over an obstacle in the traveling direction. Thereby, since the obstacle which the vehicle 1 can get over is detectable, an obstacle can be detected accurately. In addition, useless avoidance behavior in the driver can be eliminated, and in turn, safe and comfortable travel can be provided to the driver.

  For example, in step S103, the detection unit 120c defines the collision area 13 excluding the tire portion of the vehicle 1 with respect to the distance information as shown in FIG. 13, and performs the process of step S103 for this collision area. When the distance of the distance information does not satisfy the reference (step S103; NO), the detection unit 120c is within a predetermined range from the lowest level on the two-dimensional coordinates (this range is over which the vehicle 1 can get over). A predetermined distance (this embodiment) about a measurement point (here, a region of measurement points filled with dots as shown in FIG. 13) in a level (here, the lowest level) corresponding to the height. Then, when the distance closer than the threshold value P) is a certain number or more (for example, two or more in the case of FIG. 13), there is a short obstacle (an obstacle through which the vehicle 1 can get over). In this case, the detection unit 120c controls the device 140 to display, for example, on the display unit that the vehicle 1 can get over the obstacle in the traveling direction. When the main object is to detect an obstacle that the vehicle 1 can get over, the collision area only needs to be above the lower area, and the shape does not have to correspond to the shape of the vehicle 1. Note that getting over includes appropriately straddling.

  In the above description, the obstacle detection device 100 is used for the vehicle 1 that is an automobile. However, the obstacle detection device may be used for other vehicles (such as motorcycles) and other vehicles such as ships. Is possible.

  The control program may cause the CPU 122 to perform detection processing in cooperation with an OS (Operation System). In this case, the OS is also recorded in the ROM 131. The control program is recorded on a portable storage medium (for example, CD-ROM (Compact Disk Read Only Memory), DVD-ROM (Digital Versatile Disk Read Only Memory)) and supplied to the obstacle detection apparatus 100 (installed). ). In addition, the control program may be supplied to the obstacle detection apparatus 100 via a network. In these cases, the storage unit 130 is configured by a flash memory or the like, and a control program is recorded in the flash memory.

  The ROM 131, the flash memory, or a portable storage medium in which the program is recorded is a computer-readable program product (a computer-readable storage medium that stores the program). The program may operate the obstacle detection apparatus 100 in which at least a part of the functions is realized by a dedicated circuit. That is, the obstacle detection device 100 may be any device that performs detection processing as a whole, and the control program only needs to operate such an obstacle detection device 100.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Vehicle 3 Measuring object 6, 8 Distance information 10, 13 Collision area 100 Obstacle detection device 110 Information supply part 120 Control part 120a Distance acquisition part 120b Traveling speed acquisition part 120c Detection part 130 Storage part 140 Instrument

Claims (8)

Distance acquisition means for acquiring the distance from the vehicle to the measurement object for each of a plurality of measurement points;
Detecting means for detecting the presence or absence of an obstacle within a predetermined distance based on a distance at one or more measurement points at a position corresponding to the shape of the vehicle among the distances acquired by the distance acquiring means;
An obstacle detection device comprising: The detection means detects that the obstacle exists within the predetermined distance when a distance closer than the predetermined distance is a predetermined number or more among the distances at the one or more measurement points. ,
The obstacle detection apparatus according to claim 1. The vehicle further comprises travel speed acquisition means for acquiring the travel speed of the vehicle,
The detection means changes the predetermined distance according to the travel speed acquired by the travel speed acquisition means.
The obstacle detection apparatus according to claim 1. When the detection unit detects that the obstacle is not present within the predetermined distance, and the distance at one or more measurement points in the lower region of the plurality of measurement points is a predetermined reference If the vehicle is satisfied, the vehicle will be able to get over obstacles in the direction of travel.
The obstacle detection apparatus according to claim 1. When the detection means detects the presence of the obstacle, it notifies that fact,
The obstacle detection apparatus according to claim 1. Distance acquisition means for acquiring the distance from the vehicle to the measurement object for each of a plurality of measurement points;
Detecting means for detecting the presence or absence of an obstacle within a predetermined distance based on a distance at one or more measurement points at a predetermined position among the distances acquired by the distance acquiring means;
With
The detection means detects the absence of the obstacle, and when the distance at one or more measurement points in the lower region of the plurality of measurement points satisfies a predetermined criterion, the traveling direction Informing that the vehicle can get over the obstacle in
An obstacle detection device characterized by that. On the computer,
A distance acquisition step of acquiring the distance from the vehicle to the measurement object for each of the plurality of measurement points;
A detection step of detecting the presence or absence of an obstacle within a predetermined distance based on a distance at one or more measurement points at a position corresponding to the shape of the vehicle among the distances acquired in the distance acquisition step;
A program characterized by having On the computer,
A distance acquisition step of acquiring the distance from the vehicle to the measurement object for each of the plurality of measurement points;
A detection step of detecting the presence or absence of an obstacle within a predetermined distance based on a distance at one or more measurement points at a predetermined position among the distances acquired in the distance acquisition step;
Let
In the detection step, when it is detected that there is no obstacle, and when a distance at one or more measurement points in the lower region among the plurality of measurement points satisfies a predetermined criterion, the traveling direction Informing that the vehicle can get over the obstacle at
A program characterized by that.

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