JP2013215154A - System for evading accidental contact of vehicle and animal - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To estimate the position of an animal under a vehicle and in a space in the vicinity thereof with high accuracy and at low cost, and to alert the detected animal.SOLUTION: An shown in Fig.1, an accidental contact evasion system 1 detects an animal if there is the animal in a space under or in the vicinity of a vehicle 2 in non-running, and alerts the animal. The accidental contact evasion system 1 includes: a plurality of ultrasonic sensors 3 that are arranged for a plurality of divided sections in the space under or in the vicinity of the vehicle 2; an animal position estimation means 4 that estimates the position of the animal by a detection signal of each ultrasonic sensor 3; alerting means 5 that outputs a medium of alerting toward the position of the animal. Therefore, the position of the animal is estimated by the detection signal of the ultrasonic sensors 3, and the alerting toward the animal is enabled.

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle-animal contact accident avoidance system that detects and alerts an animal when there is an animal in the lower part of the vehicle when not traveling or in a space in the vicinity thereof.

  An apparatus that detects an animal around a vehicle and threatens the animal is known (Patent Document 1).

JP 2007-306818 A

  However, such an apparatus recognizes the position of the animal in the space near the lower part of the vehicle using an infrared sensor or a camera sensor. Therefore, when using an infrared sensor, it is easy to be affected by the road surface temperature. When using a camera sensor, it is necessary to provide a large number of cameras so as to cover the entire space near the lower part of the vehicle. Invite.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle-animal contact accident avoidance system that can estimate the position of an animal in the lower part of the vehicle or in the vicinity of the vehicle with high accuracy and at low cost, and can call attention to the detected animal. It is in.

Means for Solving the Problems and Effects of the Invention

In order to solve the above problems, the vehicle and animal contact accident avoidance system of the present invention is
When there is an animal in the space near the lower part of the vehicle when it is not running, it is a system for avoiding a contact accident between a car and an animal that detects it and alerts the animal,
A plurality of ultrasonic sensors arranged for each of a plurality of divided regions in the lower vicinity space;
Animal position estimating means for estimating the position of an animal from detection signals of a plurality of ultrasonic sensors;
A warning means for outputting a warning medium toward the position of the animal;
It is characterized by including.

  According to the contact accident avoidance system of the present invention, an ultrasonic sensor is arranged for each partitioned region in the lower vicinity space of the vehicle, and the position of the animal is detected by a detection signal of the ultrasonic sensor. Therefore, image processing is unnecessary and it is not affected by road surface temperature or the like, and the position of the animal in the space near the lower part of the vehicle can be estimated with high accuracy and at low cost, and attention can be given to the animal.

The block diagram which shows the contact accident avoidance system of the vehicle and animal of this invention. The bottom face schematic diagram of the vehicle by which the ultrasonic sensor of FIG. 1 is arrange | positioned. The schematic diagram which shows the target point which the ultrasonic sensor shown in FIG. 2 transmits an ultrasonic wave. The flowchart which shows the ultrasonic sensor control program, animal position estimation program, alerting program, alerting program, communication program, and operation program which are shown in FIG. The flowchart which shows the ultrasonic sensor control program and animal position estimation program which are shown in FIG. Explanatory drawing explaining the ultrasonic sensor in the modification of this invention.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the contact accident avoidance system 1 of the present invention detects an animal and alerts the animal when the animal is present in the space near the lower portion of the vehicle 2 when not traveling. The contact accident avoidance system 1 includes a plurality of ultrasonic sensors 3 arranged for each of a plurality of divided regions in a space near the lower portion of the vehicle 2 and an animal position estimating means for estimating the position of the animal based on detection signals from the respective ultrasonic sensors 3. 4 and a warning means 5 for outputting a warning medium toward the position of the animal. Therefore, it is possible to estimate the position of the animal based on the detection signal of the ultrasonic sensor 3 and to alert the animal. In the present specification, “when not traveling” means not only when the vehicle 2 is stopped or parked but also when the vehicle 2 is stopped or when the vehicle 2 starts to move at an extremely low speed. In addition, the “space near the lower part of the vehicle 2” in this specification means a lower space of the vehicle 2 and a space near the lower space.

  In the vehicle 2 of FIG. 1, a CPU 7, a ROM 8, a RAM 9, and an I / O port 10 (input / output interface) are connected to a bus 6. The I / O port 10 includes a door 12 that is locked and unlocked by a portable device 11 that wirelessly communicates with the vehicle 2 and enables the vehicle 2 to be boarded, a transmitter 13 that wirelessly communicates with the portable device 11, and The receiver 14, the speaker 15 that serves as a notification means for notifying the position of the animal, the display device 16, and the ultrasonic sensor 3 are connected.

  A plurality of ultrasonic sensors 3 are arranged in the lower vicinity space of the vehicle 2. Specifically, the lower vicinity space of the vehicle 2 is divided into a plurality of regions, and the ultrasonic sensor 3 is arranged for each of the divided regions (segmented regions). More specifically, as shown in the schematic bottom view of the vehicle 2 in FIG. 2, the outer edge region which is the outer edge portion of the lower part of the vehicle body of the vehicle 2 and the inside of the outer edge region, sandwiched between a pair of tires 2 a of the vehicle 2. A plurality of ultrasonic sensors 3 are provided in each region between the tires. Therefore, ultrasonic waves can be transmitted to the entire area of the lower vicinity space of the vehicle 2.

  The ultrasonic sensor 3 may be either a directional sensor or an omnidirectional sensor. In the case of omnidirectionality, it is possible to estimate the position of the animal using the detection signal of the ultrasonic sensor 3 by using at least two ultrasonic sensors 3. Specifically, it is possible to grasp the presence of an animal in a radiation area formed radially around the ultrasonic sensor 3 from the detection signal of one ultrasonic sensor 3. Similarly, from the detection signal of the other ultrasonic sensor 3, it is possible to grasp the presence of an animal in the radiation area of the ultrasonic sensor 3. Therefore, it is possible to estimate the position of the animal from the plurality of ultrasonic sensors 3 by using the overlap of the areas where the existence of the animal is grasped from the detection signals of both ultrasonic sensors 3.

  On the other hand, in the case of directivity, it is a movable ultrasonic sensor 3 capable of changing the direction in which ultrasonic waves are transmitted, and a target point 17 (see FIG. 3) for transmitting ultrasonic waves is determined for each divided region. The direction of the ultrasonic sensor is changed toward the target point 17 and an ultrasonic wave is transmitted, and a detection signal is received from the reflected wave. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, an ultrasonic transmission area 19 corresponding to the divided area is formed for each ultrasonic sensor 3 on the road surface 18 including the extension of the area directly below the vehicle 2. A plurality of target points 17 are defined in a lattice shape. Therefore, the distance to the target point 17 can be measured with high accuracy.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the ROM 8 of the vehicle 2 stores an ultrasonic sensor control program, an animal position estimation program, a warning program, a notification program, and an estimation start program.

  The ultrasonic sensor control program transmits the ultrasonic wave by changing the direction of the ultrasonic sensor 3 for each target point 17 so that the ultrasonic sensor 3 can transmit the ultrasonic wave toward the target point 17 for transmitting the ultrasonic wave, This is a program for obtaining a detection signal from the reflected wave.

  The animal position estimation program is a program (animal position estimation means 4) for estimating the position of an animal from the detection signal of the ultrasonic sensor 3. Specifically, the measurement time until the ultrasonic sensor 3 transmits an ultrasonic wave and receives the reflected wave is measured for each target point 17, and from the reception time that is a predetermined threshold for each target point 17. If the measurement time is short, the target point 17 is estimated as the position of the animal.

  The warning program is a program that outputs a warning medium toward the animal position estimated by the animal position estimation program. When the animal position estimation program estimates the position of the animal, it calls out to the position of the animal. The means 5 can be alerted to the animal by outputting a media for alerting. By using ultrasonic as the medium for alerting and the ultrasonic sensor 3 also serving as the alerting means 5, it is possible to estimate the position of the animal and alert it with a simple configuration. In this case, it is possible to distinguish between ultrasonic position estimation and alerting by changing the frequency and transmission time of ultrasonic waves that estimate the position of animals and ultrasonic waves that alert animals. Can be aroused. Note that the alerting means 5 may be a horn device such as a horn or a sound wave transmitter other than the ultrasonic sensor 3.

  The notification program is a program for notifying the passenger of the vehicle 2 of the position of the animal and the presence of the animal, and the position and presence of the animal estimated by the animal position estimation program via the speaker 15 and the display device 16. Can report to passengers. Therefore, the entrainment of animals can be prevented.

  When the unlocking signal is received via the portable device 11 that operates unlocking of the door 12 by wireless communication with the vehicle 2, the estimation start program causes the animal position estimation program to estimate the position of the animal. Therefore, it is possible to estimate the position of an animal sitting near the vehicle 2 while the vehicle 2 is parked, and to drive away the animal before boarding with the ultrasonic sensor 3.

  In the portable device 11, a CPU 21, a ROM 22, a RAM 23, and an I / O port 24 (input / output interface) are connected to a bus 20. The I / O port 24 includes an operation unit 25 that operates to lock and unlock the door 12, a receiver 26 that is a communication unit that wirelessly communicates with the vehicle 2 and transmits and receives the lock signal and unlock signal of the door 12. A transmitter 27 and a notification unit 28 which is a speaker or a display device for reporting the position of the animal estimated by the ultrasonic sensor 3 are provided. Separately, a sound wave transmitter for transmitting an ultrasonic wave or a sound wave to call attention to an animal located in the lower space of the vehicle 2 may be provided.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the ROM 22 of the portable device 11 stores a communication program, an operation program, and a notification program, and stores a warning program separately according to the function of the portable device 11.

  The communication program is a program for performing wireless communication between the vehicle 2 and the portable device 11, and the operation program is a program for performing the locking / unlocking operation of the door 12. When the portable device 11 includes an ultrasonic transmitter, a program for performing an ultrasonic transmission operation to an animal is also included. When the portable device 11 is provided with a speaker or a display device, a program for notifying the position of the animal by the speaker or the display device is stored as the notification program when the position of the animal in the lower vicinity space of the vehicle 2 is estimated. Therefore, the occupant can check the animal before boarding the vehicle 2. Further, a program for transmitting a sound wave or an ultrasonic wave from the sound wave transmitting unit in accordance with the operation of the operation unit 25 may be stored as the alerting program.

  Next, the contents of the various programs described above will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. The flowchart of FIG. 4 is a process for estimating the position of an animal sitting in the space near the lower part of the vehicle 2 during parking and alerting the user when getting on the vehicle 2, and estimating the position of the animal being processed. The processing to be performed is shown as a subroutine in the flowchart of FIG. 4 and 5 correspond to the ultrasonic sensor control program of the ROM 22 in the vehicle 2 of FIG. 1, the animal position estimation program, the alert program, the notification program, the communication program of the ROM 22 in the portable device 11, and the operation program. The CPUs 9 and 21 appropriately read out various programs and perform control.

  In S <b> 1, when the vehicle 2 detects an unlocking signal of the door 12 from the portable device 11, the position of the animal in the lower vicinity space of the vehicle 2 is estimated in S <b> 2. Therefore, the position of the animal can be grasped before the passenger gets on.

  If it progresses to S2, as shown in FIG. 5, each ultrasonic sensor 3 arrange | positioned for every division area in the lower vicinity space of the vehicle 2 will be controlled, and the position of an animal will be estimated. The ultrasonic sensor 3 estimates the position of the animal within the divided area where it is placed. Therefore, there is a case where the position of the animal is not estimated by the segmented region where the ultrasonic sensor 3 is arranged (when it is determined that no animal exists). The position of the animal is estimated by the ultrasonic sensor 3 transmitting an ultrasonic wave to the target point 17 and detecting the reflected wave.

  In the flowchart of FIG. 5, for convenience of explanation, the processing of one ultrasonic sensor 3 arranged in the segmented area is shown, but the same processing is performed in all the ultrasonic sensors 3 arranged in the vehicle 2. The position of the animal is estimated. In the process shown in FIG. 5, one ultrasonic sensor 3 changes the target point 17 for transmitting the ultrasonic wave, and transmits the ultrasonic wave for each target point 17 to estimate the position of the animal.

  First, in S10, N = 1 is set to the identification number (N) of the target point 17 to which the ultrasonic sensor 3 transmits ultrasonic waves. In S11, the ultrasonic sensor 3 moves toward the target point 17 (N = 1). The direction of the ultrasonic sensor 3 is changed so that a sound wave can be transmitted.

  In S12, an ultrasonic wave is transmitted from the ultrasonic sensor 3 directed to the target point 17 (N = 1) to the target point 17 (N = 1), and the target point 17 (N = 1) The distance to is measured.

  In S13, it is determined whether or not the measurement distance of S12 is smaller than a predetermined distance from the ultrasonic sensor 3 to the target point 17 (N = 1) (distance to the road surface in this embodiment). If it is smaller than the distance to the road surface, the target point 17 (N = 1) is recorded in the RAM 9 as the animal position and the process proceeds to S15. Otherwise, the target point 17 (N = 1) is recorded. If no, go to S15.

  In S15, the identification number of the target point 17 where the ultrasonic sensor 3 transmits ultrasonic waves is incremented from (N) to (N + 1). In S16, it is determined whether the incremented identification number N is larger than the number of target points 17 set in the ultrasonic transmission area 19, and if N is smaller than the set target point 17 number, the process returns to S11. The processing of S10 to S16 is repeated for all target points 17 set in the ultrasonic transmission area 19 until the distance measurement by the ultrasonic wave is completed, and N is the number of target points set in the ultrasonic transmission area 19 When it becomes larger than the above, the processing is finished. Therefore, since each ultrasonic sensor 3 estimates the position of the animal for each divided region, the position of the animal can be estimated with high accuracy.

  Returning to FIG. 4, when the position of the animal is estimated in S <b> 2, the process proceeds from S <b> 3 to S <b> 4, and the ultrasonic sensor 3 transmits an ultrasonic wave for calling attention to the estimated position of the animal. Therefore, accidents involving animals can be avoided by letting the animals escape with ultrasound. Next, in S5, the position of the animal in the lower vicinity space of the vehicle 2 is estimated as in S2. The effect of alerting can be confirmed by estimating the position of the animal again. If the position of the animal is not estimated in S3, the process ends.

  If the position of the animal is still estimated in S6, the position (or presence) of the animal is notified in S7 and the process is terminated. Therefore, it becomes possible for the occupant of the vehicle 2 to retract the animal before boarding. Moreover, even if the thing located in the lower vicinity area of the vehicle 2 is a large stone, the stone can be grasped in advance.

  As described above, the process of inducing the attention to the animal by estimating the position of the animal in the lower space of the vehicle 2 by changing the direction of the directional ultrasonic sensor 3 has been described. Hereinafter, a modified example in which the omnidirectional ultrasonic sensor 103 performs control for estimating the position of an animal without changing its direction will be described. The same configurations as those of the embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals as those of the embodiment and description thereof is omitted.

  When the omnidirectional ultrasonic sensor 103 is used, the ultrasonic sensor 103 disposed in the vehicle 2 is a detection region in which the position of the animal can be estimated by its own detection signal in the lower vicinity space of the vehicle 2 for each ultrasonic sensor 103. 29 (see FIG. 6), and this detection area 29 overlaps with the detection areas 29 of the other ultrasonic sensors 103. Therefore, the position of the animal can be accurately estimated at the overlapping portion of the detection region 29. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing overlap of the detection areas 29 of the ultrasonic sensor 103, and a part of the ultrasonic sensor 103 is omitted. As shown in FIG. 6, the position of the animal can be estimated with high accuracy as the overlapping number of the detection areas 29 increases. On the other hand, the area where the detection ranges 29 do not overlap is the vicinity area of the ultrasonic sensor 103. Therefore, even if an animal is located in that region, the position of the animal can be accurately estimated.

  Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the specific description, and the illustrated configuration, processing, and the like may be appropriately combined and implemented within a technically consistent range. It is possible, and certain elements and processes can be replaced with known forms.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Contact accident avoidance system 2 Vehicle 3 Ultrasonic sensor 4 Animal position estimation means 5 Warning means

Claims (4)

When there is an animal in the space near the lower part of the vehicle when not running, a vehicle-animal contact accident avoidance system that detects it and alerts the animal,
A plurality of ultrasonic sensors arranged for each of a plurality of divided regions in the lower vicinity space;
Animal position estimating means for estimating the position of the animal from detection signals of the plurality of ultrasonic sensors;
A warning means for outputting a warning medium toward the position of the animal;
A vehicle and animal contact accident avoidance system characterized by comprising:   The vehicle-animal contact accident avoidance system according to claim 1, further comprising notification means for notifying an occupant of the vehicle of the position of the animal. A portable device for operating unlocking of the vehicle door by wireless communication with the vehicle;
The portable device has communication means for transmitting an unlocking signal for unlocking the door to the vehicle,
The vehicle-animal contact accident avoidance system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the animal position estimating means estimates the position of the animal when the vehicle receives the unlocking signal.   The vehicle-animal contact accident according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein when the animal position estimating means estimates the position of the animal, the alerting means outputs the medium toward the position of the animal. Avoidance system.

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