JP2022011941A - Drive support device - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a drive support device which can properly set a detection range of the other vehicle which travels in an adjacent lane adjacent to a lane in which a vehicle is in traveling.SOLUTION: A detection range is set in an adjacent lane adjacent to a lane in which a vehicle 100 is in traveling on the basis of a yaw rate and a steering angle which are changed by the steering of the vehicle 100, and the other vehicle which travels in the detection range is detected by a radar 3. When the vehicle 100 does not travel in a center of the lane, and when a displacement occurs in a yaw rate, a steering angle and a road shape which are changed by the steering of the vehicle 100, the detection range may not be set within the adjacent range. Therefore, information necessary for a correction of the detection range is acquired from an image at the outside of the vehicle 100 which is photographed by a camera 4 mounted to the vehicle 100. Then, the detection range is corrected so as to be set within the adjacent lane on the basis of the acquired information.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

The present invention relates to a device that assists the driving of a vehicle.

As one of the functions to support safe driving of vehicles such as automobiles, a millimeter-wave sensor (millimeter-wave radar) attached to the left and right rear ends of the vehicle or the left and right side mirrors is used to be adjacent to the lane in which the vehicle is traveling. There is a BSM (Blind Spot Monitor) function that detects other vehicles traveling in the adjacent lane and issues an alarm to the driver of the vehicle (own vehicle).

In the BSM function, for example, the detection range of another vehicle by the millimeter wave sensor is set from the position in the lateral direction (vehicle width direction) of the vehicle, the yaw rate, and the steering angle.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2006-315491

However, if the vehicle is not traveling in the center of the lane, or if there is a discrepancy between the vehicle's yaw rate and steering angle and the road shape, the detection range of other vehicles traveling in the adjacent lane may be set incorrectly and adjacent. A non-alarm may be issued by not detecting another vehicle traveling in the lane, and a false alarm may be issued by detecting an object in a position other than the adjacent lane.

An object of the present invention is to provide a driving support device capable of appropriately setting a detection range of another vehicle traveling in an adjacent lane adjacent to the lane in which the vehicle is traveling.

In order to achieve the above object, the driving support device according to the present invention is provided in the vehicle, and is provided with other vehicle detecting means for detecting another vehicle traveling in the detection range behind and sideways (rear side) of the vehicle. A detection range setting means that sets the detection range in the adjacent lane adjacent to the lane in which the vehicle is traveling based on parameters that change due to the steering of the vehicle, a camera provided in the vehicle that captures the outside of the vehicle, and a camera. The detection range correction means for correcting the detection range set by the detection range setting means based on the information acquired from the image captured by the camera is included.

According to this configuration, a detection range is set in the adjacent lane adjacent to the lane in which the vehicle is traveling based on the parameters changed by the steering of the vehicle, and other vehicles traveling in the detection range are detected.

In a situation where the vehicle travels in the center of the lane and there is no deviation between the parameters changed by the steering of the vehicle and the road shape, the detection range is well set in the adjacent lane based on the parameters. However, if the vehicle is not traveling in the center of the lane, or if there is a discrepancy between the parameters that change due to the steering of the vehicle and the road shape, the detection range may not be set within the adjacent range.

Therefore, the information necessary for correcting the detection range is acquired from the image of the outside of the vehicle taken by the camera provided in the vehicle. Then, based on the acquired information, the detection range is corrected so as to be set in the adjacent lane. As a result, the detection range of other vehicles traveling in the adjacent lane can be appropriately set. As a result, the occurrence of non-alarm by not detecting other vehicles traveling in the adjacent lane and false alarm by detecting an object in a position other than the adjacent lane is suppressed, and the alarm performance is improved.

The information obtained from the image captured by the camera may include the distance between the vehicle and the end of the lane in which the vehicle is traveling. By acquiring the distance between the vehicle and the end of the lane, the amount of deviation between the center of the vehicle in the width direction and the center of the lane can be obtained from the distance between the vehicle and the end of the lane. , The deviation of the detection range due to the vehicle not traveling in the center of the lane can be satisfactorily corrected according to the deviation amount.

Further, the information acquired from the image taken by the camera may include the shape of the road on the rear side of the vehicle (for example, the radius of curvature of the curved road). By acquiring the shape of the road on the rear side of the vehicle, it is possible to obtain the amount of deviation between the parameter changed by the steering of the vehicle and the road shape from the shape of the road on the rear side, and according to the amount of deviation. Therefore, it is possible to satisfactorily correct the deviation of the detection range due to the deviation between the parameter and the road shape.

The information obtained from the images captured by the camera may include both the distance between the vehicle and the end of the lane in which the vehicle is traveling and the shape of the road behind the vehicle. In this case, even when the vehicle is not traveling in the center of the lane and there is a deviation between the parameter changed by the steering of the vehicle and the road shape, the deviation of the detection range can be satisfactorily corrected. ..

The parameters that change with the steering of the vehicle may be the yaw rate or steering angle of the vehicle, or both.

According to the present invention, it is possible to appropriately set the detection range of another vehicle traveling in an adjacent lane adjacent to the lane in which the vehicle is traveling.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the driving support system which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the detection range which detects the vehicle running in the center of the lane of a straight road, and other vehicles. It is a figure which shows the vehicle which is moving to the right side of the lane of a straight road, and the detection range before correction. It is a figure which shows the vehicle which is moving to the right side of the lane of a straight road, and the detection range after correction. It is a figure which shows the detection range which detects the vehicle and other vehicles traveling on a curved road with a constant radius of curvature. It is a figure which shows the vehicle running on the curved road where the radius of curvature changes, and the detection range before correction. It is a figure which shows the vehicle running on the curved road where the radius of curvature changes, and the detection range after correction. It is a figure which shows the detection range which detects the vehicle traveling in the rightmost lane and other vehicles. It is a figure which shows the detection range which detects the vehicle traveling in the leftmost lane and other vehicles.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

<Driving support system>
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a driving support system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The driving support system 1 is a system mounted on a vehicle 100 (see FIG. 3) such as an automobile to support driving by a driver. As a function of supporting driving, the driving support system 1 detects another vehicle traveling in a lane adjacent to the lane in which the vehicle 100 is traveling (hereinafter referred to as "adjacent lane"), and detects the other vehicle of the vehicle (own vehicle) 100. It has a BSM (Blind Spot Monitor) function that issues an alarm to the driver. The BSM function can be switched between operation and non-operation, and a BSM switch 2 operated for the switching is arranged at a position such as an instrument panel that can be operated by the driver.

The driving support system 1 includes a radar 3 and a camera 4 mounted on the vehicle 100.

The radar 3 is installed in the left rear portion and the right rear portion of the vehicle 100, and is, for example, a sensor for detecting the situation of the irradiation range (for example, a range of about 100 m) in the left rear and the right rear of the vehicle 100, respectively. .. The radar 3 irradiates the irradiation range with a radar wave, receives a reflected wave from an object existing in the irradiation range, and outputs a detection signal corresponding to the reflected wave. The radar 3 may be a millimeter wave radar (millimeter wave sensor) that uses radio waves in the millimeter wave band as a radar wave, or may be a laser radar that uses a laser as a radar wave.

The camera 4 can continuously shoot still images at a predetermined frame rate, and may be a monocular camera or a stereo camera. The camera 4 is arranged, for example, in the center of the rear part of the vehicle 100 (for example, the center of the lower surface of the rear spoiler) so that the rear of the vehicle 100 can be imaged at a wide angle. The camera 4 may be arranged at the front of the vehicle 100 and may be capable of photographing the front of the vehicle 100. In this case, the distance L between the vehicle 100, which will be described later, and the end of the traveling lane in front may be acquired from the image taken in front by the camera 4. Further, the camera 4 may be arranged at the front portion and the rear portion of the vehicle 100.

The driving support system 1 includes a driving support ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 5. The operation support ECU 5 is an electronic control unit having a configuration including a microcomputer (microcontroller unit), and the microcomputer includes, for example, a non-volatile memory such as a CPU and a flash memory, and a volatile memory such as a DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory). It is built-in. In addition to the driving support ECU 5, the vehicle 100 is equipped with an ECU having the same hardware configuration as the driving support ECU 5 in order to control each part, and the plurality of ECUs including the driving support ECU 5 are CAN (Controller Area). Network) Two-way communication using the communication protocol is possible.

The operation support ECU 5 switches the BSM function on (operated) / off (non-operated) according to the operation of the BSM switch 2. When the BSM function is on, the driving support ECU 5 executes the other vehicle detection process described below, and when the other vehicle detection process detects another vehicle traveling in the adjacent lane, the indicator 6 blinks or lights up. In addition, a voice or an alarm sound is output from the buzzer / speaker 7.

<Other vehicle detection processing>
2, FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 are diagrams showing a detection range for detecting a vehicle 100 traveling on a straight road and another vehicle.

In each of the figures after FIG. 2, the detection range of another vehicle by the radar 3 is shown by hatching.

When the BSM function is turned on by operating the BSM switch 2, the other vehicle detection process is started. In the other vehicle detection process, first, a coordinate system for specifying the position of the vehicle 100 is set. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, a plane coordinate system including the X-axis along the front-rear direction of the vehicle 100 and the Y-axis along the width direction of the vehicle 100 is set with the position of the center of gravity of the vehicle 100 as the origin. ..

Next, the yaw rate of the vehicle 100 is acquired. The vehicle 100 is provided with a yaw rate sensor (not shown) for detecting the yaw rate. The yaw rate sensor outputs a detection signal according to the yaw rate, which is the rotational angular velocity around the vertical axis passing through the center of gravity of the vehicle 100. The detection signal of the yaw rate sensor may be input to the driving support ECU 5 or may be input to an ECU other than the driving support ECU 5. When the detection signal of the yaw rate sensor is input to the driving support ECU 5, the driving support ECU 5 obtains the yaw rate from the detection signal of the yaw rate sensor. When the detection signal of the yaw rate sensor is input to an ECU other than the driving support ECU 5, the yaw rate is obtained from the detection signal of the yaw rate sensor by the ECU, and the obtained yaw rate is input to the driving support ECU 5.

Further, the steering angle of the vehicle 100 is acquired. The vehicle 100 is provided with a steering angle sensor (not shown) for detecting the steering angle. The steering angle sensor outputs a detection signal according to the steering angle with respect to the steering angle midpoint of the steering mechanism of the vehicle 100. The steering angle may be a steering angle (rotation operation angle) from the neutral position of the steering wheel, or may be a steering angle from the neutral position of the steering wheel. The detection signal of the steering angle sensor may be input to the driving support ECU 5 or may be input to an ECU other than the driving support ECU 5. When the detection signal of the steering angle sensor is input to the driving support ECU 5, the driving support ECU 5 obtains the steering angle from the detection signal of the steering angle sensor. When the detection signal of the steering angle sensor is input to an ECU other than the driving support ECU 5, the ECU obtains the steering angle from the detection signal of the steering angle sensor, and the obtained steering angle is input to the driving support ECU 5. Rudder.

When the yaw rate and steering angle of the vehicle 100 are acquired by the driving support ECU 5, the shape of the road on which the vehicle 100 is traveling is estimated from the yaw rate and the steering angle, and the shape of the road on which the vehicle 100 is traveling is estimated by the radar 3 according to the road shape. The detection range is set.

For example, as shown in FIG. 2, when the road on which the vehicle 100 is traveling is a straight road and the vehicle 100 is traveling in the center of the second driving lane, the left end from the center of the second driving lane. The distance to (the distance from the center of the second lane to the first lane) and the distance to the right edge (the distance from the center of the second lane to the overtaking lane) are known. Using the distance, the detection range of another vehicle by the radar 3 can be set to the first traveling lane and the overtaking lane, which are adjacent lanes behind and to the side of the vehicle 100.

However, as shown in FIG. 3, if the vehicle 100 is in the second driving lane of a straight road and is deviated from the center of the second driving lane to the right side (passing lane side), the second driving lane The detection range set using the distance from the center to the left edge and the distance to the right edge shifts to the right with respect to the first driving lane and the overtaking lane.

Therefore, the distance L between the vehicle 100 and the right end of the second traveling lane (the end of the lane in which the vehicle 100 is traveling) is acquired from the image taken by the camera 4. After that, the distance L is compared with the distance between the center of the second traveling lane and the right end, and the amount of deviation between the center of the vehicle 100 in the vehicle width direction and the center of the second traveling lane is obtained. Then, the detection range of the other vehicle by the radar 3 is corrected to the left side according to the deviation amount. With this correction, as shown in FIG. 4, the detection range of the other vehicle by the radar 3 can be set to the first traveling lane and the overtaking lane, which are adjacent lanes behind and to the side of the vehicle 100. The distance L may be the distance between the end of the vehicle 100 in the width direction and the end of the traveling lane, not the center of the vehicle 100 in the width direction.

5, FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 are diagrams showing a detection range for detecting a vehicle 100 and another vehicle traveling on a curved road.

As shown in FIG. 5, when the road on which the vehicle 100 is traveling is a curved road that curves to the left with a constant radius of curvature, and the vehicle 100 is traveling in the center of the second traveling lane, the vehicle 100 The radius of curvature R of the curved road can be obtained from the yaw rate and the steering angle. Since the distances from the center of the second driving lane to the left and right ends are known, the detection range of other vehicles by the radar 3 is determined by using those distances and the radius of curvature R of the curved road. It can be set on the first driving lane and the overtaking lane, which are adjacent lanes behind and to the side of.

However, as shown in FIG. 6, in a situation where the radius of curvature of the curved road changes in the middle and the vehicle 100 is approaching the change point of the radius of curvature, the radius of curvature obtained from the yaw rate and the steering angle of the vehicle 100. There is a discrepancy between R'and the radius of curvature R of the curved road behind and to the side of the vehicle 100 (for example, R'<R). Therefore, the detection range set using the distance from the center of the second driving lane to the left and right ends and the radius of curvature R'obtained from the yaw rate and the steering angle is set to the first driving lane and the overtaking lane. On the other hand, it shifts.

Therefore, the radius of curvature R of the curved road behind and to the side of the vehicle 100 is acquired from the image taken by the camera 4. Then, the road shape (degree of curved road, etc.) behind and to the side of the vehicle 100 is estimated according to the radius of curvature R, and the detection range of the other vehicle by the radar 3 is corrected by the above-mentioned distance L. With this correction, as shown in FIG. 7, the detection range of the other vehicle by the radar 3 can be set to the first traveling lane and the overtaking lane, which are adjacent lanes behind and to the side of the vehicle 100.

<Action effect>
As described above, in the configuration in which the radar 3 detects another vehicle traveling in the adjacent lane behind and to the side of the vehicle 100, the detection range of the other vehicle by the radar 3 can be appropriately set. As a result, the occurrence of non-alarm by not detecting other vehicles traveling in the adjacent lane and false alarm by detecting an object in a position other than the adjacent lane is suppressed, and the alarm performance is improved.

<Modification example>
Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention can also be implemented in other embodiments.

For example, when the vehicle 100 is not traveling in the center of the lane and the radius of curvature obtained from the yaw rate and the steering angle of the vehicle 100 deviates from the radius of curvature of the curved road behind and to the side of the vehicle 100. The combination of the correction described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4 and the correction described with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7 can satisfactorily correct the deviation of the detection range of another vehicle by the radar 3.

Since the lane in which the vehicle 100 is traveling can be identified from the image taken by the camera 4, when the vehicle 100 is traveling in the rightmost lane (passing lane) as shown in FIG. 8, the vehicle 100 The rear and right side may be out of the detection range, and the detection range may be set only on the rear and left side of the vehicle 100. Further, as shown in FIG. 9, when the vehicle 100 is traveling in the leftmost lane (first driving lane), the rear side and the left side of the vehicle 100 are out of the detection range, and the vehicle The detection range may be set only to the side behind and to the right of 100. The same applies not only when the vehicle 100 is traveling on a straight road but also when the vehicle 100 is traveling on a curved road.

In addition, various design changes can be made to the above-mentioned configuration within the scope of the matters described in the claims.

1: Driving support system (driving support device)
3: Radar (other vehicle detection means)
4: Camera 5: Driving support ECU (detection range setting means, detection range correction means)
100: Vehicle

Claims (3)

Other vehicle detection means provided in the vehicle to detect another vehicle traveling in the detection range behind and to the side of the vehicle, and
A detection range setting means for setting the detection range in an adjacent lane adjacent to the lane in which the vehicle is traveling based on a parameter changed by steering of the vehicle.
A camera installed in the vehicle and taking a picture of the outside of the vehicle,
A driving support device including a detection range correction means for correcting the detection range set by the detection range setting means based on information acquired from an image captured by the camera. The driving support device according to claim 1, wherein the information acquired from the image captured by the camera includes a distance between the vehicle and the end of the lane in which the vehicle is traveling. The driving support device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the information acquired from the image taken by the camera includes the shape of the road behind and to the side of the vehicle.

Images