JP5382487B2 - Vehicle obstacle detection device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an obstacle detection device mounted on a vehicle.

  Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-23705 discloses a relative distance calculation that calculates a relative distance between a detection value of a vehicle detection unit that detects a vehicle speed of an own vehicle and an object that exists in the traveling direction of the vehicle based on a radar detection result. The object detected by the radar based on the calculated value of the means and the calculated value of the overlap amount calculating means for calculating the overlap amount of the own vehicle and the object in the vehicle width direction of the own vehicle based on the detection result of the radar An obstacle detection device for a vehicle in which an obstacle determination means determines whether or not an obstacle is an obstacle is disclosed.

  The obstacle determination means avoids the object detected by the radar based on the overlap amount calculated by the overlap amount calculation means, the relative distance calculated by the relative distance calculation means, and the vehicle speed detected by the vehicle speed detection means. Therefore, the limit distance required between the vehicle and the object is calculated, and the first set distance determined based on the calculated distance is compared with the relative distance calculated by the relative distance calculation means. As a result of the comparison, when the relative distance is equal to or less than the first set distance, an alarm is issued by the notification means.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-23705 JP-A-9-175295

  However, in the apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-23705, for example, when there is an object (for example, a signboard or a sign) that is stationary off the road on the front extension line of a straight road that curves forward, There is a possibility that the radar of this vehicle will detect the object and the obstacle determination means will erroneously determine the object as an obstacle. In other words, when the vehicle enters the curve from the straight road, the overlap amount calculated by the overlap amount calculation means gradually decreases, but depending on the vehicle speed, the curvature of the curve and the position of the object, At the initial stage of turning, the overlap amount is not sufficiently reduced, and an object that is not an obstacle is erroneously determined as an obstacle, and an alarm is issued.

  This warning can be stopped by the vehicle's approach into the curve and the amount of overlap being sufficiently reduced, but when the warning is triggered by an object that can be clearly recognized as not being an obstacle, This makes the driver of the vehicle feel uncomfortable and annoying.

  Also, the radar detection accuracy is limited, and the overlap amount calculation means cannot calculate the overlap amount strictly. For this reason, it is necessary for the obstacle determination means to determine whether or not the object is an obstacle in consideration of the detection error of the radar, and it is extremely difficult to determine that the object is not an obstacle at the initial turning stage. Have difficulty.

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an obstacle detection device that can determine whether an object in front of a vehicle is an obstacle early and accurately.

  In order to achieve the above object, the obstacle detection device of the present invention comprises object detection means, vehicle information detection means, storage means, storage control means, object determination means, course estimation means, and collision determination means.

  The object detection means detects an object existing ahead in the traveling direction of the vehicle every predetermined time and detects position information of the detected object with respect to the vehicle. The vehicle information detection means detects the running state information of the vehicle. The storage control means sequentially stores the position information detected by the object detection means in the storage means when the object detection means detects the object.

  When the object detection unit detects an object, the object determination unit determines whether past position information of the object is stored in the storage unit. The course estimation means estimates the expected course of the vehicle based on the traveling state information detected by the vehicle information detection means when the object detection means detects the object.

When the object detection unit detects that the object detection unit detects the object and the past position information of the object is stored in the storage unit, the collision determination unit determines the past of the object indicated by the past position information. Based on the positional relationship between the position and the predicted path estimated by the path estimation means, it is determined whether or not the object is an obstacle that may collide with the vehicle.

  In the above configuration, each time the object detection unit detects the position information of the object with respect to the vehicle, the storage control unit sequentially stores the position information in the storage unit.

  Further, when the object detection means detects the object, the object determination means determines whether or not past position information of the object is stored in the storage means, and the course estimation means detects the travel detected by the vehicle information detection means. Based on the state information, the predicted course of the vehicle is estimated, and the collision determination unit determines that the object position indicated by the past position information is determined when the object determination unit determines that the past position information of the object is stored in the storage unit. Based on the past position and the expected course estimated by the course estimating means, it is determined whether or not the object is an obstacle that may collide with the vehicle.

  Therefore, for example, when there is an object (eg, a signboard or a sign) that is stationary and deviated from the road on the forward extension line of the straight road that curves forward, the traveling direction of the vehicle while the vehicle is traveling on the straight road There is always an object on or near the extension line, and the past position of the object indicated by the past position information of the object coincides with or is close to the expected course of the vehicle. For this reason, while the vehicle is traveling on a straight road, the object is determined to be an obstacle every time the object is detected.

  Subsequently, at the initial turning stage when the vehicle enters the curve from the straight road, the vehicle starts turning and the expected course of the vehicle is separated from the object, but the object is on or near the extension line of the traveling direction of the vehicle. Still exist and the object is not well separated from the expected path. For this reason, if it is determined whether or not the object is an obstacle based on the current position of the object and the expected course, it is highly likely that the object is continuously determined to be an obstacle.

  On the other hand, in the present invention, whether or not the object is an obstacle is determined based on the past position of the object and the expected course, and the past position of the object is determined from the expected course rather than the current position. Since the tendency to leave is shown, it can be determined early and accurately whether or not the object is an obstacle.

  The collision determination unit may calculate a relative distance between the past position of the object and the expected course, and may determine whether the object is the obstacle based on the calculated relative distance.

  In the above configuration, it is possible to determine whether or not the object is an obstacle early and accurately by a simple process of calculating the relative distance between the past position of the object and the expected course.

  The collision determination means calculates a relative distance between the current position of the object indicated by the latest position information detected by the object detection means and the expected course, and the calculated relative distance is less than the first predetermined distance, and the object If the relative distance between the past position and the predicted course is less than the second predetermined distance, it is determined that the object is an obstacle, and the relative distance between the current position of the object and the predicted course is greater than or equal to the first predetermined distance. In some cases, or when the relative distance between the past position of the object and the expected course is equal to or greater than the second predetermined distance, it may be determined that the object is not an obstacle.

  In the above configuration, whether or not an object is an obstacle is determined based on the relative distance between the current position of the object and the predicted path and the relative distance between the past position of the object and the predicted path. It is possible to more accurately determine whether it is an object.

  The storage control unit stores the position information of the object determined by the collision determination unit as an obstacle in the storage unit, and stores the position information of the object in association with the obstacle information indicating the obstacle. May be. In addition, the collision determination unit determines whether the object determination unit determines that the past position information of the object is not stored in the storage unit, or if the past position information of the object is stored in the storage unit. When the determination is made and the obstacle information is not associated with the past position information, and the relative distance between the current position of the object and the expected course is equal to or smaller than the third predetermined distance smaller than the first predetermined distance. The object may be determined to be an obstacle. The collision determination unit may determine that the object is not the obstacle when the relative distance between the current position of the object and the predicted course exceeds a third predetermined distance. The collision determination means is a time when the object determination means determines that the past position information of the object is stored in the storage means, and the obstacle information is associated with the past position information, and When the relative distance between the current position and the predicted path is less than the first predetermined distance and the relative distance between the past position of the object and the predicted path is less than the second predetermined distance, it is determined that the object is an obstacle. May be. Further, the collision determination means may be configured such that the relative distance between the current position of the object and the predicted course is equal to or greater than the first predetermined distance, or the relative distance between the past position of the object and the predicted path is equal to or greater than the second predetermined distance. The object may be determined not to be an obstacle.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, it can determine early and exactly whether the detected object becomes an obstruction.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. 1 is a block diagram showing a main part of a vehicle equipped with an obstacle detection device according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram for explaining detection by the object detection sensor of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is an obstacle. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram for explaining the tracking process, FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram for explaining the offset amount, FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the target risk determination process of FIG. 3, and FIG. It is a flowchart which shows the target risk continuation determination process of FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a vehicle 1 according to this embodiment includes a vehicle speed sensor 2, a rotational angular velocity sensor (gyro sensor) 3, an object detection sensor 4, an ECU (Electric Control Unit) 5, a brake actuator 6, and an alarm device 7. A seat belt retractor 8. The vehicle speed sensor 2 and the rotational angular velocity sensor 3 constitute vehicle information detection means, and the object detection sensor 4 constitutes object detection means.

  The vehicle speed sensor 2 detects a vehicle speed V (m / s) as travel state information of the vehicle 1 and outputs the detected vehicle speed V to the ECU 5. The rotational angular velocity sensor 3 detects a yaw rate Yaw (rotational angular velocity: rad / s) as traveling state information generated in the vehicle 1 during turning traveling, with the left rotation as a positive direction, and outputs the detected yaw rate Yaw to the ECU 5.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the object detection sensor 4 emits an electromagnetic wave such as a laser or a millimeter wave radar at a predetermined time from the front end portion of the vehicle 1 within a range of a predetermined angle α ahead of the traveling, and the reflected wave thereof. Is received, the object (target) TG within the above range is detected, the relative speed RV between the vehicle 1 and the target TG is detected, and the position information (position data TGD) of the target TG relative to the vehicle 1 is represented by the vehicle coordinates. It is detected as coordinate values of the X coordinate and Y coordinate in the system, and the detected relative speed RV and coordinate value are output to the ECU 5. The relative speed RV is detected with the direction in which the vehicle 1 and the target TG are separated from each other as the positive direction. The vehicle coordinate system is a two-dimensional coordinate system in which the left direction of the vehicle 1 is set as the X axis positive direction and the traveling direction of the vehicle 1 is set as the Y axis positive direction. FIG. 2 illustrates a case where the presence of five targets TGa to TGe is detected. For example, position information of the target TGa is detected as coordinate values (Xa, Ya). In the following description, the horizontal position of the target TG means the X coordinate value of the target TG in the vehicle coordinate system, and the vertical position of the target TG means the Y coordinate value of the target TG in the vehicle coordinate system.

  The ECU 5 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), and a RAM (Random Access Memory). The CPU constitutes a storage control means, an object determination means, a course estimation means, and a collision determination means, reads a program stored in the ROM, and executes each process described later. The RAM constitutes storage means, and stores the vehicle speed V detected by the vehicle speed sensor 2, the yaw rate Yaw detected by the rotational angular velocity sensor 3, the position data TGD detected by the object detection sensor 4, and the relative speed RV in a readable and writable manner. It has a storage area. The detected position data TGD and the relative speed RV of the target TG are stored in association with a unique identification number ID and a collision risk flag described later. The collision risk flag is set to ON when it is determined that the vehicle 1 may collide with the target TG, and is set to OFF when it is determined that the vehicle 1 does not collide with the target TG. Is done. Further, when the CPU executes a tracking process described later and determines that the same target TG is the same, the same identification number ID is assigned to the same target TG. Further, the RAM is provided with a plurality of storage areas for accumulating and storing count values of continuation counters to be described later, and an identification number ID is associated with each storage area. In addition, the latest data of the vehicle speed V and the yaw rate Yaw are sequentially updated and stored. In addition, the coordinate value and relative velocity RV data detected by the object detection sensor 4 can be sequentially stored in a time series up to a predetermined number (for example, 30), and when the predetermined number is exceeded, old data is sequentially deleted. The latest data is stored. Further, for the target TG that the CPU has already determined to not exist in front of the vehicle 1, all the position data TGD to which the identification number ID of the target TG is assigned is deleted.

  When the brake actuator 6 receives a braking instruction signal from the ECU 5, the brake actuator 6 forcibly operates disc brakes for front wheels and rear wheels (not shown) to generate a predetermined braking force on each wheel.

  The alarm device 7 is provided, for example, on an instrument panel (not shown) in the passenger compartment, and generates a buzzer sound or the like to alert the driver when receiving a notification instruction signal from the ECU 5.

  When the seat belt retractor 8 receives the seat belt lock instruction signal from the ECU 5, the seat belt retractor 8 prohibits the withdrawal of the seat belt (not shown) and maintains the restraint state of the occupant by the seat belt.

  Next, processing executed by the ECU 5 will be described based on the flowchart of FIG.

  This process is executed every predetermined time. First, the ECU 5 reads each data (step S1). That is, the vehicle speed V detected by the vehicle speed sensor 2 and the yaw rate Yaw detected by the rotational angular velocity sensor 3 are updated and stored, and the position data TGD and the relative speed RV of all the target TGs detected by the object detection sensor 4 are stored. Remember.

  Next, the ECU 5 executes a process for creating own vehicle data (step S2). The own vehicle data creation process is a process of estimating the expected course (estimated trajectory) Tr of the vehicle 1 using the vehicle speed V and the yaw rate Yaw read in step S1. The expected course Tr is calculated according to the following equation (1) as the radius of curvature R when the vehicle 1 turns from the current position.

  R = V / Yaw (1)

  Next, the ECU 5 executes a tracking process (step S3). The tracking process is a process of storing the target corresponding to the position data TGD read in step S1 (target TGnew detected this time) and the target TGpast detected and stored in the past in time series. That is, it is determined whether or not the target TGnew detected this time and the target TGpast already stored are the same. If it is determined that they are the same, the position data TGDnew of the target TGnew detected this time is already stored. The same identification number ID as the identification number ID of the target TGpast is assigned and stored. Thus, by assigning the same identification number ID, the current and past position data TGD and the relative speed RV of the same target TG can be appropriately read out as necessary. On the other hand, when it is determined that the target is a new target TGnew, a new identification number ID is assigned to the position data TGDnew of the target TGnew detected this time and stored. When a new identification number ID is given, a storage area that is not currently used among a plurality of storage areas that store the count value of the continuation counter (all position data TGD of the associated identification number ID has already been erased) The new identification number ID is associated with a storage area that does not exist), and the count value of the storage area is cleared.

  Whether or not the target TGnew detected this time and the target TGpast already stored are the same is determined by, for example, subtracting the horizontal position Xk, the vertical position Yk, and the relative velocity RVk of the target TGpast stored at the time of the previous data reading. By substituting into the equation (2), the planned position (Xk + 1, Yk + 1) where the target TGpast is estimated to be present at the time of reading this data is calculated, and the calculated planned position (Xk + 1, Yk +) is calculated. It is determined whether or not the coordinate value (Xnew, Ynew) of the target TGnew read this time exists within a predetermined range from 1). When the target TGnew (Xnew, Ynew) read this time is within a predetermined range from the planned position (Xk + 1, Yk + 1), it is determined that the target TGpast and the target TGnew are the same, Determines that the target TGpast and the target TGnew are different targets.

  Xk + 1 = Xk + RVk × Δt × sin θ, Yk + 1 = Yk + RVk × Δt × cos θ (2)

  In the above equation (2), Δt is the time from the previous data reading time to the current data reading time (detection time interval of the target TG), and θ is the traveling direction of the target TGpast and the traveling of the vehicle 1. The angle formed by the direction (Y-axis direction). As for the traveling direction of the target TGpast, when the previous coordinate value (Xk, Yk) and the previous (previous) coordinate value (Xk-1, Yk-1) of the target TGpast are stored, as shown in FIG. Then, the vector direction from the previous coordinate value (Xk-1, Yk-1) to the previous coordinate value (Xk, Yk) is obtained. When the previous coordinate value (Xk-1, Yk-1) is not stored (when the target is newly detected last time), the traveling direction of the target TGpast is determined from the previous coordinate value (Xk, Yk). The vector direction toward the vehicle 1 is obtained.

  Next, the ECU 5 determines whether or not the processing of steps S5 to S8 described later has been completed for all the target TGnew read this time (step S4), and there is a target TGnew for which processing has not yet been completed. The unprocessed target TGnew is sequentially identified as the target TGnew to be processed, and the process proceeds to step S5. That is, only when the processing of step S5, step S6 and step S7, or the processing of step S5, step S6 and step S8 is executed for each target TGnew, and the processing is completed for all the targets TGnew, it will be described later. The process proceeds to step S9.

  In step S5, the ECU 5 creates obstacle data for the identified target TGnew to be processed. The obstacle data is a process of calculating a distance (offset amount Dnew of the current position) between the target TGnew (coordinate values (Xnew, Ynew)) to be processed and the expected course Tr of the vehicle 1. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 5, in the vehicle coordinate system, the distance between the coordinate value (Xnew, Ynew) of the target TGnew to be processed read in step S1 and the expected course Tr of the vehicle 1 obtained in step S2. (Offset amount Dnew of the current position) is calculated by the following equation (3) using the coordinate value (Xnew, Ynew) and the curvature radius R of the expected course Tr.

Dnew = R / | R | × ((Xnew−R) ² + Ynew ² ) ^1/2 − | R |) (3)

  Next, whether or not the collision risk flag associated with the processing target TGnew at the previous detection (the collision risk flag associated with the position data TGDpast when the processing target TGnew was previously detected) is on. It is determined whether or not (step S6). When the collision risk flag is off, the process proceeds to step S7 to execute the target risk determination process, and when the collision risk flag is on, the process proceeds to step S8 to execute the target risk continuation determination process. Even when the target TGnew to be processed is a newly detected target TG, the processing is performed assuming that the collision risk flag is off.

  In the target risk determination process (step S7), as shown in FIG. 6, whether or not the absolute value of the offset amount Dnew of the current position obtained in step S5 with respect to the target TGnew to be processed is not more than a predetermined value k. If the absolute value of the offset amount Dnew at the current position is less than or equal to the predetermined value k, the process proceeds to step S12 and the count value of the continuation counter associated with the target TGnew to be processed is incremented by 1. Then, the process proceeds to step S14. On the other hand, when the absolute value of the offset amount Dnew at the current position exceeds the predetermined value k, the process proceeds to step S13 to clear the count value of the continuation counter associated with the target TGnew to be processed, and to step S14. move on.

  In step S14, it is determined whether or not the count value of the continuation counter exceeds a predetermined threshold value N (for example, N = 4). As a result of the determination, if the count value exceeds the threshold value N, it is determined that the target TGnew to be processed is an obstacle that may collide with the vehicle 1, and the process proceeds to step S15 and the target of processing is processed. The collision risk flag associated with the position data TGDnew of the target TGnew is set to on. On the other hand, if the count value is equal to or smaller than the threshold value N, it is determined that the target TGnew to be processed is not the obstacle, and the process proceeds to step S16 to collide with the position data TGDnew of the target TGnew to be processed. Set the danger flag off. By executing the process of step S15 or step S16, the target risk determination process is terminated, and the process returns to step S4 of FIG.

  As described above, the target risk determination process is executed when the collision risk flag associated with the position data TGDpast when the target TGnew to be processed is detected last time is off. The collision risk flag associated with the current position data TGDnew of the target TGnew to be processed is a predetermined value that the offset Dnew of the current position of the target TGnew to be processed exceeds N times retroactively from the current time. It is set to ON only when it is less than or equal to k, and is set to OFF otherwise.

  On the other hand, in the target risk continuation determination process (step S8), as shown in FIG. 7, the absolute value of the offset amount Dnew of the current position obtained in step S5 with respect to the target TGnew to be processed is the predetermined value h (h > K) It is determined whether or not (step S21). If the absolute value of the offset amount Dnew at the current position is less than the predetermined value h, the process proceeds to step S22.

  In step S22, the stored past position data TGDpast of the target TGnew to be processed is selected with the collision risk flag set to ON, and the selected past position data TGDpast (coordinate value (Xpast, Ypast)) and the distance (the past position offset amount) Dpast between the current predicted route Tr of the vehicle 1 obtained in step S2 is calculated for all selected past positions. Specifically, the calculation is performed by substituting the past coordinate values (Xpast, Ypast) of the processing target TGnew read from the RAM and the curvature radius R obtained in step S2 into the following equation (4).

Dpast = R / | R | × ((Xpast−R) ² + Ypast ² ) ^1/2 − | R |) (4)

  The above formula (4) uses Xpast and Ypast instead of Xnew and Ynew in the above formula (3), respectively.

  Note that the past position data for which the collision risk flag is set to ON is also applied to the past position data TGDpast for which the absolute value of the offset amount Dnew of the current position is determined to be equal to or less than the predetermined value k in the target risk determination process. It may be handled in the same way as TGDpast. As a result, the past position data TGDpast that is the calculation target of the offset amount Dpast of the past position is increased, and the determination reliability is improved.

  When the past position offset amount Dpast is calculated for all the selected past position data TGDpast, the average value of the calculated past position offset amount Dpast is calculated as the average value IniD of the offset amount (step S23). The average value IniD of the offset amount may be calculated as an average value of the offset amount Dpast at the past position and the offset amount Dnew at the current position.

  When the average value IniD of the offset amount is calculated, it is determined whether or not the average value IniD is equal to or greater than a predetermined value L (step S24). If the average value IniD is greater than or equal to the predetermined value L as a result of the determination, it is determined that the target TGnew to be processed is no longer the obstacle, and the process proceeds to step S25 and the position data TGDnew of the target TGnew to be processed is added. Set the associated collision risk flag off. On the other hand, when the average value IniD is less than the predetermined value L, it is determined that the target TGnew to be processed continues to exist as the obstacle, and the process proceeds to step S26 and the target TGnew to be processed is determined. The collision risk flag associated with the position data TGDnew is set to ON.

  If it is determined in step S21 that the absolute value of the offset amount Dnew at the current position is greater than or equal to the predetermined value h, it is determined that the target TGnew to be processed is not the obstacle, and the process proceeds to step S25. The collision risk flag associated with the position data TGDnew of the target TGnew is set to OFF.

  Then, by executing the process of step S25 or step S26, the target risk continuation determination process is terminated, and the process returns to step S4 of FIG.

  As described above, the target risk continuation determination process is executed when the collision risk flag associated with the position data TGDpast when the target TGnew to be processed was previously detected is on. Thus, the collision risk flag associated with the current position data TGDnew of the target TGnew to be processed is greater than or equal to the predetermined value h in which the offset amount Dnew of the current position of the target TGnew to be processed is greater than the predetermined value k. Or, when the average value IniD of the offset amount is equal to or greater than the predetermined value L, it is set to off, and otherwise it is set to on.

  In step S4, when it is determined that the processing of step S5 to step S8 has been completed for all the target TGnew read this time, the process proceeds to step S9 and risk priority determination processing is executed.

In the risk priority determination process, first, for all targets TGnew for which the collision danger flag is set to ON, the expected time (collision expected time TTC) required for the vehicle 1 to collide with the target TGnew is determined as the target TGnew and the vehicle 1 Is calculated from the relative distance and the relative speed RV, and when the minimum time (the shortest predicted collision time) of all the predicted predicted collision times TTC is less than or equal to the predetermined time t1 seconds, a notification instruction signal is transmitted to the alarm device 7 The alarm device 7 generates a buzzer sound. Further, when the shortest expected collision time is equal to or shorter than the predetermined time t2 (t2 <t1) seconds, a braking instruction signal is transmitted to the brake actuator 6 to generate a predetermined braking force on each wheel and to retract the seat belt. A seat belt lock instruction signal is transmitted to 8 to prohibit the withdrawal of the seat belt. Note that the relative distance between the target TGnew and the vehicle 1 may be calculated from the position data TGDnew of the target TGnew, or may be directly detected by the object detection sensor 4.

  Next, referring to FIG. 8 to FIG. 11, the vehicle 1 travels on a road where a stationary target (for example, a signboard or a sign) TG exists on the forward extension line of a straight road that curves forward and is out of the road 10. The case where it does is demonstrated.

  As shown in FIG. 8, while the vehicle 1 is traveling straight on a straight road, the target TG always exists on or in the vicinity of the extension line in the traveling direction of the vehicle 1. The curvature radius R of the expected course Tr becomes infinite, the expected course Tr substantially coincides with the Y axis, and the current position data TGDnew and the past position data TGDpast of the target TG are both on the Y axis (on the expected course Tr). Lined up almost linearly. Accordingly, while the vehicle 1 is traveling on a straight road, whenever the ECU 5 detects the target TG, the ECU 5 determines that the target TG is an obstacle, and sets the collision risk flag to ON and stores it. However, in this case, since the vehicle 1 and the target TG are sufficiently separated from each other, there is a high possibility that the predicted collision time TTC exceeds t1 seconds, and the possibility that a buzzer sound is generated is low. The reason why the line connecting the current position data TGDnew and the past position data TGDpast is not a complete straight line is mainly because the detection value of the object detection sensor 4 includes an error.

  Next, at the initial stage when the vehicle 1 enters the curve from the straight road, the vehicle 1 starts turning as shown in FIG. 9, and the expected course Tr of the vehicle 1 has a curvature radius R as shown in FIG. However, the target TG is still present on the extension line in the traveling direction of the vehicle 1 or in the vicinity thereof, and the current position data TGDnew of the target TG is not sufficiently separated from the expected course Tr. The possibility that the distance between the current position data TGDnew and the expected course Tr (current offset amount Dnew) exceeds the predetermined value h is low. Therefore, if the determination as to whether or not the target TG is an obstacle is made based only on the positional relationship between the current position data TGDnew of the target TG and the expected course Tr, the target TG is continuously determined to be an obstacle, and the buzzer There is a high possibility that sound will be emitted.

  In this regard, in this embodiment, whether or not the target TG is an obstacle is also determined based on the positional relationship between the past position data TGDpast and the expected course Tr. In this example, as shown in FIG. 11, since the past position data TGDpast of the target TG shows a tendency to move away from the predicted course Tr more than the current position data TGDnew, whether the target TG is an obstacle or not. The determination can be made earlier and more accurately than the determination based on the positional relationship between the current position data TGDnew of the target TG and the expected course Tr. Therefore, it is highly likely that the target TG is determined not to be an obstacle before the predicted collision time TTC reaches t1 seconds (before the buzzer is sounded), which makes the driver of the vehicle 1 feel uncomfortable and annoying. You can suppress the feeling.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, the target TG is detected as an obstacle by a relatively simple calculation process of calculating the offset amount Dpast of the past position and determining whether the average value IniD is equal to or greater than the predetermined value L. It can be determined whether or not.

  As mentioned above, although the embodiment to which the invention made by the present inventor is applied has been described, the present invention is not limited by the discussion and the drawings that form part of the disclosure of the present invention according to this embodiment. That is, it is needless to say that other embodiments, examples, operation techniques, and the like made by those skilled in the art based on this embodiment are all included in the scope of the present invention.

  For example, in the above embodiment, the estimated course Tr of the vehicle 1 is estimated using the vehicle speed V detected by the vehicle speed sensor 2 and the yaw rate Yaw detected by the rotational angular velocity sensor 3, but the steering angle sensor detects the steering. The predicted course Tr may be estimated using other traveling state information such as the steering angle and the acceleration of the vehicle 1 detected by the acceleration sensor.

  In the above embodiment, as an aspect for determining whether or not the target TG is an obstacle based on the positional relationship between the past position data TGDpast of the target TG and the expected course Tr, the past position offset amount Dpast is calculated. Although it is determined whether or not the average value IniD is greater than or equal to the predetermined value L, it may be determined whether or not a predetermined one or more of the past position offset amounts Dpast are greater than or equal to the predetermined value.

  The obstacle detection device of the present invention can be used by being mounted on various vehicles.

It is a block diagram which shows the principal part of the vehicle provided with the obstacle detection apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic diagram for demonstrating the detection by the object detection sensor of FIG. It is a flowchart which shows an obstruction detection process. It is a schematic diagram for demonstrating tracking processing. It is a schematic diagram for demonstrating offset amount. It is a flowchart which shows the target risk degree determination process of FIG. It is a flowchart which shows the target risk continuation determination process of FIG. It is a mimetic diagram showing the state where vehicles run on the straight road which curves ahead, and the target exists on the front extension line from the road. It is a schematic diagram which shows the state which the vehicle of FIG. 8 approached into the curve from the straight road. It is a schematic diagram which shows the present position and past position of a target in the state of FIG. 8, and a predicted course. It is a schematic diagram which shows the present position and past position of a target in the state of FIG. 9, and a prediction course.

Explanation of symbols

1: Vehicle 2: Vehicle speed sensor (vehicle information detection means)
3: Rotational angular velocity sensor (vehicle information detection means)
4: Object detection sensor (object detection means)
5: ECU (storage means, storage control means, object determination means, course estimation means, collision determination means)
6: Brake actuator 7: Alarm device 8: Seat belt retractor

Claims (4)

An object detection means for detecting an object existing ahead of the traveling direction of the vehicle every predetermined time and detecting position information of the detected object with respect to the vehicle;
Vehicle information detection means for detecting travel state information of the vehicle;
Storage means;
A storage control means for sequentially storing the position information detected by the object detection means in the storage means when the object detection means detects the object;
An object determination unit that determines whether or not past location information of the object is stored in the storage unit when the object detection unit detects the object;
A route estimation unit that estimates an expected route of the vehicle based on the traveling state information detected by the vehicle information detection unit;
When the object detecting means detects the object and the object determining means determines that the past position information of the object is stored in the storage means, the past position of the object indicated by the past position information And a collision determination unit that determines whether the object is an obstacle that may collide with the vehicle based on a positional relationship between the vehicle and the predicted route estimated by the route estimation unit. A vehicle obstacle detection device. An object detection means for detecting an object existing ahead of the traveling direction of the vehicle every predetermined time and detecting position information of the detected object with respect to the vehicle;
Vehicle information detection means for detecting travel state information of the vehicle;
Storage means;
A storage control means for sequentially storing the position information detected by the object detection means in the storage means when the object detection means detects the object;
An object determination unit that determines whether or not past location information of the object is stored in the storage unit when the object detection unit detects the object;
A route estimation unit that estimates an expected route of the vehicle based on the traveling state information detected by the vehicle information detection unit;
When the object detecting means detects the object and the object determining means determines that the past position information of the object is stored in the storage means, the past position of the object indicated by the past position information And a collision determination unit that determines whether or not the object is an obstacle that may collide with the vehicle, based on the predicted route estimated by the route estimation unit,
The collision determination unit calculates a relative distance between the past position of the object and the predicted course, and determines that the object is not the obstacle based on the calculated relative distance. Detection device. The obstacle detection device according to claim 2,
The collision determination means calculates a relative distance between the current position of the object indicated by the latest position information detected by the object detection means and the predicted course, and the calculated relative distance is less than a first predetermined distance, When the relative distance between the past position of the object and the predicted course is less than a second predetermined distance, it is determined that the object is the obstacle, and the relative distance between the current position of the object and the predicted course Determining that the object is not the obstacle when the object is greater than or equal to the first predetermined distance, or when the relative distance between the past position of the object and the predicted course is greater than or equal to the second predetermined distance. A vehicle obstacle detection device. The obstacle detection device according to claim 3,
The storage control means stores obstacle information indicating the obstacle in the position information of the object when the position information of the object determined by the collision determination means as the obstacle is stored in the storage means. Remember and associate
The collision determination means includes
When the object determination unit determines that the past position information of the object is not stored in the storage unit, or when the object determination unit determines that the past position information of the object is stored in the storage unit And when the obstacle information is not associated with the past position information, a third predetermined distance in which a relative distance between the current position of the object and the predicted course is smaller than the first predetermined distance. When the following is true, it is determined that the object is the obstacle, and when the relative distance between the current position of the object and the predicted course exceeds the third predetermined distance, the object is not the obstacle. It is determined that
When the object determination unit determines that the past position information of the object is stored in the storage unit and the obstacle information is associated with the past position information, the current position of the object And the predicted path is less than the first predetermined distance, and the relative distance between the past position of the object and the predicted path is less than the second predetermined distance, the object is the obstacle. When the relative distance between the current position of the object and the predicted path is equal to or greater than the first predetermined distance, or the relative distance between the past position of the object and the predicted path is the second When the distance is equal to or greater than the predetermined distance, it is determined that the object is not the obstacle.

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