JP6781535B2 - Obstacle determination device and obstacle determination method - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an obstacle determination device and an obstacle determination method.

An autonomous driving device (also called an automatic driving device) has been developed that uses sensor information to determine its own movement and acts autonomously. For example, an optical distance measuring device (distance measuring sensor) can measure the distance to an object existing in the measurement range and can acquire a one-dimensional or two-dimensional distance data map, and thus autonomously travel. The device is used as a safety device to detect and avoid obstacles.

Regarding the configuration for a moving body such as an autonomous traveling device to detect an obstacle, for example, Patent Document 1 describes a depth sensor, a depression angle estimation unit that estimates the depression angle of the depth sensor based on a distance image acquired by the depth sensor, and the like. An obstacle detection device including a detection unit for detecting an obstacle existing on a road surface based on the depression angle, the height of the depth sensor, and the distance of the distance image is disclosed. This obstacle detection device can detect an obstacle on the road surface on which the moving body travels even if the depth sensor shakes and the depression angle fluctuates while the moving body travels.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2013-254474

In the configuration that detects obstacles using a distance measuring device, the distance to an object can be measured by the distance measuring device, but when the ground is included in the measurement range (measurement space area) by the distance measuring device, It is not possible to distinguish between the ground and obstacles to be detected. In order to distinguish between the ground and an obstacle, it is necessary to determine whether or not the measurement point is the ground, for example, based on the relative angle between the distance measuring device and the ground and the measurement distance. However, in this method, the relative angle between the distance measuring device and the ground fluctuates when the vehicle body and the distance measuring device are shaken or when the ground reaches a position where the inclination of the ground changes. It becomes difficult to do.

As a configuration for distinguishing and detecting the ground and an obstacle, it is conceivable to perform data processing on the output data of the ranging device and correctly recognize the ground as an object different from the obstacle. In that case, the load of data processing becomes large. Further, in order to correct the shaking due to the impact and the change in the inclination of the ground by data processing, the algorithm becomes more complicated and the load of data processing becomes larger. Then, in order to perform heavy data processing, a high-performance and high-cost processing system is required.

Further, the technique described in Patent Document 1 estimates the relative angle between the ground and the sensor by data processing in order to detect an obstacle on the road surface even if the depression angle that the depth sensor sways fluctuates while the moving body is traveling. However, in order to estimate it, it is necessary to perform a large amount of arithmetic processing based on a complicated algorithm, and a high-performance processing device is required.

The present invention has been made in view of the actual situation as described above, and an object of the present invention is to use an obstacle determination device equipped with a distance measuring device to perform shaking due to an impact or change in inclination of the ground by a simple configuration and a simple algorithm. The purpose is to prevent the ground from being mistakenly judged as an obstacle even if a problem occurs.

In order to solve the above problems, the first technical means of the present invention is based on a distance measuring device mounted on a vehicle and measuring a distance to a measurement object and a distance measurement result by the distance measuring device. An obstacle determination device including an obstacle determination unit for determining the presence or absence of an obstacle in the measurement space area in front of the distance measuring device, wherein the vehicle is placed on a horizontal ground in the measurement space area. In this case, it is a first measurement space region defined so that the position of the bottom surface of the measurement space region is gradually increased according to the depth in the front direction and / or the width direction of the measurement space region. It is characterized by that.

The second technical means is that in the first technical means, the first measurement space region is located on the upper surface of the measurement space region regardless of the depth when the vehicle is placed on the horizontal ground . It is characterized in that the position is defined so as to have a constant height.

The third technical means is that in the first or second technical means, when the vehicle is placed on the horizontal ground, the position of the bottom surface of the measurement space region is on the ground. The definition of the measurement space area is changed to the first measurement space area only when an obstacle having a predetermined shape indicating the ground is detected based on the second measurement space area defined in parallel. It is characterized by.

A fourth technical means is the first technical means, wherein the first measurement space area, when the vehicle is placed on level the ground, the higher the depth is deep, the upper surface of the measurement space area It is characterized in that the position is defined to be gradually or continuously raised.

The fifth technical means is defined in the fourth technical means that the position of the bottom surface of the measurement space region is parallel to the ground when the vehicle is placed on the horizontal ground. The feature is that the definition of the measurement space area is changed to the first measurement space area only when an obstacle having a predetermined shape indicating the ground is detected based on the second measurement space area. It was done.

The sixth technical means determines the presence or absence of an obstacle in the measurement space area in front of the distance measuring device based on the distance measurement result by the distance measuring device mounted on the vehicle and measuring the distance to the measurement target. An obstacle determination method having an obstacle determination step, wherein the measurement space area has a depth in the forward direction and / or width direction of the measurement space area when the vehicle is placed on a horizontal ground. Correspondingly, the position of the bottom surface of the measurement space region is defined to be gradually increased.

According to the present invention, in an obstacle determination device provided with a distance measuring device, a complicated configuration and an algorithm are required by defining the measurement space area in front of the distance measuring device so as to make it difficult to detect the ground. With a simple algorithm, it is possible to prevent the ground from being mistakenly judged as an obstacle even if the ground shakes or the ground tilt changes due to an impact.

It is a block diagram which shows one structural example of the obstacle determination apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. FIG. 3 is an external view showing a configuration example of a moving body provided with the obstacle determination device of FIG. 1. It is a traveling direction sectional view which shows an example of the conventional measurement space area in the moving body equipped with the obstacle determination device. It is a schematic diagram which shows the example which the measurement space area of FIG. 3A changed by the topographical change. It is sectional drawing of the plane perpendicular to the traveling direction of the measurement space region of FIG. 3A. It is sectional drawing of the plane perpendicular to the traveling direction of the measurement space area of FIG. 3B. It is a traveling direction sectional view which shows an example of the measurement space area in the moving body equipped with the obstacle determination apparatus of FIG. It is a schematic diagram which shows the example which the measurement space area of FIG. 4A changed by the topographical change. It is a schematic diagram which shows another example which the measurement space area of FIG. 4A changed by the topographical change. It is sectional drawing of the plane perpendicular to the traveling direction which shows the example of the measurement space area in the moving body equipped with the obstacle determination apparatus which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic diagram which shows the example which the measurement space area of FIG. 5A changed by the topographical change. It is a perspective view which shows the example of the measurement space area in the moving body equipped with the obstacle determination apparatus which concerns on 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing of the plane perpendicular to the traveling direction which shows the example of the measurement space area in the moving body equipped with the obstacle determination apparatus which concerns on 4th Embodiment of this invention.

The obstacle determination device according to the present invention is an device that determines an obstacle using a distance measuring device, and is a device that prevents erroneous detection of the ground as an obstacle. This obstacle determination device is mainly installed on a moving body. This moving body is a moving body that is moved in a facility of a factory or a public facility, or in a site such as those facilities or a parking lot, or a moving body such as a car or a motorcycle traveling on a public road. In particular, a moving body that is automatically moved within a site or facility includes a so-called autonomous traveling device having an autonomous traveling type control mechanism. By installing autonomous driving type control in a moving body that is basically driven by a driver of an automobile or the like, autonomous driving or autonomous driving as a driving assistance of the driver becomes possible. Further, the moving body equipped with the obstacle determination device can be used not only for the purpose of transporting people and objects but also for monitoring the surroundings while moving, and the moving body in that case is a monitoring robot. It can also be called. Hereinafter, various embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

(First Embodiment)
The first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4C. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of an obstacle determination device according to the present embodiment, and FIG. 2 is an external view showing a configuration example of a moving body including the obstacle determination device of FIG.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the obstacle determination device 1 according to the present embodiment is an optical distance measuring device (hereinafter, simply distance measuring device) 10 that measures the distance to the measurement object M by an optical measuring mechanism. , And an obstacle determination unit 17.

Specifically, the distance measuring device 10 modulates the measurement light output from the laser light source, irradiates the object through the optical window, and detects the reflected light from the measurement object M with the light receiving element through the optical window. And measure the distance. The AM (Amplitude Modify) method and the TOF (Time of Flight) method have been put into practical use as the modulation method of the measurement light, and any method may be adopted for the distance measuring device 10. In the AM method, the measurement light AM-modulated with a sine wave and the reflected light thereof are photoelectrically converted, the phase difference between the signals is calculated, and the distance is calculated from the phase difference. The TOF method is a method in which pulse-modulated measurement light and its reflected light are photoelectrically converted, and the distance is calculated from the delay time between these signals.

The distance measuring device 10 measures the distance to the measurement object M within a certain measurement space area (measurement range) by scanning the measurement light two-dimensionally in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction and receiving the reflected light. To do. That is, it can be said that the distance measuring device 10 is an area sensor in this measurement range. Typical examples of such a distance measuring device 10 include 3D-LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging or Laser Imaging Detection and Ranging) and a laser range finder, but if the measurement direction may be limited, scanning in the vertical direction may be mentioned. It is also possible to adopt a 2D-LIDAR installed so as to do so. In this case, by arranging such 2D-LIDARs at predetermined intervals in the horizontal direction, the measurement space area as described above can be covered. The laser range finder is a distance measuring sensor that employs the TOF method, and by providing one and two scanning axes, it is possible to measure two-dimensional planes and three-dimensional measurements, respectively. It can also be said that LIDAR is a kind of laser range finder.

In addition to this, light such as infrared light is emitted from the light emitting part without scanning the light, a two-dimensional light receiving sensor is used for the light receiving element, and the light receiving result of the two-dimensional light receiving sensor is within a certain measurement space area. It is also possible to measure the distance to the object in. Examples of the two-dimensional light receiving sensor include a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) and a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor Image Sensor). Examples of such a distance measuring device include a TOF camera in which a near-infrared LED (Light Emitting Diode) emits pulse light and a CCD reads the arrival time of the reflected light to obtain a three-dimensional station image.

The distance measuring device 10 of this configuration example drives and scans a light emitting unit 12 that outputs measurement light, a light receiving unit 15 that receives reflected light of the measurement light emitted from the light emitting unit 12, and an optical path of the emitted measurement light. An optical mechanism unit 13 provided with an optical path adjusting unit such as a mirror for guiding the reflected light to the light receiving unit 15, an optical window 16 for passing the measurement light emitted from the light emitting unit 12 and the reflected light thereof, and a light emitting unit. Based on the drive control unit 11 that performs the light emission drive of the 12 and the drive control of the optical path adjustment unit, the output signal photoelectrically converted by the light receiving unit 15, and the optical path drive information from the drive control unit 11, the measurement object M is reached. It has a distance calculation unit 14 that calculates a distance and outputs it as a measurement result of distance information.

The obstacle determination unit 17 determines the presence or absence of an obstacle in the measurement space area in front of the distance measuring device 10 based on the distance measurement result by the distance measuring device 10. When the obstacle determination unit 17 determines that there is an object in the measurement space area in front of the obstacle determination device 1, the obstacle determination unit 17 determines the object as an obstacle. The measurement space area is basically defined as a so-called measurement area (obstacle detection area) in a predetermined area, and can be said to be an area indicating the coordinate space of the measurement target point (measurement point). This measurement space area is the main feature of this embodiment and will be described later.

The method of determining an obstacle in the obstacle determination unit 17 does not matter, but for example, the distance is measured by the distance measuring device 10 (it was finite instead of infinity), and the coordinates are orthogonal (at least in one direction). (Coordinates are distances), and if any of the coordinates within the measurement space area exists, it may be determined that there is an obstacle. Preferably, it is determined that there is an obstacle only when a predetermined number of measurement points are present in the measurement space area.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the obstacle determination device 1 as described above is mounted on a moving body 2 such as an autonomous traveling device that automatically travels while detecting an obstacle and avoiding a collision with the obstacle. In this example, the distance measuring device 10 is attached to the main body 20, and the unit constituting the obstacle determination unit 17 is mounted inside the main body 20.

Further, in the illustrated moving body 2, four wheels 21 are attached to the main body portion 20, and although not shown, a driving unit for traveling the moving body 2 and a drive control unit for controlling the driving unit (wheels for distinction). (Called a drive control unit) is provided. The drive unit is composed of, for example, a motor and / or an engine for rotationally driving a plurality of wheels 21. Of course, the wheels 21 as illustrated may be driven, for example, caterpillars and the like.

The wheel drive control unit controls the drive unit so as to perform an operation of avoiding a collision with an obstacle based on a determination result by the obstacle determination unit 17. Here, when an obstacle is determined by the obstacle determination unit 17, the information is output to the wheel drive control unit, where, for example, a moving body 2 traveling so as to avoid a collision with the obstacle. Control is performed to change the traveling direction, decelerate, or stop in front of an obstacle. Based on this control, the drive unit can be made to perform operations such as changing the traveling direction, decelerating, and stopping, thereby avoiding a collision with an obstacle.

In addition, by providing the moving body 2 with a storage unit for storing map information, a position information acquisition unit, and the like, it is possible to move along the planned route. Examples of the position information acquisition unit include a unit that acquires the position of the moving body 2 by using a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) such as GPS (Global Positioning System) or a QZSS (Quasi Zenith Satellite System).

Next, the main features of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 3A to 4C. FIG. 3A is a cross-sectional view in the traveling direction showing an example of a conventional measurement space area in a moving body equipped with an obstacle determination device, and FIG. 3B is a schematic view showing an example in which the measurement space area of FIG. 3A is changed due to a terrain change. 3C is a cross-sectional view of a plane perpendicular to the traveling direction of the measurement space region of FIG. 3A, and FIG. 3D is a cross-sectional view of a plane perpendicular to the traveling direction of the measurement space region of FIG. 3B. Although the conventional measurement space area is shown in FIGS. 3A to 3D, for convenience, the distance measuring device in the obstacle determination device and the moving body on which the measurement space area is mounted are used for the fifth embodiment described later. Reference numerals 16 and 2 will be attached for reference.

Further, FIG. 4A is a cross-sectional view in the traveling direction showing an example of the measurement space area in the moving body 2 equipped with the obstacle determination device 1 of FIG. 1, and FIG. 4B is an example in which the measurement space area of FIG. 4A is changed due to topographical changes. 4C is a schematic view showing another example in which the measurement space area of FIG. 4A is changed due to a change in topography.

As a main feature of the present embodiment, in the measurement space region, the position of the bottom surface of the measurement space region is stepwise according to the depth of the measurement space region in the forward direction (that is, as the depth increases). Or it is defined to be continuously higher. In this embodiment, this definition is basically made in advance. In the present invention, the resolution (measurement accuracy) of the measurement space region is not particularly limited, and if the resolution is good, the accuracy of the measurable distance and direction is merely increased.

Here, the depth in the forward direction basically refers to the distance in the forward direction from the optical window 16, but is a value obtained by adding, for example, the distance of the optical path from the optical mechanism unit 13 or the light emitting unit 12 to the optical window 16. Etc. may be used. When the moving body 2 is placed on a horizontal ground and the optical window 16 of the distance measuring device 10 is placed in a plane perpendicular to the ground and the traveling direction of the moving body 2 (hereinafter, for convenience). The position of the bottom surface (referred to as model arrangement) means, for example, the height of the bottom edge of the measurement space region from the ground. That is, in the case of model arrangement, the position of the bottom surface means the offset amount of the measurement space area from the ground.

A specific example will be described. The measurement space area D0 shown in FIGS. 3A and 3C is a rectangular parallelepiped area defined within the area that can be measured by the distance measuring device 10, and the cross-sectional shape of the measurement space area D0 in the model arrangement is such that the upper surface and the lower surface are the ground. It is parallel to G. The distance measuring device 10 has a measurement limit distance, and it is not possible to accurately measure the distance of an object located farther than the measurement limit distance. Therefore, the depth is large as in the measurement space area D0. There is a limit to the depth. In addition, the measurement limit distance can be determined in the front direction according to the traveling speed and turning diameter of the moving body 2, and even in a situation where an obstacle exists at a position closer than this distance, that distance can be determined. There is no problem because it is detected in advance at a farther stage.

Even in the illustrated measurement space area D0, if the ground G is flat, the above model arrangement is used, so that no problem occurs. However, the ground G usually has steps and irregularities on unpaved roads. As illustrated in FIGS. 3B and 3D, when a recess (recess) Gu exists in the ground G and the wheel 21 falls into the recess Gu, there is no problem in the rear portion D0a of the measurement space area D0, but the front portion D0b. Overlaps with the ground G, and the distance measuring device 10 detects the ground G as a measurement object (that is, an obstacle). Then, if the ground G is detected as an obstacle, the avoidance operation such as stopping is performed for safety even in a situation where there is no obstacle in running, and the usability is deteriorated.

The cause of such false detection is that when the vehicle body of the moving body 2 and the distance measuring device 10 are tilted forward, the measurement area at a position (depth direction) away from the distance measuring device 10 is further shifted toward the ground G. There is. In this embodiment, paying attention to this point, the height of the measurement space area D0 by the vehicle body after leaning forward from the ground G is taken into consideration so that the measurement space area does not erroneously detect the ground G when the vehicle body tilts forward. To give.

That is, in the present embodiment, for example, the measurement space area D1 shown in FIG. 4A is defined and used as the measurement space area. The measurement space area D1 is also an area defined within the area that can be measured by the distance measuring device 10, but as the depth increases in the measurement space area D0 (the longer the vertical distance from the optical window 16 becomes). ) It is an area defined so that the position of the bottom surface is gradually raised (the bottom surface is floated). In the case of stepwise increase, the degree of increase according to the depth may be a constant ratio as illustrated in the measurement space area D1 (that is, may be increased in proportion to the depth), but is not a constant ratio. You may. Also, although not shown, it may be defined to increase continuously (in a smooth slope) rather than stepwise as the depth increases.

By adopting such a measurement space area D1, as illustrated in FIG. 4B, there is a dent Gu in the ground G as in the example of FIG. 3B, and the wheel 21 falls in the dent Gu, or the same. Even when the state of is caused by the shaking of the moving body 2, it is possible to prevent the front portion of the measurement space area D1 from overlapping with the ground G. That is, it is possible to prevent the distance measuring device 10 from detecting the ground G as a measurement object (that is, an obstacle).

Further, not limited to the recess Gu, as shown in FIG. 4C where the inclination of the ground G changes at the change position Gb, the change in the inclination of the ground G (as shown in the figure, the angle becomes less than 180 ° before and after the change). Even if there is such a change), the ground G is detected when the measurement space area D0 is adopted, whereas such detection is prevented when the measurement space area D1 is adopted. be able to.

Further, in the measurement space region in the present embodiment, as illustrated in FIGS. 4A to 4C, the position of the upper surface of the measurement space region becomes a constant height regardless of the depth (regardless of the measurement target distance). It is defined as, but it is not limited to this. The constant height means that the height from the ground when the model is arranged is constant.

Further, the description has been made on the premise that the measurement space area (measurement space area D0 in the examples of FIGS. 3A to 4C) before adjusting the positions of the bottom surface and the upper surface is a rectangular parallelepiped, but the description is not limited to this. As the measurement space area before the above, for example, in a group of measuring points radially provided in front of the light emitting point of the optical window 16, the lower and upper limits of the depth in the front direction are set, and the width and height directions are described above. Those having a limit such as within a rectangular region centered on the central axis passing through the center and perpendicular to the optical window 16 may be adopted.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the measurement space area in front of the distance measuring device 10 is defined so as to make it difficult to detect the ground. Therefore, a simple algorithm is used without requiring a complicated configuration and algorithm. It is possible to prevent the ground from being mistakenly judged as an obstacle even when the ground is shaken or the ground is tilted due to an impact. Further, in the present embodiment, although the measurement space area is narrowed, it is narrowed as it is farther from the distance measuring device 10, so that it can be said that the influence on the collision avoidance processing is substantially small. For example, when a low object exists on a flat ground, it cannot be detected at a position away from the distance measuring device 10, but it can be detected when it is closer, so that it is possible to avoid a collision with the object.

Further, in the above, an optical distance measuring device has been mentioned as an example of the distance measuring device, but the radiation emitted for sensing is not limited to laser light, infrared light, visible light, and the like. Ultrasonic waves, electromagnetic waves, etc. can also be adopted. That is, the obstacle determination device may include a distance measuring device that radiates ultrasonic waves, electromagnetic waves, or the like to measure the distance instead of the optical distance measuring device. In particular, the presence or absence of an object at each station can be sensed even with ultrasonic waves by devising measures such as giving directivity.

(Second Embodiment)
A second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 5A and 5B. FIG. 5A is a cross-sectional view of a plane perpendicular to the traveling direction showing an example of a measurement space region in a moving body equipped with an obstacle determination device according to a second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 5B is a measurement space of FIG. 5A. It is a schematic diagram which shows the example which the area changed by the topographical change. In the present embodiment, the description of the overlapping portion with the first embodiment is basically omitted, but various application examples described in the first embodiment can be applied.

In the first embodiment, as illustrated in the measurement space area D1, the position of the bottom surface of the measurement space area is defined to be gradually or continuously raised according to the depth in the forward direction thereof. On the other hand, in the present embodiment, in the measurement space region, the position of the bottom surface of the measurement space region is gradually or continuously raised according to the depth in the width direction (depth in the left-right direction) of the measurement space region. It is defined to be. The measurement space area D2 shown in FIG. 5A is an example defined as such.

As illustrated in FIG. 5B, when there is a dent Gu on the ground G and the wheel 21 falls into the dent Gu, or when the distance measuring device 10 sways to the left or right due to vibration, the left-right direction of the distance measuring device 10 Will occur, and the measurement space area D2 will also sway from side to side. However, in the present embodiment, even with such shaking, the position of the bottom surface is gradually or continuously raised, so that it is possible to prevent erroneous detection of the ground G as an obstacle. Further, in the present embodiment, when the measurement space area is narrowed, it can be said that it is practical because the distance from the distance measuring device is narrowed.

As another example of the measurement space region in the present embodiment, the above-mentioned radial region is adopted, the upper limit and the lower limit of the depth in the front direction are set, and at least on the lower surface side, the light emission point is described in the width and height directions. Those having a limit such as in a cylindrical region or an elliptical region centered on the central axis may be adopted.

Further, also in the present embodiment, the position of the upper surface of the measurement space region is a constant height regardless of the depth (the depth in the left-right direction in the present embodiment) as illustrated in FIG. 5A. It is defined to be, but it is not limited to this. The constant height means that the height from the ground when the model is arranged is constant.

(Third Embodiment)
As described above, the application example of the first embodiment can be applied to the second embodiment. As a third embodiment of the present invention, an embodiment in which both embodiments are applied will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing an example of a measurement space region in a moving body equipped with the obstacle determination device according to the present embodiment. In the present embodiment, the description of the overlapping portion with the first and second embodiments is basically omitted, but various application examples described in the first and second embodiments can be applied.

In this embodiment, both the first and second embodiments are applied, and the position of the bottom surface of the measurement space area is stepwise according to the depth in the front direction and the depth in the left-right direction (width direction). Or it is defined to be continuously higher. The measurement space area D3 shown in FIG. 6 is an example defined as such. According to this embodiment, it is possible to prevent erroneous detection of the ground as an obstacle regardless of whether the distance measuring device 10 is tilted forward or tilted in the left-right direction.

(Fourth Embodiment)
A fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a plane perpendicular to the traveling direction showing an example of a measurement space region in a moving body equipped with the obstacle determination device according to the present embodiment. In the present embodiment, the description of the overlapping portion with the first to third embodiments is basically omitted, but various application examples described in the first to third embodiments can be applied.

In the measurement space region of the present embodiment, the deeper the depth (depth in the forward direction and / or the width direction), the higher the position of the upper surface of the measurement space region gradually or continuously, that is, the measurement space. It is defined as a high shift of the measurement space area before adjustment illustrated in the area D0. The measurement space area D4 shown in FIG. 7 is an example defined as such.

In the measurement space area D4, it is possible to avoid erroneously detecting the ground G as an obstacle, such as when the inclination of the ground G changes at the change position Gb, when the wheel 21 falls into a depression, or when the vehicle climbs over a step. Therefore, not only the position of the lower surface is raised, but also the position of the upper surface is raised. Therefore, even in such a scene, an obstacle having a certain height can be detected from a distant position. Of course, the degree of change in the height of the lower surface position and the degree of change in the height of the upper surface position may be different, and the depth in the width direction may also be applied as in the second and third embodiments. You can also.

(Fifth Embodiment)
Although the description of the overlapping portion of the fifth embodiment of the present invention with the first to fourth embodiments is basically omitted, various application examples described in the first to fourth embodiments can be applied. ..

The obstacle determination unit 17 in the present embodiment defines the measurement space area only when it detects an obstacle having a predetermined shape including at least a part of the bottom surface of the measurement space area defined in advance and indicating the ground. , The position of the bottom surface (and the top surface) is changed (updated) so as to be gradually or continuously raised.

The above-defined measurement space area is the one before the bottom surface (and top surface) position is changed, in other words, the measurement space whose bottom surface is not raised according to the depth as illustrated in the measurement space area D0. It is an area. Further, the predetermined shape refers to, for example, a rectangular shape including the bottom surface of the measurement space area D0 and covers the entire width direction, and any method may be adopted for this determination.

That is, the obstacle determination unit 17 in the present embodiment defines, for example, the measurement space area D0 in advance, and sets the ground (an obstacle having a predetermined shape including at least a part of the bottom surface of the measurement space area D0) according to the definition. Only when it is detected, the definition of the measurement space area is changed to the measurement space areas D1, D2, D3, D4 and the like.

With such control, the ground is first easily detected, and then the measurement space area D1 or the like that does not erroneously detect the ground is adopted. Therefore, before detecting the ground, a low obstacle is detected from a distant position. Will also be possible. That is, in the present embodiment, the measurement is performed in a wide measurement range at first, and the measurement range is narrowed only when it is assumed that it is better to narrow the measurement range, and when further narrowing, the distance from the distance measuring device is narrowed. It can be said that it is practical.

(Other)
Although the obstacle determination device according to the present invention has been described above, the present invention may also take a form as an obstacle determination method as described in the processing procedure thereof. This obstacle determination method determines the presence or absence of an obstacle in the measurement space area in front of the distance measuring device based on the measurement result of the distance by the distance measuring device that measures the distance to the measurement target. Have steps. The measurement space region is defined so that the position of the bottom surface of the measurement space region is gradually or continuously raised according to the depth in the front direction and / or the width direction of the measurement space region. .. Other application examples are as described for the obstacle determination device, and the description thereof will be omitted.

1 ... Obstacle determination device, 2 ... Moving object, 10 ... Distance measuring device, 11 ... Drive control unit, 12 ... Light emitting unit, 13 ... Optical mechanism unit, 14 ... Distance calculation unit, 15 ... Light receiving unit, 16 ... Optical window , 17 ... Obstacle determination unit, 20 ... Main body, 21 ... Wheels, D0 ... General measurement space area, D1, D2, D3, D4 ... Measurement space area, G ... Ground, Gu ... Depression, Gb ... Tilt Change position, M ... Measurement target.

Claims (4)

Based on the distance measuring device mounted on the vehicle and measuring the distance to the object to be measured and the distance measurement result by the distance measuring device, it is determined whether or not there is an obstacle in the measurement space area in front of the distance measuring device. An obstacle determination device equipped with an obstacle determination unit.
The measurement space region, In no event which the vehicle is placed on level ground, depending on the depth of the forward direction and / or width direction of the measurement space region, the vehicle is placed on level ground It means the height of the bottom edge of the measurement space region from the ground when measured in a state and in a state where the optical window of the distance measuring device is placed in the ground and in a plane perpendicular to the traveling direction of the vehicle. An obstacle determination device that is defined so that the position of the bottom surface of the measurement space region is gradually increased and is fixed to the vehicle . Before SL total measuring spatial domain, In no event which the vehicle is placed on level ground, regardless of the depth, the and in a state in which the vehicle is placed on level ground ground and the traveling direction of the vehicle The position of the upper surface of the measurement space region, which means the height of the upper end of the measurement space region from the ground when measured with the optical window of the distance measuring device mounted in a plane perpendicular to the ground, is constant. The obstacle determination device according to claim 1, wherein the height is defined. Before SL total measuring spatial domain, In no event which the vehicle is placed on level ground, the higher the depth is deep, the traveling direction of the vehicle and the ground surface and the vehicle in a state placed on level ground The position of the upper surface of the measurement space area, which means the height of the upper end of the measurement space area from the ground when measured with the optical window of the distance measuring device mounted in a plane perpendicular to the ground, is stepwise. The obstacle determination device according to claim 1, wherein the measurement space area is defined to be high. It has an obstacle determination step for determining the presence or absence of an obstacle in the measurement space area in front of the distance measuring device based on the measurement result of the distance by the distance measuring device mounted on the vehicle and measuring the distance to the measurement target. It is an obstacle judgment method
The measurement space region, In no event which the vehicle is placed on level ground, depending on the depth of the forward direction and / or width direction of the measurement space region, the vehicle is placed on level ground It means the height of the bottom edge of the measurement space region from the ground when measured in a state and in a state where the optical window of the ranging device is placed in the ground and in a plane perpendicular to the traveling direction of the vehicle. An obstacle determination method, characterized in that the position of the bottom surface of the measurement space region is defined to be gradually increased and is fixed to the vehicle .

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