JPH0550384U - Side monitoring device when driving on highways - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [Purpose] The present invention is intended for a side monitoring device during highway traveling, which enables automatic traveling even at a branch between a main line and a branch line such as a parking area or an exit. A lateral distance measuring device 2 having an ultrasonic distance sensor 21 having a beam is installed on the side of a vehicle body 11, and an optical sensor 91 having a beam is provided diagonally to the left or right of the vehicle body 11. The line detection device 9 having the above is installed.

Description

[Detailed description of the device]

[0001]

[Industrial applications]

 The present invention relates to a lateral monitoring device for use on a four-wheeled vehicle capable of autonomous driving when driving on a highway.

[0002]

[Prior Art]

 Heretofore, there is no known publication that describes a lateral monitoring device for driving on a highway of this kind.

[0003]

[Problems to be solved by the device]

 If you only measure the lateral distance of the vehicle body while running, if there is a branch line for guiding to the parking area or exit, you will be guided to the branch line, so you can not drive normally on the highway ..

Therefore, the present invention has been devised in view of the problems of the above-mentioned conventional techniques, and lateral monitoring during highway traveling, which enables automatic traveling even in branching of main lines and branch lines such as parking areas and exits. The purpose is to provide the device.

[0005]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

 In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, in the lateral monitoring device during highway traveling according to the present invention, a lateral distance measuring device equipped with an ultrasonic distance sensor having a beam is installed on the lateral side of a vehicle body. At the same time, a line detection device equipped with an optical sensor having a beam is installed diagonally forward of the left or right side of the vehicle body.

Further, the light receiving portion of the optical sensor of the above line detecting device is divided into at least two light receiving elements.

Further, the optical sensor of the line detection device is configured to detect and calculate the temporal discontinuity of the output signal level of the light receiving element.

[0008]

[Action]

 The ultrasonic distance sensor of the lateral distance measuring device measures the distance to the lateral installation object, and at the same time, the optical sensor of the line detecting device detects intermittent lines to maintain the lateral distance of the vehicle body at all times. Enable automatic driving of cars.

Further, since the light receiving element of the optical sensor of the line detection device is a divided element, the distance to the line can be measured, and the distance between the line and the vehicle body can be kept constant. Becomes

Further, the line detection device can measure the speed signal and the intermittent interval of the line, determine the type of the line, and prevent the malfunction of the lateral interval of the vehicle body.

[0011]

【Example】

 An embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4. The present invention realizes an automatic driving monitoring apparatus for a highway by combining both the lateral distance measuring apparatus 2 and the line detecting apparatus 9.

As shown in FIG. 1, the lateral distance measuring device 2 is installed laterally of a vehicle body 11 of an automobile 1. The lateral distance measuring device 2 is installed on a road edge such as a curb 5 or a guardrail 4. The distance sensor 2 having a beam is used to detect the distance to the vehicle body 11, and the vehicle body 11 can travel while maintaining a fixed distance from the installation objects 4 and 5.

The distance sensor 2 measures the distance to the road edge without detecting a nearby road surface and holds the vehicle body 11 and the road edge at a constant distance. Is used.

By the way, with the lateral distance measuring device 2 alone, when there is a parking line or a branch line 6 for guiding to an exit as shown in FIG. 2, the branch line 6 is guided.

Therefore, paying attention to the fact that the white line 8 is intermittently installed along the main line 7 at the branch point to the branch line 6, and the line detecting device 9 is configured to detect the intermittent white line 8. Has been done.

The line detection device 9 is installed diagonally forward on the left side or the right side of the vehicle body 11. The line detection device 9 includes an optical sensor 91 having a beam, and the optical sensor 91 is installed on the vehicle body 11. It is set to be able to monitor a road surface diagonally ahead of several meters to several tens of meters.

As shown in FIG. 3, the light receiving portion 94 of the optical sensor 91 is composed of at least one lens 93 and light receiving elements 92 and 92a which are divided into at least two in the horizontal direction.

The distance between the vehicle body 11 and the line 8 can be kept constant by detecting and calculating the distance from the line 8 to the vehicle body 11 based on the balance of the output levels of the light receiving elements 92 and 92a. It is configured to be possible.

On a highway, as shown in FIG. 4, the center line a has a length A of the line 8 of 8 m, the distance B between the lines 8 and 12 is 12 m, and the other lines b have the length of the line 8 C is set to 3 m, and the distance D between the lines 8 and 8 is set to 3 m.

Therefore, the optical sensor 91 of the line detection device is configured to measure the repetition time of light and darkness of the line 8 which is intermittent and regular, and can be distinguished from continuous line or road noise. ing.

Further, the lengths A and C of the line 8 are measured by using the speed signal of the automobile, and the type of line such as the center line a and other intermittent lines b can be discriminated.

The determination of the position of the vehicle body 11 by the optical sensor 9 should be prioritized over the position determination by the ultrasonic sensor 2.

[0023]

[Effect of the device]

 Since the present invention is configured as described above, it has the following effects. A. In addition to measuring the distance to the side installation with the ultrasonic distance sensor of the lateral distance measuring device, the optical sensor of the line detection device detects intermittent lines, so the parking area and exit Even if there is a branch line at the branch point to, it has the effect of not hindering the automatic running of the main line.

B. Since the light receiving element of the optical sensor in the line detection device uses a divided element, the distance to the line can be accurately measured. Therefore, it is possible to drive automatically while keeping the distance between the line and the vehicle body constant.

C. Since the optical sensor of the line detection device measures the line disconnection interval using the speed signal of the automobile, it is possible to determine the type of line. Therefore, it is possible to prevent malfunction of the lateral distance of the vehicle body when traveling on a highway.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic explanatory diagram of a lateral distance measuring device.

FIG. 2 is an implementation state diagram of a line detection device.

FIG. 3 is a structural diagram of a light receiving portion of an optical sensor.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of two types of lines on the road surface.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 automobile 11 vehicle body 2 lateral distance measuring device 21 ultrasonic distance sensor 3 road 31 road surface 4 guardrail 5 curbstone 6 branch line 7 main line 8 line 9 line detection device 91 optical sensor 92 light receiving element 93 lens 94 light receiving section

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A lateral distance measuring device having an ultrasonic distance sensor having a beam is installed on a side of a vehicle body, and an optical sensor having a beam is provided diagonally to the left or right side of the vehicle body. A side monitoring device with a line detection device installed while driving on a highway.