JP5049853B2 - Vehicle object detection device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle in which when an object detection unit detects a plurality of object candidates based on an electromagnetic wave transmission / reception result by the transmission / reception unit, the integration unit integrates the plurality of object candidates detected within the integration range as one target object. The present invention relates to an object detection apparatus.

When a plurality of object candidates detected by the in-vehicle radar device are close to each other and object candidates whose relative speed variations with respect to the own vehicle are within a predetermined range are integrated into a target object, the target The representative position and the left and right end points of the object are calculated, and when the follow-up running control is performed, the representative position is the target, and when the contact avoidance control is performed, the end point closest to the center line of the estimated trajectory of the own vehicle is selected as the target. Thus, a vehicle travel control device that can accurately perform both follow-up travel control and contact avoidance control is known from Patent Document 1 below.
Japanese Patent No. 3660301

  By the way, if what is described in the above-mentioned patent document 1 is applied when the own vehicle passes an oncoming vehicle composed of a large vehicle such as a truck, the center point in front of the oncoming vehicle and the oncoming vehicle May be detected as the end points of the side surfaces of these, and the center points and end points may be integrated as one target object.

  Accordingly, when the oncoming vehicle approaches the own vehicle, first, the center point near the own vehicle deviates from the detection area of the radar device of the own vehicle. May be determined as the center of the vehicle. In such a case, although the host vehicle and the oncoming vehicle can pass each other safely, the end point on the side of the oncoming vehicle near the host vehicle is misjudged as the center of the vehicle. This may make the driver feel uncomfortable.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to accurately determine the position and size of an object even if the front end of the object passing by the own vehicle deviates from the detection area of the object detection means of the own vehicle. And

  In order to achieve the above object, according to the first aspect of the present invention, an electromagnetic wave is transmitted toward the detection area ahead of the traveling direction of the host vehicle, and a reflected wave from an object existing in the detection area is received. Transmitting and receiving means, object detecting means for calculating the position and relative speed of the object candidate with respect to the vehicle based on the transmission and reception results of the transmitting and receiving means, and a plurality of the object candidates when the plurality of object candidates are detected within an integrated range. Integration means for integrating the object candidates as one target object, integrated information storage means for storing relative positions of the target object and the plurality of object candidates constituting the target object, and storage in the integrated information storage means Object candidate position calculating means for calculating positions of the plurality of object candidates with respect to the own vehicle after a predetermined time from the positions and relative speeds of the plurality of object candidates with respect to the own vehicle; By the position calculation means, the integrated information storage means determines whether the plurality of object candidates stored in the integrated information storage means are outside the detection area, and the integrated information When it is determined that at least one object candidate of the plurality of object candidates stored in the storage means is outside the detection area, the object that is not determined to be outside the detection area stored in the integrated information storage means A vehicle object detection device is provided, comprising: target object position acquisition means for obtaining a position or size of a new target object based on information on the candidate and the target object.

  According to the invention described in claim 2, in addition to the configuration of claim 1, the target object position acquisition unit includes a position of the object candidate after a predetermined time calculated by the object candidate position calculation unit, When the deviation from the position of the new object candidate after the predetermined time detected by the object detection means is within a predetermined value, the new object candidate is stored in the integrated information storage means To the position of the new object candidate detected by the object detection means and the relative position of the target object corresponding to the position of the object candidate stored in the integrated information storage means Based on this, an object detection device for a vehicle is proposed in which the position or size of a new target object is obtained.

  According to the invention described in claim 3, in addition to the configuration of claim 1 or claim 2, the out-of-detection-area determining unit is an object candidate after a predetermined time calculated by the object candidate position calculating unit. An object detection device for a vehicle is proposed that makes a determination based on whether or not the position of the vehicle is outside the detection region.

  According to the invention described in claim 4, in addition to the configuration of any one of claims 1 to 3, the integrated information storage means includes the integrated range and an object candidate that constitutes a target object. The target object position acquisition means is stored in the integrated information storage means when the position of the new object candidate detected by the object detection means is included in the integration range. An object detection apparatus for a vehicle is proposed in which the position or size of the target object is obtained based on the position of the object candidate and the position of the new object candidate detected by the object detection means.

  Note that the oncoming vehicle Vb of the embodiment corresponds to the object of the present invention.

  According to the configuration of claim 1, when the integration unit integrates a plurality of object candidates detected within the integration range as one target object, the integrated information storage unit includes the target object and the object candidates constituting the target object. The relative position of is stored. When the object candidate position calculating means calculates the position of the object candidate with respect to the own vehicle after a predetermined time, and when the out-of-detection area determination means determines that at least one of the object candidates is out of the detection area, the target object position acquisition means is integrated. Since the position or size of the new target object is obtained based on the information on the object candidate and the target object that are not determined to be outside the detection area stored in the information storage means, some of the plurality of object candidates are detected in the detection area The position or size of the target object can be detected with high accuracy even if the distance is off.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, the correspondence between the object candidate after the predetermined time calculated by the object candidate position calculating means and the new object candidate after the predetermined time detected by the object detecting means is confirmed. Thus, the position or size of the new target object based on the position of the new object candidate detected by the object detection means and the relative position of the target object corresponding to the position of the object candidate stored in the integrated information storage means. Therefore, the detection accuracy of the target object can be ensured.

  According to the configuration of claim 3, based on the position of the object candidate after a predetermined time calculated by the object candidate position calculating means, the out-of-detection area determination means determines that any object candidate has left the detection area. Therefore, it is possible to make a determination before the object candidate actually deviates from the detection region, and control delay can be avoided.

  According to the configuration of claim 4, the target object position acquisition unit stores the object candidate stored in the integrated information storage unit when the position of the new object candidate detected by the object detection unit is included in the integration range. Since the position or size of the target object is obtained based on the position of the target object and the position of the newly detected object candidate, the detection accuracy of the target object is further improved.

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

  1 to 8 show an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a vehicle control device, and FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of an operation when the entire oncoming vehicle is present in the detection area of the own vehicle. 3 is an operation explanatory diagram (conventional example) when the front end of the oncoming vehicle is out of the detection area of the own vehicle, FIG. 4 is an operation explanatory diagram (embodiment) corresponding to FIG. 3, and FIG. FIG. 6 is a flowchart of the main routine, FIG. 7 is a flowchart of the subroutine of step A2 of the main routine, and FIG. 8 is a flowchart of the subroutine of step A3 of the main routine. It is.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the wave radar device Sr mounted on the front of the vehicle body to detect an object in front of the vehicle (for example, an oncoming vehicle) transmits electromagnetic waves (millimeter waves) to a detection area in front of the vehicle. The transmission / reception means M1 that receives the reflected wave of the electromagnetic wave reflected by the object, and the arithmetic processing unit 11 that processes the signal from the transmission / reception means M1. The arithmetic processing unit 11 of the radar apparatus Sr includes an object detection unit M2, an integration unit M3, an integrated information storage unit M4, an object candidate position calculation unit M5, an out-of-detection area determination unit M6, and a target object position acquisition unit M7. With.

  When the contact avoidance control means U composed of an electronic control unit connected to the target object position acquisition means M7 of the arithmetic processing unit 11 of the radar apparatus Sr determines that there is a possibility that the own vehicle is in contact with the oncoming vehicle, the contact The operation of the brake actuator 12, the steering actuator 13 and the alarm device 14 is controlled so as to avoid the above-mentioned problem or reduce the damage caused by the contact.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the lane on the right side of the lane in which the host vehicle Va travels approaches the oncoming vehicle Vb such as a large truck so as to pass each other, and is shaped like a sector of the radar device Sr mounted on the host vehicle Va. Let us consider a case where the oncoming vehicle Vb is in the extended detection area.

  When the transmission / reception means M1 of the radar device Sr transmits an electromagnetic wave within the detection area, the electromagnetic wave is reflected by the oncoming vehicle Vb, and the reflected wave is received by the transmission / reception means M1. The object detection means M2 of the arithmetic processing unit 11 of the radar device Sr detects a portion where the reception level of the reflected wave is a threshold value or more as an object candidate. In the example of FIG. 2, the object candidate T1 is detected in front of the oncoming vehicle Vb, and the object candidate T2 is detected on the right side surface of the oncoming vehicle VB (side surface close to the host vehicle Va). The detection data of the object candidates T1 and T2 are a direction based on the vehicle body axis of the own vehicle Va, a position (relative position) with respect to the own vehicle Va, and a relative speed with respect to the own vehicle Va.

  The integration means M3 of the arithmetic processing unit 11 sets a rectangular integration range TE1 extending in a direction away from the host vehicle Va with the object candidate T1 closest to the host vehicle Va as the center in the vehicle width direction. The size of the integrated range TE1 is set in advance, and is, for example, equivalent to the body size of a large truck. Then, it is determined whether or not the second closest object candidate T2 is included in the integrated range TE1 of the object candidate T1 closest to the own vehicle. If included, the two object candidates T1 and T2 are integrated to form a rectangle. A target object OB1 having a shape is set. The dimension in the vehicle width direction of the target object OB1 is twice the distance in the vehicle width direction of the two object candidates T1 and T2, and the object candidate T1 is located at the center thereof. Further, the dimension in the vehicle length direction of the target object OB1 coincides with the distance in the vehicle length direction of the two object candidates T1 and T2. Since the integrated range TE2 for the object candidate T2 closest to the host vehicle does not include other object candidates, the integrated range TE2 is ignored.

  The estimated trajectory of the host vehicle Va shown in a belt shape can be estimated from the vehicle speed and yaw rate of the host vehicle Va, and when the estimated trajectory includes at least a part of the target object OB1 representing the oncoming vehicle Vb, contact avoidance is performed. The control means U determines that there is a possibility that the host vehicle Va and the oncoming vehicle Vb are in contact with each other, and operates the brake actuator 12 to brake the host vehicle Va, or operates the steering actuator 13 to turn the host vehicle Va. By assisting or operating the alarm device 14 to issue a warning to the driver, contact avoidance or contact damage reduction can be achieved. In the situation shown in FIG. 2, since the target object OB1 representing the oncoming vehicle Vb is not included at all in the estimated trajectory of the own vehicle Va, the contact avoidance control means U determines that there is no possibility that the own vehicle Va and the oncoming vehicle Vb are in contact with each other. However, contact avoidance control is not performed.

  FIG. 3 shows a conventional example in a state in which a predetermined time has elapsed from the state of FIG. 2, and when the oncoming vehicle Vb approaches the own vehicle Va, the object candidate T1 in front of the vehicle is out of the detection region. Only the side object candidate T2 is in the detection region. Conventionally, the integrated range TE2 is set based on the only detected object candidate T2, and the target object OB2 is set based on the object candidate T2 because no other object candidate exists in the integrated range TE2. At this time, the dimension in the vehicle width direction and the dimension in the vehicle length direction of the target object OB2 are set in advance.

  In the case of FIG. 3, since a part of the target object OB2 is included in the estimated trajectory of the own vehicle Va, the contact avoidance control means is actually used even though there is no possibility that the own vehicle Va and the oncoming vehicle Vb come into contact with each other. U determines that the vehicle Va and the oncoming vehicle Vb may come into contact with each other, and unnecessary contact avoidance control is performed.

  FIG. 4 shows the present embodiment corresponding to FIG. 3, and it is actually assumed that the object candidate T1 deviating from the detection area is still detected, and the same target object OB1 as in the state of FIG. Is set so that the target locus OB1 is not included in the estimated trajectory of the host vehicle Va, and unnecessary operation of the contact avoidance control means U is avoided.

  That is, the integrated information storage means M4 of the arithmetic processing unit 11 stores the relative positions of the target object OB1 in FIG. 2 and the object candidates T1 and T2 constituting the target object OB1, and also the integrated range T1 and the object candidate T1. , T2 are stored, and the object candidate position calculation means M5 calculates the predicted positions of the object candidates T1, T2 after a predetermined time (for example, a calculation cycle) from the relative speeds of the host vehicle Va and the oncoming vehicle Vb. To do. Then, the detection region outside determination means M6 determines whether or not the predicted positions of the object candidates T1 and T2 after a predetermined time are outside the detection region.

  If the predicted position of the front object candidate T1 out of the object candidates T1, T2 of the oncoming vehicle Vb is outside the detection area as a result of the determination by the detection area outside determination means M6, the target object position acquisition means M7 is integrated. A new position (or size) of the target object OB1 is obtained based on the information on the object candidate T2 in the rear detection region and the target object OB1 stored in the information storage means M4. The procedure is as follows.

  The predicted position of the rear object candidate T2 after the predetermined time calculated by the object candidate position calculation means M5 is compared with the actual detection position of the rear object candidate T2 after the predetermined time detected by the object detection means M2. If the deviation between the positions of both object candidates T2 is within a predetermined value, the target object position acquisition means M7 determines that both object candidates T2 are the same, and after a predetermined time detected by the object detection means M2. Based on the actual position of the object candidate T2 and the relative position of the target object OB1 corresponding to the position of the object candidate T2 stored in the integrated information storage unit M4, the position of the new target object OB1 after a predetermined time is determined. Can be sought.

  Specifically, using the position of the object candidate T2 after a predetermined time detected by the object detection means M2 as a reference, the object candidate T2 and the target object OB1 stored in the integrated information storage means M4 are stored at the position of the object candidate T2. By applying the positional relationship, the position of the target object OB1 can be obtained with high accuracy so that the object detection means T1 outside the detection area continues to be detected. Moreover, based on the positions of the object candidates T1 and T2 after a predetermined time calculated by the object candidate position calculation unit M5, the detection region out-of-detection determination unit M6 determines that any one of the object candidates T1 has deviated from the detection region. It is possible to make a determination before the object candidate T1 actually deviates from the detection area, and control delay can be avoided.

  Thus, as is apparent from FIG. 4, the target object OB1 does not interfere with the estimated trajectory of the host vehicle Va, and unnecessary operation of the contact avoidance control means U can be avoided to eliminate the driver's uncomfortable feeling.

  FIG. 5 shows a case where when the target object position acquisition unit M7 obtains the position of the target object OB1, the object detection unit M2 detects a new object candidate T3 (the rear side on the right side of the oncoming vehicle Vb) inside the integrated range TE1. Is shown. In this case, the target object position acquisition unit M7 can obtain the position of the target object OB1 ′ with higher accuracy by extending the rear end position of the target object OB1 to the position of the object candidate T3.

  Next, the above operation will be further described based on the flowcharts of FIGS.

  First, at step A1 of the main routine of FIG. 6, the distance, relative speed and direction of a plurality of objects are calculated by the object detection means M2 of the radar device Sr, and at step A2, it is stored as past information (stored in the integrated information storage means M4). The target object is set in step A3, and information on the target object is transmitted to the contact avoidance control means U in step A4 to activate the brake actuator 12, the steering actuator 13 and the alarm device 14. .

  FIG. 7 shows a subroutine of step A2 “matching with past information” of the main routine. If there is past integrated information in which a plurality of object candidates are integrated and a target object is set in step B1, step B2 is performed. It is determined whether any of the plurality of object candidates is out of the detection area of the radar device Sr. If there is an object candidate outside the detection area in step B3, the correspondence relationship between the past integrated information and the current detection object is collated in step B4. If at least one of the plurality of object candidates integrated in step B5 is still detected, the same integration range (TE1) as in the past is set based on the object candidate (T1) outside the detection area in step B6. Then, the object candidates (T1, T2) are integrated, and a target object (OB1) is set from the integrated object candidates (T1, T2) in step B7.

  FIG. 8 shows a subroutine of step SA3 “Set other target objects” of the main routine. In step C1, object candidates integrated with the target object are removed by collating with past information, and the remaining object candidates are detected in step C2. The integrated range is set in step S3, and the control priority of the integrated range is determined in step C3. For example, the control priority is set to be higher in an integrated range closer to the own vehicle. In step C4, object candidates existing in the integrated range are integrated as target objects in order from the integrated range having the highest control priority.

  Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, various design changes can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

  For example, the radar device Sr is not limited to the millimeter wave radar device of the embodiment, and may be a laser radar device.

Block diagram of vehicle control device Action explanatory diagram when the entire oncoming vehicle exists in the detection area of the host vehicle Action explanatory diagram when the front end of the oncoming vehicle deviates from the detection area of the own vehicle (conventional example) Action explanatory diagram corresponding to FIG. 3 (embodiment) Action explanatory diagram corresponding to FIG. 4 (when there is a third object candidate) Main routine flowchart Flow chart of the subroutine of step A2 of the main routine Flow chart of the subroutine of step A3 of the main routine

Explanation of symbols

M1 Transmission / reception means M2 Object detection means M3 Integration means M4 Integrated information storage means M5 Object candidate position calculation means M6 Out-of-detection area determination means M7 Target object position acquisition means OB1 Target object T1 Object candidate T2 Object candidate T3 Object candidate TE1 Integration range Va Car Vb Oncoming vehicle (object)

Claims (4)

Transmission / reception means (M1) for transmitting an electromagnetic wave toward a detection area ahead of the traveling direction of the host vehicle (Va) and receiving a reflected wave from an object (Vb) existing in the detection area;
Object detection means (M2) for calculating the position and relative speed of the object candidate (T1, T2) with respect to the vehicle (Va) based on the transmission / reception result of the transmission / reception means (M1);
Integration means (M3) for integrating the plurality of object candidates (T1, T2) as one target object (OB1) when the plurality of object candidates (T1, T2) are detected within the integration range (TE1). When,
Integrated information storage means (M4) for storing relative positions of the target object (OB1) and the plurality of object candidates (T1, T2) constituting the target object (OB1);
The plurality of object candidates (T1, T2) after a predetermined time from the position and relative speed of the plurality of object candidates (T1, T2) stored in the integrated information storage means (M4) with respect to the vehicle (Va). Object candidate position calculating means (M5) for calculating the position of the vehicle relative to the vehicle (Va);
Out-of-detection region determination for determining whether or not the plurality of object candidates (T1, T2) stored in the integrated information storage unit (M4) are outside the detection region by the object candidate position calculation unit (M5). Means (M6);
When at least one object candidate (T1) of the plurality of object candidates (T1, T2) stored in the integrated information storage means (M4) is outside the detection area by the detection area outside determination means (M6). Based on the information on the candidate object (T2) and the target object (OB1) that are not determined to be outside the detection area stored in the integrated information storage unit (M4) when determined, a new target object ( Target object position acquisition means (M7) for determining the position or size of OB1);
An object detection device for a vehicle, comprising:   The target object position acquisition means (M7) is configured to detect the position of the object candidate (T2) after a predetermined time calculated by the object candidate position calculation means (M5) and the predetermined object detected by the object detection means (M2). When the deviation from the position of the new object candidate (T2) after the time is within a predetermined value, the new object candidate (T2) is stored in the integrated information storage means (M4). T2), the position of the new object candidate (T2) detected by the object detection means (M2), and the object candidates (M4) stored in the integrated information storage means (M4) 2. The vehicle object detection according to claim 1, wherein the position or size of a new target object (OB1) is obtained based on the relative position of the target object (OB1) corresponding to the position of T2). apparatus.   The detection area outside determination means (M6) makes a determination based on whether or not the position of the object candidate (T1) after the predetermined time calculated by the object candidate position calculation means (M5) is outside the detection area. The vehicle object detection device according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle object detection device is a vehicle object detection device.   The integrated information storage means (M4) stores a relative position between the integrated range (TE1) and object candidates (T1, T2) constituting the target object (OB1), and the target object position acquisition means (M7) When the position of the new object candidate (T3) detected by the object detection means (M2) is included in the integration range (TE1), the object candidates stored in the integration information storage means (M4) The position or size of the target object (OB1 ′) is obtained based on the position of (T1, T2) and the position of the new object candidate (T3) detected by the object detection means (M2). The vehicle object detection device according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

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