JP7525232B2 - OBJECT DETECTION DEVICE, VEHICLE, AND METHOD FOR SETTING WAVE-RECEPTION PERIOD IN OBJECT DETECTION DEVICE - Google Patents

Description

This disclosure relates to an object detection device, a vehicle, and a method for setting the wave reception period in an object detection device.

Conventionally, there is known technology that uses a distance measurement sensor such as an ultrasonic sensor mounted on a vehicle to detect objects such as a preceding vehicle, obstacles, or pedestrians. In addition, there is known technology that performs various controls to improve the driving safety of the vehicle based on the object detection results by the distance measurement sensor, such as activating automatic brakes and notifying the driver.

JP 2018-081050 A

However, because pedestrians, for example, have a low reflectivity to ultrasonic waves, there is a demand for improved accuracy in detecting pedestrians, etc. In particular, simply increasing the sensitivity of detection using ultrasonic waves, etc., will not allow sonar to detect pedestrians, etc. if the reception period is short. There is a demand for highly accurate detection of pedestrians, etc. according to the conditions around the vehicle.

This disclosure provides an object detection device, a vehicle, and a method for setting the wave reception period in an object detection device that can detect pedestrians and other objects with high accuracy depending on the conditions around the vehicle.

An object detection device according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a plurality of distance measuring sensors provided on a vehicle, each having a transmitting unit that transmits ultrasonic waves and a receiving unit that receives reflected waves of the ultrasonic waves transmitted by the transmitting unit that are reflected by objects around the vehicle, and a control unit that detects objects around the vehicle based on the reflected waves received by the receiving unit during a wave receiving period from when the transmitting unit transmits ultrasonic waves until a predetermined time has elapsed, and the control unit includes an image acquisition unit that acquires an image captured by an on- board camera that captures an image of the surroundings of the vehicle, and a control unit that determines whether or not a specific object is included based on the captured image. The system has a determination unit that determines the relative position of the specific object relative to the vehicle, and a position estimation unit that estimates the relative position of the specific object relative to the vehicle, wherein the multiple ranging sensors have a first ranging sensor and a second ranging sensor, and the relative position of the specific object includes directional information of the specific object relative to the vehicle, and when the determination unit determines that the specific object is included in the captured image, the control unit sets the wave receiving period of the corresponding first ranging sensor among the multiple ranging sensors from a first wave receiving period to a second wave receiving period longer than the first wave receiving period based on the relative position of the specific object estimated by the position estimation unit .
Moreover, an object detection device according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a plurality of distance measuring sensors provided on a vehicle, each having a transmitting unit that transmits ultrasonic waves and a receiving unit that receives reflected waves of the ultrasonic waves transmitted by the transmitting unit that are reflected by objects around the vehicle, and a control unit that detects objects around the vehicle based on the reflected waves received by the receiving unit during a wave receiving period from when the transmitting unit transmits ultrasonic waves until a predetermined time has elapsed, and the control unit includes an image acquisition unit that acquires an image captured by an on-board camera that captures an image of the surroundings of the vehicle, a determination unit that determines whether or not a specific object is included based on the captured image, and a position estimation unit that estimates the relative position of the specific object with respect to the vehicle. The vehicle has a distance measuring unit that determines whether the specific object is included in the captured image, and a predicted trajectory generation unit that generates a predicted trajectory of the vehicle, and the multiple distance measuring sensors have a first distance measuring sensor and a second distance measuring sensor, and when the determination unit determines that the captured image includes the specific object, the position estimation unit determines the relative position of the specific object with respect to the vehicle based on the positional relationship between the specific object and a point on the predicted trajectory generated by the predicted trajectory generation unit at which the vehicle approaches the specific object, and the control unit sets the wave receiving period of the corresponding first distance measuring sensor among the multiple distance measuring sensors from a first wave receiving period to a second wave receiving period longer than the first wave receiving period based on the relative position of the specific object estimated by the position estimation unit.

The vehicle disclosed herein is also equipped with an onboard camera that captures images of the surroundings and an object detection device.

Furthermore, a method for setting a wave receiving period in an object detection device according to one aspect of the present disclosure is a method for setting the wave receiving period in an object detection device provided in a vehicle, the object detection device comprising: a plurality of distance measuring sensors having a transmitting unit that transmits ultrasonic waves and a receiving unit that receives reflected waves of the ultrasonic waves transmitted by the transmitting unit that are reflected by objects around the vehicle; and a control unit that detects objects around the vehicle based on the reflected waves received by the receiving unit during the wave receiving period from when the transmitting unit transmits ultrasonic waves until a predetermined time has elapsed , the plurality of distance measuring sensors having a first distance measuring sensor and a second distance measuring sensor, The method includes the steps of: acquiring , by the control unit, an image captured by an on-board camera that captures images of the surroundings of the vehicle; determining whether or not a specific object is included based on the captured image; estimating the relative position of the specific object with respect to the vehicle; and, if it is determined that the specific object is included in the captured image, setting the wave receiving period of a corresponding first of the multiple distance measuring sensors from a first wave receiving period to a second wave receiving period longer than the first wave receiving period based on the relative position of the specific object, wherein the relative position of the specific object includes direction information of the specific object with respect to the vehicle .
Furthermore, a method of setting a wave receiving period in an object detection device according to one aspect of the present disclosure is a method of setting the wave receiving period in an object detection device provided in a vehicle, the object detection device comprising a plurality of distance measuring sensors having a transmission unit that transmits ultrasonic waves and a reception unit that receives reflected waves of the ultrasonic waves transmitted by the transmission unit that are reflected by objects around the vehicle, and a control unit that detects objects around the vehicle based on the reflected waves received by the reception unit during a wave receiving period from when the transmission unit transmits ultrasonic waves until a predetermined time has elapsed, the plurality of distance measuring sensors having a first distance measuring sensor and a second distance measuring sensor, and the method of setting the wave receiving period includes a step of detecting an object around the vehicle based on the reflected waves received by the reception unit during a wave receiving period from when the transmission unit transmits ultrasonic waves until a predetermined time has elapsed, the plurality of distance measuring sensors having a first distance measuring sensor and a second distance measuring sensor, The method includes the steps of: acquiring an image captured by a camera; determining whether or not a specific object is included based on the captured image; estimating a relative position of the specific object with respect to the vehicle; generating a predicted trajectory of the vehicle; and, if it is determined that the specific object is included in the captured image, determining the relative position of the specific object with respect to the vehicle based on a positional relationship between the specific object and a point on the predicted trajectory at which the vehicle approaches the specific object, and setting the wave receiving period of the corresponding first distance measuring sensor among the plurality of distance measuring sensors from a first wave receiving period to a second wave receiving period longer than the first wave receiving period based on the relative position of the specific object.

The object detection device according to the present disclosure can accurately detect pedestrians and the like by appropriately setting the wave reception period of the object detection device according to the conditions around the vehicle.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a vehicle equipped with an in-vehicle system according to a first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of the sensor control device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a functional configuration of the sensor control device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of a sonar according to the first embodiment. FIG. 5 is a graph showing an example of an echo waveform according to the first embodiment. FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the operation of the sensor control device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a functional configuration of a sensor control device according to the second embodiment. FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the operation of the sensor control device according to the second embodiment.

(First embodiment)
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A first embodiment of an object detection device according to the present disclosure will now be described with reference to the drawings. The first embodiment controls a wave receiving period of the object detection device.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a vehicle 1 equipped with an in-vehicle system 100 according to the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle 1 includes a steering control device 30, a speed control device 40, a vehicle control device 50, an HMI (Human Machine Interface) device 60, and a sensor control device 70. The in-vehicle system 100 is an example of an object detection device in the claims, and the sensor control device 70 is an example of a control unit in the claims.

In this embodiment, the in-vehicle system 100 includes a steering control device 30, a speed control device 40, a vehicle control device 50, an HMI device 60, and a sensor control device 70. The vehicle 1 may also be equipped with other devices. Also, while the steering control device 30, the speed control device 40, the vehicle control device 50, the HMI device 60, and the sensor control device 70 are illustrated in FIG. 1 as separate devices, some or all of these devices may be integrated.

The vehicle 1 also includes multiple sonars 21a-21d, 22a-22d, imaging devices 16a, 16b, and radars 17a, 17b.

The multiple sonars 21a-21d, 22a-22d are an example of multiple distance measuring sensors in this embodiment. Of the multiple sonars 21a-21d, 22a-22d, the multiple sonars 21a-21d are provided at the front end of the vehicle 1. The multiple sonars 22a-22d are provided at the rear end of the vehicle 1. Hereinafter, when there is no need to distinguish between the individual sonars 21a-21d, 22a-22d, they will be referred to as sonars 21 and 22. When the multiple sonars 21a-21d are collectively referred to as front sonar 21, they will be referred to as rear sonar 22.

The sonars 21 and 22 are arranged on the vehicle 1 at positions advantageous for detecting or measuring distances to surrounding objects. For example, multiple sonars 21 and 22 are arranged at a distance on the bumpers at the front and rear ends of the vehicle 1 to detect objects in front of and behind the vehicle 1.

Sonars 21 and 22 are provided on vehicle 1 and transmit ultrasonic waves, measuring the time it takes to receive the waves reflected by the objects around vehicle 1, thereby detecting objects around vehicle 1 and obtaining distance information to the detected objects. Specifically, sonars 21 and 22 have a transmitting unit that transmits ultrasonic waves and a receiving unit that receives the waves reflected by the objects around the vehicle from the ultrasonic waves transmitted by the transmitting unit, and detect objects around the vehicle based on the reflected waves received by the receiving unit during the wave reception period from when the transmitting unit transmits the ultrasonic waves until a predetermined time has elapsed.

In this embodiment, the terms "object" and "obstacle" include pedestrians and other vehicles. Also, objects that do not impede the travel of the vehicle 1, such as unevenness in the road surface, are not included as obstacles.

More specifically, a first front center sonar 21a is provided near the center right of the front end of the vehicle 1, and a second front center sonar 21b is provided near the center left of the front end of the vehicle 1. Furthermore, a first front corner sonar 21c is provided near the corner to the right of the first front center sonar 21a at the front end of the vehicle 1. Furthermore, a second front corner sonar 21d is provided near the corner to the left of the second front center sonar 21b at the front end of the vehicle 1.

A first rear center sonar 22a is provided near the center right of the rear end of the vehicle 1, and a second rear center sonar 22b is provided near the center left of the rear end of the vehicle 1. A first rear corner sonar 22c is provided at the rear end of the vehicle 1, closer to the corner on the right side than the first rear center sonar 22a. A second rear corner sonar 22d is provided at the rear end of the vehicle 1, closer to the corner on the left side than the second rear center sonar 22b.

An example of a first distance measurement sensor in the claims is the first front corner sonar 21c, and an example of a second distance measurement sensor in the claims is the first front center sonar 21a. However, the configuration of this embodiment is not limited to this. Any of the individual sonars 21a to 21d, 22a to 22d may be used as the first distance measurement sensor or the second distance measurement sensor as appropriate depending on the surrounding conditions.

In FIG. 1, the range in which the first front center sonar 21a can detect objects is designated as detection range 210a, the range in which the second front center sonar 21b can detect objects is designated as detection range 210b, the range in which the first front corner sonar 21c can detect objects is designated as detection range 210c, and the range in which the second front corner sonar 21d can detect objects is designated as detection range 210d. When there is no particular distinction between the individual detection ranges 210a to 210d, they are simply referred to as detection range 210.

The range in which the first rear center sonar 22a can detect objects is referred to as detection range 220a, the range in which the second rear center sonar 22b can detect objects is referred to as detection range 220b, the range in which the first rear corner sonar 22c can detect objects is referred to as detection range 220c, and the range in which the second rear corner sonar 22d can detect objects is referred to as detection range 220d. When there is no particular distinction between the individual detection ranges 220a to 220d, they are simply referred to as detection range 220.

The detection range 210 is determined based on the wave reception period from when the ultrasonic waves are transmitted until a predetermined time has elapsed. The wave reception period is set in advance by the sensor control device 70, but can be modified (updated) for each sonar 21, 22 as appropriate depending on the surrounding conditions and the vehicle's condition. The method for setting the wave reception period will be described later.

Note that although FIG. 1 illustrates each detection range 210, 220 as being separate, in reality, the detection ranges 210, 220 of adjacent sonars 21, 22 overlap.

In addition, when the first front center sonar 21a, the second front center sonar 21b, the first rear center sonar 22a, and the second rear center sonar 22b are not particularly distinguished from each other, they are simply referred to as center sonars 21a, 21b, 22a, and 22b.In addition, when the first front corner sonar 21c, the second front corner sonar 21d, the first rear corner sonar 22c, and the second rear corner sonar 22d are not particularly distinguished from each other, they are simply referred to as corner sonars 21c, 21d, 22c, and 22d.In the following, in this embodiment, a specific description will be given mainly for the case where the traveling direction of the vehicle 1 is forward, but the functions exemplified using the front sonar 21 may be applied to the rear sonar 22.

When the vehicle 1 travels straight ahead, obstacles located in the direction of travel of the vehicle 1 are detected by the first front center sonar 21a and the second front center sonar 21b, which are located on the inside. Also, when the vehicle 1 turns left or right while facing forward, objects located at the destination of the left or right turn are detected by the second front corner sonar 21d or the first front corner sonar 21c. Also, when an obstacle approaches the right front of the vehicle 1 from the right side of the vehicle 1, it is first detected by the first front corner sonar 21c or the first front center sonar 21a.

The installation locations and number of sonars 21 and 22 are not limited to the example shown in FIG. 1. The functions of sonars 21 and 22 will be described in detail later.

The imaging devices 16a and 16b are cameras that capture images of the surroundings of the vehicle 1. In FIG. 1, the imaging device 16a is provided at the front end of the vehicle 1 and can capture images of the surroundings including the area in front of the vehicle 1. The imaging device 16b is provided at the rear end of the vehicle 1 and can capture images of the surroundings including the area behind the vehicle 1. The installation locations and number of the imaging devices 16a and 16b are not limited to the example shown in FIG. 1.

Note that the rear imaging device 16b is not essential, and only the imaging device 16a may be mounted on the vehicle 1. Hereinafter, when there is no particular need to distinguish between the imaging devices 16a and 16b, they will simply be referred to as the imaging device 16. The imaging device 16 is an example of an in-vehicle camera in the claims.

In addition, radars 17a and 17b detect objects around vehicle 1 and measure the distance between the objects and vehicle 1. For example, radar 17a measures the distance between vehicle 1 and a leading vehicle located in front of vehicle 1. Furthermore, radar 17b measures the distance between vehicle 1 and a following vehicle located behind vehicle 1. When there is no need to distinguish between the individual radars 17a and 17b, they are simply referred to as radar 17. Radar 17 emits radio waves, such as millimeter waves, and receives the radio waves reflected by objects. Note that the installation location and number of radars 17 are not limited to the example shown in FIG. 1.

The sonars 21 and 22, the imaging device 16, and the radar 17 may be collectively referred to as the detection device. The vehicle 1 may further include other detection devices such as LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging, or Laser Imaging Detection and Ranging). The vehicle 1 may not include the radar 17. The vehicle 1 may also include an antenna capable of receiving GPS (Global Positioning System) signals, and a GPS device (not shown) that identifies GPS coordinates that indicate the position of the vehicle 1 based on the received GPS signals.

The steering control device 30 controls the steering angle of the vehicle 1. The steering control device 30 is also called a steering angle control device. The steering control device 30 is disposed, for example, in a position advantageous for steering assistance of the power steering of the vehicle 1.

The speed control device 40 controls the acceleration and braking of the vehicle 1. The speed control device 40 is positioned, for example, in a location that is advantageous for controlling the engine or motor and the brakes.

The vehicle control device 50 is a device that controls various behaviors of the vehicle 1, and is located, for example, near the steering control device 30 and the speed control device 40.

The HMI device 60 includes a display capable of displaying information, and a touch panel or switches capable of receiving operations by the user. The display and touch panel may be configured as an integrated device. The display is also referred to as a display unit. The touch panel and switches are also referred to as an operation unit. The display unit and operation unit included in the HMI device 60 are disposed near the driver's seat.

The sensor control device 70 controls the sonars 21 and 22. The sensor control device 70 may also control the imaging device 16 and the radar 17. Alternatively, the vehicle control device 50 described above may control the imaging device 16 and the radar 17.

The sensor control device 70 and the sonars 21 and 22 are an example of an object detection device in this embodiment. The sensor control device 70 alone may be an example of an object detection device. The object detection device may include the entire vehicle-mounted system 100, or any of the steering control device 30, speed control device 40, vehicle control device 50, and HMI device 60 included in the vehicle-mounted system 100.

The steering control device 30, the speed control device 40, the vehicle control device 50, the HMI device 60, and the sensor control device 70 are connected by wires, for example, via a local area network such as a Controller Area Network (CAN). The sonars 21 and 22, the imaging device 16, and the radar 17 may be connected to the local area network, or may be connected to the sensor control device 70 or the vehicle control device 50 by dedicated wiring.

Next, the hardware configuration of the sensor control device 70 will be described. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the sensor control device 70 according to the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 2, the sensor control device 70 has a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 11A, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 11B, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 11C, an I/F (Interface) 11D, and a flash memory 11E, etc., which are interconnected by a bus 11F, and has a hardware configuration that utilizes a normal computer.

The CPU 11A is a calculation device that controls the entire sensor control device 70. The CPU 11A is an example of a processor, and other processors or processing circuits may be provided instead of the CPU 11A. The ROM 11B stores programs and the like that realize various processes by the CPU 11A. The RAM 11C is, for example, a main storage device of the sensor control device 70, and stores data necessary for various processes by the CPU 11A. The I/F 11D is an interface for transmitting and receiving data. The I/F 11D may also transmit and receive information between other devices mounted on the vehicle 1 via a CAN or the like in the vehicle 1. The flash memory 11E is an example of a writable non-volatile storage medium. The ROM 11B, the RAM 11C, and the flash memory 11E are also referred to as storage units. The sensor control device 70 may be provided with other storage devices such as a HDD (Hard Disk Drive) instead of or in addition to the flash memory 11E.

The hardware configuration of each of the steering control device 30, the speed control device 40, the vehicle control device 50, and the HMI device 60 also includes, for example, a processing circuit such as a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, an I/F, and a flash memory.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the sensor control device 70 according to the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 3, the sensor control device 70 of this embodiment includes an acquisition unit 701, a determination unit 702, a predicted trajectory generation unit 703, a position estimation unit 704, and a wave reception period setting unit 705.

The acquisition unit 701 acquires distance information measured by the sonars 21 and 22 or the radar 17, vehicle speed information indicating the speed of the vehicle 1, image data acquired by the imaging device 16, or location information indicating the location of the vehicle 1. The acquisition unit 701 is an example of an image acquisition unit in the claims.

The image data is an example of image information in this embodiment. The acquisition unit 701 may acquire the image data directly from the imaging device 16, or may acquire the image data via the vehicle control device 50.

The determination unit 702 determines whether or not a specific object is included in the image data acquired by the acquisition unit 701. A specific object is, for example, a pedestrian or a bicycle. Such objects have a low reflectivity to ultrasonic waves, so there is a need to improve the accuracy of detecting them.

In addition, whether or not a specific object is included in the image data may be determined using known technology that processes the image data to detect images of pedestrians, etc., and estimates the positions of the pedestrians, etc.

The acquisition unit 701 also acquires vehicle speed information from the speed control device 40 or the vehicle control device 50. The acquisition unit 701 may also acquire steering information from the steering control device 30.

The location information indicating the location of vehicle 1 is information in which the location of vehicle 1 is identified on a map. The location information is information identified by the vehicle control device 50 based on information acquired from a GPS device or the like and map information stored in the memory unit of the vehicle control device 50, for example. The method of generating and acquiring the location information is not particularly limited, and known technology can be adopted.

The predicted trajectory generating unit 703 generates a predicted trajectory of the vehicle based on the vehicle position information, steering information, and speed information acquired by the acquiring unit 701. The generated predicted trajectory may be displayed on a display or navigation screen mounted on the vehicle. The position information, steering information, and speed information are measured by the above-mentioned GPS device, steering control device 30, speed control device 40, sonar 21, 22, or radar 17, respectively.

Note that the predicted trajectory generation unit 703 is not a required component of the in-vehicle system 100 in this embodiment.

The position estimation unit 704 estimates the relative position of the specific object with respect to the vehicle 1 from the position information acquired by the acquisition unit 701 and the presence/absence information of the specific object determined by the determination unit 702. The relative position includes at least one of the direction information and distance information of the specific object with respect to the vehicle 1. The direction information and distance information may be calculated by the determination unit 702 from the image data acquired by the acquisition unit 701, or may be calculated by the control unit of the imaging device 16 and the information calculated by the acquisition unit 701 may be acquired.

The position estimation unit 704 may also estimate the relative position of the specific object with respect to the vehicle 1 based on the predicted trajectory generated by the predicted trajectory generation unit 703. Specifically, the relative position of the specific object with respect to the vehicle is determined based on the positional relationship between the specific object and a point on the generated predicted trajectory at which the vehicle 1 approaches the specific object (e.g., the closest point) and the specific object. The predicted trajectory generation unit 703 may generate a predicted trajectory only when the determination unit 702 determines that the image data includes a specific object.

The wave-receiving period setting unit 705 sets the wave-receiving period of each sonar 21, 22. In other words, the wave-receiving period setting unit 705 sets the detection range 210 of each sonar 21, 22. The detection range 210 is determined based on the wave-receiving period from when the ultrasonic wave is transmitted until a predetermined time has elapsed.

Next, the sonars 21 and 22 will be described in detail. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the sonars 21 and 22 according to the first embodiment. Each sonar 21 and 22 is also called a sonar module. The sonar module includes a controller 23, a drive circuit 241, a receiving circuit 242, a piezoelectric element 25, and a mask 26. The controller 23 also includes a timer 231, a communication circuit 232, a waveform memory 233, a judgment circuit 234, and a threshold memory 235. The controller 23 is also connected to the sensor control device 70 via a transmission path 27. The controller 23 may also be connected to the vehicle control device 50 via the transmission path 27.

The sonars 21 and 22 emit ultrasonic waves when a voltage is applied to the piezoelectric element 25. For example, the controller 23 controls the drive circuit 241 to apply a voltage of 50 KHz to the piezoelectric element 25, causing the piezoelectric element 25 to emit ultrasonic waves of the same frequency. The emitted ultrasonic waves are pulsed. When the pulsed ultrasonic waves hit the road surface or an obstacle, they are reflected, and some of them return to the sonars 21 and 22.

The piezoelectric element 25 then converts the sound pressure of the reflected wave into a voltage. The receiving circuit 242 amplifies and rectifies the voltage converted from the sound pressure by the piezoelectric element 25, and converts it into a sound wave reception intensity. The time series of the converted sound wave reception intensity is called an "echo waveform."

Figure 5 is a graph showing an example of an echo waveform according to the first embodiment. The horizontal axis of the graph shown in Figure 5 represents distance and time, and the vertical axis represents intensity (dB), i.e., the intensity of the received sound wave. The echo waveform is stored in the waveform memory 233 of the controller 23.

The more distant the object, the longer it takes for the ultrasonic waves to return to the sonars 21 and 22 after being emitted from the sonars 21 and 22, so the length of time from emission to reception can be converted into the distance from the sonars 21 and 22 to the object.

Returning to Figure 3, we will now explain how the wave reception period setting unit 705 sets the wave reception period.

When the determination unit 702 determines that a specific object is included in the image data acquired by the acquisition unit 701, the wave-receiving period setting unit 705 sets the wave-receiving period of the sonars 21 and 22 from the first wave-receiving period to a second wave-receiving period that is longer than the first wave-receiving period. If the wave-receiving period, which is the period from when ultrasonic waves are transmitted until a predetermined time has elapsed, is set longer, the detection ranges 210 and 220 become larger accordingly.

When a specific object is included in the image data in this way, the sensor control device 70 lengthens the reception period of the sonars 21 and 22 (increases the detection range 210), so that even if the specific object detected by the imaging device 16 is at a distance that cannot be detected by the sonar, the reception time of the sonars 21 and 22 is set long enough to accurately detect a specific object such as a pedestrian from a distance.

In addition, when it is determined that a specific object is included in the captured image, the sensor control device 70 may extend the reception period of only the corresponding sonar out of sonars 21 and 22 based on the relative position of the specific object estimated by the position estimation unit 704.

For example, if a specific object is located on the front right side of the vehicle 1, the wave receiving period for only the first front corner sonar 21c is set from the first wave receiving period to a second wave receiving period that is longer than the first wave receiving period. Also, for example, if a specific object is located on the front right side of the vehicle 1, the wave receiving period for only the first front center sonar 21a is set from the first wave receiving period to a second wave receiving period that is longer than the first wave receiving period.

If the reception period is set too long, the ultrasonic transmission cycle will be slowed down, and one obstacle detection cycle (the time from transmitting ultrasonic waves to receiving reflected waves and detecting an obstacle) will be longer, resulting in a problem of slower brake control and reduced responsiveness of the in-vehicle system 100. As in this configuration, by lengthening the reception period of only the sonar corresponding to the relative position based on the relative position of a specific object to the vehicle 1 (directional information of a specific object relative to the vehicle 1), it becomes possible to accurately detect pedestrians while maintaining the responsiveness of the in-vehicle system 100.

The relative position of the specific object with respect to the vehicle 1 is not limited to the direction information of the specific object with respect to the vehicle 1 described above. It may include distance information from the vehicle 1 to the specific object. The distance information is calculated by the sensor control device 70 from image data captured by the imaging device 16, for example. The sensor control device 70 sets the second wave-receiving period by the wave-receiving period setting unit 705 based on the distance information so that the specific object is included in the detection ranges 210, 220 of the sonars 21, 22. In this way, it is possible to reliably detect a specific object such as a pedestrian while maintaining the responsiveness of the sensor control device 70. The wave-receiving period setting unit 705 sets the second wave-receiving period based on the distance information or direction information from the vehicle 1 to the specific object, or both. The second wave-receiving period is longer than the first wave-receiving period, which is the wave-receiving period before the determination unit 702 determines that the image data includes a specific object.

The relative position of the specific object with respect to the vehicle 1 may be calculated based on the distribution of feature points included in the image data. For example, the position estimation unit 704 calculates the relative position based on the distribution (variation) of edge points on a specific object. In this way, the relative position of the specific object with respect to the vehicle 1 can be determined efficiently.

In addition, before the determination unit 702 determines that the image data contains a specific object (when it has not been determined), the reception period of the first front center sonar 21a (an example of a second distance measuring sensor in the claims) may be set longer than the reception period of the first front corner sonar 21c (an example of a first distance measuring sensor in the claims). In this way, before the determination unit 702 determines that the image data contains a specific object (when it has not been determined), the detection range can be widened only in front of the vehicle 1 (the detection range 210a is larger than the detection range 210c), making it possible to accurately detect obstacles while maintaining the responsiveness of the in-vehicle system 100. It is desirable to make the detection range in the front direction of the vehicle larger than the detection range on the side of the vehicle. When the determination unit 702 determines that the image data contains a specific object, the sensor control device 70 adjusts the reception period of each sonar 21, 22 based on the relative position of the specific object with respect to the vehicle 1, thereby enabling efficient detection of obstacles (including pedestrians, bicycles, etc.) while maintaining the responsiveness of the in-vehicle system 100.

In this embodiment, before the determination unit 702 determines that the image data contains a specific object (if it has not been determined), the reception period of the second front center sonar 21b may be set longer than the reception period of the second front corner sonar 21d, and the reception period of the second front center sonar 21b may be set longer than the reception period of the first front corner sonar 21c. The same applies to the rear of the vehicle 1. Before the determination unit 702 determines that the image data contains a specific object (if it has not been determined), the reception period of the first rear corner sonar 22c may be longer than the reception period of the first rear center sonar 22a. The first distance measurement sensor here may be a corner sensor installed near the corner of the vehicle 1, and the second distance measurement sensor may be a center sensor installed near the center of the vehicle 1.

In addition, after the sensor control device 70 sets one or more wave receiving periods of the sonars 21 and 22 from the first wave receiving period to a second wave receiving period longer than the first wave receiving period (after the determination unit 702 determines that the image data contains a specific object), if the determination unit 702 of the sensor control device 70 determines that the image data does not contain a specific object, the wave receiving period of the sonars 21 and 22 set to the second wave receiving period may be set to a third wave receiving period shorter than the second wave receiving period. In this way, if an object such as a pedestrian is once detected and then becomes undetected, the wave receiving period is reset to a shorter period, thereby improving the responsiveness of the in-vehicle system 100 when a specific object such as a pedestrian is not detected.

The third wave-receiving period may be the first wave-receiving period, which is the wave-receiving period before a specific object is detected (before the determination unit 702 determines that the image data contains a specific object). Also, only the wave-receiving period of the first distance measuring sensor (e.g., the first front corner sonar 21c) of the sonars 21 and 22 that is installed near a corner of the vehicle 1 may be set to be short. Also, similar to when a specific object is detected (when the determination unit 702 determines that the image data contains a specific object), the wave-receiving period of the corresponding sonar of the sonars 21 and 22 may be set to be short (to the third wave-receiving period) based on the relative position of the specific object estimated by the position estimation unit 704 when the specific object is detected.

Next, the operation of controlling the wave receiving period of the sensor control device 70 will be described. Figure 6 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the sensor control device 70 according to the first embodiment.

The operation of the sensor control device 70 starts, for example, when the engine of the vehicle 1 starts (or the ignition is turned on).

First, in step S1, the acquisition unit 701 in the sensor control device 70 acquires image data captured by the imaging device 16. The acquired image data is sent to the determination unit 702. Note that the acquisition unit 701 may continuously acquire image data captured by the imaging device 16, or may acquire the image data at predetermined time intervals.

Then, the flow chart proceeds to step S2. In step S2, the determination unit 702 determines whether or not a specific object exists in the image data. A specific object is an object such as a pedestrian or bicycle that has a low ultrasonic reflectance and requires special care in detection.

If the determination unit 702 determines that a specific object is present in the image data (Yes in step S2), the flow chart proceeds to step S3. If the determination unit 702 determines that a specific object is not present in the image data (No in step S2), the flow chart returns to before step S2.

In step S3, the position estimation unit 704 calculates the relative position of the specific object with respect to the vehicle 1. As described above, the relative position includes direction information and distance information of the specific object with respect to the vehicle 1. The position estimation unit 704 may calculate the relative position based on the predicted trajectory of the vehicle 1 generated by the predicted trajectory generation unit 703 instead of the current position of the vehicle 1. The position estimation unit 704 sends the calculated relative position information of the specific object with respect to the vehicle 1 to the wave reception period setting unit 705. The flowchart proceeds to step S4.

In step S4, the wave receiving period setting unit 705 sets the wave receiving period of the corresponding sonars 21 and 22 based on the relative position information of the specific object with respect to the vehicle 1 calculated by the position estimation unit 704 so that the wave receiving period is extended from the first wave receiving period to the second wave receiving period.

As described above, for example, if a specific object is located on the front right side of the vehicle 1, the wave receiving period of only the first front corner sonar 21c is set from the first wave receiving period to a second wave receiving period that is longer than the first wave receiving period. By lengthening the wave receiving period of only a specific sonar 21, 22 among the sonars 21, 22 according to the relative position of the specific object, it is possible to accurately and efficiently detect the specific object while maintaining the responsiveness of the in-vehicle system 100.

In addition, step S3 is not a required configuration for this embodiment. If the determination unit 702 determines that a specific object is present in the image data, the wave receiving period of the sonars 21 and 22 may be extended without calculating the relative position between the vehicle 1 and the specific object. In this case, the wave receiving period setting unit 705 may set a longer wave receiving period for all of the sonars 21 and 22, or may set a longer wave receiving period for some of the sonars 21 and 22. After the wave receiving period setting unit 705 sets a longer wave receiving period for the sonars 21 and 22, the flowchart proceeds to step S5.

In step S5, the determination unit 702 determines whether or not a specific object exists in the image data. If the determination unit 702 determines that a specific object exists in the image data (Yes in step S5), the flow chart returns to before step S5.

If the determination unit 702 determines that a specific object is present in the image data (No in step S5), the process proceeds to step S6, where the wave-receiving period setting unit 705 returns the wave-receiving period of the sonars 21 and 22, which was previously set to be long, to the original value (first wave-receiving period). Note that in step S6, the wave-receiving period setting unit 705 may set the wave-receiving period of the sonars 21 and 22 to a value shorter than the second wave-receiving period, and the value is not limited to the first wave-receiving period.

In addition, the reception period of some or more of the sonars 21 and 22 may be set to be short, and the reception period of sonars other than the sonars 21 and 22 that were set to be long in step S4 may be shortened. Note that steps S5 and S6 are not essential components of this embodiment.

The operation of the sensor control device 70 is terminated, for example, when the engine is turned off (or the ignition is turned off).

The configuration of the in-vehicle system 100 in this embodiment is such that, when the determination unit 702 determines that a specific object exists in the image data, the reception period of the sonars 21 and 22 is controlled according to the situation around the vehicle, thereby enabling the specific object, such as a pedestrian, to be detected with high accuracy. In addition, by controlling the reception period of the corresponding sonars 21 and 22 according to the relative position of the specific object with respect to the vehicle 1, the specific object, such as a pedestrian, can be detected efficiently while maintaining the responsiveness of the in-vehicle system 100.

Second Embodiment
Hereinafter, a second embodiment of the object detection device according to the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In the in-vehicle system 200 according to this embodiment, the configuration of the vehicle 1 (excluding the in-vehicle system 200), the configuration of the sonars 21 and 22, and the principle of obstacle detection in the sonars 21 and 22 are the same as those of the in-vehicle system 100 according to the first embodiment, so their description will be omitted. In the in-vehicle system 200 according to this embodiment, the same parts as those of the in-vehicle system 100 according to the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their description will be omitted. In the first embodiment, the sensitivity of the object detection device is controlled.

Compared to the in-vehicle system 100 according to the first embodiment, the in-vehicle system 200 according to this embodiment differs in the configuration of the sensor control device 80 and in the control of the sensor control device 80 when the determination unit 702 determines that a specific object is included in the image data acquired by the acquisition unit 701. Specifically, the sensor control device 80 controls the sensitivity of the sonars 21 and 22 rather than controlling the wave reception period of the sonars 21 and 22.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of a sensor control device according to the second embodiment. As shown in FIG. 7, the sensor control device 80 of this embodiment includes an acquisition unit 701, a determination unit 702, a predicted trajectory generation unit 703, a position estimation unit 704, and a detection sensitivity setting unit 805.

The functions of the acquisition unit 701, the determination unit 702, the predicted trajectory generation unit 703, and the position estimation unit 704 are the same as those in the first embodiment, so a description thereof will be omitted.

The detection sensitivity setting unit 805 sets the detection sensitivity of each sonar 21, 22. The detection sensitivity setting unit 805 adjusts the detection sensitivity by controlling the detection threshold of the sonars 21, 22 or by controlling the reception gain of the sonars 21, 22. Specifically, the detection sensitivity can be increased by lowering the detection threshold of the sonars 21, 22 or by increasing the reception gain of the sonars 21, 22.

The detection threshold here is a threshold that the sensor control device 80 uses to determine whether or not an obstacle has been detected when detecting an obstacle around the vehicle 1 based on the reflected waves received. If the received reflected waves are greater than the threshold, it is determined that an obstacle is present, and if they are smaller than the threshold, it is determined that no obstacle is present. Therefore, by setting the detection threshold to a small value, the detection sensitivity of the sensor control device 80 can be increased.

The reception gain refers to the amplification of the reflected waves received by the receiving units of the sonars 21 and 22. By amplifying weak reflected waves that are difficult to detect and then performing an obstacle determination, it becomes possible to detect obstacles with low reflectivity or obstacles that are far away. In other words, increasing the amplification of the reflected waves increases the reception gain, and decreasing the amplification of the reflected waves decreases the reception gain. Therefore, the detection sensitivity of the sensor control device 80 can be increased by increasing the reception gain.

The method for setting the detection sensitivity using the detection sensitivity setting unit 805 is explained below.

The detection sensitivity setting unit 805 sets the reception period of the sonars 21 and 22 from the first detection sensitivity to a second detection sensitivity that is greater than the first detection sensitivity when the determination unit 702 determines that a specific object is included in the image data acquired by the acquisition unit 701.

When the image data contains a specific object in this way, the sensor control device 80 increases the detection sensitivity of the sonars 21 and 22, so that objects that do not need to be detected are not included in the detection targets, and specific objects such as pedestrians with low reflectivity can be detected with high accuracy.

In addition, when it is determined that a specific object is included in the captured image, the sensor control device 80 may increase the detection sensitivity of only the corresponding sonar among the sonars 21 and 22 based on the relative position of the specific object estimated by the position estimation unit 704.

For example, if a specific object is located on the front right side of the vehicle 1, the detection sensitivity of only the first front corner sonar 21c is set from the first detection sensitivity to a second detection sensitivity that is higher than the first detection sensitivity. Also, for example, if a specific object is located on the front right side of the vehicle 1, the detection sensitivity of only the first front center sonar 21a is set from the first detection sensitivity to a second detection sensitivity that is higher than the first detection sensitivity.

If the detection sensitivity is set to a uniformly long value, there is a problem in that even objects that do not need to be detected will be detected, resulting in an increase in false positives. With this configuration, by increasing the detection sensitivity of only the sonar that corresponds to the relative position based on the relative position of a specific object to vehicle 1 (directional information of a specific object to vehicle 1), it becomes possible to accurately detect specific objects with low reflectivity, such as pedestrians and bicycles.

The relative position of the specific object with respect to the vehicle 1 is not limited to the above-mentioned direction information of the specific object with respect to the vehicle 1. It may also include distance information from the vehicle 1 to the specific object.

The relative position of the specific object with respect to the vehicle 1 may be calculated based on the distribution of feature points included in the image data. For example, the position estimation unit 704 calculates the relative position based on the distribution (variation) of edge points on a specific object. In this way, the relative position of the specific object with respect to the vehicle 1 can be determined efficiently.

The position estimation unit 704 may also calculate the relative position of a specific object with respect to the vehicle 1 by transmitting ultrasonic waves using the first front corner sonar 21c (an example of a first distance measuring sensor in the claims) and calculating the coordinates of the specific object through direct wave detection in which the first front corner sonar 21c itself receives the reflected waves. A known technique is used as a method for calculating the coordinates. For example, it is possible to identify the coordinates of an obstacle (specific object) by performing direct wave detection multiple times on the same obstacle (specific object) at different times. Note that, although the first front corner sonar 21c is used as an example of a first distance measuring sensor in the claims, this embodiment is not limited to this. The coordinates of a specific object may be calculated using other sonars 21, 22.

In addition, indirect wave detection may be used instead of direct wave detection to calculate the coordinates of a specific object. Indirect wave detection involves transmitting ultrasonic waves from the first front corner sonar 21c (an example of the first distance measurement sensor in the claims) and receiving them with the first front center sonar 21a (an example of the second distance measurement sensor in the claims). Although the first front corner sonar 21c is used as an example of the first distance measurement sensor in the claims, this embodiment is not limited to this. The coordinates of a specific object may be calculated using other sonars 21, 22. Furthermore, the first front center sonar 21a is used as an example of the second distance measurement sensor, but this is not limited to this. Indirect wave detection is possible if the second distance measurement sensor is a sonar 21, 22 other than the first distance measurement sensor.

The coordinates of a specific object may also be calculated by combining the above-mentioned direct wave detection and indirect wave detection. In this way, it is not necessary to perform multiple detections of the same obstacle (specific object) at different times.

By detecting the coordinates of a specific object and increasing the detection sensitivity of sonars 21, 22 (for example, first front corner sonar 21c) in a specified range that includes the coordinates of the specific object, the exact position of the specific object can be determined, making it possible to detect pedestrians, etc. with greater accuracy, and also reducing false positives by not increasing the detection sensitivity in unnecessary locations.

For example, compared to when only distance information is used for relative position, if the detection sensitivity is increased based on distance information, the detection sensitivity will be increased for cluster areas (concentric areas) at the same distance from vehicle 1 even if the area does not contain pedestrians, etc., and if an obstacle is present within the same distance from vehicle 1, the detection sensitivity for that obstacle will also be increased, resulting in an increase in false positives.

To be more specific, for example, if there is an unwanted object such as a curb in a different direction at a distance similar to that from the vehicle 1 to the specific object, the detection sensitivity to the specific object will be high and the detection sensitivity to the unwanted object will also be high, so there is a risk that the curb, which is not actually subject to brake control, will be erroneously detected as an obstacle.

In contrast, in this configuration, after calculating the exact position of a specific object from direct or indirect waves, the detection sensitivity of the corresponding sonars 21 and 22 is increased, so that the detection sensitivity can be increased only within a specified range including the coordinates where the specific object is located. As a result, the specific object can be detected with high accuracy without increasing false detections.

In addition, after the sensor control device 80 sets one or more detection sensitivities of the sonars 21 and 22 from a first detection sensitivity to a second detection sensitivity higher than the first detection sensitivity (after the determination unit 702 determines that the image data contains a specific object), if the determination unit 702 of the sensor control device 80 determines that the image data does not contain a specific object, the detection sensitivity of the sonars 21 and 22 set to the second detection sensitivity may be set to a third detection sensitivity lower than the second detection sensitivity. In this way, if an object such as a pedestrian is once detected but then becomes undetected, the detection sensitivity is reset to a lower value, thereby reducing false detections in obstacle detection when a specific object such as a pedestrian is not detected.

The third detection sensitivity may be the first detection sensitivity, which is the detection sensitivity before a specific object is detected (before the determination unit 702 determines that the specific object is included in the image data). Also, only the detection sensitivity of the first distance measuring sensor (e.g., the first front corner sonar 21c) of the sonars 21 and 22 that is installed near a corner of the vehicle 1 may be set to a low sensitivity. Also, similar to when a specific object is detected (when the determination unit 702 determines that the specific object is included in the image data), the detection sensitivity of the corresponding sonar of the sonars 21 and 22 may be set to a low sensitivity (to the third detection sensitivity) based on the relative position of the specific object estimated by the position estimation unit 704 when the specific object is detected.

Next, the operation of controlling the detection sensitivity of the sensor control device 80 will be described. Figure 8 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the sensor control device 80 according to the second embodiment.

The operation of the sensor control device 80 starts, for example, when the engine of the vehicle 1 starts (or the ignition is turned on).

First, in step S11, the acquisition unit 701 in the sensor control device 80 acquires image data captured by the imaging device 16. The acquired image data is sent to the determination unit 702. Note that the acquisition unit 701 may continuously acquire image data captured by the imaging device 16, or may acquire the image data at predetermined time intervals.

Then, the flow chart proceeds to step S12. In step S12, the determination unit 702 determines whether or not a specific object exists in the image data. A specific object is an object such as a pedestrian or bicycle that has a low ultrasonic reflectance and requires special attention for detection.

If the determination unit 702 determines that a specific object is present in the image data (Yes in step S12), the flow chart proceeds to step S13. If the determination unit 702 determines that a specific object is not present in the image data (No in step S12), the flow chart returns to before step S12.

In step S13, the position estimation unit 704 calculates the relative position of the specific object with respect to the vehicle 1. As described above, the relative position includes direction information and distance information of the specific object with respect to the vehicle 1. The calculation of the relative position by the position estimation unit 704 may be based on the predicted trajectory of the vehicle 1 generated by the predicted trajectory generation unit 703 instead of the current position of the vehicle 1. The predicted trajectory is generated based on the position information, speed information, and steering information of the vehicle 1.

The position estimation unit 704 may calculate the relative position of the specific object with respect to the vehicle 1 by calculating the coordinates of the specific object using direct wave detection or indirect wave detection by the sonars 21 and 22 as described above. In this way, it is possible to increase the detection sensitivity in a predetermined range that includes the specific object. The position estimation unit 704 sends the calculated relative position information of the specific object with respect to the vehicle 1 to the detection sensitivity setting unit 805. The flowchart proceeds to step S14.

In step S14, the detection sensitivity setting unit 805 sets the detection sensitivity of the corresponding sonars 21 and 22 to be increased from the first detection sensitivity to the second detection sensitivity based on the relative position information of the specific object with respect to the vehicle 1 calculated by the position estimation unit 704.

As described above, for example, if a specific object is located on the front right side of the vehicle 1, the detection sensitivity of only the first front corner sonar 21c is set from the first detection sensitivity to a second detection sensitivity that is higher than the first detection sensitivity. By increasing the detection sensitivity of only a specific sonar 21, 22 among the sonars 21, 22 according to the relative position of the specific object, it is possible to reduce false detections by not detecting objects that do not need to be detected, and it is also possible to accurately detect specific objects such as pedestrians with low reflectivity.

In addition, step S13 is not a required configuration for this embodiment. If the determination unit 702 determines that a specific object is present in the image data, the detection sensitivity of the sonars 21 and 22 may be increased without calculating the relative position between the vehicle 1 and the specific object. In this case, the detection sensitivity setting unit 805 may set the detection sensitivity to be high for all of the sonars 21 and 22, or may set the detection sensitivity to be high for part of the sonars 21 and 22. After the detection sensitivity setting unit 805 sets the detection sensitivity of the sonars 21 and 22 to be high, the flowchart proceeds to step S15.

In step S15, the determination unit 702 determines whether or not a specific object exists in the image data. If the determination unit 702 determines that a specific object exists in the image data (Yes in step S15), the flow chart returns to before step S15.

If the determination unit 702 determines that a specific object is present in the image data (No in step S15), the process proceeds to step S16, where the detection sensitivity setting unit 805 returns the detection sensitivity of the sonars 21 and 22, which was previously set to a large value, to the original value (first detection sensitivity). Note that in step S16, the detection sensitivity setting unit 805 may set the detection sensitivity of the sonars 21 and 22 to a value smaller than the second detection sensitivity, and the value is not limited to the first detection sensitivity.

The receiving sensitivity of some or more of the sonars 21 and 22 may be set to low, and the detection sensitivity of sonars other than the sonars 21 and 22 that were set to high in step S14 may be reduced. Note that steps S15 and S16 are not essential components of this embodiment.

The operation of the sensor control device 80 is terminated, for example, when the engine is turned off (or the ignition is turned off).

The configuration of the in-vehicle system 200 in this embodiment allows for accurate detection of specific objects such as pedestrians with low reflectivity by controlling the detection sensitivity of the sonars 21 and 22 according to the conditions around the vehicle when the determination unit 702 determines that a specific object exists in the image data. In addition, by controlling the detection sensitivity of the corresponding sonars 21 and 22 according to the relative position of the specific object with respect to the vehicle 1, specific objects such as pedestrians can be detected efficiently with high accuracy while reducing false detections.

Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These embodiments can be implemented in various other forms and can be implemented in combination with other embodiments and various other forms. Various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the invention. These embodiments and their modifications are included in the scope of the invention and its equivalents as described in the claims, as well as in the scope and gist of the invention.

1 Vehicle 16, 16a, 16b Imaging device 17, 17a, 17b Radar 21a First front center sonar 21b Second front center sonar 21c First front corner sonar 21d Second front corner sonar 22a First rear center sonar 22b Second rear center sonar 22c First rear corner sonar 22d Second rear corner sonar 30 Steering control device 40 Speed control device 50 Vehicle control device 60 HMI device 70, 80 Sensor control device 100, 200 In-vehicle system 210, 210a to 210d, 220, 220a to 220d Detection range 235 Threshold memory 701 Acquisition unit 702 Determination unit 703 Predicted trajectory generation unit 704 Position estimation unit 705 Wave receiving period setting unit 805 Detection sensitivity setting unit

Claims (14)

A plurality of distance measuring sensors are provided in a vehicle, each having a transmitting unit that transmits ultrasonic waves and a receiving unit that receives reflected waves of the ultrasonic waves transmitted by the transmitting unit that are reflected by objects around the vehicle;
a control unit that detects an object around the vehicle based on a reflected wave received by the receiving unit during a wave receiving period from when the transmitting unit transmits an ultrasonic wave until a predetermined time has elapsed;
Equipped with
The control unit includes an image acquisition unit that acquires an image captured by an on-board camera that captures an image of the surroundings of the vehicle;
a determination unit that determines whether or not a specific object is included in the captured image based on the captured image;
a position estimation unit that estimates a relative position of the specific object with respect to the vehicle;
having
the plurality of distance measuring sensors includes a first distance measuring sensor and a second distance measuring sensor,
the relative position of the specific object includes directional information of the specific object relative to the vehicle;
When the determination unit determines that the specific object is included in the captured image, the control unit sets the wave receiving period of the corresponding first distance measuring sensor among the plurality of distance measuring sensors based on the relative position of the specific object estimated by the position estimation unit from a first wave receiving period to a second wave receiving period longer than the first wave receiving period.
Object detection device. The relative position includes distance information of the specific object relative to the vehicle;
the control unit sets the second wave receiving period based on the distance information so that the specific object is included in the detection ranges of the plurality of distance measuring sensors.
The object detection device according to claim 1 . A plurality of distance measuring sensors are provided in a vehicle, each having a transmitting unit that transmits ultrasonic waves and a receiving unit that receives reflected waves of the ultrasonic waves transmitted by the transmitting unit that are reflected by objects around the vehicle;
a control unit that detects an object around the vehicle based on a reflected wave received by the receiving unit during a wave receiving period from when the transmitting unit transmits an ultrasonic wave until a predetermined time has elapsed;
Equipped with
The control unit
an image acquisition unit that acquires an image captured by an on-board camera that captures an image of the surroundings of the vehicle;
a determination unit that determines whether or not a specific object is included in the captured image based on the captured image;
a position estimation unit that estimates a relative position of the specific object with respect to the vehicle;
a predicted trajectory generating unit for generating a predicted trajectory of a vehicle ;
having
the plurality of distance measuring sensors includes a first distance measuring sensor and a second distance measuring sensor,
When the determination unit determines that the specific object is included in the captured image,
the position estimation unit determines a relative position of the specific object with respect to the vehicle based on a positional relationship between a point on the predicted trajectory generated by the predicted trajectory generation unit at which the vehicle approaches the specific object and the specific object;
the control unit sets the wave receiving period of the corresponding first distance measuring sensor among the plurality of distance measuring sensors based on the relative position of the specific object estimated by the position estimation unit from a first wave receiving period to a second wave receiving period longer than the first wave receiving period.
Object detection device. The relative position includes distance information of the specific object relative to the vehicle;
the control unit sets the second wave receiving period based on the distance information so that the specific object is included in the detection ranges of the plurality of distance measuring sensors.
The object detection device according to claim 3 . The predicted trajectory generating unit generates the predicted trajectory based on position information, speed information, and steering information of the vehicle.
The object detection device according to claim 3 or 4 . when it is determined that the specific object is included in the captured image, the position estimation unit estimates a relative position of the specific object based on a distribution of feature points related to the specific object in the captured image.
The object detection device according to any one of claims 1 to 5 . the first distance measuring sensor is a corner sensor installed near a corner of the vehicle,
the second distance measurement sensor is a center sensor installed near the center of the vehicle,
When the control unit determines that the specific object is not included in the captured image, a wave receiving period of the second distance measuring sensor is set longer than a wave receiving period of the first distance measuring sensor.
The object detection device according to any one of claims 1 to 6 . after the control unit has set the wave receiving period from a first wave receiving period to a second wave receiving period longer than the first wave receiving period, when it is determined that the specific object is not included in the captured image, the control unit sets the wave receiving period from the second wave receiving period to a third wave receiving period shorter than the second wave receiving period.
The object detection device according to any one of claims 1 to 7 . setting the wave receiving period of the corresponding first distance measuring sensor among the plurality of distance measuring sensors to the third wave receiving period based on the relative position of the specific object estimated by the position estimation unit;
The object detection device according to claim 8 . The third wave receiving period is the same period as the first wave receiving period.
The object detection device according to claim 8 or 9 . The specific object is a pedestrian or a bicycle.
The object detection device according to any one of claims 1 to 10 . An onboard camera that captures the surroundings;
The object detection device according to any one of claims 1 to 11 ,
vehicle. A method for setting a wave receiving period in an object detection device provided in a vehicle, comprising:
The object detection device includes a plurality of distance measuring sensors, each having a transmitting unit that transmits ultrasonic waves and a receiving unit that receives reflected waves of the ultrasonic waves transmitted by the transmitting unit that are reflected by objects around the vehicle;
a control unit that detects an object around the vehicle based on the reflected wave received by the receiving unit during the wave receiving period from when the transmitting unit transmits the ultrasonic wave until a predetermined time has elapsed,
the plurality of distance measuring sensors includes a first distance measuring sensor and a second distance measuring sensor,
The method of setting the wave receiving period includes the steps of:
acquiring an image captured by an on-board camera that captures an image of the surroundings of the vehicle;
determining whether or not a specific object is included based on the captured image;
estimating a relative position of the specific object with respect to the vehicle;
and when it is determined that the specific object is included in the captured image, the wave receiving period of the corresponding first distance measuring sensor among the plurality of distance measuring sensors is set from a first wave receiving period to a second wave receiving period longer than the first wave receiving period based on a relative position of the specific object ,
The relative position of the specific object includes directional information of the specific object relative to the vehicle.
A method for setting a wave receiving period in an object detection device. A method for setting a wave receiving period in an object detection device provided in a vehicle, comprising:
The object detection device includes:
a plurality of distance measuring sensors each having a transmitting unit that transmits ultrasonic waves and a receiving unit that receives reflected waves of the ultrasonic waves transmitted by the transmitting unit that are reflected by objects around the vehicle;
a control unit that detects an object around the vehicle based on a reflected wave received by the receiving unit during a wave receiving period from when the transmitting unit transmits an ultrasonic wave until a predetermined time has elapsed,
the plurality of distance measuring sensors includes a first distance measuring sensor and a second distance measuring sensor,
The method of setting the wave receiving period includes the steps of:
acquiring an image captured by an on-board camera that captures an image of the surroundings of the vehicle;
determining whether or not a specific object is included based on the captured image;
estimating a relative position of the specific object with respect to the vehicle;
generating a predicted trajectory of the vehicle;
when it is determined that the specific object is included in the captured image, determining a relative position of the specific object with respect to the vehicle based on a positional relationship between the specific object and a point on the predicted trajectory at which the vehicle approaches the specific object, and setting the wave receiving period of the corresponding first distance measuring sensor among the plurality of distance measuring sensors based on the relative position of the specific object from a first wave receiving period to a second wave receiving period longer than the first wave receiving period;
including,
A method for setting a wave receiving period in an object detection device.

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