Collision determination device and collision determination method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9405006-B2
Application number	US-201214425240-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 3, 2012
Priority date	Sep 3, 2012
Publication date	Aug 2, 2016
Grant date	Aug 2, 2016

Abstract

A collision determination device includes: a radar detection unit that detects an object in front of a vehicle using a radar wave; an image detection unit that captures an image in front of the vehicle and detects the object using the captured image; and a collision determination unit that determines a collision between the vehicle and the object based on a composite target which is generated using a detection result of the radar detection unit and a detection result of the image detection unit. The collision determination unit performs collision determination on the basis of the detection result of the image detection unit, instead of the collision determination based on the composite target, when it is determined that the object cannot be detected by the radar detection unit and can be detected by the image detection unit and the object is stationary in a traveling direction of the vehicle.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A collision determination device comprising:
a radar detection unit that detects an object in front of a vehicle using a radar wave;
an image detection unit that captures an image in front of the vehicle and detects the object using the captured image; and
a collision determination unit that determines a collision between the vehicle and the object on the basis of a composite target which is generated using a detection result of the radar detection unit and a detection result of the image detection unit,
wherein the collision determination unit performs collision determination on the basis of the detection result of the image detection unit, instead of the collision determination based on the composite target, when it is determined that the object cannot be detected by the radar detection unit and can be detected by the image detection unit and the object is stationary in a traveling direction of the vehicle.

2. The collision determination device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the collision determination unit determines whether the object is stationary in the traveling direction of the vehicle, on the basis of a ratio of a first distance variation which is calculated from a speed of the vehicle as a change in a distance between the vehicle and the object in the traveling direction of the vehicle per unit time and a second distance variation which is calculated from the detection result of the image as a change in the distance between the vehicle and the object in the traveling direction of the vehicle per unit time.

3. The collision determination device according to claim 2 ,
wherein the collision determination unit determines that the object is stationary in the traveling direction of the vehicle when the ratio of the first distance variation and the second distance variation is less than a threshold value.

4. The collision determination device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the collision determination unit performs the collision determination on the basis of the detection result of the image detection unit when it is determined that the object is present outside a detection range of the radar detection unit and is present in a detection range of the image detection unit and the object is stationary in the traveling direction of the vehicle.

5. The collision determination device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the collision determination unit performs the collision determination on the basis of the detection result of the image detection unit when it is determined that the object is not detected by the radar detection unit and is detected by the image detection unit and the object is stationary in the traveling direction of the vehicle.

6. The collision determination device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the collision determination unit performs the collision determination on the basis of the detection result of the image detection unit when the composite target is generated and the generated composite target is cancelled.

7. The collision determination device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the detection range of the radar detection unit and the detection range of the image detection unit partially overlap each other, and
there is a area which is not detected by the radar detection unit and is detected by the image detection unit.

8. The collision determination device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the radar detection unit detects the object in front of the vehicle using a millimeter wave.

9. A collision determination method comprising:
detecting an object in front of a vehicle using a radar wave;
capturing an image in front of the vehicle and detecting the object using the captured image;
determining a collision between the vehicle and the object on the basis of a composite target which is generated using a detection result of the radar detection and a detection result of the image detection; and
performing collision determination on the basis of the detection result of the image detection, instead of the collision determination based on the composite target, when it is determined that the object cannot be detected by the radar detection and can be detected by the image detection and the object is stationary in a traveling direction of the vehicle.

Assignees

• OUCHI Yusuke
• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• OUCHI Yusuke

Classifications

• G08G1/165 Primary

  for passive traffic, e.g. including static obstacles, trees · CPC title

• G01S13/93 Primary

  for anti-collision purposes · CPC title

• G01S13/08

  Systems for measuring distance only (indirect measurement G01S13/46) · CPC title

• G01S13/931

  of land vehicles · CPC title

• G01S13/867

  Combination of radar systems with cameras · CPC title