Target detection apparatus and vehicle control system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9618608-B2
Application number	US-201414783603-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 26, 2014
Priority date	Apr 11, 2013
Publication date	Apr 11, 2017
Grant date	Apr 11, 2017

Abstract

A target detection apparatus counts the number of reflection points, taking a reflection point of interest as being a target reflection point, for each detected reflection point, the reflection points being present in a target area that is set with reference to the target reflection point and each having a difference in speed from the target reflection point, the difference being not more than a preset identical speed determination threshold, and extracts a parallel-running pair that is a pair of the reflection points that meet preset parallel-running conditions. The target detection apparatus determines that the two reflection points configuring the parallel-running pair originate from an identical target, when a count value is not less than a preset size determination threshold, the count value being of at least either of the two reflection points configuring the extracted parallel-running pair and generates target information reflecting the determination results.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A target detection apparatus that is mounted to a vehicle, and receives reflected waves of radar waves transmitted towards the outside of the vehicle to generate information related to a target that has reflected the radar waves, the target detection apparatus comprising:
a processor, the processor being configured to:
transmit and receive radar waves to detect the position of a reflection point that has reflected the radar waves;
generate information related to a target that has reflected the radar waves, according to the position of the reflection point detected;
count the number of reflection points, taking a reflection point of interest as being a target reflection point, for each reflection point detected, the reflection points being present in a target area that is set with reference to the target reflection point and each having a difference in speed from the target reflection point, the difference being not more than a preset identical speed determination threshold;
extract a parallel-running pair that is a pair of the reflection points that meet preset parallel-running conditions;
determine that the two reflection points configuring the parallel-running pair originate from an identical target, when a count value is not less than a preset size determination threshold, the count value being derived from the number of reflection points counted for at least either of the two reflection points configuring the parallel-running pair extracted; and
generate target information reflecting that the two reflection points configuring the parallel-running pair are determined to originate from the identical target.

2. The target detection apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to use, as the parallel-running conditions: that a distance between the parallel-running pair is not more than a distance determination threshold set to be wider than a width of the vehicle; that a difference in distance between the vehicle and each of reflection points configuring the parallel-running pair is not more than a parallel-running determination threshold; and a difference in speed between the parallel-running pair is not more than the identical speed determination threshold.

3. The target detection apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the processor is further configured to generate the target information related to a single target, from the parallel-running pair determined to originate from an identical target.

4. The target detection apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the processor is further configured to generate the target information for each reflection point and adds size information to the target information that is based on each of reflection points configuring the parallel-running pair to originate from an identical target, the size information indicating that a target is of a large size in which other target information that is based on an identical target is present.

5. The target detection apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein when a target as a preceding vehicle is determined to be of a large size with a lateral width greater than that of a passenger car which has a predetermined lateral width, a pattern indicating a large-size target is displayed on a notification display unit.

6. The target detection apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to generate the target information related to a single target, from the parallel-running pair determined to originate from an identical target.

7. The target detection apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein when a target as a preceding vehicle is determined to be of a large size with a lateral width greater than that of a passenger car which has a predetermined lateral width, a pattern indicating a large-size target is displayed on a notification display unit.

8. The target detection apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to generate the target information for each reflection point and adds size information to the target information that is based on each of reflection points configuring the parallel-running pair determined to originate from an identical target, the size information indicating that a target is of a large size in which other target information that is based on an identical target is present.

9. The target detection apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein when a target as a preceding vehicle is determined to be of a large size with a lateral width greater than that of a passenger car which has a predetermined lateral width, a pattern indicating a large-size target is displayed on a notification display unit.

10. The target detection apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein when a target as a preceding vehicle is determined to be of a large size with a lateral width greater than that of a passenger car which has a predetermined lateral width, a pattern indicating a large-size target is displayed on a notification display unit.

11. A vehicle control system comprising:
a target detection apparatus that is mounted to a vehicle, and receives reflected waves of radar waves transmitted towards the outside of the vehicle to generate information related to a target that has reflected the radar waves; and
a controller configured to perform automatic cruise control according to target information generated by the target detection apparatus,
the target detection apparatus comprising:
a processor, the processor being configured to:
transmit and receive radar waves to detect the position of a reflection point that has reflected the radar waves;
generate information related to a target that has reflected the radar waves, according to the position of the reflection point detected;
count the number of reflection points, taking a reflection point of interest as being a target reflection point, for each reflection point detected, the reflection points being present in a target area that is set with reference to the target reflection point and each having a difference in speed from the target reflection point, the difference being not more than a preset identical speed determination threshold;
extract a parallel-running pair that is a pair of the reflection points that meet preset parallel-running conditions; and
determine that the two reflection points configuring the parallel-running pair originate from an identical target, when a count value is not less than a preset size determination threshold, the count value being derived from the number of reflection points counted for at least either of the two reflection points configuring the parallel-running pair extracted;
generate target information reflecting that the two reflection points configuring the parallel-running pair are determined to originate from the identical target; and
generate the target information for each reflection point and adding size information to the target information that is based on each of reflection points configuring the parallel-running pair to originate from an identical target, the size information indicating that a target is of a large size in which other target information that is based on an identical target is present,
the controller being configured to perform the automatic cruise control, taking it as being impossible to pass between the parallel-running pair determined to originate from an identical target, according to the size information added to the target information.

12. The vehicle control system according to claim 11 , wherein the processor is further configured to use, as the parallel-running conditions: that a distance between the parallel-running pair is not more than a distance determination thresh

Assignees

• Denso Corp

Inventors

• Mizutani Akiyoshi
• Matsuoka Keiji
• Shimizu Koji

Classifications

• G01S13/345

  using triangular modulation · CPC title

• G01S2013/9325

  for inter-vehicle distance regulation, e.g. navigating in platoons · CPC title

• G01S13/931

  of land vehicles · CPC title

• B60W30/16

  Control of distance between vehicles, e.g. keeping a distance to preceding vehicle · CPC title

• G01S13/72

  for two-dimensional [2D] tracking, e.g. combination of angle and range tracking, track-while-scan radar · CPC title