Vehicle driving support control apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9623869-B2
Application number	US-201314086642-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 21, 2013
Priority date	Nov 28, 2012
Publication date	Apr 18, 2017
Grant date	Apr 18, 2017

Abstract

A collision prevention controller mounted on a subject vehicle receives lane line information from a first environment recognizer and three-dimensional object information on a target three-dimensional object from a second environment recognizer, estimates the visual range of the driver based on the lane line information, determines whether the target three-dimensional object is located outside of the visual range of the driver, and determines the possibility of a collision of the target three-dimensional object and the subject vehicle. When the target three-dimensional object is located outside of the visual range of the driver, the collision prevention controller executes at least either one of notification to the driver or application of automatic braking in accordance with the possibility of collision with the subject vehicle.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A vehicle driving support control apparatus comprising:
a first environment recognition unit, including a camera, to detect lane line information on a driving lane in front of a host vehicle on which the vehicle driving support control apparatus is disposed, based on an image obtained by the camera;
a second environment recognition unit, including a radar, to detect three-dimensional object information including a distance from the host vehicle to a three-dimensional object in front of the host vehicle, a relative speed between the host vehicle and the three-dimensional object, and a speed of the three-dimensional object, based on an electromagnetic wave signal obtained by the radar; and
a controller configured to execute:
presetting a threshold as an average contrast value by which a human vision can recognize a lane line;
obtaining a visual distance that is a farthest distance of the lane line detected by the first environment recognition unit with the contrast value higher than the preset threshold;
determining whether or not a three-dimensional object is an on-coming vehicle based on a vehicle speed of the host vehicle and the speed of the three-dimensional object which is detected by the second environment recognition unit;
determining whether the three-dimensional object detected by the second environment recognition unit is located outside of the obtained visual distance based on the lane line information by comparing a distance to the three-dimensional object detected by the second environment recognition unit and the obtained visual distance;
determining a possibility of a collision between the host vehicle and the detected three-dimensional object based on the detected three-dimensional object information by the second environment recognition unit and based on determination whether the detected three-dimensional object is located in lane lines detected by the first environment recognition unit; and
when the detected three-dimensional object is located further than the obtained visual distance, outputting a warning signal to cause a warning apparatus to make a notification to the driver in a case where the possibility of a collision is less than a first threshold and an automatic brake signal for application of automatic braking in a case where the possibility of a collision is less than a second threshold, wherein:
a possibility of a collision for the second threshold is higher than a possibility of a collision for the first threshold, and
when the controller determines that the three-dimensional object is the on-coming vehicle, and when the controller recognizes that the host vehicle is going to enter into an on-coming vehicle lane on which the on-coming vehicle drives, the controller outputs the automatic braking signal in accordance with a distance from the host vehicle to the on-coming vehicle.

2. The vehicle driving support control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein when the distance between the three-dimensional object and the host vehicle becomes smaller than a predetermined threshold, the controller outputs the warning signal.

3. The vehicle driving support control apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein in the case that the three-dimensional object is a three-dimensional object in a lane of the host vehicle, the controller outputs the automatic brake signal when it is determined that a brake operation cannot be performed in time after the three-dimensional closer than the obtained visual distance.

4. The vehicle driving support control apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the controller estimates a driving track of the host vehicle, and does not output the automatic braking signal if the estimated driving track is for avoiding the three-dimensional object on the lane of the host vehicle.

5. The vehicle driving support control apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein when the three-dimensional object is an on-coming vehicle, and the host vehicle enters into the on-coming vehicle lane on which the on-coming vehicle drives, the controller outputs the automatic braking signal in accordance with a distance from the host vehicle to the on-coming vehicle.

6. The vehicle driving support control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein in the case that the three-dimensional object is a three-dimensional object in a lane of the host vehicle, the controller outputs the automatic brake signal when it is determined that a brake operation cannot be performed in time after the three-dimensional object comes closer than the visual distance of the driver.

7. The vehicle driving support control apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the controller estimates a driving track of the host vehicle, and does not output the automatic braking signal if the estimated driving track is for avoiding the three-dimensional object on the lane of the host vehicle.

8. The vehicle driving support control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein when the three-dimensional object is an on-coming vehicle, and the host vehicle enters into the on-coming vehicle lane on which the on-coming vehicle drives, the controller outputs the automatic braking signal in accordance with a distance from the host vehicle to the on-coming vehicle.

Assignees

• Fuji Heavy Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Matsuno Koji

Classifications

• B60W30/09 Primary

  Taking automatic action to avoid collision, e.g. braking and steering · CPC title

• G08G1/167

  Driving aids for lane monitoring, lane changing, e.g. blind spot detection · CPC title

• B60R21/00

  Arrangements or fittings on vehicles for protecting or preventing injuries to occupants or pedestrians in case of accidents or other traffic risks (safety belts or body harnesses in vehicles B60R22/00; seats constructed to protect the occupant from the effect of abnormal g-forces, e.g. crash or safety seats, B60N2/42; energy-absorbing arrangements for hand wheels for steering vehicles B62D1/11; energy-absorbing arrangements for vehicle steering columns B62D1/19) · CPC title

• G08G1/166 Primary

  for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes · CPC title

• B60W30/095

  Predicting travel path or likelihood of collision · CPC title