Object detection device and object detection method

Abstract

The present invention provides an object detection device and an object detection method. The object detection device (20) includes an object position acquisition unit (302) and an object position estimation unit (303). When the object position acquisition unit receives both direct waves and indirect waves, it acquires the relative position of the object and the moving body by using the triangulation principle of distance measurement information based on the direct wave and the distance measurement information based on the indirect wave. When the object position estimation unit receives only one of the direct wave and the indirect wave as a received wave, and the received wave is a reflected wave reflected by an object whose relative position has been acquired by the object position acquisition unit, it estimates the relative position of the object and the moving body based on the acquired relative position, that is, the reference position.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2018-227571 filed on December 4, 2018, and the contents thereof are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] The present disclosure relates to an object detection device that detects an object existing outside the moving body by being mounted on the moving body, and also to an object detection method for detecting an object existing outside the moving body. Background Art

[0004] The object detection device described in Patent Document 1 calculates the relative position of a vehicle as a moving body and an object by triangulation using a plurality of ranging sensors. Specifically, the object detection device comprises: a first detection unit, a second detection unit, a position calculation unit, and an invalidation unit. The first detection unit detects an object by a direct wave. The so-called direct wave is a received wave when the ranging sensor that transmits a detection wave and the ranging sensor that receives the reflected wave of the detection wave reflected by the object as a received wave are the same sensor. The second detection unit detects an object by an indirect wave. The so-called indirect wave is a received wave when the ranging sensor that transmits a detection wave and the ranging sensor that receives the reflected wave of the detection wave reflected by the object as a received wave are different sensors. The position calculation unit calculates the position information of the object by the triangulation principle based on the detection results of the first detection unit and the second detection unit. The invalidation unit invalidates the position information based on the position relationship between the overlapping detection range where the detection range of the direct wave overlaps the detection range of the indirect wave and the position information calculated by the position calculation unit.

[0005] The range in which the object can be detected by triangulation using two ranging sensors is an overlapping detection range in which the detection range of the direct wave overlaps the detection range of the indirect wave. Therefore, if the position information of the object calculated according to the triangulation principle is correct, the calculation result of the position information of the object should be within the overlapping detection range. With this in mind, in the configuration described in Patent Document 1, the position information is invalidated based on the positional relationship between the position information of the object calculated according to the triangulation principle and the overlapping detection range. According to such a configuration, it is possible to suppress the false detection of the object.

[0006] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2016-80641

[0007] In the object position detection based on triangulation using two of the plurality of distance measuring sensors as described above, the detection range is narrowed compared to the distance detection using a specific one of the plurality of distance measuring sensors. In particular, depending on the purpose or scenario of object detection, for example, there is a case where it is preferred to continue to detect the object well even if the relative position of the object moves from a position where triangulation is established to a position where triangulation is not established. Summary of the invention

[0008] The present disclosure has been made in view of the above-described circumstances. That is, the present disclosure provides, for example, an object detection device and an object detection method that can perform object detection better than before when triangulation is not established.

[0009] The object detection device is configured to detect an object existing outside the moving body by being mounted on a moving body equipped with a plurality of distance measuring sensors. The distance measuring sensors are configured to output distance measuring information corresponding to the distance to the object around the moving body by transmitting a detection wave toward the outside of the moving body and receiving a reception wave including a reflected wave of the detection wave reflected by the object.

[0010] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, an object detection device comprises:

[0011] an object position acquisition unit, which acquires the relative position of the object and the moving body by using the distance measurement information based on the direct wave and the distance measurement information based on the indirect wave when both direct and indirect waves are received, wherein the direct wave is the received wave in a first ranging sensor which is one of the plurality of ranging sensors and is caused by the reflected wave of the detection wave sent from the first ranging sensor, and the indirect wave is the received wave in a second ranging sensor which is another of the plurality of ranging sensors and is caused by the reflected wave of the detection wave sent from the first ranging sensor; and

[0012] The object position estimation unit, when receiving only one of the direct wave and the indirect wave as the received wave, and the received wave is the reflected wave reflected by the object whose relative position has been acquired by the object position acquisition unit, estimates the relative position based on the acquired relative position, that is, the reference position.

[0013] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, an object detection method includes the following steps.

[0014] in a case where both a direct wave and an indirect wave are received at the same time, the relative position of the object and the moving body is obtained by using the distance measurement information based on the direct wave and the distance measurement information based on the indirect wave according to the triangulation principle, wherein the direct wave is the received wave in a first ranging sensor which is one of the plurality of ranging sensors and is caused by the reflected wave of the detection wave sent from the first ranging sensor, and the indirect wave is the received wave in a second ranging sensor which is another of the plurality of ranging sensors and is caused by the reflected wave of the detection wave sent from the first ranging sensor; and

[0015] When only one of the direct wave and the indirect wave is received as the received wave, and the received wave is the reflected wave reflected by the object whose relative position has been acquired, the relative position is estimated based on the acquired relative position, that is, the reference position.

[0016] In the above configuration, when the object detection operation using the first distance measuring sensor and the second distance measuring sensor is performed, there is a case where both the direct wave and the indirect wave are received. In this case, the object position acquisition unit acquires the relative position of the object and the moving body by using the triangulation principle of the distance measuring information based on the direct wave and the distance measuring information based on the indirect wave.

[0017] On the other hand, when performing the object detection operation, there is a case where triangulation is not established. In this case, the relative position of the object and the moving body cannot be obtained by the triangulation principle. However, in this case, there is also a case where one of the direct wave and the indirect wave is received as the received wave. If such a received wave is based on the reflected wave reflected by the object whose relative position has been obtained, it is highly likely that the object exists near the relative position that has been obtained.

[0018] Therefore, even if triangulation is not established, when the following conditions are established, the object position estimation unit estimates the relative position based on the reference position which is the acquired relative position.

[0019] Condition 1: One of the direct wave and the indirect wave is received as the received wave.

[0020] Condition 2: The received wave is the reflected wave reflected by the object whose relative position has been acquired by the object position acquisition unit.

[0021] Similarly, the method acquires the relative position of the object and the moving body by using the distance measurement information based on the direct wave and the distance measurement information based on the indirect wave when triangulation is established. On the other hand, even if triangulation is not established, but the above conditions are met, the method estimates the relative position based on the acquired relative position, that is, the reference position.

[0022] Thus, according to the above configuration and the above method, even if triangulation is not established, when there is a high probability that the object exists near the acquired relative position, object detection, i.e., estimation of the relative position, can be performed well. Therefore, object detection can be performed better than before when triangulation is not established.

[0023] In addition, in the application documents, there are cases where each element is marked with a reference figure mark in brackets. However, even in this case, such a reference figure mark is only an example of the correspondence between each element and a specific unit described in the embodiment described later. Therefore, the present disclosure is not limited in any way by the description of the above-mentioned reference figure mark. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] Figure 1 It is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of a vehicle equipped with the object detection device according to the embodiment.

[0025] Figure 2 Yes means Figure 1 A block diagram showing a schematic functional structure of an object detection device is shown.

[0026] Figure 3 Yes means Figure 2 A conceptual diagram of an operation example of the object detection device shown.

[0027] Figure 4 Yes means Figure 2 A flowchart of an example of the operation of the object detection device shown.

[0028] Figure 5 Yes means Figure 2 A flowchart of an example of the operation of the object detection device shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] The following describes the embodiments of the present disclosure based on the drawings. In addition, various modifications applicable to the embodiments may hinder the understanding of the embodiments if inserted in the middle of a series of descriptions of the embodiments, so they are collectively recorded after the description of the embodiments.

[0030] (constitute)

[0031] If you refer to Figure 1 , then the vehicle 10 as a mobile body is a so-called four-wheeled vehicle, and has a roughly rectangular body 11 when viewed from above. Hereinafter, a virtual straight line passing through the center of the vehicle 10 in the vehicle width direction and parallel to the vehicle length direction of the vehicle 10 when viewed from above is referred to as the vehicle center line LC. The vehicle length direction is a direction that is orthogonal to the vehicle width direction and to the vehicle height direction. The vehicle height direction is a direction that defines the vehicle height of the vehicle 10, and is a direction parallel to the direction of gravity when the vehicle 10 is placed on a horizontal plane. Figure 1 In the figure, the vehicle length direction is the up-down direction in the figure, and the vehicle width direction is the left-right direction in the figure.

[0032] like Figure 1 The "front", "rear", "left" and "right" of the vehicle 10 are defined as indicated by arrows in FIG. That is, the vehicle length direction is synonymous with the front-rear direction. In addition, the vehicle width direction is synonymous with the left-right direction. The shape of each part when viewed "from above" refers to the shape of each part when viewed from above the vehicle 10 with a line of sight parallel to the vehicle height direction.

[0033] A front bumper 12 is mounted on the front end of the vehicle body 11. A rear bumper 13 is mounted on the rear end of the vehicle body 11. Door panels 14 are mounted on the side portions of the vehicle body 11. Figure 1 In the specific example shown, two door panels 14 are provided on the left and right, respectively, and a total of four door panels 14 are provided. A rearview mirror 15 is mounted on each of the pair of left and right door panels 14 on the front side.

[0034] The vehicle 10 is equipped with an object detection device 20. Hereinafter, the vehicle 10 equipped with the object detection device 20 according to the present embodiment may be referred to as the "vehicle". The object detection device 20 is configured to detect an object B existing outside the vehicle by being mounted on the vehicle. Specifically, the object detection device 20 includes: a distance sensor 21, a vehicle speed sensor 22, a shift position sensor 23, a steering angle sensor 24, a yaw rate sensor 25, a display unit 26, an alarm sound generating unit 27, and an electronic control unit 30. In addition, for the sake of simplicity in the illustration, Figure 1 The electrical connection relationship between the components constituting the object detection device 20 is appropriately omitted.

[0035] The distance measuring sensor 21 is configured to output distance measuring information by transmitting a detection wave toward the outside of the host vehicle and receiving a reception wave including a reflected wave of the detection wave reflected by the object B. The distance measuring information is information included in the output signal of the distance measuring sensor 21, and the distance measuring information is information corresponding to the distance to the object B around the host vehicle. In the present embodiment, the distance measuring sensor 21 is a so-called ultrasonic sensor, which is configured to emit a detection wave as an ultrasonic wave and can receive a reception wave including an ultrasonic wave.

[0036] The object detection device 20 includes a plurality of distance measuring sensors 21. That is, a plurality of distance measuring sensors 21 are mounted on the vehicle 10. When viewed from above, the plurality of distance measuring sensors 21 are respectively arranged at mutually different positions. In addition, in the present embodiment, the plurality of distance measuring sensors 21 are respectively arranged to be offset from the vehicle center line LC to any one side in the vehicle width direction.

[0037] Specifically, in the present embodiment, the first front sonar 211A, the second front sonar 211B, the third front sonar 211C, and the fourth front sonar 211D are installed on the front bumper 12 as the distance measuring sensor 21. Similarly, the first rear sonar 212A, the second rear sonar 212B, the third rear sonar 212C, and the fourth rear sonar 212D are installed on the rear bumper 13 as the distance measuring sensor 21. In addition, the first side sonar 213A, the second side sonar 213B, the third side sonar 213C, and the fourth side sonar 213D are installed on the side portion of the vehicle body 11. In the following description, when it is not determined which of the above-mentioned first front sonar 211A, etc., the expression "distance measuring sensor 21" is used.

[0038] One of the plurality of distance measuring sensors 21 is referred to as a "first distance measuring sensor", and the other distance measuring sensors are referred to as "second distance measuring sensors", and "direct waves" and "indirect waves" are defined as follows. A received wave in the first distance measuring sensor and caused by a reflected wave of the detection wave transmitted from the first distance measuring sensor and reflected by the object B is referred to as a "direct wave". Typically, a direct wave is a received wave when the first distance measuring sensor receives a reflected wave of the detection wave transmitted from the first distance measuring sensor and reflected by the object B as a received wave. That is, a direct wave is a received wave when the distance measuring sensor 21 transmitting the detection wave and the distance measuring sensor 21 receiving the reflected wave of the detection wave transmitted from the object B as a received wave are the same distance measuring sensor. In contrast, a received wave in the second distance measuring sensor and caused by a reflected wave of the detection wave transmitted from the first distance measuring sensor and reflected by the object B is referred to as an "indirect wave". Typically, an indirect wave is a received wave when the second distance measuring sensor receives a reflected wave of the detection wave transmitted from the first distance measuring sensor and reflected by the object B as a received wave. That is, the so-called indirect wave is a received wave when the distance measuring sensor 21 that transmits the detection wave and the distance measuring sensor 21 that receives the reflected wave of the detection wave reflected by the object as the received wave are different.

[0039] exist Figure 1, taking the third front sonar 211C and the fourth front sonar 211D as examples, the direct wave region RD and the indirect wave region RI in the two ranging sensors 21 are shown. The direct wave region RD is a region that can receive the direct wave caused by the object B when the object B exists. The indirect wave region RI is a region that can receive the indirect wave caused by the object B when the object B exists. Specifically, although the indirect wave region RI is not completely consistent with the region where the direct wave regions RD in the two ranging sensors 21 overlap with each other, most of them overlap. In the following, in order to simplify the description, the indirect wave region RI is regarded as being almost consistent with the region where the direct wave regions RD in the two ranging sensors 21 overlap with each other.

[0040] The first front sonar 211A is provided at the left end portion on the front side surface of the front bumper 12 to emit detection waves to the left front of the vehicle. The second front sonar 211B is provided at the right end portion on the front side surface of the front bumper 12 to emit detection waves to the right front of the vehicle. The first front sonar 211A and the second front sonar 211B are arranged symmetrically across the vehicle center line LC.

[0041] The third front sonar 211C and the fourth front sonar 211D are arranged in the vehicle width direction at a position close to the center of the front side surface of the front bumper 12. The third front sonar 211C is arranged between the first front sonar 211A and the vehicle center line LC in the vehicle width direction to emit a detection wave roughly in front of the vehicle. The fourth front sonar 211D is arranged between the second front sonar 211B and the vehicle center line LC in the vehicle width direction to emit a detection wave roughly in front of the vehicle. The third front sonar 211C and the fourth front sonar 211D are arranged symmetrically across the vehicle center line LC.

[0042] As described above, the first front sonar 211A and the third front sonar 211C are arranged at different positions when viewed from above. In addition, the first front sonar 211A and the third front sonar 211C adjacent to each other in the vehicle width direction are arranged in a positional relationship such that the reflected wave of the detection wave sent by one of them and reflected by the object B can be received as the reception wave in the other.

[0043] That is, the first front sonar 211A is configured to receive both the direct wave corresponding to the detection wave sent by itself and the indirect wave corresponding to the detection wave sent by the third front sonar 211C. Similarly, the third front sonar 211C is configured to receive both the direct wave corresponding to the detection wave sent by itself and the indirect wave corresponding to the detection wave sent by the first front sonar 211A.

[0044] Similarly, the third front sonar 211C and the fourth front sonar 211D are arranged at different positions when viewed from above. In addition, the third front sonar 211C and the fourth front sonar 211D adjacent to each other in the vehicle width direction are arranged in a positional relationship such that the reflected wave of the detection wave sent by one of them and reflected by the object B can be received as the reception wave in the other.

[0045] Similarly, the second front sonar 211B and the fourth front sonar 211D are arranged at different positions when viewed from above. In addition, the second front sonar 211B and the fourth front sonar 211D adjacent to each other in the vehicle width direction are arranged in a positional relationship such that the reflected wave of the detection wave sent by one side and reflected by the object B can be received as the reception wave in the other side.

[0046] The first rear sonar 212A is provided at the left end portion on the rear side surface of the rear bumper 13 to emit detection waves to the left rear of the vehicle. The second rear sonar 212B is provided at the right end portion on the rear side surface of the rear bumper 13 to emit detection waves to the right rear of the vehicle. The first rear sonar 212A and the second rear sonar 212B are symmetrically arranged across the vehicle center line LC.

[0047] The third rear sonar 212C and the fourth rear sonar 212D are arranged in the vehicle width direction at a position close to the center of the rear side surface of the rear bumper 13. The third rear sonar 212C is arranged between the first rear sonar 212A and the vehicle center line LC in the vehicle width direction to emit a detection wave substantially to the rear of the vehicle. The fourth rear sonar 212D is arranged between the second rear sonar 212B and the vehicle center line LC in the vehicle width direction to emit a detection wave substantially to the rear of the vehicle. The third rear sonar 212C and the fourth rear sonar 212D are arranged symmetrically across the vehicle center line LC.

[0048] As described above, the first rear sonar 212A and the third rear sonar 212C are arranged at different positions when viewed from above. In addition, the first rear sonar 212A and the third rear sonar 212C adjacent to each other in the vehicle width direction are arranged in a positional relationship such that the reflected wave of the detection wave sent by one of them and reflected by the object B can be received as the reception wave in the other.

[0049] That is, the first rear sonar 212A is configured to receive both the direct wave corresponding to the detection wave transmitted by itself and the indirect wave corresponding to the detection wave transmitted by the third rear sonar 212C. Similarly, the third rear sonar 212C is configured to receive both the direct wave corresponding to the detection wave transmitted by itself and the indirect wave corresponding to the detection wave transmitted by the first rear sonar 212A.

[0050] Similarly, the third rear sonar 212C and the fourth rear sonar 212D are arranged at different positions when viewed from above. In addition, the third rear sonar 212C and the fourth rear sonar 212D adjacent to each other in the vehicle width direction are arranged in a positional relationship such that the reflected wave of the detection wave sent by one of them and reflected by the object B can be received as the reception wave in the other.

[0051] Similarly, the second rear sonar 212B and the fourth rear sonar 212D are arranged at different positions when viewed from above. In addition, the second rear sonar 212B and the fourth rear sonar 212D adjacent to each other in the vehicle width direction are arranged in a positional relationship such that the reflected wave of the detection wave sent by one of them and reflected by the object B can be received as the reception wave in the other.

[0052] The first side sonar 213A, the second side sonar 213B, the third side sonar 213C, and the fourth side sonar 213D are configured to emit detection waves from the side of the vehicle body 11 to the side of the vehicle. The first side sonar 213A and the second side sonar 213B are installed on the front side of the vehicle body 11. The first side sonar 213A and the second side sonar 213B are symmetrically arranged across the vehicle center line LC. The third side sonar 213C and the fourth side sonar 213D are installed on the rear side of the vehicle body 11. The third side sonar 213C and the fourth side sonar 213D are symmetrically arranged across the vehicle center line LC.

[0053] The first side sonar 213A is disposed between the first front sonar 211A and the left rearview mirror 15 in the front-rear direction to emit detection waves to the left of the vehicle. The first side sonar 213A and the first front sonar 211A are disposed in a positional relationship such that a reflected wave of the detection wave emitted by one side and reflected by the object B can be received as a received wave by the other side.

[0054] The second side sonar 213B is disposed between the second front sonar 211B and the right rearview mirror 15 in the front-rear direction to emit detection waves to the right of the vehicle. The second side sonar 213B and the second front sonar 211B are disposed in a positional relationship such that a reflected wave of the detection wave emitted by one side and reflected by the object B can be received as a received wave by the other side.

[0055] The third side sonar 213C is disposed between the first rear sonar 212A and the left rear door panel 14 in the front-rear direction to emit detection waves to the left of the vehicle. The third side sonar 213C and the first rear sonar 212A are disposed in a positional relationship such that a reflected wave of the detection wave emitted by one side and reflected by the object B can be received as a received wave by the other side.

[0056] The fourth side sonar 213D is disposed between the second rear sonar 212B and the right rear door panel 14 in the front-rear direction to emit detection waves to the right of the vehicle. The fourth side sonar 213D and the second rear sonar 212B are disposed in a positional relationship such that a reflected wave of the detection wave emitted by one side and reflected by the object B can be received as a received wave by the other side.

[0057] The plurality of distance measuring sensors 21 are electrically connected to the electronic control device 30. That is, the plurality of distance measuring sensors 21 are respectively configured to transmit and receive ultrasonic waves under the control of the electronic control device 30. In addition, the plurality of distance measuring sensors 21 respectively generate output signals corresponding to the reception results of the received waves and transmit them to the electronic control device 30.

[0058] The vehicle speed sensor 22, the shift position sensor 23, the steering angle sensor 24, and the yaw rate sensor 25 are electrically connected to the electronic control unit 30. The vehicle speed sensor 22 is configured to generate a signal corresponding to the running speed of the vehicle and send it to the electronic control unit 30. Hereinafter, the running speed of the vehicle will be simply referred to as "vehicle speed". The shift position sensor 23 is configured to generate a signal corresponding to the shift position of the vehicle and send it to the electronic control unit 30. The steering angle sensor 24 is configured to generate a signal corresponding to the steering angle of the vehicle and send it to the electronic control unit 30. The yaw rate sensor 25 is configured to generate a signal corresponding to the yaw rate acting on the vehicle and send it to the electronic control unit 30.

[0059] The display unit 26 and the alarm sound generating unit 27 are arranged in the vehicle cabin of the vehicle 10. The display unit 26 is electrically connected to the electronic control device 30 so as to display the object under the control of the electronic control device 30. The alarm sound generating unit 27 is electrically connected to the electronic control device 30 so as to generate the alarm sound accompanying the object detection operation under the control of the electronic control device 30.

[0060] The electronic control device 30 is disposed inside the vehicle body 11. The electronic control device 30 is configured to perform object detection based on signals and information received from each of the plurality of distance measuring sensors 21, the vehicle speed sensor 22, the shift position sensor 23, the steering angle sensor 24, and the yaw rate sensor 25.

[0061] In the present embodiment, the electronic control device 30 is a so-called vehicle-mounted microcomputer, and is provided with a CPU, ROM, RAM, non-volatile RAM, etc., which are not shown in the figure. The non-volatile RAM is, for example, a flash ROM, etc. Hereinafter, the CPU, ROM, RAM, and non-volatile RAM of the electronic control device 30 are simply referred to as "CPU", "ROM", "RAM", and "non-volatile RAM".

[0062] The electronic control device 30 is configured such that the CPU reads out a program from the ROM or non-volatile RAM and executes it, thereby realizing various control actions. The program includes steps corresponding to each program described later. In addition, various data used when executing the program are pre-stored in the ROM or non-volatile RAM. The various data include, for example, initial values, check tables, mappings, etc.

[0063] like Figure 2 As shown in FIG. 1 , the electronic control device 30 includes a distance measurement information acquisition unit 301, an object position acquisition unit 302, an object position estimation unit 303, and a control unit 304 as a functional structure. Figure 2 The functional configuration of the electronic control device 30 shown will be described.

[0064] The distance measurement information acquisition section 301 is configured to acquire distance measurement information output from each of the plurality of distance measurement sensors 21. That is, the distance measurement information acquisition section 301 temporarily stores the distance measurement information received from each of the plurality of distance measurement sensors 21 in time series for a prescribed period.

[0065] The object position acquisition unit 302 is configured to acquire the relative position of the object B and the vehicle when both the direct wave and the indirect wave are received and triangulation is established. That is, the object position acquisition unit 302 acquires the relative position of the object B and the vehicle by using the triangulation principle of the distance measurement information based on the direct wave and the distance measurement information based on the indirect wave. Hereinafter, the relative position of the object B and the vehicle is referred to as the "position of the object B" or simply as the "position". The operation of the object position acquisition unit 302 will be described in detail later.

[0066] The object position estimation unit 303 is configured to estimate the position of the object B based on the reference position even if the triangulation is not established, but both the following conditions 1 and 2 are established. The "reference position" is the position of the object B acquired by the object position acquisition unit 302 or estimated by the object position estimation unit 303. In addition, in the present embodiment, the reference position does not include the position corresponding to the temporarily lost object B. Typically, the reference position is a valid (i.e., before loss) and latest position of the object B acquired by the object position acquisition unit 302 or estimated by the object position estimation unit 303. In addition, the "object B" in condition 2 does not include the temporarily lost object B. The details of the operation of the object position estimation unit 303 will be described later.

[0067] Condition 1: One of the direct wave and the indirect wave is received as the received wave.

[0068] Condition 2: The received wave is a reflected wave reflected by the object B whose position has been acquired or estimated.

[0069] The control unit 304 is configured to control the overall operation of the object detection device 20. That is, the control unit 304 controls the transmission and reception timing of each of the plurality of distance measuring sensors 21. In addition, the control unit 304 selectively operates the object position acquisition unit 302 and the object position estimation unit 303 according to the reception status of the direct wave and the indirect wave. Furthermore, the control unit 304 operates the display unit 26 and / or the alarm sound generation unit 27 according to the acquisition result of the object position acquisition unit 302 and the estimation result of the object position estimation unit 303.

[0070] (Action Summary)

[0071] Hereinafter, the outline of the operation of the object detection device 20 will be described using a specific operation example.

[0072] The electronic control unit 30 obtains the vehicle movement state based on the outputs of the vehicle speed sensor 22, the shift position sensor 23, the steering angle sensor 24, the yaw rate sensor 25, etc. The vehicle movement state is the movement state of the vehicle obtained by the vehicle speed sensor 22, the shift position sensor 23, the steering angle sensor 24 and the yaw rate sensor 25. The vehicle movement state can also be called the "driving state". The vehicle movement state also includes the parking state, that is, the state where the vehicle speed is 0 km / h. The vehicle movement state includes the travel direction and travel speed of the vehicle. Hereinafter, the travel direction of the vehicle is referred to as the "vehicle travel direction". The vehicle movement state corresponds to the movement state of each of the multiple ranging sensors 21.

[0073] The electronic control device 30 determines the arrival of the object detection timing in the predetermined sensor combination at predetermined time intervals from the time when the operating condition of the object detection device 20 is satisfied. The “operating condition” includes, for example, that the vehicle speed is within a predetermined range.

[0074] The "prescribed sensor combination" is a combination of one of the multiple ranging sensors 21 as the first ranging sensor and at least one other ranging sensor 21 that can become the second ranging sensor when the first ranging sensor 21 is selected as the first ranging sensor. Specifically, for example, assume that the third front sonar 211C is selected as the first ranging sensor. In this case, the "prescribed sensor combination" includes the third front sonar 211C as the first ranging sensor and multiple other ranging sensors 21 that can become the second ranging sensor. The "other multiple ranging sensors 21" are the first front sonar 211A, the second side sonar 213B, and the fourth front sonar 211D. The "prescribed sensor combination" can also be referred to as "selection of a prescribed first ranging sensor."

[0075] The so-called "object detection timing" is a specific time at which the position of the object B is acquired or estimated using a predetermined sensor combination. In other words, the object detection timing is the time at which a program for detecting the object B, which will be described later, is started.

[0076] For each of the specified sensor combinations, the object detection timing arrives at a specified time interval T (for example, 200 msec) after the operation conditions of the object detection device 20 are met. That is, the electronic control unit 30 sequentially selects the first distance measuring sensor from the plurality of distance measuring sensors 21 at a specified time period T, and executes the emission of the detection wave and the reception of the direct wave and the indirect wave by the selected first distance measuring sensor. Therefore, if the number of distance measuring sensors 21 that can become the first distance measuring sensor is set to M, then in the object detection device 20, the object detection timing arrives every T / M.

[0077] If the object detection timing arrives, the electronic control device 30 performs the object detection operation. Specifically, the electronic control device 30 selects a predetermined one of the plurality of distance measuring sensors 21 as the first distance measuring sensor, and emits a detection wave from the selected first distance measuring sensor. In addition, the electronic control device 30 controls the operation of each of the plurality of distance measuring sensors 21, and receives an output signal including distance measuring information from each of the plurality of distance measuring sensors 21. Then, the distance measuring information acquisition unit 301 acquires the distance measuring information output from each of the plurality of distance measuring sensors 21. That is, the distance measuring information acquisition unit 301 temporarily stores the distance measuring information received from each of the plurality of distance measuring sensors 21 in a time series for a predetermined period. Moreover, the electronic control device 30 detects the object B based on the acquisition result of the distance measuring information by the distance measuring information acquisition unit 301.

[0078] When performing an object detection action using the first ranging sensor and the second ranging sensor, there is a situation where both direct waves and indirect waves are received at the same time. In this case, the object position acquisition unit 302 acquires the position of object B by using the triangulation principle of ranging information based on direct waves and ranging information based on indirect waves. In addition, the so-called "reception" in this case refers to the degree of reception that can effectively acquire ranging information. Therefore, reception with a weaker reception intensity to the extent that ranging information cannot be effectively acquired is not regarded as the "reception" mentioned here. Therefore, the "reception" mentioned here can be said to be "reception above the threshold intensity" and / or "effective reception". Or, the "reception" mentioned here can be said to be "good reception".

[0079] On the other hand, when performing the object detection action, there is a situation where triangulation is not established. In this case, the position of object B cannot be obtained through the triangulation principle. However, in this case, there is a situation where one of the direct wave and the indirect wave is received as the received wave. Specifically, there may be a situation where the indirect wave is not received well but the direct wave is received well. Or, there may be a situation where the direct wave is not received well but the indirect wave is received well. If such a received wave is a reflected wave reflected by object B whose position has been acquired, it is highly likely that object B exists near the acquired position. In addition, the meaning of "receiving" in this case is also the same as above.

[0080] Reference Figure 1 , an example of a case where the third front sonar 211C is set as the first distance measuring sensor is described. Figure 1 The position of object B in represents the position at the (K-1)th object detection timing. K is a natural number greater than 2. In addition, the vehicle is traveling at a low speed in a shift position other than reverse gear, and object B is a stationary object. In this example, at the (K-1)th object detection timing, object B exists near the outer edge of the indirect wave area RI based on the third front sonar 211C and the fourth front sonar 211D.

[0081] In this case, at the (K-1)th object detection timing, triangulation by the third front sonar 211C and the fourth front sonar 211D is established. Therefore, at the (K-1)th object detection timing, the position of the object B is acquired by the object position acquisition unit 302 .

[0082] In from Figure 1 During the period from the state shown in FIG. 1 to the next object detection timing when the third front sonar 211C is set as the first distance measuring sensor, the position of the object B changes due to the movement of the host vehicle. Furthermore, it is assumed that at the Kth object detection timing, the position of the object B moves outside the indirect wave area RI and becomes within the direct wave area RD based on the third front sonar 211C.

[0083] At the Kth object detection timing, triangulation is not established. However, at the (K-1)th object detection timing, the reflected wave from the object B whose position has been acquired can be received by the third front sonar 211C as a direct wave. Therefore, at the Kth object detection timing, if the direct wave is received by the third front sonar 211C, it is highly likely that object B exists near the acquired position. At this time, the object B whose position has been acquired at the (K-1)th object detection timing is the same as the object B corresponding to the direct wave received at the Kth object detection timing. Similarly, at the (K+1)th object detection timing, if the direct wave is also received by the third front sonar 211C, it is highly likely that object B exists near the acquired position.

[0084] Therefore, when triangulation is not established but the following conditions are established, the object position estimation unit 303 estimates the position of the object B based on the reference position.

[0085] Condition 1: One of the direct wave and the indirect wave is received as the received wave.

[0086] Condition 2: The received wave is a reflected wave reflected by the object B whose position has been acquired or estimated.

[0087] In this embodiment, the object position estimation unit 303 estimates the position of the object B based on the reference position and the distance measurement information corresponding to the received wave. That is, when only the direct wave is received, the object position estimation unit 303 estimates the position of the object B based on the reference position and the distance measurement information corresponding to the direct wave, that is, the direct wave distance. On the other hand, when only the indirect wave is received, the object position estimation unit 303 estimates the position of the object B based on the reference position and the distance measurement information corresponding to the indirect wave, that is, the indirect wave distance. Specifically, the object position estimation unit 303 estimates the position of the object B based on the azimuth of the reference position from the first distance measurement sensor and the distance measurement information corresponding to the received wave. The azimuth is the direction in which the object B exists with reference to the first distance measurement sensor when viewed from above.

[0088] Figure 3 The concept of the orientation θ and the method of estimating the position of the object B by the object position estimation unit 303 are schematically shown. Figure 3 In the example of , the first distance measuring sensor is the third front sonar 211C. The object position BP indicates the acquisition result or inference result of the position of the object B. DD indicates the direct wave distance. (K-1) indicates the object detection timing of the (K-1)th time. (K) indicates the object detection timing of the Kth time. In the present embodiment, the azimuth θ is the azimuth of the object position BP based on the reference line LH. The reference line LH is a virtual straight line that passes through the first distance measuring sensor and is orthogonal to the vehicle center line LC when viewed from above. That is, when viewed from above, when the object B is to the right of the first distance measuring sensor and exists on the reference line LH, the azimuth of the object B is 0 degrees. On the other hand, when viewed from above, when the object B is to the left of the first distance measuring sensor and exists on the reference line LH, the azimuth of the object B is 180 degrees. In addition, when viewed from above, when the object B exists on a virtual straight line that passes through the first distance measuring sensor and is parallel to the vehicle center line LC, the azimuth of the object B is 90 degrees.

[0089] If you refer to Figure 3In this embodiment, the object position estimation unit 303 estimates the direction θ(K) corresponding to the K-th object detection timing based on the direction θ(K-1) corresponding to the (K-1)-th object detection timing and the vehicle movement state. In addition, the object position estimation unit 303 obtains the direct wave distance DD(K) corresponding to the K-th object detection timing. Moreover, the object position estimation unit 303 calculates the intersection of the virtual straight line passing through the direction θ(K) of the first distance measuring sensor and the radius DD(K) centered on the first distance measuring sensor as the estimation result of the object position BP(K).

[0090] In addition, when the difference between the distance measurement information corresponding to the reference position and the distance measurement information corresponding to the received wave is within a prescribed value, the object position estimation unit 303 estimates the relative position. On the other hand, when the difference between the distance measurement information corresponding to the reference position and the distance measurement information corresponding to the received wave exceeds a prescribed value, the object position estimation unit 303 does not estimate the relative position. That is, in this case, the estimation of the position of the object B by the object position estimation unit 303 is prohibited. Furthermore, when the difference between the distance measurement information corresponding to the reference position and the distance measurement information corresponding to the received wave exceeds a prescribed value, the control unit 304 invalidates the acquired and estimated position of the object B.

[0091] As described above, the device and method of the present embodiment do not unconditionally estimate the position of the object B even when the triangulation is not established. That is, in the present embodiment, even if the triangulation is not established, the position of the object B is estimated when the reflected wave reflected by the object B whose position has been acquired or estimated is received as one of the direct wave and the indirect wave. In addition, the device and method of the present embodiment use the ranging information corresponding to the received wave received as one of the direct wave and the indirect wave when estimating the position of the object B. Therefore, according to the present embodiment, even if the triangulation is not established, when there is a high possibility that the object B exists near the acquired position, the detection of the object B, that is, the estimation of the position, can be performed well. Therefore, the object detection in the case where the triangulation is not established can be performed better than before. Specifically, for example, the recognition of a wall or an adjacent vehicle that is inclined at a shallow angle relative to the direction of travel of the vehicle is improved compared with the past.

[0092] (specific example)

[0093] Below, use Figure 4 as well as Figure 5 The flowchart of the present embodiment will be used to illustrate a specific operation example of the configuration of the present embodiment. Figure 4 as well as Figure 5 In the flowchart, "S" is the abbreviation for "step".

[0094] Figure 4The object detection program shown is first started when the operating condition of the object detection device 20 switches from being satisfied to being satisfied, and is then repeatedly started each time an object detection timing is reached until the operating condition of the object detection device 20 is no longer satisfied.

[0095] For example, if the initial object detection timing arrives, the CPU selects the first front sonar 211A as the first distance measuring sensor, starts and executes Figure 4 If the next object detection opportunity arrives, the CPU selects the second front sonar 211B as the first distance measuring sensor, starts and executes Figure 4 If the next object detection opportunity arrives, the CPU selects the third front sonar 211C as the first distance measuring sensor, starts and executes Figure 4 Thus, within a predetermined time T (for example, 200 msec), each of the M distance measuring sensors 21 that can be selected as the first distance measuring sensor is selected once.

[0096] After a predetermined time T has passed since the initial object detection timing, the object detection timing for the first front sonar 211A to be the first distance measuring sensor has arrived again. Then, the CPU selects the first front sonar 211A as the first distance measuring sensor again, starts and executes Figure 4 If the next object detection opportunity arrives, the CPU again selects the second front sonar 211B as the first distance measuring sensor, starts and executes Figure 4 Similarly, the CPU sequentially changes the first distance measuring sensor and repeatedly starts and executes Figure 4 The object detection procedure shown in the figure continues until the operating condition of the object detection device 20 is no longer satisfied.

[0097] like Figure 4 When the object detection program shown in FIG. 1 is started, first, in step 41, the CPU determines whether both the direct wave WD and the indirect wave WI are received. When both the direct wave WD and the indirect wave WI are received (i.e., step 41 = Yes), the CPU sequentially executes the processing of steps 42 to 45. The processing of step 41 corresponds to the operation of the control unit 304.

[0098] In step 42, the CPU acquires the direct wave distance DD corresponding to the direct wave WD received this time. In step 43, the CPU acquires the indirect wave distance DI corresponding to the indirect wave WI received this time. In step 44, the CPU acquires the object position BP based on the direct wave distance DD and the indirect wave distance DI acquired this time. In addition, when acquiring the object position BP in steps 42 to 44, the vehicle movement state such as the vehicle speed and yaw rate may be appropriately considered. The processing of steps 42 to 44 is equivalent to the operation of the object position acquisition unit 302.

[0099] In step 45, the CPU determines whether the object position BP acquired by the process of this step 44 is within the indirect wave region RI. When the acquired object position BP is within the indirect wave region RI (that is, step 45 = Yes), the CPU sequentially executes the processes of steps 46 to 48, and then temporarily terminates this program. The process of step 45 is equivalent to the operation of the object position acquisition unit 302.

[0100] In step 46, the CPU resets the estimation count counter N (i.e., N=0). In step 47, the CPU updates the latest position of the object B using the object position BP acquired by the processing of this step 44. In step 48, the CPU calculates the orientation θ in the updated object position BP, and updates the value of the latest orientation θ using the calculation result. The processing of step 46 is equivalent to the operation of the control unit 304. The processing of steps 47 and 48 is equivalent to the operation of the object position acquisition unit 302.

[0101] If the condition that both the direct wave WD and the indirect wave WI are received is not satisfied (ie, step 41 = No), the CPU proceeds to the process. Figure 5 The same also applies when the object position BP acquired by the processing of step 44 is outside the indirect wave region RI (ie, step 45 = No).

[0102] In step 501, the CPU increments the inference count counter N by 1. That is, the CPU increments the inference count counter N by 1. In step 502, the CPU determines whether the inference count counter N is less than the counter threshold THN. In this specific example, the counter threshold THN is a natural number greater than 2. The processing of steps 501 and 502 is equivalent to the action of the control unit 304.

[0103] When the estimation number counter N is equal to or greater than the counter threshold value THN (i.e., step 502 = No), the estimation of the object position BP by the object position estimation unit 303 is repeated a predetermined number of times. That is, in this case, the acquisition of the object position BP by the object position acquisition unit 302 is not performed continuously for a predetermined number of times. In this case, even if the estimation of the object position BP by the object position estimation unit 303 is continued on this basis, it is difficult to obtain a good estimation accuracy. Therefore, in this case, the CPU temporarily terminates this routine after executing the processing of step 503.

[0104] In step 503, the CPU invalidates the acquired and estimated object position BP. As a result, the corresponding orientation θ is also invalidated. The processing of step 503 can be a processing of deleting or eliminating the acquired and estimated position information of the lost object B from the storage area. The processing of step 503 is equivalent to the action of the control unit 304. The storage area can also be called a storage area.

[0105] When the estimation number counter N is smaller than the counter threshold THN (ie, step 502 =Yes), the CPU advances the process to step 504. In step 504, the CPU determines whether a direct wave WD is received. The process of step 504 corresponds to the operation of the control unit 304.

[0106] When a direct wave WD is received (i.e., step 504 = Yes), the CPU sequentially executes the processing of steps 505 and 506, and then proceeds to step 507. In step 505, the CPU acquires the direct wave distance DD corresponding to the direct wave WD received this time. In step 506, the CPU calculates the difference ΔDD between the direct wave distance DD corresponding to the latest object position BP as the reference position and the acquired value in step 505. The processing of steps 505 and 506 corresponds to the operation of the object position estimation unit 303.

[0107] In step 507, the CPU determines whether ΔDD is less than a predetermined value THD. This determination is equivalent to determining whether the reflected wave reflected by the object B whose position has been acquired or estimated is received as a direct wave WD. In other words, this determination is equivalent to determining whether the object B whose position has been acquired or estimated is the same as the object B corresponding to the direct wave WD received this time. The so-called "object B corresponding to the direct wave WD received this time" is an object B that creates the direct wave WD by reflecting the detection wave that is the basis of the direct wave WD received this time. The processing of step 507 is equivalent to the action of the object position estimation unit 303.

[0108] When ΔDD is less than the predetermined value THD (i.e., step 507 = Yes), the CPU sequentially executes the processing of step 508 and step 509, and then temporarily terminates this routine. On the other hand, when ΔDD is greater than the predetermined value THD (i.e., step 507 = No), the CPU skips the processing of step 508 and step 509, and temporarily terminates this routine.

[0109] In step 508, the CPU estimates the object position BP based on the direct wave distance DD and the latest azimuth θ acquired this time. The details of the method for estimating the object position BP are as described above. In addition, the CPU updates the latest position of the object B using the object position BP estimated this time. In step 509, the CPU calculates the azimuth θ in the updated object position BP, and updates the value of the latest azimuth θ using the calculation result. The processing of steps 508 and 509 is equivalent to the action of the object position estimation unit 303. In addition, when performing the processing of steps 505 to 508, the vehicle movement state such as the vehicle speed and yaw rate may also be appropriately considered.

[0110] When the direct wave WD is not received (ie, step 504 =No), the CPU advances the process to step 510. In step 510, the CPU determines whether the indirect wave WI is received. The process of step 510 corresponds to the operation of the control unit 304.

[0111] When the indirect wave WI is received (i.e., step 510 = Yes), the CPU sequentially executes the processing of step 511 and step 512, and then proceeds to step 507. On the other hand, when neither the direct wave WD nor the indirect wave WI is received (i.e., step 510 = No), the CPU skips all the processing from step 511 onwards and temporarily terminates this routine.

[0112] In step 511, the CPU acquires the indirect wave distance DI corresponding to the indirect wave WI received this time. In step 512, the CPU calculates the difference ΔDI between the indirect wave distance DI corresponding to the latest object position BP as the reference position and the value acquired in step 511. The processing of steps 511 and 512 corresponds to the operation of the object position estimation unit 303.

[0113] In step 513, the CPU determines whether ΔDI is less than a predetermined value THI. This determination is equivalent to determining whether a reflected wave reflected by an object B whose position has been acquired or estimated is received as an indirect wave WI. That is, this determination is equivalent to determining whether the object B whose position has been acquired or estimated is the same as the object B corresponding to the indirect wave WI received this time. The "object B corresponding to the indirect wave WI received this time" is an object B that creates the indirect wave WI by reflecting the detection wave that is the basis of the indirect wave WI received this time. The processing of step 513 is equivalent to the operation of the object position estimation unit 303.

[0114] When ΔDI is less than the predetermined value THI (i.e., step 513 = Yes), the CPU proceeds to step 514, then proceeds to step 509, and then temporarily terminates this routine. On the other hand, when ΔDI is greater than the predetermined value THI (i.e., step 513 = No), the CPU skips the processing of step 514 and temporarily terminates this routine.

[0115] In step 514, the CPU estimates the object position BP based on the indirect wave distance DI and the latest azimuth θ acquired this time. In addition, the CPU updates the latest position of the object B using the object position BP estimated this time. The processing of step 514 is equivalent to the operation of the object position estimation unit 303. In addition, when performing the processing of steps 511 to 514, the vehicle movement state such as the vehicle speed and yaw rate may also be appropriately considered.

[0116] (Variation Example)

[0117] The present disclosure is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments. Therefore, the above-mentioned embodiments can be appropriately changed. Representative modified examples are described below. In the following description of the modified examples, the differences from the above-mentioned embodiments are mainly described. In addition, in the above-mentioned embodiments and the modified examples, the same figure marks are marked for the mutually identical or equivalent parts. Therefore, in the description of the following modified examples, for the constituent elements with the same figure marks as the above-mentioned embodiments, unless there is a technical contradiction or other additional description, the description in the above-mentioned embodiment can be appropriately quoted.

[0118] The present disclosure is not limited to the specific device configurations shown in the above embodiments. That is, for example, the vehicle 10 is not limited to a four-wheeled vehicle. Specifically, the vehicle 10 may be a three-wheeled vehicle, or a six-wheeled vehicle such as a freight truck, or an eight-wheeled vehicle. "Object" may also be referred to as "obstacle". That is, the object detection device may also be referred to as an obstacle detection device.

[0119] The arrangement and number of the distance measuring sensors 21 are not limited to the above-mentioned specific examples. Figure 1, when the third front sonar 211C is arranged at the center position in the vehicle width direction, the fourth front sonar 211D can be omitted. Similarly, when the third rear sonar 212C is arranged at the center position in the vehicle width direction, the fourth rear sonar 212D can be omitted.

[0120] The distance measuring sensor 21 is not limited to an ultrasonic sensor. That is, for example, the distance measuring sensor 21 may also be a laser radar sensor or a millimeter wave radar sensor. The acquisition of the vehicle movement state is not limited to the method of using the vehicle speed sensor 22, the shift position sensor 23, the steering angle sensor 24, and the yaw rate sensor 25. That is, for example, the yaw rate sensor 25 may be omitted. Alternatively, for example, when acquiring the vehicle movement state, sensors other than the above may be used.

[0121] In the above embodiment, the electronic control device 30 is a structure in which the CPU reads a program from a ROM or the like and starts. However, the present disclosure is not limited to such a structure. That is, for example, the electronic control device 30 may also be a digital circuit configured to be able to perform the above-mentioned actions, such as an ASIC such as a gate array. ASIC is an abbreviation for APPLICATION SPECIFIC INTEGRATE CIRCUIT.

[0122] The electronic control device 30 can be electrically connected to the vehicle speed sensor 22 and the like via an on-vehicle communication network. The on-vehicle communication network is constructed in accordance with on-vehicle LAN standards such as CAN (international registered trademark) and FlexRay (international registered trademark). CAN (international registered trademark) is the abbreviation of Controller Area Network. LAN is the abbreviation of Local Area Network.

[0123] The first side sonar 213A, the second side sonar 213B, the third side sonar 213C, and the fourth side sonar 213D may be respectively configured to receive only direct waves. Alternatively, the first side sonar 213A, the second side sonar 213B, the third side sonar 213C, and the fourth side sonar 213D may be omitted.

[0124] The present disclosure is not limited to the specific action examples and processing methods shown in the above-mentioned embodiments. For example, the above-mentioned action overview and action examples correspond to the forward movement of the vehicle. However, the present disclosure is not limited to such a method. That is, the present disclosure can also be applied to the backward movement of the vehicle.

[0125] Typically, the first distance measuring sensor and the second distance measuring sensor are two distance measuring sensors 21 adjacent to each other. However, the present disclosure is not limited to such a method. Figure 1, then triangulation can also be established through the second front sonar 211B and the third front sonar 211C. Therefore, there may also be a case where the second front sonar 211B is the first ranging sensor and the third front sonar 211C is the second ranging sensor.

[0126] The reference position may not include the estimated relative position, but only include the acquired relative position. That is, in the above-mentioned operation example, the counter threshold THN in step 402 may be 2. Alternatively, the counter threshold THN may be a value as small as possible (e.g., 3 or 4) greater than 3. That is, in the case where the state of receiving only one of the direct wave and the indirect wave as the received wave continues, the object position estimation unit 303 may also only specify the number of times, and use the estimation result of the previous relative position as the reference position instead of the acquired relative position. In this way, good object detection accuracy can be ensured.

[0127] In the above specific example, object B is described as a stationary object, but the present disclosure is not limited to this mode. That is, for example, when object B is a moving object, the relative movement of the host vehicle and object B can of course be considered in each of the above processes.

[0128] The reference of the orientation θ may be the vehicle center line LC. In this case, when the object B is located on a virtual straight line passing through the first distance measuring sensor and parallel to the vehicle center line LC in a top view, the orientation of the object B is 0 degrees.

[0129] The processing of step 45 may be omitted. That is, if the object position acquisition unit 302 receives both the direct wave and the indirect wave, the object position BP acquired based on the direct wave and the indirect wave can be validated even if it is outside the predetermined range.

[0130] The method for determining whether the object B whose position has been acquired or estimated is the same as the object B corresponding to the direct wave WD received this time is not limited to the method based on the distance difference (i.e., ΔDD, etc.) as in the above-mentioned specific example. In other words, when making such a determination, other information such as reception strength, frequency modulation state, etc. may be used instead of or in addition to the distance difference.

[0131] The process of step 509 may be omitted. That is, when the object position BP is estimated by the object position estimating unit 303 without acquiring the object position BP by the object position acquiring unit 302, the direction θ may not be estimated.

[0132] Figure 2The functional module structure shown is an example for the purpose of briefly explaining an embodiment of the present disclosure. Therefore, the present disclosure is not limited to such a functional module structure. That is, regarding the functional configuration, Figure 2 Therefore, the correspondence between each process and the functional component described in the above-mentioned specific example is only an example and can be changed as appropriate.

[0133] "Acquire" can be appropriately changed to other expressions such as "calculate". The same applies to "infer". The inequality sign in each determination process may be accompanied by an equal sign or may not be accompanied by an equal sign. That is, for example, "above a threshold value" can be changed to "exceeds a threshold value".

[0134] The modification examples are not limited to the above-mentioned examples. In addition, a plurality of modification examples may be combined with each other. Furthermore, all or part of the above-mentioned embodiment and all or part of the modification examples may be combined with each other.

[0135] The above-mentioned functional configurations and methods can be implemented by a dedicated computer provided by a processor and a memory programmed to execute one or more functions embodied by a computer program. Alternatively, the above-mentioned functional configurations and methods can be implemented by a dedicated computer provided by a processor configured by one or more dedicated hardware logic circuits. Alternatively, the above-mentioned functional configurations and methods can be implemented by one or more dedicated computers consisting of a combination of a processor and a memory programmed to execute one or more functions and a processor configured by one or more hardware logic circuits. In addition, the computer program can also be stored as an instruction executed by a computer in a non-transient tangible recording medium readable by a computer.

Claims

1. An object detection device, the object detection device being configured to detect an object existing outside the moving body by being mounted on a moving body equipped with a plurality of distance measuring sensors, wherein: The distance measuring sensor outputs distance measuring information corresponding to the distance from the object around the moving body by transmitting a detection wave toward the outside of the moving body and receiving a reception wave including a reflected wave of the detection wave reflected by the object. The object detection device comprises: an object position acquisition unit, which acquires the relative position of the object and the moving body by using the distance measurement information based on the direct wave and the distance measurement information based on the indirect wave when both direct and indirect waves are received, wherein the direct wave is the received wave in a first ranging sensor which is one of the plurality of ranging sensors and is caused by the reflected wave of the detection wave sent from the first ranging sensor, and the indirect wave is the received wave in a second ranging sensor which is another of the plurality of ranging sensors and is caused by the reflected wave of the detection wave sent from the first ranging sensor; and The object position estimating unit estimates the relative position based on a reference position when only one of the direct wave and the indirect wave is received as the received wave and the received wave is the reflected wave reflected by the object whose relative position is acquired by the object position acquiring unit, wherein the reference position is the acquired relative position. The object position estimation unit estimates the relative position based on the direction of the reference position from the first distance measuring sensor and the distance measuring information corresponding to the received wave.

2. The object detection device according to claim 1, wherein: The object position estimating unit estimates the relative position when a difference between the distance measurement information corresponding to the reference position and the distance measurement information corresponding to the received wave is within a predetermined value.

3. An object detection method, which is mounted on a moving body equipped with a plurality of distance measuring sensors to detect an object existing outside the moving body, wherein: The distance measuring sensor outputs distance measuring information corresponding to the distance from the object around the moving body by transmitting a detection wave toward the outside of the moving body and receiving a reception wave including a reflected wave of the detection wave reflected by the object. in a case where both a direct wave and an indirect wave are received at the same time, the relative position of the object and the moving body is obtained by using the distance measurement information based on the direct wave and the distance measurement information based on the indirect wave according to the triangulation principle, wherein the direct wave is the received wave in a first ranging sensor which is one of the plurality of ranging sensors and is caused by the reflected wave of the detection wave sent from the first ranging sensor, and the indirect wave is the received wave in a second ranging sensor which is another of the plurality of ranging sensors and is caused by the reflected wave of the detection wave sent from the first ranging sensor; and In a case where only one of the direct wave and the indirect wave is received as the received wave, and the received wave is the reflected wave reflected by the object whose relative position has been acquired, the relative position is estimated based on a reference position, wherein the reference position is the acquired relative position. The estimating of the relative position is to estimate the relative position based on the azimuth of the reference position from the first distance measuring sensor and the distance measuring information corresponding to the received wave.

4. The object detection method according to claim 3, wherein: The relative position is estimated when a difference between the distance measurement information corresponding to the reference position and the distance measurement information corresponding to the received wave is within a predetermined value.

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