Vehicle control device, vehicle control method, and storage medium

Abstract

The present application provides a vehicle control device, a vehicle control method, and a storage medium that can issue a more appropriate warning to an occupant of a host vehicle. A vehicle control device according to one aspect includes an identification unit that identifies an object in the vicinity of the host vehicle, a road information acquisition unit that acquires road information in the vicinity of the host vehicle, and a warning control unit that causes a warning device to issue a warning in a case where the object identified by the identification unit is present within a prescribed region set with reference to the position of the host vehicle, and does not issue a warning related to the object in a case where at least a portion of the object present within the prescribed region identified by the identification unit is present further outside a road than a boundary of the road in which the host vehicle is present, as acquired by the road information acquisition unit.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to a vehicle control device, a vehicle control method, and a storage medium. BACKGROUND

[0002] In the past, a technology has been known in which a surrounding vehicle existing in the periphery of a host vehicle is detected, and information related to the detected surrounding vehicle is notified, or a control corresponding to the behavior of the surrounding vehicle is performed. In connection with this, a technology has been known in which an overtaking vehicle existing in an adjacent lane adjoining the host lane in which the host vehicle is traveling is detected, and the host vehicle is caused to travel while deviating in a direction away from the detected overtaking vehicle (for example, refer to Patent Literature 1). In addition, in a lane determination of the adjacent lane or the like, a technology has been known in which a traveling lane, an adjacent lane, and a second adjacent lane are determined based on a change in a white line included in an image captured by a camera mounted on a vehicle during curve travel (for example, refer to Patent Literature 2).

[0003] [Patent Literature]

[0004] [Patent Literature]

[0005] [Patent Literature 1] Japanese Patent No. 5743286

[0006] [Patent Literature 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2019-213108 SUMMARY

[0007] [Problems to be Solved by the Invention]

[0008] However, even in a case where, when a surrounding vehicle is detected, a surrounding vehicle having a low possibility of having an influence on the travel of the host vehicle or an object such as a target existing outside a road is detected, an alarm related to information about the object is sometimes output. Therefore, an appropriate alarm cannot be issued to an occupant of the host vehicle.

[0009] The present application has been made in consideration of such a situation, and one of the objects thereof is to provide a vehicle control device, a vehicle control method, and a storage medium that can more appropriately issue an alarm related to an object to an occupant of a host vehicle.

[0010] [Technical Means for Solving the Problems]

[0011] The vehicle control device, the vehicle control method, and the storage medium of the present application adopt the following structure.

[0012] (1): A vehicle control device according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: an identification unit for identifying objects around the vehicle; a road information acquisition unit for acquiring road information around the vehicle; and an alarm control unit that, when the object identified by the identification unit exists in a predetermined area set based on the position of the vehicle, causes an alarm device to issue an alarm, and when at least a portion of the object existing in the predetermined area identified by the identification unit exists further outside the road boundary than the boundary of the road where the vehicle exists as acquired by the road information acquisition unit, the alarm control unit does not issue an alarm related to the object.

[0013] (2): In the embodiment of (1), the road information acquisition unit acquires the lane in which the vehicle is traveling and the adjacent lanes adjacent to the lane in the road. If at least a portion of the objects in the specified area identified by the identification unit exist in the adjacent lanes acquired by the road information acquisition unit, the alarm control unit issues the alarm.

[0014] (3): In the embodiment of (1) or (2), if an object in the specified area identified by the identification unit is located within a specified distance from the lane divider of the lane in which the vehicle is traveling, which is included in the road acquired by the road information acquisition unit, the alarm control unit issues the alarm.

[0015] (4): In any of the embodiments of (1) to (3), the identification unit identifies objects in the vicinity of the vehicle whose reliability is below a threshold or whose position of the initially identified object is within a specified distance from the vehicle as uncertain objects. If an object existing in the specified area and located on the inner side of the road than the boundary of the road where the vehicle is located is an uncertain object that has not been continuously identified for a specified time, the alarm control unit does not issue an alarm related to the object.

[0016] (5): In any of the embodiments of (1) to (4), if at least a portion of the object existing in the specified area is located outside the road boundary of the road where the vehicle is located, the identification unit identifies the object as an obstacle. If at least a portion of the object identified as an obstacle in the previous cycle is located in an adjacent lane, or if the object is located within a specified distance from the lane, the alarm control unit issues an alarm related to the object.

[0017] (6): In the embodiment of (5), if an object that was not identified as an obstacle in the previous cycle is observed from the vehicle to be located further out than the second lane divider, the alarm control unit does not issue an alarm related to the object.

[0018] (7): A vehicle control method according to an embodiment of the present invention is to identify objects around the vehicle by a computer; obtain road information around the vehicle; when the identified object exists in a predetermined area set based on the position of the vehicle, an alarm device is triggered to sound an alarm; and when at least a portion of the object in the predetermined area exists further outside the road boundary than the road where the vehicle is located, no alarm related to the object is triggered.

[0019] (8): In one embodiment of the present invention, the storage medium enables a computer to identify objects around the vehicle; acquire road information around the vehicle; and, if the identified object exists within a predetermined area set based on the position of the vehicle, trigger an alarm device to sound an alarm; and if at least a portion of the object existing within the predetermined area exists further outside the road boundary than the road where the vehicle is located, no alarm related to the object is sounded.

[0020] [The effects of the invention]

[0021] According to the embodiments described in (1) to (8), object-related alarms can be issued more appropriately to the occupants of the vehicle. Attached Figure Description

[0022] Figure 1 This is a structural diagram of a vehicle system 1 including a vehicle control device according to an embodiment.

[0023] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram showing the interior of the vehicle M as viewed from above.

[0024] Figure 3 This is an example of an image displayed on the rearview mirror DMR 1.

[0025] Figure 4 This is a diagram used to illustrate the first determination process in the determination unit 130.

[0026] Figure 5 This is a diagram used to explain the fourth determination process in the determination unit 130.

[0027] Figure 6 This diagram illustrates the process of determining whether an object is an alarm target based on its distance from the lane divider.

[0028] Figure 7This is a flowchart illustrating an example of the processing flow performed by the vehicle control device 100 of the embodiment.

[0029] Figure 8 This is a diagram illustrating an example of the hardware structure of the vehicle control device 100 according to an embodiment.

[0030] [Explanation of Symbols]

[0031] 1: Vehicle System

[0032] 10: Camera

[0033] 12: Radar

[0034] 14: LIDAR

[0035] 16: Object recognition device

[0036] 20: Communication device

[0037] 30: HMI

[0038] 40: Vehicle sensors

[0039] 50: Navigation device

[0040] 80: Driving controls

[0041] 100: Vehicle control device

[0042] 110: Object Recognition Department

[0043] 120: Road Information Acquisition Department

[0044] 130: Judgment Department

[0045] 140: HMI Control Department

[0046] 142: Alarm Control Department

[0047] 150: Storage Department

[0048] 200: Driving drive force output device

[0049] 210: Braking device

[0050] 220: Steering mechanism Detailed Implementation

[0051] Hereinafter, embodiments of the vehicle control device, vehicle control method and program of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0052] [Overall Structure]

[0053] Figure 1This is a structural diagram of a vehicle system 1 including the vehicle control device of the embodiment. The vehicle equipped with vehicle system 1 (hereinafter referred to as the vehicle M) is, for example, a two-wheeled, three-wheeled, or four-wheeled vehicle, and its drive source is an internal combustion engine such as a diesel engine or a gasoline engine, an electric motor, or a combination thereof. The electric motor operates using electricity generated by a generator connected to the internal combustion engine, or electricity discharged from a battery (storage battery) such as a secondary battery or a fuel cell.

[0054] Vehicle system 1 includes, for example, a camera (camera unit) 10, radar 12, LiDAR (Light Detection and Range) 14, object recognition device 16, communication device 20, Human Machine Interface (HMI) 30, vehicle sensors 40, navigation device 50, driving control unit 80, vehicle control unit 100, driving force output device 200, braking device 210, and steering device 220. These devices or equipment are interconnected via multiple communication lines such as Controller Area Network (CAN) communication lines, serial communication lines, or wireless communication networks. Furthermore, Figure 1 The structure shown is only one example; some structures can be omitted, and other structures can be added.

[0055] Camera 10 is, for example, a digital camera utilizing a solid-state imaging element such as a charge-coupled device (CCD) or complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS). One or more cameras 10 are mounted at any location on the vehicle M. For example, when filming the front, camera 10 is mounted on the upper part of the front windshield or behind the rearview mirror. When filming the rear, camera 10 is mounted on the upper part of the rear windshield or on the rear door. When filming the sides, camera 10 is mounted on the door mirror. Camera 10 periodically and repeatedly films the perimeter of the vehicle M. Camera 10 may also be a stereo camera.

[0056] Radar 12 radiates millimeter-wave or other radio waves around the vehicle M and detects the radio waves reflected by objects (reflected waves) to detect at least the position (distance and orientation) of the objects. One or more radars 12 can be installed at any location on the vehicle M. Radar 12 can also detect the position and speed of objects using frequency-modulated continuous wave (FM-CW) technology.

[0057] LIDAR 14 illuminates the periphery of vehicle M and measures the scattered light. LIDAR 14 detects the distance to the object based on the time from the emission of light to the reception of light. The illuminated light is, for example, pulsed laser light. LIDAR 14 is mounted at any location on vehicle M.

[0058] The object recognition device 16 performs sensor fusion processing on the detection results obtained using some or all of the camera 10, radar 12, and LIDAR 14 to identify the position, type, speed, etc., of objects around the vehicle M. Objects include, for example, surrounding vehicles (e.g., surrounding vehicles within a specified distance of the vehicle M), pedestrians, bicycles, and road structures. Road structures include, for example, traffic signs, traffic lights, curbs, median strips, guardrails, fences, walls, and intersections. Additionally, road structures may also include, for example, road markings painted or affixed to the road surface (hereinafter referred to as lane lines), pedestrian crossings, bicycle crossings, temporary parking lines, etc. When recognizing lane lines, the object recognition device 16 can also recognize the type of line (e.g., solid lines, dashed lines, double lines, color, etc.). The object recognition device 16 outputs the recognition results to the vehicle control device 100. Furthermore, the object recognition device 16 can directly output the detection results from the camera 10, radar 12, and LIDAR 14 to the vehicle control device 100. In this case, the object recognition device 16 can also be omitted from the structure of the vehicle system 1. Alternatively, the object recognition device 16 can also be included in the vehicle control device 100.

[0059] The communication device 20 uses, for example, cellular networks or Wi-Fi networks, Bluetooth (a registered trademark), Dedicated Short Range Communication (DSRC), Local Area Network (LAN), Wide Area Network (WAN), the Internet, and other networks to communicate with, for example, surrounding vehicles in the vicinity of the vehicle M, terminal devices of users of the vehicle M, or various server devices.

[0060] The HMI 30 provides various information to the occupants of the vehicle M and is subject to input operations performed by the occupants. The HMI 30 includes, for example, a display 32, a speaker 34, and a Blind Spot Information (BSI) indicator 36. Additionally, the HMI 30 may include a buzzer, a touch panel, switches, buttons, a microphone, etc.

[0061] Figure 2 This diagram schematically illustrates the interior layout of the vehicle M when viewed from above. As shown, for example, display unit 32 is located below the windshield and is situated on the dashboard (display unit 32a) in front of the driver's seat DS and the front passenger seat PS. Alternatively, display unit 32 may be positioned near the front of, for example, the driver's seat DS (the seat closest to the steering wheel SW) (display unit 32b), and in a position where the occupant can see it through the gap in the steering wheel SW or over the steering wheel SW.

[0062] Display unit 32 can be, for example, a liquid crystal display (LCD) or an organic light-emitting diode (EL) display, or various other display devices. Display unit 32 displays images output by HMI control unit 140. Alternatively, display unit 32 can also be a touch panel that allows operation by the occupant on a screen. Furthermore, display unit 32b can also function as an instrument panel (meter display) displaying gauges such as speedometers and tachometers.

[0063] At least one speaker 34 is installed in the vehicle interior. For example, the speaker 34 may be located near the door closest to the passenger seat PS (speaker 34La in the figure), near the door closest to the driver's seat DS (speaker 34Ra in the figure), near the door closest to the rear seat behind the passenger seat PS (speaker 34Lb in the figure), and near the door closest to the rear seat behind the driver's seat DS (speaker 34Rb in the figure). The speaker 34 may output voice or warning sounds, for example, under the control of the HMI control unit 140.

[0064] The BSI indicator 36 displays a specified image 36a, for example, on a portion of the mirror surface of the rearview mirror of the vehicle M. The rearview mirrors are, for example, located on the door closest to the driver's seat DS and the door closest to the passenger seat PS (rearview mirrors DMR1 and DMR2 in the figure). The image 36a is, for example, an image used to notify the occupants of the presence of an object in a specified area relative to the vehicle M.

[0065] Figure 3This diagram illustrates an example of an image displayed on rearview mirror DMR 1. As shown in the example, an image 36a indicating that an object (e.g., surrounding vehicles) exists within a defined area relative to the vehicle M is displayed on a portion of the mirror surface of rearview mirror DMR 1. Similarly, image 36a is displayed on rearview mirror DMR 2. Furthermore, image 36a may also be displayed on display unit 32 (e.g., instrument panel display) instead of rearview mirrors DMR 1 and DMR 2 (or based thereon).

[0066] Vehicle sensor 40 includes: a vehicle speed sensor for detecting the speed of the vehicle M, an acceleration sensor for detecting acceleration, a yaw rate sensor for detecting yaw rate (e.g., the rotational angular rate about a vertical axis passing through the center of gravity of the vehicle M), and an orientation sensor for detecting the direction of the vehicle M. Additionally, vehicle sensor 40 may also include a position sensor for detecting the position of the vehicle M. The position sensor may be, for example, a sensor that acquires position information (longitude and latitude information) from a Global Positioning System (GPS) device. Alternatively, the position sensor may be a sensor that acquires position information using a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver 51 of the navigation device 50. The results detected by vehicle sensor 40 are output to vehicle control device 100.

[0067] The navigation device 50 includes, for example, a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver 51, a navigation HMI 52, and a route determination unit 53, and maintains map information 54 in a storage device such as a hard disk drive (HDD) or flash memory. The GNSS receiver 51 determines the position of the vehicle M based on signals received from GNSS satellites. The position of the vehicle M can also be determined or supplemented by an inertial navigation system (INS) using the output of the vehicle sensors 40. The navigation HMI 52 includes a display device, a speaker, a touch panel, keys, etc. The navigation HMI 52 may also be partially or entirely shared with the HMI 30. The route determination unit 53, for example, refers to the map information 54 to determine the route from the position of the vehicle M determined by the GNSS receiver 51 (or any input position) to the destination input by the occupant using the navigation HMI 52 (e.g., including information related to the routes along the way to the destination).

[0068] Map information 54 expresses road shape information, for example, using links representing roads and nodes connected by those links. Additionally, map information 54 may include information such as the center of a lane or the boundaries of a lane. Furthermore, map information 54 may also include road information, traffic restriction information, residential information (address, postal code), facility information, telephone number information, etc. Road information includes information indicating the type of road, such as highways, toll roads, national roads, prefectural roads, etc.; the road's base speed, number of lanes, width of each lane, road gradient, road location (including three-dimensional coordinates of longitude, latitude, and altitude), curvature of curves in the road or its lanes, the location of lane merging and branching points, and road markings, etc. Base speed may be, for example, the legal speed limit or the average speed of multiple vehicles that have previously traveled on the road. The navigation device 50 provides path guidance using the navigation HMI 52 based on the path determined by the path determination unit 53.

[0069] Additionally, map information 54 may include, for example, the number of lanes, the radius of curvature (or curvature) of the road, its width, and its slope. Furthermore, map information 54 may also include information related to road structures, such as their category, location, direction relative to the road's extension direction, size, shape, and color. Among the categories of road structures, lane markings can be set as one category, or lane marks, curbs, and medians belonging to lane markings can be set as different categories. Additionally, lane marking categories may include, for example, lane markings that allow lane changes and lane markings that do not allow lane changes. Lane marking categories may be set according to road or lane sections based on connecting lines, or multiple categories may be set within a single connecting line.

[0070] Additionally, map information 54 may also store information for identifying the inner (inside the road) and outer (outside the road) sides of the road, as well as information related to areas outside the road such as grass and gravel. Furthermore, map information 54 can be updated in real time by communicating with external devices via communication device 20. Map information 54 may also be stored in storage unit 150.

[0071] The driving control unit 80 includes, for example, a steering wheel for occupant to perform steering operations, an accelerator pedal, a brake pedal, a turn signal lever for activating the turn signal indicator (direction indicator), a gear shift lever, and other various operating components. Each operating component of the driving control unit 80 is equipped with an operation detection unit that detects the amount of operation performed by the occupant. The operation detection unit detects the position of the turn signal lever, the amount of depressing the accelerator and brake pedals, the position of the gear shift lever, the steering angle of the steering wheel, and the steering torque. Then, the operation detection unit outputs a detection signal indicating the detection result to one or both of the vehicle control unit 100, the driving force output device 200, the braking device 210, and the steering device 220.

[0072] Before describing the vehicle control unit 100, the driving force output device 200, the braking device 210, and the steering device 220 will be described. The driving force output device 200 outputs the driving force (torque) required for the vehicle M to move to the drive wheels. The driving force output device 200 includes, for example, a combination of an internal combustion engine, an electric motor, and a transmission, as well as a power electronic control unit (ECU) that controls them. The power ECU controls the above-mentioned structure according to information input from the vehicle control unit 100 or from the driving operation device 80.

[0073] The braking device 210 includes, for example, a brake caliper, a hydraulic cylinder that transmits hydraulic pressure to the brake caliper, an electric motor that generates hydraulic pressure in the hydraulic cylinder, and a brake ECU. The brake ECU controls the electric motor according to information input from the vehicle control unit 100 or from the driving control unit 80 to output braking torque corresponding to the braking operation to each wheel. The braking device 210 may include a backup mechanism for transmitting hydraulic pressure generated by the operation of the brake pedal included in the driving control unit 80 via a master cylinder to the hydraulic cylinder. Furthermore, the braking device 210 is not limited to the structure described above and may also be an electronically controlled hydraulic brake device that controls an actuator according to information input from the vehicle control unit 100 to transmit hydraulic pressure from the master cylinder to the hydraulic cylinder.

[0074] The steering system 220 includes, for example, a steering ECU and an electric motor. The electric motor changes the direction of the steering wheel, for example, by applying force to a rack and pinion mechanism. The steering ECU drives the electric motor to change the direction of the steering wheel based on information input from the vehicle control unit 100 or from the driving control unit 80.

[0075] [Structure of the vehicle control unit]

[0076] The vehicle control device 100 includes, for example, an object recognition unit 110, a road information acquisition unit 120, a decision unit 130, an HMI control unit 140, and a storage unit 150. The object recognition unit 110, the road information acquisition unit 120, the decision unit 130, and the HMI control unit 140 are each implemented by executing programs (software) using a hardware processor such as a central processing unit (CPU). Furthermore, some or all of these components can also be implemented using hardware (including circuitry) such as large-scale integrated circuits (LSI), application-specific integrated circuits (ASIC), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGA), and graphics processing units (GPUs), or through a combination of software and hardware. The program can be pre-saved in a storage device such as an HDD or flash memory (including storage devices with non-disposable storage media) of the vehicle control device 100, or pre-saved in a removable storage medium such as a Digital Versatile Disk (DVD), Compact Disc-Read Only Memory (CD-ROM), or memory card. It is then installed in the storage device of the vehicle control device 100 by inserting the storage medium (non-disposable storage medium) into a drive unit or card slot. The object recognition unit 110 is an example of a "recognition unit." The HMI 30 is an example of an "alarm device."

[0077] The storage unit 150 can be implemented using the various storage devices described above, or electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), read-only memory (ROM), or random access memory (RAM), etc. The storage unit 150 stores, for example, information necessary for performing the alarm control of this embodiment (e.g., the determination results of objects in each cycle), other various information, programs, etc. Additionally, the storage unit 150 may also store the map information 54.

[0078] The object recognition unit 110 identifies objects present in the vicinity of the vehicle M based on information input from the camera 10, radar 12, and LIDAR 14 via the object recognition device 16. The vicinity of the vehicle M refers, for example, to the area within a predetermined distance from a reference point of the vehicle M (e.g., the center or center of gravity of the vehicle M). Alternatively, the vicinity of the vehicle M can be defined based on the detection range of the camera 10, radar 12, and LIDAR 14. Furthermore, objects include, for example, surrounding vehicles, curbs, guardrails, electrical outlets, and road signs.

[0079] In addition, the object recognition unit 110 acquires the position, shape, size, and region of an object. Furthermore, when the object is a nearby vehicle, the object recognition unit 110 identifies the position, speed, and acceleration of the nearby vehicle. The position of a nearby vehicle can be represented by a representative point such as its center of gravity or corner, or by the region expressed by the outline of the nearby vehicle. The "state" of a nearby vehicle can include its acceleration, jerk, or "action state" (e.g., whether it is currently performing or intends to accelerate for a lane change).

[0080] The object recognition unit 110 can set a reliability level for the recognized object. For example, among external sensors (e.g., camera 10, radar 12, and LIDAR 14), the more sensors that can recognize the object, the higher the reliability level set by the object recognition unit 110 for that object. Therefore, an object recognized by a single sensor has lower reliability than an object recognized by multiple sensors. A single sensor, for example, refers to any one of camera 10, radar 12, and LIDAR 14.

[0081] Furthermore, the object recognition unit 110 can identify objects with a reliability below a threshold (e.g., objects detected by only a single sensor) as uncertain objects. Additionally, if each object is identified as identifiable and its initially identified location is within a predetermined distance of the vehicle M, the object recognition unit 110 may also identify this object as an uncertain object. For example, guardrails and fences separated by predetermined distances are identified as objects, and their initially identified locations are close to the vehicle M; therefore, these objects are identified as uncertain objects.

[0082] The road information acquisition unit 120 acquires road information surrounding the vehicle M based on the vehicle M's location information. For example, the road information acquisition unit 120 determines the vehicle M's location based on signals received from GNSS satellites via GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) receiver 51. The vehicle M's location can also be determined or supplemented using the Inertial Navigation System (INS) output from the vehicle sensor 40. Additionally, the road information acquisition unit 120 can acquire road information surrounding the vehicle M based on its location information and by referring to map information 54. Road information includes, for example, the location information of road boundaries or lane dividers, and the presence or type of road structures. A boundary is, for example, a landmark other than lane dividers, and refers to the dividing line separating the inner and outer sides of a road where travel in the same direction is possible. Boundaries can be defined by the location of road structures such as curbs, guardrails, fences, signs, walls, and precast blocks. Alternatively, boundaries can be defined by the ends of areas such as grass or gravel. In addition, the road information acquisition unit 120 can also access an external device storing map information based on the location information of the vehicle M and via the communication device 20 to obtain the road information from the external device.

[0083] Furthermore, the road information acquisition unit 120 can also acquire road information based on the analysis results of images captured by the camera 10 (hereinafter referred to as camera images). In this case, the road information acquisition unit 120 acquires feature information such as edge regions, color information, shape, and size as analysis results of the camera images, and obtains position information such as boundaries or lane dividers from the acquired information. In addition, the road information acquisition unit 120 can also obtain the road boundaries from the feature information of objects that are temporarily set aside and not included in the map information, such as precast blocks, mounds of earth, or construction sites, from the analysis results of the camera images.

[0084] Furthermore, the road information acquisition unit 120 can also acquire more accurate road information by integrating road information acquired based on map information 54 with road information acquired based on camera images. Additionally, the road information acquisition unit 120 can use either map information 54 or camera images, or both, to acquire the position of the current lane (the driving lane of the vehicle M) and the positions of adjacent lanes (hereinafter referred to as adjacent lanes) within the road in which the vehicle M exists. Furthermore, the road information acquisition unit 120 can also acquire the position of the next adjacent lane. Additionally, the road information acquisition unit 120 can also acquire the position of lane markings used to distinguish lanes.

[0085] The determination unit 130, based on object-related information identified by the object recognition unit 110 and road information acquired by the road information acquisition unit 120, determines whether each object identified by the object recognition unit 110 is an object subject to an alarm (in other words, whether it is an object subject to an alarm or not). An object subject to an alarm is, for example, an object existing within a defined area based on the vehicle M. A defined area is, for example, an area that is a blind spot for an occupant (e.g., the driver) while driving. A defined area is, for example, the area to the rear side of the vehicle M (e.g., the left side area, the right side area). Details regarding the function of the determination unit 130 will be described later.

[0086] HMI control unit 140 notifies the occupants of prescribed information via HMI 30. Prescribed information may include, for example, information related to the movement of the vehicle M. Information related to the movement of the vehicle M may include, for example, the vehicle M's speed, engine speed, and gear position. Additionally, prescribed information may also include, for example, information related to the vehicle M's current location, destination, and remaining fuel. Furthermore, prescribed information may also include content stored on storage media such as television programs or DVDs (e.g., movies), information unrelated to the movement of the vehicle M.

[0087] The HMI control unit 140 includes, for example, an alarm control unit 142. When the determination unit 130 determines that an object is present and is subject to an alarm, the alarm control unit 142 displays an image 36a in the rearview mirrors DMR 1 and DMR 2 of the vehicle M via the BSI indicator 36 to notify the occupants of the object's presence. Alternatively, the alarm control unit 142 may output an alarm voice from the speaker 34 instead of displaying the image 36a via the BSI indicator 36 (or on this basis), and may also activate vibration sensors (not shown) in the steering wheel SW and the driver's seat DS to issue an alarm to the occupants via vibration.

[0088] For example, the HMI control unit 140 can generate an image containing the specified information and display the generated image on the display unit 32 of the HMI 30. It can also generate voice representing the specified information and output the generated voice from the speaker 34 of the HMI 30. Furthermore, the HMI control unit 140 can output information received by the HMI 30 to the communication device 20, navigation device 50, etc. Additionally, the HMI control unit 140 can transmit various information output by the HMI 30 via the communication device 20 to a terminal device used by the user (occupant) of the vehicle M. The terminal device may be, for example, a smartphone or tablet.

[0089] [Function of the Judgment Department]

[0090] Next, the function of the determination unit 130 will be specifically described. The determination unit 130 performs, for example, the first to fifth determination processes as shown below. Furthermore, it performs either the fourth or fifth determination process based on the result of the third determination process. This series of determination processes is repeatedly executed in a predetermined sequence or at a certain period. The determination unit 130 stores the determination result in the storage unit 150 or internal memory in each cycle. The storage unit 150 or internal memory stores the determination results for a predetermined number of cycles (e.g., approximately 10 to 100 cycles).

[0091] <First Judgment Processing>

[0092] The first determination process, for example, is that if at least a portion of an object existing within a specified area based on the vehicle M is located further outside the boundary of the road where the vehicle M is located, the object is determined not to be an object for alarm purposes.

[0093] Figure 4 This is a diagram used to illustrate the first determination process of the determination unit 130. Figure 4 In the example, let's assume that vehicle M is traveling along the possible direction of travel on road RD1 (the X-axis direction in the diagram) at a speed VM. Additionally, in... Figure 4 In the example, road RD1 is separated from the regions OR and OL outside the road by road boundary BR and road boundary BL.

[0094] In addition, Figure 4 In the example, the left and right rear areas (ARL) and the rear area (ARR) are defined as the defined areas based on the specified position of the vehicle M. Figure 4 In the example, the left rear area ARL is an area extending leftward by a predetermined length DL1 from the position of the left-side rearview mirror DMR 2 of the vehicle M relative to the direction of travel of the vehicle M, and extending rearward by a predetermined length DL2 from the position of the rearview mirror DMR 2 towards the rear of the vehicle M. The right rear area ARR is, for example, an area extending rightward by a predetermined length DR1 from the position of the right-side rearview mirror DMR 1 of the vehicle M relative to the direction of travel of the vehicle M, and extending rearward by a predetermined length DR2 from the position of the rearview mirror DMR 1 towards the rear of the vehicle M. The predetermined areas ARL and ARR vary, for example, depending on the installation position and performance of the camera 10, radar 12, and LIDAR 14 of each vehicle. Furthermore, the reference position of the vehicle M may also be a position other than the rearview mirrors DMR 1 and DMR 2 (e.g., the center, center of gravity, side end, or rear end of the vehicle M). Additionally, the predetermined areas based on the predetermined position of the vehicle M may also include the left and right front areas.

[0095] existFigure 4 In this example, the object recognition unit 110 identifies objects OB11 to OB15 present around the vehicle M, for example, based on detection results obtained using some or all of the camera 10, radar 12, and LIDAR 14. The road information acquisition unit 120 acquires, for example, the boundaries BR and BL between road RD1 (road area) and the areas OR and OL outside the road, based on detection results obtained using the camera 10, etc. Alternatively, the road information acquisition unit 120 can also acquire the boundaries BR and BL of the road where the vehicle M exists, based on the location information of the vehicle M and referring to map information 54.

[0096] The determination unit 130 first determines whether any of the objects identified by the object recognition unit 110 are contained within the left rear region ARL or the right rear region ARR. Figure 4 In the example, the determination unit 130 determines that objects OB12 to OB15 are contained in the left rear region ARL or the right rear region ARR. Next, for each of objects OB12 to OB15, the determination unit 130 determines whether at least one exists outside the road RD1 beyond the boundary BR or boundary BL acquired by the road information acquisition unit 120. If at least a portion of the object is outside the road RD1 beyond the boundary BR or boundary BL, the determination unit 130 determines the object as an obstacle (e.g., a guardrail, fence, wall, etc.) and classifies it as a non-alarm object (no alarm is issued). Furthermore, if no at least a portion of the object is outside the road RD1 (the object is entirely inside the road RD1), the determination unit 130 performs the second determination process described later.

[0097] exist Figure 4 In the example, the determination unit 130 determines object OB12, object OB14 and object OB15, which are objects OB12 to object OB15 contained in the left rear region ARL or the right rear region ARR, as non-alarm objects, and determines object OB13 as an alarm object.

[0098] In the first determination process, by designating objects in the designated areas (Right Rear Area ARR, Left Rear Area ARL) that are located outside the road (RD1) further than the boundaries (BR, BL) and (RD1) as non-alarm objects, objects such as guardrails, fences, and walls located on or outside the boundaries can be excluded from the alarm objects. Furthermore, by performing the first determination process, even in cases where lane markings within the road cannot be identified (or acquired), obstacles outside the road can be excluded from the alarm objects. Therefore, more appropriate alarm control can be achieved.

[0099] <Second Judgment Processing>

[0100] Next, the second determination process of the determination unit 130 will be explained. The second determination process determines whether each object identified as an alarm target in the first determination process is an uncertain object. In the second determination process, the determination unit 130 determines whether the object identified as an alarm target in the first determination process is a novel object, or whether the determination result of the object identified by the object recognition unit 110 in the previous cycle is an uncertain object. A novel object, for example, refers to an object that is first identified by the object recognition unit 110 in the current cycle.

[0101] If an object is determined to be a novel object, or if the object identified by the object recognition unit 110 in the previous cycle was determined to be an uncertain object, the determination unit 130 determines whether the object is an uncertain object in the current process based on the recognition result obtained using the object recognition unit 110. If the object is determined to be an uncertain object, the determination unit 130 determines whether the object is an object that has been continuously identified for a predetermined period (predetermined time) or longer, based on the determination result stored in the storage unit 150 or the internal memory. The predetermined period, for example, refers to the period during which the determination process using the determination unit 130 is executed multiple times at a certain period. Alternatively, the predetermined period can also be referred to as a predetermined time.

[0102] Furthermore, for example, if an object is determined to be something that suddenly appears near the vehicle M or has low reliability, the determination unit 130 determines that the object is an uncertain object. Additionally, if the object is not continuously identified for a predetermined period, the determination unit 130 determines it is not an object. Thus, for example, objects that suddenly appear near the vehicle M (e.g., walls, guardrails, etc.), objects that are falsely detected due to ghosting phenomena in the image captured by the camera 10 caused by roadside reflectors (e.g., curved mirrors, walls), light reflection, etc., and objects with low reliability detected by a single sensor can be excluded as uncertain objects. For example, if multiple walls or guardrails along a road branch can be identified as different objects, each wall or guardrail will be identified as a new object, thus suddenly appearing near the vehicle M. Furthermore, objects detected by only a single sensor have low reliability, so even if they are the same object, they may sometimes be identified as different objects. Therefore, by using the second determination process, objects that are determined to be uncertain objects as described above are set as non-alarm objects, thereby improving the accuracy of alarms.

[0103] Furthermore, in the second determination process, when there is an object that is not determined to be an uncertain object, the determination unit 130 performs the third determination process described later. For example, even if an object previously identified was determined to be an uncertain object, but its reliability in the next cycle increases to above a threshold and no longer meets the uncertainty condition, the determination unit 130 immediately determines it to be an object and performs the third determination process. According to the second determination process, by tracking objects with low reliability, it is possible to determine with greater accuracy whether an object is an object to be alarmed.

[0104] <Third Judgment Processing>

[0105] Next, the third determination process will be explained. The third determination process is performed, for example, when the object identified in the second determination process is not a novel object, and the object identified by the object recognition unit 110 in the previous cycle was also determined not to be an uncertain object. Alternatively, the third determination process can also be performed when the object was determined to be an uncertain object in the second determination process, and the object has been continuously present for a predetermined period or more. This is because even if an object is uncertain, its continuous presence in blind spots or similar areas for a predetermined period or more has a high probability of affecting the occupant's driving, thus necessitating a high level of alert.

[0106] As a third determination process, the determination unit 130 determines whether the identified object was determined as an obstacle in the determination process of the determination unit 130 in the previous cycle. If the determination unit 130 determines that the object was determined as an obstacle in the previous cycle, it performs the fourth determination process described later; if it is not determined as an obstacle, it performs the fifth determination process described later.

[0107] <Fourth Judgment Processing>

[0108] Figure 5 This diagram illustrates the fourth determination process of the determination unit 130. Figure 5 In the example, for ease of explanation, the explanation focuses primarily on the right rear region (ARR), but the same processing is applied to the left rear region (ARL). Figure 5 In the example, a road RD2 with three lanes (L1 to L3) allowing travel in the same direction is shown. Road RD2 is divided by boundary BR and boundary BL, lane L1 is divided by road boundary BL and lane divider CL1, lane L2 is divided by lane divider CL1 and lane divider CL2, and lane L3 is divided by lane divider CL2 and boundary BR. It is assumed that vehicle M is traveling in lane L1 at speed VM. Hereinafter, when vehicle M is traveling in lane L1, lane L1 will be referred to as "this lane L1", lane L2 as "adjacent lane L2", and lane L3 as "secondary adjacent lane L3".

[0109] The object recognition unit 110 identifies objects OB21 to OB25 present in the right rear region ARR of the vehicle M. The road information acquisition unit 120 identifies the road boundary BR, road boundary BL, and lane lines CL1 and CL2 based on one or both of the camera image and map information 54. In addition, the road information acquisition unit 120 can also acquire information on the line type (e.g., solid line, dashed line, double line, etc.) of the road lane lines CL1 and CL2.

[0110] In the fourth determination process, if an object exists inside the road RD2, further from the road boundary BR and BL, and at least a portion of the object exists in the adjacent lane L2, the determination unit 130 determines the object as a vehicle on the road and an object subject to an alarm. Conversely, in the fourth determination process, if an object exists inside the road RD2, further from the road boundary BR and BL, and no part of the object exists in the adjacent lane L2, the determination unit 130 determines it as an obstacle and an object not subject to an alarm. Figure 5 In the example, the determination unit 130 determines objects OB22 to OB24 out of objects OB21 to OB25 as objects that are alarm objects, and determines objects OB21 and OB25 as objects that are not alarm objects.

[0111] In addition, in the fourth determination process, the determination of whether an object is an alarm target is made based on the objects existing behind and to the side of lanes L2 and L3 on road RD2. However, it is also possible to replace this (or on this basis) and determine that an object existing within a specified distance from the lane dividing line CL1 or the boundary BL of this lane L1, which divides this lane L1 and the adjacent lane L2 (the section line on the adjacent lane side) CL1, is an object that is an alarm target.

[0112] Figure 6 This diagram illustrates the process of determining whether an object is a trigger alarm based on its distance from the lane divider. Figure 6 In the example, it is shown that in the case of... Figure 5 The example illustrates the driving situation of vehicle M under similar conditions. Figure 6 In the example, if at least a part of the object exists in the right rear region ARR and is located further inside (on the side of lane CL1) than a predetermined distance D1 extending laterally from lane CL1 into the lane (in the Y-axis direction in the figure), the determination unit 130 determines that the object is an object to be warned.

[0113] The specified distance D1 is set, for example, based on the width of road RD1 or the width of lanes (L1 or L2). Alternatively, the specified distance D1 can be set based on road shape (e.g., curves or slopes), or based on the behavior of the vehicle M (e.g., speed or steering angle). Furthermore, the specified distance D1 can be based not on lane line CL1, but on the center of lane L1, or on the boundary BL. Additionally, the specified distance D1 can be a fixed value. By also using the specified distance D1 for determination, a more appropriate determination can be made based on road conditions or the driving state of the vehicle M.

[0114] exist Figure 6 In the example, the determination unit 130 determines objects OB21 to OB24 out of objects OB21 to OB25 as objects to be alarmed. Thus, by designating objects within a predetermined distance D1 when viewed from lane L1 as alarm objects, for example, even when lanes on the road cannot be identified, determination can be made based on the lane information and the detection distance of the object, thereby further improving alarm accuracy. Furthermore, even if a vehicle exists in the next adjacent lane L3, but the road width or lane width is narrow, there is a possibility of contact with the vehicle M due to slight behavioral changes. Therefore, since even surrounding vehicles in the next adjacent lane L3 can be determined as alarm objects, a more appropriate alarm can be issued. In addition, the determination unit 130 can also make determination based on the lane when the width of the lanes included in the road is greater than a threshold, and based on the distance D1 from the lane line CL1 when the width is less than the threshold.

[0115] <Fifth Judgment Processing>

[0116] Next, the fifth determination process will be explained. In the fifth determination process, if an object identified in the third determination process was not identified as an obstacle in the previous cycle, it is determined whether the object is an alarm target. In the fifth determination process, the determination unit 130 determines whether the identified object exists, as observed from the current lane L1, further outward than the second lane divider. If it exists, as observed from the current lane L1, further outward than the second lane divider, the object is determined to be a surrounding vehicle traveling in the adjacent lane L3 and is therefore not an alarm target. Conversely, if the object does not exist, as observed from the current lane L1, further outward than the second lane divider (i.e., at least a part of the object exists in the adjacent lane L2), the determination unit 130 determines it to be a vehicle on the road and is therefore an alarm target.

[0117] For example, in Figure 5In the example, when the fifth determination process is applied, the determination unit 130 determines that object OB21 and object OB25 are non-alarm objects and surrounding vehicles, while determining that objects OB22 to OB24 are surrounding vehicles that are alarm objects. Furthermore, object OB25 is determined to be an obstacle and therefore a non-alarm object through the first determination process.

[0118] [Functions of the Alarm Control Unit]

[0119] Next, the function of the alarm control unit 142 will be explained in detail. When an object is determined by the determination unit 130 to be an alarm target, the alarm control unit 142 issues an alarm related to the object and notifies the occupants that an object exists in a designated area (e.g., a blind spot). In this case, the alarm control unit 142 continues to execute the alarm as long as the determination condition is met. In addition, the alarm control unit 142 can also adjust the alarm intensity based on factors such as the distance between the vehicle M and the object, the behavior of the vehicle M, the behavior of the object, and the alarm duration.

[0120] For example, when an object is located at a distance greater than or equal to that of the vehicle M, the alarm control unit 142 illuminates the BSI indicator 36 as alarm control at the lowest alarm level (first alarm control). When an object that is the target of the alarm is located on the right side, the alarm control unit 142 illuminates a predetermined image 36a in the right rearview mirror DMR 1, and when an object that is the target of the alarm is located on the left side, the alarm control unit 142 illuminates a predetermined image 36a in the left rearview mirror DMR 2.

[0121] Furthermore, when the alarm control unit 142 detects an intention by the occupant to change lanes through operation of the turn signal lever or other means during the execution of the first alarm control, it causes the image 36a of the BSI indicator 36 to flash and outputs an alarm sound from the speaker 34, serving as a second alarm control with a higher alarm level than the first alarm control. When the alarm sound is output from the speaker 34, the alarm control unit 142 may output the alarm sound from a speaker located in the direction of the object being alerted, or it may vary the type or volume of the alarm sound depending on the relative distance between the vehicle M and the object (e.g., surrounding vehicles).

[0122] Furthermore, when the occupants begin to change lanes of the vehicle M during the execution of the second alarm control, the alarm control unit 142 causes the image 36a of the BSI indicator 36 to flash, or outputs an alarm sound from the speaker 34, and also causes the display unit 32 to display an image indicating the alarm. Alternatively, it may perform steering control on the steering device 220 to move back to the original driving lane without changing lanes, or perform steering or acceleration / deceleration control to avoid contact with approaching vehicles, as a third alarm control with a higher alarm level than the second alarm control. In this way, by controlling the alarm level according to the situation of the vehicle M and the object, more appropriate alarm or driving support control can be provided to the occupants of the vehicle M.

[0123] Furthermore, in the presence of multiple alarm targets, the alarm control unit 142 can set the alarm level based on the object closest to the vehicle M, and perform alarm control based on the set alarm level. Alternatively, the alarm control unit 142 may, instead of the alarm control (or based thereon), issue an alarm to the occupants (especially the driver) by vibrating a vibration sensor (not shown) installed in the steering wheel or the driver's seat DS, or by displaying text information on the display unit 32.

[0124] [Processing Flow]

[0125] Figure 7 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of the processing flow performed by the vehicle control device 100 according to the embodiment. For example, the processing in this flowchart can be repeatedly executed at a predetermined period or in a predetermined sequence. First, the object recognition unit 110 recognizes objects around the vehicle M (step S100). Next, the road information acquisition unit 120 acquires road information around the vehicle M (step S102).

[0126] Next, the determination unit 130 determines whether there is an object on the rear side of the vehicle M (an example of a predetermined area set based on the vehicle M) (step S104). If it is determined that there is an object on the rear side, the determination unit 130 processes each object as follows: The determination unit 130 determines whether the object identified by the object recognition unit 110 is an obstacle, as a first determination process (step S106). If it is determined to be an obstacle, the determination unit 130 determines that the identified object is an obstacle and is not an alarm object (step S108).

[0127] Furthermore, when it is determined in step S106 that the identified object is not an obstacle, the determination unit 130 determines whether the object identified by the object recognition unit 110 is a novel object, or whether it was an uncertain object in the previous cycle (whether the determination result of the object identified by the object recognition unit 110 in the previous cycle was an uncertain object), as a second determination process (step S110). If it is determined to be a novel object, or an uncertain object in the previous cycle, the determination unit 130 determines whether the current determination is an uncertain object (step S112).

[0128] Furthermore, if the object is determined to be an uncertain object in this instance, the determination unit 130 determines whether the same uncertain object has existed continuously for a predetermined period or more (step S114). If it is determined that the object has not existed continuously for a predetermined period or more, the determination unit 130 determines the object as an uncertain object and it is not an alarm object (step S116). In addition, when it is determined that the object has existed continuously for a predetermined period or more, when it is determined in step S110 that the object is not novel and was not an uncertain object in the previous period, or when it is determined in step S112 that the object is not an uncertain object, the determination unit 130 determines whether the object was determined to be an obstacle in the previous period as a third determination process (step S118). If the object was determined to be an obstacle in the previous period, the determination unit 130 determines whether at least a part of the object exists in an adjacent lane or whether the object exists within a predetermined distance from the current lane as a fourth determination process (step S120). If it is determined that at least part of an object exists in the adjacent lane, and the object is not located within a predetermined distance from the current lane, the determination unit 130 determines the object as an obstacle and therefore not an alarm target (step S108). If it is determined that at least part of an object exists in the adjacent lane, or that the object is located within a predetermined distance from the current lane, the determination unit 130 determines it as a surrounding vehicle and therefore an alarm target (step S122). Then, the alarm control unit 142 outputs an alarm related to the object via the HMI 30 (step S124).

[0129] Furthermore, if in step S118 the object is determined not to be an obstacle in the previous cycle, the determination unit 130 determines whether the object exists from the perspective of the vehicle at a location further out than the second lane divider, as a fifth determination process (step S126). If it is determined that the object does not exist from the perspective of the vehicle at a location further out than the second lane divider, it is determined to be a surrounding vehicle and thus a warning target (step S122). Then, the alarm control unit 142 outputs an alarm for the object via the HMI 30 (step S124). Additionally, if in step S126 the object is determined to exist from the perspective of the vehicle at a location further out than the second lane divider, the determination unit 130 determines the object to be a surrounding vehicle in the next adjacent lane and thus a non-alarm target (step S128).

[0130] Furthermore, after processing in steps S108, S124, S128, or S116, the determination unit 130 stores the determination result of one cycle in the storage unit 150 (step S130). Thus, the processing of this flowchart ends. Additionally, if it is determined in step S104 that there is no object behind the vehicle M, the processing of this flowchart ends.

[0131] [Variation Example]

[0132] Here, a variation of the vehicle control device 100 of the described embodiment will be explained. For example, the object recognition unit 110 identifies the relative position or relative speed of objects existing around the vehicle M relative to the vehicle M in a time sequence, and identifies objects (surrounding vehicles) approaching the vehicle M based on the recognition results. Then, the determination unit 130 may, based on the first to fifth determination processes (or alternatively), determine the object approaching the vehicle M as a vehicle subject to an alarm. As a result, the presence of surrounding vehicles with a high probability of contact with the vehicle M can be more appropriately notified to the occupants.

[0133] Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the BSI is output from the HMI 30, instead of displaying image 36a on the BSI indicator 36 (or based thereon), an image showing the location (relative position as observed from the vehicle M) of the object being alerted can be generated and displayed on the display unit 32. In this case, the alarm control unit 142 generates an image simulating the vehicle M and an image simulating the object being alerted (surrounding vehicles), and based on the image simulating the vehicle M, positions the image simulating the object being alerted at a position corresponding to the direction and relative position of the object, and displays each image on the display unit 32. Thus, even if there are multiple vehicles being alerted, the occupants can more clearly understand their positions.

[0134] Furthermore, in this embodiment, for example, the determination unit 130 can infer the road shape around the vehicle M based on the vehicle M's driving trajectory, set a predetermined area (the area behind the vehicle M) along the inferred road shape, and determine the alarm target object based on the predetermined area through the determination process. Therefore, in road shapes such as sharp bends, alarm control can be performed more appropriately for vehicles approaching from behind. Additionally, the determination unit 130 can also infer the road shape when it is impossible to obtain road information around the vehicle M from map information or camera images. Therefore, even in cases where it is impossible to obtain road information around the vehicle M from map information or camera images, objects that are not alarm targets can be excluded.

[0135] The vehicle control device 100 according to the embodiments described above includes: an object recognition unit (an example of an recognition unit) 110, which recognizes objects around the vehicle M; a road information acquisition unit 120, which acquires road information around the vehicle M; and an alarm control unit 142, which causes an alarm device to sound an alarm when an object recognized by the object recognition unit 110 exists within a predetermined area set based on the position of the vehicle M. The alarm control unit 142 does not issue an object-related alarm when at least a portion of the objects within the predetermined area recognized by the object recognition unit 110 are located further outside the road boundary than the road boundary where the vehicle exists as acquired by the road information acquisition unit 120. This allows for more appropriate issuance of object-related alarms to the occupants of the vehicle.

[0136] Specifically, according to the implementation method, by using road information (such as boundary or lane marking information), obstacles other than traveling vehicles can be detected and excluded from the alert targets, thus improving alert accuracy. Furthermore, according to the implementation method, by setting an object as an alert target when at least a part of it exists in an adjacent lane, obstacles outside the road and vehicles in the next adjacent lane can be excluded from the alert targets, thus further improving alert accuracy. Additionally, according to the implementation method, by setting an object within a predetermined distance as an alert target when viewed from the current lane, even when lanes on the road cannot be identified, a determination can be made based on the detection distance between the lane marking information and the object, thereby further improving alert accuracy. Therefore, according to the implementation method, road information can be used to provide a more appropriate BSI (Block Sign Indicator).

[0137] [Hardware Structure]

[0138] Figure 8This diagram illustrates an example of the hardware structure of the vehicle control device 100 according to an embodiment. As shown, the computer of the vehicle control device 100 has the following structure: a communication controller 100-1, a CPU 100-2, a RAM 100-3 used as working memory, a ROM 100-4 storing a boot program, a storage device 100-5 such as flash memory or HDD, and a drive device 100-6 are interconnected via an internal bus or a dedicated communication line. The communication controller 100-1 communicates with components other than the vehicle control device 100. The drive device 100-6 is equipped with a removable storage medium such as an optical disc (e.g., a non-temporary storage medium that can be read by a computer). The storage device 100-5 stores a program 100-5a executed by the CPU 100-2. This program is expanded into the RAM 100-3 by a Direct Memory Access (DMA) controller (not shown) and executed by the CPU 100-2. The program 100-5a referenced by the CPU 100-2 can be stored in a removable storage medium installed in the drive unit 100-6, or downloaded from other devices via a network. This enables the implementation of some or all of the constituent elements of the vehicle control unit 100.

[0139] The implementation methods described above can be expressed as follows.

[0140] A vehicle control device comprising:

[0141] Storage device, storing programs; and

[0142] Hardware processor,

[0143] The hardware processor executes the program stored in the storage device, thereby

[0144] Identify objects around this vehicle.

[0145] Obtain road information surrounding the vehicle.

[0146] If the identified object exists within a predetermined area based on the position of the vehicle, the alarm device will sound an alarm.

[0147] If at least a portion of an object within the designated area is located further outside the boundary of the road than the vehicle is located, no alarm will be issued in relation to that object.

[0148] The above describes specific embodiments of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to these embodiments in any way, and various modifications and substitutions can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

Claims

1. A vehicle control device, comprising: The identification unit identifies objects around the vehicle. The road information acquisition unit acquires road information surrounding the vehicle. as well as The alarm control unit, when the object identified by the recognition unit exists within a predetermined area based on the position of the vehicle, causes the alarm device to sound an alarm, wherein the predetermined area is the area to the rear side of the vehicle. If at least a portion of an object within the designated area identified by the identification unit is located further outside the road boundary than the boundary of the road where the vehicle is located, as obtained by the road information acquisition unit, the alarm control unit does not issue an alarm related to the object, wherein the road boundary is a landmark outside the lane divider.

2. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein, The road information acquisition unit acquires the lane in which the vehicle is traveling and the adjacent lanes adjacent to the vehicle in the road. If at least a portion of the objects identified by the identification unit exist within the designated area, and these objects are present in the adjacent lanes acquired by the road information acquisition unit, the alarm control unit issues the alarm.

3. The vehicle control device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, If an object within the specified area identified by the identification unit is located within a specified distance from the lane divider of the vehicle's lane, as determined by the road information acquisition unit, the alarm control unit issues an alarm.

4. The vehicle control device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The identification unit identifies objects in the vicinity of the vehicle whose reliability is below a threshold, or objects whose initial location is within a specified distance of the vehicle, as uncertain objects. If an object existing within the specified area and located further inside the road boundary than the road where the vehicle is located is an uncertain object that has not been continuously identified for a specified period of time, the alarm control unit will not issue an alarm related to the object.

5. The vehicle control device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, If at least a portion of an object existing within the designated area is located further outside the boundary of the road than the boundary of the road in which the vehicle is located, the identification unit identifies the object as an obstacle. If at least part of an object identified as an obstacle in the previous cycle is present in an adjacent lane, or if the object is within a specified distance from the current lane, the alarm control unit issues an alarm related to the object.

6. The vehicle control device according to claim 5, wherein, If an object that was not identified as an obstacle in the previous cycle is observed from the vehicle to be located further out than the second lane divider, the alarm control unit will not issue an alarm related to the object.

7. A vehicle control method, comprising a computer Identify objects around this vehicle; Obtain road information surrounding the vehicle; If the identified object exists within a predetermined area based on the position of the vehicle, the alarm device will sound an alarm, wherein the predetermined area is the area to the rear side of the vehicle; and If at least a portion of an object existing within the designated area is located further outside the boundary of the road where the vehicle is located, no alarm will be issued in relation to the object, wherein the boundary of the road is a landmark outside the lane divider.

8. A storage medium that stores a program, enabling a computer to... Identify objects around this vehicle; Obtain road information surrounding the vehicle; If the identified object exists within a predetermined area based on the position of the vehicle, the alarm device will sound an alarm, wherein the predetermined area is the area to the rear side of the vehicle; and If at least a portion of an object existing within the designated area is located further outside the boundary of the road where the vehicle is located, no alarm will be issued in relation to the object, wherein the boundary of the road is a landmark outside the lane divider.

Images