Stop line detection device

Abstract

This disclosure relates to a stop line detection device that, based on images captured by a front camera of its own vehicle, identifies the boundary lines of the road and lanes in which the vehicle travels, and detects the stop line at an intersection ahead of the vehicle. The stop line detection device comprises: an intersection area detection unit set within the road in which the vehicle travels, corresponding to the intersection area; a pedestrian crossing detection unit that detects pedestrian crossings within the intersection area; a stop line search area setting unit set within the lane in which the vehicle travels, extending from the pedestrian crossing towards the vehicle; and a stop line detection unit that detects stop lines within the stop line search area, wherein the depth of the stop line search area in the direction of extension of the driving lane is less than twice the depth of the pedestrian crossing.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a stop line detection device. Background Technology

[0002] Previously, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2007-066003 was known as a technical document relating to a stop line (parking line) detection device. This publication describes a stop line detection device that detects stop lines on a road based on images captured by a vehicle's camera, wherein the stop line detection area is set in a manner that excludes pedestrian crossings.

[0003] Existing technical documents

[0004] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2007-066003 Summary of the Invention

[0005] The problem that the invention aims to solve

[0006] However, in addition to pedestrian crossings, roads also have lines marking various areas, such as bus parking zones. The possibility of these lines being mistakenly detected as stop lines has not been adequately considered.

[0007] Technical solutions for solving the problem

[0008] One technical solution of the present invention is a stop line detection device, which identifies the boundary lines of the road on which the vehicle travels and the lane boundary lines based on images captured by a front camera of the vehicle, and detects the stop line at the intersection in front of the vehicle. The stop line detection device includes: an intersection area detection unit, which sets an intersection area corresponding to the intersection within the road on which the vehicle travels based on images captured by the front camera; a pedestrian crossing detection unit, which detects pedestrian crossings within the intersection area based on images captured by the front camera; a stop line search area setting unit, which sets a stop line search area extending from the pedestrian crossing towards the vehicle side within the driving lane on which the vehicle travels; and a stop line detection unit, which detects stop lines within the stop line search area, wherein the depth of the stop line search area in the extension direction of the driving lane is less than twice the depth of the pedestrian crossing.

[0009] According to one technical solution of the present invention, a stop line detection device is set in the lane in which the vehicle is traveling, extending from the pedestrian crossing toward the vehicle. The depth of the stop line detection area in the direction of extension of the driving lane is set to be less than twice the depth of the pedestrian crossing, thereby avoiding the misdetection of lines far from the pedestrian crossing as stop lines.

[0010] In one of the technical solutions of the present invention, the stop line detection device may also include a proximity signal (traffic light) detection unit. The proximity signal detection unit detects the proximity signal that is closest to its own vehicle at the intersection based on the image captured by the front camera. The intersection area detection unit sets the intersection area based on the position of the proximity signal.

[0011] According to the stop line detection device, the intersection area is set based on the location of the adjacent traffic signal. Therefore, the intersection area can be set even if there is no information on setting the intersection area in the map information or other materials.

[0012] In one aspect of the stop line detection device of the present invention, a pedestrian crossing determination unit may also be included. This pedestrian crossing determination unit determines whether a first pedestrian crossing, which is a pedestrian crossing located on the vehicle side of the intersection, is detected based on the positional relationship between the adjacent traffic signal and the pedestrian crossing. If the pedestrian crossing determination unit determines that a first pedestrian crossing has been detected, the stop line search area setting unit sets a stop line search area extending from the end of the first pedestrian crossing on the vehicle side toward the vehicle.

[0013] According to this stop line detection device, when a first pedestrian crossing is detected as a pedestrian crossing on the side of the vehicle at an intersection, a stop line search area can be set in a manner that extends from the end of the first pedestrian crossing on the side of the vehicle toward the vehicle.

[0014] In one aspect of the stop line detection device of the present invention, the pedestrian crossing determination unit may determine whether a second pedestrian crossing, which is located on the far side of the intersection (opposite to its own vehicle side), is detected if the first pedestrian crossing is not detected. If the pedestrian crossing determination unit determines that the second pedestrian crossing is detected, the stop line search area setting unit sets the stop line search area by extending from the end of the projected pedestrian crossing on its own vehicle side toward its own vehicle. The projected pedestrian crossing is obtained by rotating the second pedestrian crossing on the lane in which the vehicle is traveling to a position closer to its own vehicle side than the center of the intersection, with the center of the intersection as the reference.

[0015] According to this stop line detection device, even if the first pedestrian crossing is not detected, when a second pedestrian crossing, which is a pedestrian crossing located far from the intersection, is detected, the stop line search area is set in such a way that it extends from the end of the projected pedestrian crossing on the vehicle side toward the vehicle. The projected pedestrian crossing is obtained by rotating the second pedestrian crossing on the vehicle's lane to a position closer to the vehicle side than the center of the intersection, with the center of the intersection as the reference.

[0016] In one of the technical solutions of the present invention, the stop line detection device may also include a road marking detection unit. This road marking detection unit detects road markings other than the stop line in the driving lane of its own vehicle from its own vehicle to the first pedestrian crossing based on the image captured by the front camera. The stop line search area setting unit sets a stop line search area from the first pedestrian crossing to the road marking.

[0017] According to the stop line detection device, when a road marking other than a stop line is detected, there is a high probability that a stop line exists between the first pedestrian crossing and the road marking. Therefore, by setting a stop line search area between the first pedestrian crossing and the road marking, the stop line can be detected appropriately.

[0018] Invention Effects

[0019] According to a technical solution of the present invention, it is possible to avoid misdetecting white lines or other lines located far from pedestrian crossings as stop lines. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Figure 1 This is a block diagram illustrating a stop line detection device according to one embodiment.

[0021] Figure 2 This is an example of an image captured by a front-facing camera at an intersection.

[0022] Figure 3 It's an aerial view. Figure 2 The top view obtained from the intersection.

[0023] Figure 4 This is a top view used to illustrate an example of an intersection area.

[0024] Figure 5 This is a top view used to illustrate an example of a stop line search area.

[0025] Figure 6 This is a top view used to illustrate the detection of road markings.

[0026] Figure 7 This is a top view used to illustrate another example of the stop line search area.

[0027] Figure 8 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of stop line detection processing.

[0028] Label Explanation

[0029] 1. Front camera; 10. ECU (Electronic Control Unit); 11. Adjacent traffic signal detection unit; 12. Intersection area detection unit; 13. Pedestrian crossing detection unit; 14. Pedestrian crossing determination unit; 15. Road marking detection unit; 16. Stop line search area setting unit; 17. Stop line detection unit; 100. Stop line detection device. Detailed Implementation

[0030] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0031] Figure 1 The stop line detection device 100 shown is a device mounted on a passenger car or other vehicle (hereinafter referred to as the vehicle itself) to estimate the distance between the vehicle and the vehicle in front. The stop line detection device 100 identifies the boundary lines of the road and lanes on which the vehicle is traveling from images captured by a front-facing camera 1 mounted on the vehicle itself, and detects the stop line at the intersection ahead of the vehicle. Various well-known image processing methods can be used for boundary line recognition.

[0032] The stop line detection device 100 performs stop line detection at an intersection, for example, when its own vehicle approaches an intersection. For example, it can use map information containing the vehicle's position information and the intersection's position information, obtained from a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) receiver mounted on the vehicle, to determine whether the vehicle is approaching an intersection. The stop line detection device 100 determines that the vehicle is approaching an intersection when the distance between the vehicle and the intersection in front of it is less than a certain distance. The vehicle's position information does not necessarily need to be obtained from GNSS; it can also be estimated through the detection of landmarks associated with map information (using the front camera 1 or radar sensors) and / or dead reckoning. Alternatively, known methods can be used to determine whether the vehicle is approaching an intersection.

[0033] Here, Figure 2 This is a diagram showing an example of an image captured by a front-facing camera 1 at an intersection. Figure 3 It's an aerial view. Figure 2 The top view obtained from the intersection. Figure 2 and Figure 3 The image shows the captured image G, the intersection T, the center C of intersection T, traffic signals Sg1 and Sg2, pedestrian crossings P1 and P2, the stop line SL, and the bus stop area markings B. Additionally, Figure 3 The text represents the vehicle M, the driving lane Ln (which is the lane in which the vehicle M travels), and the driving road Rd (which is the road in which the vehicle M travels).

[0034] Traffic signal Sg1 is the traffic signal on the vehicle's side (vehicle's M side) at intersection T. Traffic signal Sg2 is the traffic signal on the far side (opposite to vehicle M) at intersection T. Pedestrian crossing P1 is the pedestrian crossing on the vehicle's side at intersection T. Pedestrian crossing P2 is the pedestrian crossing on the far side at intersection T. Stop line SL is the stop line on the vehicle's side at intersection T. Bus stop area marking B is a line on the road located on the vehicle's side at intersection T to demarcate the bus stop area.

[0035] In such Figure 2 and Figure 3 In the situation described, conventional stop line detection devices may mistakenly detect lines other than stop lines, such as bus stop area marking B, as stop lines SL. Furthermore, bus stop area marking B is located far from the center line, which is significantly different from a stop line. However, conventional stop line detection devices are configured to detect stop lines even if they are worn or damaged, thus leading to the possibility of mistakenly detecting bus stop area marking B as stop line SL. In contrast, the stop line detection device 100 of this embodiment suppresses false detections of stop lines by appropriately setting the stop line search area.

[0036] [Composition of the Stop Line Detection Device]

[0037] Hereinafter, the configuration of the stop line detection device 100 according to this embodiment will be described using the accompanying drawings. Figure 1 As shown, the stop line detection device 100 includes an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 10 that oversees the entire device. The ECU 10 is an electronic control unit with a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and storage units such as ROM (Read Only Memory) or RAM (Random Access Memory). In the ECU 10, various functions are implemented, for example, by the CPU executing programs stored in the storage units. The ECU 10 may also be composed of multiple electronic units. The ECU 10 is connected to the front-facing camera 1.

[0038] The front camera 1 is a camera device used to capture images of the area in front of the vehicle. For example, the front camera 1 may be located inside the windshield of the vehicle. The front camera 1 may be a monocular camera. The front camera 1 can also be a stereo camera.

[0039] The functional structure of ECU10 is explained. For example... Figure 1As shown, the ECU10 includes a proximity signal detection unit 11, an intersection area detection unit 12, a pedestrian crossing detection unit 13, a pedestrian crossing determination unit 14, a road marking detection unit 15, a stop line search area setting unit 16, and a stop line detection unit 17.

[0040] The proximity signal detection unit 11 detects proximity signals of its own vehicle M based on images captured by the front camera 1. A proximity signal is the signal closest to the vehicle M at the intersection. The proximity signal can also be limited to the signal corresponding to the lane Ln of the vehicle M. The proximity signal detection unit 11 performs the detection, for example, when the vehicle approaches the intersection.

[0041] The proximity signal detection unit 11 uses a pre-prepared image pattern of a signal to detect signals within the captured image through pattern matching. The proximity signal detection unit 11 can also perform signal detection using deep learning. The proximity signal detection unit 11 identifies the signal closest to its own vehicle within the captured image as the proximity signal.

[0042] Specifically, the proximity signal detection unit 11 detects the signal by... Figure 2 The captured image G shown is used for pattern matching to detect traffic signals Sg1 and Sg2. Based on the size of traffic signals Sg1 and Sg2 within the captured image G or the distance measurement of the time change of the captured image, the traffic signal Sg1 located near its own vehicle is detected as a neighboring traffic signal.

[0043] Alternatively, the adjacent signal detection unit 11 can also detect the center C of intersection T and determine the adjacent signals based on their relationship with the center C of intersection T. The center C of intersection T can, for example, be set as the midpoint of the ends of the opposing center lines across intersection T. The center C of intersection T can also be obtained from map information; the method of obtaining it is not particularly limited.

[0044] The intersection area detection unit 12 sets the intersection area based on the image captured by the front camera 1. The intersection area refers to the area within the road where the vehicle is traveling that corresponds to the intersection. Figure 4 This is a top view used to illustrate an example of an intersection area. Figure 4 The area in the middle represents the intersection area Ac.

[0045] The intersection area detection unit 12, for example, sets the intersection area Ac based on the image captured by the front camera 1 and the nearby traffic signal Sg1 detected by the adjacent traffic signal detection unit 11. Figure 4 As shown, the intersection area detection unit 12 will set the area within a certain distance D from the traffic signal Sg1 in the extension direction of the driving road Rd as the intersection area Ac.

[0046] The distance D can be set to different values ​​depending on the country and / or region. The intersection area detection unit 12 can also set different values ​​for the distance D on its own side and the distance D on the far side in the direction of extension of the travel road Rd. For example, the distance D on the far side can be set to a shorter distance than the distance D on its own side. The width of the intersection area Ac can be set to, for example, the width of the travel road Rd. The width of the intersection area Ac can also be a fixed value.

[0047] The pedestrian crossing detection unit 13 detects pedestrian crossings within the intersection area Ac based on images captured by the front-facing camera 1. The pedestrian crossing detection unit 13 detects pedestrian crossings through image processing methods such as pattern matching and deep learning. Regarding the pedestrian crossing detection method, the method described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2007-066003 can also be adopted. The pedestrian crossing detection unit 13... Figure 2 Pedestrian crossings P1 and P2 are detected in the captured image G.

[0048] The pedestrian crossing determination unit 14 determines whether a first pedestrian crossing, located on its own vehicle side (its own vehicle M side) at the intersection, has been detected. For example, the pedestrian crossing determination unit 14 determines whether a first pedestrian crossing has been detected based on the positional relationship between the adjacent traffic signal detected by the adjacent traffic signal detection unit 11 and the pedestrian crossings P1 and P2 detected by the pedestrian crossing detection unit 13. Alternatively, the pedestrian crossing determination unit 14 may determine whether a first pedestrian crossing has been detected based on the positional relationship between the center C of the intersection T and the pedestrian crossings P1 and P2.

[0049] If the pedestrian crossing determination unit 14 does not determine that the first pedestrian crossing has been detected, it determines whether a second pedestrian crossing, which is located on the far side of the intersection, has been detected. The pedestrian crossing determination unit 14 determines whether the second pedestrian crossing has been detected in the same manner as in the case of the first pedestrian crossing.

[0050] The road marking detection unit 15 detects road markings outside the stop line on the driving lane Ln of its own vehicle M, from vehicle M to the first pedestrian crossing P1, based on images captured by the front camera 1. Road markings outside the stop line include arrows indicating the direction of travel in lane Ln, numbers indicating maximum speed, and diamond signs indicating the presence of a pedestrian crossing. The road marking detection unit 15 detects road markings through image processing methods such as pattern matching and deep learning.

[0051] The stop line search area setting unit 16 sets a stop line search area extending from the pedestrian crossing toward the vehicle side (vehicle M side) within the driving lane in which the vehicle M is traveling. The stop line search area is the area used for stop line search to detect stop lines within the captured image.

[0052] First, the setting of the stop line search area when the pedestrian crossing determination unit 14 determines that a first pedestrian crossing located on the side of its own vehicle at the intersection has been detected will be explained. When the first pedestrian crossing is detected, the stop line search area setting unit 16 sets the stop line search area based on the first pedestrian crossing.

[0053] Here, Figure 5 This is a top view used to illustrate an example of a stop line search area. Figure 5 The text indicates the end point Ep1 (the end point M on the vehicle side of the first pedestrian crossing P1 in the direction of extension of the driving lane Ln) and the stop line search area Ar. It also indicates the depth Dp1 (length in the direction of extension of the driving lane Ln) of the first pedestrian crossing P1 and the depth DAr of the stop line search area Ar.

[0054] like Figure 5 As shown, the stop line search area setting unit 16 sets a stop line search area Ar extending from the first pedestrian crossing P1 towards its own vehicle side. The width of the stop line search area Ar can be, for example, set to the width of the driving lane Ln. The width of the stop line search area Ar can also be a fixed value. The stop line search area Ar is set to extend from the end Ep1 of the first pedestrian crossing P1 on its own vehicle side, without including the first pedestrian crossing P1, as a reference, towards its own vehicle M.

[0055] The stop line search area setting unit 16 sets the depth DAr of the stop line search area Ar in the direction of extension of the driving lane to a length smaller than twice the depth Dp1 of the first pedestrian crossing P1 (2×Dp1>DAr). The minimum value of the depth DAr of the stop line search area Ar can also be determined. According to Japanese road regulations, it is expected that a stop line SL exists within a range smaller than twice the depth Dp1 of the first pedestrian crossing P1.

[0056] The stop line search area setting unit 16 can also set a stop line search area Ar between the first pedestrian crossing P1 and the road marking when the road marking detection unit 15 detects a road marking other than the stop line in the driving lane Ln of its own vehicle M from its own vehicle to the first pedestrian crossing P1.

[0057] Figure 6 This is a top view used to illustrate the detection of road markings. Figure 6The symbol Rm represents the road marking (diamond mark). When the road marking Rm is detected, the stop line search area setting unit 16 sets a stop line search area Ar in the extension direction of the driving lane Ln from the first pedestrian crossing P1 to the road marking Rm. In other words, the stop line search area setting unit 16 sets the depth DAr of the stop line search area Ar to be less than the distance Drm from the first pedestrian crossing P1 to the road marking Rm.

[0058] Next, the setting of the stop line search area will be explained when the pedestrian crossing determination unit 14 determines that a second pedestrian crossing on the far side of the intersection has been detected, but does not determine that a first pedestrian crossing has been detected. In this case, the stop line search area setting unit 16 sets the stop line search area based on the second pedestrian crossing.

[0059] Figure 7 This is a top view used to illustrate another example of the stop line search area. In Figure 7 In this case, there is no first pedestrian crossing P1 on the vehicle side of intersection T, but only a second pedestrian crossing P2 on the far side of intersection T. Figure 7 The image represents the projected pedestrian crossing Pr2 and its vehicle-side end Epr2. It also represents the depth Dpr2 of the projected pedestrian crossing Pr2. The projected pedestrian crossing Pr2 is a virtual pedestrian crossing projected onto the vehicle-side of its own lane Ln, rotated from the center C of intersection T. Figure 7 In the situation shown, the projected pedestrian crossing Pr2 is set by rotating the second pedestrian crossing P2 by 180° with the center C of the intersection T as a reference.

[0060] exist Figure 7 In the illustrated configuration, the stop line search area setting unit 16, based on the second pedestrian crossing P2, the center C of the intersection T, and the driving lane Ln, sets (assuming) a projected pedestrian crossing Pr2 on its own vehicle side at the intersection T, in front of its own vehicle M. The stop line search area setting unit 16 sets a stop line search area Ar extending from the projected pedestrian crossing Pr2 towards its own vehicle side. The stop line search area setting unit 16 sets the stop line search area Ar based on the end point Epr2 on its own vehicle side of the projected pedestrian crossing Pr2, without including the projected pedestrian crossing Pr2, and extends the stop line search area Ar towards its own vehicle M from the end point Epr2.

[0061] The stop line search area setting unit 16 sets the depth DAr of the stop line search area Ar in the direction of extension of the driving lane to a length smaller than twice the depth Dpr2 of the projected pedestrian crossing Pr2 (2×Dpr2>DAr). In addition, the depth Dpr2 of the projected pedestrian crossing Pr2 is equal to the depth of the second pedestrian crossing P2.

[0062] The stop line detection unit 17 performs stop line detection within the stop line search area. Figures 5-7 In the illustrated situation, the stop line detection unit 17 detects the stop line SL within the stop line search area Ar using image processing methods such as pattern matching and deep learning (prioritizing the detection of the stop line SL within the stop line search area Ar). Furthermore, if the stop line detection unit 17 fails to detect the stop line SL within the stop line search area Ar, it can expand the stop line search area Ar towards its own vehicle side.

[0063] [Processing of the stop line detection device]

[0064] Next, refer to Figure 8 The processing of the stop line detection device 100 according to this embodiment will be explained. Figure 8 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of stop line detection processing. Stop line detection processing is performed, for example, when vehicle M approaches intersection T.

[0065] like Figure 8 As shown, in step S10, the ECU10 of the stop line detection device 100 detects the nearby traffic signal Sg1 by the nearby traffic signal detection unit 11. The nearby traffic signal detection unit 11 detects the nearby traffic signal Sg1 of its own vehicle M based on the image captured by the front camera 1.

[0066] In S11, the ECU10 sets the intersection area Ac by the intersection area detection unit 12. For example, the intersection area detection unit 12 sets the area within a certain distance D on the driving road Rd as the intersection area Ac, based on the proximity signal Sg1.

[0067] In S12, ECU10 detects pedestrian crossings within the captured image by pedestrian crossing detection unit 13 and road marking detection unit 15 detects road markings. Pedestrian crossing detection unit 13 detects pedestrian crossings P1 and P2 within the intersection area Ac based on the image captured by front camera 1. Road marking detection unit 15 detects road markings Rm outside the stop line on the driving lane Ln of its own vehicle M, from its own vehicle M to the first pedestrian crossing P1, based on the image captured by front camera 1. Furthermore, detection of road markings is not mandatory.

[0068] In S13, the ECU 10 determines, by the pedestrian crossing determination unit 14, whether it has detected a first pedestrian crossing P1, which is located on the side of its own vehicle at intersection T. The pedestrian crossing determination unit 14 determines whether the first pedestrian crossing P1 has been detected, for example, based on the positional relationship between the nearby traffic signal Sg1 detected by the adjacent traffic signal detection unit 11 and the pedestrian crossings P1 and P2 detected by the pedestrian crossing detection unit 13. If the ECU 10 determines that the first pedestrian crossing P1 has been detected (S13: Yes), it proceeds to S14. If the ECU 10 does not determine that the first pedestrian crossing P1 has been detected (S13: No), it proceeds to S15.

[0069] In S14, the ECU 10 sets the stop line search area Ar based on the first pedestrian crossing P1 using the stop line search area setting unit 16. The stop line search area setting unit 16 sets the stop line search area Ar extending from the first pedestrian crossing P1 towards the vehicle side. The stop line search area setting unit 16... Figure 5 As shown, the depth DAr of the stop line search area Ar in the extension direction of the driving lane Ln is set to a length less than twice the depth Dp1 of the first pedestrian crossing P1. Then, ECU10 switches to S18.

[0070] In S15, the ECU 10 determines, by the pedestrian crossing determination unit 14, whether a second pedestrian crossing P2, located at the far side of intersection T, has been detected. The pedestrian crossing determination unit 14 determines whether the second pedestrian crossing P2 has been detected, for example, based on the positional relationship between the nearby traffic signal Sg1 detected by the adjacent traffic signal detection unit 11 and the pedestrian crossings P1 and P2 detected by the pedestrian crossing detection unit 13. If the ECU 10 determines that the second pedestrian crossing P2 has been detected (S15: Yes), it proceeds to S16. If the ECU 10 does not determine that the second pedestrian crossing P2 has been detected (S15: No), it ends the current stop line detection process.

[0071] In S16, ECU10 sets the projected pedestrian crossing Pr2 by the stop line search area setting unit 16. The stop line search area setting unit 16 sets the projected pedestrian crossing Pr2 on its own vehicle side at the intersection T, in front of its own vehicle M, based on the second pedestrian crossing P2, the center C of the intersection T, and the driving lane Ln.

[0072] In S17, the ECU 10 sets the stop line search area Ar based on the projected pedestrian crossing Pr2 using the stop line search area setting unit 16. The stop line search area setting unit 16 sets the stop line search area Ar extending from the projected pedestrian crossing Pr2 towards the vehicle side. The stop line search area setting unit 16... Figure 7As shown, the depth DAr of the stop line search area Ar in the extension direction of the driving lane Ln is set to a length smaller than twice the depth Dpr2 of the projected pedestrian crossing Pr2. Then, ECU10 switches to S18.

[0073] In S18, the ECU 10 performs stop line detection within the stop line search area Ar by the stop line detection unit 17. The stop line detection unit 17 detects stop lines within the stop line search area Ar through image processing such as pattern matching and deep learning. Afterward, the ECU 10 ends the stop line detection process for this time.

[0074] According to the stop line detection device 100 of this embodiment described above, a stop line search area Ar is set in the driving lane Ln in which the vehicle M travels, extending from the pedestrian crossings P1 and P2 toward the vehicle side. The depth Dar of the stop line search area Ar in the extension direction of the driving lane Ln is set to a length that is less than twice the depth of the pedestrian crossing, thereby avoiding the misdetection of white lines and other objects far from the pedestrian crossing as stop lines.

[0075] Furthermore, in the stop line detection device 100, the intersection area Ac is set based on the position of the nearby traffic signal Sg1. Therefore, even if the intersection area Ac is not set in map information or the like, it can still be set. Moreover, in the stop line detection device 100, when a first pedestrian crossing P1, which is a pedestrian crossing located on the vehicle side of the intersection T, is detected, a stop line search area Ar is set extending from the vehicle side end Ep1 of the first pedestrian crossing P1 towards the vehicle M.

[0076] Furthermore, in the stop line detection device 100, even if the first pedestrian crossing P1 is not detected, when the second pedestrian crossing P2, which is a pedestrian crossing located far from the intersection T, is detected, the stop line search area Ar is set in such a way that it extends from the end Epr2 of the projection pedestrian crossing Pr2 on the vehicle side towards the vehicle M. The projection pedestrian crossing Pr2 is obtained by rotating the second pedestrian crossing P2 on the driving lane Ln of the vehicle M to a position closer to the vehicle side than the center C of the intersection T, with the center C of the intersection T as the reference.

[0077] Furthermore, according to the stop line detection device 100, when a road marking Rm other than a stop line is detected, there is a high probability that a stop line exists between the first pedestrian crossing P1 and the road marking Rm. Therefore, by setting a stop line search area Ar between the first pedestrian crossing P1 and the road marking Rm, the stop line can be detected appropriately.

[0078] The embodiments of the present invention have been described above, but the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. The present invention can be implemented in various ways based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art, using the above embodiments as examples, and through various modifications and improvements.

[0079] The stop line detection device 100 does not necessarily need to determine that its own vehicle is approaching the intersection. The stop line detection device 100 can also start stop line detection at the intersection based on other conditions, and can also repeatedly perform stop line detection at the intersection.

[0080] The intersection area detection unit 12 does not necessarily need to set the intersection area based on the adjacent traffic signal. The intersection area can also be preset on a map for each intersection. The intersection area can also be set as a range within a certain distance based on the center of the intersection. In this case, the ECU 10 does not need to have an adjacent traffic signal detection unit 11.

[0081] The ECU 10 of the stop line detection device 100 does not necessarily need to have a pedestrian crossing determination unit 14. The ECU 10 can also, when multiple pedestrian crossings are detected, assume the foremost pedestrian crossing as the first pedestrian crossing and set the stop line search area. In this case, it is not necessary... Figure 8 The flowchart is shown in S13, S15 to S17.

[0082] The ECU 10 of the stop line detection device 100 does not necessarily need to have a road marking detection unit 15. The stop line search area setting unit 16 can also set the stop line search area on the driving lane of the vehicle M, from the vehicle M to the first pedestrian crossing, without considering road markings other than the stop line. In this case, it is not necessary to... Figure 8 The road markings are detected in S12 of the flowchart.

Claims

1. A stop line detection device, which, based on images captured by a front camera of its own vehicle, identifies the boundary lines of the road on which the vehicle travels and the boundary lines of the lane on which the vehicle travels, and detects the stop line at an intersection ahead of the vehicle, the stop line detection device comprising: The intersection area detection unit, based on the image captured by the front camera, is set within the intersection area corresponding to the intersection on the road in which the vehicle is traveling; The pedestrian crossing detection unit detects pedestrian crossings within the intersection area based on images captured by the front camera. The stop line search area setting unit is set in a stop line search area extending from the pedestrian crossing toward the vehicle side within the driving lane in which the vehicle is traveling. The stop line detection unit detects stop lines within the stop line search area. The proximity signal detection unit detects the nearest signal to its own vehicle at the intersection based on the image captured by the front camera. as well as The pedestrian crossing determination unit determines whether it has detected a first pedestrian crossing located on the vehicle side of the intersection. The depth of the stop line search area in the direction of extension of the driving lane is less than twice the depth of the pedestrian crossing. The intersection area detection unit sets the intersection area based on the location of the adjacent traffic signal controller. When the pedestrian crossing determination unit determines that the first pedestrian crossing has been detected, the stop line search area setting unit sets the stop line search area in a manner that extends from the end of the first pedestrian crossing on its own vehicle side toward its own vehicle. If the pedestrian crossing determination unit does not determine that the first pedestrian crossing has been detected, it determines whether a second pedestrian crossing, which is located on the far side of the intersection, has been detected. When the pedestrian crossing determination unit determines that the second pedestrian crossing has been detected, the stop line search area setting unit sets the stop line search area by extending from the end of the projected pedestrian crossing on the vehicle side toward the vehicle itself. The projected pedestrian crossing is obtained by rotating the second pedestrian crossing on the vehicle's driving lane to a position closer to the vehicle side than the center of the intersection, with the center of the intersection as the reference.

2. The stop line detection device according to claim 1, It also includes a road marking detection unit, which, based on images captured by the front camera, detects road markings outside the stop line in the vehicle's driving lane from the vehicle to the first pedestrian crossing. The stop line search area setting unit sets the stop line search area between the first pedestrian crossing and the road marking.

Images