VEHICLE TAX DEVICE AND VEHICLE TAX PROCEDURES

Abstract

To optimize the execution or suppression of the alarm, a device is fitted which has a first notification unit that notifies a driver of a vehicle of the approach to a moving object when a moving object is detected; a second notification unit notifies the driver of the approach to a stationary object when the stationary object is detected;and a notification suppression unit suppresses, when a specific condition is met in which the stationary object is detected and the moving object is furthermore detected by the vehicle itself as the stationary object, the notification by the first notification unit if the property of the moving object is a first property, and suppresses, if the property of the moving object is a second property, the notification by the first notification unit only if the stationary object is detected over a predetermined area.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)

[0001] This application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. JP 2023-145121, filed on September 7, 2023, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety into this application. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present disclosure relates to a vehicle control apparatus and a vehicle control method. 2. Description of the state of the art

[0003] For example, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2017-013756 discloses a device that, upon detecting an approaching object approaching a host vehicle from behind and an obstacle behind the host vehicle, suppresses the activation of an alarm that notifies the driver of the host vehicle of the presence of the approaching object when the approaching object is farther from the host vehicle than the obstacle.

[0004] For example, if the approaching object is another vehicle and there is a stationary object between the other vehicle and the driver's vehicle, it is unlikely that the other vehicle will pass the stationary object and approach the driver's vehicle. In such a case, it is not necessary to alert the driver of the driver's vehicle of the approaching vehicle. However, if the approaching object is a pedestrian, there is a possibility that the pedestrian may avoid the stationary object and approach the vehicle, depending on the obstructing conditions of the stationary object.In other words, if the alarm is uniformly suppressed only due to the presence of a stationary object between the vehicle and the approaching object, there may be cases where the suppression of the alarm is not appropriate depending on the relationship between the characteristics of the approaching object (moving object) and the shielding state of the stationary object. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] The objective of the present disclosure is to optimize the execution or suppression of the alarm for the driver based on the relationship between the characteristics of the moving object and the shielded state of the stationary object.

[0006] A device according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure is a vehicle control device. The vehicle control device includes: a first notification unit configured to notify a driver of an own vehicle of the approach of a moving object when a moving object approaching a predetermined area from outside, located in a travel path of the own vehicle and within a predetermined distance from the vehicle, is detected by a first detection unit; a second notification unit configured to notify the driver of the approach of a stationary object when the stationary object located in a predetermined area, where the distance from the own vehicle is within a predetermined range, is detected by a second detection unit;and a notification suppression unit configured to, when a specific condition is met where the second detection unit detects the stationary object and the first detection unit further detects the stationary object from the own vehicle as the stationary object, suppress the notification by the first notification unit when the characteristic of the stationary object is a first characteristic, and configured to, when the characteristic of the stationary object is a second characteristic different from the first characteristic, suppress the notification by the first notification unit only when the second detection unit detects the stationary object over a predetermined range in the width direction of the own vehicle;

[0007] A method according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure is a vehicle control method. The vehicle control method includes the following steps: executing a first notification to notify a driver of a host vehicle of the approach of a moving object when a moving object approaching a predetermined area from outside, located in a travel path of the host vehicle and within a predetermined distance from the vehicle, is detected by a first detection unit; executing a second notification to notify the driver of the approach of a stationary object when the stationary object located in a predetermined area where the distance from the host vehicle is within a predetermined range is detected by a second notification unit;and suppressing the first notification when a certain condition is met in which the second detection unit detects the stationary object and the first detection unit further detects the stationary object from the own vehicle as the stationary object when the characteristic of the stationary object is a first characteristic, and suppressing the first notification only when the second notification unit detects the stationary object over a predetermined range in the width direction of the own vehicle when the characteristic of the moving object is a second characteristic different from the first characteristic; BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of a vehicle according to the present embodiment. Fig. Figure 2A is a schematic diagram showing an example of the on-board position of a rear camera, a left rear side radar sensor, and a right rear side radar sensor. Fig. Figure 2B is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of the onboard location of a left rear side sonar sensor, a left rear side sonar sensor, a right rear sonar sensor, and a right rear side sonar sensor. Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating a software configuration of an apparatus according to the present embodiment. Fig. 4A is a schematic plan view for explaining a case where an execution condition for a stationary object alarm and a moving object alarm are simultaneously satisfied. Fig. 4B is a schematic plan view for explaining a case where an execution condition for a stationary object alarm and a moving object alarm are simultaneously satisfied. Fig. 4C is a schematic plan view for explaining a case where an execution condition of a stationary object alarm and a moving object alarm are simultaneously satisfied. Fig. 4D is a schematic plan view for explaining a case where an execution condition of a stationary object alarm and a moving object alarm are simultaneously satisfied. Fig. 5 is a flowchart for explaining the procedure of an alarm control and an alarm suppression process by the device according to the present embodiment. DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0008] A vehicle control apparatus and a vehicle control method according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure will now be described with reference to the drawings described. (Hardware configuration)

[0009] Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of the hardware configuration of a vehicle VH to which the device according to the present embodiment is applied. Hereinafter, the vehicle VH may be referred to as a separate vehicle if necessary to distinguish it from other vehicles.

[0010] The vehicle VH has an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 10. The ECU 10 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 11, ROM (Read Only Memory) 12, RAM (Random Access Memory) 13, an interface 14, and the like. The CPU 11 executes various programs stored in the ROM 12. The ROM 12 is a non-volatile memory that stores data and the like that the CPU 11 needs to execute various programs. The RAM 13 is a volatile memory that provides a work area used when various programs are executed by the CPU 11. The interface 14 is a device for communicating with an external device.

[0011] The ECU 10 is a central device that executes the driving assistance control of the vehicle VH. Driving assistance control is a concept that includes automatic driving control. A driving device 20, a steering device 21, a braking device 22, a transmitting device 23, an internal sensor device 30, an external sensor device 40, an HMI (Human Machine Interface) 60, and the like are communicatively connected to the ECU 10.

[0012] The driving device 20 generates a driving force that is transmitted to the drive wheels of the vehicle VH. For example, an internal combustion engine and a motor are provided as the driving device 20. In the device according to the at least one exemplary embodiment, the vehicle VH can be a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), a fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV), a battery electric vehicle (BEV), or an internal combustion engine vehicle. The steering device 21 exerts steering forces on the steerable wheels of the vehicle VH. The braking device 22 applies a braking force to the wheels of the vehicle VH. The transmitting device 23 transmits the drive power output by the driving device 20 to the drive wheels, thereby reducing the speed at a predetermined reduction ratio.

[0013] The internal sensor device 30 comprises sensors that detect the state of the vehicle VH. Specifically, the internal sensor device 30 includes a vehicle speed sensor 31, an acceleration sensor 32, a brake sensor 33, a steering angle sensor 34, a shift sensor 35, and the like.

[0014] The vehicle speed sensor 31 detects a traveling speed (vehicle speed v) of the vehicle VH. The acceleration sensor 32 detects an operation amount of an accelerator pedal (not shown) by the driver. The brake sensor 33 detects an operation amount of a brake pedal (not shown) by the driver. The steering angle sensor 34 detects a rotation angle of a steering wheel or steering shaft (not shown) of the vehicle VH, i.e., a steering angle. The shift sensor 35 detects the shift position (Park P, Reverse R, Neutral N, Drive D, etc.) of the transmitting device 23. The internal sensor device 30 transmits the condition of the vehicle VH detected by the sensors 31 to 35 to the ECU 10 at a predetermined cycle.

[0015] The external sensor device 40 is a type of sensor that detects information about objects located behind or diagonally behind the vehicle VH. Specifically, the external sensor device 40 includes a rear camera 41, a left rear side radar sensor 42L, a right rear side radar sensor 42R, a left rear sonar sensor 43L1, a right rear side sonar sensor 43R1, a left rear sonar sensor 43L2, a right rear sonar sensor 43R2, and the like. The object information includes, for example, moving objects such as other vehicles and pedestrians, and stationary objects such as walls and poles. The external sensor device 40 repeatedly transmits the detected object information to the ECU 10 at every predetermined time.

[0016] When it is not necessary to distinguish between the left rear side radar sensor 42L and the right rear side radar sensor 42R, they are also referred to as "rear radar sensor 42" hereinafter. When it is not necessary to distinguish between the left rear side sonar sensor 43L1 and the right rear side sonar sensor 43R1, and the left rear sonar sensor 43L2 and the right rear sonar sensor 43R2, they are also referred to as "sonar sensor 43." The rear camera 41 and the rear radar sensor 42 are examples of "first detection units" of the present disclosure, and the sonar sensor 43 is an example of a "second detection unit" of the present disclosure. Although not illustrated in the figures, the external sensor device 40 may be further equipped with a front camera, a front radar sensor, a front side radar sensor, a front sonar sensor, a front side sonar sensor, and the like.

[0017] The rear camera 41 is, for example, a stereo camera or a monocular camera, which may be a digital camera with an image sensor such as CMOS or CCD. The rear camera 41 captures images behind the vehicle VH and processes the captured image data to obtain object information behind the vehicle VH. The object information is information indicating the type of object detected behind the vehicle VH, the relative distance between the vehicle VH and the object, and the relative speed between the vehicle VH and the object. The type of object can be detected, for example, through machine learning, e.g., pattern matching.

[0018] The rear radar sensor 41 detects the object in an area located at the rear of the vehicle VH. The rear radar sensor 41 includes a millimeter-wave radar or lidar. The millimeter-wave radar radiates a radio wave (millimeter wave) in a millimeter-wave band and receives the millimeter wave (reflected wave) reflected from the object located in a radiation area. The millimeter-wave radar detects a relative distance between the vehicle VH and the object, a relative speed between the vehicle VH and the object, and the like, based on a phase difference between the transmitted millimeter wave and the received reflected wave, an attenuation level of the reflected wave, a time from the transmission of the millimeter wave to the reception of the reflected wave, and the like.The lidar sequentially scans laser light in a pulse shape having a wavelength shorter than that of the millimeter wave in a plurality of directions and receives light reflected from an object, thereby detecting a shape of the object detected behind the vehicle VH, the relative distance between the vehicle VH and the object, the relative speed between the vehicle VH and the object, and the like.

[0019] The sonar sensor 43 is a known sensor that uses ultrasonic waves. The sonar sensor 43 emits ultrasonic waves in a predetermined range behind the vehicle VH. The sonar sensor 43 receives the reflected wave from an object located within the ultrasonic wave emission range and detects the presence or absence of the object and the distance between the vehicle VH and the object, etc., based on the time between the transmission and reception of the ultrasonic wave. The sonar sensor 43 can detect the object located in the vertical direction of the vehicle by emitting highly directional ultrasonic waves.

[0020] Fig. Figure 2A is a schematic diagram showing an example of the positions of the rear camera 41, the left rear side radar sensor 42L, and the right rear side radar sensor 42R on board the vehicle. As shown in Fig. As shown in Figure 2A, the rear camera 41 is located at the center of the rear bumper of the vehicle VH in the width direction. The imaging area A of the rear camera 41 is a wide-angle area extending from the center of the rear bumper in the vehicle width direction to the rear of the vehicle VH. The left rear side radar sensor 42L is installed at the left end in the rear bumper, and the right rear side radar sensor 42R is installed at the right end in the rear bumper. The detection area BL of the left rear side radar sensor 42L is a wide-angle area extending from the left end of the rear bumper toward the left rear. The detection area BR of the right rear side radar sensor 42R is a wide-angle area extending from the right end of the rear bumper to the right rear.

[0021] Fig. Figure 2B is a schematic diagram showing an example of the onboard positions of the left rear side sonar sensor 43L1, the right rear side sonar sensor 43R1, the left rear sonar sensor 43L2, and the right rear sonar sensor 43R2. As shown in Fig. As shown in Figure 2B, the left rear side sonar sensor 43L1 is located at the left end of the rear bumper, and the right rear side sonar sensor 43R1 is located at the right end of the rear bumper. The detection area CL1 of the left rear side sonar sensor 43L1 is a relatively narrow area extending from the left end of the rear bumper toward the left rear side. The detection area CR1 of the right rear side sonar sensor 43R1 is a relatively narrow area extending from the right end of the rear bumper toward the right rear. The left rear sonar sensor 43L2 is located between the left end of the rear bumper and the center of the vehicle width direction, and the right rear sonar sensor 43R2 is located between the right end of the rear bumper and the center of the vehicle width direction.The detection area CL2 of the left rear sonar sensor 43L2 is a relatively narrow area extending from the left end to the center of the rear bumper toward the left rear. The detection area CR2 of the right rear sonar sensor 43R2 is a relatively narrow area extending from the right end to the center of the rear bumper toward the right rear.

[0022] Back to Fig. 1: The MMS 60 is an interface for data input and output between the ECU 10 and the driver and includes an input and an output device. Examples of the input device include a touch panel, a switch, and a microphone for sound pickup. Examples of the output device include a display device 61, a speaker 62, and a buzzer 63. The display device 61 is, for example, a center display installed in an instrument panel or the like, a multi-information display, a head-up display, a display of a navigation system, or the like. The speaker 62 is, for example, a speaker of an acoustic system or a navigation system. (Software configuration)

[0023] Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating a software configuration of the ECU 10 according to the present embodiment. As shown in Fig. As shown in Figure 3, the ECU 10 includes a stationary object alarm control unit 100, a moving object alarm control unit 110, a shielding state determination unit 120, and an alarm suppression processing unit 130, and the like, as part of the functional elements. These functional elements 100 to 130 are realized by the CPU 11 of the ECU 10, which reads a program stored in the ROM 12 into the RAM 13 and executes the program. Note that all or part of the functional elements 100 to 130 may be mounted in another ECU separate from the ECU 10 or in an information processing device in a facility (a control center or the like) that can communicate with the vehicle VH.

[0024] The stationary object alarm control unit 100 detects the distance between the host vehicle VH and the stationary object in the path of the host vehicle VH based on the detection results of the sonar sensor 43 while the host vehicle VH is traveling at a predetermined speed (e.g., low speed). Furthermore, the stationary object alarm control unit 100 executes a stationary object alarm to notify the driver of the host vehicle VH of the approach of the stationary object when the execution condition that the distance between the host vehicle VH and the stationary object is less than a predetermined value is met. The stationary object alarm control unit 100 is an example of the "second notification unit" of the present disclosure. The vehicle speed of the host vehicle VH can be determined based on the detection result of the vehicle speed sensor 31.When the condition for executing the stationary object alarm is met, the stationary object alarm control unit 100 emits alarm sounds through the speaker 62 and buzzer 63 to prompt the driver to approach the stationary object, and displays an alarm image on the display unit 61 to prompt the driver to approach the stationary object. The stationary object alarm can be triggered either by a warning sound or by a warning display. The stationary object alarm control unit 100 stops the stationary object warning when the sonar sensor 43 no longer detects a stationary object, that is, when the execution condition is no longer met.

[0025] The moving object alarm control unit 110 executes a moving object alarm to notify the driver of the vehicle VH of the approaching object when the driver detects the moving object approaching the own vehicle VH from behind during reversing. The moving object alarm control unit 110 is an example of the "first notification unit" of the present disclosure. Whether the vehicle VH is reversing or not can be determined by whether the shift sensor 35 detects the reverse gear R as the shift position. In the present embodiment, the moving object alarm control unit 110 executes two types of moving object alarms, such as the rear cross traffic alert (RCTA) function and the rear camera detection (RCD) function.

[0026] The RCTA function is to notify the driver of the own vehicle VH of the approach of the other vehicle when the other vehicle approaching from outside the range toward the left rear of the own vehicle VH is detected based on the object information transmitted from the left rear side radar sensor 42L during the reversing of the own vehicle VH, or when the other vehicle approaching from outside the range toward the right rear of the own vehicle VH is detected based on the object information transmitted from the right rear side radar sensor 42R.When the execution condition for detecting an approaching other vehicle from the left or right rear area of ​​the host vehicle VH is met based on the detection results of the rear radar sensors 42 (42L, 42R), the moving object alarm control unit 110 outputs an alarm sound through the speaker 62 or the buzzer 63 to warn the driver of the approach of the other vehicle, and the warning image warning the driver of the approach of another vehicle is displayed on the display device 61. The moving object warning by the RCTA function can be performed either through a warning sound or through a warning display. The moving object alarm control unit 110 terminates the moving object alarm by the RCTA function when the rear radar sensors 42 (42L, 42R) no longer detect another approaching vehicle VH, ie, when the execution condition is no longer met.

[0027] The RCD function notifies the driver of the host vehicle VH of the presence of the pedestrian when the pedestrian behind the host vehicle VH is detected by the rear camera 41 when the host vehicle VH is reversing. When the execution condition for detecting the pedestrian behind the host vehicle VH is met based on the detection result of the rear camera 41, the moving object alarm control unit 110 outputs alarm sounds through the speaker 62 and the buzzer 63 to alert the driver of the pedestrian approach, and displays alarm images on the display device 61 to alert the driver of the pedestrian approach. The moving object alarm by the RCD function can be performed either through a warning sound or through a warning display.The moving object alarm control unit 110 terminates the moving object alarm through the RCD function when the rear camera 41 no longer detects pedestrians behind the vehicle VH, ie, when the execution condition is no longer met.

[0028] Based on the detection results of the sonar sensor 43, the shielding state determination unit 120 determines whether the rear of the own vehicle VH is in a shielding state (a state in which other vehicles or pedestrians cannot pass and approach the own vehicle VH) in which the vehicle is shielded from stationary objects located within a predetermined range of distance from the own vehicle VH. Specifically, the shielding state determination unit 120 determines that the rear of the own vehicle VH is in the shielding state when all of the sonar sensors 43 (43L1, 43L2, 43R2, 43R1) detect the stationary object, that is, when they detect the stationary object in four directions behind the own vehicle VH.On the other hand, if at least one or more of the rear sonar sensors 43 of all the sonar sensors 43 (43L1, 43L2, 43R2, 43R1) does not detect a stationary object, the shielding state determination unit 120 determines that the rear of the host vehicle VH is not in the shielding state. The shielding state determination unit 120 transmits the determination result to the alarm suppression processing unit 130, which will be described later.

[0029] Note that the detection direction of the stationary object is not limited to four directions and can be configured to detect the stationary object in a larger number of directions depending on the resolution and number of mounted sonar sensors. Even in this case, if a stationary object is detected in all directions, it is determined that the rear of the own vehicle VH is in the shielded state. Furthermore, the determination condition may be relaxed in consideration of the detection accuracy of the sonar sensor 43. For example, if the stationary object is detected in four directions, it can be determined that the rear of the own vehicle VH is in a shielded state even if the detection of the stationary object subsequently changes in three directions.Further, when the rear part (directly behind) of the own vehicle VH is covered with the stationary object over an area obtained by adding a predetermined length (buffering) to the vehicle width of the own vehicle VH, it can be determined that the rear part of the own vehicle VH is shielded by a wall or the like. The direct rear part of the own vehicle VH can be replaced by the travel distance of the own vehicle VH calculated based on the steering angle detected by the steering angle sensor 34. Detection of a stationary object behind the own vehicle VH can also be detected by the rear camera 41 and / or the rear radar sensor 42.

[0030] The alarm suppression processing unit 130 is an example of the “notification suppression unit” of the present disclosure, and executes an alarm suppression process for suppressing the activation of one of the alarms according to the shielding state of the stationary object and the characteristic of the moving object when the specific condition that the execution condition of the stationary object alarm and the execution condition of the moving object alarm are simultaneously satisfied is met. When the execution conditions of the stationary object alarm and the moving object alarm are simultaneously satisfied, this does not mean that the timing of the setup completely coincides, but rather that the period in which the execution conditions of the stationary object alarm and the moving object alarm are satisfied at least partially overlap. Fig. 4 describes the cases in which the execution conditions for stationary object alarm and moving object alarm are met simultaneously.

[0031] Fig. 4A illustrates a case where the sonar sensor 43 (in the illustrated example, the right rear side radar sensor 43R1) detects the stationary object SOJ such as a pole in one direction, and the rear radar sensor 42L detects another vehicle VO approaching from the left rear side of the own vehicle VH, which is farther away than the stationary object SOJ. Fig. Fig. 4B illustrates a case where the sonar sensor 43 detects the stationary object SOJ (shielding object), such as a wall, in all four directions, and the rear radar sensor 42L detects another vehicle VO approaching from the left rear side of the own vehicle VH, which is farther away than the stationary object SOJ. In the case shown in Fig. In the case shown in Fig. 4B, the shielding state determination unit 120 determines that the rear of the own vehicle VH is in the shielded state.

[0032] If the distance between the own vehicle VH and the moving object (the other vehicle VO) is greater than the distance between the own vehicle VH and the stationary object SOJ by a predetermined value or more, the alarm suppression processing unit 130 determines that the moving object is farther from the stationary object SOJ. Here, the distance from the own vehicle VH to the stationary object SOJ may be, for example, the distance to the stationary object SOJ (in the case of Fig. 4B, the stationary object detected by the right rear side sonar sensor 43R1 is the one that is farthest from the host vehicle VH among the objects detected as the stationary object SOJ. The distance to the stationary object SOJ may be an average of the distances of the plurality of objects detected as the stationary object SOJ, or it may be a distance of the host vehicle VH to the stationary object SOJ (detected by the left rear side sonar sensor 43L1 in the case shown in Fig. 4B illustrated embodiment) which is located substantially in the same direction as the moving object (the other vehicle VO).

[0033] In each of the Fig. 4A and Fig. In the cases shown in Figure 4B, the other vehicles VO are farther away from the own vehicle VH than the stationary object SOJ. Not only when there is a barrier such as a wall between the own vehicle VH and the other vehicle VO, but also when there is a pole or similar barrier, the other vehicle VO will not approach the own vehicle VH by passing through it. Therefore, it is assumed that the driver does not need the moving object alarm provided by the RCTA function.

[0034] When the sonar sensor 43 (43L1, 43L2, 43R2, 43R1) detects the stationary object SOJ in at least one direction and the rear radar sensor 42 further detects the other vehicle VO as the stationary object SOJ, the alarm suppression processing unit 130 suppresses the moving object alarm of the RCTA function by the stationary object alarm control unit 110. That is, the stationary object alarm by the stationary object alarm control unit 100 is given priority. This effectively prevents unnecessary activation of the moving object alarm based on the other vehicles VO that are unlikely to pass through the stationary objects SOJ, thereby effectively preventing drivers from becoming alarmed.

[0035] Fig. Fig. 4C illustrates a case where the sonar sensor 43 detects the stationary object SOJ (shielding object), such as a wall or the like, in all four directions, and the rear camera 41 detects the pedestrian HU approaching the own vehicle VH from behind, further than the stationary object SOJ. In the case shown in Fig. In the case illustrated in Figure 4C, the shielding state determination unit 120 determines that the rear of the host vehicle VH is in the shielding state, and the space between the host vehicle VH and the pedestrian HU is shielded by the wall, a wire mesh, or the like. In such cases, the pedestrian HU is unlikely to pass through the stationary object SOJ and approach the host vehicle VH. That is, it is assumed that the driver does not need the moving object alarm provided by the RCD function.

[0036] The alarm suppression processing unit 130 suppresses the moving object alarm of the RCD function by the moving object alarm control unit 110 when the shielding state determination unit 120 determines that the rear of the host vehicle VH is in the shielding state, that is, when the sonar sensor 43 (43L1, 43L2, 43R2, 43R1) detects the stationary object SOJ in all four directions and the rear camera 41 further detects the pedestrian HU as the stationary object SOJ. This means that the stationary object alarm is prioritized by the stationary object alarm control unit 100. This effectively prevents unnecessary activation of the moving object alarm based on the pedestrian HU that is unlikely to pass the stationary object SOJ, thus effectively preventing drivers from becoming alarmed.

[0037] Fig. 4D illustrates a case in which the sonar sensor 43 (in the illustrated example, the right rear side sonar sensor 43R1) detects the stationary object SOJ, such as the pole, in one direction, and the rear camera 41 detects the pedestrian HU approaching the host vehicle VH from the rear, which is farther away than the stationary object SOJ. Fig. In the case shown in Figure 4D, the space between the host vehicle VH and the pedestrian HU is not completely shielded. In this case, the pedestrian HU can pass through the stationary object SOJ and approach the host vehicle VH. This means that drivers feel they need the moving object alarm provided by the RCD function.

[0038] Even if the rear camera 41 further detects the pedestrian HU as the stationary object SOJ, the alarm suppression processing unit 130 does not suppress the moving object alarm of the RCD function by the stationary object alarm control unit 110 if the shielding state determination unit 120 determines that the rear of the own vehicle VH is not in the shielding state. That is, the moving object alarm directed at the pedestrian by the moving object alarm control unit 110 takes priority. This reliably activates the moving object alarm deemed necessary by the driver, and the alarm can be optimized.

[0039] Next, a routine of alarm control and alarm suppression process by the CPU 11 of the ECU 10 is described with reference to Fig. 5. This routine is started, for example, when the shift sensor 35 detects reverse gear R as the shift position.

[0040] In step S100, the ECU 10 determines whether the condition for executing the stationary object alarm is met based on the detection result of the sonar sensor 43. If the stationary object alarm execution condition is met (Yes), the ECU 10 proceeds to step S110. Conversely, if the stationary object alarm execution condition is not met (No), the ECU 10 proceeds to step S170.

[0041] In step S170, the ECU 10 determines whether the execution condition of the moving object alarm is met based on the radar sensor 42 and / or the rear camera 41. If the execution condition of the moving object alarm is not met (No), the ECU 10 returns to the determination process of step S100. Conversely, if the execution condition of the moving object alarm is met (Yes), the ECU 10 processes step S180 and executes the moving object alarm.

[0042] In step S110, the ECU 10 determines whether the execution condition of the moving object alarm is met based on the detection results of the radar sensor 42 and / or the rear camera 41. If the execution condition of the moving object alarm is not met (No), the ECU 10 processes the process up to step S160 and executes the stationary object alarm. In such cases, the ECU 10 does not execute the moving object alarm. However, if the execution condition of the moving object alarm is met (Yes), the ECU 10 processes step S120.

[0043] In step S120, the ECU 10 determines whether the moving object detected behind the host vehicle VH is the other vehicle VO approaching the host vehicle VH. If the moving object is the other vehicle VO (YES), the ECU 10 proceeds to step S130. On the other hand, if the moving object is not the other vehicle VO (NO), that is, if the moving object is the pedestrian HU approaching the host vehicle VH from behind, the ECU 10 proceeds to step S140.

[0044] In step S130, the ECU 10 determines whether the other vehicle VO is farther from the host vehicle VH than the stationary object SOJ. If the other vehicle VO is farther than the stationary object SOJ (Yes), the other vehicle VO does not pass through the stationary object SOJ and does not approach, so the moving object alarm is not required. In this case, the ECU 10 processes step S160 and executes the stationary object alarm, that is, it does not execute the moving object alarm. On the other hand, if the other vehicle VO is not farther than the stationary object SOJ (No), the other vehicle VO can approach the host vehicle VH. Then, the ECU 10 processes the process up to step S180 and executes the moving object alarm.

[0045] In step S140, the ECU 10 determines whether the rear of the own vehicle VH is shielded and the pedestrian HU, who is the moving object, is farther from the own vehicle VH than the stationary object SOJ. If the rear of the own vehicle VH is shielded and the pedestrian HU is farther than the stationary object SOJ (Yes), the pedestrian HU is unlikely to pass through the stationary object and approach the own vehicle VH. In this case, the ECU 10 processes step S160 and executes the stationary object alarm, that is, it does not execute the moving object alarm. However, if the rear of the own vehicle VH is clear or the pedestrian HU is not farther than the stationary object SOJ (No), the pedestrian HU can approach the own vehicle VH. Subsequently, the ECU 10 processes step S180 and executes the moving object alarm.

[0046] In the above, the vehicle control device and the vehicle control method according to the at least one embodiment have been described, but the present disclosure is not limited to the at least one embodiment, and various modifications are possible within the range not deviating from the subject matter of the present disclosure.

[0047] For example, in the above-described embodiment, the alarm suppression processing unit 130 controls both the alarm sound and the alarm display when suppressing the moving object alarm or the stationary object alarm, but it may also be configured to suppress only one of the two, namely the alarm sound and the alarm display. Although the moving object alarm control unit 110 has been described as notifying the approach of the other vehicle through the RCTA function and notifying the driver of the approach of the pedestrian through the RCD function when it detects the other vehicle or pedestrian, the present disclosure can also be applied to a system that simply notifies the other vehicle or pedestrian as a moving object without distinguishing the characteristics. QUOTES CONTAINED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents submitted by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the convenience of the reader. This list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] JP 2023-145121

[0001] JP 2017-013756

[0003]

Claims

[1] Vehicle control device, comprising: a first notification unit configured to notify a driver of an own vehicle of an approaching moving object when a moving object approaching from outside a predetermined area located in a travel path of the own vehicle and within a predetermined distance from the vehicle is detected by a first detection unit; a second notification unit configured to notify the driver of the approach of a stationary object when the stationary object, which is located in a predetermined area in which the distance from the own vehicle is within a predetermined range, is detected by a second detection unit; and a notification suppression unit configured to, when a specific condition is met where the second detection unit detects the stationary object and the first detection unit detects the moving object further away from the own vehicle than the stationary object, suppress the notification by the first notification unit when the property of the moving object is a first property, and configured to, when the property of the moving object is a second property different from the first property, suppress the notification by the first notification unit only when the second detection unit detects the stationary object over a predetermined range in the width direction of the own vehicle. [2] Vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein the second detection unit is a sonar sensor mounted at a plurality of positions in the width direction of the own vehicle; and wherein the notification suppression unit is configured to, when the specific condition is met and when the property of the moving object is the second property, suppress the notification by the first notification unit only when a predetermined number or more of the sonar sensors among the plurality of sonar sensors detect the stationary object. [3] Vehicle control device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first detection unit is configured to detect another vehicle and a pedestrian approaching the own vehicle as the moving object; and wherein the notification suppression unit is configured to determine the property of the moving object as the first property when the moving object is the other vehicle, and to determine the property of the moving object as the second property when the moving object is the pedestrian. [4] The vehicle control device according to claim 3, wherein the first detection unit includes at least one radar sensor capable of detecting the other vehicle and a camera capable of detecting at least the pedestrian. [5] Vehicle control procedure, comprising the steps of: Performing a first notification to notify a driver of a host vehicle of an approaching moving object when a moving object approaching from outside a predetermined area located in a travel path of the host vehicle and within a predetermined distance from the vehicle is detected by a first detection unit; Performing a second notification to notify the driver of the approach of a stationary object when the stationary object located in a predetermined area in which the distance from the own vehicle is within a predetermined range is detected by a second detection unit; and Suppressing the first notification when a certain condition is met in which the second detection unit detects the stationary object and the first detection unit detects the moving object further away from the own vehicle than the stationary object when the characteristic of the stationary object is a first characteristic, and suppressing the first notification only when the second detection unit detects the stationary object over a predetermined range in the width direction of the own vehicle when the characteristic of the moving object is a second characteristic different from the first characteristic.

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