Disembarking assistance device

Abstract

The present invention provides a passenger disembarkation assistance device that can issue a disembarkation warning by enabling the detection of approaching objects even when the door is open. [Solution] The disembarkation support device includes a camera that acquires rear-side images by photographing the scenery to the rear and side of the vehicle, and a control unit that, when it is determined from the rear-side image that there is an approaching object that is approaching from the rear and side of the vehicle and has the potential to collide with the open vehicle door, issues a disembarkation warning to inform the vehicle occupants of the presence of the approaching object. The camera is positioned in front of the door and capable of photographing the scenery to the rear and side of the vehicle through the door window when the door is open. A vehicle exit assistance device.

Description

Technical Field

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[0001] The present invention relates to a disembarkation assistance device that gives a disembarkation warning to inform a vehicle occupant that there is an approaching object when there is an approaching object that may collide with an open door of the vehicle approaching from the rear side of the vehicle.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a disembarkation assistance device that gives a disembarkation warning has been known. For example, a disembarkation assistance device described in Patent Document 1 (hereinafter referred to as the "conventional device") uses an electronic outer mirror to detect an approaching object when there is an obstacle that obstructs the detection of an approaching object approaching from the rear side of the vehicle behind the vehicle. On the other hand, when there is no obstacle, the conventional device uses a rear side radar to detect an approaching object.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

[0004] The electronic outer mirror is disposed on the door of the vehicle. When the door is closed, the electronic outer mirror can detect an object on the rear side of the vehicle. However, when the door is open, the electronic outer mirror cannot detect an object on the rear side of the vehicle. This is because the imaging area of the electronic outer mirror is changed as the door is opened, and the electronic outer mirror cannot image the rear side of the vehicle.

[0005] In a situation where there is an obstacle, even though there was no approaching object before the door was opened, if an approaching object appears when the occupant is about to open the door and disembark, the conventional device cannot detect the approaching object. Therefore, when an approaching object appears after the door is opened, the conventional device is highly likely not to be able to give a disembarkation warning.

[0006] This invention was made to address the aforementioned problems. Specifically, one of the objectives of this invention is to provide a passenger disembarkation assistance device that can provide a disembarkation warning by detecting an approaching object even when the door is open.

[0007] The vehicle control device of the present invention (hereinafter referred to as "the present invention device") is Cameras (22L, 22R) that capture rear-side images by photographing the scenery behind the vehicle, If the rear-side image determines that there is an approaching object that is approaching from the rear side of the vehicle and has the potential to collide with the open vehicle door (DR) (step 310 "Yes"), the control unit (20) issues a disembarkation warning to inform the occupants of the vehicle of the presence of the approaching object (step 325), It is equipped with. The camera is positioned in front of the door and capable of capturing the scenery to the rear and side of the vehicle through the door window (WD) when the door is open.

[0008] According to the present invention, even when the door is open, the camera can capture the scenery to the rear and side of the vehicle through the door window. This allows the present invention to determine whether or not there is an approaching object from the rear and side of the door, even when the door is open. Therefore, even if an approaching object becomes present after the door has been opened, the present invention can detect the approaching object and issue a passenger disembarkation warning. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This is a schematic system configuration diagram of a vehicle disembarkation assistance device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is an explanatory diagram of the placement of the left rear side camera. [Figure 3] Figure 1 is a flowchart of the disembarkation assistance control routine executed by the CPU of the ECU. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] An embodiment of the present invention, the disembarking assistance device 10 (hereinafter referred to as "the device 10"), is applied to a vehicle VA and comprises the components shown in Figure 1. In this specification, "ECU 20" is an electronic control device mainly comprising a microcomputer. The ECU 20 is also referred to as a control unit, controller, and computer. The microcomputer includes a CPU (processor), ROM, RAM, and interface (I / F), etc. The functions realized by the ECU 20 may be realized by multiple ECUs.

[0011] The left rear side camera 22L and the right rear side camera 22R are mounted on the left side mirror LSM and the right side mirror RSM of the vehicle VA, respectively. The left side mirror LSM and the right side mirror RSM are mounted so as to protrude in the width direction from the left and right ends of the vehicle body of the vehicle VA, respectively. The left rear side camera 22L acquires a left rear side image by photographing the scenery to the left rear side of the vehicle VA. The right rear side camera 22R acquires a right rear side image by photographing the scenery to the right rear side of the vehicle VA. The ECU 20 acquires the left rear side image and the right rear side image from the left rear side camera 22L and the right rear side camera 22R, respectively.

[0012] The left side mirror display 24L and the right side mirror display 24R are located on the left side mirror LSM and the right side mirror RSM, respectively. The ECU 20 displays the left rear side image and the right rear side image on the left side mirror display 24L and the right side mirror display 24R, respectively.

[0013] The door latch actuator 30 is an actuator that controls the door latch of the door DR of the vehicle VA. The door latch actuator 30 controls the door latch to open the door DR in response to an open operation of the door DR from inside the vehicle. Furthermore, the door latch actuator 30 can also disable the open operation of the door DR in response to instructions from the ECU 20. The speaker 32 is installed in the passenger compartment of the vehicle VA and outputs alarm sounds, etc. The in-vehicle display 34 is installed in the passenger compartment of the vehicle VA.

[0014] <Passage assistance control> Based on the left rear side image and the right rear side image, the ECU20 determines whether there is an approaching object that is approaching the vehicle VA from at least one of the left rear side and the right rear side of the vehicle VA and has the potential to collide with the door DR if the door DR is opened.

[0015] If an approaching object is present, the ECU 20 issues an exit warning to inform the occupants of the vehicle VA of the presence of the approaching object. In the exit warning, the ECU 20 outputs a warning sound from the speaker 32 and displays a "first warning display element to inform the occupants of the presence of an approaching object" on the in-vehicle display 34. Furthermore, if an approaching object is present on the left rear side, the ECU 20 displays a "second warning display element to inform the occupants of the presence of an approaching object" on the left side mirror display 24L. Similarly, if an approaching object is present on the right rear side, the ECU 20 displays a second warning display element on the right side mirror display 24R.

[0016] Furthermore, when the left posterior lateral and right posterior lateral images are not distinguished, they will be referred to as "posterior lateral images," and when the left posterior lateral image and right posterior lateral image are not distinguished, they will be referred to as "posterior lateral images."

[0017] (Summary of operation) In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the left rear side camera 22L is located in front of the vehicle VA with respect to the left door DR (front door), and is disposed at a position where it can capture the scenery on the left rear side of the vehicle VA through the window WD of the door DR when the left door DR is opened. More specifically, the left rear side camera 22L is disposed at a position above the lower end LE of the window WD of the left door DR and below the upper end UE of the window WD.

[0018] Note that the right rear side camera 22R is also located in front of the vehicle VA with respect to the right door DR, and is disposed at a position where it can capture the scenery on the right rear side of the vehicle VA through the window WD of the door DR when the right door DR is opened (refer to the figure in the box of FIG. 2).

[0019] When there is no need to distinguish between the left rear side camera 22L and the right rear side camera 22R, these are referred to as the "rear side camera 22".

[0020] Since the rear side camera 22 is disposed at the above-described position, even when the door DR is opened, the scenery on the rear side of the vehicle VA is captured through the window WD of the door DR. Thereby, the present device 10 can detect an approaching object approaching the vehicle VA from the rear side of the opened door DR and can issue a disembarkation warning.

[0021] (Specific operation) The CPU of the ECU 20 executes the disembarkation support control routine shown by the flowchart in FIG. 3 every time a predetermined time elapses. When an appropriate time point arrives, the CPU starts processing from step 300 in FIG. 3, and the processing proceeds to step 310.

[0022] In step 310, the CPU acquires a rear-side image from the rear-side camera 22 and determines whether there is an approaching object based on the rear-side image. Specifically, the CPU estimates the moving direction of an object existing on the rear side based on a plurality of rear-side images taken at different times. When the estimated moving direction intersects the opened door DR, the CPU determines that the object may contact the opened door DR (that is, regards the object as an approaching object).

[0023] If there is no approaching object, the CPU determines "No" in step 310. In this case, the process proceeds to step 395, and the CPU temporarily ends this routine.

[0024] If there is an approaching object, the CPU determines "Yes" in step 310, and the process proceeds to step 320. In step 320, the CPU determines whether an opening operation has been performed on the door DR on the side where the approaching object exists.

[0025] If the opening operation has not been performed, the CPU determines "No" in step 320, and the process proceeds to step 325. In step 325, the CPU issues an alighting warning. Then, the process proceeds to step 395.

[0026] If the opening operation has been performed, the CPU determines "Yes" in step 320, and the process proceeds to step 330. In step 330, the CPU controls the door latch actuator 30 to invalidate the opening operation. Then, the process proceeds to step 325, and the CPU issues an alighting warning. Then, the process proceeds to step 395. ​​​​

[0028] In the exit warning system, the CPU only needs to perform at least one of the following: outputting a warning sound from speaker 32, displaying a first warning display element on in-vehicle display 34, or displaying a second warning display element on side mirror displays (24L, 24R). Furthermore, mirrors may be provided on the side mirrors instead of side mirror displays (24L, 24R).

[0029] This device 10 is applicable to vehicles such as engine-powered vehicles, hybrid vehicles, plug-in hybrid vehicles, fuel cell vehicles, and electric vehicles, and is also applicable to autonomous vehicles. [Explanation of symbols]

[0030] 10... Exit assistance device, 22L... Left rear side camera, 22R... Right rear side camera, 32... Speaker, 34... In-car display, DR... Door, WD... Window.

Claims

[Claim 1] A camera that acquires rear-side images by photographing the scenery to the rear and side of the vehicle, If, based on the rear-side image, it is determined that there is an approaching object that is approaching from the rear side of the vehicle and has the potential to collide with the open door of the vehicle, a control unit provides a disembarkation warning to inform the occupants of the vehicle of the presence of the approaching object. Equipped with, The camera is positioned in front of the door and capable of capturing the scenery to the rear and side of the vehicle through the door window when the door is open. A vehicle exit assistance device.

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