Obstacle detection device and obstacle detection method

Abstract

To provide an obstacle detection device which inhibits an erroneous judgment of an obstacle in an area of a vehicle with less risk of contact and collision to inhibit a false operation of a brake.SOLUTION: An obstacle detection device 200 includes: a travel direction determination part 235 which determines a travel direction of an own vehicle 1A on the basis of, obtained steering angle information and shift position information; and an obstacle determination part 237 which sets a detection range 300, referred to as a predetermined range, around the own vehicle 1A and determines that an object detected by sensor data is an obstacle which hinders travelling of the own vehicle 1A to output a control signal for stopping travelling of the own vehicle 1A or reducing a speed of the own vehicle 1A when the object is located at the inner side of the detection range 300. The obstacle determination part 237 changes the detection range 300 on the basis of, a determination result of the travel direction determination part 235.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an obstacle detection device and an obstacle detection method. [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there is known a device that detects objects present around a vehicle and determines whether or not the detected object is an obstacle that may hinder the vehicle traveling along a parking path. For example, the parking assistance device disclosed in Patent Document 1 sets a predetermined range centered on the vehicle as an original area, and detects an obstacle area in which an obstacle exists within the set original area. When assistance is started, the parking assistance device sets an area obtained by excluding at least the obstacle area from the original area as an assistance area, and while guiding the movement of the vehicle, determines whether the vehicle has approached the outer periphery edge of the assistance area. When it is determined that the vehicle has approached the outer periphery edge of the assistance area, the parking assistance device issues an alarm to inform the driver when the vehicle has approached the edge of the assistance area, i.e., when there is a risk of collision between the vehicle and an obstacle. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2010-18167 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, if the obstacle area and the support area are not set appropriately, the collision between the vehicle and the obstacle may be erroneously judged, causing the brakes to malfunction and the vehicle to stop moving. In this case, the route must be recalculated, and it takes time to park the vehicle in the desired parking position.

[0005] The present invention aims to suppress erroneous detection of obstacles in areas of the vehicle where the risk of contact or collision is low, and to suppress malfunction of the brakes. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above object, an obstacle detection device according to the present invention comprises: car steering angle information of both wheels, shift position information of the shift device, Take an operation information acquisition unit for acquiring the operation information; Detected by multiple sensors located at the front, rear, and sides of the vehicle a detection information acquisition unit that acquires detection information of an object present around the vehicle; and a traveling direction determination unit that determines a traveling direction of the vehicle based on the steering angle information and the shift position information; a route generating unit that generates a route for moving the vehicle from a current position to a target position; and a driving information generating unit that generates control information for driving the vehicle based on information on the route generated by the route generating unit. an obstacle determination unit that sets a detection range around the vehicle, and when an object detected by the detection information is located inside the detection range, determines the object to be an obstacle that hinders the traveling of the vehicle, and outputs a control signal to stop the traveling of the vehicle or to decelerate the vehicle, wherein the obstacle determination unit The route generation unit sets a judgment point at a predetermined distance on the generated route, and when it is determined that the vehicle traveling along the generated route has moved to each of the set judgment points, The detection range is changed based on the determination result of the traveling direction determination unit. When the travel direction determination unit determines that the vehicle's travel direction is a left rear turn, the detection ranges of the multiple sensors arranged in the front and left side of the vehicle are changed to be smaller than the detection ranges of the multiple sensors arranged in the rear and right side of the vehicle, and when the travel direction determination unit determines that the vehicle's travel direction is a right rear turn, the detection ranges of the multiple sensors arranged in the front and right side of the vehicle are changed to be smaller than the detection ranges of the multiple sensors arranged in the rear and left side of the vehicle. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to suppress erroneous determination of an obstacle in an area of ​​the vehicle where the risk of contact or collision is low, and to suppress malfunction of the brakes. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an in-vehicle device. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the installation position of a sonar. [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a fixed detection range, which is a detection range of a conventional sonar. [Figure 4] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a detection range when the traveling direction is forward. [Diagram 5] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a detection range when the traveling direction is straight backward. [Figure 6] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a detection range when the traveling direction is a backward left turn. [Figure 7]FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a detection range when the traveling direction is a backward right turn. [Figure 8] 11A and 11B are diagrams illustrating trajectories of the front right end and front left end of the host vehicle when the host vehicle is turned backward to the right; [Figure 9] 13 is a diagram showing a case where a host vehicle set within a fixed detection range is caused to leave a garage; FIG. [Figure 10] 13 is a diagram showing a case where the host vehicle is pulled out of the garage with a detection range set according to the traveling direction. FIG. [Figure 11] FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating setting of a detection range when parallel parking. [Figure 12] 4 is a flowchart showing an operation of the obstacle detection device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an on-vehicle device 3 mounted on a vehicle. In the following, the vehicle mounting the on-vehicle device 3 is referred to as a host vehicle 1A, and a vehicle other than the host vehicle 1A is referred to as a different vehicle 1B. The in-vehicle device 3 includes a position detection unit 10, a sonar unit 30, a route generation device 50, a driving control device 100, a travel drive device 150, and an obstacle detection device 200. The position detection unit 10, the sonar unit 30, the route generation device 50, the driving control device 100, and the obstacle detection device 200 are connected to each other so as to be able to communicate data with each other via a communication bus 5. The communication bus 5 is a bus for data communication that complies with standards such as Ethernet (registered trademark), CAN (Controller Area Network), and LIN (Local Interconnect Network).

[0010] The position detection unit 10 detects the position of the vehicle 1A. The position detection unit 10 includes a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) receiver and a processor. The GNSS receiver and the processor are not shown. The GNSS receiver receives signals transmitted from satellites. The processor calculates the latitude and longitude, which are position information of the vehicle 1A, based on the signal received by the GNSS receiver, and the orientation of the vehicle 1A based on the difference in the calculated position information. The position detection unit 10 outputs the position information and orientation information of the vehicle 1A obtained by the calculation to the route generation device 50 and the obstacle detection device 200.

[0011] The sonar unit 30 includes a plurality of sonars. These plurality of sonars are arranged in front, behind, or on the sides of the host vehicle 1A, and detect objects present around the host vehicle 1A. Specifically, each sonar uses ultrasonic waves to detect the distance to an object, a direction relative to the host vehicle 1A, and the like. The sonar unit 30 outputs sensor data indicating the detection results to the path generating device 50 and the obstacle detecting device 200.

[0012] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the installation positions of the sonar. In this embodiment, a case will be described in which twelve sonars are mounted on the host vehicle 1A, but the number of sonars is not limited to twelve. As shown in FIG. 2, six sonars, sonar S1, sonar S2, sonar S3, sonar S4, sonar S5 and sonar S6, are installed in front of the host vehicle 1A. Sonar S1, sonar S2, and sonar S3 are installed on the front left side of the host vehicle 1A, and sonar S4, sonar S5, and sonar S6 are installed on the front right side of the host vehicle 1A. Sonars S7, S8 and S9 are installed on the rear left side of the host vehicle 1A, and sonars S10, S11 and S12 are installed on the rear right side of the host vehicle 1A.

[0013] An example of the installation positions of sonars S1 to S12 will be described. To explain the installation positions of sonars S1 to S12, a two-dimensional coordinate is set for vehicle 1A. In this two-dimensional coordinate, the direction parallel to the vehicle length direction of vehicle 1A is the X-axis, and the direction parallel to the vehicle width direction is the Y-axis. The positive direction of the X-axis is the forward direction of vehicle 1A, and the negative direction is the rear direction of vehicle 1A. The positive direction of the Y-axis is the direction toward the left side of vehicle 1A, and the negative direction is the right side of vehicle 1A. The origin of the two-dimensional coordinate is set on the rear wheel axle of vehicle 1A, at the center position in the vehicle width direction. Sonar S1 is installed at the coordinates (2800,850) with an installation angle of 95°. Sonar S2 is installed at coordinates (3100,700) with an installation angle of 50°. Sonar S3 is installed at coordinates (3300,250) with an installation angle of 15°. Sonar S4 is installed at coordinates (3300,-250) with an installation angle of 345°. Sonar S5 is installed at coordinates (3100,-700) with an installation angle of 310°. Sonar S6 is installed at coordinates (2800,-850) with an installation angle of 265°. Sonar S7 is installed at the coordinates (-400,850) with an installation angle of 95°. Sonar S8 is installed at the coordinates (-650,700) with an installation angle of 160°. Sonar S9 is installed at the coordinates (-850,250) with an installation angle of 195°. Sonar S10 is installed at coordinates (-850,-250) with an installation angle of 165°. Sonar S11 is installed at coordinates (-650,-700) with an installation angle of 200°. Sonar S12 is installed at coordinates (-400,-850) with an installation angle of 265°. The coordinate values ​​are expressed in mm, and the installation angle is a counterclockwise angle with the positive direction of the X-axis being 0°.

[0014] In this embodiment, a case will be described in which the in-vehicle device 3 is equipped with a sonar, but the sensor that can be installed in the in-vehicle device 3 is not limited to a sonar. For example, the in-vehicle device 3 may be equipped with a radar or a LiDAR (Laser Imaging Detection and Ranging) that can measure the distance to an object using radio waves, light, etc. Also, the in-vehicle device 3 may be equipped with a camera.

[0015] The route generating device 50 is a computer device including an input / output interface (hereinafter, interface will be abbreviated as I / F) 60, a memory 70, and a processor 80. In addition to these devices, the route generating device 50 may be configured to include a storage device such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or an SSD (Solid State Drive).

[0016] The input / output I / F 60 is connected to the communication bus 5, and performs data communication with external devices connected to the communication bus 5. The external devices include the position detection unit 10, the sonar unit 30, the driving control device 100, and the obstacle detection device 200.

[0017] The memory 70 is composed of a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), or the like. The memory 70 may also be composed of a non-volatile semiconductor memory such as a flash memory. The memory 70 stores computer programs executed by the processor 80, data processed by the processor 80 when executing the computer programs, and data resulting from the processing. The memory 70 also stores sensor data output from the sonar unit 30, and position information and direction information detected by the position detection unit 10. The memory 70 also stores a surrounding area map generated by the path generation device 50, and parking path information. The processor 80 is composed of a CPU (Central Processing Unit), an MPU (Microprocessor Unit), and the like.

[0018] The path generation device 50 includes, as functional components, a map generation unit 81, a parking path generation unit 83, and a driving information generation unit 85. These functional components are functions realized by the processor 80 performing calculations in accordance with a computer program.

[0019] The map generating unit 81 generates a surrounding map showing the situation around the vehicle 1A based on the position information and direction information read from the memory 70 and the sensor data. The surrounding map records the position of the vehicle 1A, the positions of objects around the vehicle 1A and the distances to the objects, the positions of parking spaces such as white lines painted on the road surface of the parking lot, and the like. Objects recorded in the surrounding map include, for example, other vehicles 1B and structures such as pillars and walls of the parking lot. Hereinafter, these objects are referred to as targets. Since parking spaces are painted on the road surface with a predetermined thickness, intervals corresponding to the thickness of the white lines are detected as periodic features.

[0020] The parking path generating unit 83 determines a parking frame in which the host vehicle 1A is to be parked, with reference to the surrounding map generated by the map generating unit 81. For example, the parking path generating unit 83 selects a parking frame in which no object is detected and the distance from the host vehicle 1A is equal to or less than a preset distance from among the parking frames recorded in the surrounding map. The parking path generating unit 83 determines the parking position by setting a position and an angle at which the host vehicle 1A is to be parked within the selected parking frame.

[0021] Next, the parking path generating unit 83 generates a parking path for parking the host vehicle 1A at the determined parking position. The parking path is a path for moving the host vehicle 1A from the position of the host vehicle 1A to the parking position. The position of the host vehicle 1A is a position indicated by the position information read from the memory 70. A known means is used for the parking path generating process.

[0022] The driving information generating unit 85 receives parking route information generated by the parking route generating unit 83. Based on the received parking route information, the driving information generating unit 85 generates driving information, which is information for the driving control device 100 to control the traveling drive device 150. The driving information includes, for example, the operation amount of an operation object such as a steering wheel, a shift device, an accelerator, or a brake, and information on the position at which the operation object is operated. The operation amount includes, for example, the steering angle of the steering wheel, the accelerator opening, and the operation amount of the brake. The operation position is information on the position on the parking route at which the operation object is operated to the operation amount associated with this operation position. The driving information generating unit 85 outputs control information including route information, which is information on the parking route, and the generated driving information, to the driving control device 100 and the obstacle detection device 200.

[0023] The operation control device 100 is a computer device equipped with an input / output I / F, a memory, and a processor. The input / output I / F, the memory, and the processor are not shown in the drawings. The driving control device 100 receives control information from the route generating device 50. The driving control device 100 generates a drive signal based on the driving information included in the received control information. This drive signal is a signal that drives the steering device 151, the drive device 153, the braking device 155, and the transmission 157 provided in the traveling drive device 150. The driving control device 100 outputs the generated drive signal to the traveling drive device 150.

[0024] In addition, a stop signal is input to the driving control device 100 from the obstacle detection device 200. The stop signal is a signal that stops the host vehicle 1A traveling along the parking path. When the stop signal is input, the driving control device 100 stops the driving of the driving device 153 and drives the braking device 155 to stop the traveling of the host vehicle 1A.

[0025] The traveling drive device 150 includes a steering device 151 , a drive device 153 , a braking device 155 and a transmission device 157 . The steering device 151 is a device including an actuator for steering the steering wheels of the host vehicle 1A. The driving control device 100 drives the actuator by a drive signal to steer the steering wheels. The driving device 153 is a device including an actuator that adjusts the driving force of the driving wheels of the host vehicle 1A. If the power source of the host vehicle 1A is an engine, this actuator corresponds to a throttle actuator, and if the power source is a motor, this actuator corresponds to the motor. The driving control device 100 drives the actuator with a drive signal to adjust the driving force of the driving wheels of the host vehicle 1A.

[0026] The braking device 155 is a device that controls a brake system provided in the host vehicle 1A and includes an actuator that controls the braking force applied to the wheels of the host vehicle 1A. The driving control device 100 drives an actuator by a drive signal to control the braking force applied to the wheels of the host vehicle 1A. The transmission 157 is a device that includes a transmission and an actuator. The transmission 157 also includes a shift device that can be operated by the driver to operate the transmission. The driving control device 100 drives the actuator with a drive signal to change the gear ratio of the transmission and switch between forward and reverse travel of the host vehicle 1A.

[0027] The obstacle detection device 200 is a computer device including an input / output I / F 210, a memory 220, and a processor 230. In addition to these devices, the obstacle detection device 200 may be configured to include a storage device such as an HDD or SSD.

[0028] The input / output I / F 210 is connected to the communication bus 5, and performs data communication with external devices connected to the communication bus 5. The external devices include the position detection unit 10, the sonar unit 30, the route generation device 50, and the operation control device 100. The input / output I / F 210 corresponds to an input interface.

[0029] The memory 220 is configured with a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), or the like. The memory 220 may also be configured with a non-volatile semiconductor memory such as a flash memory. The memory 220 stores computer programs executed by the processor 230, data processed by the processor 230 when executing the computer programs, and data resulting from the processing. The memory 220 also stores sensor data output from the sonar unit 30, and position information and direction information detected by the position detection unit 10. The memory 220 also stores control information input from the path generation device 50. The processor 230 is configured with a CPU, an MPU, and the like.

[0030] The obstacle detection device 200 includes, as functional components, an operation information acquisition unit 231, a detection information acquisition unit 233, a traveling direction determination unit 235, and an obstacle determination unit 237. These functional components are functions realized by the processor 230 performing calculations in accordance with a computer program.

[0031] The operation information acquisition unit 231 acquires steering angle information and shift position information. Specifically, the operation information acquisition unit 231 first reads driving information from the memory 220, and sets a judgment point at every predetermined distance on the parking route indicated by the route information. In addition, if the parking route includes a point where the traveling direction of the vehicle 1A is changed from forward to reverse, or from reverse to forward, the operation information acquisition unit 231 also sets this point as a judgment point.

[0032] When the judgment point is set, the operation information acquisition unit 231 acquires steering angle information indicating the operation amount of the steering wheel at the set judgment point and shift position information indicating the shift position of the shift device at the judgment point from the driving information. The operation information acquisition unit 231 outputs the steering angle information and the shift position information at each judgment point to the traveling direction determination unit 235.

[0033] The detection information acquisition unit 233 acquires sensor data, which is detection information, of the sonar unit 30. The detection information acquisition unit 233 reads the sensor data from the memory 220, and outputs the read sensor data to the obstacle determination unit 237.

[0034] The travel direction determination unit 235 receives steering angle information and shift position information at each judgment point from the operation information acquisition unit 231. The travel direction determination unit 235 determines the travel direction of the host vehicle 1A at each judgment point based on the input shift position information and steering angle information. The travel direction determination unit 235 outputs information indicating the travel direction of the host vehicle 1A at each judgment point determined to the obstacle determination unit 237.

[0035] The traveling direction determined by the traveling direction determination unit 235 is one of four directions: forward, backward straight, backward right turn, and backward left turn. Forward includes three directions: straight, forward right turn, and forward left turn, but the traveling direction determination unit 235 determines the traveling direction as forward without distinguishing between these three traveling directions.

[0036] For example, when the shift position information of the shift device is drive, the traveling direction determination unit 235 determines that the traveling direction of the host vehicle 1A is forward. Furthermore, when the shift position information of the shift device is reverse, the traveling direction determination unit 235 compares the steering angle indicated by the steering angle information with the first threshold value and the second threshold value. In this embodiment, the first threshold value is set to -120 degrees, and the second threshold value is set to 120 degrees. If the shift position information indicates reverse and the steering angle is less than -120 degrees, the traveling direction determination unit 235 determines that the traveling direction of the host vehicle 1A is a backward left turn. If the shift position information indicates reverse and the steering angle is greater than 120 degrees, the traveling direction determination unit 235 determines that the traveling direction of the host vehicle 1A is a backward right turn. In this embodiment, the case where the steering wheel is turned right is assumed to be a forward turn.

[0037] In this embodiment, a case will be described where the first threshold value is set to -120 degrees and the second threshold value is set to 120 degrees, but the first threshold value is not limited to -120 degrees and the second threshold value is not limited to 120 degrees. It is preferable to set the first threshold value within a range of -120 degrees or less and -180 degrees or more, and the second threshold value within a range of 120 degrees or more and 180 degrees or less. There are no upper or lower limits on the first threshold value and the second threshold value, and they can be set according to the steering angle characteristics, turning characteristics, shape, etc. of the host vehicle 1A.

[0038] The obstacle determining unit 237 receives information on the traveling direction of the vehicle 1A at each determination point from the traveling direction determining unit 235, and also receives sensor data from the detection information acquiring unit 233. The obstacle determination unit 237 determines whether or not an object detected by the sensor data is an obstacle that will hinder the travel of the vehicle 1A. An object that will hinder the travel of the vehicle 1A means that the object will come into contact with or collide with the vehicle 1A when the vehicle 1A travels along the parking path. The obstacle determination unit 237 sets a detection range 300, which is a predetermined range, around the vehicle 1A, and determines whether the position of the object detected by the sonar unit 30 is located inside or outside the detection range 300. When the obstacle determination unit 237 detects an object located inside the detection range 300, it determines that the object is an obstacle.

[0039] Furthermore, the obstacle determination unit 237 changes the detection range 300 based on the traveling direction of the host vehicle 1A determined by the traveling direction determination unit 235. Using the determination result of the traveling direction determination unit 235, the obstacle determination unit 237 makes the detection range 300 in a direction that does not correspond to the traveling direction smaller than the detection range 300 in the direction that corresponds to the traveling direction of the host vehicle 1A. Specifically, the obstacle determination unit 237 determines the range of the host vehicle 1A in which narrowing the detection range 300 will not hinder the determination of contact or collision with an object. That is, the obstacle determination unit 237 determines the range of the host vehicle 1A in which safety is high. The obstacle determination unit 237 narrows the width of the detection range 300 corresponding to the determined range of the host vehicle 1A. The relationship between the traveling direction of the host vehicle 1A and the width of the detection range 300 will be described with reference to Figs. 3 to 7.

[0040] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a fixed detection range 20, which is the detection range of a conventional sonar. The fixed detection range 20, which is a conventional detection range, does not change even if the traveling direction of the vehicle 1A is changed, and always detects obstacles within a fixed range. In the case of the fixed detection range 20, the search distance of each sonar is set uniformly to distance D1 for all sonars. The search distance is the distance that the sonar searches in the direction of the sonar's installation angle. For example, in the case of sonar S1, it is the distance at which an object is detected in the direction of the installation angle of sonar S1, which is 95°.

[0041] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a detection range 300A when the host vehicle 1A is traveling forward. When the traveling direction of the host vehicle 1A is forward, the obstacle determination unit 237 sets a forward detection range 300A. Specifically, the obstacle determination unit 237 changes the detection distance of the sonars S7 to S12 installed at the rear of the host vehicle 1A from distance D1 to distance D2. Moreover, the obstacle determination unit 237 leaves the detection distance of the sonars S1 to S6 installed in front of the host vehicle 1A unchanged at distance D1. The distance D2 is set to a distance shorter than the distance D1. The distance D1 corresponds to a preset distance. When the traveling direction of the host vehicle 1A is forward, the detection range 300 of the sonars S1 to S6 corresponds to a range corresponding to the traveling direction of the host vehicle 1A. When the traveling direction of the host vehicle 1A is forward, the detection range 300 of the sonars S7 to S12 corresponds to a range not corresponding to the traveling direction of the host vehicle 1A.

[0042] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a detection range 300B when the host vehicle 1A is traveling straight backward. When the traveling direction of the host vehicle 1A is moving straight backward, the obstacle determination unit 237 sets a detection range 300B for backward movement. Specifically, the obstacle determination unit 237 changes the detection distance of the sonars S1 to S6 installed in front of the host vehicle 1A from distance D1 to distance D2. Moreover, the obstacle determination unit 237 does not change the detection distance of the sonars S7 to S12 installed in the rear of the host vehicle 1A, leaving it at distance D1. When the vehicle 1A is traveling straight backward, the detection range 300 of the sonars S7 to S12 corresponds to a range corresponding to the traveling direction of the vehicle 1A. When the vehicle 1A is traveling straight backward, the detection range 300 of the sonars S1 to S6 corresponds to a range not corresponding to the traveling direction of the vehicle 1A.

[0043] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a detection range 300C when the host vehicle 1A is traveling in a backward left turn direction. When the traveling direction of the host vehicle 1A is a backward left turn, the obstacle determination unit 237 sets the detection range 300C for a backward left turn. Specifically, the obstacle determination unit 237 changes the detection distances of the sonars S1 to S5 installed in front of the host vehicle 1A from distance D1 to distance D2. Furthermore, in order to maintain the detection distance on the right side of the host vehicle 1A at distance D1, the obstacle determination unit 237 does not change the detection distance of the sonar S6, which remains at distance D1. Furthermore, the obstacle determination unit 237 does not change the detection distances of the sonars S7 to S12 installed in the rear of the host vehicle 1A, which remains at distance D1. When the traveling direction of the host vehicle 1A is turning backward left, the detection range 300 of the sonars S6 to S12 corresponds to a range corresponding to the traveling direction of the host vehicle 1A. Also, when the traveling direction of the host vehicle 1A is turning backward left, the detection range 300 of the sonars S1 to S5 corresponds to a range not corresponding to the traveling direction of the host vehicle 1A.

[0044] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a detection range 300D when the host vehicle 1A is turning backward to the right. When the traveling direction of the host vehicle 1A is a backward right turn, the obstacle determination unit 237 sets a detection range 300D for a backward right turn. Specifically, the obstacle determination unit 237 changes the detection distances of the sonars S2 to S6 installed in front of the host vehicle 1A from distance D1 to distance D2. Moreover, in order to maintain the detection distance on the left side of the host vehicle 1A at distance D1, the obstacle determination unit 237 does not change the detection distance of the sonar S1, which remains at distance D1. Moreover, the obstacle determination unit 237 does not change the detection distances of the sonars S7 to S12 installed in the rear of the host vehicle 1A, which remains at distance D1. When the traveling direction of the host vehicle 1A is turning backward to the right, the detection range 300 of the sonars S1 and S7 to S12 corresponds to the range corresponding to the traveling direction of the host vehicle 1A. Also, when the traveling direction of the host vehicle 1A is turning backward to the right, the detection range 300 of the sonars S2 to S6 corresponds to the range not corresponding to the traveling direction of the host vehicle 1A.

[0045] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the trajectories of a front right end p and a front left end q of the host vehicle 1A when the host vehicle 1A turns backward to the right. When the host vehicle 1A makes a backward right turn, the detection distance of the sonar S6 installed at the front right end p of the host vehicle 1A is changed from distance D1 to distance D2, while the detection distance of the sonar S1 installed at the front left end q of the host vehicle 1A remains at distance D1. The reason for this will be explained with reference to FIG. At time t1, the front right end p is located at p1, and the front left end q is located at q1. At time t2, the front right end p is located at p2, and the front left end q is located at q2. At time t3, the front right end p is located at p3, and the front left end q is located at q3. At time t4, the front right end p is located at p4, and the front left end q is located at q4.

[0046] When the host vehicle 1A turns backward to the right, the position p2 of the front right end p at time t2 moves to the left of the position p1 of the front right end p at time t1, that is, in the direction in which the body of the host vehicle 1A was located at time t1. Similarly, the position p3 at time t3 moves to the left of the position p2 at time t2, that is, in the direction in which the body of the host vehicle 1A was located at time t2. In contrast, the position q2 of the front left end q at time t2 is further left than the position q1 of the front left end q at time t1, that is, it moves outward from the body of the host vehicle 1A located at time t1. Similarly, the position q3 at time t3 is further left than the position q2 at time t2, that is, it moves outward from the body of the host vehicle 1A located at time t2. In this way, when vehicle 1A makes a right backward turn, the front right end p moves in a direction where it is clear that there are no obstacles, and the front left end q moves in a direction where it is not clear whether there are obstacles or not. Therefore, when the vehicle 1A turns backward to the right, the detection distance of the sonar S6 installed at the front right end p of the vehicle 1A is set as D 2, and the detection distance of the sonar S1 installed at the front left end q remains unchanged at distance D1.

[0047] For the same reason, when the host vehicle 1A turns backward to the left, the detection distance of the sonar S1 installed at the front left end of the host vehicle 1A is set to D 2, and the detection distance of the sonar S6 installed at the front left end remains at distance D1.

[0048] Fig. 9 is a diagram showing a case where the detection range 300 is set to the fixed detection range 20 and the host vehicle 1A is caused to leave the parking lot. Fig. 10 is a diagram showing a case where the host vehicle 1A is caused to leave the parking lot with the detection range 300A set according to the traveling direction. A case will be described where the host vehicle 1A is driven straight and then turned left in order to leave the parking position. When the detection range 300 is set to the fixed detection range 20, if the vehicle 1A is turned left too early, the other vehicle 1B parked to the left of the vehicle 1A may be detected as an obstacle as shown in FIG. 9, causing the vehicle 1A to stop moving. In contrast, when the forward detection range 300A is set, the detection distance of the sonar S7 installed at the left end of the rear end of the vehicle is changed from distance D1 to distance D2. Therefore, the detection distance becomes shorter toward the rear end side of the host vehicle 1A, so that it is possible to suppress the occurrence of an event in which the other vehicle 1B parked to the left of the host vehicle 1A is detected as an obstacle.

[0049] FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining the setting of the detection range 300 when parallel parking. Parallel parking is a parking mode in which the host vehicle 1A is parked such that the host vehicle 1A and the other vehicle 1B are aligned along the vehicle length direction of the host vehicle 1A. In the case of parallel parking shown in FIG. 11, the vehicle 1A is turned backward to the right in the section from position P1 to position P2, and turned backward to the left in the section from position P2 to position P3. In the section from position P1 to position P2, a detection range 300D for turning right backward is set. D 2, and the detection distance to the front right side of the host vehicle 1A is set shorter. This makes it possible to suppress erroneous determination of contact with the other vehicle 1B in the section from position P1 to position P2, and to suppress stopping of the host vehicle 1A due to erroneous determination.

[0050] Moreover, in the section from position P2 to position P3, a detection range 300C for turning left backward is set. In other words, the detection range of sonar S1 to S5 is 300 D 2, and the detection distance in front of the vehicle 1A is set to be short. This makes it possible to suppress erroneous determination of contact with the other vehicle 1B parked in front of the parking position, and to suppress stopping of the vehicle 1A due to erroneous determination. In addition, since the detection distance of sonars S6 and S12 is maintained at distance D1, the detection distance to the right side is maintained at distance D1. For example, if there is a wall on the right side of the parking position, the detection distance to the right side is maintained at distance D1, so that the wall can be correctly detected as an obstacle.

[0051] 12 is a flowchart showing the operation of the obstacle detection device 200. The operation of the obstacle detection device 200 will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. First, the obstacle detection device 200 determines whether or not control information has been input from the path generation device 50 (step S1). If no control information has been input (step S1 / YES), the obstacle detection device 200 waits for the start of processing until the control information is input from the path generation device 50.

[0052] When the obstacle detection device 200 receives control information (step S1 / YES), the obstacle detection device 200 acquires route information, steering angle information, and shift position information included in the control information (step S2). Step S2 corresponds to an information acquisition step. Next, the obstacle detection device 200 sets a judgment point at a predetermined distance on the parking route indicated by the acquired route information (step S3).

[0053] Next, the obstacle detection device 200 determines whether the traveling direction of the host vehicle 1A is forward based on the steering angle information and the shift position information (step S4). Step S4 corresponds to a direction determination step. When the obstacle detection device 200 determines that the traveling direction of the host vehicle 1A is forward based on the steering angle information and the shift position information (step S4 / YES), it sets a forward detection range 300A as the detection range 300 of the sonar unit 30 (step S5).

[0054] Furthermore, if the traveling direction of the host vehicle 1A is not forward (step S4 / NO), the obstacle detection device 200 determines whether or not the steering wheel angle indicated by the steering angle information is greater than 120° (step S6). Step S6 corresponds to a direction determination step. If the steering wheel angle is greater than 120° (step S6 / YES), the obstacle detection device 200 sets the detection range 300 of the sonar unit 30 to a detection range 300D for turning right backward.

[0055] If the steering wheel angle is 120° or less (step S6 / NO), the obstacle detection device 200 determines whether the steering wheel angle is less than -120° (step S8). Step S8 corresponds to a direction determination step. If the steering wheel angle is less than -120° (step S8 / YES), the obstacle detection device 200 sets the detection range 300 of the sonar unit 30 to a detection range 300C for turning backward left (step S9).

[0056] In addition, when the steering wheel angle is not less than -120° (step S8 / NO), that is, when the steering wheel angle is greater than -120° and less than 120°, the obstacle detection device 200 sets the detection range 300 of the sonar unit 30 to a detection range 300B for straight backward movement (step S10).

[0057] Next, the obstacle detection device 200 acquires sensor data from the sonar unit 30 (step S11). Step S11 corresponds to a detection information acquisition step. The obstacle detection device 200 determines whether the position of the object detected by the acquired sensor data is within the detection range 300 set in any of steps S5, S7, S9, or S10 (step S12). Step S12 corresponds to an obstacle determination step. When the obstacle detection device 200 determines that the position of the object is inside the detection range 300 (step S12 / YES), it determines that the object is an obstacle, and outputs a stop signal to the driving control device 100 to stop the traveling of the host vehicle 1A (step S13). Step S13 corresponds to an output step. In this embodiment, a case will be described in which the obstacle detection device 200 outputs a stop signal to the driving control device 100 to stop the traveling of the host vehicle 1A, but the obstacle detection device 200 may also output a signal to the driving control device 100 to decelerate the speed of the host vehicle 1A, thereby decelerating the speed of the host vehicle 1A.

[0058] Furthermore, when the obstacle detection device 200 determines that the position of the object is outside the detection range 300 (step S12 / NO), it determines whether or not the host vehicle 1A has moved to the next determination point based on the position information detected by the position detection unit 10 (step S14). When the obstacle detection device 200 determines that the host vehicle 1A has moved to the determination point (step S14 / YES), it returns to the determination of step S4 and sets the detection range 300 again.

[0059] Furthermore, if the position of the host vehicle 1A is not the judgment point (step S14 / NO), the obstacle detection device 200 judges whether the host vehicle 1A has arrived at the parking position (step S15). If the host vehicle 1A has arrived at the parking position (step S15 / YES), the obstacle detection device 200 ends this processing flow. If the host vehicle 1A has not arrived at the parking position (step S15 / NO), the obstacle detection device 200 returns to the judgment of step S14.

[0060] As described above, the obstacle detection device 200 of this embodiment includes the input / output I / F 210, the operation information acquisition unit 231, the detection information acquisition unit 233, the traveling direction determination unit 235, and the obstacle determination unit 237.

[0061] The input / output I / F 210 is connected to the sonar unit 30 and the path generating device 50, which are external devices. The operation information acquisition unit 231 acquires, via the input / output I / F 210, steering angle information of the host vehicle 1A and shift position information of the shift device. The detection information acquisition unit 233 acquires, via the input / output I / F 210, sensor data of the sonar unit 30, which is detection information of objects present around the host vehicle 1A. The traveling direction determining unit 235 determines the traveling direction of the host vehicle 1A based on the steering angle information and the shift position information. The obstacle determination unit 237 sets a detection range 300, which is a predetermined range around the host vehicle 1A. When an object detected by sensor data is located inside the detection range 300, the obstacle determination unit 237 determines the object to be an obstacle that will hinder the traveling of the host vehicle 1A. When the obstacle determination unit 237 determines the object to be an obstacle, it outputs a control signal to stop the traveling of the host vehicle 1A or to decelerate the host vehicle 1A. Furthermore, the obstacle determining section 237 changes the detection range 300 based on the determination result of the traveling direction determining section 235 .

[0062] By changing the detection range 300 based on the traveling direction of the vehicle 1A, for example, the detection range 300 in an area where there is a low probability of an obstacle that will hinder the travel of the vehicle 1A being present can be set to a position close to the vehicle 1A, thereby preventing erroneous detection of an obstacle. This makes it possible to suppress erroneous determination of an obstacle in an area of ​​the vehicle where there is a low risk of contact or collision, and to suppress malfunction of the brakes.

[0063] Furthermore, the obstacle determining section 237 uses the determination result of the traveling direction determining section 235 to make the detection range 300 in a direction not corresponding to the traveling direction of the host vehicle 1A smaller than the detection range 300 in a direction corresponding to the traveling direction of the host vehicle 1A. Therefore, by setting the detection range 300, which is an area where there is a low probability that an obstacle that will hinder the traveling of the host vehicle 1A exists, at a position close to the host vehicle 1A, erroneous detection of an obstacle can be prevented.

[0064] When the traveling direction determining section 235 determines that the traveling direction of the host vehicle 1A is forward, the obstacle determining section 237 changes the detection range 300 behind the host vehicle 1A to be smaller than the set distance. Therefore, when the traveling direction of the host vehicle 1A is forward, the detection range 300 behind the host vehicle 1A is changed to be smaller than the set distance, thereby making it possible to suppress erroneous detection of an obstacle.

[0065] When the traveling direction determining section 235 determines that the traveling direction of the host vehicle 1A is backward, the obstacle determining section 237 changes the detection range 300 ahead of the host vehicle 1A to be smaller than the set distance. Therefore, when the host vehicle 1A is traveling backward, the detection range 300 ahead of the host vehicle 1A is changed to be smaller than the set distance, making it possible to suppress erroneous detection of an obstacle.

[0066] When the traveling direction determining section 235 determines that the traveling direction of the host vehicle 1A is a left rear turn, the obstacle determining section 237 changes the detection range 300 in front and to the left of the host vehicle 1A to be smaller than the set distance. Therefore, when the traveling direction of the host vehicle 1A is turning left rearward, the detection range 300 in front and to the left of the host vehicle 1A is changed to be smaller than the set distance, thereby making it possible to suppress erroneous detection of an obstacle.

[0067] When the traveling direction determining section 235 determines that the traveling direction of the host vehicle 1A is turning right, the obstacle determining section 237 changes the detection range 300 in front and to the right of the host vehicle 1A to be smaller than the set distance. Therefore, when the traveling direction of the host vehicle 1A is determined to be turning right, the detection range 300 in front and to the right of the host vehicle 1A is changed to be smaller than the set distance, thereby making it possible to suppress erroneous detection of an obstacle.

[0068] The traveling direction determination unit 235 determines a left rear turn when the shift position information indicates that the shift position is reverse and the steering angle information indicates that the steering angle is greater than a first threshold value. The traveling direction determination unit 235 also determines a right rear turn when the shift position information indicates that the shift position is reverse and the steering angle information indicates that the steering angle is greater than a second threshold value. The first threshold value is set to a value within the range of -120 degrees or more and -180 degrees or less, and the second threshold value is set to a value within the range of 120 degrees or more and 180 degrees or less. Therefore, it is possible to accurately determine whether the host vehicle 1A is turning backward to the left or right.

[0069] The above-described embodiment is merely an example of one aspect of the present invention, and any modifications and applications are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the path generating device 50 and the obstacle detecting device 200 may be configured as separate computers, or may be configured as a single computer.

[0070] 1 is a schematic diagram showing components classified according to main processing contents in order to facilitate understanding of the present invention, and the components can be further classified into more components according to the processing contents. Also, one component can be classified so that it executes more processes.

[0071] Furthermore, when the obstacle detection method of the present invention is realized using a computer, the program executed by the computer can be configured in the form of a recording medium or a transmission medium for transmitting the program. The recording medium can be a magnetic or optical recording medium or a semiconductor memory device. Specific examples of the recording medium include portable or fixed recording media such as a flexible disk, HDD, CD-ROM (Compact Disk Read Only Memory), DVD, Blu-ray (registered trademark) Disc, magneto-optical disk, flash memory, and card-type recording medium. The recording medium may also be a non-volatile storage device such as a ROM or HDD provided in the path generating device 50.

[0072] 12 are divided according to the main processing contents in order to facilitate understanding of the processing of the obstacle detection device 200, and the present invention is not limited by the manner in which the processing units are divided or the names of the processing units. The processing of the obstacle detection device 200 may be divided into more processing units according to the processing contents. Furthermore, the processing of the obstacle detection device 200 may be divided so that one processing unit includes more processes. [Explanation of symbols]

[0073] 1A Car 1B Other vehicles 3 Onboard equipment 5. Communication Bus 10 Position detection unit 20 Fixed Detection Range 30 Sonar Unit 50 Path Generation Device 60,110 Input / Output Interface 70,220 Memory 80,230 processors 81 Map Generation Unit 83 Parking route generation unit 85 Driving information generation unit 100 Operation control device 150 Travel drive unit 151 Steering Gear 153 Drive unit 155 Braking device 157 Gearbox 200 Obstacle detection device 231 Operation information acquisition unit 233 Detection information acquisition unit 235 Traveling direction determination unit 237 Obstacle Judgment Section 300, 300A, 300B, 300C, 300D Detection range

Claims

1. An operation information acquisition unit that acquires steering angle information of a vehicle and shift position information of a shift device; a detection information acquisition unit that acquires detection information of objects present around the vehicle detected by a plurality of sensors disposed in the front, rear, and sides of the vehicle; a travel direction determination unit that determines a travel direction of the vehicle based on the steering angle information and the shift position information; a route generating unit that generates a route for moving the vehicle from a current position to a target position; a driving information generating unit that generates control information for driving the vehicle based on information about the route generated by the route generating unit; an obstacle determination unit that sets a predetermined detection range around the vehicle, and when an object detected based on the detection information is located inside the detection range, determines the object to be an obstacle that will hinder the traveling of the vehicle, and outputs a control signal to stop the traveling of the vehicle or to decelerate the vehicle; The obstacle determination unit is setting a judgment point at a predetermined distance on the route generated by the route generation unit, and changing the detection range based on a judgment result of the traveling direction judgment unit when it is determined that the vehicle traveling along the generated route has moved to each of the set judgment points; When the traveling direction determination unit determines that the traveling direction of the vehicle is a left rear turn, the detection ranges of the plurality of sensors arranged in the front and left side of the vehicle are changed to be smaller than the detection ranges of the plurality of sensors arranged in the rear and right side of the vehicle, an obstacle detection device characterized in that, when the travel direction determination unit determines that the vehicle's travel direction is a right rear turn, the detection ranges of the multiple sensors arranged in front and on the right side of the vehicle are changed to be smaller than the detection ranges of the multiple sensors arranged in the rear and on the left side of the vehicle.

2. 2. The obstacle detection device according to claim 1, wherein the obstacle determination unit uses a determination result of the traveling direction determination unit to make the detection range of a range that does not correspond to the traveling direction of the vehicle smaller than the detection range of a range that corresponds to the traveling direction of the vehicle.

3. 3. The obstacle detection device according to claim 1, wherein the obstacle determination unit changes the detection range behind the vehicle to be smaller than the detection range in front of the vehicle when the traveling direction determination unit determines that the traveling direction of the vehicle is forward.

4. 4. The obstacle detection device according to claim 1, wherein the obstacle determination unit changes the detection range in front of the vehicle to be smaller than the detection range in the rear of the vehicle when the traveling direction determination unit determines that the traveling direction of the vehicle is reverse.

5. The traveling direction determination unit is determining that the vehicle is turning left rearward when the shift position information indicates that the shift position is reverse and the steering angle information indicates that the steering angle is greater than a first threshold value; When the shift position information indicates that the shift position is reverse and the steering angle information indicates that the steering angle is greater than a second threshold value, the vehicle is determined to be turning right rearward; The first threshold value is set to a value within a range of −120 degrees or less and −180 degrees or more, 5. The obstacle detection device according to claim 1, wherein the second threshold value is set to a value within a range of 120 degrees or more and 180 degrees or less.

6. A processor mounted on the obstacle detection device, an information acquiring step of acquiring steering angle information of a vehicle and shift position information of a shift device; a detection information acquisition step of acquiring detection information of objects present around the vehicle detected by a plurality of sensors arranged in the front, rear, and sides of the vehicle; a direction determination step of determining a traveling direction of the vehicle based on the steering angle information and the shift position information; a route generation step of generating a route for moving the vehicle from a current position to a target position; a driving information generating step of generating control information for driving the vehicle based on information on the route generated by the route generating step; an obstacle determination step of setting a predetermined detection range around the vehicle, and when an object detected by the detection information is located inside the detection range, determining that the object is an obstacle that will hinder the traveling of the vehicle, and outputting a control signal to stop the traveling of the vehicle or to decelerate the vehicle; The obstacle determination step includes: setting judgment points at predetermined distance intervals on the route generated by the route generating step, and changing the detection range based on a determination result of the direction determining step when it is determined that the vehicle traveling along the generated route has moved to each of the set judgment points; When the direction determining step determines that the traveling direction of the vehicle is a left rear turn, the detection ranges of the plurality of sensors arranged in the front and left side of the vehicle are changed to be smaller than the detection ranges of the plurality of sensors arranged in the rear and right side of the vehicle, an obstacle detection method, characterized in that, when the direction determination step determines that the vehicle's direction of travel is a right rear turn, the detection ranges of the multiple sensors arranged in front and on the right side of the vehicle are changed to be smaller than the detection ranges of the multiple sensors arranged in the rear and on the left side of the vehicle.

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