Lateral object confirmation device, lateral object confirmation system, and marking line setting jig

Abstract

To provide a side object confirmation system for determining a danger degree of an object to approach the side of a vehicle.SOLUTION: A rear object confirmation system 1 includes: a camera 2 for photographing a rear side of a vehicle; a monitor 3 for displaying a camera image; and a side object confirmation device 7. The side object confirmation device 7 is configured to: adjust warning lines WL1, WL2 (WL21, WL22, WL23) dividing a range in a vehicle width direction and in a traveling direction in the side of the vehicle (Fig.7-10); allow the monitor to display warning lines when moving sideward; determine a danger degree of an entering object in response to position relation between an existence area A of the approaching object and the warning line; and issue warning by a buzzer 4 (Fig.11). The warning lines WL1, WL2 are adjusted on the monitor so as to match standard lines SL1, SL2 (SL21, SL22, SL23) (Fig.9) arranged on a road.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a side object confirmation device or system that can confirm objects on the side of a vehicle when the vehicle moves sideways while in motion to make a right or left turn, etc., and output a warning if necessary. In particular, the present invention relates to a side object confirmation device or system that can set the detection range for objects on the side of the vehicle to a predetermined range in accordance with regulations, etc., and a marking line setting jig used to set the detection and warning range in the side object confirmation system. [Background technology]

[0002] The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism has made it mandatory for new large freight vehicles (gross vehicle weight over 8 tons) to be equipped with a "side collision warning system" that warns the driver if there is a risk of collision with a bicycle when making a left turn, from May 2022, and for continued production vehicles from May 2024. This is in response to the standards for side collision warning systems (such as the "Agreement Regulation on Side Collision Warning Systems (No. 151)") adopted by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations. According to these standards, side collision warning systems are required to detect objects such as bicycles within the three ranges listed below, and to output a warning if they are detected within the specified warning range. - In the vehicle width direction, the range between a position 0.9 m from the left side of the vehicle in the vehicle width direction (0.25 m for the front wheels) and a position 4.25 m from the left side of the vehicle in the vehicle width direction must be detected. - On the left side of the vehicle (including the area in front and behind the vehicle in the direction of travel), the system detects an area 7m in front of the front end of the vehicle and 30m in the rear of the front end of the vehicle in the direction of travel. The warning range is on the left side of the vehicle, extending 6m from the front end of the vehicle to the rear in the direction of travel. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0003] Camera systems are already widely used. These systems use cameras mounted on the sides of vehicles (e.g., in the side mirror holders) to display images of the area to the side of the vehicle on a driver's seat monitor. These systems allow drivers to visually check for objects, such as bicycles, traveling to the side of the vehicle when the vehicle moves to the side to make a right or left turn or when the vehicle stops on the shoulder of the road. However, side collision warning systems, which have become mandatory due to recent legal amendments, indicate specific distances to the side of the vehicle, making it difficult for drivers to accurately confirm the safety of the specified area to the side of the vehicle by simply visually estimating the area on the monitor. Side collision warning systems using remote detection means, such as radar sensors and ultrasonic sensors, are also considered. While these systems are technically capable of detecting and issuing warnings within a specified detection range, their detection principles tend to detect all objects within the range, resulting in excessive warnings and making them less user-friendly.

[0004] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-described conventional technology and the problems associated with it, and has a first object to provide a side object confirmation device or system for confirming objects present to the side of a vehicle when the vehicle is moving sideways, which can arbitrarily adjust warning lines that demarcate a predetermined range on the side of the vehicle in the vehicle width direction and driving direction and display them on a monitor, and can objectively determine the degree of danger of an object according to the positional relationship between the object displayed on the monitor and the adjusted warning line when the vehicle is moving sideways.A second object of the present invention is to provide a marking line setting jig that is useful for actually setting a detection and warning range on the road in order to set warning lines in the side object confirmation system. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The side object confirmation device according to claim 1 comprises: A side object confirmation device for confirming an object on the side of a vehicle, The system is provided with a means for arbitrarily adjusting warning lines that demarcate the ranges on the sides of the vehicle in the vehicle width direction and the traveling direction and displaying them on a display device, and a means for determining the danger level of an object based on the positional relationship between the object photographed by a photographing device and displayed on the display device and the adjusted warning line. In the side object confirmation device, a warning line display and adjustment unit that adjusts the warning line displayed on the display device so that it matches a marking line set on the road beside the vehicle, and displays the same on the display device; an obstacle determination unit that detects an area where an object is present displayed on the display device while the vehicle is traveling, and determines the degree of danger of the object based on the positional relationship between the adjusted warning line displayed on the display device and the area where the object is present; have It is characterized by the following.

[0006] The side object confirmation system according to claim 2 comprises: A side object recognition system for recognizing an object on the side of a vehicle, comprising: an image capturing device provided in the vehicle for capturing an image of the side of the vehicle; a display device provided in the vehicle for displaying an image of the side of the vehicle captured by the image capturing device; a side object confirmation device that arbitrarily adjusts warning lines that demarcate ranges on the sides of the vehicle in the vehicle width direction and the traveling direction and displays the lines on the display device, and determines the degree of danger of an object based on the positional relationship between the object displayed on the display device and the adjusted warning lines; of Has, The side object confirmation device a warning line display and adjustment unit that adjusts the warning line displayed on the display device so that it matches a marking line set on the road beside the vehicle, and displays the same on the display device; an obstacle determination unit that detects an area where an object is present displayed on the display device while the vehicle is traveling, and determines the degree of danger of the object based on the positional relationship between the adjusted warning line displayed on the display device and the area where the object is present; of It is characterized by being equipped with

[0007] The side object confirmation system according to claim 3 is the side object confirmation system according to claim 2, further comprising: The vehicle is characterized by including a warning output device that outputs a necessary warning based on the result of the determination by the side object confirmation device.

[0009] Claim 4 The side object confirmation system described in claim 3 In the side object confirmation system described in the warning lines include vehicle width direction warning lines that define a range in the vehicle width direction on the side of the vehicle, and driving direction warning lines that are perpendicular to the vehicle width direction warning lines and indicate a distance in the vehicle driving direction on the side of the vehicle, The marker lines include a vehicle width direction marker line that defines a range in the vehicle width direction on the side of the vehicle, and a driving direction marker line that is perpendicular to the vehicle width direction marker line and indicates the distance in the vehicle's driving direction on the side of the vehicle.

[0010] Claim 5 The side object confirmation system described in claim 4 In the side object confirmation system described in The object presence area is a display surrounding the periphery of the object, and is displayed in different colors depending on the positional relationship with the vehicle width direction warning line and the driving direction warning line. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] According to the side object confirmation device of claim 1 and the side object confirmation system of claim 2, an image of the side of the vehicle and a warning line on the side of the vehicle are superimposed on a display device. In addition, the degree of risk of an object that has entered the display screen of the display device as to whether or not the object will collide with the vehicle is determined according to the positional relationship between the warning line and the object. When moving the vehicle to the side, the driver can use the warning line as a guide to check the degree of risk of an object on the side of the vehicle on the display screen of the display device, thereby enabling safe driving. Furthermore, by using the warning line display / adjustment unit of the side object confirmation device in an adjustment work before use, it is possible to display on the display device a warning line on the side of the vehicle superimposed on a sign line, marker, etc. that has been set up in advance at an appropriate work location, such as on the road beside the vehicle, and further to adjust the position of the warning line on the display screen of the display device so that the sign line, marker, etc. matches the warning line. Then, after the adjustment work, when the vehicle is moved to the side while traveling, etc., the obstacle determination unit of the side object confirmation device can detect the presence area of ​​an object displayed on the display screen of the display device and determine the degree of danger of the object according to the positional relationship between the warning line and the presence area on the display screen of the display device, so that the driver can drive safely based on this determination to avoid contact between the object and the vehicle.

[0013] According to the side object confirmation system described in claim 3, the alarm output device can output the necessary alarm based on the result of the determination by the side object confirmation device, so that safety can be improved compared to when the degree of danger of an object on the side of the vehicle is confirmed only by visually checking the display screen of the display device.

[0015] Claim 4According to the side object confirmation system described in the above, in the adjustment work before use, the range indicated by the warning lines on the display screen of the display device can be set to conform to the standard by matching the vehicle width direction warning lines and driving direction warning lines displayed on the display screen of the display device with the vehicle width direction sign lines and driving direction sign lines on the road displayed on the display screen of the display device, respectively.

[0016] Claim 5 According to the side object confirmation system described in the above, when the vehicle is moved sideways, the area where the object is present displayed on the display screen of the display device is displayed in different colors depending on its position relative to the warning line displayed on the display screen of the display device, so that the driver can intuitively know the degree of danger of the object from the displayed color. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic structural diagram showing the overall configuration of a side object confirmation system according to an embodiment; [Figure 2] 1 is a functional block diagram showing the overall configuration of a side object confirmation system according to an embodiment; [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen on a monitor of the rear object checking system according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] This is a plan view showing the object detection range and warning range required for the "side collision warning device" that the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism has made mandatory for large freight vehicles (total vehicle weight over 8 tons). [Figure 5] 1 is a plan view of a marker line setting jig used to set a predetermined detection range and a warning range in a side object confirmation device in a side object confirmation system according to an embodiment. FIG. [Figure 6]FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a method for setting a predetermined marker line on the side of a vehicle equipped with a lateral object confirmation system according to an embodiment; FIG. 10(a) is a front view of the vehicle (upper figure) and a plan view (lower figure) showing an example of a marker line set on the road on the side of the vehicle to serve as a marker during adjustment; and FIG. 10(b) is a plan view showing another example of a method for setting a marker line set on the road on the side of the vehicle to serve as a marker during adjustment. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen on a monitor of an embodiment of a side object confirmation system, showing images of a sign line and a pylon set on the road to the side of the vehicle superimposed on the pre-adjustment warning line. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a warning line displayed on a monitor of the side object confirmation system of the embodiment, and is a work instruction diagram showing the order of adjustment of adjustment points with numbers. [Figure 9] 10 is a diagram showing a warning line adjustment display screen on the monitor of the side object confirmation system of the embodiment, showing a state in which a part of each adjustment point is aligned with the marker line. FIG. [Figure 10] 10 is a diagram showing a warning line adjustment display screen on the monitor of the side object confirmation system of the embodiment, showing a state in which all adjustment points are aligned with the marker line. FIG. [Figure 11] FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically illustrating an example of a display screen on a monitor of the side object confirmation system according to the embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0019] The configuration of a side object confirmation system 1 according to an embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. The side object confirmation system 1 of this embodiment aims to comply with the technical standards stipulated in the aforementioned "Agreement Regulations Concerning Side Collision Warning Systems (No. 151)" and aims to realize a function that enables a rectangular detection and warning area to be confirmed on a monitor to the side of the vehicle, for example, separated by a maximum distance of 4 m in the vehicle width direction and 37 m in the vehicle's traveling direction. However, when an image of the side of the vehicle to be displayed on a monitor is acquired by photographing with a camera, the appearance of the detection and warning area displayed on the monitor's display screen will differ depending on the position (particularly the height) at which the camera is attached to the vehicle, etc.

[0020] Therefore, in this embodiment, a designated detection and warning area is actually created by laying a dedicated range setting sheet, a marking line setting tool (described later), on the road side of a vehicle stopped on the road, or by attaching tape or the like to the road surface. Then, a camera captures an image of the detection and warning area created on the road with the range setting sheet or tape, and the warning line are both displayed on the monitor screen. The position of the warning line can be adjusted on the display screen to align it with the warning area within the detection and warning area. This allows the position and size of the warning line displayed on the monitor screen to be adjusted to fit the desired warning area, regardless of the type of vehicle, the vehicle width, camera specifications, installation height, etc., or the dimensions of the target designated detection and warning area.

[0021] The side object confirmation system 1 of this embodiment shown in the schematic configuration diagram of Fig. 1 is a system mounted on a vehicle and used by the driver to check the sides of the vehicle, and includes a camera 2 as an imaging device that captures images of the sides of the vehicle, a monitor 3 as a display device that displays images captured by the camera 2, a buzzer 4 as an alarm output device, a GPS (Global Positioning System) antenna 5 as information acquisition means, a manual recording switch 6 that also serves as a microphone, and a side object confirmation device 7 to which these components are connected. Although not shown in Fig. 1 showing the hardware configuration of the system, the side object confirmation device 7 receives, as control signals, a turn signal signal that is output when the turn signal is activated and a parking brake signal that is output when the parking brake is engaged from a control unit of the vehicle (not shown) (see Fig. 2).

[0022] Although the camera 2 and monitor 3 in the configuration example shown in Fig. 1 are connected to an on-board power supply via a power cable (not shown), they may also be supplied with power from a side object confirmation device 7 that is also connected to the on-board power supply. The GPS antenna 5 acquires position information and provides it to the side object confirmation device 7. Furthermore, by operating the manual recording switch 6, the image displayed on the monitor 3 can be recorded and saved in a memory unit 12 (see Fig. 2) described below together with position information and time information.

[0023] As shown in the control block diagram of FIG. 2 , the side object confirmation device 7 includes a control unit 8 as the central function for controlling various controls for confirming a side object. That is, the control unit 8 transmits and receives video signals and control signals between the camera 2 and the monitor 3, and as shown in FIG. 3 , the control unit 8 displays an image of the side of the vehicle on the monitor 3 while superimposing various control images on it. It also detects objects displayed on the display screen 30, determines their type, and controls the buzzer 4 to issue an alarm as necessary, all of which are controlled in cooperation with other functional units. As described above, the control unit 8 of the side object confirmation device 7 receives, as control signals, a turn signal signal output when the turn signal is activated and a parking brake signal output when the parking brake is activated from a control unit of the vehicle (not shown). The control unit 8 performs control operations related to object detection and determination of the object's danger level only when the turn signal signal is input. Furthermore, the control unit 8 stops the control operations when a parking brake signal is input during the control operations. As a modification of this embodiment, the control unit 8 may be configured to constantly detect objects on the side while driving, regardless of whether the turn signal is activated, and to issue a warning as necessary. In this case, the "turn signal" in Fig. 2 may be replaced with an "accessory power supply signal," and when a signal from the accessory power supply, rather than a signal from the turn signal, is input to the control unit 8, the control unit 8 may perform control operations related to object detection and determination of the degree of danger of the object.

[0024] 3 is a diagram showing an example of the display screen 30 on the monitor 3 of the lateral object confirmation device 7. As shown in this figure, the images displayed on the display screen 30 of the monitor 3 include an actual video of the area to the side of the vehicle (in FIG. 3, two bicycles and a person traveling on the left edge of the highway, a guardrail, etc. are displayed), warning lines WL (vehicle width direction warning line WL1 and traveling direction warning lines WL2 (WL21, WL22, WL23)) which are control images indicating the predetermined warning range, a frame-shaped object presence area A displayed to surround the object to indicate that the object has been detected, vehicle position coordinates 20, a timestamp 21, a recording status 23, a microphone status 24, a GPS reception status 25, and a status 26 of a memory card which is an external storage medium.

[0025] 2, the side object confirmation device 7 has a warning line display and adjustment unit 9. The warning line display and adjustment unit 9 is connected to the control unit 8, and by working in cooperation with the control unit 8, has the function of displaying a warning line WL, which is a control image indicating the width direction and the distance from the side of the vehicle to the front and rear, on the display screen 30 of the monitor 3, and also has the function of moving the warning line on the display screen 30 to adjust its position.

[0026] As shown in Fig. 2, the side object confirmation device 7 has an obstacle determination unit 10. The obstacle determination unit 10 is connected to the control unit 8, and by working in cooperation with the control unit 8, detects an object presence area A (see Fig. 3) displayed on the camera 2 when the traveling vehicle moves between lanes, etc., and has the function of comparing this presence area A with the adjusted warning line WL displayed on the monitor 3 and determining the degree of danger of the object depending on their positional relationship, as will be described in detail later.

[0027] As shown in FIG. 2 , the side object confirmation device 7 has an input unit 11. The input unit 11 is connected to the control unit 8, and can be used to turn the side object confirmation device 7 on and off, as well as to input instructions and data required to operate the side object confirmation device 7. Specifically, by operating the input unit 11, the driver can activate the function of the warning line display / adjustment unit 9 to display the warning line WL on the monitor 3, input instructions to move the displayed warning line WL for adjustment, and can also input instructions required to operate the obstacle determination unit 10. The input unit 11 includes push-button function switches, a numeric keypad, directional buttons such as an up button, a down button, a right button, and a left button for moving display elements on the monitor 3 in each direction, and a confirmation button for confirming switch or button operations, and these switches or buttons may also be displayed on the monitor 3.

[0028] 2, the side object confirmation device 7 has a memory unit 12. The memory unit 12 is connected to the control unit 8 and stores data necessary for the operation of the side object confirmation device 7 and software for operating each unit of the side object confirmation device 7. The data includes, for example, original line data for the warning line WL displayed on the display screen 30 of the monitor 3, line adjustment data which is data for the adjusted warning line WL, and recorded data for the image displayed on the monitor 3. The software includes, for example, various software programs for operating each unit of the side object confirmation device 7 as described above.

[0029] The side object confirmation device 7 has an internal memory as well as a memory card, which is an external storage medium, as the storage unit 12. The memory card is removable and can be attached to and used in another side object confirmation device 7, or the data can be copied to multiple memory cards and attached to and used in side object confirmation devices installed in multiple other vehicles with the same conditions.

[0030] A method for adjusting the side object confirmation system 1 according to the embodiment before use will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 4 is a plan view showing the object detection range X and warning range Y (collectively referred to as detection / warning range Z) required for the "side collision warning device" that the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism has mandated for large freight vehicles (with a gross vehicle weight of over 8 tons). As shown in the figure, detection / warning range Z is a rectangular range defined by a distance of 4 m in the width direction (horizontal direction in FIG. 4 ) of vehicle 50 and 37 m in the traveling direction (longitudinal direction in FIG. 4 ) of vehicle 50. Within this range, the corners at both ends of the front edge of vehicle 50 in the traveling direction are designated as A and B, the corners at both ends of the rear edge of vehicle 50 in the traveling direction are designated as C and D, the points where the vehicle width direction line and the traveling direction line intersect at a position corresponding to the front end of vehicle 50 are designated as E and F, and the points where the vehicle width direction line and the traveling direction line intersect at a position 6 m backward along the traveling direction from the position corresponding to the front end of vehicle 50 are designated as G and H. The detection range X and warning range Y will be explained using the symbols for each of these points. First, the warning range Y, where the vehicle is legally required not only to detect lateral objects but also to issue a warning for detected objects, is EFHG. The detection range X, where the vehicle is required to detect objects that enter the range but is not required to issue a warning, is ABFE for the front and GHDC for the rear. In this embodiment, although not shown in FIG. 4 , a portion of the rear detection range X that is contiguous with the warning range Y in the direction of travel can be set as a preliminary warning range YP. This preliminary warning range YP is not legally required, and the user has the discretion to set it. The camera 2, located in the left corner at the front end of the vehicle 50, corresponds to the front end of the warning range Y, separated by a distance of 0.9 m from the vehicle-side position E.

[0031] 5 is a plan view of a marking line setting jig 60 (also referred to as setting jig 60) used to set the predetermined detection and warning range Z shown in FIG. 4 in the side object confirmation device 7 in the side object confirmation system 1 of the embodiment. This setting jig 60 is actually laid on the ground to the side of a parked vehicle 50.

[0032] As shown in Fig. 5, the setting jig 60 is provided with a warning sign 61 in the shape of a substantially rectangular frame corresponding to the warning range Y shown in Fig. 4. The warning sign 61 is made of white tarpaulin (a fabric made of polyester, nylon, or other cloth or fabric coated on both sides with PVC resin) or the like, and is composed of two 4.25 m wide bands 62 in the width direction of the vehicle 50 (the vertical direction in Fig. 5), a 6 m long first long band 63 connecting corresponding ends of the two wide bands 62, 62, and a 6 m long second long band 64 connecting the corresponding ends of the two wide bands 62, 62 at a position 0.25 m from the other ends. Therefore, the other two ends of the two wide bands 62, 62 protrude outward by 0.25 m from the second long band 64. Next, detection sign units 65 and 66, each shaped like a roughly square frame, corresponding to the detection range X shown in Fig. 4 are connected to the front and rear of the warning sign unit 61 in the traveling direction (left and right direction in Fig. 5). The detection sign units 65 and 66 are made of polyester rope or the like, and the connection parts with the warning sign unit 61 are detachable. In addition, ring-shaped bodies 67 are attached to the four corners corresponding to positions A, B, C, and D in the detection range X shown in Fig. 4 to confirm the position and to secure them to the ground.

[0033] FIG. 6(a) shows a state in which a setting jig 60 is laid on the road to the side of a vehicle 50 equipped with a side object confirmation system 1, and a sign line corresponding to the actual dimensions of the detection / warning range Z is set on the road. In this case, the setting jig 60 is laid so that the front end of the warning sign portion 61 in the traveling direction of the vehicle 50 (left-right direction in FIG. 6) coincides with the front end of the vehicle 50. When laid in this manner, in a plan view, the camera attached to the front left end of the vehicle 50 is close to the front right end of the warning range Y (position E in FIG. 4). Note that in FIG. 6(a), pylons P are placed as markers at the two front corners and two rear corners of the detection range X to make the corners of the setting jig 60 more noticeable when operating on the screen 30 of the monitor 3, which will be described later.

[0034] In FIG. 6(a), a part of the detection range X adjacent to the rear end of the warning range Y in the traveling direction of the vehicle 50 is designated as a preliminary warning range YP. The preliminary warning range YP is an area close to the warning range Y, and is an area in which an object that appears in this area is likely to enter the warning range Y, and therefore a preliminary warning is expected to be issued before the object is detected within the warning range Y. In the illustrated example, this preliminary warning range YP is a range of approximately 2 m behind the warning range Y in the traveling direction, and although it is not included in the setting jig 60 shown in FIG. 5, it can be defined by a preliminary width band 68 that is 4 m long in the width direction of the vehicle 50, as shown by the dashed line in FIG. 6(a). This preliminary width band 68 can be made of a polyester rope or the like. In this way, by using the setting jig 60 manufactured to the same dimensions and shape as the detection and warning range Z specified by law, it is possible to easily set up a detection and warning range Z on the road with the specified dimensions and shape that comply with the law, and by appropriately changing the position where the extra width band portion 68 is attached, it is possible to set an extra warning range YP of any width as needed.

[0035] FIG. 6(b) is a diagram corresponding to the lower diagram of FIG. 6(a) and shows an example of setting a detection / warning range Z on the road without using the setting jig 60. That is, tape is cut to a predetermined length and attached to the road to the side of a vehicle 50 equipped with a side object confirmation system 1, thereby setting a detection / warning range Z of actual dimensions. In the traveling direction of the vehicle 50, the detection range X 7 m ahead of the warning range Y and the detection range X 24 m behind the warning range Y are measured using a laser distance measuring device or the like to determine the aforementioned positions A, B, C, and D (see FIG. 4), and a pylon P is placed at each position.

[0036] By operating the input unit 11 of the side object confirmation device 7, the power supply of the side object confirmation device 7 is turned on, and by operating the input unit 11, the warning line display and adjustment unit 9 and the control unit 8 are made to function, and the display and adjustment mode of the warning line WL is started. The line original data of the warning line WL stored in the memory unit 12 is read out.

[0037] 7 is a diagram showing an example of a display on the display screen 30 of the monitor 3 of the side object confirmation system 1, showing a state in which the sign line SL indicating the legal detection and warning range Z and the default warning line WL before adjustment are misaligned and overlapping. The sign line SL on the display screen 30 is a setting jig 60 laid on the road photographed by the camera 2 and displayed on the display screen 30, and four pylons P indicating the limits of the detection range X in the forward and backward directions are also displayed on the display screen 30.

[0038] As shown in Fig. 7, among the marker lines SL displayed on the display screen 30, a pair of lines that are parallel to the traveling direction and define a range in the vehicle width direction on the sides of the vehicle 50 are referred to as vehicle width direction marker lines SL1, SL1. Furthermore, lines that are parallel to the vehicle width direction, which is perpendicular to the traveling direction, and that indicate the distance in the traveling direction of the vehicle 50 on the sides of the vehicle 50 are referred to as traveling direction marker lines, and are referred to as the first traveling direction marker line SL21, the second traveling direction marker line SL22, and the third traveling direction marker line SL23, in that order, from rear to front in the traveling direction. The area defined by the pair of vehicle width direction marker lines SL1, SL1 and the first and second traveling direction marker lines SL21 and SL22 constitutes a preliminary warning range YP. The area defined by the pair of vehicle width direction marker lines SL1, SL1 and the second and third traveling direction marker lines SL22 and SL23 constitutes a warning range Y. The detection range X, which exists before and after the warning range Y in the driving direction, is displayed on the display screen 30 by a pair of vehicle width direction sign lines SL1, SL1 and a total of four pylons P arranged on both ends thereof.

[0039] As shown in Fig. 7, among the warning lines WL displayed on the display screen 30, a pair of lines that are parallel to the traveling direction and define a range in the vehicle width direction on the sides of the vehicle 50 are referred to as vehicle width direction warning lines WL1, WL1. A line that is parallel to the vehicle width direction, which is perpendicular to the traveling direction, and that indicates the distance in the traveling direction of the vehicle 50 on the sides of the vehicle 50 is referred to as traveling direction warning line WL2. From rear to front in the traveling direction, the lines are referred to as the first traveling direction warning line WL21, the second traveling direction warning line WL22, and the third traveling direction warning line WL23. The area defined by the pair of vehicle width direction warning lines WL1, WL1, the first traveling direction warning line WL21, and the second traveling direction warning line WL22 is the area that should be aligned with the preliminary warning range YP. The area defined by the pair of vehicle width direction warning lines WL1, WL1, the second traveling direction warning line WL22, and the third traveling direction warning line WL23 is the area that should be aligned with the warning range Y.

[0040] 8 is a diagram showing the warning lines WL displayed on the display screen 30 of the monitor 3. The numbers shown in the outline polygons in the figure indicate the positions on the lines to be moved and the order in which they are moved in the adjustment work of moving the vehicle width direction warning line WL1 and the driving direction warning line WL2 (WL21 to WL23) on the screen. Each position (numbers 1 to 10) on each line can be moved by any amount in any direction by operating the input unit 11 (see FIG. 2).

[0041] Position 1, indicated by the white arrow in Figure 8, is moved by operating the up, down, left, and right directional buttons on the input unit 11, and as shown by (1) in Figure 9, it is moved to match the corresponding position of the marker line SL (position F in Figure 4) not shown in Figure 9, and then confirmed by pressing and holding the confirmation button.

[0042] As shown in Figure 9, position 2 shown by (2) is moved to the corresponding position of the marker line (position E in Figure 4) by operating the input unit 11, and is confirmed by matching it. Furthermore, position 3 shown by (3) is moved to the corresponding position of the marker line (position H in Figure 4) by operating the input unit 11, and is confirmed by matching it.

[0043] As shown in FIG. 10, the position No. 4 indicated by (4) is moved by operating the input unit 11 to match the corresponding position on the marker line (position G in FIG. 4), and is confirmed by matching them.

[0044] As shown in FIG. 10, the positions of numbers 5 to 8 on the vehicle width direction warning line WL1 are further moved by operating the input unit 11 to align with the vehicle width direction sign line SL1 located on the outer side in the vehicle width direction, and are confirmed by matching them.

[0045] As shown in FIG. 10, furthermore, two positions 9 and 10, which are rear corner positions of the warning line WL, are moved by operating the input unit 11 to align with the positions of both ends of the extra width band portion 68 shown in FIG. 6, although not shown in FIG. 4, and are confirmed by matching them.

[0046] By making the above adjustments, as shown in FIG. 10, the area defined by the pair of vehicle width direction warning lines WL1, WL1 and the driving direction warning lines WL2 (WL21, WL22, WL23) displayed on the display screen 30 of the monitor 3 will indicate the same area as the predetermined preliminary warning area YP and warning area Y actually formed with tape on the road to the side of the vehicle 50.

[0047] As shown in FIG. 4 or FIG. 6, the warning area Y required by regulations and displayed on the road by a setting jig 30 conforming to the regulations is rectangular. However, as shown in FIG. 7, because the imaging range of the camera 2 is wide, the warning area Y is displayed in a curved shape according to the angle of view of the camera 2 on the screen 30 of the monitor 3. That is, the pair of parallel vehicle width direction sign lines SL1, SL1 are displayed with a bulge at approximately the center, and in particular, the vehicle width direction sign line SL1 on the vehicle 50 side (the front side of the screen 30) is displayed as a curved line that is significantly bent forward (for convenience of illustration, it is shown as a broken line in FIG. 7). In order to align the vehicle width direction warning line WL1 with the curved vehicle width direction sign line SL1, as described above, movable positions are provided on the pair of vehicle width direction warning lines WL1, WL1 displayed on the screen 30 of the monitor 3. That is, as shown in Fig. 7, three positions (6), (7), and (8) are set as position-adjustable points on the front vehicle width direction warning line WL1 corresponding to the front vehicle width direction sign line SL1 displayed as a long line with a relatively large curve, as shown in Fig. 8, and the position (5) is set as a position-adjustable point on the rear vehicle width direction warning line WL1 corresponding to the rear vehicle width direction sign line SL1 displayed as a short line with a relatively small curve, as shown in Fig. 7. In order to align the warning line with the rectangular warning range Y, simply aligning the four points (1), (2), (3), and (4) on the warning line WL in Fig. 8 with the four vertices of the rectangular warning range Y does not allow the warning line WL to accurately match the warning range Y displayed on the screen 30. However, according to this embodiment, at least one or more movable positions are provided on the pair of vehicle width direction warning lines WL1, WL1, so that the warning line WL can be displayed accurately aligned with the warning range Y displayed on the screen 30, which is distorted depending on the angle of view of the camera 2. The same applies to the preliminary warning range YP.

[0048] A method of using the side object confirmation system 1 according to the embodiment after adjustment will be described with reference to FIG.

[0049] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of the display screen 30 of the monitor 3 in the side object confirmation system 1 during operation, and shows the positional relationship between the object presence area A and the warning line WL.

[0050] When the engine of the vehicle 50 is started, the side object confirmation system 1 automatically starts, and as shown in FIG. 11 , the warning line WL and other icons are displayed on the display screen 30 of the monitor 3, regardless of whether a detection operation is performed or not. Note that by appropriately operating the input unit 11 (see FIG. 2 ), the setting menu of the system is opened and the normal detection operation mode of this embodiment (e.g., referred to as the “AI detection mode”) is turned off, so that the warning line WL and other icons are not displayed on the display screen 30, and side object detection and warning operation can be performed in this state. Furthermore, although not displayed as a line, the entire detection range X is displayed on the display screen 30. Therefore, the driver can visually confirm the condition within the detection range X to the side of the vehicle 50, and can also visually confirm objects within the preliminary warning range YP and warning range Y defined by the warning line WL. Furthermore, the color of the presence area A displayed surrounding the object, as described below, allows the driver to visually determine the positional danger of the object, thereby enabling safe driving without contact with the object to the side of the vehicle 50.

[0051] As shown in FIG. 11 , when an object appears within the detection and warning range Z on the side of the vehicle 50 while the side object confirmation system 1 is in operation, the camera 2 captures the object, and the monitor 3 displays the object on the display screen 30. The control unit 8 and obstacle determination unit 10 of the rear object confirmation device 7 recognize the object on the display screen 30 of the monitor 3. According to the control unit 8 and obstacle determination unit 10 of the embodiment, as an example, if the object is a moving object, it can be recognized if it is 80 cm or more in height and 30 cm or more in diameter, and if the object is a fixed object, it can be recognized if it is 50 cm or more in height and 30 cm or more in diameter. The control unit 8 and obstacle determination unit 10 display an existence area A consisting of a frame-shaped line surrounding the recognized object on the display screen 30.

[0052] The display color of the line of the presence area A is displayed in different colors depending on its position relative to the vehicle width direction warning line WL1 and the driving direction warning line WL2 (WL21, WL22, WL23) in order to attract the driver's attention. For example, when the presence area A is within the detection range X, the line of the presence area A is displayed in light blue. When the presence area A falls within the preliminary warning range YP, the line of the presence area A is displayed in yellow to serve as a preliminary warning and to attract the driver's attention. When the presence area A falls within the warning range Y, the line of the presence area A is displayed in red, a warning color, to strongly attract the driver's attention. Note that in order to attract the driver's attention not only visually but also auditorily, when the line of the presence area A is displayed in yellow, the buzzer 4 is activated with an intermittent sound, and when the line of the presence area A is displayed in red, the buzzer 4 is activated with a continuous sound.

[0053] Alternatively, the color of the line indicating the presence area A may be differentiated, for example, by displaying it in red as a warning color for moving objects including people and bicycles, and in blue for fixed objects, regardless of its position relative to the vehicle width direction warning line WL1 and the driving direction warning line WL2 (WL21, WL22, WL23).When the red presence area A enters the preliminary warning range YP, an intermittent buzzer sound may be sounded to attract the driver's attention, and when the presence area further enters the warning range Y, an additional warning means such as a continuous buzzer sound or flashing light may be used to strongly attract the driver's attention.

[0054] Furthermore, the control unit 8 and the obstacle determination unit 10 may refer to AI data stored in the storage unit 12 and estimate the type of the object with a high degree of accuracy from the object's shape, size, surface condition, color, movement mode, movement speed, etc. In this case, the determined type of object may be displayed in text near the displayed existence area A.

[0055] If the side object confirmation device 7 has a removable memory card as the storage unit 12 and line adjustment data is stored on the memory card, it can be copied to another memory card and inserted into a side object confirmation device 7 mounted on another vehicle 50 that has the same vehicle width, camera 2 specifications, installation conditions, etc. In other words, once the warning line WL (warning range Y) has been adjusted once, it is sufficient to simply insert the memory card containing the line adjustment data into the rear object confirmation device 7 of another vehicle 50 that has the same vehicle model, camera specifications, and installation position, eliminating the need to repeat the adjustment of the warning line on the road or in a large, flat area. This is therefore convenient for transportation companies and the like that operate by owning many trucks of the same model, as they only need to adjust the warning line (warning range Y) once. [Explanation of symbols]

[0056] 1...Side object detection system 2...Camera as a photographic device 3. Monitor as a display device 4...Buzzer as an alarm output device 7... Rear object confirmation device 9...Warning line display and adjustment section 10...Obstacle detection section 30…Display screen 50...Vehicle 60...Marking line setting jig X: Detection range Y...Warning range YP…Preliminary warning range A: Area where objects exist WL...Warning Line WL1: Vehicle width warning line WL2... Driving direction warning line WL21: First driving direction warning line WL22: Second driving direction warning line WL23: Third driving direction warning line SL...Sign line SL1...Vehicle width direction sign line SL2: Driving direction sign line SL21: First driving direction sign line SL22: Second driving direction sign line SL23: Third driving direction sign line

Claims

1. A side object confirmation device for confirming an object on the side of a vehicle, A side object confirmation device includes a means for arbitrarily adjusting warning lines that demarcate a range on the side of a vehicle in the vehicle width direction and traveling direction and displaying the lines on a display device, and a means for determining the degree of danger of an object based on the positional relationship between an object photographed by a photographing device and displayed on the display device and the adjusted warning line, a warning line display and adjustment unit that adjusts the warning line displayed on the display device so that it matches a marking line set on the road beside the vehicle, and displays the same on the display device; an obstacle determination unit that detects an area where an object is present displayed on the display device while the vehicle is traveling, and determines the degree of danger of the object based on the positional relationship between the adjusted warning line displayed on the display device and the area where the object is present; A side object confirmation system comprising:

2. A side object recognition system for recognizing an object on the side of a vehicle, comprising: an image capturing device provided in the vehicle for capturing an image of the side of the vehicle; a display device provided in the vehicle for displaying an image of the side of the vehicle captured by the image capturing device; a side object confirmation device that arbitrarily adjusts warning lines that demarcate ranges on the sides of the vehicle in the vehicle width direction and the traveling direction and displays the lines on the display device, and determines the degree of danger of an object based on the positional relationship between the object displayed on the display device and the adjusted warning lines; and The side object confirmation device a warning line display and adjustment unit that adjusts the warning line displayed on the display device so that it matches a marking line set on the road beside the vehicle, and displays the same on the display device; an obstacle determination unit that detects an area where an object is present displayed on the display device while the vehicle is traveling, and determines the degree of danger of the object based on the positional relationship between the adjusted warning line displayed on the display device and the area where the object is present; A side object confirmation system comprising:

3. 3. The side object confirmation system according to claim 2, further comprising an alarm output device for outputting a necessary alarm based on the result of the determination by said side object confirmation device.

4. the warning lines include vehicle width direction warning lines that define a range in the vehicle width direction on the side of the vehicle, and driving direction warning lines that are perpendicular to the vehicle width direction warning lines and indicate a distance in the vehicle driving direction on the side of the vehicle, 4. The side object confirmation system according to claim 3, wherein the marker lines include a vehicle width direction marker line that defines a range in the vehicle width direction on the side of the vehicle, and a driving direction marker line that is a line perpendicular to the vehicle width direction marker line and indicates a distance in the vehicle's driving direction on the side of the vehicle.

5. 5. The side object confirmation system according to claim 4, wherein the presence area is a display surrounding the periphery of the object and is displayed in different colors depending on the positional relationship with the vehicle width direction warning line and the driving direction warning line.

Images