Object detection device and object detection method

Abstract

An object detection device (1) according to the present disclosure has a plurality of transceiver circuits (10) that transmit waves toward an object and detect received waves that were reflected, and a processing circuit (ECU15) that is connected to the transceiver circuits. The transceiver circuits (10) each have a storage circuit (126), a clock circuit (125), and a transceiver control circuit (microcontroller 124). The processing circuit (ECU15) has an output circuit (151) and an object detection circuit (150). The storage unit (126) stores procedure information indicating a procedure for transmitting and receiving waves. The clock circuit (125) measures the time at an initiation time synchronized using synchronization information. Each of the transceiver control circuits (microcontrollers 124), on the basis of the procedure information, transmits and receives waves at the timing of the time measured by the clock circuit (125). The output circuit (151) outputs the synchronization information for carrying out synchronization to at least one transceiver circuit among the plurality of transceiver circuits (10). The object detection circuit (150) uses range-finding information based on the wave transmission and reception by the plurality of transceiver circuits (10) as input and carries out detection of an object.　With the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a technology for transmitting and receiving waves such as ultrasonic waves using a plurality of transceiver circuits that have autonomously synchronized an initiation timing.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an object detection device and an object detection method.

Background Art

[0002] As an existing technology for vehicles, there is an object detection method for detecting surrounding objects by transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves with a sonar module or the like.

Prior Art Document

Patent Document

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

[0004] When a vehicle detects an object by triangulation, a plurality of transmission / reception circuits such as a sonar module are used so that transmission and reception waves can be performed at a plurality of positions. The subsequent ECU gives instructions for starting transmission and reception to each transmission / reception circuit in order to align the timing of starting transmission and reception between the transmission / reception circuits. However, as the ECU becomes integrated and a large number of other sensors are connected to the ECU, if the number of communication times and the communication volume between the ECU and the transmission / reception circuit remain large, it may cause factors such as function limitation of the ECU.

[0005] The present disclosure contributes to providing an object detection device and an object detection method capable of a plurality of transmission / reception circuits autonomously aligning the timing of starting and performing transmission and reception of ultrasonic waves or the like.

[0006] The object detection device according to the present disclosure includes a plurality of transmission / reception circuits that transmit waves to an object and detect received waves reflected therefrom, and a processing circuit connected to the multiple transmission / reception circuit. The multiple transmission / reception circuit Each is , totalThe processing circuit has a time circuit and a transmit / receive control circuit, and the processing circuit has an output circuit and an object detection circuit. . before The recording circuit contains time synchronization information. Adjusted based on Time use Time is set. The aforementioned transmitting and receiving wave control circuit. That is, The time recorded by the recording circuit Based The aforementioned wave transmission or The above wave reception is performed. The output circuit is, The aforementioned multiple Send at least one of the receiving circuits Send For the receiving circuit, time Adjustment The object detection circuit outputs the time synchronization information to perform the following: The aforementioned multiple Send From the receiving circuit Entered Distance measurement information based on the aforementioned transmission and reception Using the above It detects objects.

[0007] These comprehensive or specific embodiments may be implemented as systems, methods, integrated circuits, computer programs, or recording media, and may also be implemented as any combination of systems, devices, methods, integrated circuits, computer programs, and recording media.

[0008] According to this disclosure, it is possible to provide a technology for multiple transmitting and receiving circuits to autonomously synchronize their start timings to transmit and receive ultrasonic waves and the like.

[0009] Further advantages and effects in one aspect of this disclosure will be made apparent from the specification and drawings. Such advantages and / or effects are provided by several embodiments and features described in the specification and drawings, but not all of them are necessarily provided in order to obtain one or more identical features. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1A] Figure 1A shows an example of the arrangement configuration of sonar modules in a vehicle to which the object detection device according to the embodiment is applied. [Figure 1B]FIG. 1B is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the object detection device according to the embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the procedure information of the transmission / reception wave procedure stored in the memory circuit of the object detection device according to the embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the operation procedure of the object detection device according to the embodiment. [Figure 4A] FIG. 4A is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of Modification 1 of the object detection device according to the embodiment. [Figure 4B] FIG. 4B is a diagram for explaining an example of the time alignment procedure in Modification 1 of the object detection device according to the embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of Modification 2 of the object detection device according to the embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of Modification 3 of the object detection device according to the embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of the processing of the correction circuit of Modification 3 of the object detection device according to the embodiment. [Figure 8A] FIG. 8A is a diagram showing an example of the arrangement configuration of the zone ECU of the vehicle to which the configuration of Modification 4 of the object detection device according to the embodiment is applied. [Figure 8B] FIG. 8B is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of Modification 4 of the object detection device according to the embodiment.

Embodiment for Carrying Out the Invention

[0011] Hereinafter, embodiments of the object detection device and the object detection method according to the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the present specification and drawings, components having substantially the same functions are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description is omitted.

[0012] (Embodiment) Hereinafter, a sonar module that uses ultrasonic waves will be described as an example of a "transmission / reception circuit". Note that the "transmission / reception circuit" is not limited to a sonar module as long as the position of an object can be detected by the subsequent "processing circuit". For example, the "transmission / reception circuit" may be a radar module.

[0013] In the present embodiment, the vehicle's ECU (Electronic Control Unit) will be described as an example of the subsequent "processing circuit". Further, in the present embodiment, an example will be described in which the ECU has a vehicle control circuit and an object position detection function. Note that the ECU may be an integrated ECU 15 to which a number of modules such as a camera 20 and a radar 30 are connected in addition to the sonar module 10 as shown in the vehicle 1000 of FIG. 1A. It is currently speculated that the integrated ECU 15 will have, for example, 12 modules connected in the future.

[0014] (System configuration of the object detection device) The object detection device of the present embodiment has a plurality of sonar modules 10 and means for autonomously transmitting and receiving waves individually in each sonar module 10. Further, the object detection device has means for detecting the position of an object around the vehicle 1000 based on the distance measurement information output from each sonar module 10.

[0015] Referring to FIG. 1B, the configuration of an object detection device 1 which is an example of the object detection device of the present embodiment will be described in detail. Note that FIG. 1B shows the configuration of one of the plurality of sonar modules 10 mounted on the vehicle 1000. Although not shown in FIG. 1B, the other sonar modules 10 can also be implemented with the same configuration.

[0016] The sonar module 10 has a microphone 100 and a resonance circuit 110, and autonomously transmits and receives waves under the control of the IC 120.

[0017] IC120 is an integrated circuit that includes an analog control circuit 121, an ADC 122, a distance measuring circuit 123, a microcontroller 124, a timing circuit 125, a memory circuit 126, and an I / F 127, among others.

[0018] Microcontroller 124 is a microcontroller equipped with a microprocessor. Microcontroller 124 corresponds to the "transmit / receive control circuit." Based on the time ticked by the timing circuit 125, microcontroller 124 controls the analog control circuit 121 according to the transmit / receive procedure. Under the control of microcontroller 124, the sonar module 10 performs transmit and receive autonomously.

[0019] The memory circuit 126 stores the procedure information T that sets the transmit and receive procedures for the microcontroller 124. The memory circuit 126 is, for example, a non-volatile memory circuit.

[0020] The timing circuit 125 is a clock composed of, for example, logic ICs. The timing circuit 125 measures the start timing of transmission and reception. When the microcontroller 124 sets the time synchronization information (referred to as "time synchronization information") 1501 transmitted from the downstream ECU 15, the timing circuit 125 adjusts the time difference based on the set time synchronization information.

[0021] The resonant circuit 110 is operated by the analog control circuit 121 and transmits ultrasonic waves from the microphone 100. The reflected waves from the object are received by the microphone 100 and detected by inputting them to the distance measuring circuit 123 via the ADC 122.

[0022] The ADC122 is an Analog-to-Digital Converter that converts the received signal from the microphone 100 from an analog signal to a digital signal.

[0023] The distance measuring circuit 123 measures the distance of an object based on the received signal converted into a digital signal and outputs the distance measurement information to the microcontroller 124.

[0024] I / F127 is an interface circuit with the ECU15, which is connected to the next stage. I / F127 inputs time synchronization information 1501 output from the ECU15 to the microcontroller 124, and also outputs distance measurement information 1502 from the microcontroller 124 to the ECU15. The connection between I / F127 and the ECU15 can be either wired or wireless.

[0025] The ECU 15 includes an object detection circuit 150, a time synchronization circuit 151 that outputs time synchronization information 1501, and a vehicle control circuit 152.

[0026] The time synchronization circuit 151 outputs time synchronization information 1501 to the microcontroller 124 of each sonar module 10 via the I / F 127. The time synchronization circuit 151 corresponds to the "output circuit".

[0027] The object detection circuit 150 receives distance measurement information 1502 output from the I / F 127 and detects the position of an object based on the input distance measurement information 1502. For example, the object detection circuit 150 detects the position of an object by detecting the coordinates of the object using triangulation or the like, based on the distance measurement information 1502 output from multiple sonar modules 10. The object detection circuit 150 may also include other functions, such as collision detection based on the detected positional relationship between the vehicle 1000 and the object.

[0028] The vehicle control circuit 152 is a control circuit that controls the vehicle 1000. The vehicle control circuit 152 controls the vehicle 1000 based on inputs from various parts of the vehicle 1000. When the object detection circuit 150 inputs the result of a collision detection between the vehicle 1000 and an object, the vehicle control circuit 152 performs control to avoid a collision between the vehicle 1000 and the object based on that input.

[0029] (Procedure Information) The table information T1 or table information T2 shown in Figure 2 corresponds to the procedure information T. Each sonar module 10 may store the same table information related to each sonar module 10 in its memory circuit 126, or each sonar module 10 may store its own individual table information related to it.

[0030] The table information T1 shown in Figure 2 is an example of setting up table information when each sonar module 10 stores the same table information related to each sonar module 10. The table information T2 shown in Figure 2 is an example of setting up table information for one sonar module 10 when each sonar module 10 stores its own individual table information related to it.

[0031] Table information T1 is a table that associates data for "Time" t1, "Number" t2, and "Transmit / Receive" t3. In chronological order of the time set in "Time" t1, "Number" t2 is set with data indicating the identification number of the sonar module 10 to be operated at each time, and "Transmit / Receive" t3 is set with data indicating the operation method of the sonar module 10 set in "Number" t2. In the example shown in table information T1 of Figure 2, "Time" t1 is set to "50" ms (milliseconds), "100" ms, "150" ms, ... Corresponding to "50" ms in "Time" t1, "Number" t2 is set with identification numbers "1" and "2", "Transmit / Receive" t3 is set to indicate the operation method corresponding to identification number "1" as "Transmit + Receive", and "Receive" is set to indicate the operation method corresponding to identification number "2". For "100" ms, "150" ms, etc., the data is set in "number" t2 and "transmit / receive" t3 in the same way as for "50" ms.

[0032] Of the multiple sonar modules 10, the sonar module 10 with identification number "1" operates autonomously on its own based on the setting for identification number "1" in "number" t2 of table information T1. For example, in this example of table information T1, the sonar module 10 with identification number "1" autonomously performs transmission and reception on its own at a time of 50ms. Also, the sonar module 10 with identification number "2" autonomously performs reception on its own at a time of 50ms.

[0033] Next, at time 100ms, sonar module 10 with identification number "2" autonomously performs both transmission and reception on its own. Also, sonar modules 10 with identification numbers "1" and "3" autonomously perform reception on their own. At time 150ms, sonar module 10 with identification number "3" autonomously performs both transmission and reception on its own. Also, sonar modules 10 with identification numbers "2" and "4" autonomously perform reception on their own.

[0034] The table information T2 shown in Figure 2 is an example of the settings for individual table information stored in sonar module 10 with identification number "1". In the individual table information, the "number" t2 is set to the identification number "1" of sonar module 10. In this way, when individual setting information is stored in sonar module 10, each sonar module 10 operates autonomously on its own based on its own table information.

[0035] (Operating Procedure) As shown in Figure 3, first the ECU 15 outputs time synchronization information 1501 to each sonar module 10 (step S1), and based on this time synchronization information 1501, the sonar module 10 synchronizes the time of the timing circuit 125 (step S2). The period at which the ECU 15 outputs the time synchronization information 1501 can be arbitrary. However, although the period at which the ECU 15 outputs the time synchronization information 1501 can be arbitrary, since the time synchronization information 1501 is time synchronization information to adjust for the time drift that occurs over time in the timing circuit 125, it should be considerably longer than the interval at which the sonar module 10 transmits and receives waves every tens of milliseconds.

[0036] Next, the sonar module 10 transmits or receives signals according to the time series settings in the table information of the memory circuit 126, while referring to the time of the timing circuit 125 of the unit. Specifically, if the time output by the timing circuit 125 is the time set in "Time" t1 of table information T1 or table information T2 and the unit's identification number is set at that time, the sonar module 10 autonomously transmits or receives signals on its own according to the "Transmit / Receive" t3 setting corresponding to the unit's identification number (Step S3).

[0037] Next, the sonar module 10 outputs the distance measurement information 1502 to the ECU 15 (step S4). The sonar module 10 may also output the time when transmission and reception started to the ECU 15 at this time.

[0038] The subsequent ECU 15 performs object position detection based on distance measurement information 1502 output by the multiple sonar modules 10 operating autonomously (step S5). Object position detection is a process in which, for example, an object detection circuit 150 calculates coordinates by triangulation based on multiple distance measurement information 1502, or determines a collision between the vehicle 1000 and an object.

[0039] The subsequent ECU 15 controls the vehicle 1000, taking into account the results of object position detection (step S6). For example, if the object detection circuit 150 outputs a collision determination result between the vehicle 1000 and an object as a result of object position detection, the vehicle control circuit 152 controls the vehicle 1000, taking into account the collision determination result, to avoid a collision with the object.

[0040] (Effects of the embodiment) As described above, in the object detection device 1 according to this embodiment, multiple sonar modules 10 synchronize their timing based on time synchronization information 1501 periodically output from the downstream ECU 15. In addition, each sonar module 10 has its own transmission and reception procedure information T. Therefore, each sonar module 10 can autonomously synchronize the start timing of transmission and reception between its transmission and reception circuits, and can autonomously transmit and receive ultrasonic waves, etc., without the ECU 15 having to transmit the start timing of transmission and reception to each sonar module 10 each time.

[0041] Furthermore, even if the ECU15 integrates numerous sensors other than the sonar module 10, such as radar 30 and camera 20, the ECU15 only needs to output time synchronization information 1501 to the sonar module 10 at considerably longer time intervals than existing technologies. This significantly reduces the number and volume of communications, potentially avoiding limitations on the object detection and other functions performed by the ECU15.

[0042] (Modification 1 of the embodiment) In this embodiment, an example was shown in which the ECU 15 outputs time synchronization information 1501 to each sonar module 10. However, the ECU 15 may also designate one of the multiple sonar modules 10 as the master and output time synchronization information 1501 to the master.

[0043] As shown in Figure 4A, the object detection device 2 of Modification 1 has a sonar module 10 with a detection circuit 130. In the example shown in Figure 4A, the detection circuit 130 is inside IC 120, but it may be located outside IC 120.

[0044] The detection circuit 130 detects the timing for time synchronization by detecting the ultrasonic wave transmitted by the nearest sonar module 10. The detection circuit 130 inputs a detection signal, which is the direct wave of the wave transmitted by the nearest sonar module 10, to the microcontroller 124. toThe microcontroller 124 then sets the time synchronization information in the timing circuit 125 to adjust for any time discrepancies.

[0045] As shown in Figure 4B, if there are three or more sonar modules 10 in the order of (1) sonar module 10-1, (2) sonar module 10-2, (3) sonar module 10-3, and (4) sonar module 10-4, for example, sonar module (1) 10-1 is designated as the master, and time synchronization information 1501 is output from the ECU 15 to sonar module (1) 10-1. Because sonar module (1) 10-1 is performing time synchronization, when sonar module (1) 10-1 transmits ultrasonic waves, sonar module (2) 10-2, which is located closest to sonar module (1) 10-1, detects the direct wave of the transmitted ultrasonic waves and performs time synchronization. Then, when sonar module 10-2 (2) transmits an ultrasonic wave, sonar module 10-3 (3), which is located closest to sonar module 10-2 (2), detects the direct wave of the transmitted ultrasonic wave and synchronizes its time. At this time, sonar module 10-1 (1) and sonar module 10-3 (3) are located closest to sonar module 10-2 (2), but the time synchronization order can be set to proceed in ascending order of (number).

[0046] In this manner, when each sonar module 10 is equipped with a detection circuit 130 for time synchronization, the arrangement should be such that the detection circuit 130 can detect the direct wave, not the indirect wave, when the nearest sonar module 10 transmits a signal. Note that the arrangement of the detection circuits 130 and sonar modules 10 is just an example and is not limited to this. Also, although four sonar modules 10 are shown, numbered (1) through (4), this is just an example and is not limited to this. The number of sonar modules 10 may be two, three, or four or more.

[0047] (Effect of Modification 1) In the object detection device 2 according to the modified example 1 described above, at least one sonar module 10 only needs to perform time synchronization based on time synchronization information 1501 periodically output from the downstream ECU 15. Therefore, the object detection device 2 according to the modified example 1 can further significantly reduce the number and amount of communication from the ECU 15 to the sonar module 10.

[0048] (Modified example 2 of the embodiment) In the first modified example, a detection circuit 130 is provided, but a communication circuit that allows each sonar module 10 to communicate with one another may also be provided.

[0049] As shown in Figure 5, in the modified example 2, the object detection device 3 has a communication circuit 140 in each sonar module 10.

[0050] The communication circuit 140 communicates with other sonar modules 10 to obtain time synchronization information from them. In this case, if there are three or more sonar modules 10 in the order of 1, 2, 3, etc., for example, the ECU 15 outputs time synchronization information 1501 to sonar module 1 10, causing sonar module 1 10 to synchronize its time. Sonar modules 2 and 3 10 each communicate with other sonar modules 10 via the communication circuit 140 to obtain time synchronization information and synchronize their time. Note that the output of time synchronization information 1501 from the ECU 15 to sonar module 1 1 may be omitted. For example, sonar module 1 1 may output information requesting time synchronization to sonar module 2 10, causing sonar module 2 10 to synchronize its time via the ECU 15.

[0051] When time synchronization information 1501 is output from ECU 15 to sonar module 10, the order in which sonar modules 2 and 3 synchronize their times is not limited to numerical order, as long as each communicates with sonar module 10. Alternatively, the time synchronization order for sonar modules 2 and 3 may be set to proceed in numerical order, starting with the lowest number. Furthermore, the configuration in which each sonar module 10 communicates with sonar module 10 is just one example; another procedure may be that sonar module 2 communicates with sonar module 10 to synchronize its time, and then sonar module 3 communicates with sonar module 2 to synchronize its time. Time synchronization may also be performed via I / F 127.

[0052] (Effect of Modification 2) The object detection device 3 according to the modified example 2 described above differs from the configuration of the modified example 1, which waits for transmission, in that it can synchronize the time at any time using the communication circuit 140 without waiting for transmission.

[0053] (Modification 3 of the embodiment) Each sonar module 10 also outputs the time at which it starts transmitting or receiving to the ECU 15. In the embodiment and its various modifications, the time synchronization of each sonar module 10 is performed to adjust for the time difference in the start of transmission and reception between the sonar modules 10. However, it is preferable to further provide the ECU 15 with a correction circuit to correct for the time difference in the start time for each distance measurement information.

[0054] As shown in Figure 6, the object detection device 4 of the modified example 3 has a correction circuit 160 in the ECU 15. The correction circuit 160 is a circuit that corrects the time difference of the start time used for each distance measurement information 1502 input from multiple sonar modules 10.

[0055] The correction circuit 160 calculates the amount of deviation in the start time from each sonar module 10 and uses that amount of deviation to correct the distance measurement information output from each sonar module 10.

[0056] Figure 7 shows a conceptual diagram Q illustrating an example of correction using two sonar modules 10 as an example.

[0057] Before correction, the correction circuit 160 receives the transmission / reception start timing from sonar module 10-1, which has been time-synchronized, and the reception start timing from sonar module 2, 10-2, as shown in conceptual diagram Q(a). The correction circuit 160 also receives distance measurement information from sonar module 10-1 and sonar module 2, 10-2.

[0058] There is a timing difference between the start time received by the ECU15 for the distance measurement information output by sonar module 10-1 and sonar module 10-2. If object detection is performed as is, the distance to the object detected by sonar module 10-1 and the distance to the object detected by sonar module 10-2 will be calculated with a discrepancy between them.

[0059] This correction is explained in conceptual diagram Q(b). The correction circuit 160 calculates the amount of shift in the signal waveform in the time axis direction based on the difference in the timing of the start times received by sonar module 10-1 and sonar module 2 10-2. Then, the correction circuit 160 uses this amount of shift to correct the shift in the distance measurement information. In the example shown in conceptual diagram Q(b), the start time of the distance measurement information from sonar module 10-1 is earlier than the start time of the distance measurement information from sonar module 2 10-2. Therefore, the correction circuit 160 calculates the amount of shift and corrects the start time of the distance measurement information from sonar module 10-1 so that the start time of the distance measurement information from sonar module 10-1 is the same as the start time of the distance measurement information from sonar module 2 10-2. This correction allows the object detection circuit 150 to determine the distance from the corrected start time to the peak of the waveform as the distance to the object, and to accurately detect the object's coordinates by triangulation using the distance measurement information from sonar module 10-1 and sonar module 2 10-2.

[0060] (Effect of Modification 3) Thus, in the modified example 3, the object detection device 4 is equipped with a correction circuit 160 in the ECU 15, which makes it possible to correct for time discrepancies in the start time relative to the distance measurement information, and enables accurate detection of the object's coordinates by triangulation.

[0061] (Modification of the embodiment 4) As a modified example of the embodiment 4, the object detection device 5 is shown in which zone ECUs are provided for each zone of the vehicle 1000, such as the front, rear, left, and right, to bundle the interfaces of each module, and each zone ECU is connected to the central ECU 15 by a first interface.

[0062] As shown in Figure 1A, the integrated ECU 15 is connected to numerous modules in addition to the sonar module 10, including the camera 20 and radar 30. The sonar module 10, camera 20, and radar 30 each have different interfaces (IFs). Therefore, in the object detection device 5 according to the modified embodiment 4, a zone ECU 50 is provided for each zone around the vehicle 1000 to bundle the IFs of each module, and the central ECU 15 is connected to each zone ECU 50 via its IF. The IF of the zone ECU 50 corresponds to a first interface that integrates different interfaces.

[0063] As shown in Figure 8A, a vehicle 1000, an example to which the object detection device 5 is applied, is divided into four zones: front, rear, left, and right, with a zone ECU 50 provided in each of the four zones. The sonar module 10, camera 20, and radar 30 belonging to each zone are connected to the zone ECU 50 corresponding to that zone, integrating their respective different interfaces, and each zone ECU 50 and the central ECU 15 are connected by the interface of the zone ECU 50.

[0064] Referring to Figure 8B, the configuration of the object detection device 5 according to Modification 4 will be described in more detail. As shown in Figure 8B, the object detection device 5 is configured as a zone ECU 50. Note that other components have been described in the embodiment or modification, so redundant explanations will be omitted.

[0065] The Zone ECU 50 is an ECU that primarily performs the role of IF conversion. The Zone ECU 50 is individually connected to the sonar module 10, camera module 20, and radar module 30 via harnesses and communicates with the sonar module 10, camera module 20, and radar module 30 using their respective IFs. The Zone ECU 50 is also connected to and communicates with the central ECU 15 via an integrated IF. Through IF conversion, the Zone ECU 50 exchanges signals between the respective IFs of the sonar module 10, camera module 20, and radar module 30 and the integrated IF.

[0066] Furthermore, in the example shown in Figure 8B, the zone ECU 50 is time It is equipped with a matching circuit 151, time From the matching circuit 151 to the sonar module 10 timeThe configuration transmits synchronization information 1501. Furthermore, the zone ECU 50 is equipped with a correction circuit 160, which receives the start time of transmission and reception and distance measurement information 1502-1 from the sonar module 10 and performs time drift adjustment. One example The configuration involves the Zone ECU 50 receiving correction information and distance measurement information after time drift adjustment by the correction circuit 160. and , Transmission and reception start time and distance measurement information 150 2 -2 Instead It can output to ECU15.

[0067] In Figure 8B, Zone ECU 50 time An example is shown in which a matching circuit 151 and a correction circuit 160 are provided, time All or part of the matching circuit 151 and the correction circuit 160 may be provided in the ECU 15.

[0068] Furthermore, while Figure 8B shows a configuration in which one sonar module 10, one camera module 20, and one radar module 30 are connected to one zone ECU 50, the number of modules connected to one zone ECU 50 in the vehicle 1000 is not limited to one of each, as shown in the example. For example, there may be multiple connections of each of the sonar module 10, camera module 20, and radar module 30 to one zone ECU 50.

[0069] Furthermore, even if a zone ECU 50 is provided, the processing content in the central ECU 15 may remain the same. Complex signal processing, such as object detection and vehicle control, may be performed in the central ECU 15. time The matching function can also be performed by the central ECU15, but it can also be done by the zone ECU50 because the processing is lighter.

[0070] (Effects of Example 4) In the modified embodiment 4, the object detection device 5 integrates the IFs of each module, such as sonar, camera, and radar, in the zone ECU 50, and transmits signals between the zone ECU 50 and the central ECU 15 via the integrated IF. For this reason, for example, the connection between the zone ECU 50 and the central ECU 15 can be made into a single IF. Furthermore, it is possible to reduce the number of harnesses inside the vehicle and integrate the IFs between the zone ECU 50 and the central ECU 15 using an in-vehicle ETHER®.

[0071] While embodiments and variations of the present invention have been described, these are presented as examples only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These embodiments can be carried out in a variety of other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their variations are included in the scope and spirit of the invention, as well as in the claims and their equivalents.

[0072] Furthermore, the term "circuitry" in the above-described embodiment may be replaced with other terms such as "assembly," "device," "unit," or "module."

[0073] In the embodiments described above, the disclosure has been explained using examples configured with hardware, but the disclosure can also be implemented with software in conjunction with hardware.

[0074] Furthermore, each functional block used in the description of the above embodiments is typically implemented as an integrated circuit (LSI). The integrated circuit controls each functional block used in the description of the above embodiments and may have input and output terminals. These may be individually integrated into a single chip, or some or all of them may be integrated into a single chip. Here, we refer to it as an LSI, but depending on the degree of integration, it may also be called an IC, system LSI, super LSI, or ultra LSI.

[0075] Furthermore, the method of integrated circuit implementation is not limited to LSIs; it may also be implemented using dedicated circuits or general-purpose processors and memory. After LSI manufacturing, FPGAs (Field Programmable Gate Arrays) that can be programmed, or reconfigurable processors that allow for the reconfiguration of the connections or settings of circuit cells inside the LSI, may also be used.

[0076] Furthermore, if advances in semiconductor technology or other derived technologies lead to the emergence of integrated circuit technologies that can replace LSIs, then naturally, functional blocks can be integrated using those technologies. The application of biotechnology, for example, is a possibility. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0077] 1. Object detection device 10 Sonar Modules 15 ECU 100 microphones 110 Resonant circuit 120 IC 121 Analog control circuit 122 ADC 123 Ranging circuit 124 Microcontrollers 125 Timing circuit 126 Memory circuit 127 I / F 150 Object detection circuits 151 Time synchronization circuit 152 Vehicle control circuit 1000 vehicles 1501 Time synchronization information 1502 Ranging information T Procedure Information

Claims

1. Multiple transmitting and receiving circuits that transmit waves to an object and detect the reflected waves, A processing circuit connected to the aforementioned plurality of transmitting and receiving circuits, It has, Each of the above plurality of transmitting and receiving circuits is, A timing circuit that uses the time adjusted based on time synchronization information to measure time, A transmitting / receiving control circuit that performs the transmitting or receiving of waves based on the time measured by the timing circuit, It has, The aforementioned processing circuit is An output circuit that outputs the time synchronization information for adjusting the time to at least one of the plurality of transmitting and receiving circuits, An object detection circuit that detects the object using distance measurement information based on the transmitted and received waves input from the plurality of transmitting and receiving circuits, It has, Each of the plurality of transmitting and receiving circuits has a detection circuit that detects the transmission by the other transmitting and receiving circuits among the plurality of transmitting and receiving circuits. The timing circuit adjusts the time when the detection circuit detects a wave transmitted by the other transmitting / receiving circuit. Object detection device.

2. A plurality of transmitting and receiving circuits that transmit waves to an object and detect the reflected waves, A processing circuit connected to the aforementioned plurality of transmitting and receiving circuits, It has, Each of the above plurality of transmitting and receiving circuits is, A timing circuit that uses the time adjusted based on time synchronization information to measure time, A transmitting / receiving control circuit that performs the transmitting or receiving of waves based on the time measured by the timing circuit, It has, The aforementioned processing circuit is An output circuit that outputs the time synchronization information for adjusting the time to at least one of the plurality of transmitting and receiving circuits, An object detection circuit that detects the object using distance measurement information based on the transmitted and received waves input from the plurality of transmitting and receiving circuits, It has, Each of the plurality of transmitting and receiving circuits has a communication circuit that communicates with other transmitting and receiving circuits among the plurality of transmitting and receiving circuits. The communication circuit transmits the time synchronization information to the other transmitting and receiving circuits. Object detection device.

3. A plurality of transmitting and receiving circuits that transmit waves to an object and detect the reflected waves, A processing circuit connected to the aforementioned plurality of transmitting and receiving circuits, It has, Each of the above plurality of transmitting and receiving circuits is, A timing circuit that uses the time adjusted based on time synchronization information to measure time, A transmitting / receiving control circuit that performs the transmitting or receiving of waves based on the time measured by the timing circuit, It has, The aforementioned processing circuit is An output circuit that outputs the time synchronization information for adjusting the time to at least one of the plurality of transmitting and receiving circuits, An object detection circuit that detects the object using distance measurement information based on the transmitted and received waves input from the plurality of transmitting and receiving circuits, A correction circuit for correcting the deviation of the distance measurement information input from the plurality of transmitting and receiving circuits, Having, Object detection device.

4. A plurality of transmitting and receiving circuits that transmit waves to an object and detect the reflected waves, A processing circuit connected to the aforementioned plurality of transmitting and receiving circuits, An object detection device having, Each of the above plurality of transmitting and receiving circuits is, A timing circuit that uses the time adjusted based on time synchronization information to measure time, A transmitting / receiving control circuit that performs the transmitting or receiving of waves based on the time measured by the timing circuit, It has, The aforementioned processing circuit is An output circuit that outputs the time synchronization information for adjusting the time to at least one of the plurality of transmitting and receiving circuits, An object detection circuit that detects the object using distance measurement information based on the transmitted and received waves input from the plurality of transmitting and receiving circuits, A vehicle control circuit that controls the vehicle on which the object detection device is installed, Includes, The aforementioned vehicle control circuit is The vehicle is controlled based on the output result of the object detection circuit. Object detection device.

5. A plurality of transmitting and receiving circuits that transmit waves to an object and detect the reflected waves, A processing circuit connected to the aforementioned plurality of transmitting and receiving circuits, An object detection device having, Each of the above plurality of transmitting and receiving circuits is, A timing circuit that uses the time adjusted based on time synchronization information to measure time, A transmitting / receiving control circuit that performs the transmitting or receiving of waves based on the time measured by the timing circuit, It has, The aforementioned processing circuit is An output circuit that outputs the time synchronization information for adjusting the time to at least one of the plurality of transmitting and receiving circuits, An object detection circuit that detects the object using distance measurement information based on the transmitted and received waves input from the plurality of transmitting and receiving circuits, It has, The object detection device further includes a plurality of other modules that have different interfaces from the plurality of transmitting and receiving circuits, The plurality of transmitting and receiving circuits are modules used for detecting the object, The aforementioned processing circuit is Multiple modules are connected, and multiple zone ECUs are provided for each zone of the vehicle where the object detection device is installed, An ECU connected to the aforementioned multiple zone ECUs, It has, The plurality of zone ECUs include the time synchronization circuit, The ECU includes the object detection circuit, Object detection device.

6. Each of the multiple zone ECUs has a correction circuit that outputs correction information relating to the correction of the deviation of the distance measurement information input from each of the multiple transmitting and receiving circuits, The ECU detects the object using the correction information and distance measurement information input to each of the plurality of zone ECUs. The object detection device according to claim 5.

7. A method for detecting an object using an object detection device that includes a processing circuit connected to multiple transmitting and receiving circuits, The processing circuit outputs time synchronization information used to adjust the time of a timing circuit included in at least one of the plurality of transmitting and receiving circuits. Upon receiving the aforementioned time synchronization information, at least one of the transmitting / receiving circuits adjusts the time of the timing circuit based on the aforementioned time synchronization information. Based on the adjusted time, the plurality of transmitting and receiving circuits perform transmission or reception. Using the distance measurement information based on the transmitted and received waves input from the plurality of transmitting and receiving circuits, the processing circuit detects the object. An object detection method, The detection circuit included in each of the plurality of transmitting and receiving circuits detects the transmission by the other transmitting and receiving circuits among the plurality of transmitting and receiving circuits. The timing circuit adjusts the time when the detection circuit detects the transmission by the other transmitting / receiving circuit. Object detection method.

8. A method for detecting an object using an object detection device that includes a processing circuit connected to a plurality of transmitting and receiving circuits, The processing circuit outputs time synchronization information used to adjust the time of a timing circuit included in at least one of the plurality of transmitting and receiving circuits. Upon receiving the aforementioned time synchronization information, at least one of the transmitting / receiving circuits adjusts the time of the timing circuit based on the aforementioned time synchronization information. Based on the adjusted time, the plurality of transmitting and receiving circuits perform transmission or reception. Using the distance measurement information based on the transmitted and received waves input from the plurality of transmitting and receiving circuits, the processing circuit detects the object. An object detection method, The communication circuit included in each of the plurality of transmitting and receiving circuits transmits the time synchronization information to the other transmitting and receiving circuits. Object detection method.

9. A method for detecting an object using an object detection device that includes a processing circuit connected to a plurality of transmitting and receiving circuits, The processing circuit outputs time synchronization information used to adjust the time of a timing circuit included in at least one of the plurality of transmitting and receiving circuits. Upon receiving the aforementioned time synchronization information, at least one of the transmitting / receiving circuits adjusts the time of the timing circuit based on the aforementioned time synchronization information. Based on the adjusted time, the plurality of transmitting and receiving circuits perform transmission or reception. Using the distance measurement information based on the transmitted and received waves input from the plurality of transmitting and receiving circuits, the processing circuit detects the object. An object detection method, The correction circuit included in the object detection circuit corrects the deviation of the distance measurement information input from the multiple transmitting and receiving circuits. Object detection method.

10. A method for detecting an object using an object detection device that includes a processing circuit connected to a plurality of transmitting and receiving circuits, The processing circuit outputs time synchronization information used to adjust the time of a timing circuit included in at least one of the plurality of transmitting and receiving circuits. Upon receiving the aforementioned time synchronization information, at least one of the transmitting / receiving circuits adjusts the time of the timing circuit based on the aforementioned time synchronization information. Based on the adjusted time, the plurality of transmitting and receiving circuits perform transmission or reception. Using the distance measurement information based on the transmitted and received waves input from the plurality of transmitting and receiving circuits, the processing circuit detects the object. An object detection method, The vehicle on which the object detection device is installed is controlled by the vehicle control circuit included in the processing circuit based on the output result of the object detection circuit. Object detection method.

11. A method for detecting an object using an object detection device that includes a processing circuit connected to a plurality of transmitting and receiving circuits, The processing circuit outputs time synchronization information used to adjust the time of a timing circuit included in at least one of the plurality of transmitting and receiving circuits. Upon receiving the aforementioned time synchronization information, at least one of the transmitting / receiving circuits adjusts the time of the timing circuit based on the aforementioned time synchronization information. Based on the adjusted time, the plurality of transmitting and receiving circuits perform transmission or reception. Using the distance measurement information based on the transmitted and received waves input from the plurality of transmitting and receiving circuits, the processing circuit detects the object. An object detection method, The object detection device further includes a plurality of other modules that have different interfaces from the plurality of transmitting and receiving circuits, The plurality of transmitting and receiving circuits are modules used for detecting the object, The aforementioned processing circuit is Multiple modules are connected, and multiple zone ECUs are provided for each zone of the vehicle where the object detection device is installed, An ECU connected to the aforementioned multiple zone ECUs, It has, The plurality of zone ECUs include the time synchronization circuit, The ECU includes an object detection circuit. Object detection method.

12. Correction information relating to the correction of the deviation of the distance measurement information input from each of the plurality of transmitting and receiving circuits is output by a correction circuit included in each of the plurality of zone ECUs. Using the correction information and distance measurement information input to each of the plurality of zone ECUs, the ECU detects the object. The object detection method according to claim 11.

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