Pedestrian Gaze Detection for Accurate Collision Mitigation Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current pedestrian detection and collision mitigation systems (PDCMS) face challenges in accurately determining the likelihood of pedestrian collisions, leading to potential unnecessary activations and reduced ride comfort due to the lack of consideration for the pedestrian's gaze direction.
Innovation Solution
The proposed system incorporates a front detection sensor capable of detecting pedestrian gaze information, which is used by an electronic control unit to determine the likelihood of a collision, thereby accurately activating the PDCMS function only when necessary, including the use of a mapping table to combine pedestrian and vehicle state information for optimal operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the PDCMS function is activated based only on pedestrian detection without considering gaze direction, then the system responds quickly to potential collisions, but the activation accuracy decreases leading to unnecessary activations
Solution Approach 1:
The pedestrian gaze detection function serves as an intermediary indicator to infer the pedestrian's awareness of the vehicle. By detecting where the pedestrian is looking (toward or away from the vehicle), the system gains additional information about collision risk without directly measuring collision probability, thereby improving activation accuracy while maintaining reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces purely mechanical/proximity-based detection with an optical detection mechanism (camera-based gaze detection) to supplement collision risk assessment. This substitution enables the system to evaluate pedestrian awareness state, leading to more accurate PDCMS activation decisions
2Reliability
If the PDCMS function is activated frequently to ensure pedestrian protection, then pedestrian safety is improved, but driver comfort deteriorates due to unnecessary warnings and emergency braking
Solution Approach 1:
Gaze direction detection acts as an intermediary filter between pedestrian detection and PDCMS activation. By introducing this intermediate assessment layer, the system can distinguish between high-risk and low-risk scenarios, activating protection only when truly necessary, thus maintaining pedestrian safety while reducing unnecessary driver discomfort
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies partial action by selectively activating PDCMS only in high-risk cases identified through gaze analysis, rather than excessive action that would trigger the system in all detected pedestrian scenarios. This selective activation maintains adequate protection while minimizing false alarms
3Device complexity
If the system uses only basic pedestrian detection parameters, then the device complexity remains low, but the collision risk assessment precision is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The front detection sensor is designed with multi-functionality, serving both as a pedestrian detection device and a gaze direction detection device. This universal sensor performs multiple functions (detecting pedestrian presence, distance, speed, and gaze direction) without requiring separate specialized hardware, thus improving assessment precision while keeping device complexity manageable
Solution Approach 2:
The system merges pedestrian detection and gaze direction detection into a single integrated detection process using the front detection sensor. By combining these functions in one sensor system rather than using separate systems, the patent achieves higher assessment precision without proportionally increasing overall device complexity
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
An apparatus (100) for activating a pedestrian detection and collision mitigation system (PDCMS) of a vehicle includes: a front detection sensor (200) detecting a presence of a pedestrian on a driving lane of the vehicle, gaze information of the pedestrian, and a distance and a relative speed between the pedestrian and the vehicle; a vehicle sensor (300) detecting at least any one of a speed, an acceleration, a steering angle, a steering angular velocity, and a pressure of a master cylinder of the vehicle; an electronic control unit (400) activating a PDCMS function based on information detected by the front detection sensor and the vehicle sensor; and a warning unit (500) operated to inform a driver of a collision of the pedestrian with the vehicle by a control of the electronic control unit.