Vehicular Obstacle Detection Through Rear-Gate Reflection Differences
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Solution Overview
Problem
In vehicles with a rear loading platform and a movable gate that can open, the ultrasonic sensor may erroneously detect the gate as an obstacle, leading to unnecessary warnings that inconvenience the driver, and installing additional sensors to prevent this increases manufacturing costs.
Innovation Solution
A vehicular obstacle-detection apparatus with multiple ultrasonic sensors that emit ultrasonic waves to different portions of the rear gate in the open position, where the gate reflects these waves with varying intensities, allowing the system to differentiate between gate interference and actual obstacles by detecting a difference in reflection intensity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an additional sensor is installed to detect the rear gate state, then the reliability of obstacle detection is improved, but the manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The detection function is segmented across multiple ultrasonic sensors positioned at different locations. Each sensor detects ultrasonic waves from different angles, and the control unit segments the analysis by comparing results from each sensor to determine whether the rear gate or an actual obstacle is detected, eliminating the need for additional dedicated sensors.
Solution Approach 2:
The existing ultrasonic sensors are made multi-functional by using them not only for obstacle detection but also for rear gate state detection. The same sensors that detect obstacles are also used to detect the rear gate position by analyzing reflection intensity differences, thereby eliminating the need for additional sensors and reducing manufacturing costs.
2Ease of operation
If the rear gate is in the open state, then the loading platform accessibility is improved, but the ultrasonic sensor detects the gate as an obstacle causing erroneous warnings
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit applies different evaluation criteria to ultrasonic wave reflections based on the local characteristics of the reflection source. By analyzing the specific pattern of reflection intensity differences across multiple sensors, the system distinguishes between the local characteristics of the rear gate (which causes a specific reflection pattern) and actual obstacles (which cause different reflection patterns), thereby preventing erroneous warnings while maintaining operational accessibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from multiple ultrasonic sensors to continuously monitor the rear gate state. The control unit receives feedback signals from each sensor, compares the reflection intensities, and uses this feedback information to determine whether the rear gate is open or closed, thereby adjusting the obstacle detection behavior accordingly and preventing false warnings.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach prevents the rear gate from being erroneously detected as an obstacle, avoiding unnecessary warnings and driver inconvenience while maintaining a cost-effective configuration without additional sensors.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of ultrasonic sensors 251a, 251b configured to emit ultrasonic waves toward the rear of a vehicle
Implementation Method 2
obstacle detection unit 521 configured to detect an obstacle existing behind the vehicle based on respective outputs from the ultrasonic sensors
Data Source
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AI summary
To avoid a situation of inconveniencing the driver about unnecessary implementation of an obstacle countermeasure such as a warning, a vehicular obstacle-detection apparatus is provided in a vehicle 1 in which propagation of ultrasonic waves emitted by a plurality of ultrasonic sensors 251a, 251b that is directed towards the rear of the vehicle 1 is obstructed by a rear gate in an open position. A first ultrasonic sensor 251a and a second ultrasonic sensor 251b are provided, which have different irradiation portions with ultrasonic waves on the rear gate 212c in the open position, and reflects by the rear gate 212c in the open position, an ultrasonic wave emitted by the second ultrasonic sensor 251b with lower reflection intensity Iref than reflection intensity of an ultrasonic wave emitted by the first ultrasonic sensor 251a. Implementation of the countermeasure is avoided or stopped when a difference between reflection intensity of the ultrasonic wave detected by the first ultrasonic sensor 251a and reflection intensity of the ultrasonic wave detected by the second ultrasonic sensor 251b becomes equal to or larger than a predetermined value ΔIref.