Vehicle Control Apparatus Dynamic Activation Region Width
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current vehicle control systems are unable to accurately determine whether a target object, such as a two-wheel vehicle, is cutting across the path of an own vehicle, leading to unnecessary activation of safety devices when the target object is traveling parallel or in a meandering state, which can result in inappropriate collision avoidance measures.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle control apparatus that calculates a collision prediction time and sets activation regions and determination zones diagonally in front of the vehicle, using radar and imaging data to correct the activation region and timing based on the target object's movement history, thereby reducing unnecessary safety device activation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the safety device is activated based on a wide activation region and early collision prediction time, then the reliability of collision avoidance is improved, but unnecessary activation occurs when the target object is traveling parallel or meandering
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the activation region width and activation timing variable rather than fixed. The control unit dynamically adjusts the activation region width based on the determined behavior type (crossing vs. parallel/meandering) and sets different activation timings accordingly. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to maintain high collision avoidance reliability for crossing targets while suppressing unnecessary activations for parallel or meandering targets.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameters of the activation region (width and timing) based on the target object's behavior characteristics. For crossing behavior, a wider activation region and earlier activation timing are used, while for parallel or meandering behavior, a narrower activation region and later activation timing are applied. This parameter adjustment resolves the contradiction between ensuring collision avoidance reliability and preventing false activations.
2Loss of time
If the activation region width is increased to detect crossing targets earlier, then the collision prediction time is reduced, but false detection increases for meandering or zigzag traveling targets
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the detection and determination process into distinct stages: first determining the behavior type (crossing, parallel, or meandering/zigzag) based on movement history, then selectively applying different activation region widths and timing based on that classification. This segmentation allows the system to achieve early detection for crossing targets while avoiding false detection for meandering targets by applying appropriate filters at each stage.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from the target object's movement history to continuously refine the behavior type determination. By monitoring the target's trajectory and comparing it against expected patterns for crossing versus meandering motion, the system adjusts its detection parameters in real-time, reducing false detections while maintaining early collision prediction capability.
3Reliability
If the activation timing is set early to ensure safety, then the collision avoidance effectiveness is improved, but unnecessary activation occurs for targets traveling in the same direction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic activation timing adjustment based on the determined behavior type. For crossing behavior, the activation timing is set early to ensure collision avoidance, while for parallel or meandering behavior, the activation timing is delayed or deactivated. This dynamic timing adjustment resolves the contradiction between ensuring safety for crossing targets and avoiding unnecessary activation for same-direction targets.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle control apparatus includes a timing setter that sets an activation timing indicative of whether to activate the safety device based on a comparison between the activation timing and a time to collision, and a determination zone setter setting determination zones located diagonally ahead of the own vehicle in the travelling direction and separated in the lateral direction. The apparatus includes a corrector that performs, based on a zone-to-zone movement history of the recognized target object among the determination zones, a correction task including at least one of a first changing task of changing the width of an activation region, and a second changing task of changing the activation timing. The apparatus includes an activation determiner that activates a safety device upon determining that a position of the recognized target object is within the activation region and that the time to collision is smaller than the activation timing.