Vehicle Control Apparatus Dynamic Activation Region Width Adjustment
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle safety systems face challenges in avoiding collisions with two-wheel vehicles, such as bicycles, as they may unnecessarily activate safety devices when the bicycle is diagonally ahead and traveling in the same direction as the own vehicle, due to swaying movements.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle control apparatus that calculates a time-to-collision and sets activation and determination regions to prevent unnecessary activation of safety devices, using a radar and imaging system to detect the bicycle's position and speed, and adjusts the activation region and timing based on the bicycle's stay time in a determination region diagonally ahead of the vehicle.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the safety device is activated when a target is detected in the activation region ahead of the own vehicle, then collision avoidance capability is improved, but unnecessary activation occurs when the target is merely swaying diagonally ahead
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the activation region width variable rather than fixed. The control section dynamically adjusts the activation region width based on the target's stay time in the determination region. When a target stays diagonally ahead for an extended period (indicating swaying motion rather than direct approach), the activation region width is reduced, preventing unnecessary activation while maintaining collision avoidance capability for genuine threats.
2Area of stationary object
If the activation region width is set wide to ensure detection of all potential targets, then detection coverage is improved, but false detection increases for targets traveling in same direction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the activation region width dynamic based on target behavior analysis. Initially, a wider activation region ensures comprehensive detection coverage. However, when a target remains in the determination region (diagonally ahead area) for a predetermined time, the system infers the target is traveling in the same direction and dynamically narrows the activation region width, thereby improving measurement precision for target traversal likelihood while maintaining initial detection coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback by continuously monitoring the target's position and stay time in the determination region. This feedback information is used by the control section to adjust the activation region width in real-time. The system learns from the target's behavior pattern (remaining diagonally ahead indicates same-direction travel) and adapts the activation region accordingly, improving both detection accuracy and reducing false positives.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle control apparatus includes a collision time calculation section configured to calculate a time-to-collision; an activation region setting section configured to set an activation region to an area present ahead of and in the travelling direction of an own vehicle, the activation region having a predetermined width in a lateral direction that is orthogonal to a path of the own vehicle; a timing setting section configured to set timing activating a safety device; a determination region setting section configured to set a determination region to an area present diagonally ahead of and in the travelling direction of the own vehicle, the determination region having a predetermined width in the lateral direction; a timer section configured to measure a time for which a target stays in the determination region; a correction section configured to perform, in a case where the time measured by the timer section is long, a process for decreasing the width of the activation region and a process for decreasing activation timing; and an activation determination section configured to activate the safety device in a case where a position of the target is in the activation region and the time-to-collision falls below the activation timing.