Collision avoidance assist apparatus, collision avoidance assist method, and program

• US 10,246,089 B2
• Filed: 04/13/2015
• Issued: 04/02/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Sasabuchi, Yoji
• Primary Examiner(s): Shudy, Angelina
• Application Number:
  US14/684,566
• Publication Number:
  US 20150307093A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,450 Days
• Field of Search: 701 1, 701301
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/18 including control of braking systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/20 including control of steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/403 Image sensing, e.g. optical camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/408 Radar; Laser, e.g. lidar
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/00 Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/4041 Position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/0953 the prediction being responsive to vehicle dynamic parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/0956 the prediction being responsive to traffic or environmental parameters

Abstract

A collision avoidance assist apparatus includes: an object detection part configured to detect a second moving object that crosses ahead in a travel direction of a first moving object; an estimation part configured to estimate a relationship between a future location of the first moving object and a future location of the second moving object based on a location of the detected second moving object; and a determination part configured to determine that there is a possibility that the first moving object and the second moving object will collide with each other in a case where the second moving object is capable of passing the first moving object without colliding with the first moving object based on the estimated relationship and a relationship between the first moving object and the second moving object when the second moving object passes the first moving object satisfies a predetermined condition.

Claims

1. A collision avoidance assist apparatus comprising:

an output unit that includes at least one of a reporting device, a braking device, and a steering device; and

a processor configured to;

(a) calculate an estimated time to collision, which is an amount of time for a first moving object to arrive at a virtual line that extends from a right end portion of a second moving object in a travel direction of the second moving object and that is parallel to the travel direction of the second moving object, and determine whether the second moving object will cross into a scheduled region, which the first moving object will cross after the estimated time to collision elapses, prior to the first moving object;

(b) estimate a relationship between a future location of the first moving object after the estimated time to collision elapses and a future location of the second moving object after the estimated time to collision elapses based on a change in a current location of the second moving object when it is determined that the second moving object will cross into the scheduled region prior to the first moving object;

(c) determine whether or not the second moving object is capable of crossing in front of the first moving object without colliding with the first moving object based on the relationship estimated in (b), and determine whether or not the relationship estimated in (b) satisfies a predetermined condition; and

(d) perform a drive assist of the first moving object by controlling the output unit in response to a first determination result that the second moving object is capable of crossing in front of the first moving object without colliding with the first moving object, and a second determination result that the relationship estimated in (b) satisfies the predetermined condition,

wherein the processor is configured to;

obtain a hazard region including a region of the estimated future location of the second moving object after the estimated time to collision elapses, and an extension region that extends rearward in the travel direction of the second moving object positioned at the future location estimated in (b); and

perform the drive assist of the first moving object by controlling the output unit in a case where the hazard region, and the estimated future location of the first moving object after the estimated time to collision elapses, overlap each other.

2. The collision avoidance assist apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to change a size of the extension region depending on an amplitude of a speed of the second moving object.

3. The collision avoidance assist apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to perform the drive assist of the first moving object by controlling the output unit in a case where a distance between the estimated future location of the first moving object and the estimated future location of the second moving object based on the relationship estimated in (b) is less than a predetermined distance, or in a case where an amount of time for the first moving object to arrive at a path of the second moving object indicated by the estimated future location of the second moving object is less than a predetermined amount of time.

4. The collision avoidance assist apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the processor is configured to change the predetermined distance or the predetermined amount of time depending on an amplitude of a speed of the second moving object.

5. A collision avoidance assist method comprising the steps of:

(a) calculating an estimated time to collision, which is an amount of time for a first moving object to arrive at a virtual line that extends from a right end portion of a second moving object in a travel direction of the second moving object and that is parallel to the travel direction of the second moving object, and determining whether the second moving object will cross into a scheduled region, which the first moving object will cross after the estimated time to collision elapses, prior to the first moving object;

(b) estimating a relationship between a future location of the first moving object after the estimated time to collision elapses and a future location of the second moving object after the estimated time to collision elapses based on a change in a current location of the second moving object when it is determined that the second moving object will cross into the scheduled region prior to the first moving object in (a);

(c) determining whether or not the second moving object is capable of crossing in front of the first moving object without colliding with the first moving object based on the relationship estimated in (b), and determining whether or not the relationship estimated in (b) satisfies a predetermined condition; and

(d) performing a drive assist of the first moving object by controlling an output unit that includes at least one of a reporting device, a braking device, and a steering device in response to a first determination result that the second moving object is capable of crossing in front of the first moving object without colliding with the first moving object and a second determination result that the relationship estimated in (b) satisfies a predetermined condition,

wherein the method further comprises steps of;

obtaining a hazard region including a region of the estimated future location of the second moving object after the estimated time to collision time elapses, and an extension region that extends rearward in the travel direction of the second moving object positioned at the estimated future location of the second moving object estimated in (b); and

performing the drive assist of the first moving object by controlling the output unit in a case where the hazard region, and the estimated future location of the first moving object after the estimated time to collision elapses, overlap each other.

6. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium including a program for causing a computer to execute:

(a) calculating an estimated time to collision, which is an amount of time for a first moving object to arrive at a virtual line that extends from a right end portion of a second moving object in a travel direction of the second moving object and that is parallel to the travel direction of the second moving object, and determining whether the second moving object will cross into a scheduled region, which the first moving object will cross after the estimated time to collision elapses, prior to the first moving object;

(b) estimating a relationship between a future location of the first moving object after the estimated time to collision elapses and a future location of the second moving object after the estimated time to collision elapses based on a change in a current location of the second moving object when it is determined that the second moving object will cross into the scheduled region prior to the first moving object in (a);

(c) determining whether or not the second moving object is capable of crossing in front of the first moving object without colliding with the first moving object based on the relationship estimated in (b), and determining whether or not the relationship estimated in (b) satisfies a predetermined condition; and

(d) performing a drive assist of the first moving object by controlling an output unit that includes at least one of a reporting device, a braking device, and a steering device in response to a first determination result that the second moving object is capable of crossing in front of the first moving object without colliding with the first moving object and a second determination result that the relationship estimated in (b) satisfies the predetermined condition,

wherein the program further causes the computer to execute steps of;

obtaining a hazard region including a region of the estimated future location of the second moving object after the estimated time to collision time elapses, and an extension region that extends rearward in the travel direction of the second moving object positioned at the estimated future location of the second moving object estimated in (b); and

performing the drive assist of the first moving object by controlling the output unit in a case where the hazard region, and the future location of the first moving object after the estimated time to collision elapses, overlap each other.