Recognition support device for vehicle

• US 10,366,603 B2
• Filed: 09/04/2018
• Issued: 07/30/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Ohta, Teppei
• Primary Examiner(s): King, Curtis J
• Application Number:
  US16/121,385
• Publication Number:
  US 20190103017A1
• Time in Patent Office: 329 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/04 the devices being headlights
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/085 due to special conditions, e.g. adverse weather, type of road, badly illuminated road signs or potential dangers B60Q1/10, B60Q1/12, B60Q1/1423 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/18 being additional front lights bracket mounted headlights B60Q1/0483
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/45 Special conditions, e.g. pedestrians, road signs or potential dangers
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2400/50 Projected symbol or information, e.g. onto the road or car body
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/58 Recognition of moving objects or obstacles, e.g. vehicles or pedestrians; Recognition of traffic objects, e.g. traffic signs, traffic lights or roads
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/103 Static body considered as a whole, e.g. static pedestrian or occupant recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/005 including pedestrian guidance indicator
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/04 using optical or ultrasonic detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes

Abstract

A recognition support device for a vehicle includes: an irradiation device which is configured to irradiate an area in front of an own vehicle with light and has an actuator configured to change an irradiation direction of the light; and circuitry configured to recognize an object present in front of the own vehicle with a sensor, to irradiate, when a specific object advances into a first area set in front of the own vehicle relative to the own vehicle, the specific object with the light by using the irradiation device and to drive the actuator, when the specific object advances into a second area which is larger at least in a width in a vehicle traveling direction than the first area before advancing into the first area, such that the irradiation direction of the light from the irradiation device faces the specific object.

Claims

1. A recognition support device for a vehicle, comprising:

an irradiation device configured to irradiate an area in front of an own vehicle with light, the irradiation device having an actuator configured to change an irradiation direction of the light; and

circuitry configured to

recognize an object present in front of the own vehicle with a sensor,

irradiate, when a specific object advances into a first area after advancing into a second area, the specific object with the light by using the irradiation device, the first area being set in front of the own vehicle relative to the own vehicle, and

before the specific object advances into the first area and when the specific object advances into the second area, drive the actuator without irradiating the specific object with the light, such that the irradiation direction of the irradiation device faces the specific object that advances into the second area, the second area being larger at least in a width in a vehicle traveling direction than the first area.

2. The recognition support device according to claim 1, wherein

the second area is larger in a width in a vehicle width direction than the first area.

3. The recognition support device according to claim 1, wherein

the circuitry is configured

to determine whether or not a collision prediction position is within a specified range, the collision prediction position being a position of the specific object in a vehicle width direction obtained when the specific object advances into the first area, and the specific object is aligned with the own vehicle in the vehicle traveling direction,

to irradiate the specific object with the light by using the irradiation device when the collision prediction position is within the specified range, and

not to irradiate the specific object with the light by using the irradiation device when the collision prediction position is out of the specified range.

4. The recognition support device according to claim 1, wherein

a difference between the width of the second area and the width of the first area in a vehicle width direction is larger when a speed of the own vehicle is low than when the speed of the own vehicle is high.

5. The recognition support device according to claim 1, wherein the circuitry is configured to irradiate the specific object with the light only when the specific object has advanced into the first area.

6. A recognition support device for a vehicle, comprising:

an irradiation device configured to irradiate an area in front of an own vehicle with light, the irradiation device having an actuator configured to change an irradiation direction of the light; and

circuit configured to

recognize an object present in front of the own vehicle with a sensor,

irradiate, when a specific object advances into a first area, the specific object with the light by using the irradiation device, the first area being set in front of the own vehicle relative to the own vehicle, and

drive the actuator, when the specific object advances into a second area before advancing into the first area, such that the irradiation direction of the light from the irradiation device faces the specific object that advances into the second area, the second area being larger at least in a width in a vehicle traveling direction than the first area, wherein

the width of the first area in the vehicle traveling direction and the width of the second area in the vehicle traveling direction are each determined with use of time to collision between the own vehicle and the specific object, and

a second threshold of the time to collision, used to determine the width of the second area in the vehicle traveling direction, is equal to or larger than a sum of a first threshold of the time to collision and an operating time of the actuator, the first threshold being used to determine the width of the first area in the vehicle traveling direction, the operating time being necessary for adjustment of the irradiation direction.

7. A recognition support device for a vehicle, comprising:

an irradiation device configured to irradiate an area in front of an own vehicle with light, the irradiation device having an actuator configured to change an irradiation direction of the light; and

circuit configured to

recognize an object present in front of the own vehicle with a sensor,

irradiate, when a specific object advances into a first area, the specific object with the light by using the irradiation device, the first area being set in front of the own vehicle relative to the own vehicle, and

drive the actuator, when the specific object advances into a second area before advancing into the first area, such that the irradiation direction of the light from the irradiation device faces the specific object that advances into the second area, the second area being larger at least in a width in a vehicle traveling direction than the first area, wherein

the width of the first area in the vehicle traveling direction and the width of the second area in the vehicle traveling direction are each determined with use of a distance from a reference point on the own vehicle in the vehicle traveling direction, and

a second threshold of the distance used to determine the width of the second area in the vehicle traveling direction is equal to or larger than a sum of a product and a first threshold of the distance, the product being between an operating time of the actuator to adjust the irradiation direction and a speed of the own vehicle or a relative speed between the own vehicle and the specific object, the first threshold being used to determine the width of the first area in the vehicle traveling direction.

8. A recognition support device for a vehicle, comprising:

an irradiation device configured to irradiate an area in front of an own vehicle with light, the irradiation device having an actuator configured to change an irradiation direction of the light; and

circuitry configured to

recognize an object present in front of the own vehicle with a sensor,

based upon a determination that a specific object has advanced into a second area, determine whether the specific object has advanced into a first area, wherein the second area is larger at least in a width in a vehicle traveling direction than the first area, the first area being set in front of the own vehicle relative to the own vehicle,

based upon a determination that the specific object has not advanced into the first area, drive the actuator without irradiating the specific object with the light, so that the irradiation direction of the irradiation device faces the specific object, and

based upon a determination that the specific object has advanced into the first area, irradiate the specific object with the light by using the irradiation device.