Monitor system of vehicle outside and method of monitoring same

• US 20030078730A1
• Filed: 10/17/2002
• Published: 04/24/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fuji Heavy Industries Limited (Subaru Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Heavy Industries Limited (Subaru Corp.)
• Inventors: Sekiguchi, Hiroyuki
• Granted Patent: US 6,859,730 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/301
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 11/12 using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/86 Combinations of lidar systems with systems other than lidar, radar or sonar, e.g. with direction finders
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/89 for mapping or imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/932 using own vehicle data, e.g. ground speed, steering wheel direction

Abstract

A distance data coordinating section coordinates laser-measured distance data with image-measured distance data as described below. When the laser-measured distance data is effective and long distance data, final distance data is set to the laser-measured distance data, when the image-measured distance data is effective as well as the difference between the image-measured distance data and the laser-measured distance data is within a predetermined value at the time the laser-measured distance data is intermediate distance data, the final distance data is set to the average value of the laser-measured distance data and the image-measured distance data, and the final distance data is set to the laser-measured distance data in the cases other than the above-mentioned cases. When the laser-measured distance data is short distance data, the final distance data is set to the image-measured distance data, and when the laser-measured distance data is very short distance data, the final distance data is set to the laser-measured distance data. Further, when the laser-measured distance data is ineffective, the final distance data is set to the image-measured distance data. With the above arrangement, it is possible to promptly output the data of a forward three-dimensional object by coordinating the distance value measured by a laser radar with the distance value measured by an image in an optimum manner without executing a complicated calculation, and the like.

Claims

1. A monitor system of a vehicle outside, comprising:

image-measured distance detection means for detecting a distance between a vehicle and a three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle based on informations of an image in front of the vehicle;

laser-measured distance detection means for detecting the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle on the basis of the information of a laser radar for projecting a laser beam from the vehicle; and

final distance setting means for finally setting the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle according to the distance detected by the image-measured distance detection means and the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means,

wherein the final distance setting means finally sets the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle according to the value of the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means.

2. The monitor system according to claim 1, wherein:

the final distance setting means finally sets the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means as the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle when the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means is a long distance.

3. The monitor system according to claim 1, wherein:

the final distance setting means finally sets an average value of the distance detected by the image-measured distance detection means and the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means as the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle when the difference between the distance detected by the image-measured distance detection means and the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means is within a predetermined value at the time the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means is an intermediate distance.

4. The monitor system according to claim 1, wherein:

the final distance setting means finally sets the distance detected by the image-measured distance detection means as the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle when the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means is a short distance.

5. The monitor system according to claim 1, wherein:

the final distance setting means finally sets the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means as the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle when the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means is a very short distance.

6. The monitor system according to claim 1, wherein:

the final distance setting means finally sets the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means as the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle when the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means is the long distance and the final distance setting means finally sets the average value of the distance detected by the image-measured distance detection means and the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means as the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle when the difference between the distance detected by the image-measured distance detection means and the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means is within a predetermined value at the time the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means is the intermediate distance.

7. The monitor system according to claim 1, wherein:

the final distance setting means finally sets the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means as the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle when the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means is the long distance and the final distance setting means finally sets the distance detected by the image-measured distance detection means as the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle when the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means is the short distance.

8. The monitor system according to claim 1, wherein:

the final distance setting means finally sets the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means as the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle when the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means is the long distance and the final distance setting means finally sets the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means as the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle when the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means is the very short distance.

9. The monitor system according to claim 1, wherein:

the final distance setting means finally sets the average value of the distance detected by the image-measured distance detection means and the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means as the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle when the difference between the distance detected by the image-measured distance detection means and the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means is within a predetermined value at the time the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means is the intermediate distance and the final distance setting means finally sets the distance detected by the image-measured distance detection means as the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle when the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means is the short distance.

10. The monitor system according to claim 1, wherein:

the final distance setting means finally sets the average value of the distance detected by the image-measured distance detection means and the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means as the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle when the difference between the distance detected by the image-measured distance detection means and the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means is within a predetermined value at the time the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means is the intermediate distance and the final distance setting means finally sets the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means as the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle when the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means is the very short distance.

11. The monitor system according to claim 1, wherein:

the final distance setting means finally sets the distance detected by the image-measured distance detection means as the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle when the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means is the short distance and the final distance setting means finally sets the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means as the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle when the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means is the very short distance.

12. The monitor system according to claim 1, wherein:

the final distance setting means finally sets the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means as the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle when the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means is the long distance and the final distance setting means finally sets the average value of the distance detected by the image-measured distance detection means and the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means as the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle when the difference between the distance detected by the image-measured distance detection means and the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means is within a predetermined value at the time the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means is the intermediate distance.

13. The monitor system according to claim 12, wherein:

the final distance setting means finally sets the distance detected by the image-measured distance detection means as the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle when the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means is the short distance.

14. The monitor system according to claim 1, wherein:

the final distance setting means finally sets the average value of the distance detected by the image-measured distance detection means and the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means as the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle when the difference between the distance detected by the image-measured distance detection means and the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means is within a predetermined value at the time the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means is the intermediate distance and the final distance setting means finally sets the distance detected by the image-measured distance detection means as the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle when the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means is the short distance and the final distance setting means finally sets the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means as the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle when the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means is the very short distance.

15. The monitor system according to claim 1, wherein:

the final distance setting means finally sets the distance detected by the image-measured distance detection means as the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle when the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means is the short distance and the final distance setting means finally sets the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means as the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle when the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means is the very short distance and the final distance setting means finally sets the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means as the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle when the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means is the long distance.

16. The monitor system according to claim 1, wherein:

the final distance setting means finally sets the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means as the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle when the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means is the very short distance and the final distance setting means finally sets the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means as the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle when the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means is the long distance and the final distance setting means finally sets the average value of the distance detected by the image-measured distance detection means and the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means as the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle when the difference between the distance detected by the image-measured distance detection means and the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means is within a predetermined value at the time the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means is the intermediate distance.

17. The monitor system according to claim 1, wherein:

the final distance setting means finally sets the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means as the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle when the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means is the long distance and the final distance setting means finally sets the average value of the distance detected by the image-measured distance detection means and the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means as the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle when the difference between the distance detected by the image-measured distance detection means and the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means is within a predetermined value at the time the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means is the intermediate distance.

18. The monitor system according to claim 17, wherein:

the final distance setting means sets the distance detected by the image-measured distance detection means as the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle when the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means is the short distance and the final distance setting means sets the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means as the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle when the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means is the very short distance.

19. A method for monitoring an outside of a vehicle comprising the steps of:

calculating a distance between a vehicle and a three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle based on informations of an image in front of the vehicle;

detecting the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle on the basis of the information of a laser radar by projecting a laser beam from the vehicle;

setting the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle according to the distance detected by the image-measured distance detection step and the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection step, and

determining the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle according to the value of the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection step.