Vehicular object detection system, tracking control system, and vehicle control system

• US 20050090950A1
• Filed: 08/17/2004
• Published: 04/28/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Satoh, Hiroshi, Inoue, Shigeru, Sawamoto, Kiichiro
• Granted Patent: US 7,266,453 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/23
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/0008 including means for detecting potential obstacles in vehicle path
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/10 Accelerator pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/12 Brake pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/21 Voice
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes

Abstract

An ACC system includes a radar device for detecting an object in front of a subject vehicle, locus estimator for estimating a travel locus of the subject vehicle, detection area setter for setting a predetermined detection area in front of the subject vehicle based on the travel locus of the subject vehicle, obstacle extractor for extracting a preceding vehicle based on a detection result of the radar device and the detection area, and acceleration/deceleration intention detector for detecting an intention of an occupant to accelerate or decelerate. Since the detection area setter increases the detection area for an obstacle when the acceleration/deceleration intention detector detects an intention of the occupant to decelerate, it is possible to reliably detect a cutting-in vehicle that cuts in front of the subject vehicle and to prevent the subject vehicle from coming into contact with the cutting-in vehicle, thus preventing the driver from feeling uncomfortable and ensuring reliable operation of the ACC system.

Claims

1. A vehicular object detection system comprising:

an object detector for detecting an object in front of a subject vehicle;

a locus estimator for estimating a travel locus of the subject vehicle;

a detection area setter for setting a predetermined detection area in front of the subject vehicle based on the travel locus of the subject vehicle; and

an obstacle extractor for extracting an obstacle based on a detection result of the object detector and the detection area set by the detection area setter;

wherein the vehicular object detection system further comprises an acceleration/deceleration intention detector for detecting an intention of an occupant to accelerate or decelerate; and

wherein the detection area setter changes the predetermined detection area based on a detection result of the acceleration/deceleration intention detector.

2. The vehicular object detection system according to claim 1, wherein the detection area setter increases the predetermined detection area when the acceleration/deceleration intention detector detects an intention of the occupant to decelerate.

3. The vehicular object detection system according to claim 1, wherein the detection area setter decreases the predetermined detection area when the acceleration/deceleration intention detector detects an intention of the occupant to accelerate.

4. The vehicular object detection system according to claim 1, wherein the acceleration/deceleration intention detector detects an intention of the occupant to accelerate or decelerate based on at least one of operation of a brake pedal by the occupant, operation of an accelerator pedal by the occupant, operation of a switch by the occupant, and voice of the occupant.

5. A vehicular object detection system comprising:

an object detector for detecting an object in front of a subject vehicle;

a locus estimator for estimating a travel locus of the subject vehicle;

a detection area setter for setting a predetermined detection area in front of the subject vehicle based on the travel locus of the subject vehicle; and

an obstacle extractor for extracting an obstacle based on a detection result of the object detector and the detection area set by the detection area setter;

wherein the vehicular object detection system further comprises an acceleration/deceleration detector for detecting an acceleration or a deceleration; and

wherein the detection area setter changes the predetermined detection area based on a detection result of the acceleration/deceleration detector.

6. The vehicular object detection system according to claim 5, wherein the detection area setter increases the predetermined detection area when the acceleration/deceleration detector detects a deceleration.

7. The vehicular object detection system according to claim 5, wherein the detection area setter decreases the predetermined detection area when the acceleration/deceleration detector detects an acceleration.

8. A tracking control system comprising:

the vehicular object detection system comprising;

an object detector for detecting an object in front of a subject vehicle;

a locus estimator for estimating a travel locus of the subject vehicle;

a detection area setter for setting a predetermined detection area in front of the subject vehicle based on the travel locus of the subject vehicle;

an obstacle extractor for extracting an obstacle based on a detection result of the object detector and the detection area set by the detection area setter; and

a vehicle controller for making the subject vehicle track a preceding vehicle extracted by the obstacle extractor;

wherein the vehicular object detection system further comprises an acceleration/deceleration intention detector for detecting an intention of an occupant to accelerate or decelerate;

wherein the detection area setter changes the predetermined detection area based on a detection result of the acceleration/deceleration intention detector; and

wherein the detection area setter changes at least one of a detection area from the subject vehicle to the preceding vehicle and a detection area from the preceding vehicle to the maximum detectable distance of the object detector.

9. The tracking control system according to claim 8, wherein the detection area setter is able to individually set detection areas on the left-side and right-side of the travel locus of the subject vehicle and changes, among the left-side and right-side detection areas, only the detection area that is in a direction of travel of the preceding vehicle extracted by the obstacle extractor.

10. A vehicle control system comprising:

an object detector for detecting an object in front of a subject vehicle;

a locus estimator for estimating a travel locus of the subject vehicle; and

a control object determinator for determining a control object with respect to which the travel of the subject vehicle is controlled, based on outputs of the object detector and the locus estimator and on predetermined control object determination conditions;

wherein the vehicle control system further comprises an acceleration/deceleration intention detector for detecting an intention of an occupant to accelerate or decelerate; and

wherein the control object determinator changes the control object determination conditions based on a detection result of the acceleration/deceleration intention detector.

11. The vehicle control system according to claim 10, wherein the vehicle control system further comprises a target control value determinator for determining a target control value based on an output of the control object determinator, and a vehicle controller for carrying out travel control of the subject vehicle based on an output of the target control value determinator, and wherein the control object determinator changes the control object determination conditions so that a detected object is more easily determined to be the control object when the acceleration/deceleration intention detector detects an intention of the occupant to decelerate while the vehicle controller is carrying out acceleration control or constant speed travel control.

12. The vehicle control system according to claim 10, wherein the vehicle control system further comprises a target control value determinator for determining a target control value based on an output of the control object determinator, and a vehicle controller for carrying out travel control of the subject vehicle based on an output of the target control value determinator, and wherein the control object determinator changes the control object determination conditions so that a detected object is less easily determined to be the control object when the acceleration/deceleration intention detector detects an intention of the occupant to accelerate while the vehicle controller is carrying out deceleration control or constant speed travel control.

13. The vehicle control system according to claim 10, wherein the control object determinator changes, among the control object determination conditions, a first distance evaluation threshold value, based on a detection result of the acceleration/deceleration intention detector, and wherein when the distance between an object detected by the object detector and a travel locus of the subject vehicle estimated by the locus estimator is equal to or less than the first distance evaluation threshold value, the detected object becomes the control object.

14. The vehicle control system according to claim 10, wherein the control object determinator changes, among the control object determination conditions, a second distance evaluation threshold value, based on a detection result of the acceleration/deceleration intention detector, and wherein when the distance between an estimated position after a predetermined period of time of an object detected by the object detector and an estimated position after the predetermined period of time of the subject vehicle is equal to or less than the second distance evaluation threshold value, the detected object becomes the control object.

15. The vehicle control system according to claim 10, wherein the control object determinator changes, among the control object determination conditions, a speed evaluation threshold value, based on a detection result of the acceleration/deceleration intention detector, and wherein when the lateral speed of movement, relative to the subject vehicle, of an object detected by the object detector is equal to or greater than the speed evaluation threshold value and the object is approaching the subject vehicle, the detected object becomes the control object.

16. The vehicle control system according to claim 10, wherein the acceleration/deceleration intention detector detects an intention of the occupant to accelerate or decelerate based on at least one of operation of a brake pedal by the occupant, operation of an accelerator pedal by the occupant, operation of a switch by the occupant, and voice of the occupant.

17. A vehicle control system comprising:

an object detector for detecting an object in front of a subject vehicle;

a locus estimator for estimating a travel locus of the subject vehicle; and

a control object determinator for determining a control object based on outputs of the object detector and the locus estimator and on predetermined control object determination conditions;

wherein the vehicle control system further comprises an acceleration/deceleration detector for detecting an acceleration or a deceleration; and

wherein the control object determinator changes the control object determination conditions based on a detection result of the acceleration/deceleration detector.

18. The vehicle control system according to claim 17, wherein the vehicle control system further comprises a target control value determinator for determining a target control value based on an output of the control object determinator, and a vehicle controller for carrying out travel control of the subject vehicle based on an output of the target control value determinator, and wherein the control object determinator changes the control object determination conditions so that a detected object is more easily determined to be the control object when the acceleration/deceleration detector detects a deceleration equal to or greater than a predetermined value while the vehicle controller is carrying out acceleration control or constant speed travel control.

19. The vehicle control system according to claim 17, wherein the vehicle control system further comprises a target control value determinator for determining a target control value based on an output of the control object determinator, and a vehicle controller for carrying out travel control of the subject vehicle based on an output of the target control value determinator, and wherein the control object determinator changes the control object determination conditions so that a detected object is less easily determined to be the control object when the acceleration/deceleration detector detects an acceleration equal to or greater than a predetermined value while the vehicle controller is carrying out deceleration control or constant speed travel control.

20. The vehicle control system according to claim 17, wherein the control object determinator changes, among the control object determination conditions, a first distance evaluation threshold value, based on a detection result of the acceleration/deceleration detector, and wherein when the distance between an object detected by the object detector and a travel locus of the subject vehicle estimated by the locus estimator is equal to or less than the first distance evaluation threshold value, the detected object becomes the control object.

21. The vehicle control system according to claim 17, wherein the control object determinator changes, among the control object determination conditions, a second distance evaluation threshold value, based on a detection result of the acceleration/deceleration detector, and wherein when the distance between an estimated position after a predetermined period of time of an object detected by the object detector and an estimated position after the predetermined period of time of the subject vehicle is equal to or less than the second distance evaluation threshold value, the detected object becomes the control object.

22. The vehicle control system according to claim 17, wherein the control object determinator changes, among the control object determination conditions, a speed evaluation threshold value, based on a detection result of the acceleration/deceleration detector, and wherein when the lateral speed of movement, relative to the subject vehicle, of an object detected by the object detector is equal to or greater than the speed evaluation threshold value and the object is approaching the subject vehicle, the detected object becomes the control object.