Vehicular control object determination system

• US 20060089802A1
• Filed: 10/20/2005
• Published: 04/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Sawamoto, Kiichiro
• Granted Patent: US 7,493,218 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/301
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/00 Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/803 Relative lateral speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/16 Control of distance between vehicles, e.g. keeping a distance to preceding vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/02 related to ambient conditions
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93185 Controlling the brakes
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9319 Controlling the accelerator
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/932 using own vehicle data, e.g. ground speed, steering wheel direction
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9325 for inter-vehicle distance regulation, e.g. navigating in platoons

Abstract

A vehicular control object determination system includes: a radar device for detecting an object that is present in the direction of travel of a vehicle; a travel locus estimator for estimating a future travel locus of the vehicle; and a control object determiner for determining a control object based on a detection result obtained by the radar device, a travel locus estimated by the travel locus estimator. The control object determiner modifies the control object determination conditions when the estimated travel locus is not a straight line and the detected relative sideways speed is less than the threshold value, and when the estimated travel locus is a straight line and the detected relative sideways speed is equal to or greater than the threshold value, thereby preventing erroneous identification of a preceding vehicle traveling on an adjacent lane as a control object.

Claims

1. A vehicular control object determination system comprising:

an object detector for detecting an object that is present in the direction of travel of a vehicle;

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

a control object determiner for determining a control object based on a detection result obtained by the object detector, a travel locus estimated by the travel locus estimator, and predetermined control object determination conditions;

a relative sideways speed detector for detecting a sideways speed relative to a subject vehicle of the object detected by the object detector; and

a comparator for comparing the relative sideways speed detected by the relative sideways speed detector with a predetermined threshold value;

the control object determiner modifying the control object determination conditions when the estimated travel locus is not a straight line and the detected relative sideways speed is less than the threshold value.

2. The vehicular control object determination system according to claim 1, wherein the control object determiner excludes from determination of a control object an object that is farther than a predetermined distance from the subject vehicle, and reduces the predetermined distance when the estimated travel locus is not a straight line and the detected relative sideways speed is less than the threshold value.

3. The vehicular control object determination system according to claim 1, wherein when the estimated travel locus is not a straight line and the detected relative sideways speed is less than the threshold value, the control object determiner delays the timing of determining as a control object an object that is farther than a predetermined distance.

4. The vehicular control object determination system according to claim 1, further comprising a vehicle speed sensor for detecting a vehicle speed and a yaw rate sensor for detecting a yaw rate, and the travel locus estimator estimates a future travel locus of the vehicle based on the vehicle speed detected by the vehicle speed sensor and the yaw rate detected by the yaw rate sensor.

5. A vehicular control object determination system comprising:

an object detector for detecting an object that is present in the direction of travel of a vehicle;

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

a control object determiner for determining a control object based on a detection result obtained by the object detector, a travel locus estimated by the travel locus estimator, and predetermined control object determination conditions;

a relative sideways speed detector for detecting a sideways speed relative to a subject vehicle of the object detected by the object detector; and

a comparator for comparing the relative sideways speed detected by the relative sideways speed detector with a predetermined threshold value;

the control object determiner modifying the control object determination conditions when the estimated travel locus is a straight line and the detected relative sideways speed is equal to or greater than the threshold value.

6. The vehicular control object determination system according to claim 5, wherein the control object determiner excludes from determination of a control object an object that is farther than a predetermined distance from the subject vehicle, and reduces the predetermined distance when the estimated travel locus is a straight line and the detected relative sideways speed is equal to or greater than the threshold value.

7. The vehicular control object determination system according to claim 5, wherein when the estimated travel locus is a straight line and the detected relative sideways speed is equal to or greater than the threshold value, the control object determiner delays the timing of determining as a control object an object that is farther than a predetermined distance.

8. The vehicular control object determination system according to claim 5, wherein the system further comprises a vehicle speed sensor for detecting a vehicle speed and a yaw rate sensor for detecting a yaw rate, and the travel locus estimator estimates a future travel locus of the vehicle based on the vehicle speed detected by the vehicle speed sensor and the yaw rate detected by the yaw rate sensor.

9. A method for determining a control object for a vehicle comprising:

detecting an object that is present in the direction of travel of a vehicle;

estimating a future travel locus of the vehicle;

determining a control object based on a detection result, a travel locus, and predetermined control object determination conditions;

detecting a sideways speed relative to a subject vehicle of the detected object;

comparing the relative sideways speed with a predetermined threshold value; and

modifying the control object determination conditions when the estimated travel locus is not a straight line and the detected relative sideways speed is less than the threshold value.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising excluding from determination of a control object an object that is farther than a predetermined distance from the subject vehicle, and reducing the predetermined distance when the estimated travel locus is not a straight line and the detected relative sideways speed is less than the threshold value.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein when the estimated travel locus is not a straight line and the detected relative sideways speed is less than the threshold value, delaying the timing of determining as a control object an object that is farther than a predetermined distance.

12. The method according to claim 9, further comprising detecting a vehicle speed and a yaw rate, and estimating a future travel locus of the vehicle based on at least one of the vehicle speed and the yaw rate.

13. A method for determining a vehicular control object comprising:

detecting an object that is present in the direction of travel of a vehicle;

estimating a future travel locus of the vehicle;

determining a control object based on a detection result, a travel locus, and predetermined control object determination conditions;

detecting a sideways speed relative to a subject vehicle of the detected object;

comparing the relative sideways speed with a predetermined threshold value; and

modifying the control object determination conditions when the estimated travel locus is a straight line and the detected relative sideways speed is equal to or greater than the threshold value.

14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising excluding from determination of a control object an object that is farther than a predetermined distance from the subject vehicle, and reducing the predetermined distance when the estimated travel locus is a straight line and the detected relative sideways speed is equal to or greater than the threshold value.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein when the estimated travel locus is a straight line and the detected relative sideways speed is equal to or greater than the threshold value, delaying the timing of determining as a control object an object that is farther than a predetermined distance.

16. The method according to claim 13, further comprising detecting a vehicle speed and a yaw rate, and estimating a future travel locus of the vehicle based on at least one of the vehicle speed and the yaw rate.