Object detection system and method of detecting object

• US 20060139204A1
• Filed: 09/09/2004
• Published: 06/29/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Suzuki, Koji, Abe, Kyoichi, Tokoro, Setsuo
• Granted Patent: US 7,358,889 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/52
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/865 Combination of radar systems with lidar systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/867 Combination of radar systems with cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/48 Active triangulation systems, i.e. using the transmission and reflection of 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 17/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93271 in the front of the vehicles

Abstract

An object detection system is provided with radar detection means (2), image detection means (3), and collating means (4). The collating means (4) detects a combination of an object detected by the radar detection means (2) and an object selected among those detected by the image detection means (3), which is the closest to the object detected by the radar detection means (S1, S2), detects a combination of an object detected by the image detection means (3) and an object selected among those detected by the radar detection means (2), which is the closest to the object detected by the image detection means (S3, S4), and determines when there is a coincidence between the combination of the object detected by the radar detection means (2) and the selected object as being closest thereto and the combination of the object detected by the image detection means (3) and the selected object as being closest thereto, that the object detected by the radar detection means (2) is the same as the object detected by the image detection means (S5).

Claims

1-6. -6. (canceled)

7. An object detection system comprising:

a radar detection unit that detects an object using a radar;

an image detection unit that detects an object using an image; and

a collating unit that performs collation between a detection result of the radar detection unit and a detection result of the image detection unit, wherein;

the collating unit detects a combination of an object detected by the radar detection unit and an object selected among those detected by the image detection unit A, which is the closest to the object detected by the radar detection unit, detects a combination of an object detected by the image detection unit and an object selected among those detected by the radar detection unit, which is the closest to the object detected by the image detection unit, determines whether there is a coincidence between the combination of the object detected by the radar detection unit and the selected object as being closest thereto and the combination of the object detected by the image detection unit and the selected object as being closest thereto, and determines, when there is the coincidence, that the object detected by the radar detection unit is the same as the object detected by the image detection unit.

8. The object detection system according to claim 7, wherein the radar detection unit comprises at least one of a millimeter-wave radar and a laser radar.

9. The object detection system according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the image detection unit comprises a stereo camera.

10. A method of detecting an object in a system including a radar detection unit that detects an object using a radar, an image detection unit that detects an object using an image, and a collating unit that performs collation between a detection result of the radar detection unit and a detection result of the image detection unit,

the method comprising the steps of;

detecting a combination of an object detected by the radar detection unit and an object selected among those detected by the image detection unit, which is the closest to the object detected by the radar detection unit,

detecting a combination of an object detected by the image detection unit and an object selected among those detected by the radar detection unit, which is the closest to the object detected by the image detection unit,

determining whether there is a coincidence between the combination of the object detected by the radar detection unit and the selected object as being closest thereto and the combination of the object detected by the image detection unit and the selected object as being closest thereto, and;

determining, when there is the coincidence, that the object detected by the radar detection unit is the same as the object detected by the image detection unit.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the radar detection unit comprises at least one of a millimeter-wave radar and a laser radar.

12. The method according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the image detection unit comprises a stereo camera.