Pedestrian detection system

• US 20060224289A1
• Filed: 03/23/2006
• Published: 10/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Kuwahara, Sadayuki, Takahashi, Hisashi, Kiribayashi, Shinichi
• Application Number:
  US11/388,065
• Publication Number:
  US 20060224289A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/45
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0132 responsive to vehicle motion parameters , e.g. to vehicle longitudinal or transversal deceleration or speed value
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/34 Protecting non-occupants of a vehicle, e.g. pedestrians B60R19/02 takes precedence

Abstract

A pedestrian detection system for a vehicle includes multiple acceleration sensors provided at different positions in a periphery portion of the vehicle, and a calculation unit for performing, based on a signal outputted by a designation acceleration sensor belonging to the multiple acceleration sensors, a determination whether an object colliding with the vehicle is a pedestrian. The designation acceleration sensor is one of the multiple acceleration sensors other than a closest acceleration sensor which is closest of the multiple acceleration sensors to a collision point with which the object has collided.

Claims

1. A pedestrian detection system for a vehicle, comprising:

multiple acceleration sensors provided at different positions in a periphery portion of the vehicle; and

a calculation unit for performing, mainly based on a signal outputted by a designation acceleration sensor belonging to the multiple acceleration sensors, a determination whether an object colliding with the vehicle is a pedestrian,

wherein the designation acceleration sensor is one of the multiple acceleration sensors other than a closest acceleration sensor which is closest of the multiple acceleration sensors to a collision portion with which the object has collided.

2. The pedestrian detection system according to claim 1, wherein the designation acceleration sensor is one of the multiple acceleration sensors adjacent to the closest acceleration sensor.

3. The pedestrian detection system according to claim 1, wherein the calculation unit detects the collision portion based on comparison between signals outputted from the multiple acceleration sensors.

4. The pedestrian detection system according to claim 1, further comprising a touch sensor that is installed in the periphery portion, wherein the calculation unit detects the collision portion using a signal from the touch sensor.

5. The pedestrian detection system according to claim 1, wherein the multiple acceleration sensors are provided at a center portion and two end portions of a bumper of the vehicle.

6. The pedestrian detection system according to claim 1, wherein the calculation unit performs by using a speed of the vehicle, the determination whether the object colliding with the vehicle is the pedestrian.

7. The pedestrian detection system according to claim 1, wherein the calculation unit determines that the object colliding with the vehicle is the pedestrian, when a representative quantity of deceleration detected by the designation sensor is larger than a threshold.

8. The pedestrian detection system according to claim 7, wherein the calculation unit changes the threshold based on a speed of the vehicle.

9. The pedestrian detection system according to claim 7, wherein the representative quantity is a time integral of the deceleration detected by the designation sensor.

10. The pedestrian detection system according to claim 1, wherein the calculation unit detects the collision portion based on comparison of a threshold with each of signals outputted by the multiple acceleration sensors.

11. The pedestrian detection system according to claim 1, wherein:

the vehicle includes a bumper having a reinforcement and a pair of side members, the reinforcement extending in a width direction of the vehicle, the side members being attached to respective end portions of the reinforcement, the side members supporting the reinforcement; and

the acceleration sensors are attached to a center portion of the reinforcement in the width direction and a position between the center portion and at least one of the side members.