DRIVING SUPPORT APPARATUS

• US 20130259309A1
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Published: 10/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Subaru Corp.
• Original Assignee: Fuji Jukogyo KK (Subaru Corp.)
• Inventors: SEKIGUCHI, Hiroyuki
• Granted Patent: US 8,971,578 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/103
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/22 initiated by contact of vehicle, e.g. bumper, with an external object, e.g. another vehicle , or by means of contactless obstacle detectors mounted on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/09 Taking automatic action to avoid collision, e.g. braking and steering
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/0956 the prediction being responsive to traffic or environmental parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/04 Traffic conditions
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/58 Recognition of moving objects or obstacles, e.g. vehicles or pedestrians; Recognition of traffic objects, e.g. traffic signs, traffic lights or roads
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes

Abstract

There is provided a driving support apparatus. A recognition controller determines whether an object detected by processing a captured image by an object detection unit is a smoke-like object or not in a smoke-like object determination unit. When the detected object is determined to be the smoke-like object, the recognition controller checks a range distribution in a region of the smoke-like object, adds the result as attribute information of “density”, and transmits the resultant to a controller. The controller decides in a support operation level decision unit whether a pre-crash brake control can be executed or not and an intensity of an operation based on the attribute information of the smoke-like object. Thus, even if the smoke-like object is detected, an appropriate driving support process according to the condition can be executed.

Claims

1. A driving support apparatus that recognizes a driving environment by processing an image captured by a stereo camera mounted to a vehicle for providing a driving support to a driver, the driving support apparatus comprising:

an object detection unit for detecting an object by grouping range information adjacent to each other in the captured image;

a smoke-like object determination unit for determining whether the detected object is a smoke-like object or not, and adding attribute information based on a distribution of the range information in a region of the smoke-like object when determining that the detected object is the smoke-like object; and

a support operation level decision unit for deciding an operation level of the driving support to the smoke-like object based on the attribute information of the smoke-like object.

2. The driving support apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the smoke-like object determination unit classifies a density of the smoke-like object based on the distribution of the range information, and sets the density as the attribute information.

3. The driving support apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the support operation level decision unit decides whether a pre-crash brake control can be executed or not to the smoke-like object, and an intensity of the operation, based on the attribute information.

4. The driving support apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the support operation level decision unit decides whether a pre-crash brake control can be executed or not to the smoke-like object, and an intensity of the operation, based on the attribute information.