METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DETECTING VEHICLE RUNNING IN BLIND SPOT, AND METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR GIVING WARNING IN CHANGING CRUISING LANE

• US 20140081566A1
• Filed: 09/17/2013
• Published: 03/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Kuwabara, Tatsuru
• Granted Patent: US 9,589,470 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/300
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/167 Driving aids for lane monitoring, lane changing, e.g. blind spot detection

Abstract

An apparatus for detecting a vehicle running in a blind spot detects, with a predetermined accuracy, a first target position of a target which is present in a first detection area that extends obliquely rearward of the vehicle, detects, with an accuracy lower than the predetermined accuracy, a second target position related to a target which is present in a second detection area adjacent to the first detection area; calculates a first estimated position that corresponds to a subsequent position of the target that has been detected by the detection section as the first target position; and adopts the first estimated position as a position of the target when the first estimated position is included in a predetermined range centering on the second target position, adopts the second target position as a position of the target when the first estimated position is outside the predetermined range.

Claims

1. An apparatus for detecting a vehicle running in a blind spot, comprising:

a detection section which detects, with a predetermined accuracy, a first target position related to a target which is present in a first detection area that extends obliquely rearward of the vehicle, and also detects, with an accuracy lower than the predetermined accuracy, a second target position related to a target which is present in a second detection area adjacent to the first detection area;

an estimation section which calculates a first estimated position which corresponds to a subsequent position related to the target that has been detected by the detection section as the first target position; and

a determination section which adopts the first estimated position as a position of the target when the first estimated position is included in a predetermined range centering on the second target position, and also adopts the second target position as a position of the target when the first estimated position is outside the predetermined range.

2. The apparatus for detecting a vehicle running in a blind spot according to claim 1, wherein

the determination section, when the detection section has detected the target'"'"'s portion in the second detection area and the first estimated position cannot be available, adopts the second target'"'"'s position as a position of the target.

3. The apparatus for detecting a vehicle running in a blind spot according to claim 2, wherein

the determination section, even though the determination section could not detect the target in the first detection area and the second detection area, if the first estimated position is available, adopts the first estimated position as a position of the target.

4. The apparatus for detecting a vehicle running in a blind spot according to claim 3, wherein

the estimation section further calculates the second estimated position which corresponds to a subsequent position of the target detected by the detection section;

and

the determination section, if the first estimated position cannot be available, adopts the second estimated position as a position of the target.

5. The apparatus for detecting a vehicle running in a blind spot according to claim 4, wherein

the detection section detects a plurality of sampling points which belong to the target;

and

the apparatus further comprises a calculation section which calculates the target'"'"'s representable position on the basis of the sampling points previously acquired by the detection section.

6. An apparatus for giving a warning in changing cruising lane, comprising:

an apparatus for detecting a vehicle running in a blind spot according to claim 1;

a judgment section which judges whether or not information adopted by a determination section meets warning condition; and

a warning section which generates an alarm in a case where the judgment section has judged that the warning condition is satisfied.

7. The apparatus for giving a warning in changing cruising, lane according to claim 6, wherein

the alarm is performed by any one of sound, light or vibration, or combination thereof.

8. A method for detecting a vehicle running in a blind spot, comprising:

detecting, with a predetermined accuracy, a first target position related to a target which is present in a first detection area that extends obliquely rearward of the vehicle;

detecting, with an accuracy lower than the predetermined accuracy, a second target position of a target which is present in a second detection area adjacent to the first detection area;

calculating as a first estimated position which corresponds to a subsequent position of the target, that has been detected by the detection section as the first target position;

adopting the first estimated position as a position of the target when the first estimated position is included in a predetermined range centering on the second target position; and

adopting the second target position as a position of the target when the first estimated position is outside the predetermined range.

9. The method for detecting a vehicle running in a blind spot, according to claim 8, wherein

when the detection section has detected the target'"'"'s portion in the second detection area and the first estimated position cannot be available, adopts the second target'"'"'s position as a position of the target.

10. The method for detecting a vehicle running in a blind spot, according to claim 9, wherein

even though the target in the first detection area and the second detection area have not been detected, if the first estimated position can be available, adopts the first estimated position as a position of the target.

11. The method for detecting a vehicle running in a blind spot, according to claim 10, wherein

further calculates the second estimated position which corresponds to a subsequent position of the target detected by the detection section;

and

if the first estimated position is not available, adopts the second estimated position as a position of the target.

12. The method for detecting a vehicle running in a blind spot according to claim 11, wherein

detects, a plurality of sampling points which belong to the target, thereby calculates the target'"'"'s representable position on the basis of the sampling points.

13. A method for giving a warning in changing cruising lane, comprising:

detecting a vehicle running in a blind spot according to claim 8;

judging whether or not information adopted by a determination section meets warning condition; and

generating an alarm in a case where the warning condition is satisfied.

14. The method for giving a warning in changing cruising lane according to claim 13, wherein

the alarm is performed by any one of sound, light or vibration, or combination thereof.