OBJECT DETECTION APPARATUS

• US 20140139369A1
• Filed: 11/21/2013
• Published: 05/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Baba, Takahiro
• Granted Patent: US 9,798,002 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/146
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/50 Systems of measurement based on relative movement of target
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/867 Combination of radar systems with cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles

Abstract

An object detection apparatus mounted in a vehicle, includes a first domain definition unit, a second domain definition unit, and a determination unit. The first domain definition unit defines a first object domain including a first detection point which is indicative of a position of a first object detected by using a vehicle-mounted radar. The second domain definition unit defines a second object domain including a second detection point which is indicative of a position of a second object detected on the basis of an image captured by a vehicle-mounted monocular camera. The determination unit determines whether or not an overlapping domain of the first and second object domains is present, and when it is determined that an overlapping domain of the first and second object domains is present, then determines that the first and second objects are the same.

Claims

1. An object detection apparatus mounted in a vehicle, comprising:

a first domain definition unit configured to define a first object domain including a first detection point, the first detection point being indicative of a position of a first object detected by using a vehicle-mounted radar relative to a reference point on an XY-plane, an X-axis direction of the XY-plane being a vehicle widthwise direction, and a Y-axis direction of the XY-plane being a vehicle lengthwise direction;

a second domain definition unit configured to define a second object domain including a second detection point, the second detection point being indicative of a position of a second object detected on the basis of an image captured by a vehicle-mounted monocular camera relative to the reference point on the XY-plane, the second object domain being defined by a second azimuthal range of azimuth angle of the second object from the forward direction of the vehicle; and

a determination unit configured to determine whether or not an overlapping domain of the first and second object domains is present on the XY-plane, and when it is determined that an overlapping domain of the first and second object domains is present on the XY-plane, then determine that the first and second objects are the same.

2. The apparatus of, claim 1, wherein the second domain definition unit is configured to determine whether the second object is a pedestrian or a vehicle, and when it is determined that the second object is a pedestrian, then increase the second azimuthal range as compared to when it is determined that the second object is a vehicle.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second domain definition unit is configured to determine whether the pedestrian is moving in a first direction along the X-axis or in a second direction opposite to the first direction, and when it is determined that the pedestrian is moving in the first direction, then differentiate a first sub-range of the second azimuthal range on the first direction side of the second detection point and a second sub-range of the second azimuthal range on the second direction side of the second detection point.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second object domain is defined by the second azimuthal range and a specific Y-coordinate range including a Y-coordinate of the second detection point on the XY-plane.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the second domain definition unit is configured to increase the Y-coordinate range with an increasing Y-coordinate of the second detection point on the XY-plane.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the second domain definition unit is configured to determine whether the second object is a pedestrian or a vehicle, and when it is determined that the second object is a vehicle, then increase the Y-coordinate range as compared to when it is determined that the second object is a pedestrian.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second object domain is defined by the second azimuthal range and a second linear distance range, the second linear distance range being from first to second linear distances from the reference point on the XY-plane and including a linear distance from the reference point to the second detection point.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the second domain definition unit is configured to increase the second linear distance range with an increasing linear distance from the reference point to the second detection point.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the second domain definition unit is configured to, when the linear distance from the reference point to the second detection point is less than a predetermined value, then increase the second azimuthal range as compared to when the linear distance from the reference point to the second detection point is equal to or greater than the predetermined value.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first object domain is defined by a first azimuthal range of azimuth angle including an azimuth angle of the first object from the forward direction of the vehicle.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the first object domain is defined by the first azimuthal range and a first linear distance range, the first linear distance range being from third to fourth linear distances from the reference point on the XY-plane and including a linear distance from the reference point to the first detection point.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the first domain definition unit is configured to increase the first linear distance range with an increasing linear distance from the reference point to the first detection point.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the first domain definition unit is configured to, when the linear distance from the reference point to the first detection point is less than a predetermined value, then increase the first azimuthal range as compared to when the linear distance from the reference point to the first detection point is equal to or greater than the predetermined value.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the first domain definition unit is configured to, when the azimuth angle of the first object relative to the reference point is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, then increase the first azimuthal range as compared to when the azimuth angle of the first object relative to the reference point is less than the predetermined value.

15. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the first domain definition unit is configured to determine whether the first object is a pedestrian or a vehicle, and when it is determined that the first object is a vehicle, then increase an X-coordinate range of the first object domain as compared to when it is determined that the first object is a pedestrian.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a degree-of-confidence calculation unit configured to, when it is determined by the determination unit that the first and second objects are the same, then calculate a degree of confidence in determination that the first and second objects are the same.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the degree of confidence is increased with a decreasing angle difference between an azimuth angle of the first detection point from the forward direction of the vehicle and an azimuth angle of the second detection point from the forward direction of the vehicle.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the degree of confidence is increased with an increasing area of the overlapping domain of the of the first and second object domains.

19. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the determination unit is configured to, when it is determined that the first and second objects are the same, then define a position of the object determined the same on the XY-plane by a Y-coordinate of the first detection point and an azimuth angle of the second detection point from the forward direction of the vehicle.

20. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first object domain is defined to be the first detection point.