OBJECT DETECTION DEVICE

• US 20150009330A1
• Filed: 02/06/2012
• Published: 01/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Sobue, Yuka, Okamura, Ryuji, Yoshioka, Chika
• Application Number:
  US14/376,637
• Publication Number:
  US 20150009330A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/148
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/00 Optical viewing arrangements; Real-time viewing arrangements for drivers or passengers using optical image capturing systems, e.g. cameras or video systems specially adapted for use in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/04 Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/806 for aiding parking
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8093 for obstacle warning
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/168 Driving aids for parking, e.g. acoustic or visual feedback on parking space

Abstract

An object detection device is equipped with an object detection unit that detects a moving object in a periphery of a vehicle, and a threshold change unit that changes, based on mobility information on the vehicle, a detection threshold in detecting the moving object. Thus, by changing the detection threshold T such that the moving object becomes difficult to detect during a movement of the host vehicle, especially during a turn thereof, the occurrence of an erroneous detection can be suppressed even in a situation where an erroneous detection is likely to occur. It is preferable that the detection threshold be changed such that the moving object becomes difficult to detect as a speed increases or as a steering angle increases. The detection threshold may be changed in stages or continuously based on the mobility information on the vehicle.

Claims

1. An object detection device comprising:

an object detection unit that detects a moving object in a periphery of a vehicle; and

a threshold change unit configured to change, based on mobility information on the vehicle, a detection threshold in detecting the moving object,

wherein the threshold change unit changes the detection threshold such that the moving object becomes difficult to detect as a steering angle of the vehicle increases.

2. The object detection device according to claim 1, wherein

the threshold change unit changes the detection threshold such that the moving object becomes difficult to detect as a speed of the vehicle increases.

4. The object detection device according to claim 1, wherein

the threshold change unit changes the detection threshold such that the moving object becomes difficult to detect as an angular velocity of the steering angle of the vehicle increases.

5. The object detection device according to claim 1, wherein

the threshold change unit changes the detection threshold in stages based on a comparison between the mobility information and a reference value on the mobility information.

6. The object detection device according to claim 1, wherein

the threshold change unit changes the detection threshold such that the moving object becomes easy to detect only when a setting condition on the speed or the steering angle is fulfilled.

7. The object detection device according to claim 6, wherein

the threshold change unit directly changes the detection threshold from a first value to a second value when a condition for changing the detection threshold in stages from the first value to the second value is fulfilled.

8. The object detection device according to claim 6, wherein

the threshold change unit does not change the detection threshold until the vehicle is completely stopped, when a condition for changing the detection threshold to a threshold at which the moving object is easiest to detect is fulfilled.

9. The object detection device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a detection notification unit that gives a notification of a detection result of the moving object; and

a notification control unit that stops the notification of the detection result when a speed is higher than a notification reference value.

10. The object detection device according to claim 9, wherein

the notification control unit does not resume the notification of the detection result until the vehicle has been completely stopped for a set time, once the notification of the detection result is stopped.

11. The object detection device according to claim 9, wherein

the detection notification unit further gives a notification of an execution state of the notification of the detection result.

12. The object detection device according to claim 1, wherein

the object detection unit detects the moving object based on a peripheral image that is input from an image pickup device that picks up a peripheral image of the vehicle.

3. (canceled)