TARGET DETECTION APPARATUS

• US 20150109164A1
• Filed: 10/17/2014
• Published: 04/23/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: TAKAKI, Ryo
• Granted Patent: US 9,753,130 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/27
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/04 Systems determining presence of a target based on relative movement of target G01S13/56
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/66 Radar-tracking systems; Analogous systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/86 Combinations of radar systems with non-radar systems, e.g. sonar, direction finder
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/867 Combination of radar systems with cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/2955 Means for determining the position of the radar coordinate system for evaluating the position data of the target in another coordinate system G01S7/24 takes precedence; sighting devices adapted for indirect laying of fire F41G3/16; inertial navigation G01C21/16
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/41 using analysis of echo signal for target characterisation; Target signature; Target cross-section

Abstract

A target detection apparatus includes a first target detection section which detects a target which exists ahead of a vehicle and has a height sufficient to strike against the vehicle; a second target detection section which detects the target in an area different from an area in which the target is detected by the first target detection section, and a reliability degree setting section which sets a target reliability degree indicating probability that the target exists. When the target is detected only by the first target detection section or the second target detection section, and after the target is detected by both the first and the second target detection sections, the reliability setting section sets the target reliability degree based on an overlap detection time which is a period of time during which both the first and the second target detection sections continuously detect the target.

Claims

1. A target detection apparatus, comprising:

a first target detection section which detects a target which exists ahead of a vehicle and has a height sufficient to strike against the vehicle;

a second target detection section which detects the target in an area different from an area in which the target is detected by the first target detection section; and

a reliability degree setting section which sets a target reliability degree indicating probability that the target exists, wherein

when the target is detected only by the first target detection section or the second target detection section, and after the target is detected by both the first target detection section and the second target detection section, the reliability setting section sets the target reliability degree based on an overlap detection time which is a period of time during which both the first target detection section and the second target detection section continuously detect the target.

2. The target detection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

when the overlap detection time is equal to or more than one of a plurality of threshold times, the reliability degree setting section keeps the target reliability degree, or lowers the target reliability degree by a range smaller than a range set when the overlap detection time is less than the threshold time.

3. The target detection apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the reliability degree setting section includes the plurality of threshold times different from each other, and decreases the amount of reduction in the target reliability degree, as the number of the threshold times equal or less than the overlap detection time increases.

4. The target detection apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the reliability degree setting section calculates the amount of lateral movement of the target based on a lateral position of the target detected only by one of the first target detection section and the second target detection section, and

when the amount of lateral movement is equal to or more than a predetermined distance, the reliability degree setting section lowers the target reliability degree by a range smaller than a range set when the overlap detection time is less than the threshold time, even if the overlap detection time is equal to or more than the threshold time.

5. The target detection apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising a turn detection section which detects the amount of turning of the vehicle, wherein

the reliability degree setting section calculates the amount of lateral movement from which influence of the amount of turning of the vehicle is eliminated, based on a lateral position of the target detected only by one of the first target detection section and the second target detection section and the amount of turning, and determines whether or not the amount of lateral movement is equal to or more than a predetermined distance.

6. The target detection apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a control instruction section which detects the target in a single target detection area, which is proximate to and ahead of the vehicle and in which the target is detected by the first target detection section but is not detected by the second target detection section, the control instruction section making a predetermined vehicle controller perform vehicle control to mitigate a collision with the target based on the fact that the target reliability degree meets a condition for performing the control.