VEHICLE SURROUNDING SITUATION RECOGNIZING DEVICE AND VEHICLE CONTROL DEVICE

• US 20160349364A1
• Filed: 02/09/2015
• Published: 12/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: HARA, Kouichi
• Granted Patent: US 10,444,345 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 2013/93271 in the front of the vehicles

Abstract

A vehicle surrounding situation recognizing device includes: a radar mounted on a front part of a vehicle and configured to transmit an electromagnetic wave forward of the vehicle, receive a reflective wave of the electromagnetic wave to detect a situation in front of the vehicle, and output as radar information; an image generating means mounted within a vehicle interior of the vehicle and configured to generate an image in front of the vehicle and output as image information; a recognizing means configured to recognize the situation in front of the vehicle based on the radar information and the image information; and a collision detecting means configured to detect that the vehicle collides with an obstacle outside the vehicle. The recognizing means recognizes the situation in front of the vehicle not based on the radar information but based on the image information at the time the collision is detected.

Claims

1. A vehicle surrounding situation recognizing device comprising:

a radar mounted on a front part of a vehicle and configured to transmit an electromagnetic wave forward of the vehicle, receive a reflective wave of the electromagnetic wave to detect a situation in front of the vehicle, and output as radar information;

an image generating means mounted within a vehicle interior of the vehicle and configured to generate an image in front of the vehicle and output as image information;

a recognizing means configured to recognize the situation in front of the vehicle based on the radar information and the image information; and

a collision detecting means configured to detect that the vehicle collides with an obstacle outside the vehicle, wherein

the recognizing means recognizes the situation in front of the vehicle not based on the radar information but based on the image information at the time the collision is detected.

3. The vehicle surrounding situation recognizing device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a collision situation detecting means configured to detect a situation of the collision, wherein

the recognizing means recognizes the situation in front of the vehicle not based on the radar information but based on the image information at the time the collision is a collision between the obstacle and the front part of the vehicle.

4. The vehicle surrounding situation recognizing device according to claim 3, wherein

the recognizing means recognizes the situation in front of the vehicle not based on the radar information but based on the image information at the time the collision is a collision between the obstacle and a front face of the vehicle.

2. A vehicle surrounding situation recognizing device comprising:

a recognizing means configured to recognize a situation in front of a vehicle based on radar information and image information; and

a collision detecting means configured to detect that the vehicle collides with an obstacle outside the vehicle, wherein

the radar information is obtained from a radar mounted on a front part of the vehicle which transmits an electromagnetic wave forward of the vehicle and receives a reflective wave of the electromagnetic wave to detect the situation in front of the vehicle,

the image information is obtained from an image generating means mounted within a vehicle interior of the vehicle which generates an image in front of the vehicle, and

the recognizing means recognizes the situation in front of the vehicle not based on the radar information but based on the image information at the time the collision is detected.

8. The vehicle surrounding situation recognizing device according to claim 2, further comprising:

a collision situation detecting means configured to detect a situation of the collision, wherein

the recognizing means recognizes the situation in front of the vehicle not based on the radar information but based on the image information at the time the collision is a collision between the obstacle and the front part of the vehicle.

9. The vehicle surrounding situation recognizing device according to claim 8, wherein

the recognizing means recognizes the situation in front of the vehicle not based on the radar information but based on the image information at the time the collision is a collision between the obstacle and a front face of the vehicle.

5. A vehicle control device comprising:

a vehicle surrounding situation recognizing device including;

a radar mounted on a front part of a vehicle and configured to transmit an electromagnetic wave forward of the vehicle, receive a reflective wave of the electromagnetic wave to detect a situation in front of the vehicle, and output as radar information;

an image generating means mounted within a vehicle interior of the vehicle and configured to generate an image in front of the vehicle and output as image information;

a recognizing means configured to recognize the situation in front of the vehicle based on the radar information and the image information; and

a collision detecting means configured to detect that the vehicle collides with an obstacle outside the vehicle, wherein

the recognizing means recognizes the situation in front of the vehicle not based on the radar information but based on the image information at the time the collision is detected; and

a damage reducing means configured to control motion of the vehicle based on the situation in front of the vehicle recognized by the recognizing means, and reduce damage from a secondary collision after the collision.

6. The vehicle surrounding situation recognizing device according to claim 5, further comprising:

a collision situation detecting means configured to detect a situation of the collision, wherein

the recognizing means recognizes the situation in front of the vehicle not based on the radar information but based on the image information at the time the collision is a collision between the obstacle and the front part of the vehicle.

7. The vehicle surrounding situation recognizing device according to claim 6, wherein

the recognizing means recognizes the situation in front of the vehicle not based on the radar information but based on the image information at the time the collision is a collision between the obstacle and a front face of the vehicle.

10. A vehicle control device comprising:

a vehicle surrounding situation recognizing device including;

a recognizing means configured to recognize a situation in front of a vehicle based on radar information and image information; and

a collision detecting means configured to detect that the vehicle collides with an obstacle outside the vehicle, wherein

the radar information is obtained from a radar mounted on a front part of the vehicle which transmits an electromagnetic wave forward of the vehicle and receives a reflective wave of the electromagnetic wave to detect the situation in front of the vehicle,

the image information is obtained from an image generating means mounted within a vehicle interior of the vehicle which generates an image in front of the vehicle, and

the recognizing means recognizes the situation in front of the vehicle not based on the radar information but based on the image information at the time the collision is detected; and

a damage reducing means configured to control motion of the vehicle based on the situation in front of the vehicle recognized by the recognizing means, and reduce damage from a secondary collision after the collision.

11. The vehicle surrounding situation recognizing device according to claim 10, further comprising:

a collision situation detecting means configured to detect a situation of the collision, wherein

the recognizing means recognizes the situation in front of the vehicle not based on the radar information but based on the image information at the time the collision is a collision between the obstacle and the front part of the vehicle.

12. The vehicle surrounding situation recognizing device according to claim 11, wherein

the recognizing means recognizes the situation in front of the vehicle not based on the radar information but based on the image information at the time the collision is a collision between the obstacle and a front face of the vehicle.