TRAVEL CONTROL DEVICE

• US 20170327112A1
• Filed: 12/19/2014
• Published: 11/16/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: YOKOYAMA, Atsushi, MAEDA, Kenta
• Granted Patent: US 10,493,985 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/00 Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/20 Static objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/4026 Cycles
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/4029 Pedestrians
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/4048 Field of view, e.g. obstructed view or direction of gaze
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/80 Spatial relation or speed relative to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/24 Direction of travel
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/095 Predicting travel path or likelihood of collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/0956 the prediction being responsive to traffic or environmental parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/0097 Predicting future conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 60/0027 using trajectory prediction for other traffic participants
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0238 using obstacle or wall sensors G05D1/0246 and G05D1/0289 take precedence; lidar systems designed for anti-collision purposes G01S17/93
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/70 Determining position or orientation of objects or cameras camera calibration G06T7/80
• 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: G06V 40/20 Movements or behaviour, e.g. gesture recognition recognition of facial expressions G06V40/16
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes

Abstract

In the present invention, it is possible to accurately predict, at an earlier timing, that a pedestrian will perform constant speed movement or a route change that is more complex than the constant speed movement. Provided is a travel control device that can accurately determine a change in the route of the pedestrian according to a change in the pedestrian'"'"'s posture and, in particular, a change in the orientation of the body or a change in an inverted angle, and that can appropriately control the travel of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A travel control device comprising:

surrounding environment detection means configured to detect a pedestrian existing around a vehicle from an image obtained using image sensing means mounted on the vehicle;

posture detection means configured to detect a current body angle of the pedestrian detected by the surrounding environment detection means;

posture memory means configured to store a previous body angle of the pedestrian; and

vehicle control means configured to change a speed of the vehicle and/or a target route depending on a change of the body angle.

2. The travel control device according to claim 1,

wherein the vehicle control means predicts a change of a travel direction of the pedestrian from a change of the body angle of the pedestrian and performs control such that a speed of the vehicle is delayed, or a travel route of the vehicle recedes from the pedestrian as the travel direction of the vehicle and the travel direction of the pedestrian are changed to be perpendicular to each other.

3. The travel control device according to claim 1, wherein

the posture detection means defines a bust direction of the pedestrian as the body angle, and

the vehicle control means performs control such that a speed of the vehicle is delayed, and a travel route of the vehicle recedes from the pedestrian as the bust direction is changed to be perpendicular to the vehicle travel direction as time elapses.

4. The travel control device according to claim 3, wherein

the posture detection means detects a line of sight of the pedestrian and a head position of the pedestrian in addition to the bust direction,

the posture memory means stores the line of sight of the pedestrian and the head position of the pedestrian, and

the vehicle control means predicts a travel direction of the pedestrian using a change of the line-of-sight direction of the pedestrian and a change of the head position of the pedestrian in addition to a change of the bust direction and performs control such that a speed of the vehicle is delayed, or a travel route of the vehicle recedes from the pedestrian as the travel direction of the pedestrian is changed to be perpendicular to the travel direction of the vehicle.

5. The travel control device according to claim 4, wherein the posture detection means obtains the head position of the pedestrian from a projected area of the head of the pedestrian with respect to a detection direction of the surrounding environment detection means, and obtains the bust direction of the pedestrian using a projected area of the bust of the pedestrian with respect to the detection direction of the surrounding environment detection means.

6. The travel control device according to claim 1, wherein

the posture detection means detects, as the body angle, an inverted angle between a line obtained by linking a grounded point where a leg of the pedestrian comes into contact with a ground surface and an approximate center point of the bust of the pedestrian and a vertical direction, and

the vehicle control means performs control such that a speed of the vehicle is delayed as the pedestrian approaches a travel direction of the vehicle and an inverted angle of the pedestrian is changed to a pedestrian falling direction.