Vehicle surroundings monitoring apparatus and traveling control system incorporating the apparatus
First Claim
1. A vehicle surroundings monitoring apparatus for monitoring surroundings of an own vehicle, comprising:
- imaging means for taking picture images and for outputting image information;
radar means;
first solid object detecting means for detecting first solid objects based on said image information;
second solid object detecting means for detecting second solid objects based on signals from said radar means;
fusion solid object establishing means for establishing fusion solid objects composed of single first solid objects, single second solid objects and a combination of said first solid objects and said second solid objects by fusing said first solid objects and said second solid objects;
first reliability judging means for judging a degree of reliability of said fusion solid objects based on a detecting situation of said respective fusion solid objects by said first solid object detecting means;
second reliability judging means for judging a degree of reliability of said fusion solid objects based on a detecting situation of said respective fusion solid objects by said second solid object detecting means; and
preceding vehicle selecting means for selecting a preceding vehicle from said fusion solid objects when it is judged that said fusion solid objects have a specified level of reliability according to either of said first reliability judging means and said second reliability judging means.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A vehicle surroundings monitoring apparatus comprises image solid object detecting means for detecting image solid objects based on image information outputted from a CCD camera, millimeter wave solid object detecting means for detecting millimeter wave solid objects based on signals outputted from a millimeter wave radar, fusion solid object establishing means for establishing fusion solid objects composed of single image solid objects, single millimeter wave solid objects and a combination of the image solid objects and the millimeter wave solid objects by fusing the image solid objects and the millimeter wave solid objects, first reliability judging means for judging a degree of reliability of the fusion solid objects based on a detecting situation of the respective fusion solid objects by the image solid object detecting means, second reliability judging means for judging a degree of reliability of the fusion solid objects based on a detecting situation of the respective fusion solid objects by the millimeter wave solid object detecting means and preceding vehicle selecting means for selecting a preceding vehicle from the fusion solid objects when it is judged that the fusion solid objects have a specified level of reliability according to either of the first reliability judging means and the second reliability judging means.
144 Citations
11 Claims
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1. A vehicle surroundings monitoring apparatus for monitoring surroundings of an own vehicle, comprising:
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imaging means for taking picture images and for outputting image information;
radar means;
first solid object detecting means for detecting first solid objects based on said image information;
second solid object detecting means for detecting second solid objects based on signals from said radar means;
fusion solid object establishing means for establishing fusion solid objects composed of single first solid objects, single second solid objects and a combination of said first solid objects and said second solid objects by fusing said first solid objects and said second solid objects;
first reliability judging means for judging a degree of reliability of said fusion solid objects based on a detecting situation of said respective fusion solid objects by said first solid object detecting means;
second reliability judging means for judging a degree of reliability of said fusion solid objects based on a detecting situation of said respective fusion solid objects by said second solid object detecting means; and
preceding vehicle selecting means for selecting a preceding vehicle from said fusion solid objects when it is judged that said fusion solid objects have a specified level of reliability according to either of said first reliability judging means and said second reliability judging means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A vehicle surroundings monitoring apparatus for monitoring surroundings of an own vehicle, comprising:
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imaging means for taking picture images and for outputting image information;
radar means;
first solid object detecting means for detecting first solid objects based on said image information;
second solid object detecting means for detecting second solid objects based on signals from radar means;
fusion solid object establishing means for establishing fusion solid objects composed of single first solid objects, single second objects or a combination of said first solid objects and said second solid objects by fusing said first solid objects and said second solid objects;
first reliability judging a degree of reliability of said fusion solid objects based on a detecting situation of said fusion solid objects by said first solid objects detecting means;
second reliability judging means for judging a degree of reliability of said fusion solid objects based on a detecting situation of said fusion solid objects by said second solid object detecting means; and
preceding vehicle selecting means for selecting a preceding vehicle from said fusion solid objects when it is judged that said fusion solid objects have a specified level of reliability according to either of said first reliability judging means and said second reliability judging means. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9)
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10. A vehicle surroundings monitoring apparatus for monitoring surroundings of an own vehicle, comprising:
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imaging means for taking picture images and for outputting image information;
radar means;
first solid object detecting means for detecting first solid objects based on said image information, wherein said first solid object detecting means registers a solid object having at least two surface connected which each other through a corner as a corner-like solid objects;
second solid object detecting means for detecting second solid objects based on signals from said radar means;
fusion solid object establishing means for establishing fusion solid objects composed of single first solid objects, single second solid objects or a combination of said first solid objects and said second solid by fusing said first solid objects and said second solid objects;
reliability judging means for judging a degree of reliability of said fusion solid objects based on a number of times of concidence of the fusion solid objects with said single first solid objects or a combination of said first solid objects and said second solid objects or a number of times of registration of said fusion solid objects as said corner-like solid object by said first solid object detecting means; and
proceeding vehicle selecting means for selecting a preceding vehicle from said fusion solid objects when it is judged that said fusion solid objects have a specified level of reliability according to said reliability judging means.
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11. A vehicle surroundings monitoring apparatus for monitoring surroundings of an own vehicle, comprising:
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imaging means for taking picture images and for outputting image information;
radar means;
first solid object detecting means for detecting first solid objects based on said image information;
second solid object detecting means for detecting second solid objects based on signals from said radar means;
fusion solid object establishing means for establishing fusion solid objects composed of single first solid objects, single second solid objects or a combination of said first solid objects and said second objects by fusing said first solid objects and said second solid objects;
reliability judging means for judging a degree of reliability of said fusion solid objects based on a number of times of concidence of said fusion solid objects with said single second solid objects or a combination of said first solid objects and said second solid objects; and
preceding vehicle selecting means for selecting a preceding vehicle from said fusion solid objects when it is judged that said fusion solid objects have a specified level of reliability according to said reliability judging means.
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Specification