Drive assist system for vehicle

• US 7,904,247 B2
• Filed: 03/24/2008
• Issued: 03/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Nakamori, Yasutaka
• Primary Examiner(s): ARTHUR JEANGLAUDE, GERTRUDE
• Application Number:
  US12/079,028
• Publication Number:
  US 20080243390A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,079 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/2, 701/10, 701/65, 701/82, 701/301, 382/104, 340/425.5, 340435-436, 340438-439, 180167-169, 180/232
• US Class Current: 701/301
• 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

Abstract

An in-vehicle drive assist system adjusts a viewing angle of a camera mounted in a vehicle using environmental information obtained from outside the vehicle. An early risk determination is thus allowed to be made in the vehicle, while maintaining reliability.

Claims

1. A drive assist system for a vehicle, the drive assist system receiving, from outside the vehicle, external information including positional information of an object outside the vehicle to thereby assist the vehicle to travel, the drive assist system comprising:

an autonomous detecting unit configured to detect a viewable object which is at least one of (i) an other vehicle and (ii) a pedestrian;

a control unit configured to perform a control operation for adjusting at least one of (i) a detection range of the autonomous detecting unit and (ii) sighting of the detection range, using positional information of the object included in the received external information;

an object detection determining unit configured to make a determination as to whether or not an object is detected by the autonomous detecting unit after at least one of (i) the detection range of the autonomous detecting unit and (ii) the sighting of the detection range is adjusted by the control unit;

a risk determining unit configured to make a determination about a risk of the vehicle relative to the object when the determination by the object detection determining unit is affirmed; and

a drive assist unit configured to provide a drive assistance in accordance with a result of the determination by the risk determining unit.

2. The drive assist system according to claim 1, wherein

the control unit performs the control operation for adjusting the sighting of the detection range based on the positional information of the object.

3. The drive assist system according to claim 1, wherein

the control unit performs the control operation for the detection range such that it is narrowed down based on the positional information of the object.

4. The drive assist system according to claim 3, wherein

the autonomous detecting unit includes a camera for sensing an image outside the vehicle, and

the control unit performs the control operation for adjusting a viewing angle, which is an image sensing range of the camera, such that it is reduced.

5. A method for performing drive assistance in a vehicle having an autonomous detecting unit detecting a viewable object which is at least one of (i) an other vehicle and (ii) a pedestrian,

the method comprising:

receiving, from outside the vehicle, external information including positional information of an object outside the vehicle;

performing a control operation for adjusting at least one of (i) a detection range of the autonomous detecting unit and (ii) sighting of the detection range, using positional information of the object included in the received external information;

making a first determination as to whether or not an object is detected by the autonomous detecting unit after at least one of (i) the detection range of the autonomous detecting unit and (ii) the sighting of the detection range is adjusted;

making a second determination about a risk of the vehicle relative to the object when the first determination is affirmed; and

providing a drive assistance in accordance with a result of the second determination.