Apparatus for predicting the movement of a mobile body

• US 8,676,487 B2
• Filed: 02/05/2010
• Issued: 03/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Sakai, Katsuhiro, Aso, Kazuaki, Harada, Masahiro, Kindo, Toshiki
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheung, Mary
• Assistant Examiner(s): BERNS, MICHAEL ANDREW
• Application Number:
  US13/148,507
• Publication Number:
  US 20110313664A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,502 Days
• Field of Search: 701/301, 701/300
• US Class Current: 701/301
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/08 Active safety systems predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision or attempting to minimise its consequences
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/02 related to ambient conditions

Abstract

A movement region prediction apparatus includes a mobile body detection device that detects a mobile body around a host vehicle; a prediction device that predicts a movement region of the detected mobile body; and a degree-of-normality acquisition device that acquires degree of normality of a situation of movement of the detected mobile body. The prediction device has a plurality of movement prediction models for predicting the movement region of the mobile body, and selects a movement prediction model from the plurality of movement prediction models based on the degree of normality acquired by the degree-of-normality acquisition device, and predicts the movement region of the mobile body using the selected movement prediction model.

Claims

1. A movement region prediction apparatus comprising:

a mobile body detection device that detects a mobile body around a host vehicle;

a prediction device that predicts a movement region of the detected mobile body after a prediction time,

wherein the prediction device has a plurality of movement prediction models that have different prediction times for predicting the movement region of the mobile body, and performs prediction using the plurality of movement prediction models to predict the movement region of the mobile body; and

a degree of normality acquisition device that acquires a degree of normality of a situation of movement of the detected mobile body,

wherein the prediction device selects a movement prediction model from the plurality of movement prediction models based on the acquired degree of normality, and predicts the movement region of the mobile body using the selected movement prediction model,

wherein, in the case where the movement prediction of the mobile body around the host vehicle that is normal in the situation of movement is performed, the prediction in conjunction with short prediction times are performed using movement prediction models prepared for a mobile body that is abnormal in the situation of movement, and the prediction in conjunction with long prediction times are performed using movement prediction models prepared for a mobile body that is normal in the situation of movement, and

wherein the movement prediction model prepared for the mobile body that is normal in the situation of movement predicts a smaller range of existence in which the movable body is to exist after a predetermined time, as compared with the movement prediction model prepared for the mobile body that is abnormal in the situation of movement.

2. The movement region prediction apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the degree of normality acquired by the degree of normality acquisition device is based on at least one of a degree of weaving of the mobile body, a degree of compliance of the mobile body with traffic rules, acceleration/deceleration of the mobile body, or risk of the mobile body colliding with another object.

3. The movement region prediction apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the degree of normality is lower if at least one of the degree of weaving of the mobile body is higher, the degree of compliance of the mobile body with traffic rules is lower, acceleration/deceleration of the mobile body is higher, or the risk of the mobile body colliding with another object is higher.