Drive assist device, and vehicle using drive assist device

• US 9,020,750 B2
• Filed: 05/28/2014
• Issued: 04/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Nakajima, Mitsuru, Suzuki, Shuichi, Murai, Motoyasu
• Primary Examiner(s): FREJD, RUSSELL WARREN
• Application Number:
  US14/288,537
• Publication Number:
  US 20140358418A1
• Time in Patent Office: 335 Days
• Field of Search: 701/36, 701/45, 701/70, 701/96, 701/300, 701/301, 342/70, 342/71, 340/901, 356/124, 382/103, 382/106
• US Class Current: 701/301
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/008 for anti-collision purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/04 Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8093 for obstacle warning
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/022 Collision avoidance systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0075 Automatic parameter input, automatic initialising or calibrating means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/00 Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/80 Spatial relation or speed relative to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/801 Lateral distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/802 Longitudinal distance
• 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 30/09 Taking automatic action to avoid collision, e.g. braking and steering
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/16 Control of distance between vehicles, e.g. keeping a distance to preceding vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 3/08 Use of electric radiation detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/867 Combination of radar systems with cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/06 Systems determining position data of a target
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/08 for measuring distance only indirect measurement G01S17/46; active triangulation systems G01S17/48
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/42 Simultaneous measurement of distance and other co-ordinates indirect measurement G01S17/46
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/86 Combinations of lidar systems with systems other than lidar, radar or sonar, e.g. with direction finders
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/88 Lidar systems specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93276 : in the windshield area
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4802 : using analysis of echo signal for target characterisation; Target signature; Target cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4813 : Housing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10028 : Range image; Depth image; 3D point clouds
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30261 : Obstacle
• 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 20/588 : Recognition of the road, e.g. of lane markings; Recognition of the vehicle driving pattern in relation to the road
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/16 : Anti-collision systems road vehicle drive control systems for predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision otherwise than by control of a particular sub-unit B60W30/08

Abstract

A drive assist device includes a light source that irradiates a detection target with light, a first lens having a first area through which the irradiated light from the light source passes, a second lens having a second area through which reflected light reflected from the detection target passes, and a light receiving element that receives the reflected light that passes the second lens. The first area and the second area are arranged to be in align with each other, in width direction of the drive assist device.

Claims

1. A drive assist device to be installed on a vehicle, the device comprising:

a light source that irradiates a detection target with light;

a first lens having a first area through which the irradiated light from the light source passes;

a second lens having a second area through which reflected light reflected from the detection target passes; and

a light receiving element that receives the reflected light that passes the second lens,

wherein the first area and the second area are arranged at different locations from each other in a vehicle width direction,

wherein the first area is located closer to a front portion of the drive assist device in vehicle traveling direction than the second area, and

wherein the first area is located closer to a bottom of the drive assist device in a vehicle height direction than the second area.

2. The drive assist device of claim 1, further comprising:

an image capturing element that receives object light from the detection target to capture an image of the detection target; and

a third lens having a third area through which the object light to be received at the image capturing element passes,

wherein the third area is arranged to be in align with the first lens in vehicle width direction.

3. The drive assist device of claim 1, wherein the first area and the second area are arranged at different positions in vehicle width direction.

4. The drive assist device of claim 2, wherein the first area is located closer to a front portion of the drive assist device in vehicle traveling direction than the third area.

5. The drive assist device of claim 1, further comprising:

a light source control circuit that controls the light source; and

a light receiving element control circuit that controls the light receiving element,

wherein the light source control circuit and the light receiving element control circuit are electrically shielded from each other.

6. The drive assist device of claim 2, further comprising:

a light source control circuit that controls the light source; and

an image capturing element control circuit that controls the image capturing element,

wherein the light source control circuit and the image capturing element control circuit are electrically shielded from each other.

7. The drive assist device of claim 1, further comprising:

a shield provided between the first lens and the second lens.

8. The drive assist device of claim 2, further comprising:

a shield provided between the first lens and the third lens.

9. A vehicle, comprising:

the drive assist device of claim 1, the drive assist device being configured to obtain detection information indicating surroundings of the vehicle in vehicle traveling direction; and

a vehicle controller that controls operation of the vehicle based on the detection information.