Rear cross traffic alert device

• US 9,064,408 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2011
• Issued: 06/23/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Komoguchi, Tetsuya, Kawasaki, Tomoya, Takahashi, Yoshihiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Tweel, Jr., John A
• Application Number:
  US14/008,191
• Publication Number:
  US 20140015693A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,366 Days
• Field of Search: 340/935, 340/435, 340/436, 340/903, 701/301
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/006 using a distance sensor
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/008 for anti-collision purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9315 Monitoring blind spots
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93272 in the back of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93274 on the side of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93275 in the bumper area
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/056 with provision for distinguishing direction of travel
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/167 Driving aids for lane monitoring, lane changing, e.g. blind spot detection

Abstract

Provided is a rear cross traffic alert device that allows a driver to understand that notification of the presence of an object (another vehicle, etc.) in an area directly behind the vehicle cannot be notified. The rear cross traffic alert device provided on a vehicle includes: an object detection section configured to detect the presence of an object laterally behind the vehicle; a movement determination section configured to determine whether or not the object has entered a predetermined area in a detection area in which the object detection section can detect the presence of the object; and a notification control section configured to stop notification when the movement determination section has determined that the object has entered the predetermined area.

Claims

1. A rear cross traffic alert device provided on a vehicle, for notifying the presence of an object approaching an area laterally behind the vehicle, the rear cross traffic alert device comprising:

an object detection section configured to detect the presence of the object present laterally behind the vehicle;

a target area setting section configured to set a notification target area and a notification stop area such that the notification target area and the notification stop area are aligned in the width direction of the vehicle and behind the vehicle in a detection area in which the object detection section can detect the presence of the object;

a movement determination section configured to determine whether or not the object has entered the notification target area or the notification stop area; and

a notification control section configured to start notification when the movement determination section has determined that the object has entered the notification target area, and stop notification when the movement determination section has determined that the object has entered the notification stop area from the notification target area.

2. The rear cross traffic alert device according to claim 1, wherein

the target area setting section sets the notification stop area between the notification target area and a rear undetectable area behind the vehicle in which the object detection section cannot detect the presence of the object.

3. The rear cross traffic alert device according to claim 1, wherein

the movement determination section determines that the object has entered the notification stop area from the notification target area, when the object having been detected in the notification target area and not having been detected in the notification stop area is detected at least in the notification stop area.

4. The rear cross traffic alert device according to claim 1, wherein

the notification control section restarts notification when the movement determination section has determined that the object has moved out of the notification stop area and completely moved into the notification target area.

5. The rear cross traffic alert device according to claim 4, wherein

the movement determination section determines that the object has moved out of the notification stop area and completely moved into the notification target area, when the object having been detected at least in the notification stop area is detected in the notification target area and not detected in the notification stop area.

6. The rear cross traffic alert device according to claim 1, wherein

when the object detection section has detected a plurality of different objects, the movement determination section determines, for each object, whether or not the object is detected in the notification target area and not detected in the notification stop area, and

the notification control section does not stop notification when the movement determination section has determined that at least one of the plurality of objects is detected in the notification target area and not detected in the notification stop area.

7. The rear cross traffic alert device according to claim 2, wherein

the target area setting section sets the notification stop area such that the notification stop area is adjacent to both the notification target area and the rear undetectable area.

8. A notification control method in a rear cross traffic alert device provided on a vehicle for notifying the presence of an object approaching an area laterally behind the vehicle, the notification control method comprising:

an object detection step of detecting the presence of the object present laterally behind the vehicle;

a movement determination step of determining whether or not the object has entered notification target area or a notification stop area, the notification target area and the notification stop area being set so as to be aligned in the width direction of the vehicle and behind the vehicle in a detection area in which the presence of the object can be detected in the object detection step; and

a notification control step of starting notification when the movement determination step has determined that the object has entered the notification target area, and stopping notification when the movement determination step has determined that the object has entered the notification stop area from the notification target area.