Detector

• US 20090187321A1
• Filed: 01/07/2009
• Published: 07/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: MURAMATSU, Shoji, OTSUKA, Yuji, MONJI, Tatsuhiko
• Application Number:
  US12/349,609
• Publication Number:
  US 20090187321A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/70
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01259 Brakes
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0134 responsive to imminent contact with an obstacle , e.g. using radar systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/22 initiated by contact of vehicle, e.g. bumper, with an external object, e.g. another vehicle , or by means of contactless obstacle detectors mounted on the vehicle
• 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: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes

Abstract

A detector includes an image pickup unit mounted on a vehicle to obtain an image of an object; and a detecting unit for detecting an object in an object detecting area at a predetermined distance from the image pickup unit. The image pickup unit may include a monocular camera, and the predetermined distance may be fixed or may be varied according to the running speed of the vehicle. The detecting unit may detect objects respectively in plural object detection areas respectively at different distances from the image pickup unit.

Claims

1. A detector comprising:

an image pickup unit mounted on a vehicle to obtain an image of an object; and

a detecting unit for detecting an object in an object detecting area at a predetermined distance from the image pickup unit.

2. The detector according to claim 1, wherein the image pickup unit is a monocular camera.

3. The detector according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined distance is fixed.

4. The detector according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined distance is varied according to the running speed of the vehicle.

5. The detector according to claim 1, wherein the object detecting area has a first area and a second area whose distance from the image pickup unit is different from the first area'"'"'s one.

6. The detector according to claim 5, further comprising:

a warning unit for warning to a driver; and

a braking unit for braking, wherein the first area is for the warning unit and the second area is for the braking unit.