ROADSIDE DETECTION SYSTEM, DRIVER ASSISTANCE SYSTEM AND ROADSIDE DETECTING METHOD

• US 20120001769A1
• Filed: 07/05/2011
• Published: 01/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/05/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: NITANDA, Naoki, Miyahara, Takayuki
• Granted Patent: US 8,970,397 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/901
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/42 Simultaneous measurement of distance and other co-ordinates indirect measurement G01S17/46
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/931 of land vehicles
• 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

Abstract

A roadside detection system installed in a vehicle to detect a roadside of a road on which the vehicle travels includes detection results acquiring means, first edge line detecting means and second edge line detecting means. The detection results acquiring means emits light waves or electromagnetic waves to a target detection region in which an object to be measured is detected and acquires an objective distance and a reflection intensity, for each of separate regions obtained by separating the target detection region into a plurality of divisions. The first edge line detecting means detects a first edge line that is a candidate of a roadside based on each objective distance. The second edge line detecting means detects a second edge line that is a candidate of a roadside based on each reflection intensity. A driver assistance system and a roadside detecting method are also provided.

Claims

1. A roadside detection system installed in a vehicle to detect either a left or right end portion (hereinafter referred to as “

roadside”

) of a road on which the vehicle travels, the system comprising;

detection results acquiring means that emits light waves or electromagnetic waves to a target detection region in which an object to be measured is detected and acquires a distance to the object to be measured (hereinafter referred to as “

objective distance”

) and an intensity of a reflected wave reflected from the object to be measured (hereinafter referred to “

reflection intensity”

), for each of separate regions obtained by separating the target detection region into a plurality of divisions;

first edge line detecting means that detects a first edge line that is a candidate of a roadside based on each objective distance; and

second edge line detecting means that detects a second edge line that is a candidate of a roadside based on each reflection intensity.

2. The roadside detection system according to claim 1, wherein:

the first edge line detecting means detects a portion defined by the first edge line, in which a difference between the objective distances of adjacent separate regions among the individual separate regions becomes equal to or more than a reference distance difference; and

the second edge line detecting means detects a portion defined by the second edge line, in which a difference between the reflection intensities of adjacent separate regions among the individual separate regions becomes equal to or more than a reference intensity difference.

3. The roadside detection system according to claim 2, wherein the detection results acquiring means acquires objective distance and reflection intensity of each separate region detected by optical detecting means that emits a light wave to each of the separate regions to receive reflected light that is a reflection of the light wave from an object to be measured, in a target detection region formed by virtually juxtaposing a number of separate regions in a crosswise direction perpendicular to a traveling direction of the vehicle, each of the separate regions serving as a target in which an object to be measured is detected.

4. The roadside detection system according to claim 3, wherein the system is provided with the optical detecting means.

5. The roadside detection system according to claim 4, wherein:

the detection results acquiring means acquires a plurality of sets of objective distance and reflection intensity detected in the plurality of respective separate regions; and

each edge line detecting means detects each edge line using the plurality of objective distances and reflection intensities detected in the plurality of respective separate regions.

6. The roadside detection system according to claim 5, wherein the system is provided with roadside setting means that sets, as a roadside, location of the first edge line or location of the second edge line.

7. The roadside detection system according to claim 6, wherein the roadside setting means detects a roadside on the left and on the right with reference to a front position of the vehicle in the crosswise direction.

8. The roadside detection system according to claim 7, wherein the roadside setting means sets, as a roadside, either of the edge lines detected by the edge line detecting means, whichever is nearer to the front position of the vehicle.

9. The roadside detection system according to claim 6, wherein the roadside setting means sets the first edge line as a physical edge line that serves as a roadside and sets the second edge line as a legal edge line that serves as a roadside when the locations of the edge lines detected by the edge line detecting means are different from each other.

10. The roadside detection system according to claim 7, wherein the roadside setting means sets the first edge line as a physical edge line that serves as a roadside and sets the second edge line as a legal edge line that serves as a roadside when the locations of the edge lines detected by the edge line detecting means are different from each other.

11. The roadside detection system according to claim 1, wherein the detection results acquiring means acquires objective distance and reflection intensity of each separate region detected by optical detecting means that emits a light wave to each of the separate regions to receive reflected light that is a reflection of the light wave from an object to be measured, in a target detection region formed by virtually juxtaposing a number of separate regions in a crosswise direction perpendicular to a traveling direction of the vehicle, each of the separate regions serving as a target in which an object to be measured is detected.

12. The roadside detection system according to claim 1, wherein the system is provided with the optical detecting means.

13. The roadside detection system according to claim 1, wherein:

the detection results acquiring means acquires a plurality of sets of objective distance and reflection intensity detected in the plurality of respective separate regions; and

each edge line detecting means detects each edge line using the plurality of objective distances and reflection intensities detected in the plurality of respective separate regions.

14. The roadside detection system according to claim 6, wherein the system is provided with roadside setting means that sets, as a roadside, location of the first edge line or location of the second edge line.

15. The roadside detection system according to claim 14, wherein the roadside setting means detects a roadside on the left and on the right with reference to a front position of the vehicle in the crosswise direction.

16. The roadside detection system according to claim 15, wherein the roadside setting means sets, as a roadside, either of the edge lines detected by the edge line detecting means, whichever is nearer to the front position of the vehicle.

17. A driver assistance system installed in a vehicle to assist driving operation of a driver of the vehicle, the system comprising:

roadside detecting means that detects an end portion (hereinafter referred to as “

roadside”

) of a road on which the vehicle travels;

drive assisting means that gives drive assist so that the vehicle no longer comes close to a roadside when the vehicle nears the roadside, wherein;

the roadside detecting means is configured as the roadside detection system recited in claim 1.

18. The drive assistance system according to claim 17, wherein:

the roadside detecting means is configured as the roadside detection system recited in claim 9; and

the drive assisting means gives drive assist different between when the vehicle nears a physical line and when the vehicle nears a legal line.

19. A roadside detecting method for detecting either a left or right end portion (hereinafter referred to as “

roadside”

) of a road on which the vehicle travels, the method comprising;

a detection results acquiring step of emitting light waves or electromagnetic waves to a target detection region in which an object to be measured is detected and acquiring a distance to the object to be measured (hereinafter referred to as “

objective distance”

) and an intensity of a reflected wave reflected from the object to be measured (hereinafter referred to “

reflection intensity”

), for each of separate regions obtained by separating the target detection region into a plurality of divisions;

a first edge line detecting step of detecting a first edge line that is a candidate of a roadside based on each objective distance; and

a second edge line detecting step of detecting a second edge line that is a candidate of a roadside based on each reflection intensity.