RAILROAD CROSSING BARRIER ESTIMATING APPARATUS AND VEHICLE

• US 20130261950A1
• Filed: 03/11/2013
• Published: 10/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: KOIKE, Hiroyuki, SASABUCHI, Yoji
• Granted Patent: US 9,321,460 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/301
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/00 Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/09 Taking automatic action to avoid collision, e.g. braking and steering
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 23/041 Obstacle detection
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 29/246 Signals or brake- or lighting devices mounted on the road vehicle and controlled from the vehicle or train
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 29/30 Supervision, e.g. monitoring arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 11/12 using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9316 combined with communication equipment with other vehicles or with base stations
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9318 Controlling the steering
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93185 Controlling the brakes
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/932 using own vehicle data, e.g. ground speed, steering wheel direction
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93271 in the front of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93272 in the back of the vehicles
• 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 1/164 Centralised systems, e.g. external to vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/165 for passive traffic, e.g. including static obstacles, trees

Abstract

A railroad crossing barrier estimating apparatus and a vehicle that incorporates therein such a railroad crossing barrier estimating apparatus are provided. When at least one of an external object the transverse width of which increases over time and an external object having a given length at a certain height from the ground is detected, the vehicle or the railroad crossing barrier estimating apparatus estimates the detected external object as a railroad crossing barrier.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

an avoidance controller for performing an avoidance control process for avoiding a collision between the vehicle and an external object, if the external object is present on a route of the vehicle, or if the external object is about to enter the route;

the avoidance controller comprising;

an external object position judger for judging a three-dimensional position of the external object with respect to a position of the vehicle; and

a railroad crossing barrier estimator for estimating the presence of a railroad crossing barrier;

wherein, if the external object is estimated as the railroad crossing barrier, the avoidance controller cancels the avoidance control process with respect to the railroad crossing barrier; and

if at least one of an external object the transverse width of which increases over time and an external object having a given length at a certain height from the ground is detected, the railroad crossing barrier estimator estimates the detected external object as the railroad crossing barrier.

2. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle is detected as being positioned in or before a railroad crossing based on a behavior exhibited by the vehicle when the vehicle moves through the railroad crossing, or based on map information;

and

the avoidance control process is changed if the vehicle is positioned in or before the railroad crossing, and a barrier bar of the railroad crossing barrier is being lowered.

3. A railroad crossing barrier estimating apparatus, which is adapted to be installed on a mobile body, for detecting external objects using a radar for scanning at least two layers having different heights from the ground, or using an image capturing device for capturing an image of an area including the at least two layers, and estimating a railroad crossing barrier from among the external objects,

wherein, if at least one of an external object the transverse width of which increases over time and an external object having a given length at a certain height from the ground is detected, the detected external object is estimated as the railroad crossing barrier.