Monitor system of vehicle outside and method of monitoring same

• US 6,859,730 B2
• Filed: 10/17/2002
• Issued: 02/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fuji Heavy Industries Limited (Subaru Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Heavy Industries Limited (Subaru Corp.)
• Inventors: Sekiguchi, Hiroyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): ARTHUR JEANGLAUDE, GERTRUDE
• Application Number:
  US10/271,941
• Publication Number:
  US 20030078730A1
• Time in Patent Office: 859 Days
• Field of Search: 701/93, 701/96, 701/301, 340/435, 340/436, 340/438, 340/903
• US Class Current: 701/301
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 11/12 using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
• 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 17/89 for mapping or imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/932 using own vehicle data, e.g. ground speed, steering wheel direction

Abstract

A monitor system of a vehicle outside includes an image-measured distance detector for detecting a distance between a vehicle and a three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle based on information of an image in front of the vehicle, a laser-measured distance detector for detecting the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle on the basis of the information of a laser radar for projecting a laser beam from the vehicle, and a final distance setting unit for finally setting the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle according to the distance detected the image-measured distance detector and the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detector.

Claims

1. A monitor system of a vehicle outside, comprising:

image-measured distance detection means for detecting a distance between a vehicle and a three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle based on data of an image in front of the vehicle;

laser-measured distance detection means for detecting the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle on the basis of the information of a laser radar for projecting a laser beam from the vehicle; and

final distance setting means for finally setting the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle according to the distance detected by the image-measured distance detection means and the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means,

wherein the final distance setting means finally sets the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle according to the value of the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means.

2. The monitor system according to claim 1, wherein:

the final distance setting means finally sets the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means as the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle when the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means comprises a long distance.

3. The monitor system according to claim 1, wherein:

the final distance setting means finally sets an average value of the distance detected by the image-measured distance detection means and the distance detected by th laser-measured distance detection means as the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle when the difference between the distance detected by the image-measured distance detection means and the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means is within a predetermined value at the time the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means comprises an intermediate distance.

4. The monitor system according to claim 1, wherein:

the final distance setting means finally sets the distance detected by the image-measured distance detection means as the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle when the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means comprises a short distance.

5. The monitor system according to claim 1, wherein:

the final distance setting means finally sets the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means as the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle when the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means comprises a very short distance.

6. The monitor system according to claim 1, wherein:

the final distance setting means finally sets the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means as the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle when the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means comprises a long distance and the final distance setting means finally sets the average value of the distance detected by the image-measured distance detection means and the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection mean as the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle when the difference between the distance detected by the image-measured distance detection means and the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection mean is within a predetermined value at the time the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means comprises an intermediate distance.

7. The monitor system according to claim 1, wherein:

the final distance setting means finally sets the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means as the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle when the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means comprises a long distance and the final distance setting means finally sets the distance detected by the image-measured distance detection means as the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle when the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means comprises a short distance.

8. The monitor system according to claim 1, wherein:

the final distance setting means finally sets the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means as the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle when the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means comprises a long distance and the final distance setting means finally sets the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means as the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle when the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means comprises a very short distance.

9. The monitor system according to claim 1, wherein:

the final distance setting means finally sets the average value of the distance detected by the image-measured distance detection means and the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means as the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle when the difference between the distance detected by the image-measured distance detection means and the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means is within a predetermined value at the time the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means comprises an intermediate distance and the final distance setting means finally sets the distance detected by the image-measured distance detection means as the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle when the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means comprises a short distance.

10. The monitor system according to claim 1, wherein:

the final distance setting means finally sets the average value of the distance detected by the image-measured distance detection means and the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means as the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle when the difference between the distance detected by the image-measured distance detection means and the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means is within a predetermined value at the time the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means comprises an intermediate distance and the final distance setting means finally sets the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means as the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle when the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means comprises a very short distance.

11. The monitor system according to claim 1, wherein:

the final distance setting means finally sets the distance detected by the image-measured distance detection means as the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle when the distance detected b the laser-measured distance detection means comprises a short distance and the final distance setting means finally sets the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means as the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle when the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means comprises a very short distance.

12. The monitor system according to claim 1, wherein:

the final distance setting means finally sets the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means as the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle when the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means comprises a long distance and the final distance setting means finally sets the average value of the distance detected by the image-measured distance detection means and the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means as the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle when the difference between the distance detected by the image-measured distance detection means and the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means is within a predetermined value at the time the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means comprises an intermediate distance.

13. The monitor system according to claim 12, wherein:

the final distance setting means finally sets the distance detected by the image-measured distance detection means as the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle when the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means comprises a short distance.

14. The monitor system according to claim 1, wherein:

the final distance setting means finally sets the average value of the distance detected by the image-measured distance detection means and the distance detected by laser-measured distance detection means as the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle when the difference between the distance detected by the image-measured distance detection means and the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means is within a predetermined value at the time the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means comprises an intermediate distance and the final distance setting means finally sets the distance detected by the image-measured distance detection means as the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle when the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means is the short distance and the final distance setting means finally sets the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means as the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle when the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means comprises a very short distance.

15. The monitor system according to claim 1, wherein:

the final distance setting means finally sets the distance detected by the image-measured distance detection means as the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle when the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means is the short distance and the final distance setting means finally sets the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection mean as the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle when the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means comprises a very short distance and the final distance setting means finally sets the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means as the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle when the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means comprises a long distance.

16. The monitor system according to claim 1, wherein:

the final distance setting means finally sets the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means as the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle when the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means is the very short distance and the final distance setting means finally sets the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means as the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle when the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means comprises a long distance and the final distance setting means finally sets the average value of the distance detected by the image-measured distance detection means and the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means as the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle when the difference between the distance detected by the image-measured distance detection means and the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means is within a predetermined value at the time the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means comprises an intermediate distance.

17. The monitor system according to claim 1, wherein:

the final distance setting means finally sets the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means as the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle when the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means comprises a long distance and the final distance setting means finally sets the average value of the distance detected by the image-measured distance detection means and the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means as the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle when the difference between the distance detected by the image-measured distance detection means and the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means is within a predetermined value at the time the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means comprises an intermediate distance.

18. The monitor system according to claim 17, wherein:

the final distance setting means sets the distance detected by the image-measured distance detection means as the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle when the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means comprises a short distance and the final distance setting means sets the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means as the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle when distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection means comprises a very short distance.

19. A method for monitoring an outside of a vehicle comprising:

calculating a distance between a vehicle and a three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle based on data of an image in front of the vehicle;

detecting the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle on the basis of the data of a laser radar by projecting a laser beam from the vehicle;

setting the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle according to the distance detected by the image-measured distance detection and the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection, and

determining the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle according to the value of the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection.

20. A method for monitoring an outside of a vehicle comprising:

calculating a distance between a vehicle and a three-dimensional object existing outside of the vehicle based on data of an image outside of the vehicle;

detecting the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing outside of the vehicle on the basis of the data of a laser radar; and

setting the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing in front of the vehicle according to the distance detected by the image-measured distance detection and the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection.

21. A monitor system of a vehicle outside, comprising:

an image-measured distance detection device for detecting a distance between a vehicle and a three-dimensional object existing outside of the vehicle based on data of an image outside of the vehicle;

a laser-measured distance detection device for detecting the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing outside of the vehicle on the basis of the information of a laser radar; and

a distance data coordinating section for finally setting the distance between the vehicle and the three-dimensional object existing outside of the vehicle according to the distance detected by the image-measured distance detection device and the distance detected by the laser-measured distance detection device.