Vehicle control apparatus including an obstacle detection device

• US 9,415,774 B2
• Filed: 09/19/2012
• Issued: 08/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Sugano, Takeshi, Kobayashi, Masahiro, Gokan, Toshimichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Khatib, Rami
• Assistant Examiner(s): Boomer, Jeffrey
• Application Number:
  US14/237,406
• Publication Number:
  US 20140200799A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,427 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/006 using a distance sensor
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/08 Active safety systems predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision or attempting to minimise its consequences
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/0956 the prediction being responsive to traffic or environmental parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18009 related to particular drive situations
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18027 Drive off, accelerating from standstill
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/027 Parking aids, e.g. instruction means
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93185 Controlling the brakes
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9319 Controlling the accelerator
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/932 using own vehicle data, e.g. ground speed, steering wheel direction
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2015/932 for parking operations
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2015/938 in the bumper area radar in bumper area G01S2013/93275; bumper with obstacle sensor of electric or electronic type B60R19/483
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/168 Driving aids for parking, e.g. acoustic or visual feedback on parking space

Abstract

A vehicle control device basically includes a first risk computation unit, a second risk computing unit and a first risk adjustment unit. The first risk computation unit calculates a first risk with respect to a nearby obstacle located in a nearby detection region near a host vehicle. The second risk computing unit calculates a second risk with respect to a remote obstacle located further from the nearby detection region. The first risk adjustment unit adjusts at least one of the first and the second risks to preferentially execute a warning or vehicle control based on one of the first risk or the second risk versus a warning or vehicle control based on the other of the first risk or the second risk based on an entry state of the host vehicle of entering a planned parking place, or an exit state of the host vehicle of exiting from a parking place.

Claims

1. A vehicle warning device comprising:

a first obstacle detection device configured to detect a first obstacle in a first direction located within a nearby detection region near a host vehicle equipped with the vehicle warning device;

a second obstacle detection device configured to detect a second obstacle in the first direction located further than the nearby detection region; and

an electronic control unit programmed to;

calculate a first risk, the first risk being a value indicative of a possibility that the host vehicle will come into contact with the first obstacle,

calculate a second risk, the second risk being a value indicative of a possibility that the host vehicle will come into contact with the second obstacle,

determine whether the host vehicle is in an entry state of entering a planned parking place, and increase the first risk and reduce the second risk upon determining that the host vehicle is in the entry state,

determine whether the host vehicle is in an exit state of exiting a parking place, and reduce the first risk and increase the second risk upon determining that the host vehicle is in the exit state,

determine whether to execute at least one of a warning to a driver of the host vehicle and execute vehicle control of the host vehicle, the determining whether to execute the warning to a driver of the host vehicle being based on a result of increasing or decreasing the first risk and increasing or decreasing the second risk upon determining that the host vehicle is in the entry state or the exit state, execute the warning upon determining that the warning should be executed, the determining whether to execute vehicle control of the host vehicle being based on the result of increasing or decreasing the first risk and increasing or decreasing the second risk upon determining that the host vehicle is in the entry state or the exit state, and execute vehicle control upon determining that the vehicle control should be executed,

the first and second obstacle detection devices each configured to be provided on the host vehicle and operatively connected to the electronic control unit to output a detection value to the electronic control unit.

2. The vehicle warning device according to claim 1, wherein

the electronic control unit is further programmed to:

detect the position or the attitude of the host vehicle in relation to the first obstacle, and

adjust at least one of the first and the second risks based on the detected position or the attitude of the host vehicle.

3. The vehicle warning device according to claim 2, wherein

the electronic control unit is further programmed to:

detect a traveling direction of the host vehicle,

carry out at least one of an adjustment that increases the first risk and an adjustment that reduces the second risk as the traveling direction of the host vehicle becomes more oriented in a direction towards the first obstacle, and

carry out at least one of an adjustment that decreases the first risk and an adjustment that increases the second risk as the traveling direction of the host vehicle becomes more oriented in a direction away from the first obstacle.

4. The vehicle warning device according to claim 2, wherein

the electronic control unit is further programmed to:

detect a distance from the host vehicle to the first obstacle,

carry out at least one of an adjustment that increases the first risk and an adjustment that decreases the second risk as the distance from the host vehicle to the first obstacle becomes shorter, and

carry out at least one of an adjustment that decreases the first risk and an adjustment that increases the second risk as the distance from the host vehicle to the first obstacle becomes longer.

5. The vehicle warning device according to claim 2, wherein

the electronic control unit is further programmed to:

estimate a travel path for the host vehicle,

calculate a distance between the travel path and the first obstacle,

carry out at least one of an adjustment that increases the first risk and an adjustment that decreases the second risk as the distance between the travel path and the first obstacle becomes shorter, and

carry out at least one of an adjustment that decreases the first risk and an adjustment that increases the second risk as the distance between the travel path and the first obstacle becomes longer.

6. The vehicle warning device according to claim 2, wherein

the electronic control unit is further programmed to:

calculate an offset amount of the distance between an end on the host vehicle farthest from the planned parking place and the planned parking place,

carry out at least one of an adjustment that increases the first risk and an adjustment that decreases the second risk as the offset amount becomes smaller, and

carry out at least one of an adjustment that decreases the first risk and an adjustment that increases the second risk as the offset amount becomes larger.

7. The vehicle warning device according to claim 1, wherein

the first obstacle detection device is configured to detect entry of a third obstacle different from the first obstacle that enters between the host vehicle and the first obstacle;

and

the electronic control unit is further programmed to execute at least one of the warning or the vehicle control with respect to the entry of the third obstacle versus the warning or vehicle control based on the first risk or the second risk.

8. The vehicle warning device according to claim 1, further comprising

an alarm device configured to provide the warning to the driver of the host vehicle upon determining that the warning should be executed.

9. A vehicle warning device comprising:

an obstacle detection device that detects a remote obstacle located further from a nearby region near a vehicle; and

an electronic control unit programmed to;

calculate a risk, the risk being a value indicative of a possibility that the host vehicle will come into contact with the remote obstacle,

determine whether the host vehicle is in an entry state of entering a planned parking place, and reduce the risk upon determining that the host vehicle is in the entry state,

determine whether the host vehicle is in an exit state of exiting the parking place, and increase the risk upon determining that the host vehicle is in the exit state,

determine whether to execute at least one of a warning to a driver of the host vehicle and execute vehicle control of the host vehicle, the determining whether to execute the warning to a driver of the host vehicle being based on a result of increasing or decreasing the first risk and increasing or decreasing the second risk upon determining that the host vehicle is in the entry state or the exit state, execute the warning upon determining that the warning should be executed, the determining whether to execute vehicle control of the host vehicle being based on the result of increasing or decreasing the first risk and increasing or decreasing the second risk upon determining that the host vehicle is in the entry state or the exit state, and execute vehicle control upon determining that the vehicle control should be executed,

the obstacle detection device configured to be provided on the host vehicle and operatively connected to the electronic control unit to output a detection value to the electronic control unit.

10. A vehicle warning device comprising:

a first obstacle detection device configured to detect a first obstacle in a first direction located within a nearby detection region near a host vehicle equipped with the vehicle warning device;

a second obstacle detection device configured to detect a second obstacle in the first direction located further than the nearby detection region; and

an electronic control unit programmed to;

calculate a first risk, the first risk being a value indicative of a possibility that the host vehicle will come into contact with the first obstacle,

calculate a second risk, the second risk being a value indicative of a possibility that the host vehicle will come into contact with the second obstacle,

determine whether the host vehicle is in an entry state of entering a planned parking place, and increase the first risk and reduce the second risk upon determining that the host vehicle is in the entry state,

determine whether the host vehicle is in an exit state of exiting a parking place, and reduce the first risk and increase the second risk upon determining that the host vehicle is in the exit state,

determine whether to execute a warning to a driver of the host vehicle based on a result of increasing or decreasing the first risk and increasing or decreasing the second risk upon determining that the host vehicle is in the entry state or the exit state, and execute the warning upon determining that the warning should be executed, and

determine whether to execute vehicle control of the host vehicle based on the result of increasing or decreasing the first risk and increasing or decreasing the second risk upon determining that the host vehicle is in the entry state or the exit state, and execute vehicle control upon determining that the execute vehicle control should be executed,

the first and second obstacle detection devices each configured to be provided on the host vehicle and operatively connected to the electronic control unit to output a detection value to the electronic control unit.

11. A vehicle warning device comprising:

a first obstacle detection device configured to detect a first obstacle in a first direction located within a nearby detection region near a host vehicle equipped with the vehicle warning device;

a second obstacle detection device configured to detect a second obstacle in the first direction located further than the nearby detection region; and

an electronic control unit programmed to;

calculate a first risk, the first risk being a value indicative of a possibility that the host vehicle will come into contact with the first obstacle,

calculate a second risk, the second risk being a value indicative of a possibility that the host vehicle will come into contact with the second obstacle,

determine whether the host vehicle is in an entry state of entering a planned parking place, and increase the first risk and reduce the second risk upon determining that the host vehicle is in the entry state,

determine whether the host vehicle is in an exit state of exiting a parking place, and reduce the first risk and increase the second risk upon determining that the host vehicle is in the exit state,

determine whether to execute at least one of a warning to a driver of the host vehicle and execute vehicle control of the host vehicle, the determining whether to execute the warning to a driver of the host vehicle being based on the first and second risks, execute the warning upon determining that the warning should be executed, the determining whether to execute vehicle control of the host vehicle being based on the first and second risks, and execute vehicle control upon determining that the vehicle control should be executed,

detect the position or the attitude of the host vehicle in relation to the first obstacle,

adjust at least one of the first and the second risks based on the detected position or the attitude of the host vehicle,

calculate an offset amount of the distance between an end on the host vehicle farthest from the planned parking place and the planned parking place,

carry out at least one of an adjustment that increases the first risk and an adjustment that decreases the second risk as the offset amount becomes smaller, and

carry out at least one of an adjustment that decreases the first risk and an adjustment that increases the second risk as the offset amount becomes larger,

the first and second obstacle detection devices each configured to be provided on the host vehicle and operatively connected to the electronic control unit to output a detection value to the electronic control unit.