JP4108592B2 - Vehicle periphery monitoring device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle periphery monitoring device that detects a vehicle existing behind a vehicle (blind spot) and issues an alarm while the vehicle is running.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there is known an alarm device that equips a vehicle with a distance measuring sensor or the like to detect an obstacle around the vehicle and informs a driver in order to prevent an accident while the vehicle is running. For example, as a conventional warning device, there is a reckless overtaking warning method and device disclosed in Patent Document 1. This method and apparatus monitors an oblique rear side on the side where the lane of the automobile is changed, and detects a subsequent vehicle in that direction. In this device, a lane change instruction operation is detected, and when this instruction operation is performed, it is determined whether or not the following vehicle is in a predetermined region, and an overtaking danger warning is issued according to the determination result. .

  As a similar technique, Patent Document 2 discloses an object detection device. This automatically detects the traveling direction of the vehicle without using the output from the direction indicator and searches for an object in that direction. Based on information such as the steering angle, the yaw rate sensor, and navigation. By identifying the vehicle traveling situation and detecting an object in a direction suitable for the traveling situation, control is performed to issue an alarm when an obstacle is detected around the vehicle.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 54-118036 JP 2000-233699 A

  However, any of the conventional alarm devices described above will issue an alarm to all objects that have entered a predetermined area. For example, the alarm is issued by detecting even guardrails and side walls that are not directly related to lane changes. As a result, there was a problem that it was annoying to the passengers. Moreover, although what was shown by patent document 2 has the characteristic that an object can be detected regardless of operation of a direction indicator, expensive additional apparatuses, such as a yaw rate sensor and a navigation system, are required, and the difficulty that cost increases. was there. The present invention has been invented to solve such problems, and provides a vehicle periphery monitoring device that is inexpensive and can prevent false alarms caused by guardrails, side walls, etc. that are not related to lane changes. is there.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides an alarm based on a distance between a distance measuring sensor that detects a distance between the host vehicle and an object existing around the host vehicle, and an object detected by the distance measuring sensor. A vehicle periphery monitoring device comprising: an alarm determination unit that determines whether or not to issue an alarm; and an alarm unit that issues an alarm according to a determination result of the alarm determination unit, wherein the detection area is located in front of the vehicle side. the distance sensor so that the rear is attached to the vehicle, to compare the distance between the vehicle and the forward object detected by the upper Symbol distance sensor and the vehicle and the rear body, and distance in front of the distance and the rear If different and distance in front is smaller than the distance of the rear, the alarm determining means determines not an alarm is obtained by so as not to emit or we alarm the alarm means.

Also, an alarm determination that determines whether or not to issue an alarm based on the distance between the distance measuring sensor that detects the distance between the host vehicle and an object existing around the host vehicle and the object detected by the distance measuring sensor. And a vehicle periphery monitoring device comprising a warning means for issuing a warning in accordance with a determination result of the warning determination means, wherein the distance measuring sensor is arranged so that the detection areas are in front of and behind the vehicle. mounted on the vehicle, to compare the above Symbol distance of the vehicle and the preceding object and the own vehicle and the rear object detected by the distance measuring sensor, is different from the front of the distance and the rear distance and the distance the distance of the rear forward in If it is smaller than the above, the alarm determination means determines that an alarm should be issued, and the alarm means alarms.

  According to the vehicle periphery monitoring device according to the present invention, when the driver tries to change the lane, when the object detected by the distance measuring sensor is a road side wall, a guard rail, a large vehicle running in parallel, or the like, an alarm determination is made. By means, it becomes possible to determine that these objects are not subject to warning, and there is an effect of suppressing false alarms from the warning means.

Further, according to the vehicle periphery monitoring device according to the present invention, when the driver tries to change the lane, the alarm means appropriately issues an alarm according to the detection state of the front and rear objects from the distance measuring sensor. There is an effect that can.

Embodiment 1 FIG.
Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The vehicle periphery monitoring apparatus according to the first embodiment is composed of elements shown in a block diagram in FIG. That is, the vehicle periphery monitoring device according to the present invention includes a distance measuring sensor 1, a control unit 2 that is an alarm determination unit, a vehicle speed sensor 3, a direction indicator 4, and an alarm display unit 5 that is an alarm unit. It is installed. The distance measuring sensor 1 is for detecting the distance between the vehicle and the object, and includes a right distance measuring sensor 1a installed on the right side of the vehicle and a left distance measuring sensor 1b installed on the left side of the vehicle. These sensors can detect the distance to the object independently of each other. The distance measuring sensor 1 includes a distance measuring sensor using a laser beam or a radio wave, but is not limited thereto, and any sensor may be used. In addition, the distance measuring sensors are mounted at two or more places on the front and rear of one side surface or both side surfaces of the host vehicle so that the detection regions are the front and rear regions on the side of the host vehicle. Usually, the distance measuring sensor 1 is often installed in the bumper cover or embedded in a part of the bumper cover that is notched, but it can be installed in any way, such as in a corner lamp or a blinker lamp. It doesn't matter.

  The vehicle speed sensor 3 detects the speed of the host vehicle. The direction indicator 4 is for instructing the traveling direction of the host vehicle, and any device such as one for detecting a steering wheel angle may be used. Signals from the distance measuring sensor 1, the vehicle speed sensor 3, and the direction indicator 4 are added to the control unit 2 which is an alarm determination means, and are subjected to signal processing to judge a dangerous situation and, if necessary, an alarm display as an alarm means. A warning is issued from the device 5 by screen display and / or sound.

  Next, the operation of the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 to 7 show the host vehicle 10 traveling in the left lane, the vehicles 11 and 12 traveling in the right lane, the large vehicle 13, and the side wall / guardrail 19. The own vehicle 10 is provided with a distance measuring sensor 1af at the front part on the right side and a distance measuring sensor 1ab at the rear part, and the detection area S1 of the sensor is indicated by a fan shape indicated by a broken line from each sensor. The distance to the object detected by the front distance measuring sensor 1af is Sf, and the distance to the object detected by the rear distance measuring sensor 1ab is Sb.

  First, as shown in FIG. 3, the host vehicle 10 outputs a direction indication by the direction indicator 4 of FIG. 1, and changes the lane to the right lane and moves to a vehicle position 10a indicated by a two-dot chain line. Consider the case. An output from the direction indicator 4, a distance from the distance measuring sensors 1 af and 1 ab to an object, and a vehicle speed of the host vehicle from the vehicle speed sensor 3 are constantly input to the control unit 2. When the direction indicator 4 is operated during traveling, as shown in FIG. 3, if the distance to the object obtained from the distance measuring sensors 1af and 1ab is within the detection area S1, the forward distance Sf to the object is The rear distance Sb to the object is detected. In the case of FIG. 3, since there is no object in the detection area S1 of the distance measuring sensor 1af, the distance measuring sensor 1af does not output a signal. On the other hand, since the vehicle 11 is present behind the driver's right side (blind spot) in the detection area S1 of the distance measuring sensor 1ab, the distance measuring sensor 1ab detects the distance Sb to the vehicle 11 and adds it to the control unit 2. . The control unit 2 determines from the input signals of the distance measuring sensor 1 and the vehicle speed sensor 3 that the vehicle 11 in the right lane has approached within the set distance, determines that the lane change of the host vehicle 10 is dangerous, and displays an alarm display. An alarm is issued from the device 5 by sound and / or screen display.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 4, when the own vehicle 10 moves to the position 10 b near the right lane in order to change the lane, even when the vehicle does not exist on the right front side and the right rear side of the own vehicle 10, The distance measuring sensors 1af and 1ab detect the side walls / guardrails 19 in the detection area S1, detect the distances Sf and Sb, and generate distance measuring signals. The control unit 2 receives these signals and makes an alarm determination. As an alarm determination condition, when the difference between Sf and Sb is zero or less than a certain threshold value, an alarm is not issued. In this situation, the alarm indicator 5 does not issue an alarm. In other words, even if the distance measuring sensor detects an object, if there is no danger in changing the lane of the host vehicle, an alarm is not issued unnecessarily and unnecessary warning is not given to the driver.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 5, even when the host vehicle 10 is running in parallel with a large vehicle 13 (long bus, truck, trailer, etc.), the distance measuring sensors 1af and 1ab are both connected to the adjacent vehicle 13. The right front distance Sf and the right rear distance Sb are detected, but the alarm determination condition of the control unit 2 is set so as not to issue an alarm when the difference between Sf and Sb is zero or less than a predetermined threshold as described above. By setting it, the alarm can be suppressed. Further, as shown in FIG. 6, if the parallel running vehicle 11 comes from the position of FIG. 3 to the visible position of FIG. 6 and enters the parallel running state, Sf = Sb is satisfied, and thus a useless alarm is similarly suppressed. Furthermore, in the state of FIG. 7, the vehicle 11 and the vehicle 12 are equidistant from the host vehicle 10, and in this state, no warning is issued, but in this state, the lane change is impossible due to the presence of the forward vehicle 11. There is no problem because the driver will judge.

Embodiment 2. FIG.
Next, a second embodiment will be described. The configuration of the apparatus is the same as that of the first embodiment. In the second embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8, when the driver tries to change the lane of the host vehicle 10, a front object is detected by the distance measuring sensor 1af (front distance Sf), and a rear object is detected. If not detected, the control unit 2 that is an alarm determination means determines that the object is a vehicle obliquely ahead of the host vehicle 10 and suppresses the alarm from the alarm indicator 5 so as to suppress the false alarm. The alarm is not set when there is a signal Sf from the sensor 1af and no signal from the distance measuring sensor 1ab. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 9, when the driver tries to change the lane of the host vehicle 10, a front object is not detected by the distance measuring sensor 1 af and a rear object is detected by the distance measuring sensor 1 ab. The (rear distance Sb) is a signal Sb from the distance measuring sensor 1ab so that the control unit 2 which is an alarm determination unit determines that the object is a vehicle behind the host vehicle 10 and issues an alarm from the alarm indicator 5. There is a setting for issuing an alarm when there is no signal from the distance measuring sensor 1af.

Embodiment 3 FIG.
Next, Embodiment 3 will be described. The configuration of the apparatus is the same as that of the first embodiment. In the present third embodiment, when the host vehicle 10 issues a direction instruction and changes lanes, if the host vehicle 10 and the vehicles 11 and 12 are at the positions shown in FIGS. Each of the distance measuring sensors 1af and 1ab detects an object. In this case, the distance to the object detected by the distance measuring sensor is compared. When the values of the front distance Sf and the rear distance Sb are different and the front distance is smaller than the rear distance (Sf <Sb), the control is performed. The unit 2 determines that the object is a front object on the side of the host vehicle, and suppresses the false alarm by suppressing the alarm from the alarm indicator 5. In this case, as in the case of FIG. 7, there is no problem because the driver visually determines that the lane change is not possible due to the presence of the vehicle 11. Further, in the positional relationship of the vehicles shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, when the host vehicle 10 issues a direction instruction and changes lanes, the distances to the objects detected by the distance measuring sensors 1 af and 1 ab are compared, When the values of the front distance Sf and the rear distance Sb are different and the rear distance is smaller than the front distance (Sf> Sb), the control unit 2 determines that the object is a rear object on the side of the host vehicle 10, and An alarm is issued from the alarm indicator 5.

Embodiment 4 FIG.
Next, a fourth embodiment will be described. The configuration of the apparatus is the same as that of the first embodiment. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 14, the distance measuring sensor 1 a is arranged on the side surface of the host vehicle 10 so that the detection regions indicated by broken lines in the drawing are the diagonally forward and diagonal regions on the side of the host vehicle 10. The maximum radiation direction (direction in which the antenna gain is largest) F and B in the horizontal plane of one or both of the transmission antenna and the reception antenna of the distance measuring sensor are set to 2 diagonally forward and diagonally backward of the host vehicle 10. Turn in the direction. The mounting location of the distance measuring sensor 1a is assumed to be a door mirror or a center pillar, but is not particularly limited and may be mounted in any manner. Moreover, a part of the diagonally forward and diagonally backward detection areas may overlap.

Embodiment 5 FIG.
Next, a fifth embodiment will be described. The configuration of the apparatus is the same as that of the first embodiment. In the fifth embodiment, as shown in FIG. 15, the distance measuring sensor 1 a is arranged on the side surface of the host vehicle 10 so that the detection region indicated by the broken line is a diagonally forward region from the side of the host vehicle 10. It is mounted at one place, and one or both of the transmission antenna and the reception antenna of the distance measuring sensor are scanned in a horizontal plane. The mounting location of the distance measuring sensor 1a is assumed to be a door mirror or a center pillar as in the fourth embodiment, but is not particularly limited and may be mounted in any manner.

Summary of Operations of Embodiments 1 to 5 The operations of the control unit 5 in each of the above embodiments will be collectively described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. In step 20, alarm processing is started, and in step 21, distance measurement by the distance measuring sensor 1 of the host vehicle is started. In step 22, it is determined whether or not an alarm device operating condition indicates whether signals from the vehicle speed sensor 3 and the direction indicator 4 are input. When the alarm device operating condition is not satisfied (No), the operation returns to the original state and waits for input. When the alarm device operating condition is satisfied (Yes), in step 23, the distance measuring sensors 1af, 1ab or distance measuring sensors 1a, 1b on the side of the vehicle in the distance measuring sensor 1 and the distance measuring signal 1a are received. At 24, a warning judgment is made as to whether the lane change is dangerous. The relationship between the alarm determination condition and the presence or absence of an alarm is set as follows.
Warning determination condition Presence or absence of alarm Forward distance Sf = Rear distance Sb No Forward detection, no rear detection No Front detection, rear detection Yes Forward distance Sf <Rear distance Sb No Forward distance Sf> Rear distance Sb Yes Step 25 A warning by sound and / or screen display is issued from the warning indicator 5 in accordance with the presence or absence of the warning according to the warning judgment condition.

  The vehicle periphery monitoring device according to the present invention can be applied to a device that ensures safety when changing the lane of an automobile.

It is a block block diagram which shows the vehicle periphery monitoring apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is a flowchart explaining the alarm determination operation | movement in the vehicle periphery monitoring apparatus of this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the detection area | region and vehicle movement condition in Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the detection area | region and vehicle movement condition in Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a figure which shows the relationship between the detection area | region and vehicle position in Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a figure which shows the relationship between the detection area | region and vehicle position in Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a figure which shows the relationship between the detection area | region and vehicle position in Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a figure which shows the relationship between the detection area | region and vehicle position in Embodiment 2 of this invention. It is a figure which shows the relationship between the detection area | region and vehicle position in Embodiment 2 of this invention. It is a figure which shows the relationship between the detection area | region and vehicle position in Embodiment 3 of this invention. It is a figure which shows the relationship between the detection area | region and vehicle position in Embodiment 3 of this invention. It is a figure which shows the relationship between the detection area | region and vehicle position in Embodiment 3 of this invention. It is a figure which shows the relationship between the detection area | region and vehicle position in Embodiment 3 of this invention. It is a figure which shows the vehicle mounting condition of the distance measuring sensor in Embodiment 4 of this invention. It is a figure which shows the vehicle mounting condition of the distance measuring sensor in Embodiment 5 of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

1 Distance sensor, 1a Right distance sensor,
1b Left distance measuring sensor, 1af Right front distance measuring sensor,
1ab Distance sensor on the right rear, 2 Control unit,
3 Vehicle speed sensor, 4 Direction indicator,
5 Alarm indicator, 10 Vehicle,
11 vehicles, 12 vehicles,
13 large vehicles, 19 side walls and guardrails.

Claims (5)

A distance measuring sensor that detects a distance between the host vehicle and an object existing around the host vehicle, and an alarm determination unit that determines whether or not to issue an alarm based on the distance between the object detected by the distance measuring sensor; A vehicle periphery monitoring device comprising an alarm means for issuing an alarm in accordance with a determination result of the alarm determination means, wherein the distance measuring sensor is arranged so that the detection area is in front of and behind the vehicle. mounted on, to compare the distance of the vehicle and the forward object detected by the upper Symbol distance sensor and the vehicle and the rear body, the front of the distance and distance and is different and forward of the rear distance than the distance of the rear If Te small, the alarm determining means determines not an alarm, vehicle environment monitoring apparatus is characterized in that so as not emit or we alarm the alarm means. A distance measuring sensor that detects a distance between the host vehicle and an object existing around the host vehicle, and an alarm determination unit that determines whether or not to issue an alarm based on the distance between the object detected by the distance measuring sensor; A vehicle periphery monitoring device comprising an alarm means for issuing an alarm in accordance with a determination result of the alarm determination means, wherein the distance measuring sensor is arranged so that the detection area is in front of and behind the vehicle. mounted on, to compare the distance of the vehicle and the forward object detected by the upper Symbol distance sensor and the vehicle and the rear body, the distance and is different and the rear distance and behind the front of the distance than the distance of the front If it is small, the alarm determination means determines that an alarm should be issued, and an alarm is issued from the alarm means. 3. The vehicle periphery monitoring device according to claim 1, wherein the host vehicle includes distance measuring sensors at least at a front part and a rear part on one side or both sides of the host vehicle. The host vehicle includes a distance measuring sensor at one position on one side or both sides of the host vehicle, and the maximum radiation direction in one or both of the transmission antenna and the receiving antenna of the distance measuring sensor is set obliquely forward and diagonally to the host vehicle. The vehicle periphery monitoring device according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the vehicle periphery monitoring device is directed in two rear directions. The host vehicle includes a distance measuring sensor at one position on one or both side surfaces of the host vehicle, and the distance measuring sensor transmits one or both beams of the transmitting antenna and the receiving antenna of the distance measuring sensor in a horizontal plane. The vehicle periphery supervisor monitoring device according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein scanning is performed.

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