Abstract: The vehicle detecting apparatus includes an image sensor mounted on a host vehicle so as to be able to take an image ahead of the host vehicle, a light source area extracting function of extracting, from image data outputted from the image sensor, an area having luminance higher than a predetermined value as a light source area, a vehicle detecting function of detecting existence of at least one of an oncoming vehicle and a preceding vehicle by recognizing which of a headlight of the oncoming vehicle, a taillight of the preceding vehicle, and a roadside reflector causes the light source area in the image data. The vehicle detecting function is configured to lower a probability that the vehicle detecting function recognizes that the light source area is caused by the roadside reflector when the headlight of the host vehicle is in a low-beam position.

Abstract: An image processing device for a vehicle includes a radar for transmitting a radio wave outside of the vehicle and detecting an object in a first area outside of the vehicle by using a reflected wave of the transmitted radio wave; a camera for acquiring an image in a second area including the first area; and an image processing unit for processing the acquired image to detect, in the acquired image, the object detected by the radar. Visibility outside of the vehicle is detected based on result of detection of the radar and result of detection of the camera.

Abstract: A vehicle detection apparatus detects vehicles traveling on a road with their lights turned on. The apparatus captures images of a road, detects a light spot from captured images, and detects a first vertical coordinate of the light spot in the images. The apparatus further calculates a distance to the light spot based on a horizontal length of the light spot in the images and detects a second vertical coordinate corresponding to the calculated distance, based on correlated data in which vertical coordinates and distances in an image are correlated in advance. The apparatus further calculates a pitching amount that indicates a difference between the first and second coordinates and determines whether or not the light spot originates from a vehicle, based on the pitching amount.

Abstract: The vehicle detecting apparatus includes an image sensor mounted on a host vehicle so as to be able to take an image ahead of the host vehicle, a light source area extracting function of extracting, from image data outputted from the image sensor, an area having luminance higher than a predetermined value as a light source area, a vehicle detecting function of detecting existence of at least one of an oncoming vehicle and a preceding vehicle by recognizing which of a headlight of the oncoming vehicle, a taillight of the preceding vehicle, and a roadside reflector causes the light source area in the image data. The vehicle detecting function is configured to lower a probability that the vehicle detecting function recognizes that the light source area is caused by the roadside reflector when the headlight of the host vehicle is in a low-beam position.

Abstract: A vehicle detection apparatus detects vehicles traveling on a road with their lights turned on. The apparatus captures images of a road, detects a light spot from captured images, and detects a first vertical coordinate of the light spot in the images. The apparatus further calculates a distance to the light spot based on a horizontal length of the light spot in the images and detects a second vertical coordinate corresponding to the calculated distance, based on correlated data in which vertical coordinates and distances in an image are correlated in advance. The apparatus further calculates a pitching amount that indicates a difference between the first and second coordinates and determines whether or not the light spot originates from a vehicle, based on the pitching amount.

Abstract: A device for detecting a vehicle comprises an image capturing an image of a view in front of the own vehicle. The apparatus comprises first and second determining means, distance detecting means, and storing means. Of these, in the storing means, a relationship between distances to light sources of vehicles and a range of levels of a signal to be imaged at light sources is previously stored. The first determining means determines a particular area in data of the captured image, the particular area being defined by pixels having signal levels higher than a predetermined level. The distance detecting means detects a distance from the image sensor to a position at which the particular area is imaged. The second determining means determines whether or not the particular area is the light source, by referring the detected distance and a signal intensity of the determined particular area to the relationship.

Abstract: A vehicle detection system can reduce erroneous detection of light spots originated from vehicle tail lamps as being those originated from disturbing light sources, such as reflectors on the roadside, in the image data picked up by an image pickup means, such as a camera. Where light spots, or bright areas, originated from some light sources are present in the image data, detection is performed as to whether or not the light spots are a row of light spots originated from reflectors, referring to the location of a partition line defining the lane where the instant vehicle travels. If the light spots are regarded as being the row of light spots originated from the reflectors, these light spots are deleted from the objects to be detected in performing detection of the light spots originated from other vehicle lamps.

Abstract: An image processing device for a vehicle includes a radar for transmitting a radio wave outside of the vehicle and detecting an object in a first area outside of the vehicle by using a reflected wave of the transmitted radio wave; a camera for acquiring an image in a second area including the first area; and an image processing unit for processing the acquired image to detect, in the acquired image, the object detected by the radar. Visibility outside of the vehicle is detected based on result of detection of the radar and result of detection of the camera.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting a direction of a target is provided. The apparatus transmits and receives radio waves through a plurality of transmission/reception channels causing a phase difference in signals to be received through the transmission/reception channels and calculates the direction based on the phase difference. The apparatus comprises a direction calculating device, range determining device, and direction correcting device. The direction calculating device calculates the direction of the target based on the phase difference in the received signals on the assumption that the phase difference is within a range of ?? to +? [rad]. The range determining device determines that the target exists in any of azimuthal angle ranges each corresponding to ranges defined by (2m?1) ? to (2m+1) ? [rad] (m is an integer). The direction correcting device corrects the direction according to a range-determined result.

Abstract: In a drive control system, a front image taken by a camera is processed by an image processor, and an electronic control unit generates control target values according to outputs from the image processor. Actuators control a driving speed and/or a lateral position of an own vehicle in a driving lane, based on the control target values. Front obstacles, such as a preceding vehicle, a blind curve and an uphill road, are included in a front image, and a ratio of the front obstacle occupying a front vision field is calculated. The vehicle is controlled based on information including various obstacles located in front of the vehicle to thereby give an improved security to a driver.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting a direction of a target is provided. The apparatus transmits and receives radio waves through a plurality of transmission/reception channels causing a phase difference in signals to be received through the transmission/reception channels and calculates the direction based on the phase difference. The apparatus comprises a direction calculating device, range determining device, and direction correcting device. The direction calculating device calculates the direction of the target based on the phase difference in the received signals on the assumption that the phase difference is within a range of ?? to +? [rad]. The range determining device determines that the target exists in any of azimuthal angle ranges each corresponding to ranges defined by (2m?1)? to (2m+1)? [rad] (m is an integer). The direction correcting device corrects the direction according to a range-determined result.

Abstract: An average power value of a peak pair corresponding to a subjective target objective is converted into a radar cross section, to calculate a normalized average power value NP and a standard deviation DP representing a temporal dispersion of a power difference between peak pairs. When the value NP is larger than an automotive vehicle discriminating threshold THnp, the attribute of the subjective target objective is set to “automotive vehicle.” When the value NP is not larger than the threshold THnp and the deviation DP is larger than a human objective discriminating threshold THdp, the attribute of the subjective target objective is set to “non-vehicle objective: human objective.” Furthermore, when the value NP is not larger than the threshold THnp and the deviation DP is not larger than the threshold THdp, the attribute of the subjective target objective is set to “non-vehicle objective: non-human.

Abstract: Provided is a radar apparatus capable of continuously and stably making a detection of a target even if a reflected wave from a target already detected falls into obscurity due to the presence of low-frequency noises or reflected waves from other targets. An estimated value of information on a target to be obtained when the target is detected in the present cycle are acquired from the target detected in a previous cycle. When a peak compatible with the estimated value is detected in only one of a frequency-rising section and a frequency falling section of a radar wave, if the frequency of the non-detected peak pertains a low-frequency noise domain or if a side-by-side travel flag is set with respect to the target detected in the previous cycle, the non-detected peak is considered as buried by low-frequency noises or peaks of other targets, and a peak pair corresponding to the detected target is extrapolated.

Abstract: A cruise control apparatus can control a host vehicle to run with a fixed separation from a preceding vehicle when such a preceding vehicle is detected based on received radar signals and to run at a preset fixed speed when no preceding vehicle is detected. The cruise control apparatus is configured to respond to one of a set of predetermined actions by the vehicle driver, which indicate an intention to change the vehicle speed, by making it easier or more difficult for a preceding vehicle to be detected, in accordance with whether the indicated intention may signify that an actual preceding vehicle is not being detected or may signify that a non-existent preceding vehicle is being detected and that the host vehicle speed has been reduced accordingly. Improved performance is thereby achieved by utilizing the cognitive abilities of the driver to augment the detection operation of the cruise control apparatus.

Abstract: A vehicle radar system extracts peak frequencies fbu and fbd of respective beat signals B1 to B9 representing the frequency difference between a transmission signal fs and a plurality of received signals fr1 to fr9. The phase difference of respective beat signals B1 to B9 at the peak frequencies fbu and fbd is converted into a frequency signal. In the case of reflection from a close range road surface or raindrops, the phase difference of each beat signal is irregular. The peak frequency intensity of a converted frequency signal is small. This system compares the peak frequency intensity of the converted frequency signal with predetermined criterion intensity. Then, the system identifies an objective with a close range road surface or raindrops when the peak frequency intensity of the converted frequency signal is not larger than the predetermined criterion intensity.

Abstract: An inventive frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW) radar system realizes both a quick detection of a higher relative speed provisional target and a sure detection of a smaller relative speed provisional target. The number of detection cycles used for a paring validity check, used to see if a detected target or a pair of frequencies is an actual target or a pair for an actual target, is set in response to the relative velocity enabling the target information for a target of higher relative velocity to be output more quickly.

Abstract: An average power value of a peak pair corresponding to a subjective target objective is converted into a radar cross section, to calculate a normalized average power value NP and a standard deviation DP representing a temporal dispersion of a power difference between peak pairs. When the value NP is larger than an automotive vehicle discriminating threshold THnp, the attribute of the subjective target objective is set to “automotive vehicle.” When the value NP is not larger than the threshold THnp and the deviation DP is larger than a human objective discriminating threshold THdp, the attribute of the subjective target objective is set to “non-vehicle objective: human objective.” Furthermore, when the value NP is not larger than the threshold THnp and the deviation DP is not larger than the threshold THdp, the attribute of the subjective target objective is set to “non-vehicle objective: non-human.

Abstract: A radar system mounted in a reference vehicle can detect a distance and orientation of a preceding vehicle to thereby compute a relative position of a width center of the preceding vehicle. A curving radius of the reference vehicle is then detected for computing a relative rotation angle between a direction from the reference vehicle and a longitudinal direction of the preceding vehicle. Relationship between a relative rotation angle and a lateral bias of the relative position of the width center is previously prepared in a map. The computed relative rotation angle is applied on the map, so that the corresponding lateral bias is obtained to correct the computed relative position of the width center of the preceding vehicle. Thus, the width center of the preceding vehicle moving in an adjacent lane can be accurately estimated.

Abstract: A vehicle radar system extracts peak frequencies fbu and fbd of respective beat signals B1 to B9 representing the frequency difference between a transmission signal fs and a plurality of received signals fr1 to fr9. The phase difference of respective beat signals B1 to B9 at the peak frequencies fbu and fbd is converted into a frequency signal. In the case of reflection from a close range road surface or raindrops, the phase difference of each beat signal is irregular. The peak frequency intensity of a converted frequency signal is small. This system compares the peak frequency intensity of the converted frequency signal with predetermined criterion intensity. Then, the system identifies an objective with a close range road surface or raindrops when the peak frequency intensity of the converted frequency signal is not larger than the predetermined criterion intensity.

Abstract: A radar system mounted in a reference vehicle can detect a distance and orientation of a preceding vehicle to thereby compute a relative position of a width center of the preceding vehicle. A curving radius of the reference vehicle is then detected for computing a relative rotation angle between a direction from the reference vehicle and a longitudinal direction of the preceding vehicle. Relationship between a relative rotation angle and a lateral bias of the relative position of the width center is previously prepared in a map. The computed relative rotation angle is applied on the map, so that the corresponding lateral bias is obtained to correct the computed relative position of the width center of the preceding vehicle. Thus, the width center of the preceding vehicle moving in an adjacent lane can be accurately estimated.