Abstract: In a drive device for driving an ultrasonic transmitter, a drive signal generating unit generates a drive signal for driving the ultrasonic transmitter, based on a base signal having a plurality of unit frequency signals arranged in a time series, corresponding to respective codes forming a code sequence. When a first unit frequency signal and a second unit frequency signal chronologically adjacent to it are switched in a discontinuously switching state that is different from a continuously switching state where the first and second unit frequency signals are switched such that a target frequency for a transmission frequency changes continuously at a substantially constant rate, the drive signal generating unit shifts the frequency in at least a switching portion immediately after start of the second unit frequency signal, in a same direction as a direction of frequency change from the first unit frequency signal to the second unit frequency signal.

Abstract: A plurality of ultrasonic sensors are configured such that search ultrasonic waves transmitted from the respective ultrasonic sensors have mutually different characteristics that are mutually distinguishable. A transmission timing setting unit is configured to set a transmission timing of transmitting the search ultrasonic wave for each of the ultrasonic sensors, such that the plurality of ultrasonic sensors transmit the respective search ultrasonic waves at respective transmission timings that are mutually different. The transmission timing setting unit is configured to set a delay time between a first transmission timing, which is a transmission timing of the first ultrasonic sensor, and a second transmission timing, which is a transmission timing of the second ultrasonic sensor, with the delay time being determined based on a positional relationship between the first ultrasonic sensor and the second ultrasonic sensor.

Abstract: An object detection apparatus detects an object in a vicinity of a moving body in a state of being mounted to the moving body. The object detection apparatus measures a reverberation frequency that is a frequency of a reverberation signal that is generated in a transceiver that externally transmits a transmission wave that is an ultrasonic wave and receives a reception wave that includes a reflected wave of the transmission wave from the object. The object detection apparatus detects a specific segment that is an occurrence segment in which occurrence of beat that is attributed to a plurality of reverberation frequency components is confirmed in the reverberation signal, or a non-occurrence segment in which the occurrence of beat does not significantly occur. The object detection apparatus sets a measurement segment in which the reverberation frequency is measured in the non-occurrence segment based on a detection result of the specific segment.

Abstract: A driving assistance device includes a lane change detection unit, a lane identification unit, a first space determination unit, an operation control unit. The lane identification unit identifies an original lane and a destination lane by using a detection result obtained by a boundary detection unit that detects a first boundary and a second boundary. The first boundary is a boundary between the original lane and the destination lane, and the second boundary is a boundary that defines the original lane and is located on a side opposite to the first boundary. When it is detected that the own vehicle is scheduled to perform a lane change and it is determined that the passable space is present, the operation control unit causes the own vehicle to perform a lateral movement operation before the lane change is performed. The lateral movement operation causes the own vehicle to approach the destination lane.

Abstract: An object detection device includes a signal generator configured to generate a drive signal including an identification signal for identifying ultrasonic waves, a transmitter configured to transmit an ultrasonic wave as a probe wave in response to the drive signal, a receiver configured to receive the ultrasonic wave to generate a reception signal, and a determiner configured to analyze frequencies of the reception signal to determine whether the received wave is a reflected wave of the probe wave, thereby detecting an object. The drive signal includes a ramp-up signal generated to be followed by the identification signal and is used to ramp up an amplitude of the probe wave. A frequency of the ramp-up signal is set to include a frequency at which a transmission/reception efficiency is higher than a transmission/reception efficiency at each of a maximum frequency of the identification signal and a minimum frequency of the identification signal.

Abstract: An ultrasonic sensor includes: a first electrode that is provided in an ultrasonic microphone including a vibration element having a function of performing conversion between mechanical vibration and an electrical signal; a second electrode that is provided at a position different from the first electrode in an in-plane direction intersecting a directional axis of the ultrasonic microphone; and a detection section that is provided to detect the presence or absence of attached matter attached to the ultrasonic sensor on the basis of a change in capacitance between the first electrode and the second electrode.

Abstract: An object detection apparatus detects an object in a vicinity of a moving body in a state of being mounted to the moving body. The object detection apparatus measures a reverberation frequency that is a frequency of a reverberation signal that is generated in a transceiver that externally transmits a transmission wave that is an ultrasonic wave and receives a reception wave that includes a reflected wave of the transmission wave from the object. The object detection apparatus detects a specific segment that is an occurrence segment in which occurrence of beat that is attributed to a plurality of reverberation frequency components is confirmed in the reverberation signal, or a non-occurrence segment in which the occurrence of beat does not significantly occur. The object detection apparatus sets a measurement segment in which the reverberation frequency is measured in the non-occurrence segment based on a detection result of the specific segment.

Abstract: In a drive device for driving an ultrasonic transmitter, a drive signal generating unit generates a drive signal for driving the ultrasonic transmitter, based on a base signal having a plurality of unit frequency signals arranged in a time series, corresponding to respective codes forming a code sequence. When a first unit frequency signal and a second unit frequency signal chronologically adjacent to it are switched in a discontinuously switching state that is different from a continuously switching state where the first and second unit frequency signals are switched such that a target frequency for a transmission frequency changes continuously at a substantially constant rate, the drive signal generating unit shifts the frequency in at least a switching portion immediately after start of the second unit frequency signal, in a same direction as a direction of frequency change from the first unit frequency signal to the second unit frequency signal.

Abstract: An object detection apparatus applied to a vehicle having a sensor unit mounted on a predetermined member provided to the vehicle, the sensor unit being provided with an object detection sensor that detects position information of an object present around the vehicle and a tilt sensor that detects a tilt angle as inclination with respect to a predetermined direction, and performing a process of detecting the object based on the position information of the object detected by the object detection sensor, the object detection apparatus comprising a detachment state determination section that determines a detachment state of the predetermined member based on the tilt angle detected by the tilt sensor.

Abstract: An object detection apparatus detects an object in a vicinity of a moving body to which it is mounted. In the object detection apparatus, first drive signal and second drive signals for driving a transmitting unit are generated and outputted to the transmitting unit. The first drive signal corresponds to a first transmission wave included in a plurality of transmission waves that are continuously transmitted from a start to an end of a transmission process of the transmission wave, and respectively encoded based on waveform patterns. The second drive signal corresponds to a second transmission wave included in the plurality of transmission waves and transmitted after the first transmission wave. Reception determination regarding the reflected wave is performed based on a frequency signal, corresponding to a waveform pattern of the reception signal, and a reference signal that corresponds to a waveform pattern of the first drive signal.

Abstract: A plurality of ultrasonic sensors are configured such that search ultrasonic waves transmitted from the respective ultrasonic sensors have mutually different characteristics that are mutually distinguishable. A transmission timing setting unit is configured to set a transmission timing of transmitting the search ultrasonic wave for each of the ultrasonic sensors, such that the plurality of ultrasonic sensors transmit the respective search ultrasonic waves at respective transmission timings that are mutually different. The transmission timing setting unit is configured to set a delay time between a first transmission timing, which is a transmission timing of the first ultrasonic sensor, and a second transmission timing, which is a transmission timing of the second ultrasonic sensor, with the delay time being determined based on a positional relationship between the first ultrasonic sensor and the second ultrasonic sensor.

Abstract: A transmission/reception control device is configured to control transmission and reception in an ultrasonic sensor. The ultrasonic sensor includes an ultrasonic transducer. The ultrasonic transducer is configured to transmit a probe wave as an ultrasonic wave and receive a reception wave. The reception wave includes a reflected wave of the probe wave. The transmission/reception control device includes a transmission frequency setting unit, a reception signal processing unit, and an object detection unit. The transmission frequency setting unit sets a frequency of the probe wave to a transmission frequency different from a resonance frequency of the ultrasonic transducer. The reception signal processing unit processes a reception result of the reception wave based on the probe wave transmitted with the transmission frequency. The object detection unit detects the object based on a result of processing by the reception signal processing unit.

Abstract: An ultrasonic sensor includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and a third electrode. The first electrode is provided an ultrasonic microphone that includes a vibration element that provides a function for converting between mechanical vibrations and electrical signals. The second electrode is externally from the ultrasonic microphone such that an electrical characteristic between the second electrode and the first electrode changes based on an adhesion state of substances adhering to the ultrasonic microphone. The third electrode is provided so as to suppress changes in the electrical characteristic between the first electrode and the second electrode caused by factors other than the adhesion of substances adhering to the ultrasonic microphone.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a drive signal generator that selectively outputs, as a drive signal, one of a first drive signal and a second drive signal. The first drive signal has a first temporal frequency change within a first frequency band that is defined from a first lowest frequency to a first highest frequency inclusive. The second drive signal has a second temporal frequency change within a second frequency band that is defined from a second lowest frequency to a second highest frequency inclusive. Each of the first and second frequency bands has a corresponding one of first and second intermediate frequencies that is defined as one of a center frequency and an average frequency of the corresponding one of the first and second frequency bands. The second intermediate frequency is different from the first intermediate frequency. The second frequency band is partially overlapped with the first frequency band.

Abstract: An object detecting apparatus is configured to detect a surrounding object. The object detecting apparatus is provided with a driving signal generation unit provided to generate a driving signal that drives a transmitter unit including a transmitter emitting transmission waves externally; and a control unit provided to control an output of the driving signal transmitted to the transmitter unit from the driving signal generation unit. The driving signal generation unit is configured to generate the driving signal of which the frequency changes stepwise.

Abstract: An object detection apparatus applied to a vehicle having a sensor unit mounted on a predetermined member provided to the vehicle, the sensor unit being provided with an object detection sensor that detects position information of an object present around the vehicle and a tilt sensor that detects a tilt angle as inclination with respect to a predetermined direction, and performing a process of detecting the object based on the position information of the object detected by the object detection sensor, the object detection apparatus comprising a detachment state determination section that determines a detachment state of the predetermined member based on the tilt angle detected by the tilt sensor.

Abstract: A sensor unit including an object detection sensor and an inclination sensor is mounted to a vehicle, and axial misalignment of the object detection sensor is determined as follows. A first inclination angle acquiring step of disposing the sensor unit, so that a first predetermined direction is aligned with a second predetermined direction before the sensor unit is mounted to the vehicle, and acquiring a first inclination angle detected by the inclination sensor from the inclination sensor, is performed. Then, a second inclination angle acquiring step of mounting the sensor unit on the vehicle and acquiring a second inclination angle detected by the inclination sensor from the inclination sensor, is performed. Finally, an axial misalignment determining step of determining whether axial misalignment has occurred at the object detection sensor, based on the first inclination angle and the second inclination angle, is performed.

Abstract: An object detection device includes a signal generator configured to generate a drive signal including an identification signal for identifying ultrasonic waves, a transmitter configured to transmit an ultrasonic wave as a probe wave in response to the drive signal, a receiver configured to receive the ultrasonic wave to generate a reception signal, and a determiner configured to analyze frequencies of the reception signal to determine whether the received wave is a reflected wave of the probe wave, thereby detecting an object. The drive signal includes a ramp-up signal generated to be followed by the identification signal and is used to ramp up an amplitude of the probe wave. A frequency of the ramp-up signal is set to include a frequency at which a transmission/reception efficiency is higher than a transmission/reception efficiency at each of a maximum frequency of the identification signal and a minimum frequency of the identification signal.

Abstract: A driving assistance device includes a lane change detection unit, a lane identification unit, a first space determination unit, an operation control unit. The lane identification unit identifies an original lane and a destination lane by using a detection result obtained by a boundary detection unit that detects a first boundary and a second boundary. The first boundary is a boundary between the original lane and the destination lane, and the second boundary is a boundary that defines the original lane and is located on a side opposite to the first boundary. When it is detected that the own vehicle is scheduled to perform a lane change and it is determined that the passable space is present, the operation control unit causes the own vehicle to perform a lateral movement operation before the lane change is performed. The lateral movement operation causes the own vehicle to approach the destination lane.

Abstract: A transmission/reception control device is configured to control transmission and reception in an ultrasonic sensor. The ultrasonic sensor includes an ultrasonic transducer. The ultrasonic transducer is configured to transmit a probe wave as an ultrasonic wave and receive a reception wave. The reception wave includes a reflected wave of the probe wave. The transmission/reception control device includes a transmission frequency setting unit, a reception signal processing unit, and an object detection unit. The transmission frequency setting unit sets a frequency of the probe wave to a transmission frequency different from a resonance frequency of the ultrasonic transducer. The reception signal processing unit processes a reception result of the reception wave based on the probe wave transmitted with the transmission frequency. The object detection unit detects the object based on a result of processing by the reception signal processing unit.