Collision detection device

1. A collision detection device capable of detecting a probability of whether an own vehicle will collide with a moving object detected by a detection sensor mounted on the own vehicle, the collision detection device comprising a computer system including a central processing unit, the computer system being configured to provide:

an area determination part determining a high-risk region measured by a predetermined distance in a forward moving direction of the own vehicle from a farthest feature point in feature points obtained from obstacle objects detected on one of shoulders of a road on which the own vehicle drives, the farthest feature point being located farthest from the own vehicle in the forward moving direction of the own vehicle; and

a collision detection part reducing a collision detection time period to be used until a finish of detecting whether the own vehicle would collide with a moving object in response to the moving object being detected in the high-risk region, the reduced collision detection time period being shorter than a collision detection time period to be used for a case in which the moving object is detected outside of the high-risk region.

2. The collision detection device according to claim 1 , wherein the area determination part determines an obstacle object detection area in which the detection sensor detects the obstacle objects located on the one of shoulders of the road in the forward moving direction of the own vehicle,

the area determination part determines the high-risk region on the basis of the farthest feature point of the obstacle objects when one obstacle object is detected in the obstacle object detection area, and

the area determination part determines the high-risk region on the basis of the farthest feature point, which is separated from a position of the own vehicle, when a plurality of obstacle objects are detected in the obstacle object detection area.

3. The collision detection device according to claim 2 , wherein the area determination part determines the high-risk region when a number of received detection signals generated by and transmitted from the detection sensor become not less than a predetermined threshold value.

4. The collision detection device according to claim 3 , wherein the detection sensor comprises a plurality of object detection sensors, and the area determination part determines the high-risk region only when received detection signals representing detection of the obstacle objects are received from at least two sensors in the plurality of object detection sensors.

5. The collision detection device according to claim 2 , wherein the detection sensor comprises a plurality of object detection sensors, and the area determination part determines the high-risk region only when received detection signals representing detection of the obstacle objects are received from at least two sensors in the plurality of object detection sensors.

6. The collision detection device according to claim 1 , wherein the area determination part determines the high-risk region when a number of received detection signals generated by and transmitted from the detection sensor become not less than a predetermined threshold value.

7. The collision detection device according to claim 6 , wherein the detection sensor comprises a plurality of object detection sensors, and the area determination part determines the high-risk region only when received detection signals representing detection of the obstacle objects are received from at least two sensors in the plurality of object detection sensors.

8. The collision detection device according to claim 1 , wherein the detection sensor comprises a plurality of object detection sensors, and the area determination part determines the high-risk region only when received detection signals representing detection of the obstacle objects are received from at least two sensors in the plurality of object detection sensors.

9. A computer-implemented method of detecting a probability of whether an own vehicle will collide with a moving object detected by a detection sensor mounted on the own vehicle, the computer-implemented method comprising:

determining a high-risk region measured by a predetermined distance in a forward moving direction of the own vehicle from a farthest feature point in feature points obtained from obstacle objects detected on one of shoulders of a road on which the own vehicle drives, the farthest feature point being located farthest from the own vehicle in the forward moving direction of the own vehicle; and

reducing a collision detection time period to be used until a finish of detecting whether the own vehicle would collide with a moving object in response to the moving object being detected in the high-risk region, the reduced collision detection time period being shorter than a collision detection time period to be used for a case in which the moving object is detected outside of the high-risk region.

10. The computer-implemented method according to claim 9 , further comprising:

determining an obstacle object detection area in which the detection sensor detects the obstacle objects located on the one of shoulders of the road in the forward moving direction of the own vehicle,

determining the high-risk region on the basis of the farthest feature point of the obstacle objects in response to one obstacle object being detected in the obstacle object detection area, and

determining the high-risk region on the basis of the farthest feature point, which is separated from a position of the own vehicle, in response to a plurality of obstacle objects being detected in the obstacle object detection area.

11. The computer-implemented method according to claim 10 , further comprising:

determining the high-risk region in response to a number of received detection signals generated by and transmitted from the detection sensor becoming not less than a predetermined threshold value.

12. The computer-implemented method according to claim 11 , wherein the detection sensor comprises a plurality of object detection sensors, and

the computer-implemented method further comprising:

determining the high-risk region only in response to received detection signals representing detection of the obstacle objects being received from at least two sensors in the plurality of object detection sensors.

13. The computer-implemented method according to claim 10 , wherein the detection sensor comprises a plurality of object detection sensors, and

the computer-implemented method further comprising:

determining the high-risk region only in response to received detection signals representing detection of the obstacle objects being received from at least two sensors in the plurality of object detection sensors.

14. The computer-implemented method according to claim 9 , further comprising:

determining the high-risk region in response to a number of received detection signals generated by and transmitted from the detection sensor becoming not less than a predetermined threshold value.

15. The computer-implemented method according to claim 14 , wherein the detection sensor comprises a plurality of object detection sensors, and

the computer-implemented method further comprising:

determining the high-risk region only in response to received detection signals representing detection of the obstacle objects being received from at least two sensors in the plurality of object detection sensors.

16. The computer-implemented method according to claim 9 , wherein the detection sensor comprises a plurality of object detection sensors, and

the computer-implemented method further comprising:

determining the high-risk region only in response to received detection signals representing detection of the obstacle objects being received from at least two sensors in the plurality of object detection sensors.