Detection device, detection method, and storage medium

1. A detection device comprising:

a memory that stores a plurality of instructions; and

a processor that, when executing the plurality of instructions stored in the memory, performs operations, the operations including:

causing an ultrasonic sensor mounted on a vehicle to transmit successive transmission waves including a first transmission wave of a first frequency and a second transmission wave of a second frequency different from the first frequency, the second transmission wave following the first transmission wave;

extracting a frequency component from a received reflected wave of at least one of the successive transmission waves, the received reflected wave being received by the ultrasonic sensor, the received reflected wave having a reception level greater than a predetermined threshold;

detecting a presence of an obstacle based on the frequency component; and

outputting detection result information indicating a result of the detecting, at least when the obstacle is present,

wherein an amplitude level of the second transmission wave is greater than an amplitude level of the first transmission wave,

the amplitude level of the first transmission wave is set to make a reception level of a first reflected wave of the first transmission wave from a road surface less than or equal to the predetermined threshold, and

the amplitude level of the second transmission wave is set to make a reception level of a second reflected wave of the second transmission wave from a partial area of the road surface greater than the predetermined threshold.

2. The detection device according to claim 1 , wherein when the processor detects the presence of the obstacle, in a case where both a first component of the first frequency and a second component of the second frequency are extracted from a reflected wave from the partial area, the processor determines that the obstacle is in the partial area.

3. The detection device according to claim 1 , wherein when the processor detects the presence of the obstacle, in a case where only a second component of the second frequency is extracted from another reflected wave received after reception of a reflected wave from the partial area, the processor determines that the obstacle is in an area farther from the vehicle than the partial area, the reflected wave and the other reflected wave each being the received reflected wave of at least one of the successive transmission waves.

4. The detection device according to claim 3 , wherein when the processor detects the presence of the obstacle, in a case where only the second component of the second frequency is extracted from the reflected wave from the partial area, the processor determines that the obstacle is not in the partial area.

5. The detection device according to claim 1 , wherein when the processor detects the presence of the obstacle, in a case where both a first component of the first frequency and a second component of the second frequency are extracted from a reflected wave received before reception of a reflected wave from the partial area, the processor determines that the obstacle is in an area closer to the vehicle than the partial area, the reflected wave received before the reception of the reflected wave from the partial area and the other reflected wave from the partial area each being the received reflected wave of at least one of the successive transmission waves.

6. The detection device according to claim 4 , wherein when the processor detects the presence of the obstacle, in a case where only the second component of the second frequency is extracted from the reflected wave from the partial area, the processor determines that the obstacle is not in the partial area.

7. The detection device according to claim 1 , wherein

when the processor extracts the frequency component, the processor extracts a first component of the first frequency and a second component of the second frequency as the frequency component, and

when the processor detects the presence of the obstacle, the processor detects the presence of the obstacle based on the first component of the first frequency and the second component of the second frequency.

8. The detection device according to claim 1 , wherein

in the detecting, the processor detects the obstacle, and

in the outputting, the detection result information indicating the result of the detecting is output, when the obstacle is detected.

9. A detection method, comprising:

causing an ultrasonic sensor mounted on a vehicle to transmit successive transmission waves including a first transmission wave of a first frequency and a second transmission wave of a second frequency different from the first frequency, the second transmission wave following the first transmission wave;

extracting a frequency component from a received reflected wave of at least one of the successive transmission waves, the received reflected wave being received by the ultrasonic sensor, the received reflected wave having a reception level greater than a predetermined threshold; and

detecting a presence of an obstacle based on the frequency component,

wherein

an amplitude level of the second transmission wave is greater than an amplitude level of the first transmission wave,

the amplitude level of the first transmission wave is set to make a reception level of a first reflected wave of the first transmission wave from a road surface less than or equal to the predetermined threshold, and

the amplitude level of the second transmission wave is set to make a reception level of a second reflected wave of the second transmission wave from a partial area of the road surface greater than the predetermined threshold.

10. The detection method according to claim 9 , wherein the obstacle is detected based on the frequency component.

11. A non-transitory storage medium for storing a program that, when executed, causes a computer to execute operations, the operations comprising:

causing an ultrasonic sensor mounted on a vehicle to transmit successive transmission waves including a first transmission wave of a first frequency and a second transmission wave of a second frequency different from the first frequency, the second transmission wave following the first transmission wave;

extracting a frequency component from a received reflected wave of at least one of the successive transmission waves, the received reflected wave being received by the ultrasonic sensor, the received reflected wave having a reception level greater than a predetermined threshold; and

detecting a presence of an obstacle based on the frequency component,

wherein

an amplitude level of the second transmission wave is greater than an amplitude level of the first transmission wave,

the amplitude level of the first transmission wave is set to make a reception level of a first reflected wave of the first transmission wave from a road surface less than or equal to the predetermined threshold, and

the amplitude level of the second transmission wave is set to make a reception level of a second reflected wave of the second transmission wave from a partial area of the road surface greater than the predetermined threshold.

12. The non-transitory storage medium according to claim 11 , wherein the obstacle is detected based on the frequency component.

13. A detection device comprising:

a memory that stores a plurality of instructions; and

a processor that, when executing the plurality of instructions stored in the memory, performs operations, the operations including:

causing an ultrasonic sensor mounted on a vehicle moving with respect to a road surface to transmit successive transmission waves including a first transmission wave of a first frequency and a second transmission wave of a second frequency different from the first frequency, the second transmission wave following the first transmission wave;

extracting a frequency component from a reception signal converted from a sonic wave received by the ultrasonic sensor, the reception signal having a reception level greater than a predetermined threshold; and

detecting a presence of an obstacle depending on whether the frequency component is the first frequency or the second frequency,

wherein an amplitude level of the second transmission wave is greater than an amplitude level of the first transmission wave,

the amplitude level of the first transmission wave is set in advance to make a reception level of a reception signal converted from a first reflected wave of the first transmission wave from the road surface less than or equal to the predetermined threshold, and

the amplitude level of the second transmission wave is set in advance to make a reception level of a reception signal converted from a second reflected wave of the second transmission wave from a partial area of the road surface greater than the predetermined threshold.

14. The detection device according to claim 13 , wherein when the processor detects the presence of the obstacle, in a case where both a first component of the first frequency and a second component of the second frequency are extracted from a reception signal converted from a reflected wave from the partial area, the processor determines that the obstacle is in the partial area.

15. The detection device according to claim 13 , wherein the obstacle is detected depending on whether the frequency component is the first frequency or the second frequency.