IP Library Granted Patent US 12,462,582
Granted Patent B2
US 12,462,582 · App. 18/467,398 · Granted Nov 4, 2025

Driving support apparatus

Inventors: Yuta Ikezawa (Toyota, JP); Kohei Tochigi (Sunto-gun, JP)
Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
G06V20/58B60W10/18G06T7/20G06T7/50G06T2207/10028
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,462,582
App. No.
18/467,398
Granted
Nov 4, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A driving support apparatus comprises a sensor configured to acquire sensor information that is used to acquire a distance between a vehicle and an object, and a controller configured to execute a driving support control using a first distance, which is acquired by applying a first recognition method to the sensor information, representing a distance between the vehicle and a target object as a control distance. The first recognition method has a characteristic that a recognition reliability of the target object increases as an acquisition time of the first distance increases. The controller is configured to use an extrapolation distance representing the vehicle and the target object as the control distance, when the first distance can no longer be acquired and the acquisition time is equal to or longer than a predetermined threshold time.

Claims (32)

1 . A driving support apparatus comprising:

a sensor configured to acquire sensor information that is used to acquire a distance between a vehicle and an object; and

a controller configured to execute a driving support control using a first distance representing a distance between the vehicle and a predetermined target object as a control distance, the first distance being acquired by applying a first recognition method to the sensor information,

wherein, the first recognition method has a characteristic that a recognition reliability of the target object increases as an acquisition time of the first distance increases,

wherein,

the controller is further configured to use an extrapolation distance representing the vehicle and the target object as the control distance, when the first distance can no longer be acquired and the acquisition time is equal to or longer than a predetermined threshold time, the extrapolation distance being estimated based on an acquired distance representing the first distance which was acquired and a speed of the vehicle

wherein,

the controller is further configured to:

recognize the target object and acquire a second distance between the vehicle and the target object, by applying, to the sensor information, a second recognition method of which a distance accuracy is lower than the distance accuracy of the first recognition method; and

in a case where the first distance can no longer be acquired and the acquisition time of the first distance is shorter than the threshold time, use the second distance as the control distance when a first approaching state and a second approaching state coincide with each other,

wherein,

the first approaching state, which is specified based on a traveling direction of the vehicle, represents whether the target object recognized using the second recognition method is approaching to the vehicle or going away from the vehicle,

the second approaching state, which is specified based on the second distance, represents whether the target object recognized using the second recognition method is approaching to the vehicle or going away from the vehicle.

2 . The driving support apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein,

the controller is further configured to control a traveling state of the vehicle based on the control distance such that the vehicle stops a predetermined distance before the target object.

3 . A driving support apparatus comprising:

a sensor configured to acquire sensor information that is used to acquire a distance between a vehicle and an object; and

a controller configured to execute a driving support control using a first distance representing a distance between the vehicle and a predetermined target object as a control distance, the first distance being acquired by applying a first recognition method to the sensor information,

wherein, the first recognition method has a characteristic that a recognition reliability of the target object increases as an acquisition time of the first distance increases,

wherein,

the controller is further configured to use an extrapolation distance representing the vehicle and the target object as the control distance, when the first distance can no longer be acquired and the acquisition time is equal to or longer than a predetermined threshold time, the extrapolation distance being estimated based on an acquired distance representing the first distance which was acquired and a speed of the vehicle,

wherein,

the controller is further configured to:

recognize the target object and acquire a second distance between the vehicle and the target object, by applying, to the sensor information, a second recognition method of which a distance accuracy is lower than the distance accuracy of the first recognition method; and

in a case where the first distance can no longer be acquired and the acquisition time of the first distance is shorter than the threshold time, use the extrapolation distance as the control distance when a first approaching state and a second approaching state do not coincide with each other,

wherein,

the first approaching state, which is specified based on a traveling direction of the vehicle, represents whether the target object recognized using the second recognition method is approaching to the vehicle or going away from the vehicle,

the second approaching state, which is specified based on the second distance, represents whether the target object recognized using the second recognition method is approaching to the vehicle or going away from the vehicle.

4 . The driving support apparatus according to claim 3 ,

wherein,

the controller is further configured to control a traveling state of the vehicle based on the control distance such that the vehicle stops a predetermined distance before the target object.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 14, 2023
From: IKEZAWA, YUTA; TOCHIGI, KOHEI
To: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 064910/0235 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2022-165238 · Oct 14, 2022 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240127598A1 · Apr 18, 2024
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