IP Library Granted Patent US 12,576,895
Granted Patent B2
US 12,576,895 · App. 17/927,952 · Granted Mar 17, 2026

Obstacle detection system, obstacle detection method, and self-location estimation system

Inventors: Yukihiko Ono (Tokyo, JP); Kenji Imamoto (Tokyo, JP); Jun Koike (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: HITACHI, LTD.
B61L23/041B61L15/0072B61L25/025G01S5/00G01S17/42G01S17/931G06V20/58G01S13/876G01S2013/93271G01S2013/9328
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,576,895
App. No.
17/927,952
Granted
Mar 17, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

An object of the present invention is to provide an obstacle detection system and an obstacle detection method for a trajectory traveling vehicle, which are capable of detecting a front obstacle on a trajectory and around the trajectory with high accuracy. The system includes: a monitoring area setting processing unit that sets an obstacle monitoring area for detecting an obstacle; a front obstacle monitoring unit that monitors an obstacle in the obstacle monitoring area using a sensor that horizontally scans the front of the train; and an obstacle detection unit that detects an obstacle in the obstacle monitoring area based on a monitoring result by the front obstacle monitoring unit, in which the front obstacle monitoring unit complements a gap in a detection region of the sensor at a first position with a detection region of the sensor while the train moves from the first position to a second position.

Claims (15)

1 . An obstacle detection system comprising:

a monitoring area setting processing unit that sets an obstacle monitoring area for detecting an obstacle;

a front obstacle monitoring unit that monitors an obstacle within the obstacle monitoring area by using a sensor that horizontally scans a front of a train; and

an obstacle detection unit that detects an obstacle within the obstacle monitoring area based on a monitoring result of the front obstacle monitoring unit,

wherein the front obstacle monitoring unit complements a gap in a detection region of the sensor at a first position with the detection region of the sensor while the train moves from the first position to a second position,

wherein a distance between the first position and the second position is smaller than a product of a speed of the train and a time allowed to detect an obstacle.

2 . The obstacle detection system according to claim 1 , wherein a sensor that normally uses only a front direction of the train as a detection region is used in addition to the sensor that horizontally scans a front of the train.

3 . The obstacle detection system according to claim 2 , wherein, when a detection result within the obstacle monitoring area does not coincide with detection target data registered in a database, an obstacle is detected.

4 . The obstacle detection system according to claim 3 , wherein, when a known detection point having a detection rate equal to or higher than a threshold value is not detected, an obstacle is detected.

5 . The obstacle detection system according to claim 3 , wherein, when reflectances of known detection points having detection rates equal to or higher than a threshold value are different, an obstacle is detected.

6 . The obstacle detection system according to claim 1 , wherein, when a detection result within the obstacle monitoring area does not coincide with detection target data registered in a database, an obstacle is detected.

7 . The obstacle detection system according to claim 6 , wherein, when a known detection point having a detection rate equal to or higher than a threshold value is not detected, an obstacle is detected.

8 . The obstacle detection system according to claim 6 , wherein, when reflectances of known detection points having detection rates equal to or higher than a threshold value are different, an obstacle is detected.

9 . The obstacle detection system according to claim 1 , wherein, when a known detection point having a detection rate equal to or higher than a threshold value is not detected, an obstacle is detected.

10 . The obstacle detection system according to claim 1 , wherein, when reflectances of known detection points having detection rates equal to or higher than a threshold value are different, an obstacle is detected.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 28, 2022
From: ONO, YUKIHIKO; IMAMOTO, KENJI; KOIKE, JUN
To: HITACHI, LTD.
Reel/Frame 061888/0353 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2020-100795 · Jun 10, 2020 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230202540A1 · Jun 29, 2023
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