Granted Patent B2

US 12,725,428 · App. 17/895,679 · Granted Sep 1, 2026

Inventors: Keisuke Motegi (Tokyo, JP); Hikaru Yoshikawa (Tokyo, JP); Masahito Sekine (Tokyo, JP); Yuta Sato (Tokyo, JP); Ryuya Azuma (Tokyo, JP)

Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATION

G06V20/588B60W60/001B60W2420/403B60W2420/408B60W2552/53

Abstract

Claims (54)

1 . A driving assist apparatus for a vehicle, the driving assist apparatus comprising:

a camera device configured to obtain, as first driving environment information, image data by capturing an image of environment around the vehicle;

a radar device configured to obtain, as second driving environment information, three-dimensional object data by outputting a radio wave output to a region around the vehicle and sensing a reflected wave from a target; and

one or more processors configured to:

recognize a road marking line based on the first driving environment information;

recognize a road edge based on the second driving environment information;

calculate a first relative distance between the vehicle and the road marking line;

calculate a second relative distance between the vehicle and the road edge;

calculate a third relative distance between the road marking line and the road edge based on the first relative distance and the second relative distance; and

retain the third relative distance as a previously recognized distance, wherein the previously recognized distance is the third relative distance recognized immediately before either (i) recognition of the road marking line by the one or more processors becomes unstable or (ii) the one or more processors become unable to recognize the road marking line;

execute a first driving control to control driving of the vehicle based on information on the recognized road marking line and information on the recognized road edge;

during execution of the first driving control, determine whether the recognition of the road marking line by the one or more processors becomes unstable or the one or more processors become unable to recognize the road marking line; and

in response to determining that the recognition of the road marking line by the one or more processors becomes unstable or the one or more processors become unable to recognize the road marking line, (i) terminate the execution of the first driving control and (ii) execute a second driving control to:

(i) obtain a currently recognized second relative distance between the vehicle and the road edge based on the second driving environment information;

(ii) without using the first driving environment information, estimate a road marking line based on the retained previously recognized distance and the currently recognized second relative distance; and

(iii) control the driving of the vehicle based on the estimated road marking line.

2 . The driving assist apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a locator unit configured to store roadmap information, measure a position of the vehicle based on a positioning signal, and obtain, as third driving environment information, environment information around the vehicle including the position of the vehicle,

wherein the one or more processors are configured to also use the third driving environment information to set the estimated road marking line.

3 . The driving assist apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to:

determine a stability level of the road edge, the road edge being recognized based on the second driving environment information, the stability level indicating a degree of continuity in recognition of the road edge in a traveling direction of the vehicle; and

determine whether to continue or cancel an autonomous driving assist of the vehicle in accordance with the stability level.

4 . The driving assist apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

during execution of the second driving control, perform (i) a first autonomous driving assist, in which the one or more processors control a steering of the vehicle with hands-off function or (ii) a second autonomous driving assist, in which the one or more processors control the steering of the vehicle without hands-off function;

perform the first autonomous driving assist when the stability level is equal to or higher than a first level;

perform the second autonomous driving assist when the stability level is lower than the first level and higher than a second level; and

cancel the execution of the second driving control when the stability level is lower than the second level.

5 . The driving assist apparatus according to claim 4 , further comprising a locator unit configured to store roadmap information, measure a position of the vehicle based on a positioning signal, and obtain, as third driving environment information, environment information around the vehicle including the position of the vehicle, wherein the one or more processors are configured to:

determine, in accordance with an establishment of following conditions, the stability level as a value of the first level or higher:

(i) the one or more processors, based on the third driving environment information, determine that the vehicle is traveling on a freeway;

(ii) the one or more processors, based on the third driving environment information, determine that the vehicle is not traveling in an entrance, exit, road junction, rest area, or tollgate; and

(iii) the one or more processors, based on the second driving environment information, continuously recognize the road edge;

determine, in accordance with an establishment of following conditions, the stability level as a value less than the first level and greater than or equal to the second level:

(i) the one or more processors, based on the third driving environment information, determine that the vehicle is traveling on a freeway; and

(ii) the one or more processors, based on the third driving environment information, determine that the vehicle is traveling in an entrance, exit, road junction, rest area, or tollgate; and

determine, in accordance with an establishment of following condition, the stability level as a value less than the second level:

(i) the one or more processors, based on the third driving environment information, determine that the vehicle is traveling on a local road.

6 . The driving assist apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the configured to recognize the road edge that is an object installed at a boundary between a road on which the vehicle travels and a sidewalk of the road.

7 . A driving assist apparatus for a vehicle, the driving assist apparatus comprising:

a camera device configured to obtain, as first driving environment information, image data by capturing an image of environment around the vehicle;

a radar device configured to obtain, as second driving environment information, three-dimensional object data by outputting a radio wave to a region around the vehicle and sensing a reflected wave from a target; and

circuitry configured to:

recognize a road marking line based on the first driving environment information;

recognize a road edge based on the second driving environment information;

calculate a first relative distance between the vehicle and the road marking line;

calculate a second relative distance between the vehicle and the road edge;

calculate a third relative distance between the road marking line and the road edge based on the first relative distance and the second relative distance;

retain the third relative distance as a previously recognized distance, wherein the previously recognized distance is the third relative distance recognized immediately before either (i) recognition of the road marking line by the circuitry becomes unstable or (ii) the circuitry become unable to recognize the road marking line;

execute a first driving control to control driving of the vehicle based on information on the recognized road marking line and information on the recognized road edge;

during execution of the first driving control, determine whether the recognition of the road marking line by the circuitry becomes unstable or the circuitry become unable to recognize the road marking line; and

in response to determining that the recognition of the road marking line by the circuitry becomes unstable or the circuitry become unable to recognize the road marking line, (i) terminate the execution of the first driving control and (ii) execute a second driving control to:

(i) obtain a currently recognized second relative distance between the vehicle and the road edge based on the second driving environment information;

(ii) without using the first driving environment information, estimate a road marking line based on the retained previously recognized distance and the currently recognized second relative distance; and

(iii) control the driving of the vehicle based on the estimated road marking line.

Assignments (1)

Priority Claims (1)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (18)