US 7,348,876 B2
Obstacle detection device
Koji Kato, Aichi-gun (Japan); Masakazu Takeichi, Okazaki (Japan); and Yoshihisa Sato, Nagoya (Japan)
Assigned to DENSO CORPORATION, Kariya (Japan)
Filed on Sep. 08, 2005, as Appl. No. 11/220,524.
Claims priority of application No. 2004-287923 (JP), filed on Sep. 30, 2004.
Prior Publication US 2006/0077049 A1, Apr. 13, 2006
Int. Cl. B60Q 1/00 (2006.01); G05D 1/02 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 340—435  [701/300] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An obstacle detection device for a vehicle, comprising:
a distance determination means for determining a distance between the vehicle and an obstacle;
a velocity obtainment means for obtaining velocity-related information related to velocity of the vehicle; and
a notification means for notifying of the obstacle in a first method if the distance is shorter than a threshold distance, and notifying of the obstacle in a second method according to rapidness of approach of the obstacle to the vehicle which is indicated by the velocity-related information if the distance is longer than the threshold distance,
wherein the notification means includes a display means and a sound means, which are configured, in the second method, to operate such that
when the velocity-related information indicates a relative speed of more than a rapidness threshold, the display means displays an image indicating that the obstacle is approaching rapidly, and the sound means generates a sound in a first pattern indicating the rapid approach of the obstacle only in a case that the rapid approach is determined for the first time, and
when the velocity-related information indicates a relative speed of less than the rapidness threshold, the display means displays an image indicating that the obstacle is away from the vehicle, and the sound means generates a sound in a second pattern indicating that the obstacle is away only in a case that the obstacle is detected for the first time, the second pattern being different from the first pattern.