# US 11,305,764 B2 · Object detection apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,305,764 B2 - Document ID: US11305764B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/330,573 - Filed: 2017-08-28 - Published: 2021-09-23 - Granted: 2022-04-19 - Earliest claimed: 2016-09-07 - Assignees: Denso Corporation - Applicants: Denso Corporation - Inventors: Satoru Noro; Masakazu Takeichi; Takuya Nomura - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11305764B2 ## CPC - B60W 30/0956: {the prediction being responsive to traffic or environmental parameters} - B60R 19/48: combined with, or convertible into, other devices or objects, e.g. bumpers combined with road brushes, bumpers convertible into beds - B60R 19/483: {with obstacle sensors of electric or electronic type} - B60R 21/00: Arrangements or fittings on vehicles for protecting or preventing injuries to occupants or pedestrians in case of accidents or other traffic risks (safety belts or body harnesses in vehicles B60R22/00; seats constructed to protect the occupant from the effect of abnormal g-forces, e.g. crash or safety seats, B60N2/42; energy-absorbing arrangements for hand wheels for steering vehicles B62D1/11; energy-absorbing arrangements for vehicle steering columns B62D1/19) - B60W 30/09: Taking automatic action to avoid collision, e.g. braking and steering - G01C 9/06: Electric or photoelectric indication or reading means - G01S 7/52004: {Means for monitoring or calibrating (short-range imaging G01S7/5205)} - G01S 15/86: Combinations of sonar systems with lidar systems; Combinations of sonar systems with systems not using wave reflection - G01S 15/87: Combinations of sonar systems - G01S 15/931: of land vehicles - G08G 1/166: {for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes} - B60W 2420/54: Audio sensitive means, e.g. ultrasound - B60W 2554/4044: Direction of movement, e.g. backwards - G01S 7/40: Means for monitoring or calibrating - G01S 7/4026: {Antenna boresight} - G01S 7/4034: {in elevation, i.e. in the vertical plane} - G01S 13/931: of land vehicles - G01S 17/931: of land vehicles - G01S 2013/932: {using own vehicle data, e.g. ground speed, steering wheel direction} - G01S 2013/9323: {Alternative operation using light waves} - G01S 2013/9324: {Alternative operation using ultrasonic waves} - G01S 2013/93271: {in the front of the vehicles} - G01S 2013/93275: {in the bumper area} - G01S 2015/938: {in the bumper area} - B60W: CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT - B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - G01C: MEASURING DISTANCES, LEVELS OR BEARINGS; SURVEYING; NAVIGATION; GYROSCOPIC INSTRUMENTS; PHOTOGRAMMETRY OR VIDEOGRAMMETRY (measuring liquid level G01F; radio navigation, determining distance or velocity by use of propagation effects, e.g. Doppler effects, propagation time, of radio waves, analogous arrangements using other waves G01S) - G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES - G08G: TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS (guiding railway traffic, ensuring the safety of railway traffic B61L; arrangement of road signs or traffic signals E01F9/00; radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91, G01S15/88, G01S17/88; {radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for anti-collision purposes G01S13/93, G01S15/93, G01S17/93}) ## Abstract An object detection apparatus applied to a vehicle having a sensor unit mounted on a predetermined member provided to the vehicle, the sensor unit being provided with an object detection sensor that detects position information of an object present around the vehicle and a tilt sensor that detects a tilt angle as inclination with respect to a predetermined direction, and performing a process of detecting the object based on the position information of the object detected by the object detection sensor, the object detection apparatus comprising a detachment state determination section that determines a detachment state of the predetermined member based on the tilt angle detected by the tilt sensor. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An object detection apparatus applied to a vehicle having a sensor unit mounted on a predetermined member provided to the vehicle, the sensor unit being provided with an object detection sensor that detects position information of an object present around the vehicle and a tilt sensor that detects a tilt angle as inclination with respect to a predetermined direction, the object detection apparatus comprising: a controller configured to: determine a detachment state of the predetermined member based on the tilt angle detected by the tilt sensor, perform a process of detecting the object based on the position information of the object detected by the object detection sensor in accordance with the determined detachment state of the predetermined member, calculate a distance from the vehicle to the object based on the position information of the object and a position of the vehicle, determine whether the distance from the vehicle to the object is within a predetermined distance, and in response to determining that the distance from the vehicle to the object is within the predetermined distance, transmit a control signal to at least one of a warning device and a braking device. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The object detection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to change, in accordance with the detachment state of the predetermined member, a content of the process of detecting the object using the position information of the object detected by the object detection sensor. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The object detection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined direction is a longitudinal direction of the vehicle, the tilt sensor detects a tilt angle downward with reference to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle as a pitch angle, in which the pitch angle is positive, and the controller is further configured to make a determination, for a state in which the pitch angle detected by the tilt sensor is greater than a first positive predetermined angle, as a full-detachment state where fixation of the predetermined member to the vehicle has been lost. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The object detection apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the predetermined direction is the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, the tilt sensor detects a tilt angle downward with reference to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle as the pitch angle, in which the pitch angle is positive, and the controller is further configured to make a determination, for a state in which the pitch angle detected by the tilt sensor is greater than a second positive predetermined angle set smaller than the first positive predetermined angle and is smaller than the first positive predetermined angle, as a semi-detachment state where an upper side of the predetermined member has detached from the vehicle. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The object detection apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the controller is further configured to: change, in accordance with the detachment state of the predetermined member, a content of the process of detecting the object using the position information of the object detected by the object detection sensor, wherein limit, for a state in which the predetermined member is determined to be in the semi-detachment state, a detection upper limit distance to be shorter which is an upper limit of a distance for detecting the object based on the position information of the object detected by the object detection sensor as the pitch angle detected by the tilt sensor is greater. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The object detection apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the controller is further configured to: change, in accordance with the detachment state of the predetermined member, a content of the process of detecting the object using the position information of the object detected by the object detection sensor, wherein stop, for a state in which the predetermined member is determined to be in the full-detachment state, the process of detecting the object based on the position information of the object detected by the object detection sensor. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The object detection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined member has a plurality of sensor units mounted in alignment with a width direction of the vehicle, the predetermined direction includes the width direction of the vehicle, tilt sensors of the plurality of sensor units detect a tilt angle downward with reference to the width direction of the vehicle as a roll angle, in which the roll angle is positive, and the controller is further configured to make a determination, for a state in which any of the tilt sensors detect a roll angle greater than a third positive predetermined angle, as a one-side detachment state where a portion of the predetermined member is detached which is on a side of the sensor unit provided with the tilt sensor having detected a value greater than the third positive predetermined angle. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The object detection apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the controller is further configured to: change, in accordance with the detachment state of the predetermined member, a content of the process of detecting the object using the object detection sensor provided to the sensor units mounted on the predetermined member, wherein stop, for a state in which the predetermined member is determined to be in the one-side detachment state, the process of detecting the object based on the position information of the object detected by the object detection sensor provided to the sensor unit mounted on the portion of the predetermined member on the detached side. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The object detection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined member has a plurality of sensor units mounted in alignment with a width direction of the vehicle, the predetermined direction includes the width direction of the vehicle, tilt sensors of the plurality of sensor units detect the tilt angle downward with reference to the width direction of the vehicle as a roll angle, in which the roll angle is positive, and the controller is further configured to make a determination, for a state in which a deviation of roll angles detected by two of the respective tilt sensors provided to the sensor units is greater than a predetermined deviation, as a one-side detachment state where a left or right side of the predetermined member is detached. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The object detection apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the controller is further configured to determine, for a state in which making a determination as the one-side detachment state where the left or right side of the predetermined member is detached, that a portion on a side having the sensor unit provided with the tilt sensor having detected a roll angle of a greater value among two tilt sensors mounted on the predetermined member is detached. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The object detection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined member has three or more sensor units mounted in alignment with a width direction of the vehicle, and the controller is further configured to determine, for a state in which a difference between a tilt angle detected by one tilt sensor and tilt angles detected by other plurality of tilt sensors is greater than a predetermined value, that the sensor unit provided with the one tilt sensor is detached. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The object detection apparatus according to claim 11, wherein for a state in which the sensor unit is determined as being detached, the process of detecting the object based on the position information of the object detected by the object detection sensor provided to the sensor unit determined as being detached is stopped. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The object detection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of predetermined member are provided to the vehicle. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The object detection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the object detection sensor is an ultrasonic sensor which transmits an ultrasonic wave as a transmission wave and receives a reflected wave of the transmission wave, and the predetermined member is a bumper.