Object detection device, vehicle, method of setting wave receiving period in object detection device, and method of setting detection sensitivity in object detection device

A vehicle comprising:

• an in-vehicle camera which, in operation, images surroundings of the vehicle;
• and
• an object detection device mounted on the vehicle and comprising:
• a plurality of ranging sensors and each including a transmitter which, in operation, transmits ultrasonic waves, and a receiver which, in operation, receives reflected waves of the ultrasonic waves transmitted by the transmitter and reflected by an object around the vehicle, and
• processing circuitry which, in operation, detects the object around the vehicle based on the reflected waves received by the receiver during a wave receiving period until a predetermined period of time elapses from transmission of the ultrasonic waves by the transmitter, wherein
• the processing circuitry
• acquires an imaged image imaged by the in-vehicle camera,
• determines whether a specific object is contained based on the imaged image,
• estimates a relative position of the specific object to the vehicle when the specific object is determined to be contained in the imaged image, and
• sets the wave receiving period from a first wave receiving period to a second wave receiving period longer than the first wave receiving period for a first ranging sensor among the plurality of ranging sensors based on the estimated relative position of the specific object,
• the relative position includes direction information of the specific object relative to the vehicle, and
• the processing circuitry which, in operation, selects the first ranging sensor based on the direction information and sets, to the second wave receiving period, the wave receiving period for the first ranging sensor.

A method of setting a wave receiving period in an object detection device mounted on a vehicle and having a plurality of ranging sensors using ultrasonic waves, the method of setting the wave receiving period comprising:

• acquiring an imaged image imaged by an in-vehicle camera that images surroundings of the vehicle;
• determining that a specific object is contained based on the imaged image;
• estimating a relative position of the specific object to the vehicle when the specific object is determined to be contained in the imaged image;
• setting the wave receiving period from a first wave receiving period to a second wave receiving period longer than the first wave receiving period for a first ranging sensor among the plurality of ranging sensors based on the estimated relative position of the specific object, wherein the relative position includes direction information of the specific object relative to the vehicle, and
• selecting the first ranging sensor among the plurality of ranging sensors based on the direction information;
• and
• setting, to the second wave receiving period, the wave receiving period for the first ranging sensor.