# US 2018/0022346 A1 · Vehicle Control Apparatus, Distance Calculation Apparatus, and Distance Calculation Method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2018/0022346 A1 - Document ID: US20180022346A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/547,538 - Filed: 2016-01-21 - Published: 2018-01-25 - Earliest claimed: 2015-02-02 - Assignees: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd. - Applicants: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd. - Inventors: Takuya MURAKAMI - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180022346A1 ## CPC - B60W 30/085: Taking automatic action to adjust vehicle attitude in preparation for collision, e.g. braking for nose dropping - B60G 17/015: the regulating means comprising electric or electronic elements ({B60G17/002}, B60G17/005 take precedence) - B60T 7/12: for automatic initiation; for initiation not subject to will of driver or passenger {(limiting speed of vehicles other than rail vehicles B60K31/00)} - B60W 10/04: including control of propulsion units - B60W 10/18: including control of braking systems - B60W 10/20: including control of steering systems - B60W 10/22: including control of suspension systems - B62D 15/0265: {Automatic obstacle avoidance by steering} - B62D 15/027: {Parking aids, e.g. instruction means} - B62D 15/0285: {Parking performed automatically} - B62D 15/029: {Steering assistants using warnings or proposing actions to the driver without influencing the steering system} - G01B 11/00: Measuring arrangements characterised by the use of optical techniques - G01C 3/06: Use of electric means to obtain final indication - G08G 1/165: {for passive traffic, e.g. including static obstacles, trees} - G08G 1/168: {Driving aids for parking, e.g. acoustic or visual feedback on parking space} - B60W 2420/403: Image sensing, e.g. optical camera - B60W 2520/04: Vehicle stop - B60W 2520/16: Pitch - B60W 2710/18: Braking system - B60W 2710/20: Steering systems - B60W 2710/22: Suspension systems - B60W 2720/16: Pitch - B60Y 2400/3015: Optical cameras - B62D 5/04: electrical, e.g. using an electric servo-motor connected to, or forming part of, the steering gear - 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 - B60G: VEHICLE SUSPENSION ARRANGEMENTS (air-cushion vehicles B60V; {cycle suspensions B62K25/00}) - B60T: VEHICLE BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEMS OR PARTS THEREOF; BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEMS OR PARTS THEREOF, IN GENERAL (electrodynamic brake systems for vehicle, in general B60L; brakes per se, i.e. devices where braking effect occurs, including ultimate brake actuators, F16D); ARRANGEMENT OF BRAKING ELEMENTS ON VEHICLES IN GENERAL; PORTABLE DEVICES FOR PREVENTING UNWANTED MOVEMENT OF VEHICLES; VEHICLE MODIFICATIONS TO FACILITATE COOLING OF BRAKES - B62D: MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS (steering, or guiding on a desired track, of agricultural machines or implements A01B69/00; wheels, castors, axles, increasing wheel adhesion B60B; vehicle tyres, tyre inflation or tyre changing B60C; connections between vehicles of a train or the like B60D; vehicles for use on rail and road, amphibious or convertible vehicles B60F; suspension arrangements B60G; heating, cooling, ventilating or other air treating devices B60H; windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors or similar devices, protective coverings for vehicles not in use B60J; propulsion plant arrangements, auxiliary drives, transmissions, controls, instrumentation or dashboards B60K; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L; power supply for electrically-propelled vehicles B60M; passenger accommodation not otherwise provided for B60N; adaptations for load transportation or to carry special loads or objects B60P; arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q; vehicles, vehicle fittings or vehicle parts not otherwise provided for B60R; servicing, cleaning, repairing, supporting, lifting, or manoeuvring, not otherwise provided for, B60S; brake arrangements, brake control systems or parts thereof B60T; air-cushion vehicles B60V; motor-cycles, accessories therefor B62J, B62K; testing of vehicles G01M) - G01B: MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEAR DIMENSIONS; MEASURING ANGLES; MEASURING AREAS; MEASURING IRREGULARITIES OF SURFACES OR CONTOURS - 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) - 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}) - B60Y: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO ASPECTS CROSS-CUTTING VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY ## Abstract Provided are a vehicle control apparatus, a distance calculation apparatus, and a distance calculation method capable of calculating a distance between a vehicle and an object even when the vehicle is stopped. A posture of the vehicle is changed while the vehicle is stopped and the distance to the object is calculated based on information imaged by a camera and the change in the posture by a vehicle posture control unit. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A vehicle control apparatus comprising: a camera mounted on a vehicle and configured to image an object in a predetermined direction; a vehicle posture control unit mounted on the vehicle and configured to change a posture of the vehicle while the vehicle is stopped; and a distance calculation unit configured to calculate a distance to the object based on information imaged by the camera and the change in the posture by the vehicle posture control unit. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein as the camera, one camera is mounted with respect to the predetermined direction. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the distance calculation unit calculates the distance based on information imaged by the camera before the posture of the vehicle is controlled by the vehicle posture control unit and a change in the information imaged after the control is started. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the distance calculation unit calculates the distance by using the change in the information as a parallax. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the vehicle includes an electric power steering apparatus, and wherein the vehicle posture control unit changes the posture of the vehicle by automatically causing the electric power steering apparatus to turn the vehicle. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the vehicle includes a braking apparatus and a driving apparatus, and wherein the vehicle posture control unit changes the posture of the vehicle by automatically activating the braking apparatus and the driving apparatus. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the vehicle includes a vehicle height adjustment apparatus, and wherein the vehicle posture control unit changes the posture of the vehicle by automatically activating the vehicle height adjustment apparatus. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle includes a vehicle posture change apparatus, and wherein the vehicle posture control unit changes the posture of the vehicle by activating the vehicle posture change apparatus. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the vehicle posture change apparatus is an apparatus for changing the vehicle in a left/right direction, and wherein the distance calculation unit calculates the distance based on the change in the vehicle in the left/right direction. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the vehicle posture change apparatus is an apparatus for changing the vehicle in a pitching direction, and wherein the distance calculation unit calculates the distance based on the change in the vehicle in the pitching direction. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the vehicle posture change apparatus is an apparatus for changing the vehicle in a vertical direction, and wherein the distance calculation unit calculates the distance based on the change in the vehicle in the vertical direction. ### Claim 12 A distance calculation apparatus for a vehicle, the distance calculation apparatus comprising: a monocular camera mounted on the vehicle and configured to image an object in a predetermined direction; a camera position change unit configured to change a position of the monocular camera; and a distance calculation unit configured to calculate a distance to the object based on information imaged by the monocular camera before and after a position of the camera is changed by the camera position change unit while the vehicle is stopped. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The distance calculation apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the vehicle includes an electric power steering apparatus, and wherein the camera position change unit changes the position of the monocular camera by automatically causing the electric power steering apparatus to turn the vehicle. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The distance calculation apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the vehicle includes a braking apparatus and a driving apparatus, and wherein the camera position change unit changes the position of the monocular camera by automatically activating the braking apparatus and the driving apparatus. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The distance calculation apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the vehicle includes a vehicle height adjustment apparatus, and wherein the camera position change unit changes the position of the monocular camera by automatically activating the vehicle height adjustment apparatus. ### Claim 16 A distance calculation method comprising: imaging an object in a predetermined direction of a vehicle with use of a camera; and calculating a distance to the object based on information of the imaging before an actuator mounted on the vehicle and configured to control a posture of the vehicle is driven and information of the imaging after the actuator is driven. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The distance calculation method according to claim 16, wherein the actuator is an electric power steering apparatus, and wherein the distance calculation method further includes changing the posture of the vehicle by automatically causing the electric power steering apparatus to turn the vehicle. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The distance calculation method according to claim 16, wherein the actuator is a braking apparatus and a driving apparatus, and wherein the distance calculation method further includes changing the posture of the vehicle by automatically activating the braking apparatus and the driving apparatus ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The distance calculation method according to claim 16, wherein the actuator is a vehicle height adjustment apparatus, and wherein the distance calculation method further includes changing the posture of the vehicle by automatically activating the vehicle height adjustment apparatus.