Object recognition device and object recognition method

An object recognition device to be mounted on a vehicle, the device comprising:

• a radar device which radiates an electromagnetic wave to an object in a forward direction of the vehicle and which detects the object by receiving a reflected wave reflected by the object;
• a target information calculation section which calculates information containing a moving direction of the detected object as target information, by using a signal received by the radar device;
• a vehicle information calculation section which calculates information containing one of a current moving direction or a future prediction moving direction of the vehicle as vehicle information, by using information obtained from the vehicle;
• and
• a processing section which calculates, as a collision angle, an angle between a straight line extended in the moving direction of the object and a straight line extended in the current moving direction or in the future prediction moving direction of the vehicle, which estimates, based on the collision angle from which one of front edge portions in the moving direction of the object detected by the radar device the electromagnetic wave was reflected, and which calculates a presence area in which the object is present relative to the vehicle, in accordance with a result of the estimation,
• wherein in a case where the collision angle is a right angle or a substantially right angle, the processing section estimates that the electromagnetic wave was reflected from said one of the front edge portions of the object that is on a side facing the vehicle, and in a case where the collision angle is not a right angle or a substantially right angle, the processing section estimates that the electromagnetic wave was reflected from said one of the front edge portions of the object that is nearest to the straight line extended in the current moving direction or in the future prediction moving direction of the vehicle, and
• wherein the target information calculation section, the vehicle information calculation section, and the processing section are executed by a computer.