Object detecting apparatus, and method of operating the same

An apparatus for detecting an object, comprising:

• a sensor unit comprising a light distance and ranging (LiDAR) sensor configured for collecting LiDAR data and a camera sensor configured for collecting image data;
• an area dividing unit configured to divide a common detection area of the LiDAR sensor and the camera sensor into a plurality of areas;
• a data analyzing unit configured to analyze the LiDAR data to extract a first object information and analyze the image data to extract a second object information;
• a sensor signal converging unit configured to determine whether a dangerous object exists for each of the divided areas based on the first object information and the second object information;
• and
• a vehicle information collecting unit configured to collect speed information about a vehicle,
• wherein:
• the plurality of areas divided by the area dividing unit comprise a ground non-included area and a ground included area;
• the data analyzing unit is configured to insert relative speed information of an object against the vehicle into at least one of the first object information and the second object information;
• the sensor signal converging unit is configured to determine whether the first object information about the ground included area is related to a stopped object based on the relative speed information, and when it is determined that the first object information is related to the moving object, the sensor signal converging unit is configured to determine that a dangerous object exists in the ground included area;
• the data analyzing unit is configured to extract lane path and boundary information included in the image data;
• and
• when the first object information for the ground included area is related to a stopped object existing out of the lane boundary and in the lane path, the sensor signal converging unit determines that a dangerous object exists in the ground included area.

A method of operating an apparatus for detecting an object, comprising:

• generating light distance and ranging LiDAR data by using a LiDAR sensor;
• generating image data by using a camera sensor;
• dividing a common detection area of the LiDAR sensor and the camera sensor into a ground non-included area and a ground included area;
• analyzing at least one of the LiDAR data to extract first object information and the image data to extract second object information;
• determining whether a dangerous object exists for each of the ground non-included area and the ground included area based on a result of the analysis;
• operating an autonomous emergency braking (AEB) system of a vehicle when it is determined that the dangerous object exists;
• and
• collecting speed information about a vehicle,
• wherein the determining comprises determining whether the first object information included in the LiDAR data for the ground included area is related to a stopped object based on the speed information about the vehicle, and determining that a dangerous object exists in the ground included area when the first object information is related to a moving object.

A method of operating an apparatus for detecting an object, comprising:

• generating light distance and ranging LiDAR data by using a LiDAR sensor;
• generating image data by using a camera sensor;
• dividing a common detection area of the LiDAR sensor and the camera sensor into a ground non-included area and a ground included area;
• analyzing at least one of the LiDAR data to extract first object information and the image data to extract second object information;
• determining whether a dangerous object exists for each of the ground non-included area and the ground included area based on a result of the analysis;
• operating an autonomous emergency braking (AEB) system of a vehicle when it is determined that the dangerous object exists;
• and
• collecting speed information about a vehicle,
• wherein the step of determining comprises determining that a dangerous object exists in the ground included area when the first object information about the ground included area is about a stopped object and the second object information about the stopped object is included in the image data.