The invention relates to a method for generating a surroundings map (12) of a surroundings area (8) of a motor vehicle (1), in which method the surroundings area (8) is captured by way of at least one sensor, in particular ultrasound sensor (5, 6, 14, 15), on the motor vehicle, wherein capturing of the surroundings area (8) by way of the at least one sensor (5, 6, 14, 15) is performed at at least two different points in time (T1, T2), and in a manner dependent on said surroundings clearance situations detected in each case in a manner dependent on items of sensor information at the points in time (T1, T2), a decision is made as regards whether an object (11, 13) which is at least supposedly situated in the surroundings area (8) in at least one surroundings clearance situation is, upon an updating of the surroundings map (12), displayed on the then updated surroundings map (12). The invention also relates to a driver assistance system (2) and to a motor vehicle (1).

An object identification apparatus includes: an identifier that identifies whether an object is a control target based on a result of comparison between reflection intensity of a detection wave and an identification threshold when the detection wave is received by the moving body; and a changer that changes identification sensitivity of the identifier according to positions of at least two points of the object when the detection wave is reflected at the at least two points and received by the moving body.

Provided are a sonar system and transducer assembly for producing a 3D image of an underwater environment. The sonar system may include a housing mountable to a watercraft having a transmit transducer that may transmit sonar pulses into the water. The system may include at least one sidescan transducer array in the housing that receives first and second sonar returns with first and second transducer elements and converts the first and second returns into first and second sonar return data. A sonar signal processor may then generate a 3D mesh data using the first and second sonar return data and at least a predetermined distance between the transducer elements. An associated method of using the sonar system is also provided.

A self-moving device capable of automatically recognizing an object in front is provided. The self-moving device includes a signal transmission module, a gradient determination module, and a control module. The signal transmission module transmits recognition signals propagated along at least two different paths. The gradient determination module obtains, according to the recognition signals, a first determination result indicating whether an object in front is a slope. The control module controls a traveling path of the self-moving device according to the first determination result.

An in-vehicle object determining apparatus cooperates with an obstacle sensor unit, which detects an obstacle at a first time. An estimated detected state is calculated as a detected state of the obstacle estimated to be detected by the obstacle sensor unit at a second time after a lapse of a predetermined time period from the first time, on condition that the obstacle is assumed to be under stationary state, based on (i) a vehicle-relative position of the obstacle detected at the first time, (ii) a sensor position of the obstacle sensor unit, and (iii) a vehicle position change during a period from the first time to the second time. It is determined that the obstacle is a moving object based on a discrepancy between the estimated detected state of the obstacle and a real detected state of the obstacle actually detected by the obstacle sensor unit at the second time.

In one form, an acoustic signal is generated for an acoustic transducer, where the acoustic transducer transmits the acoustic signal to determine a first position of an obstacle. In response to the acoustic signal encountering the obstacle within a predetermined distance, an echo, or pulse, is detected at the acoustic transducer. At a first time, a magnitude is detected in response to a rising edge of the pulse intersecting a determined threshold. A second magnitude is detected in response to the detection of a first peak of the pulse. A time of flight of the acoustic signal, within the predetermined distance, is determined when a compensation time is extracted from a correction calculation algorithm in response to detecting the first magnitude and the second magnitude. The compensation time is subtracted from the first time, and the difference of the compensation time and the first time is the time of flight.

A control device to be applied to a vehicle equipped with an imaging device and a safety device is configured to, based on moving-object detection information detected from images captured by the imaging device, actuate the safety device for a moving object.

In the control device, a control unit is configured to, in response to any of certain information that it is certain that the object is a moving object and uncertain information indicating that it is not certain whether the object is a moving object being acquired as moving-object detection information, actuate the safety device based on a position of the object subjected to detection with the certain information or the uncertain information. An actuation region setting unit is configured to, when the moving-object detection information is the uncertain information, narrow an actuation region as compared to when the moving-object detection information is the certain information.

A control device to be applied to a vehicle equipped with an imaging device, a ranging device, and a safety device is configured to, based on moving-object detection information around the vehicle acquired from images captured by the imaging device, perform a first actuation process directed to moving objects to actuate the safety device, and based on stationary-object detection information around the vehicle acquired from measurements made by the ranging device, perform a second actuation process directed to stationary objects to actuate the safety device. In the control device, a mask region setting unit is configured to set at least either neighborhood-of-stationary-object regions or far-side regions as a mask region. An actuation restriction unit is configured to, in response to the moving object determined to be present around the vehicle being present in the mask area, restrict performance of the first actuation process on the moving object.

Apparatus and associated methods relate to an array of individually readable distance sensors disposed along a first axis on a platform and configurable to detect penetration of a first plane containing the first axis, and an array of individually controllable light emitting indicators disposed on the platform along at least a second axis and configurable to emit visual indicia to a user out of the first plane. The visual indicia may, for example, be associated with the detected penetration. A reconfigurable predetermined detection window may, for example, be generated by associating adjacent sensors detecting input during a teaching operation. The detection window may, for example, be further generated by determining at least one distance threshold profile as a function of input received from the adjacent sensors during the teaching operation. Various embodiments may advantageously enable efficient configuration of generic sensing and indication units.

Apparatus and methods for enhanced wireless determination of a position and direction of a smart device are describe which support the display of a virtual tag upon a user interface of the smart device. Wireless transceivers controlled by the smart device communicate with reference point transceivers to generate data sufficient to determine relative positions of the wireless transceivers and a direction of interest. Operation of LIDAR may be operative to verify the position and direction of the Smart Device as well as a topography of the environment.