Method of monitoring vehicle surroundings, and apparatus for monitoring vehicle surroundings

摘要

A technology is provided for monitoring the surroundings of a vehicle in which a driver approaching the vehicle is recognized, obstacles present in the surroundings of the vehicle are searched for, obstacle information is generated for searched and found obstacles, and the driver outside of the vehicle is notified of the obstacle information. The driver approaching the vehicle can be recognized via communication with a mobile communication device carried by the driver. Additionally, the technology determines whether or not the searched and found obstacle is present in a blind spot area of the driver, and notifies the driver outside the vehicle of the obstacle information related to the obstacle when the obstacle is present in the blind spot area of the driver.

主权项

1. An apparatus for monitoring the surroundings of a vehicle comprising:
an outside driver recognition unit for recognizing a driver approaching the vehicle; an obstacle detection unit including an ultrasonic sensor or a camera for detecting the presence of an obstacle in the surroundings of the vehicle using the ultrasonic sensor or the camera; an obstacle information generating unit for generating obstacle information related to the detected presence of the obstacle in the surroundings of the vehicle; a notification unit for notifying the recognized driver outside of the vehicle of the obstacle information from the obstacle information generating unit; and a blind spot determining unit for determining, based on the obstacle information, whether or not the obstacle is present in a blind spot area of the driver recognized by the outside driver recognition unit, the notification unit notifying the driver outside of the vehicle of the obstacle information when the obstacle is present in the blind spot area.