OBSTACLE DETECTOR AND OBSTACLE DETECTION METHOD

To provide an obstacle detector and an obstacle detection method with which it is possible to determine whether the detected obstacle is a near-distance or a far-distance obstacle.SOLUTION: An ultrasonic detector comprises an ultrasonic sensor, a transmission command unit for causing an ultrasonic wave to be repeatedly transmitted by the ultrasonic sensor, and a detection unit for detecting an obstacle from the result of having received a reflected wave by the ultrasonic sensor. The transmission command unit causes an ultrasonic wave to be transmitted at a first transmission interval Ta by the ultrasonic sensor and causes an ultrasonic wave to be transmitted at a second transmission interval Tb different from the first transmission interval Ta by the ultrasonic sensor when the detection unit detects an obstacle as a reflected wave is received by the ultrasonic sensor. The ultrasonic detector includes a determination unit for calculating a time for determination which is a difference between the receive time of a reflected wave for detection which is a reflected wave used for detecting an obstacle and the receive time of a reflected wave for determination which is a reflected wave received after the reflected wave for detection, and determining whether the obstacle is a near-distance or a far-distance obstacle on the basis of the result of comparison of the time for determination with a threshold.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7 【課題】検出した障害物が近距離障害物か遠距離障害物かを判定できる障害物検出装置及び障害物検出方法を提供する。【解決手段】超音波検出装置は、超音波センサと、超音波センサに繰り返し超音波を送信させる送信指令部と、超音波センサによる反射波の受信結果から障害物を検出する検出部とを備える。送信指令部は、第１送信間隔Ｔａで超音波センサに超音波を送信させ、超音波センサが反射波を受信することにより検出部が障害物を検出すると、第１送信間隔Ｔａとは異なる第２送信間隔Ｔｂで超音波センサに超音波を送信させる。超音波検出装置は、障害物の検出に用いられる反射波である検出用反射波の受信時間と、検出用反射波よりも後に受信される反射波である判定用反射波の受信時間との差である判定用時間を算出し、判定用時間と閾値との比較結果に基づいて障害物が近距離障害物であるか遠距離障害物であるかを判定する判定部を備える。【選択図】図７