US 12,135,400 B2
Contact determination device and contact determination method
Shinichi Endo, Miyagi-ken (JP); Satoshi Hayasaka, Tokyo (JP); Hiroki Nagakusa, Dalian (CN); Ryo Komatsu, Miyagi-ken (JP); and Satoshi Nakajima, Miyagi-ken (JP)
Assigned to Alps Alpine Co., Ltd., (JP)
Filed by Alps Alpine Co., Ltd., Tokyo (JP)
Filed on Aug. 2, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/878,987.
Claims priority of application No. 2021-127692 (JP), filed on Aug. 3, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0041961 A1, Feb. 9, 2023
Int. Cl. G01V 3/38 (2006.01); B62D 1/04 (2006.01); G01L 1/26 (2006.01); G01L 5/22 (2006.01); G01V 3/08 (2006.01)
CPC G01V 3/38 (2013.01) [G01L 1/26 (2013.01); G01L 5/221 (2013.01); G01V 3/08 (2013.01); B62D 1/046 (2013.01)] 29 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A contact determination device comprising:
a sensor configured to repeatedly measure a degree of contact between a detected body and an object and output detection values corresponding to the degrees of contact;
a memory configured to store a program; and
a processor configured to execute the program so as to:
compare between the detection values and a reference value to generate a comparison result;
determine whether the detected body is in contact with the object based on the comparison result;
obtain cumulative values by accumulating a fluctuation amount of the detection values from a start time of contact between the detected body and the object during a period in which the processor determines that the detected body is in contact with the object;
correct the reference value; and
detect a state in which the detected body is away from the object based on the corrected reference value, wherein
in a case where the detection value increases as the degree of contact increases:
when a maximum value of the cumulative values is smaller than a newly obtained value of the cumulative values, the maximum value is updated to the newly obtained value as an updated maximum value and the processor corrects the reference value based on the updated maximum value; and
when the maximum value of the cumulative values is equal to or larger than the newly obtained value of the cumulative values, the processor corrects the reference value based on the maximum value, or
in a case where the detection value decreases as the degree of contact increases:
a minimum value of the cumulative values is updated to the newly obtained value as an updated minimum value, and the processor corrects the reference value based on the updated minimum value.