JP2006218947A - Level difference learning system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a level difference learning system capable of reducing storage capacity without performing unnecessary suspension control against vanishing level differences by detecting the vanishing level differences and deleting the data related to the vanishing level differences from a storage device. <P>SOLUTION: This level difference learning system includes; a level difference detector for detecting level differences on roads; the storage device for storing the level difference information of level difference areas detected by the level difference detector; a determining device for determining whether level difference control is running or not; and a storage processor for deleting the level difference information of the level difference areas not detected by the level difference detector when the level difference control is running, from the storage device. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a step learning system.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there has been provided a vehicle suspension control device capable of performing suspension control in accordance with road condition data provided by the navigation device in a vehicle equipped with the navigation device (for example, Patent Document 1). reference.). In this case, it is determined whether there is a step on the road based on the database, and the hardness of the suspension is controlled. Learning is also performed in which vertical acceleration, which is input from the suspension, is acquired, whether there is a step on the road based on the acquired vertical acceleration, and recorded in a database. That is, the actual suspension control result is compared with the predicted control content, and the content of the database is corrected based on the comparison result.
JP 2000-318634 A

  However, in the conventional suspension control device, even when the step disappears due to road surface repair work or the like, suspension control is performed based on the previously learned result, so when traveling in a place where the step disappears If the suspension is softened, the running stability may be deteriorated or the ride comfort may be deteriorated. In addition, in order to store unnecessary data in the storage means, a storage means having an enormous storage capacity is required, resulting in an increase in cost.

  The present invention solves the above-mentioned conventional problems, detects the disappearance of the step, and deletes data regarding the disappeared step from the storage means, thereby preventing unnecessary suspension control for the disappeared step. An object of the present invention is to provide a level difference learning system capable of reducing the storage capacity.

  For this reason, in the step learning system of the present invention, step detection means for detecting a road step, storage means for storing step information of the step area detected by the step detection means, and step control is being executed. Determination means for determining whether or not, and storage processing means for deleting step information of a step area in which no step is detected by the step detection means when step control is being executed, from the storage means.

  According to the present invention, it is detected that a step has disappeared, and data relating to the disappeared step is deleted from the storage means. Therefore, unnecessary suspension control is not performed for the disappeared step, and the storage capacity can be reduced.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the level difference learning system in the embodiment of the present invention.

  As shown in the figure, the step learning system in the present embodiment controls a navigation device 10 as a traveling environment information output unit that outputs vehicle traveling environment information as road information, and a vehicle suspension (suspension device). A suspension control device 20 as a control unit and a suspension unit 30 are provided. Here, the vehicle may be of any type as long as it can travel on a road such as a passenger car, a truck, a bus, or a two-wheeled vehicle. A case where the vehicle is provided with two wheels will be described. It is assumed that the suspension unit 30 is attached to each of the four wheels.

  Reference numeral 11 is a GPS (Global Positioning System) sensor, 12 is a gyro sensor that detects the rotational angular velocity of the vehicle, that is, a turning angle, 13 is a vehicle speed sensor that detects the vehicle speed, and 14 is a vehicle acceleration sensor. G sensor.

  Here, the navigation device 10 includes a calculation means such as a CPU and an MPU, a storage means such as a semiconductor memory and a magnetic disk, a CRT, a liquid crystal display, an LED (Light Emitting Diode) display, a display means such as a laser hologram, a touch panel, a remote A controller, input means such as a push button switch, a communication interface and the like are provided. In addition to the GPS sensor 11, the gyro sensor 12, the vehicle speed sensor 13, and the G sensor 14, the navigation device 10 includes a steering sensor that detects the steering angle of the vehicle operated by the driver, A winker sensor that detects the operation of the winker as a direction indicator, an accelerator sensor that detects an accelerator opening operated by the driver, a brake sensor that detects movement of a brake pedal of the vehicle operated by the driver, and weight information of the vehicle You may provide the vehicle weight sensor, geomagnetic sensor, distance sensor, beacon sensor, altimeter, etc. which are acquired. In this case, the GPS sensor 11 detects the current position on the earth by receiving radio waves transmitted from a GPS satellite (not shown), and the geomagnetic sensor detects the direction in which the vehicle is facing by measuring the geomagnetism. The distance sensor detects a distance between predetermined positions on the road. The beacon sensor receives position information from beacons arranged along the road and detects a current position. Then, the navigation device 10 is based on signals from the GPS sensor 11, the gyro sensor 12, the vehicle speed sensor 13, the G sensor 14, etc., the current position of the vehicle, the heading direction of the vehicle, the speed of the vehicle, The moving distance is detected.

  The storage means of the navigation device 10 includes a map data file, an intersection data file, a node data file, a road data file, and a facility information data file in which information on facilities such as hotels and gas stations in each region is stored. The map database unit 15 is provided. Further, the storage means includes information related to steps on the road detected by the suspension control device 20, that is, step information and data for searching for a route, along the searched route on the screen of the display means. A storage media unit 19 for storing various data for displaying a guide map, displaying a distance to the next intersection, a traveling direction at the next intersection, and other guidance information is provided. The storage media unit 19 also stores various data for outputting predetermined information as audio. The storage means includes all forms of storage media such as magnetic tape, magnetic disk, magnetic drum, flash memory, CD-ROM, MD, DVD-ROM, optical disk, MO, IC card, optical card, and memory card. It is also possible to use a removable external storage medium.

  The intersection data file stores intersection data, the node data file stores node data, and the road data file stores road data. The road data is displayed by the intersection data, node data, and road data. Displayed on the screen. The intersection data includes the type of intersection, that is, whether the intersection is a traffic signal lamp or an intersection where a traffic signal lamp is not installed. The node data constitutes at least the position and shape of the road in the map data recorded in the map data file, and includes actual road branch points (including intersections, T-junctions, etc.), node points And data indicating a link connecting the node points. Further, the node point indicates at least the position of a road bending point.

  The road data includes the width, gradient, cant, altitude, bank, road surface condition, number of road lanes, points where the number of lanes decreases, points where the width becomes narrower, etc. Contains data. In the case of an expressway or a main road, each lane in the opposite direction is stored as separate road data and processed as a double road. For example, in the case of a main road having two or more lanes on one side, it is processed as a two-way road, and the upward lane and the downward lane are stored in the road data as independent roads. The corner includes data such as a radius of curvature, an intersection, a T-junction, and a corner entrance. Further, the road attributes include data such as railroad crossings, expressway entrance rampways, expressway toll gates, downhill roads, uphill roads, road types (national roads, major local roads, general roads, highways, etc.).

  Further, the communication interface of the navigation device 10 communicates with the suspension control device 20 and transmits / receives various data to / from the FM transmitter, telephone line network, Internet, mobile phone network, and the like. For example, various data such as road information such as traffic jams, traffic accident information, and D-GPS information for detecting a detection error of the GPS sensor 11 received by an information sensor (not shown) is received.

  Then, the navigation device 10 learns information for executing the process of deleting the step information of the step area that has disappeared based on the information about the step detected by the suspension control device 20 and the current position detection unit 16 that detects the current position of the vehicle. A deletion processing unit 17 and a step information notification processing unit 18 that executes a step information notification process for notifying the suspension control device 20 of information about a step on the road ahead of the traveling direction of the vehicle. Furthermore, the navigation apparatus 10 has a deletion request counter (not shown) as a counter for counting the number of deletion requests for deleting the learning area. The navigation device 10 performs basic processing such as search for a route to a destination, travel guidance in the route, determination of a specific section, search for points, facilities, and the like, in the same manner as a normal vehicle navigation device. The map is displayed on the screen of the display means, and the current position of the vehicle, the route from the current position to the destination, guidance information along the route, etc. are displayed on the map. The guidance information may be output as a sound by a sound generation means. The navigation device 10 functions as current position specifying means for specifying the current position of the vehicle. Further, the navigation device 10 determines the shape of a corner or the like (including an intersection, a T-junction, a highway entrance / exit rampway, etc.) located in front of the vehicle in the travel route of the vehicle, a recommended approach speed to the corner, etc. Recognize the driving environment including. Then, the traveling environment information is transmitted to the suspension control device 20.

  The suspension control device 20 includes arithmetic means such as a CPU and MPU, storage means such as a semiconductor memory and a magnetic disk, a communication interface, and the like. The suspension control device 20 is communicably connected to the navigation device 10 via a communication network such as an in-vehicle LAN (Local Area Network) as a body communication network disposed in the vehicle. The suspension control device 20 is a learning deletion request determination processing unit 21 that transmits a deletion request for deleting the learned content regarding the steps on the extinct road, and a suspension characteristic control unit that controls the characteristics of the suspension unit 30. A damping force control unit 25, a step detection processing unit (not shown) that executes a step detection process for detecting a step on the road, and the like.

  When the learning deletion request determination processing unit 21 is connected to the step detection sensor 22 and detects that there is no step subject to step control, the learning deletion request determination processing unit 21 deletes the learned content regarding the disappeared step. Send delete request for. Further, the step detection processing unit detects that the vehicle has traveled on the step based on the detection signal of the step detection sensor 22. The step detection sensor 22 is, for example, a vertical acceleration sensor, and detects the vertical acceleration of the vehicle as an acceleration in which the sprung portion that is the vehicle body side portion of the suspension unit 30 moves in the vertical direction. Note that the G sensor 14 of the navigation device 10 and a vehicle height sensor (not shown) can also be used as the step detection sensor 22. Then, the step detection processing unit extracts a high-frequency component of the vertical acceleration with a bandpass filter, and determines that the vehicle has traveled on the step if it is greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold value. When the detected vertical acceleration has a low frequency, it can be considered that it is not caused by a step, but by road surface undulations, so that it is not determined that the vehicle has traveled on the step.

  The damping force control unit 25 is connected to a vehicle speed sensor 26 that detects the speed of the vehicle and a steering sensor 27 that detects the steering angle of the steering of the vehicle operated by the driver, and the vehicle speed sensor 26 and the steering sensor 27 The characteristics of each suspension unit 30 are controlled based on the detection signal and the step information acquired from the step information notification processing unit 18 of the navigation device 10. Note that the vehicle speed sensor 13 and the steering sensor of the navigation device 10 can also be used as the vehicle speed sensor 26 and the steering sensor 27. Further, the damping force control unit 25 may control any characteristic of the suspension unit 30. For example, the damping force control unit 25 may control the value of the spring rate (spring constant or spring rate) of the spring member. A case where the damping force as a characteristic of the suspension unit 30 is controlled will be described. The damping force may be controlled by any method, but here, by driving an actuator built in the hydraulic damper 34 of each suspension unit 30 and rotating the orifice switching type damping variable valve, It is assumed that the diameter of the orifice in the oil flow path is changed.

  Here, the suspension unit 30 has one end rotatably attached to the vehicle body, the other end attached to a hub member or the like that supports the axle, a wheel support device such as an upper arm 31 and a lower arm 32, and a coil spring 33. And a shock absorber comprising a damper such as a hydraulic damper 34. The wheel support device and the shock absorber shown in the figure are merely examples, and the suspension unit 30 may have any type of wheel support device and shock absorber. The hydraulic damper 34 shown in the figure is a damping force variable damper with a built-in actuator. The suspension unit 30 transmits control status information to the suspension control device 20. In the example shown in the figure, the suspension control device 20 has an independent configuration, but the functions of the suspension control device 20 can be attached to the suspension unit 30.

  In the present embodiment, the step learning system includes a step detection unit, a storage unit, a determination unit, a storage processing unit, and a step information notification unit from the viewpoint of function. The step detecting means detects a road step and includes functions such as a learning deletion request determination processing unit 21, a step detection processing unit, a step detection sensor 22, and the like. The storage means stores step information of the step area detected by the step detection means, and includes functions of the storage media unit 19 and the like. Further, the determination means determines whether or not the step control is being executed. Functions of the learning deletion request determination processing unit 21, the step detection processing unit, the step detection sensor 22, the damping force control unit 25, and the like. Is included. Further, the storage processing means deletes the step information of the step area where the step is not detected by the step detection means when the step control is being executed, from the storage means. The functions of the processing unit 17 and the like are included. Further, the step information notification means notifies step information based on the current position and the step information of the step area stored in the storage means. Functions of the current position detection unit 16, the step information notification processing unit 18, and the like Is included.

  Next, the operation of the level difference learning system having the above-described configuration will be described.

  When the vehicle travels on a step on the road, for example, by reducing the damping force, by changing the characteristics of the suspension unit 30 to a soft setting, that is, to a soft setting, the riding comfort can be improved. . However, even if the characteristics of the suspension unit 30 are changed after detecting that there is a level difference, it will not be in time, so a sufficient effect cannot be obtained. Therefore, in order to obtain a sufficient effect, it is necessary to change the characteristics of the suspension unit 30 to a soft setting in advance. In order to change the characteristics of the suspension unit 30 in advance, step information is stored in advance in the map database unit 15 of the navigation device 10, and based on the step information and the current position of the vehicle, the vehicle travels forward. It may be possible to determine that there is a step within the predetermined distance range, but creating a map data file or road data file that stores step information on all the steps on the road is expensive, and the file Since the storage capacity of the system becomes enormous, it is practically difficult. In addition, it is conceivable to detect a step within a predetermined distance range ahead of the traveling direction of the vehicle by an imaging device such as a camera attached to the vehicle or a radar device such as a millimeter wave radar, but the step is detected with high accuracy. That will be costly.

  Therefore, in the present embodiment, when the suspension control device 20 detects a step, a signal indicating that the step has been detected is transmitted to the navigation device 10 as a learning request, and the step area detected by the navigation device 10 in response to the learning request. Are stored in the storage media unit 19 for learning. The step area is a range where a step exists on the road. The step information is information relating to a step area including position information of a start point and an end point of the step area.

  Then, when traveling on a road having a corresponding step area after the step information is stored and learned in the storage media unit 19, the navigation device 10 uses the suspension control device 20 to store the step information of the learning area as the stored step area in advance. Send to. Therefore, the suspension control device 20 can change the characteristics of the suspension unit 30 to a soft setting in advance based on the step information received from the navigation device 10. In this case, as described above, the cost does not increase and the storage capacity of the file does not become enormous, and the riding comfort can be improved.

  However, the level difference may disappear due to road surface restoration work. Also, for example, on a road with two or more lanes on one side, even if it is the same point, if there is a step in only one lane and there is no step in the other lane, select a lane with a step at the beginning and run Even then, there may be a case where a lane having no level difference is selected and traveled. In such a case, if suspension control is performed based on the previously learned results, the characteristics of the suspension unit 30 will be softened even if there is no step, resulting in poor running stability or on the contrary. May end up. Therefore, in the present embodiment, when the suspension control device 20 detects that the level difference has disappeared, a transmission request is sent to the navigation device 10 to delete the learned content regarding the level difference that has disappeared, from the storage media unit 19. The step information of the corresponding step area is erased. As a result, when the vehicle subsequently travels at a point where the level difference disappears, suspension control is not performed, so that traveling stability is not deteriorated and riding comfort is not deteriorated.

  In this case, after the learning data is associated, the step information of the corresponding learning area is deleted from the storage media unit 19. When the suspension control device 20 receives the step information about the learned learning area within the predetermined range in the forward direction of the vehicle from the navigation device 10, the suspension control device 20 does not detect the step at the corresponding point. Then, a deletion request for the corresponding learning area is transmitted. That is, the suspension control device 20 detects the disappearance of the step by passing through the point where the step is present. On the other hand, the level difference information for the corresponding learning area is received by the suspension control device 20 before reaching the point where the level difference exists. As described above, since it takes time until the deletion request is transmitted after the step information is received for the corresponding learning area, the suspension control device 20 may receive the step information for other learning areas during that time. is there. Therefore, it is necessary to specify which of the received step information the deletion request corresponds to.

  Therefore, the navigation device 10 sets a data ID as identification information for identifying the step information in the step information about the learned learning area transmitted to the suspension control device 20. The deletion request transmitted by the suspension control device 20 includes the data ID, thereby specifying the step information of the learning area to be deleted from the storage media unit 19.

  Further, it may be inappropriate to delete the step information of the learning area as the step area stored in the storage media unit 19 by one deletion request. For example, on a road with two or more lanes on one side, there may be a step in only one lane and no step in the other lane even at the same point. In this case, even if the driver usually drives a vehicle by selecting a lane with a step, if there is an obstacle such as a vehicle parked in the lane with a step, select a lane without a step. To drive the vehicle. At this time, since the suspension control apparatus 20 transmits a deletion request, the step information of the learning area corresponding to the step is deleted by the deletion request. However, when driving the same point after the next time, even if the driver selects a lane with a step and drives the vehicle, the necessary suspension control is not performed and the ride quality is deteriorated.

  Further, there may be a step only in a certain range within one lane. In this case, even a driver who normally drives a vehicle by selecting a range with a step, when there is an obstacle such as a vehicle parked in the range with a step, or in another lane When the vehicle is traveling and a range with a level difference cannot be selected, a range without a level difference is selected to drive the vehicle. At this time, since the suspension control device 20 transmits a deletion request, the learning area corresponding to the step is deleted from the storage media unit 19 by the deletion request. However, when driving the same point after the next time, even if the driver selects a range with a step and drives the vehicle, the necessary suspension control is not performed and the ride quality is deteriorated.

  Therefore, in the present embodiment, the navigation device 10 includes a deletion request counter as a counter, and counts the number of deletion requests transmitted for each learning area stored in the storage media unit 19. Yes. If the count value of the deletion request counter is less than the threshold value, deletion of the corresponding learning area is prohibited, and the step information of the learning area is not deleted from the storage media unit 19. In this case, the threshold for determining whether or not to delete the step information can be changed according to the road type as the road attribute. For example, as described above, when there is a step only in one lane and there is no step in the other lane, or when there is a step only within a certain range in one lane, it is often found on general roads. On the other hand, on a highway, the road surface is relatively uniform, and it is considered that there is little difference in road surface state between adjacent lanes and in the same lane. Therefore, when the point where the deletion request is transmitted is a general road, the threshold value is set high. For example, when the point where the deletion request is transmitted is a highway, the step information is set to be 3 or more. The threshold value is set to be low, for example, 1 or more, so that the step information is deleted.

  Next, processing executed by the step learning system will be described.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a procedure of processing executed by the level difference learning system according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  First, the suspension control device 20 executes a learning deletion request determination process. Here, in the learning deletion request determination process, when the suspension control device 20 detects that there is no step subject to step control, a learning deletion request for deleting the content learned regarding the disappeared step. As a deletion request to the navigation device 10. In this case, when the suspension control device 20 is executing the process of reducing the damping force of the suspension unit 30 and improving the riding comfort based on the step information received from the navigation device 10, the suspension control device 20 performs a step in the corresponding learning area. If is not detected, a delete request is sent.

  In addition, the suspension control device 20 executes a step detection process. Here, the step detection process is a process in which the suspension control device 20 detects that the vehicle has traveled on the step based on the detection signal of the step detection sensor 22. In this case, the suspension control device 20 repeatedly executes the step detection process at a predetermined cycle, for example, every 10 [msec], and determines whether or not a step is detected each time it is executed. A step detection ON signal is transmitted to the navigation device 10 when the step changes from a state where the step is not detected to a detected state, and a step detection occurs when the step changes from a state where the step is detected to a state where it is not detected. An OFF signal is transmitted to the navigation device 10. Accordingly, the step detection ON signal corresponds to the start point of the learning request area as the detected step area, and the step detection OFF signal corresponds to the end point of the learning request area as the detected step area.

  Further, the navigation device 10 executes a learning information deletion process. Here, in the learning information deletion process, the current position detection unit 16 and the learning information deletion processing unit 17 of the navigation device 10 access the storage media unit 19 and store the step information of the learning area corresponding to the deletion request in the storage media unit. 19 is a process of deleting from the process 19 In this case, if the count value of the deletion request counter for the learning area corresponding to the deletion request is greater than or equal to a predetermined value, the step information of the learning area is deleted. If the count value of the deletion request counter is less than the predetermined value, the count value of the deletion request counter is incremented by 1, that is, incremented without deleting the step information of the learning area.

  When the navigation device 10 receives a step learning request ON signal for learning the step information of the step area detected from the suspension control device 20, the navigation device 10 executes a step information storage process. Here, the step information storage process is a process of storing and learning the detected step area in the storage media unit 19.

  Further, when there is a learned step area within a predetermined range in the forward direction of the vehicle, the navigation device 10 executes a step information notification process. Here, the step information notification processing is based on the current position of the vehicle acquired from the current position detection unit 16 and the learning area information acquired from the storage media unit 19 by the step information notification processing unit 18 of the navigation device 10. This is a process of transmitting step information of a learning area as a learned step area within a predetermined range in the forward direction of the vehicle to the suspension control device 20.

  Then, the suspension control device 20 executes a damping force control process. Here, in the damping force control process, the damping force control unit 25 of the suspension control device 20 reduces the damping force of the suspension unit 30 in accordance with the step level based on the step information received from the navigation device 10 to improve the riding comfort. It is a process to improve. Note that when the vehicle is turning, the damping force of the suspension unit 30 is not changed because it affects the stability of the vehicle.

Next, a flowchart will be described.
Step S1: The suspension control device 20 executes a learning deletion request determination process.
Step S2: The suspension control device 20 executes a step detection process.
Step S3 The navigation device 10 executes learning information deletion processing.

  Next, the learning deletion request determination subroutine in step S1 will be described.

  FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing a subroutine of learning deletion request determination processing in the embodiment of the present invention.

  First, the suspension control device 20 receives front step information from the navigation device 10, that is, receives step information about a learned step area within a predetermined range in front of the traveling direction of the vehicle. Then, it is determined whether or not there is a step in the front. If there is no step, the process is ended as it is. If there is a step ahead, it is determined whether the vehicle is turning. In this case, it is determined whether the vehicle is turning based on the detection signal of the steering sensor 27. Note that if the vehicle is connected to a yaw rate sensor or lateral acceleration sensor (not shown), it can be determined whether the vehicle is turning based on detection signals from the yaw rate sensor and lateral acceleration sensor. When the vehicle is not turning, the damping force control unit 25 reduces the damping force of the suspension unit 30 and improves the riding comfort. Further, when the vehicle is turning, the damping force control unit 25 does not reduce the damping force of the suspension unit 30.

  Subsequently, the suspension control device 20 executes a step detection process on the learning control area. In this case, it is detected that the vehicle has traveled on the level difference based on the detection signal of the level difference detection sensor 22 in the learned level difference area that has received the level difference information from the navigation device 10. Then, it is determined whether or not there is a step, that is, whether or not a step is detected. Here, if a step is detected, the processing is terminated as it is. If no step is detected, the suspension control device 20 transmits a deletion request as a learning deletion request to the navigation device 10 and ends the process.

Next, a flowchart will be described.
Step S1-1: The front step information is received from the navigation device 10.
Step S1-2: Determine whether there is a step in front. If there is a step in the front, the process proceeds to step S1-3. If there is no step in the front, the process ends.
Step S1-3: It is determined whether or not the vehicle is turning. If the vehicle is turning, the process proceeds to step S1-5. If the vehicle is not turning, the process proceeds to step S1-4.
Step S1-4: The damping force of the suspension unit 30 is lowered to improve the riding comfort.
Step S1-5 Step difference detection processing is executed for the learning control area.
Step S1-6: It is determined whether or not there is a step. If there is a step, the process ends. If there is no step, the process proceeds to step S1-7.
Step S1-7: Learning deletion request information is transmitted, and the process is terminated.

  Next, a step detection process subroutine in step S2 will be described.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a subroutine of level difference detection processing in the embodiment of the present invention.

  In this case, the step detection process is repeatedly executed at a predetermined timing, for example, once every 10 [msec]. First, the suspension control device 20 detects the vertical acceleration of the vehicle body from the step detection sensor 22. Then, the suspension control device 20 extracts a high frequency component of vertical acceleration.

  Subsequently, the suspension control device 20 determines whether or not the high-frequency component of the vertical acceleration is equal to or greater than a predetermined value 1 as the first predetermined value. Here, the predetermined value 1 is the magnitude of the vertical acceleration at which it can be determined that the vehicle has traveled on a step, and can be arbitrarily set. If the high-frequency component of the vertical acceleration is not equal to or greater than the predetermined value 1, the process is terminated as it is. If the high frequency component of the vertical acceleration is greater than or equal to the predetermined value 1, the suspension controller 20 determines that there is a step and ends the process.

Next, a flowchart will be described.
Step S2-1: The vertical acceleration of the vehicle body is detected based on the detection signal from the step detection sensor 22.
Step S2-2: Extract high frequency components of vertical acceleration.
Step S2-3: It is determined whether or not the high frequency component of the vertical acceleration is a predetermined value 1 or more. If the high-frequency component of the vertical acceleration is greater than or equal to the predetermined value 1, the process proceeds to step S2-4. If the high-frequency component of the vertical acceleration is not greater than or equal to the predetermined value 1, the process ends.
Step S2-4: The process is terminated with a step difference.

  Next, a subroutine for learning information deletion processing in step S3 will be described.

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a subroutine of learning information deletion processing in the embodiment of the present invention.

  First, the navigation apparatus 10 determines whether or not a deletion request as a learning deletion request has been received. And when not receiving, a process is complete | finished as it is. In addition, when it is received, the navigation device 10 determines whether there is corresponding learning data. In this case, it is determined whether or not the step information of the learning area corresponding to the deletion request is stored in the storage media unit 19 as the corresponding learning data. If there is no corresponding learning data, the process is terminated as it is.

  If there is corresponding learning data, the navigation apparatus 10 increments the corresponding learning data deletion request counter. In this case, the count value of the deletion request counter corresponding to the corresponding learning area is incremented. Subsequently, the road type of the step area is confirmed. That is, the road data file of the map database unit 15 is accessed to check the road type of the road where the step area exists. And the navigation apparatus 10 judges whether a level | step difference area is a highway. That is, it is determined whether or not the road type of the road where the step area exists is an expressway.

  Here, when the road type is an expressway, the navigation apparatus 10 determines whether or not the deletion request counter is equal to or greater than a predetermined value 1 as a first predetermined value. Here, the predetermined value 1 is a threshold value of a count value of a deletion request counter that can delete the step information of the step area learned when the road type is an expressway from the storage media unit 19. However, it can be set arbitrarily. If the count value of the deletion request counter is not equal to or greater than the predetermined value 1, the process is terminated as it is. If the count value of the deletion request counter is equal to or greater than the predetermined value 1, the learning data as the step information of the learned step area is deleted from the storage media unit 19 and the process is terminated.

  On the other hand, when the road type is not an expressway, the navigation device 10 determines whether or not the deletion request counter is equal to or greater than a predetermined value 2 as a second predetermined value. Here, the predetermined value 2 is a count value of a deletion request counter that can delete the step information of the step area learned when the road type is other than a highway, for example, a general road, from the storage media unit 19. For example, it is 3, but can be arbitrarily set. If the count value of the deletion request counter is not equal to or greater than the predetermined value 2, the process is terminated as it is. If the count value of the deletion request counter is equal to or greater than the predetermined value 2, the learning data is deleted from the storage media unit 19 and the process ends.

Next, a flowchart will be described.
Step S3-1: It is determined whether a learning deletion request has been received. If a learning deletion request is received, the process proceeds to step S3-2. If a learning deletion request is not received, the process ends.
Step S3-2: It is determined whether there is corresponding learning data. If there is corresponding learning data, the process proceeds to step S3-3. If there is no corresponding learning data, the process ends. Step S3-3: The corresponding learning data deletion request counter is incremented.
Step S3-4: Check the road type of the step area.
Step S3-5: Determine whether the step area is a highway. If the step area is a highway, the process proceeds to step S3-6. If the step area is not a highway, the process proceeds to step S3-7.
Step S3-6: It is determined whether or not the deletion request counter is a predetermined value 1 or more. If the deletion request counter is equal to or greater than the predetermined value 1, the process proceeds to step S3-8. If the deletion request counter is not equal to or greater than the predetermined value 1, the process ends.
Step S3-7: It is determined whether or not the deletion request counter is a predetermined value 2 or more. If the deletion request counter is equal to or greater than the predetermined value 2, the process proceeds to step S3-8. If the learning request counter is not equal to or greater than the predetermined value 2, the process ends.
Step S3-8: The learning data is deleted from the storage media unit 19 and the process is terminated.

  Thus, in the present embodiment, it is detected that the step has disappeared, and data relating to the disappeared step is deleted from the storage media unit 19. In this case, when the suspension control device 20 is executing the process of reducing the damping force of the suspension unit 30 and improving the riding comfort based on the step information received from the navigation device 10, the suspension control device 20 performs a step in the corresponding learning area. If is not detected, a delete request is sent. Then, the navigation device 10 deletes the step information of the learning area corresponding to the deletion request from the storage media unit 19. Therefore, unnecessary suspension control is not performed for the disappeared step, and the storage capacity can be reduced.

  Further, if the count value of the deletion request counter for the learning area corresponding to the deletion request is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the navigation device 10 deletes the step information of the learning area corresponding to the deletion request. Therefore, when there is a step in only a part in the width direction of the road, the step information is not unnecessarily deleted.

  In addition, this invention is not limited to the said embodiment, It can change variously based on the meaning of this invention, and does not exclude them from the scope of the present invention.

It is a flowchart which shows the subroutine of the learning deletion request | requirement determination process in embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the level | step difference learning system in embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the procedure of the process which the level | step difference learning system in embodiment of this invention performs. It is a flowchart which shows the subroutine of the level | step difference detection process in embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the subroutine of the learning information deletion process in embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

16 current position detection unit 17 learning information deletion processing unit 18 step information notification processing unit 19 storage media unit 21 learning deletion request determination processing unit 22 step detection sensor 25 damping force control unit

Claims (4)

(A) a step detecting means for detecting a step on the road;
(B) storage means for storing step information of the step area detected by the step detection means;
(C) determining means for determining whether or not the step control is being executed;
(D) A step learning system comprising: a storage processing unit that deletes step information of a step area where a step is not detected by the step detection unit when step control is being performed, from the storage unit. The step learning system according to claim 1, wherein the storage processing unit includes a counter and increments a count value for a step area in which a step is not detected by the step detection unit when step control is being executed. The step difference learning system according to claim 2, wherein the step information of the step area stored in the storage means is prohibited from being deleted if the count value for the step area is less than a threshold value. The level difference learning system according to claim 3, wherein the threshold value is changed according to a road type.

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