JP2013105335A - Drive support device of vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a drive support device which can highly reliably estimate a relative position of another vehicle with respect to an own vehicle even in a situation in which the own vehicle is turning with respect to the other vehicle present in the front side of the own vehicle.SOLUTION: The drive support device includes: turning determination means 7 which determines whether an own vehicle 2 is turning with respect to another vehicle when the other vehicle is present in a monitoring area in the front side of the own vehicle 2; and other vehicle position estimation means 8 which sequentially estimates a relative position of a corner part where an end surface facing the own vehicle 2 among a front end surface and a rear end surface of the other vehicle intersects with a side surface facing the own vehicle 2 among both side surfaces of the other vehicle, with respect to the own vehicle 2, on the basis of measured data generated by a laser radar 3. Contact preventing processing means 9 which executes processing for preventing a contact of the other vehicle and the own vehicle 2 determines possibility of a future contact of the other vehicle and the own vehicle 2 by using the relative position estimated by the other vehicle position estimation means 8 when a determination result by the turning determination means 7 is positive.

Description

  The present invention relates to a distance measuring device that uses a laser radar to measure a distance between another vehicle existing on the front side of the vehicle and the host vehicle, and a driving support device having the distance measuring device.

  Conventionally, as seen in, for example, Patent Document 1 and the like, a relative distance such as a distance between an object such as another vehicle existing in a monitoring area in front of the own vehicle and the own vehicle using a laser radar mounted on the vehicle. Sequentially measure the positional relationship and use the time series of the measurement data to determine the possibility of future contact between the other vehicle and the host vehicle, and avoid contact if there is a possibility of contact For this purpose, there are known processes for performing a process (outputting an alarm for a driver, braking control of a vehicle, etc.).

  In addition, the laser radar of this type of system normally transmits laser light to each part of the monitoring area so as to scan the monitoring area (scan at least in the vehicle width direction of the host vehicle), and the laser light. The reflected light of the laser light is received for each of the transmission directions, and the time difference between the transmission timing of the laser light and the reception timing of the reflected light is measured. Then, the laser radar generates measurement data of the distance between the object existing in the transmission direction and the host vehicle for each transmission direction of the laser light based on the measured time difference.

JP 2003-267200 A

  By the way, in a situation where the host vehicle and another vehicle (front vehicle or oncoming vehicle) traveling in front of the host vehicle are traveling along the lane of the road, the posture of the other vehicle with respect to the host vehicle is the other vehicle. The vehicle width direction is generally parallel to the vehicle width direction of the host vehicle.

  In such a situation, the reflected light of the laser beam reflected by the other vehicle existing in the monitoring area on the front side of the own vehicle and received by the own vehicle is mainly the front end surface or the rear end surface of the other vehicle. It is what was reflected in each part of the end surface which faces the own vehicle.

  For this reason, when measuring the relative position of the other vehicle existing on the front side of the own vehicle with respect to the own vehicle using the measurement data of the laser radar, conventionally, the reflected light from the other vehicle received by the own vehicle is used. Is a specific representative point on the reflecting surface on the assumption that it is reflected at each part of the front end surface or the rear end surface of the other vehicle as a reflecting surface substantially parallel to the vehicle width direction of the host vehicle. For example, the relative position of the representative point at the central position of the reflecting surface with respect to the host vehicle is generally estimated using the measurement data of the laser radar as the position representative of the relative position of the other vehicle with respect to the host vehicle. Yes.

  Based on the relative position of the representative point estimated as described above and the temporal change rate (relative speed), the possibility of contact with the own vehicle with another vehicle is determined.

  However, in the situation where the host vehicle turns with respect to the other vehicle ahead, such as when the host vehicle turns right or left or changes the course, the yaw axis of the other vehicle with respect to the host vehicle is accompanied by the turn. The reflected light received from the other vehicle by the vehicle's laser radar changes not only the reflected light from the front end surface or the rear end surface of the other vehicle, but also the direction from the front end surface or the rear end surface. A lot of reflected light from the side surface of the other vehicle having a different value is included.

  Therefore, the laser radar of the own vehicle receives reflected light from two different reflecting surfaces that are not parallel to the vehicle width direction of the own vehicle as reflected light from the other vehicle. In addition, the orientation of these reflecting surfaces with respect to the host vehicle changes as the host vehicle turns with respect to other vehicles.

  For this reason, in such a situation, on the assumption that the reflecting surface of the other vehicle is a reflecting surface that is substantially parallel to the vehicle width direction of the host vehicle, the reflecting surface of the reflecting vehicle is based on the measurement data of the laser radar. When the relative position of the representative point with respect to the host vehicle is estimated, the part of the other vehicle whose relative position is estimated is different from the part before the start of turning of the host vehicle, or the part changes during the turning of the host vehicle. Cheap.

  As a result, the temporal change in the relative position estimated as representative of the position of the other vehicle tends to be inconsistent with the actual movement form of the other vehicle with respect to the own vehicle, and sufficiently ensures the reliability of the relative position. It has been found by the inventor's examination that there is an inconvenience that it becomes difficult.

  Since it is difficult to sufficiently ensure the reliability of the relative position of the other vehicle with respect to the own vehicle in this way, it is also possible to determine the possibility of contact between the other vehicle and the own vehicle with high reliability. There is an inconvenience that it becomes difficult.

  The present invention has been made in view of such a background, and the relative position of the other vehicle with respect to the own vehicle is highly reliable even in a situation where the own vehicle turns with respect to the other vehicle existing on the front side of the own vehicle. It is an object of the present invention to provide a driving support device that can be estimated, and in turn can improve the reliability of determination of the possibility of contact between the host vehicle and another vehicle.

In order to achieve the above object, the vehicle driving support device of the present invention transmits a laser beam so as to scan a predetermined monitoring region on the front side of the vehicle at least in the vehicle width direction of the vehicle, A laser radar that generates measurement data of the distance between the reflected object of the laser beam present at each transmission direction position and the host vehicle, and another vehicle as the reflected object exists at least in the monitoring area A contact avoidance process for determining a possibility of a future contact between the other vehicle and the host vehicle and executing a contact avoidance process for avoiding the contact when the possibility of the contact is determined. A driving support device comprising means,
Turn determination means for determining whether or not the own vehicle is turning with respect to the other vehicle when the other vehicle exists in the monitoring area;
When the judgment result of the turning judgment means is affirmative, it faces the host vehicle on the front end surface and the rear end surface of the other vehicle based on the measurement data generated by the laser radar corresponding to the other vehicle. Other vehicle position estimating means for sequentially estimating the relative position of the corner portion where the end surface and the side surface facing the host vehicle of both side surfaces of the other vehicle intersect with the host vehicle as the representative position of the other vehicle with respect to the host vehicle. Prepared,
The contact avoidance processing unit uses the representative position of the other vehicle estimated by the other vehicle position estimating unit when the determination result of the turning determination unit is affirmative. The possibility of contact is determined (first invention).

  Here, when the host vehicle is turning with respect to the other vehicle, the front-rear direction of the host vehicle has an inclination with respect to the front-rear direction of the other vehicle. Among the laser beams transmitted by the laser radar of the host vehicle when the other vehicle is present in the monitoring area, the laser beam in the transmission direction toward the other vehicle is out of the front end surface and the rear end surface of the other vehicle. An end surface facing the host vehicle (hereinafter, may be referred to as an own vehicle side other vehicle end surface), and a side surface facing the host vehicle (hereinafter also referred to as an own vehicle side other vehicle side surface) of both side surfaces of the other vehicle; Will be received by the host vehicle.

  Further, in this state, a corner portion of the outer surface of the other vehicle where the own vehicle side other vehicle end surface intersects the own vehicle side other vehicle side surface protrudes toward the own vehicle on the front side of the own vehicle. Thus, it faces the host vehicle.

  For this reason, when the host vehicle is turning with respect to the other vehicle, based on the measurement data of the laser radar, the corner of the other vehicle as a specific part of the other vehicle It is possible to sequentially estimate the relative position with respect to the vehicle.

  Therefore, in the first invention, the other vehicle position estimating means responds to the other vehicle when the judgment result of the turning judgment means is affirmative (when the own vehicle is turning with respect to the other vehicle). Then, based on the measurement data generated by the laser radar, the relative position of the corner portion where the own vehicle side other vehicle end surface and the own vehicle side other vehicle side face with respect to the own vehicle is represented by the representative of the other vehicle with respect to the own vehicle. The position is estimated sequentially.

  In this case, since the representative position of the other vehicle to be sequentially estimated is a relative position with respect to the own vehicle at a corner that is a single specific part of the other vehicle, the other vehicle that is the estimation target during the turn of the own vehicle with respect to the other vehicle. The site representing the position of is kept constant. For this reason, the reliability of the representative position of the other vehicle estimated during the turning of the own vehicle with respect to the other vehicle can be enhanced.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, the contact avoidance processing unit is configured to detect the position of the other vehicle when the determination result of the turning determination unit is affirmative (when the host vehicle is turning with respect to the other vehicle). The possibility of future contact between the other vehicle and the host vehicle is determined using the representative position of the other vehicle estimated by the estimating means.

  In this case, the estimated representative position of the other vehicle is highly reliable. Further, the corner portion of the other vehicle, which is the representative position portion, is a portion facing the own vehicle so as to protrude toward the own vehicle side on the front side of the own vehicle. It is a close part.

  Therefore, the possibility of future contact between the other vehicle and the host vehicle can be appropriately determined with high reliability using the estimated representative position of the other vehicle.

  Therefore, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the relative position of the other vehicle with respect to the own vehicle can be estimated with high reliability even in a situation where the own vehicle is turning with respect to the other vehicle existing in front of the own vehicle. As a result, the reliability of the determination of the possibility of contact between the host vehicle and another vehicle can be increased.

  In the first aspect of the invention, the relative position of the corner where the own vehicle side other vehicle end surface and the own vehicle side other vehicle side face can be calculated more specifically by, for example, the following method. . That is, the other vehicle position estimating means, when the judgment result of the turning judgment means is affirmative, of the front end face and the rear end face of the other vehicle facing the host vehicle (own vehicle side other vehicle end face). And two side surfaces of the other vehicle facing the host vehicle (side surface of the other vehicle side) are approximated by two virtual flat surfaces intersecting each other at right angles, and the two virtual flat surfaces with respect to the host vehicle Relative arrangement position is determined based on measurement data generated by the laser radar corresponding to the other vehicle, and the vehicle at the corner where the two virtual flat surfaces arranged at the determined arrangement position intersect Is calculated as the relative position of the corner of the other vehicle (second invention).

  In other words, the front end surface or rear end surface of the actual other vehicle and the side surface are usually surfaces that intersect substantially at a right angle. Therefore, in the second invention, the other vehicle position estimation means is approximated by two virtual flat surfaces in which the own vehicle side other vehicle end surface and the own vehicle side other vehicle side surface intersect each other at right angles. A relative arrangement position of the two virtual flat surfaces with respect to the host vehicle is determined based on measurement data generated by the laser radar corresponding to the other vehicle.

  In this case, the arrangement positions of the two virtual flat surfaces are the relative positions (relative positions with respect to the host vehicle) of the portions of the two virtual flat surfaces at the positions in the transmission directions of the laser beams of the laser radar. To match as much as possible the relative position (relative position defined by the combination of the laser beam transmission direction and the measured value of the distance between the other vehicle in the transmission direction) Just decide. For example, the relative position (relative position in each transmission direction of laser light) of the relative position of each part (part in each transmission direction of laser light) of the other vehicle indicated by the measurement data of the laser radar on the two virtual flat surfaces The arrangement positions of the two virtual flat surfaces may be determined so that the variation degree of the difference from (2) is minimized.

  And according to 2nd invention, by calculating the relative position with respect to the own vehicle of the corner | angular part where the said 2 virtual flat surface arrange | positioned in the determined arrangement position intersects as a relative position of the corner | angular part of the said other vehicle, The relative position of the corner portion of the other vehicle as the representative position of the other vehicle with respect to the host vehicle can be appropriately calculated.

  In the first invention or the second invention described above, when the result of the turning judgment is negative (when the own vehicle is not turning with respect to another vehicle), for example, the own vehicle is as follows. The representative position of the other vehicle with respect to can be estimated. That is, the other vehicle position estimating means is the end face facing the host vehicle (the host vehicle side other car end face) of the front end face and the rear end face of the other vehicle when the judgment result of the turning judgment means is negative. Is approximated by one virtual flat surface parallel to the vehicle width direction of the host vehicle, and the portion of the portion on the one virtual flat surface is determined based on the measurement data generated by the laser radar corresponding to the other vehicle. Means for estimating a relative position with respect to the vehicle as a representative position of the other vehicle with respect to the host vehicle.

  In this case, the estimation process of the relative position (the representative position of the other vehicle) of the portion on the one virtual flat surface that approximates the other vehicle end surface of the own vehicle with respect to the own vehicle is more specifically as follows, for example. Can be done. That is, the relative position (relative position with respect to the own vehicle) of each part of the one virtual flat surface existing at the position in the transmission direction of the laser light of the laser radar is measured from the measurement data of the laser radar (from the other vehicle end surface of the own vehicle side). The arrangement position of the one virtual flat surface (determine the arrangement position with respect to the host vehicle) so as to match the relative position indicated by the measurement data corresponding to the reflected light as much as possible. And the relative position with respect to the specific site | part on the virtual flat surface of this determined arrangement position, for example, a center part, is estimated as a representative position of another vehicle.

  Then, when the determination result of the turning determination means is negative, when the representative position of the other vehicle is estimated as described above, the contact avoidance processing means is positive in the determination result of the turning determination means. In order to determine the possibility of future contact between the other vehicle and the host vehicle in some cases, based on the time series of the representative position of the other vehicle estimated by the other vehicle position estimating means immediately before the current time. Estimating a future first predicted course of the other vehicle, and based on the first predicted course of the other vehicle and a predicted future course of the host vehicle estimated from a motion state of the host vehicle, A first contact possibility determination process for determining the possibility of future contact of the vehicle and a representative position of the other vehicle estimated by the other vehicle position estimation unit immediately before the determination result of the turning determination unit becomes affirmative. General of the other car based on time series A second predicted course of the second vehicle, and a possibility of future contact between the other vehicle and the own vehicle is determined based on the second predicted course of the other vehicle and the predicted future course of the own vehicle. The contact possibility determination process is executed, and any one of the determination result of the first contact possibility determination process and the determination result of the second contact possibility determination process indicates whether the other vehicle and the host vehicle When the determination result indicates that there is a possibility, the contact avoidance process may be executed (third invention).

  According to this third invention, when the determination result of the turning determination means is affirmative (when the host vehicle is turning with respect to another vehicle), the first contact possibility determination processing and the second In the contact possibility determination process, the possibility of future contact between the other vehicle and the host vehicle is determined.

  In this case, in the first contact possibility determination process, in order to estimate the future predicted course (first predicted course) of the other vehicle, the other vehicle position estimated by the other vehicle position estimating means immediately before the current time is estimated. A time series of representative positions is used. Accordingly, the first predicted course is estimated by reflecting the relative position of the corner of the other vehicle as the representative position of the other vehicle.

  On the other hand, in the second contact possibility determination process, in order to estimate the future predicted course of the other vehicle (second predicted course), the other vehicle position estimation means immediately before the result of the turning determination means becomes affirmative. The time series of the representative position of the other vehicle estimated by the above is used. Therefore, the second predicted course is estimated without reflecting the relative position of the corner of the other vehicle as the representative position of the other vehicle.

  Then, the contact avoidance processing means may determine whether there is a possibility of future contact between the other vehicle and the host vehicle, either of the determination result of the first contact possibility determination process and the determination result of the second contact possibility determination process. If the determination result is “Yes”, the contact avoidance process is executed.

  For this reason, according to the third aspect of the present invention, it is difficult to appropriately estimate the relative position of the corners of the other vehicle while the host vehicle is turning with respect to the other vehicle (for example, the host vehicle side other vehicle). In the case where the end surface or the side surface of the other side of the vehicle is a surface with many irregularities), it is determined by the first contact possibility determination process that there is no possibility of future contact between the other vehicle and the own vehicle. However, if it is determined by the second contact possibility determination process that there is no possibility of future contact between the other vehicle and the host vehicle, the contact avoidance process is executed.

  Therefore, it is possible to prevent as much as possible the occurrence of the situation where the contact avoidance process is not executed even though there is a possibility of future contact between the other vehicle and the host vehicle.

The block diagram which shows the structure of the driving assistance apparatus in one Embodiment of this invention. Explanatory drawing regarding the laser radar shown in FIG. The flowchart which shows the process of the arithmetic processing unit shown in FIG. Explanatory drawing regarding the process of STEP3 of FIG. Explanatory drawing regarding the process of STEP4 of FIG. Explanatory drawing regarding the process of STEP5 of FIG.

  An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

  Referring to FIG. 1, a driving support apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment includes a laser radar 3 for monitoring an object such as another vehicle existing in a predetermined monitoring area on the front side of a vehicle 2 (own vehicle), and various types of devices. An arithmetic unit 4 that performs arithmetic processing to notify the driver of the vehicle 2 of a warning or the like and an arithmetic processing unit 6 that controls the braking force of the brake device 5 of the vehicle 2 are provided.

  The laser radar 3 is a known one and is mounted on the front portion (for example, a front grill portion) of the vehicle 2 as shown in FIG. The laser radar 3 includes a plurality of laser beams for measuring the distance between an object existing in a predetermined monitoring area in front of the vehicle 2 (for example, the stippled area shown in FIG. 2) and the host vehicle 2 within the monitoring area. And the reflected light of the laser beam in each transmission direction is received.

  In this case, as shown in FIG. 2, the laser radar 3 is shifted by a predetermined angle around the yaw axis on a plane perpendicular to the yaw axis direction of the host vehicle 2 (a plane substantially parallel to the road surface) in the monitoring area. Laser light is transmitted in a plurality of transmission directions. Thereby, the laser radar 3 transmits the laser beam to the monitoring area on the front side of the host vehicle 2 so as to scan in the vehicle width direction (lateral direction) of the host vehicle 2.

  In addition, for example, by changing the laser beam transmission direction not only around the yaw axis but also around the pitch axis, scanning of the laser beam in the monitoring region is performed not only in the vehicle width direction of the host vehicle 2. Alternatively, it may be performed in the height direction.

  Furthermore, the laser radar 3 receives the reflected light of the transmitted laser light for each transmission direction of the laser light. Then, based on the time difference between the transmission timing of the laser beam and the reception timing of the corresponding reflected beam, an object such as another vehicle (laser) that exists at the position in the transmission direction within the monitoring area for each transmission direction. Measurement data indicating the distance between the light reflecting object) and the host vehicle 2 (the distance in the transmission direction) is generated and output.

  The notification device 4 notifies the driver by a visual signal or an audio signal, and includes, for example, a display (liquid crystal display or the like), a lamp, a speaker, and the like.

  The detailed description of the structure of the brake device 5 is omitted. For example, the brake pressure that generates the braking force can be increased or decreased with respect to the brake pressure corresponding to the operation amount of the brake pedal of the vehicle 2. It is of a known known structure.

  The arithmetic processing unit 6 is an electronic circuit unit composed of a CPU, a RAM, a ROM, an interface circuit, and the like, and is disposed at an appropriate position of the vehicle 2.

  In the present embodiment, the arithmetic processing unit 6 functions as a function realized by an installed program or the like, when the other vehicle is present in the monitoring area in front of the own vehicle 2, The relative position of the other vehicle existing in the monitoring area ahead of the vehicle 2 with respect to the host vehicle 2 is estimated using the turning determination unit 7 that determines whether or not the vehicle is turning and the measurement data provided from the laser radar 3. The possibility of future contact between the host vehicle 2 and the other vehicle is determined by using the other vehicle position estimating unit 8 and the relative position estimated by the other vehicle position estimating unit 8, and there is a possibility of contact. And a contact avoidance processing unit 9 that executes a contact avoidance countermeasure process for avoiding the contact when the determination is made.

  As the contact avoidance countermeasure process executed by the contact avoidance processing unit 9, in this embodiment, an alarm process for issuing a warning to the driver by the alarm device 4 that there is a possibility that the host vehicle 2 and another vehicle may come into contact with each other, And a brake control process for increasing the brake pressure of the brake device 5 more than usual (and thus increasing the braking force).

  Supplementally, the turn determination unit 7, the other vehicle position estimation unit 8, and the contact avoidance processing unit 9 correspond to the turn determination unit, the other vehicle position estimation unit, and the contact avoidance processing unit in the present invention, respectively.

  Next, the overall processing of the arithmetic processing unit 6 will be described in detail, including details of the processing of each functional unit. The arithmetic processing unit 6 executes the processing shown in the flowchart of FIG.

  First, in STEP 1, the arithmetic processing unit 6 acquires measurement data of the laser radar 3.

  Next, in STEP 2, the arithmetic processing unit 6 determines whether or not there is another vehicle (front vehicle or oncoming vehicle) in the monitoring area in front of the host vehicle 2.

  In this case, the arithmetic processing unit 6 extracts, for example, an area where the distance from the own vehicle 2 is substantially the same from the measurement data of the laser radar 3 in each arithmetic processing cycle of the arithmetic processing unit 6. The moving speed of each part in the region (the part corresponding to each transmission direction of the laser light) with respect to the own vehicle 2 is calculated using measurement data of the laser radar 3 from the current time to a predetermined time before. Then, based on the width of the extracted region (the width of the host vehicle 2 in the vehicle width direction) and the moving speed of each part of the region, the arithmetic processing unit 6 is the other vehicle. Determine whether or not.

  For example, when a camera that captures the monitoring area is mounted on the host vehicle 2, both the measurement data of the laser radar 3 and the captured image of the camera are used, or the camera Based on the captured image, it may be determined whether there is another vehicle in the monitoring area.

  If the determination result in STEP 2 is negative, the arithmetic processing unit 6 ends the processing of FIG. 3 in each arithmetic processing cycle. When there is no other vehicle in the monitoring area, it is further determined whether or not there is a predetermined type of object (for example, a person) other than the other vehicle in the monitoring area. In this case, when there is a possibility of contact between the object and the host vehicle 2, a process for avoiding contact between the predetermined type of object and the host vehicle 2 may be performed.

  On the other hand, when the determination result of STEP2 is affirmative, the arithmetic processing unit 6 executes the determination process of STEP3. This determination process is a determination process executed by the turning determination unit 7, and it is determined whether or not the host vehicle 2 is turning with respect to another vehicle.

  Here, in this embodiment, the yaw rate detection data of the host vehicle 2 is sequentially given to the arithmetic processing unit 6 from, for example, a yaw rate sensor (not shown). Then, based on the yaw rate detection data, the turning determination unit 7 determines whether or not the host vehicle 2 is turning.

  More specifically, for example, the turning determination unit 7 has a yaw rate detection value that is greater than or equal to a predetermined value set in advance in the right turn direction or the left turn direction of the host vehicle 2, and the detected yaw rate value is When the integrated value of the detected value of the yaw rate after the predetermined value or more (that is, the amount of change in the angle of the attitude around the yaw axis after the start of turning of the host vehicle 2) becomes larger than the predetermined angle, It is determined that the vehicle 2 is turning with respect to another vehicle. In this case, the turning determination unit 7 also determines whether the turning direction of the host vehicle 2 is the right side or the left side based on the polarity of the angle change amount.

  The determination as to whether or not the host vehicle 2 is turning (including the determination of the turning direction) may be performed by the following method, for example. That is, for example, whether the host vehicle 2 is turning by using the detection data of the steering angle of the host vehicle 2 or the detection data of the difference between the left and right wheel speeds of the host vehicle 2 instead of the yaw rate detection data. It may be determined whether or not. Alternatively, whether or not the host vehicle 2 is turning is determined by combining detection data of two or more types of parameters among the yaw rate of the host vehicle 2, the steering angle of the steering wheel, and the difference between the left and right wheel speeds. A determination may be made.

  Further, the laser radar indicates the relative extension direction or arrangement direction of a stationary object (for example, a utility pole, a street light, a guard rail, a curb stone, etc.) extending or aligned in the same direction as the traveling lane of the own vehicle 2 with respect to the own vehicle 2. 3 (or based on a captured image of a camera mounted on the host vehicle 2) and based on the estimated relative extension direction or arrangement direction of the stationary objects (in other words, (E.g., based on the posture of the own vehicle 2 relative to the direction of the yaw axis relative to the extending direction or the arrangement direction of the stationary object), and determining whether the own vehicle 2 is turning with respect to the other vehicle, You may make it judge including the turning direction.

  For example, in the situation illustrated in FIG. 4, the front-rear direction of the host vehicle 2 is an angle greater than or equal to a predetermined angle in the direction around the yaw axis with respect to the arrangement direction of the stationary object X (in this example, a utility pole or street light). When the vehicle leans at α, it may be determined that the host vehicle 2 is turning with respect to another vehicle, and the turning direction of the host vehicle 2 may be determined based on the polarity of the angle α.

  Next, the arithmetic processing unit 6 executes the processing of STEP 4 or 5 by the other vehicle position estimation unit 8 so that the relative position of the other vehicle existing in the monitoring area with respect to the own vehicle 2 (hereinafter simply referred to as the other vehicle position). ). In this case, the other vehicle position estimation unit 8 estimates the other vehicle position by different arithmetic processing depending on whether the determination result in STEP 3 is negative or positive.

  Thereafter, the other vehicle position estimated by the processing corresponding to the case where the determination result of STEP 3 is negative (when the own vehicle 2 is not turning with respect to the other vehicle) is the normal vehicle position, and the determination result of STEP 3 is The other vehicle position estimated by the process corresponding to the case where the vehicle is affirmative (when the host vehicle 2 is not turning with respect to the other vehicle) is referred to as the other vehicle position during turning.

  If the determination result in STEP 3 is negative, the other vehicle position estimation unit 8 estimates the other vehicle position at the normal time by the processing in STEP 4.

  This process is performed as follows. That is, when the host vehicle 2 is not turning with respect to the other vehicle, the vehicle width direction of the host vehicle 2 is substantially the same as the vehicle width direction of the other vehicle, as illustrated in FIG. In this situation, among the laser beams transmitted from the laser radar 3 of the host vehicle 2, the laser beam transmitted in the direction in which the other vehicle is present is mainly the host vehicle 2 out of the front end surface and the rear end surface of the other vehicle. Is reflected by the end surface facing the vehicle (hereinafter referred to as the vehicle side other vehicle end surface), and the reflected light is received by the laser radar 3.

  The own vehicle side other vehicle end surface is an end surface substantially parallel to the vehicle width direction of the own vehicle 2. Therefore, in the processing of STEP 4, the other vehicle position estimation unit 8 has the own vehicle side other vehicle end surface in a posture parallel to the vehicle width direction of the own vehicle 2 and in the yaw axis direction (vehicle height direction) of the own vehicle 2. Assuming that it is a virtual flat surface (a flat surface denoted by reference sign PL1 in FIG. 5) that stands up, the virtual flat surface PL1 from the vehicle side other vehicle end surface of the other vehicle with respect to the vehicle 2 When arranged in a region in the direction in which the reflected light is received (a region including each transmission direction toward the other vehicle end surface in the transmission direction of the laser light), each part of the virtual flat surface PL1 (laser light The virtual flat surface PL1 with respect to the host vehicle 2 so that the distance between the portion in each transmission direction) and the host vehicle 2 most closely matches (matches) the measurement data obtained by the laser radar 3 corresponding to the other vehicle. Determine the placement position.

  In this case, more specifically, for example, the relative position (the position of the own vehicle 2) of each part (the part in each transmission direction of the laser light) of the own vehicle side other vehicle end surface indicated by the measurement data of the laser radar 3 with respect to the own vehicle 2. (Position in the front-rear direction and vehicle width direction) with respect to the host vehicle 2 so that the degree of variation (for example, dispersion or standard deviation) with respect to the position on the virtual flat surface PL1 in each laser light transmission direction is minimized. The arrangement position of the flat surface PL1 is determined.

  Then, the other vehicle position estimation unit 8 uses the center point Q1 in the vehicle width direction of the virtual flat surface PL1 whose arrangement position is determined as described above as a representative point of the other vehicle, and determines the relative position of the center point P1 with respect to the host vehicle 2. Then, it is calculated as an estimated value of the normal vehicle position representing the relative position of the vehicle relative to the host vehicle 2.

  On the other hand, if the determination result in STEP 3 is affirmative, the other vehicle position estimation unit 8 estimates the other vehicle position during a turn by the processing in STEP 5.

  This process is performed as follows. That is, when the host vehicle 2 is turning with respect to another vehicle, as illustrated in FIG. 6, the vehicle width direction of the host vehicle 2 is inclined with respect to the vehicle width direction of the other vehicle. Yes. In this situation, among the laser beams transmitted from the laser radar 3 of the host vehicle 2, the laser beam transmitted in the direction in which the other vehicle exists is the other vehicle side other vehicle on the front end surface and the rear end surface of the other vehicle. Not only the end face but also the side face of the other vehicle in the vehicle width direction facing the host vehicle 2 (hereinafter referred to as the host vehicle side other car side face) is reflected, and the reflected light is received by the laser radar 3. .

  When viewed macroscopically, the own vehicle side other vehicle end surface and the own vehicle side other vehicle side surface that reflect the laser light in this way are mutually connected at one corner of the four corners of the other vehicle. It is a plane that intersects at almost right angles.

  When the turning direction of the own vehicle 2 is the turning direction to the right side of the own vehicle 2, the side surface of the own vehicle side other vehicle is the left side surface of the other vehicle when viewed from the own vehicle 2, and When the turning direction is the turning direction to the left side of the host vehicle 2, the other vehicle side surface of the own vehicle is the right side surface of the other vehicle as viewed from the host vehicle 2.

  Therefore, in the processing of STEP 5, the other vehicle position estimation unit 8 is in a posture in which the own vehicle side other vehicle side surface and the own vehicle side other vehicle end surface stand up in the yaw axis direction (vehicle height direction) of the own vehicle 2. Assuming that there are two virtual flat surfaces (flat surfaces denoted by reference characters PL2a and PL2b in FIG. 6) that intersect at right angles at one corner of another vehicle, the virtual flat surfaces PL2a and PL2b are Region of the direction in which the reflected light from the vehicle side other vehicle side surface and the vehicle side other vehicle end surface of the other vehicle is received with respect to the vehicle 2 (the vehicle side other vehicle side surface in the laser light transmission direction and The distance between each part (laser beam transmission part) of the virtual flat surfaces PL2a and PL2b and the own vehicle 2 when the vehicle is disposed in a region including each transmission direction toward the other vehicle end surface of the own vehicle side. Correspondingly, the measurement data obtained by the laser radar 3 is best matched (matched). The virtual flat surface PL2a respect to the vehicle 2, determining a set of positions of PL2b.

  In this case, more specifically, as in the case of the processing of STEP 4, each part of the other vehicle side surface of the other vehicle and the other vehicle end surface of the other vehicle indicated by the measurement data of the laser radar 3 (each of the laser beams) The degree of variation of the relative position (position in the transmission direction) with respect to the host vehicle 2 (the position in the front-rear direction and the vehicle width direction of the host vehicle 2) with respect to the position on the virtual flat surfaces PL2a and PL2b in each laser beam transmission direction The arrangement positions of the virtual flat surfaces PL2a and PL2b with respect to the host vehicle 2 are determined so that (for example, variance or standard deviation) is minimized.

  Then, the other vehicle position estimating unit 8 uses the point Q2 at the corner where the virtual flat surfaces PL2a and PL2b intersected as described above as the representative point of the other vehicle, and the relative position of the point Q2 with respect to the host vehicle 2 Is calculated as an estimated value of the other vehicle position at the time of the turn that represents the relative position of the other vehicle with respect to the host vehicle 2.

  In addition, the corner | angular part where virtual flat surface PL2a, PL2b crosses is the corner | angular part of both ends of the own vehicle side other vehicle end surface, when the turning direction of the own vehicle 2 is a turning direction to the right side of the own vehicle 2. When the turning direction of the own vehicle 2 is the turning direction to the left side of the own vehicle 2, the corner where the virtual flat surfaces PL2a and PL2b intersect is Of the corners at both ends of the side other vehicle end surface, the corner on the right side of the other vehicle as viewed from the host vehicle 2.

  Supplementally, in STEP5, if the position of the other vehicle with respect to the host vehicle 2 is estimated by the same processing as STEP4 (processing using a single virtual flat surface PL1), for example, the reference sign Q3 in FIG. The relative position of the point Q3 as shown with respect to the host vehicle 2 is calculated as the other vehicle position. The other vehicle position calculated in this way is generally not the position of the portion of the outer surface of the other vehicle, and the other vehicle position corresponding to the calculated other vehicle position as the host vehicle 2 turns. The car part will change.

  After estimating the relative position of the other vehicle relative to the host vehicle 2 by the processing of STEP 4 or 5 as described above, the arithmetic processing unit 6 executes the processing of STEP 6 to 8 by the contact avoidance processing unit 9.

  Specifically, in STEP 6, the contact avoidance processing unit 9 predicts future travel paths (courses) of the host vehicle 2 and other vehicles (after the current time). In this case, for the future travel route of the host vehicle 2, the contact avoidance processing unit 9 predicts the future travel route of the host vehicle 2 based on the motion state of the host vehicle 2. More specifically, the contact avoidance processing unit 9 uses, for example, the vehicle speed detection data of the host vehicle 2 at the current time (or the period from the current time to a predetermined time before) and the yaw rate detection data. The future vehicle speed and yaw rate of the host vehicle 2 (after the current time) are estimated, and the future travel path of the host vehicle 2 is predicted based on the estimated vehicle speed and yaw rate.

  For the future travel route of the other vehicle, the contact avoidance processing unit 9 is, for example, when the vehicle is in another vehicle position (ordinary vehicle position or other vehicle position when turning) in a period from the current time to a predetermined time before. Based on the series, the vehicle speed and yaw rate of the other vehicle in the future (after the current time) are estimated, and the future traveling route of the other vehicle is predicted based on the estimated values.

  When predicting the future travel path of the host vehicle 2, instead of the yaw rate detection data of the host vehicle 2, the steering angle detection data of the host vehicle 2 and the difference between the left and right wheel speeds of the host vehicle 2 are detected. The detected data may be used. Alternatively, as described above, when estimating the inclination angle (inclination angle around the yaw axis) of the own vehicle 2 with respect to the extending direction or arrangement direction of stationary objects extending or arranged along the traveling lane of the own vehicle 2, You may make it predict the future advancing path | route of the own vehicle 2 using the time series of the estimated value of the inclination angle.

  Next, in STEP 7, the contact avoidance processing unit 9 determines whether or not there is a possibility of contact between the host vehicle 2 and another vehicle.

  In this process, the contact avoidance processing unit 9 causes the future traveling route of the host vehicle 2 and the traveling route of the other vehicle to intersect at the same time (in the case where regions of a certain width along the traveling route overlap each other). It is determined that there is a possibility of contact between the own vehicle 2 and another vehicle. If not, the contact avoidance processing unit 9 determines that there is no possibility of contact between the host vehicle 2 and another vehicle.

  And when the judgment result of STEP7 becomes affirmative, the contact avoidance process part 9 performs the contact avoidance countermeasure process for avoiding the contact with the own vehicle 2 and another vehicle in STEP8.

  Specifically, the contact avoidance processing unit 9 causes the alarm device 4 to output a warning (visual notification or voice notification) to the driver that there is a possibility of contact between the host vehicle 2 and another vehicle. Thus, the operation of the alarm 4 is controlled. Further, the contact avoidance processing unit 9 controls the brake pressure of the brake device 5 so as to increase the braking force by the brake device 5. Thereby, the possibility of contact between the host vehicle 2 and another vehicle is reduced.

  In the process for avoiding contact between the host vehicle 2 and the other vehicle, the power source of the vehicle 2 is used instead of the brake pressure control of the brake device 5 or in combination with the brake pressure control of the brake device 5. You may make it control the drive force of (an engine, an electric motor, etc.). Further, the notification to the driver may be a bodily notification such as vibration of the driver's seat.

  The above is the control processing of the arithmetic processing unit 6 in this embodiment.

  According to the embodiment described above, during the turning of the host vehicle 2 with respect to the other vehicle, the two virtual flat surfaces PL2a and PL2b intersecting the host vehicle side other vehicle end surface and the host vehicle side other vehicle side surface at right angles to each other. Approximately, the relative position (relative position with respect to the host vehicle 2) of the corner where these virtual flat surfaces PL2a and PL2b intersect is sequentially calculated as the other vehicle position at the time of turning. In this case, the corner portion where the virtual flat surfaces PL2a and PL2b intersect corresponds to a single corner portion of the other vehicle. Therefore, the relative position of the single corner portion of the other vehicle with respect to the host vehicle 2 is the other vehicle when turning. The position is sequentially estimated.

  For this reason, even if the posture of the own vehicle 2 around the yaw axis with respect to the other vehicle changes while the own vehicle 2 is turning with respect to the other vehicle, certain parts of the other vehicle (the other vehicle end surface and the other side of the own vehicle side The relative position with respect to the host vehicle 2 at the corner portion where the vehicle side surface intersects can be estimated as the other vehicle position during the turn.

  Therefore, during turning of the own vehicle 2 with respect to the other vehicle, the other vehicle position at the time of turning as a representative position of the other vehicle with respect to the own vehicle 2 is kept constant so that the part of the other vehicle corresponding to the position is kept constant. Can be estimated by sex.

  Further, since the other vehicle position at the time of turning is a relative position of a corner portion where the own vehicle side other vehicle end surface and the own vehicle side other vehicle side surface intersect, the relative position is determined from the outer peripheral surface of the other vehicle. This corresponds to the relative position of the corner protruding toward the host vehicle 2, that is, the portion near the host vehicle 2.

  For this reason, the travel path of the other vehicle is predicted using the position of the other vehicle at the time of turning, and the possibility of future contact between the host vehicle 2 and the other vehicle is determined. Reliability can be increased. As a result, the process for avoiding future contact between the host vehicle 2 and the other vehicle can be performed in an appropriate situation even while the host vehicle 2 is turning with respect to the other vehicle.

  Next, modifications of the embodiment will be described. The method of determining the possibility of contact between the other vehicle and the host vehicle 2 by the contact avoidance processing unit 9 while the host vehicle 2 is turning with respect to the other vehicle is not limited to the method described in the above embodiment. The method of the modified mode described below may be adopted.

  That is, in this modification, the contact avoidance processing unit 9 determines the possibility of contact between the other vehicle and the host vehicle 2 by two processes, a first contact possibility determination process and a second contact possibility determination process. Judge tentatively.

  In this case, in the first contact possibility determination process, the contact avoidance processing unit 9 determines the possibility of future contact between the other vehicle and the host vehicle 2 by the same process as STEPs 6 and 7 in the embodiment. In this determination process, in order to predict the future travel route of the other vehicle in STEP 6, a time series of estimated values of the other vehicle position from the current time to a predetermined time before, including the other vehicle position at the time of turning, is used. It will be. In addition, the travel route of the other vehicle predicted in this case corresponds to the first predicted travel route in the present invention.

  Further, in the second contact possibility determination process, the contact avoidance processing unit 9 does not use the estimated value of the other vehicle position at the time of turning in order to predict the future travel route of the other vehicle, but the own vehicle with respect to the other vehicle. In the period immediately before the start of the second turn, that is, the predetermined time period immediately before the determination result in STEP 3 becomes affirmative, the time series of the normal other vehicle position estimated by the process in STEP 4 is used.

  More specifically, in the predetermined time period immediately before the determination result of STEP 3 becomes affirmative, the determination result of STEP 3 becomes affirmative from the time series of the other vehicle positions at normal time estimated by the processing of STEP 4. The vehicle speed and yaw rate of the subsequent other vehicle are estimated, and the future traveling path of the other vehicle is predicted based on the estimated values. Note that the travel path of the other vehicle predicted in this case corresponds to the second predicted travel path in the present invention.

  In the second contact possibility determination process, the contact avoidance processing unit 9 determines the travel path of the other vehicle predicted in this way (second predicted course) as the other vehicle travel predicted in the first contact possibility determination process. Instead of the route (first predicted route), the possibility of future contact between the other vehicle and the host vehicle 2 is determined by a process similar to the first contact possibility determination process.

  Further, the contact avoidance processing unit 9 finally determines future contact between the other vehicle and the host vehicle 2 based on the determination result of the first contact possibility determination process and the determination result of the second contact possibility determination process. Determine if there is a possibility. In this case, the contact avoidance processing unit 9 determines that one of the determination result of the first contact possibility determination process and the determination result of the second contact possibility determination process indicates that the other vehicle and the host vehicle 2 If it is determined that there is a possibility of future contact, it is finally determined that there is a possibility of future contact between the other vehicle and the host vehicle 2. In this case, the contact avoidance processing unit 9 executes the contact avoidance processing as in the above embodiment.

  In addition, both the determination result of the first contact possibility determination process and the determination result of the second contact possibility determination process indicate that there is no possibility of future contact between the other vehicle and the host vehicle 2. If it is the determination result, it is finally determined that there is no possibility of future contact between the other vehicle and the host vehicle 2.

  According to the above modification, in the process of STEP5, for example, when the own vehicle side other vehicle end surface or the other vehicle side surface of the other vehicle is a surface with many irregularities, the corner portion of the other vehicle is When it is difficult to accurately estimate the relative position of the vehicle, it is determined by the first contact possibility determination process that there is no possibility of future contact between the other vehicle and the host vehicle 2. Even if it is determined that there is a possibility of future contact between the other vehicle and the host vehicle 2 by the second contact possibility determination process, the contact avoidance process is executed.

  For this reason, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of such a situation that the contact avoidance process is not executed even though there is a possibility of future contact between the other vehicle and the host vehicle 2 as much as possible.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Driving assistance device, 2 ... Vehicle, 3 ... Laser radar, 7 ... Turning judgment part (turning judgment means), 8 ... Other vehicle position estimation part (Other vehicle position estimation means), 9 ... Contact avoidance processing part (Contact avoidance) Processing means).

Claims (3)

A laser beam is transmitted so as to scan a predetermined monitoring area on the front side of the vehicle at least in the vehicle width direction of the vehicle, and the reflected object of the laser beam present at a position in the transmission direction of the laser beam and the vehicle The possibility of future contact between the other vehicle and the host vehicle when there is a laser radar that generates measurement data of the distance between the host vehicle and the other vehicle as the reflecting object at least in the monitoring area In a driving assistance device comprising contact avoidance processing means for executing contact avoidance processing for avoiding the contact when it is determined that there is a possibility of the contact,
Turn determination means for determining whether or not the own vehicle is turning with respect to the other vehicle when the other vehicle exists in the monitoring area;
When the judgment result of the turning judgment means is affirmative, it faces the host vehicle on the front end surface and the rear end surface of the other vehicle based on the measurement data generated by the laser radar corresponding to the other vehicle. Other vehicle position estimating means for sequentially estimating the relative position of the corner portion where the end surface and the side surface facing the host vehicle of both side surfaces of the other vehicle intersect with the host vehicle as the representative position of the other vehicle with respect to the host vehicle. Prepared,
The contact avoidance processing unit uses the representative position of the other vehicle estimated by the other vehicle position estimating unit when the determination result of the turning determination unit is affirmative. A vehicle driving support device that determines the possibility of contact with the vehicle. The vehicle driving support device according to claim 1,
The other vehicle position estimation means, when the judgment result of the turning judgment means is affirmative, of the front end face and the rear end face of the other vehicle facing the host vehicle and the side faces of the other vehicle The side surface facing the host vehicle is approximated by two virtual flat surfaces intersecting at right angles to each other, and the relative position of the two virtual flat surfaces with respect to the host vehicle is determined by the laser radar corresponding to the other vehicle. A determination is made based on the generated measurement data, and a relative position of the corner where the two virtual flat surfaces arranged at the determined arrangement position intersect with the host vehicle is calculated as a relative position of the corner of the other vehicle. A vehicle driving support device characterized by the above. In the vehicle driving support device according to claim 1 or 2,
When the determination result of the turning determination unit is negative, the other vehicle position estimating unit has an end surface facing the host vehicle out of the front end surface and the rear end surface of the other vehicle parallel to the vehicle width direction of the host vehicle. Based on the measurement data generated by the laser radar corresponding to the other vehicle by approximating with one virtual flat surface, the relative position of the portion on the one virtual flat surface with respect to the own vehicle is determined with respect to the other vehicle. It has means to estimate as the representative position of the car,
The contact avoidance processing unit determines the possibility of future contact between the other vehicle and the host vehicle when the determination result of the turning determination unit is positive. Based on the time series of the representative position of the other vehicle estimated by the estimating means, the future first predicted course of the other vehicle is estimated and estimated from the first predicted course of the other vehicle and the motion state of the host vehicle. First contact possibility determination processing for determining the possibility of future contact between the other vehicle and the own vehicle based on the predicted future course of the own vehicle, and immediately before the determination result of the turning determination means becomes positive And estimating the future second predicted course of the other vehicle based on the time series of the representative position of the other vehicle estimated by the other vehicle position estimating means at The other vehicle and the vehicle based on the predicted course in the future A second contact possibility determination process for determining the possibility of future contact with the user, and one of the determination result by the first contact possibility determination process and the determination result by the second contact possibility determination process is The vehicle driving support device that executes the contact avoidance process when it is determined that there is a possibility of future contact between the other vehicle and the host vehicle.

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