JP2000348300A - Convoy traveling device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain a convoy traveling device that allows a following vehicle where abnormality occurs to quickly perform transmission and can quickly cope with it. SOLUTION: In this convoy traveling device, a leading vehicle A driven by a driver and a plurality of following vehicles B to D following the vehicle A travel in a convoy in such a manner that the vehicle A transmits data for following to each of the vehicles B to D and that the vehicles B to D transmit data for following to the other vehicles. In such a case, transmission timing T1 when the following vehicles B to D transmits in turn is set in order to transmit the data for following from each of the vehicles B to D to other vehicles, and a special transmission timing T2 for abnormal data communication is provided every fixed cycle in order to transmits abnormal data regardless of the communication turns of the vehicles B to D in case abnormality takes place in each of the following vehicles B to D apart from the timing T1 for a following, and when abnormal data is transmitted, control in an abnormal mode is performed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to platooning in which a plurality of following vehicles follow a leading vehicle, and in particular, a following vehicle which has an abnormality during platooning can quickly communicate this information. It relates to a platoon running device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, as environmental problems have been greatly increased, there has been proposed a technique of using an electric vehicle in a specific area in order to improve the problem of air pollution and traffic congestion. In such a technology using a shared vehicle, ports (parking lots) for the shared vehicle are required to rent or return the shared vehicle, and these ports have a certain number of ports in consideration of user convenience. Vehicles must be arranged.

[0003] By the way, it is expected that such a port for parking a shared vehicle is provided in a place where users are concentrated, for example, around a station. There is no problem if it is uniform at each port, but if there is a bias, shared vehicles may concentrate at a specific port. In order to solve this problem, a number of unmanned vehicles that run with the manned vehicle at the head and follow the vehicle are run in a row and run between the ports, and the shared vehicles that can be rented to the required ports and rented are made as uniform as possible. (See JP-A-5-170008).

[0004] More specifically, when a following vehicle follows a leading vehicle in platooning, a method is used in which the trailing vehicle follows the trajectory of the leading vehicle. Information such as the obtained vehicle speed, steering angle, vehicle position coordinates, bearing, required torque value and brake pressure is sent to the following vehicle, and the following vehicle follows the vehicle while correcting the preceding vehicle position and bearing information obtained from the radar. The vehicle travels following the leading vehicle by transmitting data for the vehicle. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which each vehicle 1 is traveling in platoon, and FIG. 6 is a time chart showing a situation in which each vehicle 1 performs transmission sequentially with the passage of time shown on the horizontal axis. In FIG. 6, one section is 10 msec, and the transmission available time is indicated by a thick line.

[0005] Here, in Fig. 5 and Fig. 6, a case in which a leading vehicle A driven by a driver and three succeeding vehicles B, C, and D following the leading vehicle A travel in a row. As an example, the inter-vehicle communication is performed in the following procedure, for example. One leading vehicle A performs transmission, and then passes the transmission right to the following vehicle B. Note that the transmission information of the leading vehicle A is transmitted (broadcast) to all following vehicles. Second, following car B
Performs transmission, and then passes the transmission right to the leading vehicle A. The transmission information of the following vehicle B (the same applies to other following vehicles) is transmitted (broadcast) to all following vehicles. (3) The leading vehicle A performs transmission again, and then passes the transmission right to the following vehicle C. 4. Next, the succeeding vehicle C performs transmission, and passes the transmission right to the leading vehicle A.
5 The leading vehicle A performs transmission, and then passes the transmission right to the following vehicle B. 6 Repeat the above procedure.

[0006]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional platoon traveling device, as described above, the following vehicles sequentially transmit in order to transmit follow-up traveling data from each succeeding vehicle to another vehicle. Because we had set the timing,
When there is some abnormality in the following vehicle, there is a problem that there is no other method than transmitting the abnormal data together with the follow-up traveling data at the transmission number of the own vehicle until the transmission order of the own vehicle comes. If the number of vehicles in the platoon is short, there is no major problem because the time required for all vehicles to complete communication is short. May not be able to be maintained. Therefore, the present invention is to provide a platooning traveling device that can promptly transmit a subsequent vehicle in which an abnormality has occurred, and can quickly respond to the transmission.

[0007]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the invention described in claim 1 relates to a leading vehicle (for example, a leading vehicle A in the embodiment) driven by a driver and the leading vehicle. A plurality of following vehicles (for example, the following vehicles B, C, and D in the embodiment) that follow and transmit the following data from the leading vehicle to each succeeding vehicle and from each succeeding vehicle to other vehicles. In the platooning traveling device that travels in a platoon by doing so, the transmission timing at which the succeeding vehicles sequentially transmit the following traveling data from each subsequent vehicle to another vehicle (for example, the transmission timing T1 in the embodiment). And a special transmission tag for abnormal data communication for transmitting abnormal data irrespective of the communication order of each succeeding vehicle when an abnormality occurs in each succeeding vehicle separately from the transmission timing for following running. Timing (e.g., special transmission timing T2 in the embodiment) provided in a fixed period every (for example, every 30msec in the embodiment), when the abnormal data is transmitted and performs control when abnormality.

[0008] With this configuration, the succeeding vehicle that has detected an abnormality in the own vehicle can promptly execute the special transmission timing for transmitting the abnormal data without waiting for the transmission number of the following vehicle for transmission of the own vehicle. It can be transmitted that there is an abnormality.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the transmission timing of the follow-up traveling data is a timing at which each succeeding vehicle transmits the preceding vehicle in turn, and the special transmission timing is a timing of the leading vehicle or each subsequent vehicle. It is provided after the transmission timing. With this configuration, the following vehicle is provided with an opportunity to transmit abnormal data at a special transmission timing provided after the transmission timing of the leading vehicle or each subsequent vehicle, in addition to the transmission timing of the follow-up traveling data.

[0010] The invention according to claim 3 is characterized in that the control at the time of abnormality when the abnormal data is transmitted is a stop of platooning or a stop of vehicles after the abnormal vehicle. With this configuration, when there is an abnormality in the following vehicle, it is possible to stop, for example, platooning, or quickly stop the following vehicles including the abnormal vehicle.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 shows an electric vehicle 1 capable of running in platoon. In this vehicle 1, a laser radar 2 capable of wide-angle scanning is mounted at the center of a front bumper, and a reflector which is a mirror-finished plate for reflecting radar radio waves emitted from the laser radar 2 of a following vehicle is mounted at the center of a rear bumper. 3 is attached. Since the laser radar 2 and the reflector 3 are provided, the position (radar measurement point) of the reflector 3 of the preceding vehicle (the vehicle in front of the own vehicle) is captured in real time by the laser radar 2 of the succeeding vehicle. Position of the preceding vehicle based on the succeeding vehicle (distance to the preceding vehicle)
And direction can be detected in real time.

On the roof of the vehicle 1, a vehicle antenna 4 for wireless communication (for vehicle-to-vehicle communication) between the vehicles 1 and a communication means TU or a control device K arranged along the road as shown in FIG. Road / vehicle antenna 5 for wireless communication and GPS / DGPS for receiving radio waves from GPS satellites and DGPS stations
An antenna 6 is attached. Reference numeral 7 denotes a battery.

As shown in FIG. 5, the leading vehicle A driven by the driver and the following vehicles B, C, and D that follow the leading vehicle A by automatic driving perform platooning. Here, the platooning is obtained by using the laser radar 2 and the reflector 3 and the inter-vehicle communication information such as the position coordinates, vehicle speed, and steering angle of the preceding vehicle obtained by the inter-vehicle communication using the wireless LAN. A plurality of vehicles 1 form a platoon and run by fusing the information or the like along the trajectory of the leading vehicle or the preceding vehicle in the platoon. still,
Reference numeral 8 denotes a transmitting device for inter-vehicle communication, and 9 denotes a receiving device.

More specifically, the following vehicles B, C, and D follow and follow the platoon running program P1 according to the received operation amount of the leading vehicle A. Here, this platooning program P1
Is executed by the platooning control device S (computer) provided in each vehicle, and a function of imitating the driving operation amount of the leading vehicle A (control by the driving operation amount at the position where the leading vehicle A has passed) And a function of controlling the driving operation amount so as to be on the target position based on the deviation between the target own vehicle position on the trajectory of the leading vehicle A and the actual own vehicle position. That is,
The following vehicles B, C, and D are controlled to lead vehicle A by feedforward control that automatically operates their own accelerator / brake / handle based on the accelerator / brake / handle operation amounts when the vehicle reaches position of lead vehicle A. In order to follow the vehicle and to correct the follow-up traveling data from the leading vehicle A, the laser radar 2 detects a reflected wave from the reflector 3 of the preceding vehicle and detects the reflected wave based on the deviation between the target position (preceding vehicle) and the own vehicle position. Performs feedback control. In FIG. 5, the platoon traveling control device S is provided with a communication timing control program (corresponding to a flowchart of FIG. 3 described later) P2.

Next, a transmission procedure when performing platooning will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 is a time chart showing a situation in which each vehicle 1 performs transmission sequentially with the passage of time shown on the horizontal axis, and the transmission timing is indicated by a thick solid line. Here, the information transmitted by the leading vehicle A and the following vehicles B, C, and D mainly includes own vehicle position information (X, Y),
Follow-up running data related to the operation amount (handle, accelerator, brake) and the amount of movement (speed, acceleration, yaw rate).

First, the transmission order of the follow-up running data of the leading vehicle A and each of the following vehicles B, C, D is, as shown in the prior art, the leading vehicle A, the following vehicle B, the leading vehicle A, the following vehicle C, It is performed in the order of the leading vehicle A, the following vehicle D, the leading vehicle A, and the following vehicle B. Leading car A
The transmission timing is, for example, 30 msec with reference to an internal timer of the traveling ECU or the communication ECU (not shown).
The leading vehicle A transmits at every interval (within 10 msec), and when the transmission of the leading vehicle A ends, 10 msec
The succeeding vehicle B transmits at intervals of c (within 10 msec), and then the leading vehicle A transmits without an interval.
Then, after the transmission of the leading vehicle A, the succeeding vehicle C transmits at an interval of 10 msec (within 10 msec), and then the leading vehicle A transmits without an interval. Finally, at a time interval of 10 msec after the transmission of the leading vehicle A, the succeeding vehicle D transmits (within 10 msec), then the leading vehicle A transmits, and the above operation is repeated.

Therefore, the transmission timing T1 for the following traveling data is determined by the leading vehicle A and the following vehicles B, C, D
Is included, there is a period of 20 msec and at regular intervals (30 msec
c), and 10 during this transmission timing T1.
msec, the communicable time is blank every fixed period (30
msec). This blank communication available time is provided as a special transmission timing T2 for abnormal data communication in which each vehicle 1, particularly the following vehicles B, C, and D, can freely transmit when detecting an abnormality in their own vehicle.

Next, the transmission procedure of each vehicle 1 is performed according to the flowchart shown in FIG. In the figure, in step S1, it is determined whether or not the own vehicle is abnormal. Here, the abnormality of the own vehicle determined in step S1 is
For example, abnormal slip, puncture, abnormal sensor / actuator, increase in inter-vehicle distance, etc. at the time of deceleration or acceleration of the vehicle. If it is determined in step S1 that there is no abnormality, the process proceeds to step S2, and next time, it is determined whether or not it is the transmission number of the own vehicle. If it is determined in step S2 that the next time is the transmission number of the own vehicle, the process proceeds to step S3. If it is determined in step S2 that the next time is not the transmission number of the own vehicle, the process proceeds to step S1 to determine again whether there is an abnormality.

In step S3, follow-up traveling data is collected, and in step S4, when the transmission timing T1 for the follow-up traveling data is reached and the transmission number of the vehicle comes, the follow-up traveling data is transmitted to control To end.
If it is determined in step S1 that the own vehicle is abnormal, the process proceeds to step S5, where abnormal data is collected, and in step S6, the special transmission timing T2
Then, the abnormal data is transmitted and the control is terminated. Here, by including the fact that the abnormality has occurred and the number in the platoon, the abnormal data facilitates the control at the time of the later-described abnormality.

Next, the operation will be described. An example in which an abnormality occurs in the following vehicle C during platooning as shown in FIG. 5 will be described as an example. In the case of platooning, in the prior art shown in FIG. 6, the succeeding vehicle C could not transmit a message indicating that the vehicle was abnormal until the transmission number of the vehicle came, but in this first embodiment, The succeeding vehicle C can promptly transmit that there is an abnormality at the special transmission timing T2.

If, for example, the leading vehicle A is performing the first transmission in FIG. 2 when the following vehicle C detects the abnormality of its own vehicle, immediately after the transmission of the leading vehicle A is completed. The abnormal data of the own vehicle can be transmitted at the special transmission timing T2 set in. Therefore, compared to the conventional example, transmission is possible only after 50 msec (see FIG. 1), which is the next transmission timing of the following vehicle C, in the above example of the first embodiment, transmission is possible within 10 msec and 40 msec.
It is possible to reduce the time required for transmission by c or more.

Therefore, in the prior art, until the transmission number of the own vehicle arrives, that is, assuming that each transmission time is set to a width of 10 msec in FIG.
Since the transmission number is turned only every time, the transmission can be performed only in that cycle. In this embodiment, the transmission number is 30 msec.
Since the abnormal data can be transmitted every time, the transmission time is not delayed by that much, and the control at the time of the abnormality can be quickly performed to ensure the safety of the platooning. Here, the control at the time of the abnormality includes, for example, a stop of platooning, a stop of the subsequent vehicle 1 including a subsequent vehicle having an abnormality, and the like. Specifically, a vehicle to be controlled by road-to-vehicle communication or the like. Various modes can be adopted, such as applying a brake, or limiting the operation of the accelerator. The control at the time of abnormality is not limited to these.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In the second embodiment, a special transmission timing T is set after the transmission of the leading vehicle A and the transmission of the subsequent vehicle.
2 is provided. To explain the order of transmission,
When the transmission of the leading vehicle A is completed, the following vehicle B transmits without leaving an interval, and the leading vehicle A is transmitted at an interval of 10 msec.
Transmits immediately and the following car C transmits, then 10m
The leading vehicle A transmits at intervals of sec. And
The following vehicle D transmits without an interval after the transmission of the leading vehicle A, and the leading vehicle A transmits at an interval of 10 msec, and the above operation is repeated. Incidentally, the point that the time given to the transmission is 10 msec is the same as in the first embodiment.

Therefore, also in the second embodiment, since the special transmission timing T2 of 10 msec is provided at an interval of 30 msec, the vehicle 1 which has detected the abnormality of the own vehicle can receive the signal even before the transmission number of the own vehicle comes. At this special transmission timing T2, abnormal data can be transmitted, and control at the time of an abnormal condition thereafter can be performed quickly to ensure the safety of platooning. The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment. For example, if the special transmission timing T2 can be provided at least once during the transmission by the leading vehicle, the setting place on the time chart is It is not limited to the form. Further, the time (10 msec) given to each vehicle for the transmission described in the above embodiment and the cycle (30 msec) of the special transmission timing are not limited to these.

[0025]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the succeeding vehicle that has detected the abnormality of the own vehicle does not have to wait for the own vehicle to transmit the follow-up traveling data. Since the fact that there is an abnormality can be promptly transmitted at the special transmission timing for transmitting the abnormal data, there is an effect that the control at the time of the abnormality can be promptly executed with the time transmission delay minimized.

According to the second aspect of the invention, the following vehicle transmits an abnormality at a special transmission timing provided after the transmission timing of the leading vehicle or each subsequent vehicle, in addition to the transmission timing of the follow-up traveling data. Since an opportunity is given, when there is an abnormality, the fact can be promptly transmitted, and there is an effect that the control at the time of the abnormality can be quickly executed with a minimum time transmission delay.

According to the third aspect of the invention, it is possible to stop platooning when the following vehicle has an abnormality, or to quickly stop the following vehicles including the abnormal vehicle. This has the effect of ensuring the safety of platooning.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a time chart of the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a time chart according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory view of an embodiment of the present invention and a conventional platooning.

FIG. 6 is a time chart of a conventional technique.

[Explanation of symbols]

 A Leading car B, C, D Subsequent car T1 Transmission timing T2 Special transmission timing

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat ゛ (Reference) F02D 29/02 301 F02D 29/02 301D G08G 1/09 G08G 1/09 F F-term (Reference) 3D044 AA11 AA24 AA28 AA35 AB01 AC15 AC24 AC31 AC37 AC39 AC59 AD00 AD12 AE03 3G093 AA01 BA04 BA23 BA24 BA26 CB00 CB14 DA06 DB15 DB16 DB22 EA09 EB00 FA02 FA12 5H180 AA01 CC03 CC12 CC14 CC17 FF13 LL01 LL04 LL09

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A leading vehicle driven by a driver and a plurality of succeeding vehicles following the leading vehicle follow from the leading vehicle to each succeeding vehicle and from each succeeding vehicle to another vehicle. In the platoon traveling device that travels in a platoon by transmitting the traveling data, the transmission timing that the subsequent vehicles transmit in order to transmit the following traveling data from each subsequent vehicle to another vehicle is set, and the transmission timing is set. A special transmission timing for abnormal data communication for transmitting abnormal data regardless of the communication order of each succeeding vehicle when an abnormality occurs in each succeeding vehicle separately from the transmission timing for follow-up traveling at regular intervals A platoon running device provided to perform a control at the time of abnormality when abnormal data is transmitted. 2. The transmission timing of the following running data is a timing at which each succeeding vehicle transmits the preceding vehicle in turn, and the special transmission timing is provided after the transmission timing of the leading vehicle or each subsequent vehicle. The platooning device according to claim 1, wherein: 3. The platoon according to claim 1, wherein the control at the time of abnormality when the abnormal data is transmitted is a stop of platooning or a stop of a vehicle after the abnormal vehicle. Traveling device.