JP2006024106A - Contact avoidance controller of vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To execute appropriate travel support in the case of supporting travel of an own vehicle to avoid contact between the own vehicle and the other vehicle. <P>SOLUTION: A danger determination part 24 determines a degree of danger of the other vehicle based on travel trajectory of the other vehicle inputted from an object travel trajectory calculation part 21 and travel trajectory of the own vehicle when detection of distance from the own vehicle to the other vehicle becomes impossible in an object position/travel trajectory calculation part 23 when the other vehicle temporarily deviates from an external monitoring device 11 resulting from the road shape, for example, of a curve or near the summit of a climbing road, etc., for example, when an abnormality occurs in the external monitoring device 11 or an obstacle exists, etc. at an active state of a contact avoidance control operation. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle contact avoidance control device.

Conventionally, for example, the presence or absence of other vehicles in the traveling direction of the host vehicle is detected by an external sensor such as a radar or a camera, and depending on the relative position and speed between the host vehicle and the other vehicle, In order to avoid contact between the host vehicle and the other vehicle by notifying an occupant of the host vehicle of information, warning, etc. regarding the other vehicle or automatically executing a braking operation. An apparatus that supports the traveling of the host vehicle is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
JP-A-11-227582

By the way, in the apparatus according to the above prior art, in the state where the presence of the other vehicle in the traveling direction of the host vehicle is detected by the external sensor, the other vehicle is caused by the road shape near the top of the curve or the uphill road, for example. If the vehicle temporarily deviates from the detection area of the external sensor, it may be determined that there is no other vehicle that hinders the traveling of the host vehicle. At this time, for example, even when the driving state of the other vehicle changes and the probability that the other vehicle interferes with the traveling of the host vehicle increases, an alarm notification or an automatic braking operation for the passenger of the host vehicle is performed. Will not be executed at the appropriate timing.
Also, for example, when another vehicle temporarily deviates from the detection area of the external sensor due to the shape of the road in a state in which a warning or an automatic braking operation is being performed, for example, the running state of the other vehicle changes. Thus, even when the probability that the other vehicle becomes an obstacle to the traveling of the host vehicle is reduced, there is a problem that the alarm or the like and the execution of the automatic braking operation are continued unnecessarily.
The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and avoiding vehicle contact capable of executing appropriate travel support when assisting travel of the host vehicle to avoid contact between the host vehicle and another vehicle. An object is to provide a control device.

  In order to solve the above-described problems and achieve the object, the vehicle contact avoidance control device according to the first aspect of the present invention detects an inter-vehicle distance between another vehicle existing in the traveling direction of the own vehicle and the own vehicle. Presence of occurrence of contact between the host vehicle and another vehicle based on the distance detection means (for example, the object position / running locus calculation unit 23 in the embodiment) and the inter-vehicle distance detected by the distance detection means Contact prediction means (for example, risk determination unit 24 in the embodiment) and avoidance means for supporting contact avoidance between the host vehicle and other vehicles (for example, the braking device 16 and the alarm device 17 in the embodiment) And contact avoidance control of a vehicle provided with avoidance control means (for example, which also serves as the risk determination unit 24 in the embodiment) that controls the avoidance means when contact is predicted to occur by the contact prediction means A device, A communication means (for example, the information transmission / reception unit 12 in the embodiment) that acquires other vehicle information including at least the position or speed of the other vehicle by communication is provided, and the distance detection means cannot detect the inter-vehicle distance. In some cases, the contact predicting means predicts the occurrence of contact between the own vehicle and the other vehicle based on the other vehicle information acquired by the communication means, and the avoidance control means operates the avoiding means based on the prediction. It is characterized by control.

  According to the vehicle contact avoidance control device having the above-described configuration, the distance detection unit predicts the occurrence of contact between the host vehicle and the other vehicle based on the detection result of the distance between the host vehicle and the host vehicle. Even if the detection of the vehicle is impossible, that is, even if the distance detection means loses sight of the preceding vehicle, the other vehicle information including at least the position or speed of the other vehicle is acquired by the communication means. Can be accurately recognized. And based on this recognition result, the control which estimates the presence or absence of the contact generation | occurrence | production of the own vehicle and another vehicle can be continued appropriately.

  Furthermore, in the vehicle contact avoidance control apparatus according to the second aspect of the present invention, when the distance detection unit can detect the inter-vehicle distance, the contact prediction unit is detected by the distance detection unit. Compare the distance between the vehicle and the other vehicle information acquired by the communication means to determine whether there is a difference exceeding a predetermined difference, and if there is a difference exceeding the predetermined difference in the determination, The presence or absence of contact between the host vehicle and another vehicle is predicted based on the inter-vehicle distance detected by the distance detection means, and the avoidance control means controls the avoidance means based on the prediction.

  According to the vehicle contact avoidance control device having the above-described configuration, for example, when there are a plurality of other vehicles around the own vehicle, the other vehicle that does not include a communication unit for communicating with the own vehicle, or the communication state is abnormal. When another vehicle is present, the other vehicle to be detected by the distance detection unit is different from the other vehicle to be a communication partner of the communication unit, the inter-vehicle distance detected by the distance detection unit, and the communication unit Even if the other vehicle information acquired by the above method exceeds a predetermined difference, the presence or absence of contact between the own vehicle and the other vehicle is predicted based on the inter-vehicle distance detected by the distance detecting means. Other vehicles that have a relatively high possibility of hindering driving, that is, they can be detected by, for example, a camera, a radar, or the like, without needing to be detected by an indirect method via communication means, and directly from the own vehicle. Visually visible As another target vehicles existing whenever the approaches the vehicle position, the avoidance operation of the contact avoidance can be properly operated.

As described above, according to the vehicle contact avoidance control device of the present invention described in claim 1, that is, even when the distance detection unit loses sight of the preceding vehicle, at least the position of the other vehicle is detected by the communication unit. Alternatively, by acquiring other vehicle information including speed, it is possible to accurately recognize the running state of the other vehicle, and based on the recognition result, control for predicting the occurrence of contact between the host vehicle and the other vehicle. Can continue properly.
Further, according to the vehicle contact avoidance control device of the present invention as set forth in claim 2, it is possible to appropriately select another vehicle to be subjected to avoidance operation such as contact avoidance.

Hereinafter, a vehicle contact avoidance control apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
The vehicle contact avoidance control device 10 according to the present embodiment includes, for example, an external monitoring device 11, an information transmission / reception unit 12, a host vehicle information detection unit 13, a processing device 15, a braking device 16, and an alarm device 17. It is configured with.

The external environment monitoring device 11 is configured to include, for example, a radar such as a laser beam or a millimeter wave and a radar control unit.
The radar is disposed, for example, near the nose of the body of the host vehicle or in the vicinity of the front window in the passenger compartment, and is controlled by the radar control unit according to a control command input from the processing device 15 to the radar control unit. This occurs when a transmission signal such as a wave is transmitted in an appropriate detection direction (for example, forward of the traveling direction of the host vehicle) and reflected by an object (detection target) outside the host vehicle. The reflected signal is received, the reflected signal and the transmission signal are mixed to generate a beat signal, and output to the processing device 15.

  The information transmission / reception unit 12 transmits and receives various types of information by inter-vehicle communication with an information transmission / reception unit mounted on another vehicle. Here, the object information transmitted from the other vehicle includes information related to the vehicle state of the other vehicle, such as speed and position, as well as the yaw angle (rotation angle around the vertical axis of the vehicle center of gravity) and the steering angle (driving). The direction and the magnitude of the steering angle input by the user), the on / off state of the direction indicator and the brake, and the like.

  The own vehicle information detection unit 13 is, for example, a vehicle speed sensor that detects the traveling speed (vehicle speed) of the own vehicle, or a GPS (Global Positioning System) that measures the position of the vehicle using an artificial satellite, for example. Positioning signals such as signals, position signals transmitted from information transmission devices outside the host vehicle, magnetic action with, for example, a base point marker placed on the road, and further detection results of an appropriate gyro sensor, acceleration sensor, etc. Based on the position sensor that detects the current position and traveling direction of the host vehicle, the yaw angle (rotational angle around the vertical axis of the vehicle center of gravity), yaw rate (rotational angular velocity around the vertical axis of the vehicle center of gravity) and steering angle ( Each sensor detects the direction and magnitude of the steering angle input by the driver, and each sensor detects the turn indicator and the on / off state of the brake.

  The processing device 15 includes, for example, an object travel locus calculation unit 21, a host vehicle travel locus calculation unit 22, an object position / travel locus calculation unit 23, and a risk determination unit 24.

  Of the object information received by the information transmission / reception unit 12, the object travel locus calculation unit 21 includes, for example, the steering angle of the other vehicle detected by the steering angle sensor and the yaw rate of the other vehicle detected by the gyro sensor. The traveling locus of the other vehicle is predicted based on the speed of the other vehicle detected by the vehicle speed sensor. For example, the travel locus is set as a belt-like region having a width corresponding to the vehicle width of the other vehicle with a linear movement locus with respect to the center of gravity of the other vehicle as a center.

  The own vehicle travel locus calculating unit 22 includes, for example, the rudder angle of the own vehicle detected by the rudder angle sensor or the gyro sensor of the own vehicle detected from the own vehicle information detected by the own vehicle information detection unit 13. Based on the yaw rate and the speed of the host vehicle detected by the vehicle speed sensor, the traveling locus of the host vehicle is predicted. For example, the travel locus is set as a belt-like region having a width corresponding to the vehicle width of the host vehicle with a linear movement track with respect to the center of gravity position of the host vehicle.

The object position / running trajectory calculation unit 23 detects, in addition to the relative distance to the detection object in the predetermined detection area, based on the frequency f (beat frequency) of the beat signal input from the outside monitoring device 11, for example. The movement state (for example, movement speed, movement direction, etc.) of the detection target object is calculated based on the time change of the relative position of the target object.
For example, when the operation of the contact avoidance control operation is instructed by an input operation of an operator such as a driver, the risk determination unit 24 determines whether the vehicle is input from the subject vehicle / travel locus calculation unit 23 to the other vehicle. Based on the relative distance and the moving state of the other vehicle, and the traveling locus of the own vehicle calculated by the own vehicle traveling locus calculation unit 22, the risk of other vehicles, for example, the possibility of hindering the traveling of the own vehicle, For example, the possibility of contact or collision between the host vehicle and another vehicle is determined.

Further, in the operating state of the contact avoidance control operation, the risk determination unit 24 temporarily deviates from the detection area of the external environment monitoring device 11 due to, for example, the shape of the road near the top of a curve or uphill road. In the case where an abnormality occurs in the external environment monitoring device 11 or when an obstacle exists, the object position / travel locus calculation unit 23 cannot detect the distance from the own vehicle to another vehicle. Then, the risk level of the other vehicle is determined based on the traveling locus of the other vehicle input from the object traveling locus calculation unit 21 and the traveling locus of the host vehicle.
Then, the risk determination unit 24 activates the braking device 16 and the alarm device 17 so as to avoid the occurrence of contact or collision between the host vehicle and another vehicle, for example, according to the calculated risk level.

  In addition, the risk determination unit 24 detects the distance from the own vehicle to the other vehicle in the operation state of the contact avoidance control operation, and detects the object position / travel locus calculation unit 23 from the own vehicle. Calculated from the relative distance to the other vehicle, the position of the other vehicle included in the object information received by the information transmitting / receiving unit 12 and the position of the own vehicle included in the own vehicle information detected by the own vehicle information detecting unit 13. If there is a difference larger than a predetermined difference (for example, the longitudinal length of the vehicle), the distance between the own vehicle and the other vehicle It is determined that there is a vehicle incapable of performing communication within the detection range of the external environment monitoring device 11, and the object position / Own vehicle input from the travel locus calculation unit 23 Based only on the relative distance from to the other vehicle, it determines the risk of the other vehicle, operating the braking device 16 and the warning apparatus 17.

  The braking device 16 is, for example, a brake control device, a throttle control device, or the like, and controls the brake fluid pressure, the throttle opening, etc. according to a control signal input from the processing device 15 to apply braking force to the host vehicle. Make it work.

The alarm device 17 includes, for example, a tactile transmission device, a visual transmission device, and an auditory transmission device.
The tactile transmission device is, for example, a seat belt device, a steering control device, or the like. In response to a control signal input from the processing device 15, for example, a predetermined tension is generated on the seat belt so that an occupant of the own vehicle is tactile. When a perceivable tightening force is applied to the steering wheel, or when a vibration (steering vibration) that can be perceived by the driver of the host vehicle is generated on the steering wheel, for example, a collision or contact between the other vehicle and the host vehicle occurs. Let the occupant know that there is a possibility.
The visual transmission device is, for example, a display device or the like, and according to a control signal input from the processing device 15, for example, by displaying predetermined alarm information on the display device or blinking a predetermined alarm light, Let the occupant of the own vehicle recognize that there is a possibility of collision or contact between the other vehicle and the own vehicle.
The auditory transmission device is, for example, a speaker or the like, and outputs a predetermined alarm sound or sound according to a control signal input from the processing device 15, thereby causing a collision or contact between the other vehicle and the own vehicle. Let the occupant know that there is a possibility.

  The vehicle contact avoidance control apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment has the above-described configuration. Next, the operation of the vehicle contact avoidance control apparatus 10 will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

First, for example, in step S01 shown in FIG. 2, it is determined whether or not the communication state of the inter-vehicle communication between the host vehicle and the other vehicle is normal.
If this determination is “YES”, the flow proceeds to step S 03 described later.
On the other hand, if this determination is “NO”, the flow proceeds to step S 02.
In step S02, the relative distance from the host vehicle to the other vehicle calculated by the object position / travel locus calculation unit 23 based on the outside world monitoring information, that is, the beat signal input from the outside world monitoring device 11 to the processing device 15 and the other vehicle. Based on the moving state of the vehicle and the traveling locus of the own vehicle calculated by the own vehicle traveling locus calculation unit 22, the risk of other vehicles, for example, the possibility of hindering the traveling of the own vehicle, The possibility of occurrence of contact with or collision with another vehicle or the like is determined, the braking device 16 and the alarm device 17 are operated according to the determination result, and the series of processes is terminated.

In step S03, it is determined whether or not another vehicle can be detected based on the external monitoring information, that is, the beat signal input from the external monitoring device 11 to the processing device 15.
If this determination is “YES”, the flow proceeds to step S 05 described later.
On the other hand, if this determination is “NO”, the flow proceeds to step S 04.
In step S04, the traveling trajectory of the other vehicle calculated by the object travel trajectory calculating unit 21 based on the communication acquisition information, that is, the object information received by the information transmitting / receiving unit 12, and the own vehicle travel trajectory calculating unit 22 Based on the calculated travel trajectory of the own vehicle, the degree of danger of the other vehicle is determined, the braking device 16 and the alarm device 17 are operated according to the determination result, and the series of processes is terminated.

In step S05, the relative distance from the host vehicle to the other vehicle calculated by the object position / travel locus calculation unit 23 based on the outside world monitoring information, that is, the beat signal input from the outside world monitoring device 11 to the processing device 15. The own vehicle and the other vehicle calculated from the position of the other vehicle included in the object information received by the information transmitting / receiving unit 12 and the position of the own vehicle included in the own vehicle information detected by the own vehicle information detecting unit 13 Are compared with each other, and it is determined whether or not they match, for example, whether or not the difference between them is equal to or less than a predetermined difference (for example, the longitudinal length of the vehicle).
If this determination is “NO”, the flow proceeds to step S 02 described above.
On the other hand, if this determination is “YES”, the flow proceeds to step S 06, and the object position / travel locus calculation unit 23 performs processing based on the outside world monitoring information, that is, the beat signal input from the outside world monitoring device 11 to the processing device 15. Others calculated by the object travel locus calculation unit 21 based on the calculated relative distance from the own vehicle to the other vehicle and the movement state of the other vehicle, and the communication acquisition information, that is, the object information received by the information transmitting / receiving unit 12 Based on the traveling locus of the vehicle and the traveling locus of the own vehicle calculated by the own vehicle traveling locus calculating unit 22, the degree of risk of the other vehicle is determined, and the braking device 16 and the alarm device 17 are set according to the determination result. Operate and end the series of processing.

  As a result, for example, as shown in FIG. 3A, the preceding vehicle R exists within a predetermined detection range Q of the outside monitoring device 11 mounted on the own vehicle P, and the vehicle between the own vehicle P and the preceding vehicle R is present. When the communication state of the inter-vehicle communication is normal, from the own vehicle calculated by the object position / travel locus calculation unit 23 based on the beat signal input from the external monitoring device 11 to the processing device 15 to the other vehicle The travel distance of the other vehicle, the traveling state of the other vehicle, the traveling locus of the other vehicle calculated by the object traveling locus calculating unit 21 based on the object information received by the information transmitting / receiving unit 12, and the own vehicle traveling locus calculating unit 22 The risk level of the other vehicle is determined based on the travel trajectory of the host vehicle calculated in step S5, and the braking device 16 and the alarm device 17 are operated according to the determination result.

In this state, for example, as shown in FIG. 3B, even if the preceding vehicle R that has passed near the starting point of the downhill road temporarily deviates from the predetermined detection range Q of the external environment monitoring device 11, The determination of the degree of risk of the other vehicle can be continued according to the travel locus of the other vehicle based on the object information acquired by the inter-vehicle communication between the vehicle R and the host vehicle P. For example, FIG. And as shown in (c), even when the preceding vehicle R deviating from the predetermined detection range Q of the external field monitoring device 11 of the host vehicle P decelerates, the braking device is configured to avoid occurrence of contact or collision. 16 and the alarm device 17 are operated, and the host vehicle P can be decelerated in response to the deceleration of the preceding vehicle R.
Therefore, for example, as shown in FIG. 3D, after the own vehicle P passes the vicinity of the starting point of the downhill road in the same manner as the preceding vehicle R, the preceding vehicle is again within the predetermined detection range Q of the external environment monitoring device 11. Even in the case where R is detected, for example, it is possible to prevent a sudden deceleration operation by the braking device 16 from being performed, for example, and to make the host vehicle P appropriately in response to the deceleration of the preceding vehicle R. It can be decelerated.

  As described above, according to the vehicle contact avoidance control device 10 according to the present embodiment, the risk of other vehicles existing around the host vehicle is determined, and the braking device 16 and the alarm device 17 are determined according to the determination result. Even if the other vehicle cannot be detected by the external monitoring device 11 in the operation state of the contact avoidance control operation that activates the vehicle, the information on the running state of the other vehicle is acquired by inter-vehicle communication. Based on the information, an appropriate contact avoidance control operation can be continued.

  Moreover, when estimating the travel locus of the other vehicle based on the travel state information of the other vehicle acquired by the inter-vehicle communication, for example, the relative distance and the relative position time of the other vehicle detected by the external environment monitoring device 11. Compared to the travel trajectory of other vehicles estimated based on changes, the travel trajectory of other vehicles is more accurate based on the steering angle related to the driving operation of the driver of the other vehicle, the on / off state of the direction indicator and brake, etc. It can be estimated well. For this reason, for example, with respect to another vehicle that deviates from or enters the predetermined detection range of the external monitoring device 11, the other vehicle is detected at a timing earlier than actually detected by the external monitoring device 11. The possibility of hindering the traveling of the host vehicle can be determined, and the braking device 16 and the alarm device 17 can be prevented from being unnecessarily operated. Early warning output can be performed.

  Furthermore, even if the external monitoring device 11 can detect other vehicles and the communication state of the inter-vehicle communication between the own vehicle and the other vehicles is normal, the self-monitoring based on the detection result of the external monitoring device 11 can be used. When the difference between the relative distance from the vehicle to the other vehicle and the distance between the host vehicle and the other vehicle based on the object information received by the information transmission / reception unit 12 is greater than a predetermined difference, the external environment monitoring device 11 Based on only the relative distance from the own vehicle to the other vehicle based on the detection result of the vehicle, the degree of danger of the other vehicle is determined, and the braking device 16 and the alarm device 17 are operated, so that the inter-vehicle communication is performed with the own vehicle. The degree of danger can be accurately determined for other vehicles that cannot be executed.

1 is a configuration diagram of a vehicle contact avoidance control device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. It is a flowchart which shows operation | movement of the contact avoidance control apparatus of the vehicle shown in FIG. FIGS. 3A to 3D are diagrams illustrating an example of the traveling state of the host vehicle P when the preceding vehicle R passes near the starting point of the downhill road.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Vehicle contact avoidance control apparatus 12 Information transmission / reception part (communication means)
16 Braking device (avoidance means)
17 Alarm device (avoidance means)
23 Object position / travel locus calculation unit (distance detection means)
24 Risk determination unit (contact prediction means, avoidance control means)

Claims (2)

Distance detection means for detecting the distance between the other vehicle and the own vehicle existing in the traveling direction of the own vehicle, and whether or not contact between the own vehicle and the other vehicle is detected based on the distance between the vehicles detected by the distance detection means. A contact predicting means for predicting; an avoiding means for supporting contact avoidance between the host vehicle and another vehicle; and an avoidance control means for controlling the avoidance means when the contact predicting means is predicted to generate contact. A vehicle contact avoidance control device,
Communication means for acquiring other vehicle information including at least the position or speed of the other vehicle by communication,
When the distance detection means cannot detect the inter-vehicle distance, the contact prediction means predicts the occurrence of contact between the own vehicle and the other vehicle based on the other vehicle information acquired by the communication means, The contact avoidance control device for a vehicle, wherein the avoidance control means controls the avoidance means based on the prediction. When the distance detection unit can detect the inter-vehicle distance, the contact prediction unit compares the inter-vehicle distance detected by the distance detection unit with the other vehicle information acquired by the communication unit. It is determined whether or not there is a difference exceeding a predetermined difference, and when there is a difference exceeding the predetermined difference in the determination, based on the inter-vehicle distance detected by the distance detection means, 2. The vehicle contact avoidance control device according to claim 1, wherein the presence or absence of occurrence of contact is predicted, and the avoidance control unit controls the avoidance unit based on the prediction.

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