JP2006058100A - Apparatus, system, and method for drive assist - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To assist a passage through an intersection by accurately predicting the time required for passing through the intersection. <P>SOLUTION: On the basis of outputs of: a navigation system 2; a blinker switch 4; a center communication device 52; a VICS communication device 53; an inter-vehicular communication device 54; an extra-vehicular camera 55, etc., records of passage of other vehicles; records of movement of a self vehicle; statistical data; the state of signals; the state of surrounding vehicles; and information on pedestrians are judged to predict the time required for the self vehicle to pass through the intersection. Its result is announced, or an examination of alternative routes is automatically executed through the use of the result. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a driving support device, a driving support system, and a driving support method that support driving of a vehicle, and more particularly to a driving support device, a driving support system, and a driving support method that provide information that assists in passing an intersection.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there has been devised a device that supports driving of a vehicle by collecting information related to vehicle driving and providing information to the driver. For example, in Patent Document 1, when the timing at which the signal switches from blue to red is earlier than the arrival timing at which the host vehicle reaches the position of the traffic light, it is determined that the signal cannot pass in blue and is notified to the driver. The technology to do is released.

  Patent Document 2 discloses a technique for acquiring signal switching information indicating the timing at which a signal is switched and calculating conditions for traveling without stopping while waiting for a signal from the host vehicle. Similarly, Patent Document 3 discloses a technique for acquiring the characteristics of a traffic light when passing through the own vehicle or an intersection, and predicting the state of the traffic light to control the traveling of the own vehicle.

JP 2000-268294 A JP 2000-44985 A JP 2001-236600 A

  As described above, in the conventional technique, the timing at which the host vehicle enters the intersection is predicted from the distance from the host vehicle to the traffic light, the speed of the host vehicle, and the like. It was determined whether or not there is.

  In other words, in the past, the determination was made on the assumption that the host vehicle was able to travel at a desired speed, but during actual traveling, traffic of the vehicle was hindered by traffic jams, pedestrians, oncoming vehicles, There are cases where the time of entry to the intersection of the own vehicle is delayed or the time required for passing the intersection is extended.

  Conventionally, in such a state, it was impossible to determine how long it would take to pass the host vehicle or the intersection, so the driver would feel a great mental load. There was a point.

  In addition, at the intersection, for example, the lane on the right turn side is crowded and the straight direction or the left turn direction is vacant. Therefore, the driver often considers whether to detour by changing the course in the other direction once when the traveling direction side that the driver planned is crowded and the other traveling direction is vacant. . However, with regard to the examination of this detour route, the conventional technology cannot determine “which route is advanced earlier”, and the driver himself has to determine.

  That is, the conventional technique has a problem that the time required for passing through the intersection cannot be accurately obtained in accordance with the state. In addition, the realization of a driving support device that can support the study of a detour route has been an important issue.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems in the prior art and to solve the problems, and accurately predicts the time required to pass through an intersection and can assist in the examination of a detour route. An object is to provide a device, a driving support system, and a driving support method.

  In order to solve the above-described problems and achieve the object, a driving support device according to the invention of claim 1 is a driving support device that is mounted on a vehicle and supports driving of the host vehicle. An intersection detection unit that predicts or detects an approach, an information acquisition unit that acquires information about the situation around the host vehicle and / or the situation of the host vehicle, and the intersection detection unit based on information acquired by the information acquisition unit And transit time predicting means for predicting the time required to pass the detected intersection.

  According to the first aspect of the invention, the driving support device predicts or detects the approach of the own vehicle to the intersection, acquires information on the situation around the own vehicle and the situation of the own vehicle, and based on the obtained information. Predict the time required to pass the intersection.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the driving support apparatus according to the first aspect of the invention, the information acquisition means acquires the actual time required when another vehicle passes the intersection detected by the intersection detection means. The passing prediction means predicts the time required for passing the intersection based on the required time performance.

  According to the invention of claim 2, the driving support device predicts or detects the approach of the own vehicle to the intersection, acquires the actual time required for the other vehicle to pass through the intersection, and obtains the acquired information. Based on this, the time required to pass the intersection is predicted.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided the driving support apparatus according to the second aspect, wherein the information acquisition means acquires statistical data of a time required for another vehicle to pass through the intersection. .

  According to the invention of claim 3, the driving support device predicts or detects the approach of the own vehicle to the intersection, acquires statistical data of the time required for passing through the intersection, and passes the intersection based on the acquired information. Estimate how long it will take.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the driving support apparatus according to the third aspect of the present invention, the information acquisition means acquires the required time of the vehicle that has passed the intersection prior to the host vehicle.

  According to the invention of claim 4, the driving support device predicts or detects the approach of the own vehicle to the intersection, acquires the required time of the vehicle that has passed before the own vehicle, and based on the acquired information Estimate how long it will take to pass.

  Further, the driving support device according to the invention of claim 5 is the invention according to claims 1 to 4, wherein the information acquisition means acquires pedestrian information related to a pedestrian near the intersection detected by the intersection detection means, The passing time predicting means predicts a time required for passing the intersection based on the pedestrian information.

  According to the invention of claim 5, the driving support apparatus predicts or detects the approach of the own vehicle to the intersection, obtains information on pedestrians near the intersection, and requires the passage of the intersection based on the obtained information. Predict time.

  According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the driving support apparatus according to the first to fifth aspects of the present invention, the information acquisition unit acquires a running state of the oncoming vehicle at the intersection detected by the intersection detection unit, and the passing The time predicting means predicts a time required for passing the intersection based on a running state of the oncoming vehicle.

  According to the invention of claim 6, the driving support apparatus predicts or detects the approach of the own vehicle to the intersection, acquires the traveling state of the oncoming vehicle, and calculates the time required for passing the intersection based on the acquired information. Predict.

  According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the driving support apparatus according to the first to sixth aspects of the present invention, the information acquisition means is configured to detect a change in the lighting state of a traffic light installed at an intersection detected by the intersection detection means and the information acquisition means. The transit time predicting means predicts a time required to pass the intersection based on the change in the lighting state and the change in the travel state.

  According to the invention of claim 7, the driving support device predicts or detects the approach of the own vehicle to the intersection, acquires the signal information and the traveling state information of the own vehicle, and based on the acquired information, the intersection Estimate how long it will take to pass.

  The driving support device according to an eighth aspect of the present invention is the driving support device according to the first to seventh aspects of the present invention, wherein the passage time predicting means passes the intersection detected by the intersection detecting means for each passing direction of the intersection. It is characterized by predicting the time required.

  According to the invention of claim 8, the driving support apparatus predicts or detects the approach of the own vehicle to the intersection, obtains information on the situation around the own vehicle and the situation of the own vehicle, and based on the obtained information. Predict the time required to pass for each direction of intersection.

  The driving support device according to the invention of claim 9 is a route setting for setting a travel route in the vicinity of the intersection based on the estimated required time predicted by the transit time prediction means in the inventions of claims 1 to 8. The apparatus further includes means.

  According to the ninth aspect of the invention, the driving support apparatus predicts or detects the approach of the own vehicle to the intersection, acquires information on the situation around the own vehicle and the situation of the own vehicle, and based on the obtained information. Estimate the time required to pass the intersection and set the travel route.

  According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, in the driving support apparatus according to the ninth aspect, the route setting means further sets the travel route in the vicinity of the intersection using the set destination information. Features.

  According to the tenth aspect of the present invention, the driving support apparatus predicts the time required for passing the intersection, and sets the travel route in the vicinity of the intersection using the destination information.

  According to an eleventh aspect of the present invention, in the driving support apparatus according to the ninth or tenth aspect of the present invention, the route setting means further sets a travel route in the vicinity of the intersection using the operation state of the vehicle by the driver. It is characterized by that.

  According to the eleventh aspect of the invention, the driving support apparatus predicts the time required for passing the intersection and further sets the travel route in the vicinity of the intersection using the state of the driving operation.

  Further, in the driving support apparatus according to the invention of claim 12, in the invention of claims 1 to 11, the passing time predicting means further determines the time required for passing another intersection in the vicinity of the intersection detected by the intersection detecting means. It is characterized by prediction.

  According to the twelfth aspect of the present invention, the driving support apparatus predicts the time required for passing an intersection where the host vehicle enters, and also predicts the time required for passing another nearby intersection.

  A driving support system according to a thirteenth aspect of the present invention is a driving support system for supporting driving of a vehicle, wherein an intersection approach detecting means for predicting or detecting an approach of the vehicle to an intersection, a situation around the vehicle, and And / or information acquisition means for acquiring information on the status of the vehicle, and passage time prediction means for predicting the time required for the vehicle to pass through the intersection based on the information acquired by the information acquisition means. It is characterized by that.

  According to the invention of claim 13, the driving support system predicts or detects the approach of the own vehicle to the intersection, acquires information about the situation around the own vehicle and the situation of the own vehicle, and based on the obtained information Predict the time required to pass the intersection.

  According to a fourteenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a driving support method for supporting driving of a vehicle, an intersection approach detection step for predicting or detecting an approach of a vehicle to an intersection, a situation around the vehicle, and And / or an information acquisition step of acquiring information related to the status of the vehicle, and a transit time prediction step of predicting a time required for the vehicle to pass through the intersection based on the information acquired by the information acquisition step. It is characterized by that.

  According to the invention of claim 14, the driving support method predicts or detects the approach of the own vehicle to the intersection, acquires information on the situation around the own vehicle and the situation of the own vehicle, and based on the obtained information. Predict the time required to pass the intersection.

  According to the invention of claim 1, the driving support device predicts or detects the approach of the own vehicle to the intersection, acquires information about the situation around the own vehicle and the situation of the own vehicle, and based on the obtained information, Since the time required for passing the vehicle is predicted, it is possible to obtain a driving support device capable of accurately predicting the time required for passing the intersection.

  In addition, according to the invention of claim 2, the driving support apparatus predicts or detects the approach of the own vehicle to the intersection, acquires the actual time required for the other vehicle to pass through the intersection, and acquires the acquired information. Therefore, it is possible to obtain a driving support device that can accurately predict the time required for passing the intersection based on the actual results.

  According to the invention of claim 3, the driving support apparatus predicts or detects the approach of the own vehicle to the intersection, acquires statistical data of the time required for passing through the intersection, and based on the acquired information, Since the time required for passing is predicted, the driving support device capable of accurately predicting the time required for passing the intersection based on the statistical data can be obtained.

  According to the invention of claim 4, the driving support device predicts or detects the approach of the own vehicle to the intersection, acquires the required time of the vehicle that has passed before the own vehicle, and based on the acquired information Since the time required for passing the intersection is predicted, there is an effect that it is possible to obtain a driving support device capable of accurately predicting the time required for passing based on the state of the intersection at that time.

  According to the invention of claim 5, the driving support device predicts or detects the approach of the own vehicle to the intersection, acquires information on a pedestrian near the intersection, and passes the intersection based on the acquired information. Since the time required is predicted, there is an effect that it is possible to obtain a driving support device that can accurately predict the time required for passing the intersection based on the state of the pedestrian.

  According to the invention of claim 6, the driving support device predicts or detects the approach of the own vehicle to the intersection, acquires the traveling state of the oncoming vehicle, and takes the time required for passing the intersection based on the acquired information. Therefore, there is an effect that it is possible to obtain a driving support device capable of accurately predicting the time required for passing an intersection based on the state of the oncoming vehicle.

  According to the invention of claim 7, the driving support device predicts or detects the approach of the own vehicle to the intersection, acquires the signal information and the traveling state information of the own vehicle, and based on the acquired information. Since the time required for passing the intersection is predicted, the driving support device capable of accurately calculating the time required for passing the intersection can be obtained.

  According to the invention of claim 8, the driving support apparatus predicts or detects the approach of the own vehicle to the intersection, acquires information about the situation around the own vehicle and the situation of the own vehicle, and based on the obtained information. Thus, since the required travel time is predicted for each passing direction of the intersection, there is an effect that it is possible to obtain a driving support device that can accurately and in detail predict the time required for passing the intersection.

  According to the invention of claim 9, the driving support apparatus predicts or detects the approach of the own vehicle to the intersection, acquires information on the situation around the own vehicle and the situation of the own vehicle, and based on the obtained information. Thus, since the travel route is set by predicting the time required to pass the intersection, it is possible to obtain a driving support device that accurately predicts the time required to pass the intersection and examines the detour route.

  In addition, according to the invention of claim 10, the driving support device predicts the time required for passing through the intersection and sets the travel route in the vicinity of the intersection using the destination information immediately. There is an effect that it is possible to obtain a driving support device that accurately predicts the time required and examines a detour route for arriving at the destination early.

  According to the invention of claim 11, the driving support apparatus predicts the time required for passing the intersection and sets the travel route in the vicinity of the intersection by further using the state of the driving operation. There is an effect that it is possible to obtain a driving support device that accurately predicts time and examines a detour route in accordance with the driver's intention.

  According to the twelfth aspect of the invention, the driving support apparatus predicts the time required for passing the intersection where the host vehicle enters, and also predicts the time required for passing the other intersection in the vicinity. It is possible to obtain a driving support device that accurately predicts and considers the fastest detour route.

  According to the invention of claim 13, the driving support system predicts or detects the approach of the own vehicle to the intersection, acquires information on the situation around the own vehicle and the situation of the own vehicle, and based on the obtained information. Thus, since the time required for passing the intersection is predicted, there is an effect that a driving support system capable of accurately predicting the time required for passing the intersection can be obtained.

  According to the invention of claim 14, the driving support method predicts or detects the approach of the own vehicle to the intersection, acquires information about the situation around the own vehicle and the situation of the own vehicle, and based on the obtained information. Thus, since the time required for passing the intersection is predicted, it is possible to obtain a driving support method capable of accurately predicting the time required for passing the intersection.

  Exemplary embodiments of a driving support device, a driving support system, and a driving support method according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  First, prediction of the time required for passing an intersection will be described with reference to FIG. When a vehicle passes through an intersection, in addition to the state of a traffic light, the time required to pass varies depending on the traveling state of other vehicles and the state of a pedestrian.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 1, when the host vehicle A10 is approaching the intersection C1, the host vehicle A10 enters after the preceding vehicle A21 and the preceding vehicle A22 pass through the intersection C1, and therefore the preceding vehicles A21, 22 Depending on the traveling state (number, position, speed, interval, etc.), the time required for the host vehicle to enter the intersection C1 varies. Further, when entering the intersection C1, whether to enter is determined according to the state of the traffic light S1.

  Further, for example, when the host vehicle is scheduled to turn right at the intersection C1, the vehicle turns right according to the traveling state (number, position, speed, interval, etc.) of the oncoming vehicles A41 to 43 and the pedestrian state (number, position, etc.) of the pedestrian crossing P1. The time until it can be determined.

  Similarly, even when the host vehicle makes a left turn, it is affected by the time until the passing is completed by a pedestrian or the like, and when the host vehicle goes straight, it is affected by a right turn of the oncoming vehicle.

  Therefore, in the prediction of the intersection transit time according to the present invention, in addition to the state of the traffic light S1, the situation of other vehicles at the intersection, the situation of pedestrians, the traveling state of the own vehicle, etc. are acquired and until the intersection is passed. Exactly how long it will take to complete.

  FIG. 2 shows a specific configuration example of the driving support device that realizes the intersection transit time prediction. In the figure, the driving support device 1 is connected to a navigation device 2, a guidance processing device 3, a winker switch 4, a center communication device 52, a VICS communication device 53, an inter-vehicle communication device 54, and an outside camera 55.

  The navigation device 2 is an in-vehicle device that sets a travel route of the host vehicle. Specifically, the navigation device 2 is connected to the GPS communication device 51 and includes a destination setting unit 21, an entire route setting unit 22, and a storage unit 23 therein.

  The GPS communication device 51 is a device that communicates with a GPS (Global Positioning System) artificial satellite and identifies the current position of the host vehicle. The destination setting unit 21 is a processing unit that sets the destination of the host vehicle based on input from the user.

  Then, the entire route setting unit 22 sets the travel route from the current position to the destination with reference to the map data 23 a stored in the storage unit 23.

  The navigation device 2 outputs the set travel route, the current position of the host vehicle, and map information around the current position to the driving support device 1 and the guidance processing device 3.

  The guidance processing device 3 includes a sound output unit 31 that outputs sound from a speaker in the vehicle and a display output unit 32 that controls display output on a display in the vehicle. The voice output unit 31 and the display output unit 32 perform route guidance for the driver.

  The winker switch 4 is operated by the driver, performs lighting control of the winker lamp, and supplies the operation state to the driving support device 1. In addition, various operation information indicating the operation state of the vehicle by the driver may be supplied to the driving support device 1.

  The center communication device 52 is a device that communicates with the center via a network such as the Internet. Furthermore, a VICS (Vehicle Information and Communication System) communication device 33 is a device that communicates with a communication terminal installed on a road surface or the like. The inter-vehicle communication device 54 is a device that realizes communication processing with other vehicles.

  The vehicle exterior camera 55 is an imaging device that captures an image of the periphery of the host vehicle and supplies it to the driving support device 1. In addition, various information acquisition means for collecting information on the periphery of the own vehicle and the inside of the own vehicle such as a radar device may be connected to the driving support device 1.

  The driving support device 1 includes a transit time prediction unit 10, a performance information acquisition unit 11, a signal information acquisition unit 12, a surrounding vehicle information acquisition unit 13, and a pedestrian detection unit 14 therein.

  The performance information acquisition unit 11 is a processing unit that acquires information related to past movement results of the host vehicle and other vehicles. Moreover, the signal information acquisition part 12 is a process part which acquires the information which shows the timing which a signal switches, and the surrounding vehicle information acquisition part 13 is a process part which acquires the state of a surrounding vehicle, especially the space | interval of an oncoming vehicle. And the pedestrian detection part 14 is a detection part which acquires the presence or absence, the number, a position, etc. of the pedestrian near the intersection and a bicycle.

  Specifically, the record information acquisition unit 11 is based on the outputs of the navigation device 2, the center communication device 52, the VICS communication device 53, and the inter-vehicle communication device 54, and the own vehicle movement record data 11a and the other vehicle passing record data. 11b and statistical performance data 11c are created.

  The own vehicle movement record data 11a indicates the movement record of the own vehicle, that is, the speed at which the own vehicle approaches the intersection. As shown in FIG. 3, if the own vehicle A10 moves to a position A10a after a predetermined time and the moving distance is D1, which of the own vehicle enters the intersection C1 and passes (arrives at the position A10b) It can be calculated whether it only takes time.

  The travel amount (or travel speed) of the host vehicle can be obtained by acquiring position information from the navigation device 2 or calculating from the travel speed of the host vehicle. And by calculating the passing time of the intersection based on the actual movement amount (movement result) of the own vehicle in this way, for example, there are many preceding vehicles such as in traffic jams, even in a state where traveling at a desired speed is not possible, Adapting to the situation, it is possible to accurately calculate the time required to pass the intersection.

  Here, when the vehicle approaches the intersection, the movement is synchronized with the state change of the signal S1 (approach when the signal is blue, and stop when it is red). Therefore, the signal information acquired by the signal information acquisition unit 12 may be associated with the movement record of the host vehicle.

  Next, the other vehicle passage record data 11b is data indicating the required time of the vehicle that has passed through the intersection prior to the host vehicle. The actual value of the required time required for the other vehicle to pass through the intersection may be measured by a measuring device provided at the intersection and notified to the vehicle before entering the intersection, or the vehicle itself may measure the required time. The measurement result may be notified to other vehicles after passing the intersection.

  FIG. 4 shows a configuration example in the case where a measuring device is installed at an intersection. In the figure, measuring devices T1 to T3 are installed on the approach side of the intersection C1, and measuring devices T4 to T6 are installed on the exit side of the intersection C1. When the measuring devices T1 to T3 detect nearby vehicles (the measuring device T1 is the vehicle A10, the measuring device T2 is the vehicle A21, and the measuring device T3 is the vehicle A22), the measuring devices T1 to T3 start measuring time with a timer. T6 ends the time measurement by the timer when the vehicle passes. Thereafter, the measuring devices T4 to T6 transmit the measurement results to the measuring devices T1 to T3, and the measuring devices T1 to T3 notify the vehicle existing in the vicinity at that time of the time measurement results.

  Therefore, the vehicle in the vicinity of the measuring devices T1 to T3 can specifically acquire how much time it took to pass the intersection or the vehicle that was in the same position as the own vehicle before that. it can.

  When realizing this measurement and notification on the vehicle side, the vehicle uses map information and position information to directly measure how much time it took to pass through the intersection, and the measurement result is used as an inter-vehicle communication device. What is necessary is just to transmit to another vehicle by 54.

  The statistical performance data 11c is statistical data of the time required for passing through the intersection. Specifically, statistical data obtained by averaging the time required for passing each intersection for each date, day of the week, and time is created in advance and stored in the center. And the results information acquisition part 11 receives the statistical data of the intersection which the own vehicle is going to pass from the center using the center communication device 52.

  Specifically, the signal information acquisition unit 12 acquires information indicating the signal switching timing from the VICS communication device 53. The surrounding vehicle information acquisition unit 13 acquires the state of the surrounding vehicle (vehicle position, speed, interval, etc.) based on the outputs of the inter-vehicle communication device 54 and the outside camera 55. And the pedestrian detection part 14 acquires a pedestrian's state (a position, speed, number, etc.) based on the output of a camera outside a vehicle.

  The passing time prediction unit 10 is a processing unit that predicts the time required to pass an intersection based on the outputs of the record information acquisition unit 11, the signal information acquisition unit 12, the surrounding vehicle information acquisition unit 13, and the pedestrian detection unit 14. It has a prediction unit 10a for each passing direction, a neighboring intersection cooperation unit 10b, and a detailed route setting unit 10c.

  The prediction unit 10a for each passing direction is a processing unit that predicts the time required for passing for each passing direction of an intersection, that is, for each direction such as “turn right”, “turn left”, and “go straight”. The neighborhood intersection cooperation unit 10b is a processing unit that acquires or predicts the time required for passing at another intersection in the vicinity of the intersection where the host vehicle enters.

  The detailed route setting unit 10c is a processing unit that searches and sets a detour route when the host vehicle passes through an intersection.

  This bypass route will be described with reference to FIG. In the figure, the host vehicle A10 is scheduled to move to the position A10d through the intersection C1. At this time, if the time required for a right turn at intersection C1 is significantly greater than the time required for a straight or left turn, it is faster to use a detour route than to select a route R1 that makes a right turn at intersection C1. A10d may be reached.

  Therefore, the detailed route selection unit 10c first compares the predicted passage time when turning right at the intersection C1, the predicted passage time when traveling straight, and the predicted passage time when turning left using the prediction result by the prediction unit 10a according to the passing direction. However, if the predicted passing time for a right turn is longer than the predicted traveling time for a straight turn or a left turn, a bypass route is searched using the neighboring intersection linkage unit 10b.

  For example, when the predicted straight passage time is smaller than the predicted turn time for the left turn, the detailed route setting unit 10c acquires the state of nearby intersections (intersections C2 to C7).

  Then turn right at intersection C2, turn right at intersection C3, turn left at intersection C4, go straight on detour route R2 to position A10d, go straight on intersection C2, turn left on intersections C5 to C7, and make detour route R3 to position A10d. Search for.

  Further, the total required time when traveling on the detour route R2 and the detour route R3 is calculated from the state of each intersection, and compared with the required time when traveling on the route R1.

  As a result, if the required time for synthesis of the detour route R2 or the detour route R3 is shorter than the required time when traveling on the route R1, the detour route is adopted and notified to the driver using the guidance processing device 3. To do.

  As described above, the time required for passing the intersection is acquired for each traveling direction, and the time required for passing the surrounding intersection is acquired, so that the optimum detour route can be automatically searched.

  Such a search for a detour route at an intersection is preferably linked to the navigation device 2. That is, as shown in FIG. 6, the navigation device 2 sets a travel route from the current position X to the destination Y. And the passage points x and y are shown on the travel route.

  Therefore, the detailed route setting unit 10c of the driving support device 1 acquires the information on the route set by the navigation device 2, so that the host vehicle travels in which direction at each intersection (that is, the passing points x and y) on the route. It can be determined.

  Then, by searching for the optimum route from the estimated passage time of the intersection or a nearby intersection, it is possible to pass through the passage points x and y in the entire route using the optimum route.

  It should be noted that the navigation device 2 does not necessarily perform the entire route setting or route guidance when performing route search or navigation at such a specific point.

  For example, knowing in which direction the host vehicle is going to pass the next intersection before entering the intersection based on the operating state of the turn signal switch 4 by the driver and information on the traveling lane of the host vehicle Can do.

  Therefore, when the direction of passage of the intersection is determined from the state of driving operation or the traveling state of the vehicle, a detour route that can pass faster in that direction can be considered.

  Next, a specific example of the processing operation of the driving support device 1 in the state shown in FIG. 5 will be described. FIG. 7 is a flowchart for explaining the processing operation in the case of sharing the detour route when the host vehicle makes a right turn. In addition, although the case where the driving assistance apparatus 1 detects the right turn plan of the own vehicle is described here as an example, the same applies to the case where the driving support device 1 passes in another direction. Further, the driving support device 1 constantly monitors the running state and the operation state of the own vehicle, and starts the processing flow as shown in the figure when predicting / detecting the approach of the own vehicle to the intersection. .

  First, the driving assistance device 1 detects the right turn schedule of the host vehicle based on the output of the navigation device 2 and the operation state of the turn signal switch 4 (step S101), and passes the predicted passing time for each direction of the entering intersection. Calculation is performed by the direction prediction unit 10a (step S102).

  Then, it is determined whether or not the time required for the right turn is longer than the time required for passing in the other direction (step S103). As a result, when the time required for passing in the right turn is larger than the time required for passing in the other direction (step S103, Yes), the neighboring intersection linkage unit 10b acquires the estimated passing time at the neighboring intersections ( In step S110, the detour route is searched and the required time of the detour route is calculated (step S111).

  As a result, when there is a detour route that is earlier than the original route (step S112, Yes), the detailed route setting unit 10c presents the detour route to the driver using the guidance processing device 3 (step S113), and the process Exit.

  On the other hand, when the time required for passing in a right turn is less than the time required for passing in the other direction (step S103, No), or when there is no detour route earlier than the original route (step S112, No), driving The support apparatus 1 guides the right turn at the next intersection (step S104) and ends the process.

  In this way, the detour route can be automatically examined by predicting the required time for each direction based on the state of the intersection and further using the estimated passage time of the surrounding intersection.

  By the way, detailed and accurate acquisition of the state of the intersection can be used not only for detour routes but also for other purposes.For example, if there are multiple lanes on one side, how to proceed for each lane is Different. For example, in the example shown in FIG. 8, the left lane L1 is a lane for turning left and going straight, and the right lane L2 is a lane for going straight and turning right.

  Here, the lane L1 and the lane L2 travel differently depending on which direction each of the vehicles A23 to A27 passes. Therefore, for example, when the host vehicle is going straight ahead, by predicting the progress of the lane L1 and the lane L2, which lane should be traveled and which lane should be changed from the currently traveled lane It can be determined whether or not.

  Further, when a plurality of vehicles are divided and headed to the same destination, it is desirable to continuously travel so as not to leave each other, but there are cases where the vehicle is divided depending on the timing at which the signal is switched. For example, as shown in FIG. 9, when vehicles A10-12 are heading to the same destination and turn right at intersection C1 toward positions A10e, A11e, A12e, vehicles A11, A12 after vehicle A10 turns right. Alternatively, the signal may turn red before the vehicle A12 turns right.

  Therefore, the passengers of the vehicle A10 and the vehicle A11 have to pass through the intersection while confirming whether or not the following vehicle follows. However, since the driving assistance apparatus 1 acquires the situation of the intersection with high accuracy, the number of times of the green light that the host vehicle can pass, and the number of subsequent vehicles of the host vehicle can pass at the same timing. It becomes possible to judge whether.

  As described above, the driving support apparatus according to the present embodiment can acquire information on various factors that affect the passage of an intersection and can predict the time required for the passage of the intersection in detail and accurately.

  And, it can reduce the driver's mental load by notifying the estimated required travel time, and also assist in the examination of detour routes, determination of driving lanes, whether or not to execute lane changes, etc. Can do.

  In the present embodiment, the time required for the driving support device mounted on the vehicle to pass through the intersection is predicted. However, the use of the present invention is not limited to this, and may be modified as appropriate. Is possible. For example, the center that collects information from the vehicle may predict the time required for passing the intersection and notify the vehicle, or the vehicle and the center may share the function to predict the time required for passing the intersection. It is good also as composition to do.

  As described above, the driving support device according to the present invention is useful for driving support for vehicles, and is particularly suitable for driving support for intersections.

It is explanatory drawing explaining the estimation of the time which passes through the intersection concerning this invention. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a schematic configuration of a driving support apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is explanatory drawing explaining the prediction of the passage time based on the movement state of the own vehicle. It is explanatory drawing explaining the utilization method of the track record of another vehicle. It is explanatory drawing explaining examination of a detour route. It is explanatory drawing explaining the cooperation with a navigation apparatus. It is explanatory drawing explaining the processing operation at the time of a detour route examination. It is explanatory drawing explaining the selection of a travel lane. It is explanatory drawing explaining the driving | running | working with a some vehicle.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Driving assistance apparatus 2 Navigation apparatus 3 Guidance processing apparatus 4 Blinker switch 10 Passing time prediction part 11 Performance information acquisition part 12 Signal information acquisition part 13 Surrounding vehicle information acquisition part 14 Pedestrian detection part 21 Destination setting part 22 Whole route setting part 23 Storage Unit 23a Map Data 31 Audio Output Unit 32 Display Output Unit 51 GPS Communication Device 52 Center Communication Device 53 VICS Communication Device 54 Inter-Vehicle Communication Device 55 Outside Camera

Claims (14)

A driving support device mounted on a vehicle and supporting driving of the host vehicle,
An intersection detection means for predicting or detecting the approach of the own vehicle to the intersection;
Information acquisition means for acquiring information about the situation around the host vehicle and / or the situation of the host vehicle;
Based on the information acquired by the information acquisition means, a transit time prediction means for predicting the time required for passing the intersection detected by the intersection detection means;
A driving support apparatus comprising:   The information acquisition unit acquires a record of a required time when another vehicle passes through the intersection detected by the intersection detection unit, and the passage prediction unit is required to pass the intersection based on the required time record. The driving support device according to claim 1, wherein time is predicted.   The driving support apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the information acquisition unit acquires statistical data of a time required for another vehicle to pass through the intersection.   The driving support apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the information acquisition unit acquires a required time of a vehicle that has passed through the intersection prior to the host vehicle.   The information acquisition means acquires pedestrian information about a pedestrian near the intersection detected by the intersection detection means, and the transit time prediction means predicts a time required for the intersection to pass based on the pedestrian information. The driving support device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein   The information acquisition means acquires the traveling state of the oncoming vehicle at the intersection detected by the intersection detecting means, and the passing time prediction means predicts the time required for the intersection to pass based on the traveling state of the oncoming vehicle. The driving support device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein   The information acquisition means acquires a change in a lighting state of a traffic light installed at an intersection detected by the intersection detection means and a change in a traveling state of the host vehicle, and the transit time prediction means includes a change in the lighting state. The driving support device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein a time required for passing the intersection is predicted based on the change in the driving state.   The said passing time prediction means predicts the time required for passage for every passing direction of the said intersection about the intersection detected by the said intersection detection means. Driving assistance device.   9. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a route setting unit that sets a travel route in the vicinity of the intersection based on the estimated required time predicted by the transit time prediction unit. Driving assistance device.   The driving support device according to claim 9, wherein the route setting unit sets a travel route in the vicinity of the intersection by further using information on the set destination.   The driving support device according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the route setting means sets a travel route in the vicinity of the intersection by further using the operation state of the vehicle by the driver.   The driving assistance according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the passing time predicting unit further predicts a time required to pass another intersection in the vicinity of the intersection detected by the intersection detecting unit. apparatus. A driving support system for supporting driving of a vehicle,
An intersection approach detection means for predicting or detecting an approach to a vehicle intersection;
Information acquisition means for acquiring information on the situation around the vehicle and / or the situation of the vehicle;
Based on the information acquired by the information acquisition means, a transit time prediction means for predicting the time required for the vehicle to pass through the intersection;
A driving support system characterized by comprising: A driving support method for supporting driving of a vehicle,
An intersection approach detection process for predicting or detecting an approach to a vehicle intersection;
An information acquisition step of acquiring information on the situation around the vehicle and / or the situation of the vehicle;
Based on the information acquired by the information acquisition step, a transit time prediction step of predicting the time required for the vehicle to pass through the intersection;
A driving support method characterized by comprising

Images