JP2006284414A - On-vehicle information terminal, traveling control system of automobile, and traveling control device and method of automobile - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an on-vehicle information terminal, a traveling control system of an automobile, and a traveling control device and a method of the automobile, capable of performing smoothly automatic adjustment of speed corresponding to the surrounding state by recognizing a traveling lane of own car and gradient information of a traveling route, concerning an automobile for setting target speed by detecting the traveling route and controlling the own car speed corresponding to the set target speed. <P>SOLUTION: The own car position is detected or estimated corresponding to map information, and the traveling lane of own car is recognized corresponding to image information and a steering angle of own car, and the traveling route is determined corresponding to the detected or estimated own car position and the recognized traveling lane. For example, a road gradient near own car is recognized corresponding to the image information and a speed differential value of own car, and the traveling route is determined corresponding to the detected or estimated own car position and the recognized road gradient. Otherwise, the kind of a toll receiving device in front of own car is recognized corresponding to the image information or a signal received from an infrastructure, and the traveling route is determined corresponding to the detected or estimated own car position and the recognized kind of the toll receiving device. The target speed of own car is set corresponding to the determined traveling route, and the speed of own car is controlled corresponding to the set target speed. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an in-vehicle information terminal, a vehicle travel control system, a vehicle travel control apparatus and method, and more particularly, a vehicle travel control system for recognizing a travel environment ahead of the vehicle and controlling the speed of the vehicle, and the vehicle. The present invention relates to a travel control apparatus and method.

  In a conventional navigation system, based on information on a vehicle position received from a GPS (Global Positioning System) and a map DB (Data Base) stored in a DVD-ROM or a hard disk, Detection is in progress. For example, in Patent Document 1, a curve road is extracted from map information of a navigation system that detects a travel route, a target speed according to the road characteristics of the curve road is set, and before entering the curve road, A system is described that achieves safe driving at reduced speed.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 04-236699

  In order to realize the system described in Patent Document 1, it is important to improve the accuracy of the GPS and the map DB, but those using this GPS may not be able to capture satellites due to multipath depending on the terrain. Therefore, the accuracy may be significantly reduced. For this purpose, there is a method of correcting the position of the vehicle by so-called autonomous navigation, which is estimated by a gyro sensor and a vehicle speed sensor. Even in this case, the vehicle identified by using the map DB by meandering, tire pressure change, slip, etc. An error occurs in the position.

  For this reason, the conventional navigation system performs a map matching function that corrects the road on the navigation map owned by the vehicle by sensing that the vehicle has been steered at a curve or intersection with a gyro sensor or the like. There is something. However, with this method, the position of the vehicle's map on the map is corrected after actual steering at a curve, intersection, etc., so it is impossible to recognize branch roads, three-dimensional intersections, and parallel roads, and erroneously detect travel routes. There is a case to do. For example, if one of the paths after the branch is a straight road and the other is a curved road, the curve will not be detected due to a misjudgment of the branch road, but the deceleration timing will be There is a possibility of delay and a sense of incongruity to the driver. In addition, the same phenomenon occurs on a three-dimensional intersection or a parallel road.

  Further, as a problem when performing the automatic speed adjustment, correspondence in the vicinity of a toll collection device (hereinafter referred to as a toll gate) can be considered. In recent years, the spread of ETC (Electronic Toll Collection Systems) is remarkable, and there are many places where conventional manual tollgates and ETC are mixed. ETC is a system developed for the purpose of alleviating traffic congestion near gates such as expressways, and automatically pays fees by communicating between the gate and the in-vehicle device when passing through a toll gate. Therefore, a significant reduction in the time required to pass through the gate is expected. However, when the automatic speed adjustment is performed near the toll gate for the purpose of further convenience, the target speed at the time of passing through the gate between the ETC equipped car and the car using the manual toll booth (hereinafter referred to as a general car) Therefore, it is necessary to set the target speed according to the type of toll booth used by each car. For example, the recommended speed of an ETC-equipped vehicle when passing through a gate is about 20 km / h, and an ordinary vehicle needs to be set to 0 km / h in order to pay the fee manually.

  In view of the problems of the prior art, an object of the present invention is to enable driving assistance without a sense of incongruity by smoothly performing automatic speed adjustment.

  In order to achieve the above object, one of the vehicle travel control systems according to the present invention includes a vehicle position detection means for detecting or estimating the vehicle position according to map information, and a travel for recognizing the travel lane of the vehicle. Lane recognition means, travel route determination means for determining a travel route according to the own vehicle position detected or estimated by the own vehicle position detection means and the travel lane recognized by the travel lane recognition means, and the travel route determination Target speed setting means for setting the target speed of the own vehicle according to the travel route determined by the means, and speed control means for controlling the speed of the own vehicle according to the target speed set by the target speed setting means. Have.

  Preferably, the travel lane recognition means recognizes the travel lane of the host vehicle according to the image information.

  Preferably, the travel lane recognition means recognizes the travel lane of the host vehicle according to the steering angle of the host vehicle.

  One of the vehicle travel control systems according to the present invention includes a vehicle position detection unit that detects or estimates a vehicle position according to map information, and a road gradient recognition unit that recognizes a road gradient near the vehicle. A travel route determination unit that determines a travel route according to the road gradient recognized by the road gradient recognition unit, and a target speed that sets a target speed of the host vehicle according to the travel route determined by the travel route determination unit Setting means; and speed control means for controlling the speed of the host vehicle in accordance with the target speed set by the target speed setting means.

  Preferably, the road gradient recognition means recognizes a road gradient according to image information.

  Preferably, the road gradient recognition means recognizes the road gradient according to the speed differential value of the own vehicle.

  Furthermore, one of the vehicle travel control systems according to the present invention includes a vehicle position detection means for detecting or estimating the vehicle position according to map information, and a fee collection for recognizing the type of the charge collection device in front of the vehicle. A device recognition unit, a travel route determination unit that determines a travel route according to the type of the fee collection device recognized by the fee collection device recognition unit, and a vehicle according to the travel route determined by the travel route determination unit Target speed setting means for setting the target speed, and speed control means for controlling the speed of the vehicle according to the target speed set by the target speed setting means.

  Preferably, the fee collection device recognition means recognizes the type of the fee collection device according to the image information.

  Preferably, the fee collection device recognizing means recognizes the type of the fee collection device in accordance with a signal received from the infrastructure.

  According to the present invention, in a car that detects a travel route, sets a target speed, and controls the speed of the host vehicle according to the set target speed, recognizes the travel lane of the host vehicle and gradient information of the travel route. By doing so, it becomes possible to smoothly perform automatic adjustment of the speed according to the surrounding situation.

  In addition, according to the present invention, it is possible to reduce occupant discomfort caused by erroneous detection of the travel route.

  It is also possible to change the target speed setting by recognizing toll gate information in a place where multiple types of toll gates are mixed, expanding the area for automatic speed adjustment and increasing the driver's load. Can be reduced.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. First, a travel control system for an automobile provided with travel environment recognition means for recognizing the travel lane of the host vehicle will be described with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a travel control system according to an embodiment of the present invention. An engine 5 and a transmission 6 are mounted on the vehicle body 10, and torque generated by the engine 5 is transmitted to the tire 22 via the transmission 6 and the propeller shaft 8. The torque output from the transmission 6 is transmitted to the tires 21 and 22 via the propeller shaft 9 by the power split mechanism 7. The torque of the engine 5 is adjusted according to a control signal of an engine ECU (Electric Control Unit) (not shown).

  Each of the tires 21 and 22 is provided with brakes 11 and 12 controlled by an actuator such as a booster. The tires 21 and 22 are rotated by generating a pressing force by a driver's brake operation or a control signal from a brake ECU (not shown). The braking force of the vehicle body 10 is adjusted by decelerating.

  In addition, the vehicle body 10 is equipped with a camera 2 that acquires image information and detects an external environment, and an antenna 3 that receives information (mainly latitude and longitude) about the position of the vehicle using the GPS 4. These sensors, the engine ECU, the brake ECU, and the like are equipped with a travel control device 100 that performs communication via a LAN (Local Area Network).

  Next, the configuration and processing of the travel control device 100 will be described. The travel control device 100 includes a host vehicle position detection unit 101, a travel lane recognition unit 102, a travel route determination unit 103, a target speed setting unit 104, and a speed control unit 105. The contents of the processing described below are as follows. The program is programmed in 100 computers (not shown) and is repeatedly executed in a predetermined cycle.

  The own vehicle position detection means 101 detects the own vehicle position according to the information on the map DB stored in a recording medium such as a CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, or hard disk, and the information related to the own vehicle position received by the antenna 3. Or make an estimate.

  The traveling lane recognition means 102 recognizes the traveling lane of the own vehicle according to image information detected by the camera 2 and a steering angle of a steering (not shown). The steering angle is detected by a steering angle sensor which is a steering angle detection means, a rotation angle of a motor used as a steering actuator, or the like.

  The travel route determination unit 103 determines a travel route according to the vehicle position detected or estimated by the vehicle position detection unit 101 and the travel lane recognized by the travel lane recognition unit 102.

  The target speed setting unit 104 sets the target speed according to the travel route determined by the travel route determination unit 104. For example, when there is a curve ahead of the travel route, a target speed corresponding to the curvature radius of the curve is set so as not to give the occupant a feeling of fear or discomfort.

  The speed control unit 105 calculates the target torque of the engine 5 and the target pressure (or target torque) of the brakes 21 and 22 so as to realize the target speed set by the target speed setting unit 104. The target torque and target pressure (or target torque) calculated by the speed control means 105 are transmitted to the engine ECU and the brake ECU, respectively.

  The embodiment of the present invention is an example in which the processing of the own vehicle position detection means 101, the travel lane recognition means 102, the travel route determination means 103, the target speed setting means 104, and the speed control means 105 is realized in one ECU. Although shown, these processes may be realized using a plurality of ECUs. For example, the processing of the vehicle position detection unit 101, the travel lane recognition unit 102, and the travel route determination unit 103 can be programmed and executed on a computer mounted on a navigation which is an in-vehicle information terminal.

  The engine ECU outputs a control signal for the engine 5 according to the target torque received from the speed control means 105, and the brake ECU outputs the brakes 21, 22 according to the target pressure (or target torque) received from the speed control means 105. The control signal is output.

  As described above, it is possible to set the target speed according to the travel route and control the speed of the host vehicle using the travel control device 100.

  Next, the processing content of the own vehicle position detection means 101 is demonstrated. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the processing contents of the vehicle position detection means 101.

  First, in step 201, the vehicle position information (latitude, longitude, etc.) received from the GPS 4 by the antenna 3 is read. In step 202, the map DB stored in a recording medium such as a CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, or hard disk. Read the information.

  Next, in step 203, using the information on the vehicle position read in step 201, processing for matching the vehicle position with the map DB read in step 202 is performed. As an example of the matching process, a mesh is created on a map, and the vehicle position (latitude, longitude) is compared with the position of the mesh grid point on the map. Map matching that matches car positions is common.

  In step 204, the vehicle position is updated according to the result of the matching process executed in step 203. The vehicle position information may be a parameter representing the latitude and longitude described above, or area information, for example, a parameter representing a distance from the branch road to the vehicle position.

  As described above, the own vehicle position can be detected or estimated according to the map information using the own vehicle position detecting means 101.

  Next, processing contents of the traveling lane recognition unit 102 will be described. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the processing contents of the traveling lane recognition means 102. Here, a variable called LANE is provided as a parameter representing the traveling lane, and LANEz is a value (previous value) of a variable LANE calculated one cycle before.

  In step 301, image information indicating the driving environment (white line of the road, surrounding scenery, etc.) detected by the camera 2 is read, and in step 302, the vehicle's own vehicle is detected from the steering angle sensor attached to the steering system. Read steering angle information.

  In step 303, it is determined from the image information read in step 301 and the steering angle information read in step 302 whether or not the host vehicle has changed the driving lane (hereinafter referred to as lane change). To do. If it is determined that the lane change has been performed, the process proceeds to step 304. If it is determined that the lane change has not been performed, the process returns to step 301.

  In step 304, it is determined from the image information read in step 301 and the steering angle information read in step 302 whether or not the travel route has changed due to a right turn, a left turn, or the like. If it is determined that the travel route has changed, the process proceeds to step 306, where variable LANE is cleared (= 0) in step 306, and the process is terminated. If it is determined that the travel route has not changed, the process proceeds to step 305.

  In step 305, in order to determine the direction of lane change (right / left), whether or not the image information read in step 301 or the steering angle information read in step 302 has been changed to the right lane. Make a decision. If it is determined that the vehicle has changed to the right lane, in step 307, the variable LANE is incremented (LANE = LANEz + 1), and the process is terminated. If it is determined that the vehicle has not changed to the right lane (= changed to the left lane), in step 308, the variable LANE is decremented (LANE = LANEz-1) and the processing is terminated.

  As described above, the traveling lane recognition means 102 can be used to recognize the traveling lane of the host vehicle according to the image information detected by the camera 2 and the steering angle information of the steering (not shown).

  Next, a method for determining a branch path using the traveling lane of the host vehicle recognized by the traveling lane recognition means 102 will be described. In the embodiment of the present invention, the travel route determination means 103 determines the branch road.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the processing contents of the travel route determination means 103. In step 401, information on the vehicle position detected or estimated by the vehicle position detection means 101 is read.

  Next, in step 402, it is determined whether or not the vehicle has entered the vicinity of the branch road from the information of the vehicle position read in step 401, and it is determined that the vehicle has entered the vicinity of the branch road. In step 403, if it is determined that the vehicle has not entered the vicinity of the branch path, the process returns to step 401.

  In step 403, the travel lane LANE calculated by the travel lane recognition means 102 is read. In step 404, the travel route of the vehicle on the branch road is determined according to the value of LANE. Here, description will be made assuming that LANE = 0 is a left lane, and LANE = 1 is a right lane. If it is determined in step 404 that LANE = 0, the process proceeds to step 405, and in step 405, it is determined that the vehicle is traveling in the left lane of the branch road, and the process is terminated. If it is determined in step 404 that LAN ≠ 0, the process proceeds to step 406. In step 406, it is determined that the vehicle is traveling in the right lane of the branch road, and the process is terminated.

  As described above, the travel route determination unit 103 is used to use the information on the vehicle position detected or estimated by the vehicle position detection unit 101 and the travel lane information of the host vehicle recognized by the travel lane recognition unit 102. This makes it possible to determine the branch path.

  Next, effects of the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 will be described with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of traveling in the case where a branch road is determined from information on the traveling lane. First, it is assumed that the vehicle is traveling in a predetermined travel lane (LANE = predetermined value) at point A in the figure, and turns left at the intersection ahead and enters the left lane. At point B immediately after the left turn, the traveling lane recognition means 102 recognizes that the vehicle is traveling in the left lane (LANE = 0). Thereafter, when a lane change is performed and the host vehicle enters the right lane, the travel lane recognition means 102 increments the travel lane LANE and recognizes that the vehicle is traveling in the right lane (LANE = 1). At this time, if the vehicle has entered the area near the branch road shown in the figure, the value of the travel lane LANE is 1, so the travel route determination means 103 determines that the travel route is to the right of the branch road, and The situation ahead of the vehicle is determined to be a straight road. Furthermore, if a lane change is performed immediately before the branch road and the vehicle enters the left lane and travels on the left side of the branch road, the travel lane recognition means 102 decrements the travel lane LANE and travels in the left lane ( LANE = 0). At this time, since the value of the travel lane LANE is 0, the travel route determination unit 103 determines that the travel route is the left of the branch road, and the situation ahead of the host vehicle is determined to be a curve. Accordingly, the target speed corresponding to the forward curve shape (curvature radius, etc.) is quickly set, so that the speed can be automatically adjusted so as not to give the passenger a feeling of fear or discomfort.

  FIG. 6 is a time chart when the speed is adjusted according to the curve shape. In the determination of the travel route using the conventional navigation system, the travel route is erroneously determined to be near the point E in FIG. 5 due to the influence of the map matching accuracy, etc., and immediately before the curve entry start point. In some cases, the travel route of the vehicle shifts to the left side of the branch road. Therefore, as shown by the dotted line in FIG. 6, since the forward curve is detected immediately before the curve entry start point, it is necessary to rapidly decelerate from the speed Vo to the speed Vc, which gives the passenger an uncomfortable feeling. On the other hand, according to the present invention, it is possible to determine a reliable branch road using information on the traveling lane of the own vehicle, and to quickly detect a forward curve. Therefore, the degree of freedom in setting a deceleration pattern from the speed Vo to the speed Vc. The speed can be adjusted without increasing discomfort.

  Further, when the ignition switch is cut off at the point C in FIG. 5 and the information on the traveling lane is not stored in the memory or the like, the information on the traveling lane is initialized when the ignition switch is connected again (for example, , LANE = 0), there is a case where a branch path is erroneously determined. Therefore, when the ignition switch is cut off, the history of the recognized traveling lane is stored in a memory such as an EEPROM (Electronically Erasable and Programmable Read Only Memory) or a backup RAM. When the ignition switch is connected, it is desirable to recognize the traveling lane of the own vehicle according to the traveling lane history stored in these memories. By backing up the history of the travel lane recognized in this way, erroneous determination of the travel route can be prevented, and accurate travel route determination can be performed.

  Next, with reference to FIGS. 7 to 11, a description will be given of an automobile travel control system including road gradient recognition means for recognizing a road gradient near the host vehicle.

  FIG. 7 is a configuration diagram of a travel control system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The main components such as the power transmission system, camera, GPS, and antenna are the same as those shown in FIG.

  Next, the configuration and processing of the travel control device 700 will be described. The travel control device 700 includes a host vehicle position detection unit 701, a road gradient recognition unit 702, a travel route determination unit 703, a target speed setting unit 704, and a speed control unit 705. The contents of the following processing are programmed in a computer (not shown) of the travel control device 700 and are repeatedly executed at a predetermined cycle.

  The own vehicle position detecting means 701 detects the own vehicle position in accordance with the information on the map DB stored in a recording medium such as a CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, or hard disk and the information on the own vehicle position received by the antenna 3. Or make an estimate. The own vehicle position detection unit 701 is the same as the processing content of the own vehicle position detection unit 101 shown in FIG.

  The road gradient recognition unit 702 recognizes a road gradient in the vicinity of the own vehicle according to the image information detected by the camera 2 and the speed differential value of the own vehicle. The speed differential value is calculated using an acceleration sensor signal (not shown) or a conventionally used vehicle speed sensor signal.

  The travel route determination unit 703 determines a travel route according to the vehicle position detected or estimated by the vehicle position detection unit 701 and the road gradient recognized by the road gradient recognition unit 702.

  The target speed setting unit 704 sets a target speed according to the travel route determined by the travel route determination unit 704. For example, when there is a curve ahead of the travel route, a target speed corresponding to the curvature radius of the curve is set so as not to give the occupant a feeling of fear or discomfort.

  The speed control unit 705 calculates the target torque of the engine 5 and the target pressure (or target torque) of the brakes 21 and 22 so as to realize the target speed set by the target speed setting unit 704. The target torque and the target pressure (or target torque) calculated by the speed control means 705 are transmitted to the engine ECU and the brake ECU, respectively.

  In the embodiment of the present invention, the processing of the own vehicle position detection means 701, road gradient recognition means 702, travel route determination means 703, target speed setting means 704, and speed control means 705 is realized in one ECU. However, these processes may be realized using a plurality of ECUs. For example, the processing of the own vehicle position detection unit 701, the road gradient recognition unit 702, and the travel route determination unit 703 can be programmed and executed on a computer mounted on a navigation which is an in-vehicle information terminal.

  The engine ECU outputs a control signal for the engine 5 according to the target torque received from the speed control means 705, and the brake ECU outputs the brakes 21, 22 according to the target pressure (or target torque) received from the speed control means 705. The control signal is output.

  As described above, using the traveling control device 700, it is possible to set the target speed according to the traveling route and control the speed of the host vehicle.

  Next, the processing content of the road gradient recognition means 702 will be described. FIG. 8A is a flowchart showing the processing contents of the road gradient recognition means 702. In step 801, image information indicating the driving environment (white line on the road, surrounding scenery, etc.) detected by the camera 2 is read. In step 802, the vehicle state of the engine ECU, brake ECU, various sensors, and the like is read. Read the speed differential value of the vehicle using the parameter to represent.

  In step 803, the road gradient θ in the vicinity of the host vehicle is calculated according to the image information read in step 801 and the speed differential value read in step 802.

  Here, a method of obtaining the road gradient θ in the vicinity of the own vehicle using the image information will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 8B, the angle formed by the white line at the road edge and the horizontal line is φ. As shown by the solid line A (or A ′) in the figure, the angle when the road ahead of the host vehicle is a flat road is φo, and as shown by the dotted line B (or B ′) in the figure, the road ahead of the host vehicle is An angle in the case of an upward gradient is φu. Further, as shown by a one-dot chain line C (or C ′) in the figure, if the angle when the road ahead of the host vehicle is downhill is φd, the three angles have a relationship of φu> φo> φd. Therefore, the road gradient θ in front of the host vehicle can be calculated by the function f using the angle φ formed by the road shape (for example, white line) and the horizontal line. This function f is determined according to the mounting position of the camera.

Next, a method for obtaining the road gradient θ in the vicinity of the own vehicle using the speed differential value of the own vehicle will be described. The vehicle weight is M, the vehicle acceleration is α, the vehicle driving force is Fv, the running resistance due to friction with the road surface and air is Ra, and the gradient resistance is Rb (uphill gradient: Rb> 0, downhill gradient: Rb <0). Then, the equation of motion of the vehicle is expressed by equation (1).
M · α = Fv−Ra−Rb (1)
The vehicle driving force Fv, the running resistance Ra, and the gradient resistance Rb are expressed by equations (2) to (4) using functions g, v, and z.
Fv = g (TEG) (2)
Ra = v (VSP) (3)
Rb = z (θ) (4)
Here, TEG is the torque of the engine 5, and VSP is the vehicle speed. Formula (5) is obtained by rearranging formulas (1) to (3).
z (θ) = g (TEG) −v (VSP) −M · α (5)
The function g is determined by the gear ratio of the transmission 6, the tire radius, the efficiency of the power transmission system, and the like, and the function v is determined by the friction coefficient with the road surface and the air resistance coefficient. A simple example of the function z is shown in equation (6).
z (θ) = M · sin θ (6)
As can be seen from the equations (5) and (6), the road gradient θ can be calculated using the torque TEG of the engine 5, the vehicle speed VSP, and the vehicle acceleration α as vehicle state parameters. The vehicle acceleration α is detected by speed differential value detection means (not shown). For example, the vehicle acceleration may be calculated according to a signal detected from the acceleration sensor, or a pseudo differential value of the vehicle speed VSP calculated according to a conventionally used rotation sensor signal may be used.

Further, the altitude H of the host vehicle can be obtained using the road gradient θ. For example, the vehicle speed VSP corresponds to the travel distance L per unit time. Therefore, the altitude H can be calculated using the formula (7) using the altitude reference value Ho.
H = Ho + ∫ (L · sin θ) dt (7)
As described above, the road gradient near the vehicle is detected by the road gradient recognition unit 702 using the image information detected from the camera 2 and the vehicle state parameters received from the engine ECU, the brake ECU, and various sensors (not shown). Can be obtained. In addition, since the altitude of the own vehicle can be obtained according to the calculated road gradient, the detection accuracy of a three-dimensional intersection and a parallel road is greatly improved.

  Next, a method for determining a three-dimensional intersection using the road gradient near the own vehicle recognized by the road gradient recognition means 702 will be described. In the embodiment of the present invention, the three-dimensional intersection is determined by the travel route determination means 703.

  FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing the processing contents of the travel route determination means 703. In step 901, information on the vehicle position detected or estimated by the vehicle position detection means 701 is read.

  Next, when it is determined in step 902 whether or not the vehicle has entered the vicinity of the solid intersection from the information on the vehicle position read in step 901 and it is determined that the vehicle has entered the vicinity of the solid intersection In step 903, if it is determined that the vehicle has not entered the vicinity of the solid intersection, the process returns to step 901.

  In step 903, the altitude H calculated by the road gradient recognizing means 702 is read. In step 904, the travel route of the vehicle at the three-dimensional intersection is determined according to the value of H. In step 904, when it is determined that H ≧ predetermined value, the process proceeds to step 905, and in step 905, it is determined that the vehicle is traveling on the upper side of the solid intersection, and the process is terminated. In step 904, if it is determined that H <predetermined value, the process proceeds to step 906, and in step 906, it is determined that the vehicle is traveling under the solid intersection, and the process is terminated.

  As described above, it is possible to determine the three-dimensional intersection by the travel route determination unit 703 using the altitude of the own vehicle estimated according to the road gradient in the vicinity of the own vehicle recognized by the road gradient recognition unit 702. Become.

  Next, the effects of the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIGS. 6 to 9 will be described with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of traveling when determining a three-dimensional intersection or a parallel road from the gradient information of the traveling route. In FIG. 10, the road (1) is a straight road, and a curve exists in front of the road (2) parallel to the road (1). Further, the road (1) intersects with the road (2) near the curve exit of the road (2), and the road (1) intersects the upper side of the road (2). Assume that the vehicle is traveling on point A on the road (1) (straight line) and the vehicle enters point B near the three-dimensional intersection area.

  When the travel route is detected by conventional navigation, B '(curve) of the road (2) parallel to the road (1) can be erroneously detected as the travel route of the host vehicle due to the accuracy of map matching. There is sex. When such a false detection occurs, it recognizes the curve ahead and automatically decelerates despite traveling on the straight road shown in the figure, causing the passenger to feel uncomfortable. give.

  When the present invention is used, it is possible to obtain the road gradient in the vicinity of the own vehicle near the point B in the figure by the above-described traveling environment recognition means. Furthermore, the travel route determination means as shown in FIG. 9 makes it possible to determine the upper and lower sides of the three-dimensional intersection from the road gradient in the vicinity of the own vehicle and the altitude information of the own vehicle calculated accordingly. It is possible to detect the point B in the figure that is the travel route without erroneously detecting the point B ′.

  FIG. 11 is a time chart when speed adjustment is performed while traveling at the three-dimensional intersection shown in FIG.

  As described above, in the detection of the travel route using the conventional navigation system, the travel route is erroneously determined to be near the point B ′ in FIG. 10 at the three-dimensional intersection as shown in FIG. 8, and the vehicle travels on the straight road of the road (1). In some cases, the vehicle automatically decelerates despite the fact that it is doing. Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 11, the lower road (2) is erroneously recognized immediately before the start point of the three-dimensional intersection approach, and the deceleration from the speed Vo to the speed Vc occurs, giving the passenger a sense of incongruity.

  On the other hand, in the present invention, it is possible to reliably determine a three-dimensional intersection using the road gradient in the vicinity of the own vehicle and the altitude information of the own vehicle calculated in accordance with the road gradient, thereby preventing erroneous deceleration and continuing the speed Vo. Speed adjustment without any sense of incongruity.

  In addition, when the ignition switch is shut off at the point B ′ in FIG. 10, if the road gradient information is not stored in the memory or the like, the road gradient information is initialized when the ignition switch is connected again. Therefore, there is a case in which a three-dimensional intersection is erroneously determined.

  Therefore, when the ignition switch is cut off, the recognized road gradient history is stored in a memory such as an EEPROM or a backup RAM. When the ignition switch is connected, it is desirable to recognize the road gradient in the vicinity of the vehicle according to the road gradient history stored in the memory. As described above, by backing up the recognized road gradient history, it is possible to prevent erroneous determination of the travel route, and it is possible to accurately determine the travel route.

  Next, an automobile travel control system that recognizes the type of toll collection device in front of the host vehicle and smoothly performs automatic speed adjustment will be described with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram of an automatic fee collection system (ETC: Electronic Toll Collection Systems).

  When the vehicle 1200 travels on the road 1210 on which the ETC is installed and approaches the ETC, the vehicle 120 is detected by the sensor 1201, and the roadside wireless device 1202 and an in-vehicle device (not shown) mounted on the vehicle start communication. To do. When the vehicle-mounted information stored in the vehicle-mounted device is recognized by the IC card or the like by this communication, the circuit breaker 1204 attached to the gate 1203 is opened. The roadside display device 1207 for notifying the own vehicle 1200 of whether or not the gate 1203 can pass is controlled, so that the own vehicle 1200 can pass through the gate 1203. When the own vehicle 1200 passes through the gate 1203 and the vehicle detector 1205 and the lane monitoring device 1206 confirm that the own vehicle 1200 passes through the gate 1203, the gate 1203 is controlled and the breaker 1204 is closed. Toll collection is performed by a credit card or the like based on in-vehicle information communicated by the roadside apparatus 1202 and the in-vehicle device.

  On the other hand, in the automatic toll collection system described above, the speed that can be passed is limited in order to prevent accidents caused by communication delays and gate response delays. For example, in the case of ETC installed on a highway, a current speed limit of 20 km / h is defined.

  On the other hand, in the conventional manual toll booth, the toll is manually collected between the staff and driver deployed at the toll booth. Therefore, it is necessary to set it to 0 km / h (stop).

  At present, the automatic fee collection system (ETC) is in a widespread stage, so the actual situation is that the ETC system is mixed in a conventional toll gate that collects fees manually. Therefore, in order to smoothly adjust the speed smoothly, it is necessary to recognize the type of toll gate and set different target speeds for ETC-equipped vehicles and ordinary vehicles (non-ETC-equipped vehicles).

  FIG. 13 is a configuration diagram of a travel control system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The vehicle body 1310 is equipped with an in-vehicle device 1351 that communicates with a toll gate 1350 that is an infrastructure, and a travel control device 1300 that communicates with the in-vehicle device 1351 via a LAN (Local Area Network). Note that the main components such as the power transmission system, camera, GPS, and antenna are the same as those shown in FIG.

  Next, the configuration and processing of the travel control device 1300 will be described. The travel control device 1300 includes a host vehicle position detection unit 1301, a toll collection device recognition unit 1302, a travel route determination unit 1303, a target speed setting unit 1304, and a speed control unit 1305. The contents of the processing shown below are programmed in a computer (not shown) of the travel control device 1300 and are repeatedly executed at a predetermined cycle.

  The own vehicle position detection means 1301 detects the own vehicle position according to information on the map DB stored in a recording medium such as a CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, or hard disk, and information related to the own vehicle position received by the antenna 3. Or make an estimate. The vehicle position detection unit 1301 is the same as the processing content of the vehicle position detection unit 101 shown in FIG.

  The toll collection device recognizing means 1302 recognizes the type of toll collection device in front of the own vehicle according to the image information detected by the camera 2 and the signal received from the infrastructure. A signal from the infrastructure is received using the in-vehicle device 1351 and the like, and is transmitted to an ECU (Electric Control Unit) such as the travel control device 1300 using a LAN (Local Area Network).

  The travel route determination unit 1303 determines the travel route according to the own vehicle position detected or estimated by the own vehicle position detection unit 1301 and the type of toll collection device recognized by the toll collection device recognition unit 1302.

  The target speed setting unit 1304 sets the target speed according to the travel route determined by the travel route determination unit 1304. For example, when there is a curve ahead of the travel route, a target speed corresponding to the curvature radius of the curve is set so as not to give the occupant a feeling of fear or discomfort.

  The speed control unit 1305 calculates the target torque of the engine 5 and the target pressure (or target torque) of the brakes 21 and 22 so as to realize the target speed set by the target speed setting unit 1304. The target torque and target pressure (or target torque) calculated by the speed control means 1305 are transmitted to the engine ECU and the brake ECU, respectively.

  In this embodiment, the processing of the own vehicle position detection means 1301, the toll collection device recognition means 1302, the travel route determination means 1303, the target speed setting means 1304, and the speed control means 1305 is realized in one ECU. These processes may be realized using a plurality of ECUs. For example, the processing of the own vehicle position detection unit 1301, the toll collection device recognition unit 1302, and the travel route determination unit 1303 can be programmed and executed on a computer mounted on a navigation which is an in-vehicle information terminal.

  The engine ECU outputs a control signal for the engine 5 according to the target torque received from the speed control unit 1305, and the brake ECU outputs the brakes 21, 22 according to the target pressure (or target torque) received from the speed control unit 1305. The control signal is output.

  As described above, using the travel control device 1300, it is possible to set the target speed according to the travel route and control the speed of the host vehicle.

  Next, processing contents of the fee collection device recognition unit 1302 will be described. FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing the processing contents of the fee collection device recognizing means 1302. Here, a variable called TOLLBOOTH is provided as a parameter representing the type of toll booth.

  In step 1401, image information indicating the traveling environment in front of the host vehicle (a signboard or the like that displays the type of the toll booth 1350) detected by the camera 2 is read. In step 1402, the toll gate information transmitted from the roadside apparatus 1202 shown in FIG.

  In step 1403, it is determined from the image information read in step 1401 and the toll gate information read in step 1402 whether the toll gate in front of the host vehicle is an ETC. If it is determined that it is an ETC, the process proceeds to step 1404, 1 is substituted into TOLLBOOTH, and the process ends. If it is determined in step 1403 that it is not an ETC, the process proceeds to step 1405, where 0 is substituted for TOLLBOOTH, and the process ends.

  As described above, toll collection device recognition means 1302 is used to recognize the type of toll gate according to the image information detected by camera 2 and the toll gate information transmitted from toll gate 1100 to in-vehicle device 1101. Is possible.

  Next, the travel route of the host vehicle is determined according to the host vehicle position detected or estimated by the host vehicle position detection unit 1301 and the type of toll gate recognized by the toll collection device recognition unit 1302, and the determined travel A method for setting the target speed of the vehicle according to the route will be described. In the embodiment of the present invention, these processes are performed by the travel route determination means 1303 or the target speed setting means 1304.

  FIG. 15 is a flowchart showing the processing contents of the means for determining the travel route of the host vehicle and setting the target speed according to the determined travel route. In step 1501, the vehicle position detected or estimated by the vehicle position detection means 1301 is read. In step 1502, the type of toll booth recognized by the toll collection device recognition unit 1302 (variable TOLLBOOTH) is read.

  In step 1503, it is determined whether or not the value of the variable TOLLBOOTH read in step 1502 is 1. If it is determined that the variable TOOLBOTH = 1 (ETC), the process proceeds to step 1504, where the final value of the target speed is set to a speed limit V1 (for example, 20 km / h) defined by ETC. Then, a process of gradually decreasing the target speed from the current target speed Vc to V1 according to the travel route read in step 1501 is performed. If it is determined in step 1503 that the variable TOOLBOTH = 0 (other than ETC), the process proceeds to step 1505, and the final value of the target speed is set to the speed limit V2 (for example, 0 km / h) on the assumption that charges are collected manually. ). Then, a process of gradually decreasing the target speed from the current target speed Vc to V2 according to the own vehicle position read in step 1501 is performed.

  As described above, it is possible to automatically adjust the speed by determining the travel route of the host vehicle and setting the target speed according to the determined travel route.

  FIG. 16 is a time chart when the speed adjustment is performed by recognizing the type of toll gate. Point a in the figure indicates the time at which the vehicle is identified as approaching the toll gate by the travel route detection means, and point c in the figure is the time at which the vehicle arrives very close to the toll collection point. is there.

  When it is identified at point a in the figure that the vehicle has approached the vicinity of the toll gate, the type of toll gate is recognized by the traveling environment recognition means. At this time, in the case of a vehicle not equipped with an ETC in-vehicle device, communication with the roadside wireless device as the infrastructure is not performed. For this reason, since the parameter TOOLBOTH = 0 (other than ETC) indicating the type of toll gate is set, it is recognized that the toll gate (general toll gate) collects the fee manually. Therefore, the deceleration control is performed so that the speed of the own vehicle becomes V2 (for example, 0 km / h) at the point c in the figure. When a car equipped with an ETC in-vehicle device enters a general toll gate, the type of toll gate is recognized from image information detected by a camera or the like, and the same control is performed.

  On the other hand, when a car equipped with an ETC on-board device enters the ETC toll booth, communication with the roadside wireless device is performed and the parameter TOOLBOOTH = 1 (ETC) indicating the type of the toll booth is set. It is recognized that there is. Therefore, deceleration control is performed so that the speed of the host vehicle becomes V1 (for example, 20 km / h) at a point c in the figure. At this time, since the difference between the current target speeds Vc and V1 is smaller than in the case of a general toll booth, in order to make the vehicle deceleration (speed change) equal and reduce the sense of incongruity between them, deceleration is required. It is desirable to set the start timing to point b after elapse of a predetermined time from point a in the figure.

  As described above, in a region where a plurality of types of toll gates are mixed, the type of toll gate is recognized by the travel environment recognition means, and the target speed is set according to the type of toll gate. The setting can be changed. Thereby, the area | region which performs automatic speed adjustment can be expanded, and a driver | operator's load can be reduced.

  Furthermore, when entering the general toll gate while recognizing the ETC toll gate at the point d in the figure, it is necessary to set the vehicle speed to V2 at the toll collection point (point c in the figure). As indicated by the chain line, it is desirable to set the target speed so that the vehicle deceleration (speed change) changes from the point d in the figure. In such a case, deceleration control without a sense of incongruity can be performed by notifying the driver using an alarm device or a display device.

  Further, notification to the driver may be realized by controlling an operating system actuator such as an accelerator pedal or a brake pedal. For example, when entering the general toll gate while recognizing the above ETC toll gate, the accelerator pedal reaction force can be set large to increase the driver's operation load and notify the change in deceleration.

  In addition, when the ignition switch is shut off after recognizing the type of the toll collecting device as ETC, and when the information on the toll collecting device type is not stored in the memory or the like, when the ignition switch is reconnected Information on the type of toll collection device is initialized (for example, TOOLBOOTH = 0). For this reason, there is a case where the type of the fee collection device is erroneously determined. Therefore, when the ignition switch is shut off, the recognized history of the type of toll collecting device ahead of the vehicle is stored in a memory such as an EEPROM or a backup RAM. When the ignition switch is connected, it is desirable to recognize the type of toll collection device ahead of the host vehicle according to the history of the type of toll collection device stored in the memory.

  In this way, by making a backup of the recognized history of the toll collection device, it is possible to prevent erroneous determination of the travel route, and it is possible to determine the accurate travel route. Furthermore, it is possible to avoid a target speed setting error due to erroneous determination of the travel route, and to support safe travel.

  In the present embodiment, the case where the vehicle performs the deceleration control has been described, but the same effect can be obtained when the acceleration control is performed. For example, when the front of the curved road is a straight road, it is necessary to perform deceleration control once when entering the curve and gradually increase the speed from the vicinity of the curve exit to a speed corresponding to the straight road. It goes without saying that the present invention is effective even in such a case.

  In the embodiment of the present invention, an automobile having an engine as a driving force source has been described. However, an electric vehicle having a motor as a driving force source, and a hybrid automobile having both an engine and a motor as driving force sources are also targeted. good. Further, in the present invention, a 4WD vehicle that drives both front wheels and rear wheels is taken as an example, but front-wheel drive or rear-wheel drive vehicles are also subject to the present invention.

The block diagram of the traveling control system which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. The control flowchart which shows the processing content of the own vehicle position detection means. The control flowchart which shows the processing content of a travel lane recognition means. The control flowchart which shows the processing content of a travel route determination means. The driving | running | working schematic in the case of judging a branch road from the information of a driving lane. Time chart when speed is adjusted according to the curve shape. The block diagram of the traveling control system which concerns on other embodiment of this invention. The control flowchart which shows the processing content of a driving | running | working environment recognition means. The control flowchart which shows the other processing content of a travel route determination means. The driving | running | working schematic in the case of judging a three-dimensional intersection and a parallel road from the gradient information of a driving | running route. Time chart when speed adjustment is performed while traveling on a three-dimensional intersection. Schematic diagram of automatic toll collection system (ETC). The block diagram of the traveling control system which concerns on other embodiment of this invention. The control flowchart which shows the processing content of a fee collection apparatus recognition means. The flowchart which shows the processing content of the means which determines a driving | running route and sets target speed. Time chart when speed adjustment is performed by recognizing the type of toll collection device.

Explanation of symbols

  2 ... Camera, 3 ... GPS antenna, 4 ... GPS satellite, 5 ... Engine, 6 ... Transmission, 7 ... Power split mechanism, 8,9 ... Propeller shaft, 10 ... Car body, 11,12 ... Brake, 21,22 ... Tires, 100 ... travel control device, 101 ... own vehicle position detection means, 102 ... travel lane recognition means, 103 ... travel route determination means, 104 ... target speed setting means, 105 ... speed control means.

Claims (27)

  Vehicle position detection means for detecting or estimating the vehicle position according to map information, travel lane recognition means for recognizing the travel lane of the vehicle, and the vehicle position detected or estimated by the vehicle position detection means; An in-vehicle information terminal comprising: a travel route determination unit that determines a travel route according to the travel lane recognized by the travel lane recognition unit.   2. The in-vehicle information terminal according to claim 1, wherein the travel lane recognition means recognizes the travel lane of the own vehicle according to image information.   3. The in-vehicle information terminal according to claim 2, wherein the travel lane recognition means recognizes the travel lane of the host vehicle according to a steering angle of the host vehicle.   Vehicle position detection means for detecting or estimating the vehicle position according to map information, travel lane recognition means for recognizing the travel lane of the vehicle, and the vehicle position detected or estimated by the vehicle position detection means; A travel route determination unit that determines a travel route according to the travel lane recognized by the travel lane recognition unit, and a target speed setting that sets a target speed of the host vehicle according to the travel route determined by the travel route determination unit And a speed control means for controlling the speed of the host vehicle in accordance with the target speed set by the target speed setting means.   5. The travel control system for an automobile according to claim 4, wherein the travel lane recognition means recognizes the travel lane of the host vehicle according to image information.   6. The vehicle travel control system according to claim 5, wherein the travel lane recognition means recognizes the travel lane of the host vehicle according to a steering angle of the host vehicle.   Vehicle position detection means for detecting or estimating the vehicle position according to map information, vehicle lane recognition means for recognizing the vehicle lane according to image information and the steering angle of the vehicle, and vehicle position detection A travel route determining means for determining a travel route according to the vehicle position detected or estimated by the means and a travel lane recognized by the travel lane recognition means; and a travel route determined by the travel route determining means. A vehicle running comprising: target speed setting means for setting a target speed of the own vehicle; and speed control means for controlling the speed of the own vehicle in accordance with the target speed set by the target speed setting means. Control device.   The vehicle position is detected or estimated according to the map information, the vehicle lane is recognized according to the image information and the steering angle of the vehicle, and the detected vehicle position is recognized as the detected or estimated vehicle lane. A vehicle driving control method comprising: determining a travel route according to the vehicle; setting a target speed of the host vehicle according to the determined travel route; and controlling the speed of the host vehicle according to the set target speed. .   9. The travel lane history recognized when the ignition switch is shut off according to claim 8, and the travel lane of the host vehicle is recognized according to the travel lane history stored when the ignition switch is connected. An automobile travel control method characterized by the above.   Vehicle position detection means for detecting or estimating the vehicle position according to map information, road gradient recognition means for recognizing a road gradient in the vicinity of the vehicle, and a travel route according to the road gradient recognized by the gradient recognition means An in-vehicle information terminal comprising: a travel route determination means for determining   11. The in-vehicle information terminal according to claim 10, wherein the road gradient recognition unit recognizes a road gradient according to image information.   11. The in-vehicle information terminal according to claim 10, wherein the road gradient recognition means recognizes a road gradient according to a speed differential value of the own vehicle.   The vehicle position detecting means for detecting or estimating the vehicle position according to the map information, the road gradient recognition means for recognizing the road gradient in the vicinity of the vehicle, and the vehicle traveling according to the road gradient recognized by the road gradient recognition means A travel route determination means for determining a route, a target speed setting means for setting a target speed of the host vehicle according to the travel route determined by the travel route determination means, and a target speed set by the target speed setting means. And a speed control means for controlling the speed of the vehicle in response.   14. The vehicle travel control system according to claim 13, wherein the road gradient recognition means recognizes a road gradient according to image information.   14. The vehicle travel control system according to claim 13, wherein the road gradient recognition means recognizes the road gradient according to a speed differential value of the own vehicle.   Vehicle position detection means for detecting or estimating the vehicle position according to map information, road gradient recognition means for recognizing a road gradient near the vehicle according to image information and a speed differential value of the vehicle, and the vehicle A travel route determination means for determining a travel route according to the vehicle position detected or estimated by the position detection means and the road gradient recognized by the road gradient recognition means; and a travel route determined by the travel route determination means. A vehicle having a target speed setting means for setting a target speed of the own vehicle in response to the target speed and a speed control means for controlling the speed of the own vehicle in accordance with the target speed set by the target speed setting means. Travel control device.   The vehicle position is detected or estimated according to the map information, the road gradient in the vicinity of the vehicle is recognized according to the image information and the speed differential value of the vehicle, and the road recognized as the detected or estimated vehicle position Traveling an automobile characterized by determining a travel route according to a gradient, setting a target speed of the host vehicle according to the determined travel route, and controlling the speed of the host vehicle according to the set target speed Control method.   18. The road gradient history recognized when the ignition switch is turned off according to claim 17, and the road gradient near the host vehicle is recognized according to the road gradient history stored when the ignition switch is connected. A method for controlling the driving of an automobile.   The vehicle position detecting means for detecting or estimating the position of the vehicle according to the map information, the charge collection device recognition means for recognizing the type of the charge collection device in front of the vehicle, and the fee recognized by the charge collection device recognition means An in-vehicle information terminal comprising: a travel route determination unit that determines a travel route according to the type of the receiving device.   20. The in-vehicle information terminal according to claim 19, wherein the fee collection device recognizing means recognizes a type of the fee collection device according to image information.   20. The in-vehicle information terminal according to claim 19, wherein the fee collection device recognizing unit recognizes a type of the fee collection device according to a signal received from the infrastructure.   The vehicle position detecting means for detecting or estimating the position of the vehicle according to the map information, the charge collection device recognition means for recognizing the type of the charge collection device in front of the vehicle, and the fee recognized by the charge collection device recognition means A travel route determination unit that determines a travel route according to the type of the receiving device; a target speed setting unit that sets a target speed of the host vehicle according to the travel route determined by the travel route determination unit; and the target speed setting And a speed control means for controlling the speed of the vehicle according to the target speed set by the means.   23. The vehicle travel control system according to claim 22, wherein the fee collection device recognizing means recognizes the type of the fee collection device according to the image information.   23. The vehicle travel control system according to claim 22, wherein the fee collection device recognizing means recognizes the type of the fee collection device according to a signal received from the infrastructure.   Vehicle position detection means for detecting or estimating the position of the vehicle according to map information, charge collection device recognition means for recognizing the type of charge collection device ahead of the vehicle according to image information or signals received from the infrastructure, A travel route determination means for determining a travel route according to the type of the charge collection device recognized by the charge collection device recognition means; and a target speed of the host vehicle according to the travel route determined by the travel route determination means. A vehicle travel control system comprising: target speed setting means for setting; and speed control means for controlling the speed of the host vehicle in accordance with the target speed set by the target speed setting means.   The vehicle position is detected or estimated according to the map information, the type of toll collection device ahead of the vehicle is recognized according to the image information or the signal received from the infrastructure, and the detected or estimated vehicle position is recognized. Determining the travel route according to the type of the toll collection device, setting the target speed of the host vehicle according to the determined travel route, and controlling the speed of the host vehicle according to the set target speed. A feature of a vehicle driving control method.   In Claim 26, the history of the type of toll collecting device recognized when the ignition switch is shut off is stored, and the history of the toll collecting device stored when the ignition switch is connected is stored in front of the host vehicle. A travel control method for an automobile, characterized by recognizing a type of toll collection device.

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