JP2006338456A - Traffic safety system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a traffic safety system capable of inhibiting such driving that disturbs traffic by making a driver of a vehicle having a safety support function recognize the existence of a vehicle around without the safety support function. <P>SOLUTION: Respective vehicles α1, α2, α3 and α4 capable of mutually exchanging information through radio communication are provided with a signal exchanging device for transmitting vehicle identification information of one's own vehicle to the other vehicles around the one's own vehicle and receiving vehicle identification information from the other vehicles in a manner that can specify a transmitting direction, a vehicle detecting device for detecting relative positions of the other vehicles around the one's own vehicle, a controller for performing a safety support function by controlling at least one among a steering angle, braking force and driving force so as to stabilize vehicle behavior, communication equipment for receiving/transmitting safety information including specific information of the safety support function of the one's own vehicle in association with the vehicle identification information, and a display device 20 for displaying the relative positions of the other vehicles and the safety information of the other vehicles associated with each other on the basis of the vehicle identification information. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a traffic safety system capable of improving traffic safety by exchanging information between vehicles.

In recent years, an active steering control system that changes the ratio of the wheel steering angle to the steering wheel operation angle according to behavior index values such as ABS (anti-lock braking system) and vehicle yaw rate, and a braking force control system that changes the braking force Equipped with a system that provides a safety support function by controlling at least one of the steering angle and braking force so as to stabilize the vehicle behavior, like an integrated control system that changes the operating angle and braking force in an integrated manner The number of vehicles has increased (see Patent Document 1).
JP 2001-233195 A

  On general roads, a vehicle that can perform the safety support function as described above and a vehicle that does not have such a safety support function and has only basic functions are running in a mixed manner. By performing a high-performance safety support function, even an inexperienced driver can perform the same driving as a driver having advanced driving skills. Therefore, traffic may be disturbed when the vehicle performs a safety support function or when the driver performs driving depending on the safety support function. In other words, in a vehicle capable of performing a safety support function, the vehicle speed and the steering speed tend to increase, so a driver of a vehicle without a surrounding safety support function cannot accurately grasp the road condition such as the road surface friction coefficient, There is a greater tendency to travel in the same manner as a vehicle capable of performing a safety support function. An object of this invention is to provide the traffic safety system which can solve such a problem.

The present invention relates to a traffic safety system in which information can be exchanged between a plurality of vehicles via wireless communication. Each vehicle transmits vehicle identification information of the own vehicle to other vehicles around the own vehicle and from other vehicles. A signal transmission / reception device that receives the vehicle identification information so that the transmission direction can be specified, a vehicle detection device that detects a relative position of another vehicle around the host vehicle, a steering angle, a braking force, and A control device that performs a safety support function by controlling at least one of the driving forces, and a communication device that receives and transmits safety information including specific information on the safety support function of the host vehicle in association with the vehicle identification information And a display device, and the control device is configured to associate the relative position of the other vehicle with the safety information of the other vehicle based on the vehicle identification information. The display device is connected to the control device such that the vehicle detection device and the communication device are connected and the associated relative position of the other vehicle and the safety information of the other vehicle are displayed by the display device. It is characterized by being.
The control device for each vehicle constituting the traffic safety system according to the present invention causes the display device to display a relative position of the surrounding other vehicle detected by the vehicle detection device with respect to the host vehicle. Further, when other surrounding vehicles constitute the traffic safety system of the present invention, the control device, based on the received vehicle identification information, detects the relative position of the detected other vehicle and the received safety information of the other vehicle. Are displayed on the display device in association with each other. Thereby, the driver of each vehicle can recognize the relative position of the other vehicle around the own vehicle together with the presence or absence of the safety support function, and can also specify the safety support function of the other vehicle. As the safety support function specific information, for example, information representing functional characteristics such as ABS, active steering control, braking force control, and driving force control can be used.
The communication device according to the present invention may be an individual device that is independent from the signal transmission / reception device according to the present invention, or may be shared by the signal transmission / reception device according to the present invention.

  The safety information includes information on whether or not the host vehicle is performing a safety support function, and a notification device is provided that emits notification information when other vehicles around the host vehicle perform the safety support function. It is preferable. The frequency with which the safety support function is played is highly related to disturbances in response to changes in weather conditions such as a decrease in the friction coefficient of the road surface due to rain, snow, freezing, etc. It is preferable to determine the presence or absence of a disturbance that affects the vehicle behavior and to issue notification information such as an alarm to the driver of the host vehicle.

  The safety information includes information on whether or not the host vehicle is performing a safety support function, and depending on whether or not another vehicle around the host vehicle is performing a safety support function, It is preferable that the control for performing the function can be changed. Thereby, when other vehicles around the host vehicle perform the safety support function, the host vehicle can also perform the safety support function.

  The safety information includes specification information of the vehicle, and when other vehicles around the host vehicle have a safety support function, the safety support function of the host vehicle according to the specification information of the other vehicle around the host vehicle. It is preferable that the control for achieving the above can be changed. As a result, when other vehicles in the vicinity of the host vehicle perform the safety support function, the host vehicle is allowed to perform the safety support function according to the specification information such as the size, weight, vehicle speed, etc. of the vehicle that affects the vehicle behavior. Can do.

  It is preferable that the control for performing the safety support function of the own vehicle can be changed according to the presence or absence of the safety support function of the other vehicle around the host vehicle. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the traffic from being disturbed by restricting the safety support function of the host vehicle when there is another vehicle that cannot perform the safety support function around the host vehicle.

  According to the traffic safety system of the present invention, a driver of a vehicle capable of performing a safety support function can recognize that there is a vehicle that cannot perform the safety support function in the vicinity, and can suppress driving that disturbs traffic. Furthermore, the vehicle behavior can be effectively stabilized according to the safety support function in the surrounding vehicles.

  FIG. 1 shows a state in which a plurality of vehicles α1, α2, α3, α4, and α5 are traveling upward on the road 100 in the drawing. Vehicles α1, α2, α3, and α4 in the figure constitute the traffic safety system of the present invention and can exchange information with each other via wireless communication. The vehicle α5 does not constitute the traffic safety system of the present invention, and does not include wireless communication means for exchanging information with the vehicles α1, α2, α3, α4. In the present embodiment, in order to stabilize the vehicle behavior, the vehicle α1 performs a safety support function by integrated control and ABS, the vehicle α2 by active steering control and ABS, the vehicle α3 by braking force control and ABS, and α4 by ABS. And

  In the vehicle α1, as shown in FIG. 2, the movement of the steering actuator 2 driven in accordance with the rotation operation of the steering wheel (operation member) 1 does not mechanically connect the steering wheel 1 to the wheels 4F. The steering gear 3 transmits the steering angle to the front left and right wheels 4F so as to change. The steering actuator 2 can be configured by an electric motor such as a known brushless motor. The steering gear 3 has a motion conversion mechanism that converts the rotational motion of the output shaft of the steering actuator 2 into the linear motion of the steering rod 7. The movement of the steering rod 7 is transmitted to the wheel 4F via the tie rod 8 and the knuckle arm 9.

  The steering wheel 1 is connected to a rotating shaft 10 that is rotatably supported by the vehicle body side. In order to apply an operation reaction force required to operate the steering wheel 1, an operation actuator R configured by an electric motor such as a brushless motor that applies torque to the rotating shaft 10 is provided. When the operating actuator R does not apply torque to the rotary shaft 10, there is provided an elastic member 30 that provides elasticity in a direction to return the steering wheel 1 to the straight steering position.

  A steering system control device in which an angle sensor 11 for detecting an operation angle δh of the steering wheel 1, a torque sensor 12 for detecting an operation torque Th of the steering wheel 1, and a steering angle sensor 13 for detecting a wheel steering angle δ are configured by a computer. 40. The steering system control device 40 includes a speed sensor 14 for detecting the vehicle speed V, a yaw rate sensor 15 for detecting the yaw rate γ of the vehicle, a lateral acceleration sensor 16 for detecting the lateral acceleration Gy of the vehicle, a signal transmission / reception device 17, a vehicle detection device 18, A wireless communication device 19 and a display device 20 are connected.

The steering system control device 40 controls the steering actuator 2 and the operation actuator R via the drive circuits 22 and 23. For example, the steering actuator 2 is driven so that the deviation between the target steering angle δ ^* determined according to the operation angle δh and the detected wheel steering angle δ becomes small, and the target operation torque Th determined according to the operation angle δh. ^The operating actuator R is driven so that the deviation between ^* and the detected operating torque Th becomes small.

  A hydraulic braking system is provided for braking the front and rear, left and right wheels 4F and 4R of the vehicle. The braking system causes the master cylinder 52 to generate a braking pressure for each wheel corresponding to the depression force of the brake pedal 51. The braking pressure is amplified by the braking pressure control unit B and distributed as wheel cylinder pressure to the brake device 54 of each wheel 4F, 4R, and each brake device 54 applies a braking force to each wheel 4F, 4R. The braking pressure control unit B is connected to a traveling system control device 60 configured by a computer. The traveling system control device 60 includes a steering system control device 40, a braking pressure sensor 61 that individually detects the wheel cylinder pressures of the wheels 4F and 4R, and wheel speeds ω1, ω2, ω3 of the wheels 4F and 4R, A wheel speed sensor 62 that individually detects ω4 is connected. The traveling system control device 60 can individually control the braking forces of the front, rear, left and right wheels 4F, 4R, and the wheel speeds ω1, ω2, ω3, ω4 detected by the wheel speed sensor 62 and the braking pressure sensor 61. The braking pressure control unit B is controlled so that the braking pressure can be amplified and distributed according to the wheel cylinder pressure corresponding to the braking force feedback value detected by the An ABS function for braking so as not to lock can be achieved. The braking pressure control unit B can generate a braking pressure corresponding to a signal from the traveling system control device 60 with the built-in pump even when the brake pedal 51 is not operated.

The traveling system control device 60 controls the braking pressure control unit B so as to eliminate the deviation between the target rudder angle δ ^* and the detected wheel rudder angle δ. For example, the change in the wheel steering angle δ due to the change in the braking force of each wheel 4F, 4R is caused by the vehicle speed V, the wheel speeds ω1, ω2, ω3, ω4, the wheel steering angle δ, Each of the lateral acceleration Gy and yaw rate γ is obtained in advance by experiments and stored as a table, and braking is performed based on the table and detected vehicle speed v, wheel speed ω1, ω2, ω3, ω4, wheel steering angle δ, lateral acceleration Gy, and yaw rate γ. The pressure control unit B is controlled.

The ratio of the control weight α by the steering system control device 40 and the control weight β by the travel system control device 60 so that the control by the steering system control device 40 and the control of the wheel steering angle by the travel system control device 60 do not interfere with each other. Is predetermined. For example, the target yaw rate γ ^* is obtained from the operation angle δh from a predetermined relationship, and the basic target rudder angle δ ^* corresponding to the deviation between the target yaw rate γ ^* and the detected yaw rate γ is obtained from the predetermined relationship, and the basic target rudder angle δ ^The value obtained by multiplying ^* by the weight ratio α / (α + β) is the target rudder angle δ ^* in the steering system control device 40, and the value obtained by multiplying the basic target rudder angle δ ^* by the weight ratio β / (α + β) is the travel system control. The target steering angle δ ^* in the device 60 is set.

The steering system control device 40 and the traveling system control device 60 perform a safety support function by integrated control for controlling the wheel steering angle and the braking force so as to stabilize the vehicle behavior. For example, it is determined whether the yaw rate gamma may become saturated without reaching the target yaw rate gamma ^* by reduction or the like of the road surface friction coefficient, the basic target steering angle [delta] ^* if any may become saturated By limiting to a predetermined upper limit value and decreasing the ratio of the wheel steering angle δ to the operation angle δh, the vehicle behavior is stabilized by preventing the wheel steering angle δ from diverging. The determination of whether or not there is a possibility of the saturation state is made, for example, based on whether or not the time integral value 偏差 (γ ^* −γ) dt of the deviation between the target yaw rate γ ^* and the detected yaw rate γ exceeds a set threshold value. That's fine.

  The signal transmission / reception device 17 constitutes wireless communication means for transmitting vehicle identification information of the host vehicle to other vehicles around the host vehicle and receiving the vehicle identification information from the other vehicle so that the transmission direction can be specified. Transmitters that transmit signals corresponding to vehicle identification information such as serial numbers to the surroundings as radio beacons and optical beacons, and forward, rearward, leftward, rightward, right diagonally forward, left diagonally forward, right diagonally backward, diagonally left It comprises a receiver that individually receives vehicle identification information from the rear.

  The vehicle detection device 18 detects the relative position of the other vehicle around the host vehicle. For example, when a radar wave is transmitted from the host vehicle to the surroundings, the vehicle detection device 18 mainly receives the radar wave from the other vehicle. Is a radar that detects whether the vehicle is located forward, backward, left, right, diagonally forward right, diagonally forward left, diagonally backward right, or diagonally backward left.

  The wireless communication device 19 transmits safety information including specific information of the safety support function of the host vehicle as a radio signal associated with the vehicle identification information, and the communication device of the other vehicle transmits the radio signal as shown in FIG. It can be constituted by what is received via the base stations 110 and 111 and the communication management facilities 120 and 121 provided on the roadside or the like. Note that the communication management facilities 120 and 121 may transmit traffic information such as vehicle traffic jam information so that the communication device 19 can receive the traffic information. As the safety support function specific information, for example, information representing functional characteristics such as ABS, active steering control, braking force control, and integrated control is used. Furthermore, the safety information includes information on whether or not the host vehicle is performing a safety support function.

  The vehicle α2 has a safety support function by ABS and active steering control that controls only the steering angle similarly to the vehicle α1, and the vehicle α3 has a safety support function by ABS and braking force control that controls only the braking force in the same manner as the vehicle α1. The vehicle α4 has a safety support function only by ABS, and the others are the same as the vehicle α1.

  The steering system control device 40 corresponds to the relative position of the other vehicle detected by the vehicle detection device 18 and the safety information of the other vehicle received by the communication device 19 based on the vehicle identification information received by the signal transmission / reception device 17. In addition, the relative position of the associated other vehicle and the safety information of the other vehicle are displayed on the display device 20. FIG. 3 shows a display screen on the display device 20 of the vehicle α1 when the vehicle α1 is the host vehicle. The other vehicles α2, α3, α4, α5 detected by the vehicle detection device 18 with respect to the host vehicle α1. The relative position is displayed by indicating each vehicle α1, α2, α3, α4, α5 with a quadrangular frame. Further, specific information of safety support functions such as vehicle speed V, ABS, active steering control, braking force control, and integrated control of the vehicles α1, α2, α3, and α4 constituting the traffic safety system of the present invention, and the safety support function functions. ON / OFF indicating whether or not the vehicle is being displayed in a frame representing each vehicle α1, α2, α3, α4, and is associated with the relative position of the other vehicles α2, α3, α4 with respect to the vehicle α1. Is displayed. As a result, the driver can recognize the relative positions of the other vehicles α2, α3, α4 around the own vehicle α1, together with the presence / absence of the safety support function and the presence / absence of the operation, and can also specify the safety support function of the other vehicles α2, α3, α4, Further, it can be recognized whether or not the safety support function of the other vehicles α2, α3, and α4 is being performed.

  An alarm device (notification device) 21 is connected to the control device 40, and an alarm (notification information) is issued when another vehicle around the host vehicle has a safety support function. The frequency with which the safety support function is played is highly related to disturbances in response to changes in weather conditions such as changes in the road friction coefficient due to rain, snow, freezing, etc. It is preferable to determine the presence or absence of a disturbance that affects the vehicle behavior based on the above and to issue an alarm to the driver of the host vehicle. For example, when the vehicle α1 is the host vehicle and the safety support function is performed in the other vehicle α2 ahead, there is a possibility that there is a disturbance that destabilizes the vehicle behavior ahead. The driver's attention can be alerted by issuing an alarm.

The control devices 40 and 60 change the control for performing the safety support function of the host vehicle depending on whether or not other vehicles around the host vehicle perform the safety support function. Thereby, when other vehicles around the host vehicle perform the safety support function, the host vehicle can also perform the safety support function. For example, when the other vehicle α2 in front has an active steering control function, the road surface friction coefficient may decrease due to freezing or the like. It is possible to prevent the wheel rudder angle from changing suddenly by the sudden handle by causing the safety support function to be performed so that the ratio of the angle is lowered. If the host vehicle cannot perform the same safety support function as that of other vehicles ahead, the vehicle speed may be decreased by increasing the braking force to stabilize the vehicle behavior. Further, it is possible to change the control threshold value for performing the safety support function of the host vehicle, depending on whether other vehicles around the host vehicle perform the safety support function. For example, when the vehicle α1 is the host vehicle, the yaw rate γ does not reach the target yaw rate γ ^* , compared to the case where the other vehicles α2, α3, and α4 in the surrounding area do not perform the safety support function. In order to determine whether or not there is a possibility of entering into a state, the threshold value to be compared with ∫ (γ ^* −γ) dt is lowered, so that the safety support function is quickly achieved.

  The safety information includes vehicle specification information, and the control devices 40 and 60 provide specification information of other vehicles around the host vehicle when the other vehicles around the host vehicle perform a safety support function. The control for performing the safety support function of the own vehicle is changed accordingly. As a result, when other vehicles in the vicinity of the host vehicle perform the safety support function, the host vehicle is allowed to perform the safety support function according to the specification information such as the size, weight, vehicle speed, etc. of the vehicle that affects the vehicle behavior. Can do. For example, when the vehicle α3 is the host vehicle, the other vehicle α1 in front has a safety support function, and the dimensions, weight, vehicle speed, and the like of the host vehicle α3 are substantially the same as those in the other vehicle α1 in front. When the own vehicle cannot perform a function equivalent to the safety support function of the other vehicle (in this embodiment, the other vehicle α1 performs the integrated control function, but the own vehicle α3 can perform only the braking force control function). By increasing the braking force of the host vehicle α3, the vehicle speed is reduced as compared with the other vehicle α1, and the vehicle behavior is stabilized.

  As a modification, the control for performing the safety support function by the control devices 40 and 60 may be changed according to the presence or absence of the safety support function of another vehicle around the host vehicle. For example, when there is another vehicle α5 that cannot perform the safety support function around the host vehicle α1, the safety support function for preventing the wheel steering angle δ from diverging may be prevented or the safety support function may be provided. By increasing the threshold value of the control for achieving the above, the driver is prevented from driving depending on the safety support function, and traffic is prevented from being disturbed. In this case, it is preferable to provide an alarm device that informs the driver of the vehicle that the safety support function is restricted by voice or light.

  The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments and modifications. For example, the above embodiment includes a vehicle that performs a safety support function by controlling the rudder angle and the braking force, but controls only one of the rudder angle, the braking force, and the driving force (wheel driving force). Thus, the traffic safety system may be configured by a vehicle having a safety support function. Further, without providing a dedicated communication device independent of the signal transmission / reception device, the signal transmission / reception device also serves as the communication device of the present invention. For example, the signal transmission / reception device corresponds to the safety information of the own vehicle and the vehicle identification information. The attached signal may be transmitted to the surroundings as a radio wave beacon or an optical beacon, and the radio wave beacon or the optical beacon may be received by a signal transmission / reception device of another vehicle. Moreover, you may comprise the traffic safety system of this invention with the vehicle by which a steering wheel and a wheel are mechanically connected.

Action explanatory diagram of the traffic safety system according to the embodiment of the present invention Configuration explanatory diagram of a vehicle constituting a traffic safety system according to an embodiment of the present invention The figure which shows the display screen of the display apparatus in the traffic safety system which concerns on embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

17 Signal Transfer Device 18 Vehicle Detection Device 19 Communication Device 20 Display Device 21 Alarm Device (Notification Device)
40, 60 Control device α1, α2, α3, α4, α5 Vehicle

Claims (5)

In a traffic safety system that can exchange information between multiple vehicles via wireless communication,
Each vehicle transmits the vehicle identification information of the own vehicle to other vehicles around the own vehicle and receives the vehicle identification information from the other vehicle so that the transmission direction can be specified, and the other vehicles around the own vehicle A vehicle detection device that detects a relative position of the vehicle, a control device that provides a safety support function by controlling at least one of a steering angle, a braking force, and a driving force so as to stabilize the vehicle behavior, A communication device that receives and transmits safety information including specific information of a safety support function in association with the vehicle identification information, and a display device;
The signal transmission device, the vehicle detection device, and the communication device are connected to the control device so that the control device can associate the relative position of the other vehicle with the safety information of the other vehicle based on the vehicle identification information. And
The traffic safety system, wherein the display device is connected to the control device so that the relative position of the associated other vehicle and the safety information of the other vehicle are displayed by the display device. The safety information includes information on whether or not the host vehicle is performing a safety support function,
The traffic safety system according to claim 1, further comprising a notification device that generates notification information when another vehicle around the host vehicle has a safety support function. The safety information includes information on whether or not the host vehicle is performing a safety support function,
The traffic safety system according to claim 1, wherein the control for performing the safety support function of the host vehicle can be changed according to whether or not another vehicle around the host vehicle is performing the safety support function. The safety information includes vehicle specification information,
Claim 3 wherein the control for performing the safety support function of the own vehicle can be changed according to the specification information of the other vehicle around the own vehicle when the other vehicle around the own vehicle has the safety support function. The described traffic safety system. The traffic safety system according to claim 2, wherein the control for performing the safety support function of the own vehicle can be changed according to the presence or absence of the safety support function of the other vehicle around the host vehicle.

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