JP2007106364A - Travel supporting device and travel supporting method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a vehicle control device and a vehicle control method capable of suppressing the fluctuation of the steering angle caused by cross wind in advance. <P>SOLUTION: The vehicle control device comprises a source information acquisition means for acquiring wind information including the wind direction and road map information, a locator for specifying the present map of the vehicle, a setting means for setting the cross wind section for predicting that the vehicle is subjected to the cross wind on a scheduled traveling road based on the present position, the road map information and the wind direction, and a control means for increasing the roll rigidity of the vehicle when the vehicle reaches a predetermined point before the cross wind section based on the present position and the cross wind section. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a travel support device and a travel support method, and more particularly, to a travel support device and a travel support method that suppress a swing of a rudder angle caused by a crosswind.

  When the vehicle rolls in response to crosswinds while traveling, the rudder angle fluctuates. Patent Document 1 discloses a suspension device that attenuates rolling in a short time by feedback control when rolling due to cross wind is detected. However, when the rolling is converged by feedback control, it is not possible to prevent the swing of the steering angle with the largest amplitude that occurs first.

JP 2001-47839 A

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problem, and provides a travel support apparatus and a travel support method that can suppress the swing of the rudder angle due to cross wind.

(1) A travel support apparatus for achieving the above object includes source information acquisition means for acquiring wind information including wind direction and road map information, a locator for specifying the current position of the vehicle, the current position, Setting means for setting a crosswind section where the vehicle is predicted to receive a crosswind on the planned road on the basis of road map information and the wind direction, and based on the current position and the crosswind section, Control means for executing predetermined predetermined crosswind countermeasure control when reaching a predetermined point in front of the crosswind section.
The driving support device is predicted to blow on the planned road and the static relationship between the planned road and the wind direction (the direction of the road, the direction of the wind direction in which vehicles on the road may be affected), etc. By specifying the wind direction of the wind, it is possible to specify a crosswind section in which the vehicle is predicted to receive a crosswind on the planned road. The static relationship between the planned road and the wind direction can be specified based on the road map information. For example, the road direction is specified by road map information. The wind direction predicted to blow on the planned road can be specified by weather information by communication and the output of a wind sensor mounted on the vehicle. The driving support device can prevent the rudder angle from being swayed by the cross wind by executing predetermined cross wind countermeasure control determined in advance before entering the cross wind section.

(2) The cross wind countermeasure control may be control for increasing roll rigidity of the host vehicle.
When the roll rigidity is increased, the operation burden on the driver for suppressing the swing of the rudder angle due to the crosswind is reduced.

(3) The cross wind countermeasure control may be control for at least one of a stabilizer, a suspension, and a vehicle height.
The driving support device can increase the roll rigidity by increasing the stabilizer rigidity, increasing the damper damping force of the suspension, increasing the spring constant of the suspension, or decreasing the vehicle height.

(4) The cross wind countermeasure control may be a warning or guidance for the driver.
When the warning is given by the driving support device, the driver's attention is aroused, and therefore, the driver is more likely to quickly perform an appropriate operation before or when the vehicle receives a crosswind. In addition, the driving support device can guide the driver to change the route to a route or lane where the vehicle is less likely to receive crosswind, or to reduce the traveling speed.

(5) The wind information may include wind speed or wind power. The crosswind section set by the setting means may be a section in which the host vehicle is predicted to receive a crosswind whose wind speed or wind power is equal to or greater than a predetermined value.
The driving support device sets a section where the wind speed or the wind force is predicted to receive a cross wind of a predetermined value or more as a cross wind section, thereby preventing a decrease in riding comfort due to an increase in roll rigidity in the section receiving the weak cross wind. Can do.

(6) The road map information may include static attribute information on roads related to wind. The setting unit may set the crosswind section based on the static attribute information.
The static attribute information on the wind of the road may be information that regulates the form of the road that affects the wind and the topography of the area near the road, such as the presence or absence of side walls, the inside of the tunnel, the tunnel exit, and the surrounding mountains. The northwest wind has a strong crosswind effect, the wind is stronger by 1 than the local weather forecast, and the north wind blows when the local weather forecast is west. It may be information. The driving support device can improve the prediction accuracy by predicting the crosswind section based on the static attribute information of the planned road to be driven.

(7) The static attribute information may include feature information related to the wind of the planned road.
The feature information related to the wind is, for example, the presence / absence of a side wall, the presence / absence of a tunnel, and the presence / absence of a mountain surrounding the surroundings.

(8) The vehicle may further include route search means for searching for a guidance route to the destination of the host vehicle, and the setting means may identify the scheduled road based on the guidance route.
The driving support device can identify the planned driving road with high accuracy based on the searched guidance route by searching the guidance route to the destination.

(9) The locator identifies a travel lane of the host vehicle, and the setting unit identifies the planned travel road as a right turn destination road when the travel lane of the host vehicle is a right turn dedicated lane, and the host vehicle May be specified as a left turn destination road.
The driving support device can accurately determine the planned driving road after passing the intersection by specifying that the vehicle is located in the right-turn lane or the left-turn lane.

(10) The source information acquisition unit may acquire the wind information by road-to-vehicle communication or vehicle-to-vehicle communication.
When highly accurate wind information is provided from an information center or a probe car in the vicinity of the host vehicle, the driving support device can acquire highly accurate wind information through road-to-vehicle communication and vehicle-to-vehicle communication.

(11) In the driving support method for achieving the above object, the wind information including the wind direction and the road map information are acquired, the current position of the host vehicle is specified, and the current position, the road map information, and the wind information are acquired. Based on the above, a crosswind section where the vehicle is predicted to receive a crosswind on the planned road is set, and based on the current position and the crosswind section, the vehicle is determined in advance before the crosswind section. When the predetermined point is reached, predetermined predetermined crosswind countermeasure control is executed.
The driving support device is predicted to blow on the planned road and the static relationship between the planned road and the wind direction (the direction of the road, the direction of the wind direction in which vehicles on the road may be affected), etc. By specifying the wind direction of the wind, it is possible to specify a crosswind section in which the vehicle is predicted to receive a crosswind on the planned road. The driving support device can prevent the rudder angle from being swayed by the cross wind by executing predetermined cross wind countermeasure control determined in advance before entering the cross wind section.

  It should be noted that the order of each operation of the method described in the claims is not limited to the order of description as long as there is no technical obstruction factor, and may be executed in any order, or may be executed simultaneously. Also good. In addition, each function of the plurality of means provided in the present invention is realized by a hardware resource whose function is specified by the configuration itself, a hardware resource whose function is specified by a program, or a combination thereof. Further, the functions of the plurality of means are not limited to those realized by hardware resources that are physically independent of each other. The present invention can also be specified as an invention of a recording medium on which a program is recorded.

Hereinafter, a plurality of embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
(First embodiment)
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration of the navigation apparatus 1 to which the driving support apparatus according to the present invention is applied.

The hard disk device (HDD) 16 stores a map database (map DB). The map information around the vehicle may be acquired by the navigation device 1 communicating with the information center 50.
The direction sensor 26 is used for autonomous navigation, and includes a geomagnetic sensor, left and right vehicle speed difference sensor, vibration gyro, gas rate gyro, optical fiber gyro, and the like.

The vehicle speed sensor 28 is used for autonomous navigation and is a vehicle speed sensor used for a speedometer. The mileage is obtained by integrating the vehicle speed with time. The vehicle speed sensor can be composed of a vehicle speed sensor using wheel rotation speed, a Doppler ground vehicle speed sensor using radio waves or ultrasonic waves, a ground vehicle speed sensor using light and a spatial filter, and the like.
The GPS unit 30 as a locator is composed of an antenna for receiving orbit data transmitted from three or four satellites used for satellite navigation, an ASIC for outputting latitude and longitude data of the current position of the vehicle. The

  The camera unit 34 includes a digital camera such as a CCD camera or a CMOS camera used for lane marker recognition. The camera unit 34 can capture a lane marker for identifying the traveling lane of the host vehicle by capturing a road surface image in front of or behind the host vehicle. The navigation device 1 may detect the traveling lane of the vehicle by recognizing lane markers corresponding to the guide cable method, the magnetic marker method, and the reflector method. In addition, the navigation apparatus 1 recognizes the wind speed corresponding to the angle of the windsock, the wind force, or the wind direction corresponding to the direction of the windsock by analyzing the windsock installed on the highway main line and the like imaged by the camera unit 34. It is also possible.

The steering angle sensor 24 is configured by a non-contact rotation angle sensor using magnetism, light, or the like, and detects the absolute steering angle of the steering wheel.
The stabilizer controller 40 is a controller for an electromagnetic valve that controls a hydraulic cylinder provided in a link connecting the arm portion of the stabilizer and the unsprung portion. By increasing the rigidity of the stabilizer by the stabilizer controller 40, the roll rigidity of the vehicle can be increased.

A damper controller 42 for controlling the damper of the suspension is an actuator controller for the electromagnetic valve of the damper. By increasing the damping force of the damper by the damper controller 42, the roll rigidity of the vehicle can be increased. The roll rigidity of the vehicle may be increased by increasing the spring constant of the suspension.
The vehicle height controller 44 is an actuator controller for compressors and exhaust valves. By reducing the vehicle height by the vehicle height controller 44, the roll rigidity of the vehicle can be increased.
In this embodiment, the stabilizer rigidity, the damper damping force, and the vehicle height are exemplified as the control targets for increasing the roll rigidity of the vehicle. However, in order to suppress the swing of the steering angle, the steering force of the power steering or the steering retention The force may be controlled, or the height and angle of the air spoiler may be controlled.

The operation unit 11 includes a remote controller, an operation panel, and the like used for destination input and display switching.
The display 12 is configured by an FPD (Flat Panel Display), HUD (Head Up Display), or the like used for displaying operation guidance, a map, and guidance route guidance.
The speaker 14 is used to output guidance voices for operations and guidance routes. The speaker 14 may be shared with an audio speaker or may be dedicated for navigation.

The interface 17 is composed of an AD converter, a DA converter, and the like, and performs signal format conversion between the various input / output units described above and the CPU 20.
The RAM 22 is a volatile storage medium that temporarily stores data and programs processed by the CPU 20.
The flash memory 18 is a nonvolatile storage medium such as an EEPROM that stores a control program executed by the CPU 20. The control program and the map DB can be stored in the flash memory 18 or the HDD 16 by downloading from a predetermined server via a network, reading from a computer-readable storage medium such as a removable memory (not shown), and the like.

CPU20 controls each part of the navigation apparatus 1 by running a control program.
The information center 50 provides wind information to each vehicle by a weather information database (weather information DB) 56 that manages wind information representing wind direction, wind speed, and wind power for each region, FM multiplex broadcasting, optical beacons, infrared beacons, and the like. And a communication unit 52 for transmission.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a software configuration of the control program of the navigation device 1.
The map DB 60 is a database composed of information obtained by digitally representing a map in a graph format, and is used for detecting the current position of the vehicle on the road network, searching for a route, and predicting a crosswind section. In the map DB 60, intersections, junctions, turning points, dead ends, and the like are nodes, and roads are defined as links connecting nodes. For each link, traffic direction, distance, number of lanes, road type (highway, general road, etc.), link ID, start and end nodes, lane information such as right turn lane and left turn lane, static attributes related to wind Information is defined as attribute information. Static attribute information for wind defines the form of roads that affect the wind and the topography of areas near the road, such as whether there is a side wall on the road corresponding to each link, the tunnel, the tunnel exit, and the surrounding area. The road may be the feature information to be used, the northwest wind is strongly affected by the crosswind, the wind is stronger by 1 than the local weather forecast, and the north wind is blown when the local weather forecast is west wind. It may be information that defines the nature of the wind that blows. You may define the static attribute information with respect to a driving direction or a wind for every short straight line which connects the interpolation points provided in a link. Further, the static attribute information regarding the driving direction and the wind may be held in the map DB 60 itself, or may be held in a storage area other than the map DB 60 with reference to a short straight line connecting the link of the map DB 60 and its interpolation point. Good.

  FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of static attribute information regarding wind stored in the map DB 60. The presence or absence of crosswind influence is set for each link. The influence of the crosswind is set to “none” when the road corresponding to the link is not affected by the wind, such as in the tunnel or in the vicinity of the side wall. When there is an influence of crosswind, the magnitude of the crosswind influence is set in three stages of “large”, “medium”, and “small” for each wind direction on the road corresponding to the link. For example, a setting of “large” in the north wind direction indicates that the influence of the cross wind increases when the north wind blows. Such static attribute information for each wind direction is not always necessary. The road direction of the road can be calculated based on the latitude and longitude of the nodes and interpolation points. If the road direction of the road is north, it can be determined that there is no crosswind effect in the north and south winds. This is because it can be determined that there is an influence of crosswind if it is east wind.

  The locator module 62 is a program component that causes the CPU 20 to function as a locator. The locator module 62 performs correction by map matching using the map DB 60, and the latitude / longitude data of the current position of the vehicle input from the GPS unit 30, the travel speed input from the vehicle speed sensor 28, and the direction sensor 26. The position on the road network of the own vehicle is calculated based on the traveling direction input from, and the current position of the own vehicle is displayed on the map. In addition, the locator module 62 analyzes the front or rear image data of the host vehicle input from the camera unit 34, and the broken line white line that divides the driving lane by edge extraction or template matching and the solid white line corresponding to the central separator. And the traveling lane of the own vehicle is specified while referring to the number of lanes recorded in the map DB 60.

  The route search module 64 is a program component that causes the CPU 20 to function as route search means. The route search module 64 searches for a guidance route from the departure point set by the user to the destination. That is, the route search module 64 searches the rational route while following the link from the node corresponding to the departure point to the node corresponding to the destination with reference to the map DB 60 and stores the searched route in the RAM 22 as a guidance route. . In the guidance mode, guidance information such as right and left turns for guiding the driver along the guidance route searched by the route search module 64 is output from the speaker 14 and the display 12.

  The role control setting module 66 is a program component that causes the CPU 20 to function as a source information acquisition unit and a prediction unit. The roll control setting module 66 is based on the driving direction and static attribute information of the planned road determined by the searched route and the current position of the host vehicle, and the wind information including the wind direction and wind power of the area of the planned road. A crosswind section predicted to be affected by the crosswind is set, and a control start point, a control end point, and control amounts of the stabilizer controller 40, the damper controller 42, and the vehicle height controller 44 are set for each crosswind section.

  The roll control module 68 is a program component that causes the CPU 20 to function as control means. When the current position specified by the locator module 62 coincides with the control start point of each crosswind section, the roll control module 68 is set in the stabilizer controller 40, the damper controller 42, and the vehicle height controller 44 by the roll control setting module 66. Control amounts are output, and the stabilizer controller 40, the damper controller 42, and the vehicle height controller 44 are controlled until the current position matches the control end point of each crosswind section.

FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing the flow of roll control setting processing. The process shown in FIG. 1 is executed when the CPU 20 executes the roll control setting module 66 and is activated when the navigation apparatus 1 receives the latest wind information from the information center 50.
In step S100, the latest wind information of the scheduled road is acquired. Specifically, the latest wind information including wind direction and wind force received by road-to-vehicle communication or vehicle-to-vehicle communication is acquired for each region. In the present embodiment, wind force is used for the prediction of the crosswind section, but it goes without saying that wind speed may be used instead of wind force.

  In this way, by acquiring wind information by road-to-vehicle communication or vehicle-to-vehicle communication, it is possible to obtain more accurate wind information of the planned travel point from the information center or a probe car in the vicinity of the host vehicle. In addition, since it is possible to acquire not only wind information at the current position but also wind information in areas far from the current position through communication, in a situation where the planned road can be identified far away by route search, wind information acquired through communication Based on the above, it is possible to predict the influence of crosswind on all the planned roads.

  Note that the CPU 20 may detect the wind force and the wind direction at the current position by analyzing an image obtained by capturing the windsock installed on the highway or the like by the camera unit 34. The CPU 20 may detect the wind force and the wind direction at the current position using the output of the wind sensor of the own vehicle that detects the wind direction, the wind force, and the like. Since the wind direction and wind power at the current position are assumed to be substantially constant around the current position, it is possible to predict the influence of cross wind on the planned road around the current position based on the wind information at the current position.

  Next, in step S102, a processing target link to be processed from step S104 to step S108 is set. Specifically, a link constituting a guidance route ahead of the current position is extracted, and the extracted link is set as a processing target link. Even if there is no guide route, in the case of a road where the branch point is not within the predetermined range ahead, such as a highway, a toll road, and a mountain road, the link from the current position point to the branch point is extracted, The extracted link may be set as the processing target link.

  In step S104, link attribute information is acquired for all the links to be processed. Based on the link attribute information and the wind information acquired in step S100, is the road corresponding to each link affected by crosswinds? A link that is predicted to be affected by crosswinds is identified. Specifically, the link in which the side wind influence is set to “present” is extracted as the static attribute information regarding the wind of the link in the map DB 60. Next, on the basis of the wind direction and the wind force included in the wind information for each region acquired in step S100, a wind vector having a direction and a magnitude is determined for each link for which the crosswind effect is set to “present”. . At this time, a wind vector is determined for each link based on the wind information of the area corresponding to the area where the link exists. Next, for each link for which the crosswind influence is set to “present”, the travel direction of the link is specified based on the map DB 60. The travel direction of the link can be calculated based on the latitude and longitude of the node or interpolation point. Next, the size of the component in the direction perpendicular to the travel direction of the link of the wind vector (hereinafter referred to as the crosswind component) is calculated for each link for which the crosswind influence is set to “Yes”, and the size of the crosswind component is calculated. A link whose length is equal to or greater than a predetermined value is specified as a link that is predicted to be affected by the crosswind. As a result, the link that is predicted that the wind blowing in the direction perpendicular to the direction of travel of the link, that is, the wind force of the cross wind, is greater than or equal to a predetermined value is specified.

  Note that the wind information may be converted based on static attribute information related to the wind of each link, and the influence of the cross wind may be determined based on the converted wind information. Specifically, for example, when the static attribute information defines that the tunnel is not affected by wind, where there is a side wall, or surrounded by mountains, wind power is converted to zero. Further, for example, when the static attribute information is defined as “a wind that is stronger than the local weather forecast by 1 wind force”, 1 is added to the wind force, or the static attribute information is “local weather information”. If it is defined that the north wind blows when the wind is west wind, the west wind direction is converted to north. For example, if the link direction is east, the wind information is wind direction: north, and the wind force: 7, and the static attribute information about the wind is defined as “large influence of north wind”, 3 is added to calculate the wind vector, or even if the wind information is wind direction: north, wind force: 7, but the static attribute information about the wind is defined as “small influence of north wind” The wind vector is calculated by subtracting 3 from the north wind. In this way, it is possible to specify whether the wind is a crosswind, a headwind, or a tailwind based on the wind direction converted based on the static attribute information on the wind of each link, the wind force, and the direction of travel of the road.

  It is also possible to predict a section that receives a crosswind without specifying the road direction. For example, it is not necessary to specify the road direction of the road if the influence of the cross wind taking into account the road direction of the road is defined in the static attribute information related to the wind of the link. Specifically, for example, if the static attribute information related to the wind of a link is defined as “large influence of north wind”, the influence of cross wind is predicted from the magnitude of the north component of the wind vector in the area where the link is located. can do.

  In step S106, a crosswind section to be subjected to control for increasing roll rigidity is set based on the link specified in step S104 and predicted to be affected by the crosswind. First, it is determined whether links predicted to be affected by the crosswind are continuous. For example, when there is continuity in the link ID that is the attribute information, or when the link start and end nodes match, it is determined that the two links are continuous. When the links are continuous, one crosswind section is set for all the continuous links. For links that are not continuous, one crosswind section is set for one link. Moreover, when the distance between the set cross wind sections is equal to or less than a predetermined distance, for example, 30 m or less, one cross wind section in which these cross wind sections are combined is set.

In step S108, control values including control amounts, control start points, and control end points of the stabilizer controller 40, the damper controller 42, and the vehicle height controller 44 are set for each crosswind section set in step S106. First, for each set crosswind section, the largest crosswind component is selected from the crosswind components calculated for the links included in the section. A control amount is set for the largest crosswind component. For example, the control amount is set as follows for the first and second threshold values set in advance for the crosswind component.
When the crosswind component is greater than the second threshold: Large When the crosswind component is greater than or equal to the first threshold and less than the second threshold: Medium When the crosswind component is less than the first threshold: Small

  Next, a control start point and a control end point are set. For each set crosswind section, the positions of the nodes at both ends of the section are acquired from the map DB 60. Next, a point a predetermined distance before the node closer to the current position (front side), for example, a point 30 m before, is set as a control start point, and the position of the node far from the current position is terminated. Set as a point. When the control start point is in a tunnel, on a bridge or on a road with a side wall, for example, a point a predetermined distance before the end point of the tunnel, bridge, side wall, etc., for example, a point 30 m before the control is controlled. It may be set as a starting point. The control start point can also be set according to the speed of the vehicle. Specifically, a distance that reaches a node closer to the current position in the crosswind section is calculated for a predetermined time, for example, 5 seconds, and the calculated distance is less than the crosswind section. The previous point can be set as the control start point.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a data structure of control values.
The control value is set for each crosswind section. The control start point link ID is data for identifying a link having a control start point. The control target link ID is data for identifying a link in the crosswind section. The control start point and control end point are set by latitude and longitude. The control amount is set for at least one of the stabilizer controller 40, the damper controller 42, and the vehicle height controller 44, respectively. By setting the control start point in front of the crosswind section, it is possible to perform control to increase the roll rigidity of the vehicle before the vehicle enters the crosswind section, and to prevent the rudder angle from being shaken by the crosswind. .

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a roll control process executed in the guidance mode. The process shown in FIG. 6 is activated at regular intervals while the vehicle is traveling along the guidance route, and is executed by the CPU 20 executing the roll control module 68.
In step S200, it is determined whether the current position of the host vehicle is coincident with the control start point. If the two do not match, the roll control is not executed. Specifically, the CPU 20 collates the latitude / longitude data of the current position calculated by the locator module 62 with the latitude / longitude data of the control start point. Note that the coincidence determination between the current position and the control start point may not be a complete coincidence determination. For example, the roll control may be started when the current position falls within a preset range around the control start point.

  When the current position of the host vehicle coincides with the control start point, execution of roll control is started (step S202). Since the control start point is set before the crosswind section in which the vehicle is affected by the crosswind, the roll control is started before entering the section in which the vehicle is highly likely to be affected by the crosswind. Specifically, the CPU 20 controls the stabilizer controller 40, the damper controller 42, and the vehicle height controller 44 on the basis of the control amounts set therein, thereby increasing the roll rigidity of the vehicle.

In step S204, it is determined whether the current position of the host vehicle is coincident with the control end point. If the two do not match, the roll control is continued. Specifically, the latitude / longitude data of the current position calculated by the locator module 62 is compared with the latitude / longitude data of the control end point. The coincidence determination between the current position and the control end point may not be a complete coincidence determination as in the control start point determination.
When the current position of the host vehicle coincides with the control end point, the roll control for the cross wind is canceled (step S206). Specifically, for example, the roll control mode by the navigation device 1 transits to a roll control mode during normal travel that is executed regardless of crosswind.

(Second embodiment)
In the second embodiment, crosswind sections can be set for all roads within a predetermined range from the current position of the host vehicle. When the vehicle's driving lane is a dedicated lane such as a right turn lane, a left turn lane, or a straight lane, it is possible to identify the planned road after passing the intersection even if it is not operating in the guidance mode. When the road is in a section, control for increasing the roll rigidity of the vehicle is executed.

Hereinafter, a second embodiment of the roll control setting process will be described with reference to FIG. In step S102 to step S108, a crosswind section is set for links corresponding to all roads within a predetermined range from the current position of the host vehicle, and a control value is set for each crosswind section.
In step S102, a predetermined range with the current position as a base point (for example, within a 5 km square centered on the current position, within a circle with a radius of 5 km centered on the current position, a radius ahead of the vehicle centered on the current position) A link corresponding to a road included in the specified range is extracted from the map DB 60 (step S102). The range to be processed may be set wider in front of the host vehicle than in the rear of the host vehicle or the side of the host vehicle.

When the control start point is set at a position other than the road of the processing target link in step S108, the control start point is set for all the links connected to the node closer to the host vehicle of the processing target link. As a result, roll control can be started before entering the crosswind section when entering the crosswind section from any road.
Processing other than these is substantially the same as in the first embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a second embodiment of the roll control process. The process shown in FIG. 8 is started at regular intervals while the vehicle is running, and is executed by the CPU 20 executing the roll control module 68.
In step S400, it is determined whether the traveling lane is a dedicated lane such as a right turn dedicated lane, a left turn dedicated lane, or a straight traveling dedicated lane. If the traveling lane is not a dedicated lane, roll control is not executed. The dedicated lane refers to a travel lane in which a travel road after passing through an intersection can be predicted, and may be a travel lane other than the above in which a travel planned road after passing the intersection is specified. Specifically, first, the front or rear image data input from the camera unit 34 is analyzed, and a broken line white line that divides the lane by edge extraction or template matching and a solid white line corresponding to the median strip. And the traveling lane of the own vehicle is specified while referring to the number of lanes recorded in the map DB 60. Next, the lane information recorded in the map DB 60 is referred to, and it is determined whether the traveling lane is a dedicated lane such as a right turn only, left turn only, or straight ahead only.

If it is determined that the travel lane is a dedicated lane, it is determined whether the planned travel road after passing the intersection is a road in a crosswind section (step S402). Roll control is not executed when the road is not in a crosswind section. Specifically, first, based on the current position and the map DB 60, the link ID of the link corresponding to the planned travel road after passing the intersection is specified. Next, it is determined whether there is any link ID of the link set in the crosswind section in steps S102 to S108 that matches the link ID of the link corresponding to the planned road after passing the intersection. It is determined that the planned traveling road after passing the intersection is a road in the crosswind section, and if there is not, it is determined that the planned traveling road after passing the intersection is not a road in the crosswind section.
Even when it is determined that the travel lane is not a dedicated lane, the planned travel road after passing the intersection is identified by the operation of the blinker, and it is determined whether the identified travel planned road is a road in the crosswind section. May be.

When it is determined that the scheduled road after passing the intersection is a road in the crosswind section, the control values of the crosswind section corresponding to the planned road after passing the intersection, that is, the control start point, the control end point, and the control amount are Obtained (step S404).
In step S406, a match between the current position of the host vehicle and the control start point is determined. If there is no matching control start point, roll control is not executed. Specifically, the latitude / longitude data of the current position is compared with the latitude / longitude data of the control start point. When there are a plurality of control start points, it is only necessary to match one of them. If the difference between the current position and the control start point is within a predetermined range, it may be determined that the two match.

When the current position of the host vehicle coincides with the control start point, execution of roll control is started (step S408). This process is substantially the same as in the first embodiment.
In step S410, it is determined whether the current position of the host vehicle matches the control end point. If there is no matching control start point, roll control is continued. Specifically, the CPU 20 collates the latitude / longitude data of the current position calculated by the locator module 62 with the latitude / longitude data of the control end point. When there are a plurality of control end points, it is sufficient that they coincide with any one of them. Similarly to the determination of the control start point, the current position and the control end point may be determined as matching if the difference between them is within a predetermined range.

When the current position of the host vehicle coincides with the control end point, the roll control for the cross wind is canceled (step S412). This process is substantially the same as in the first embodiment.
In this way, by specifying that the vehicle is located in a dedicated lane such as a right turn lane or a left turn lane, it is possible to accurately determine the scheduled road after passing the intersection. The vehicle can be controlled to increase the rigidity.

(Other embodiments)
In 1st embodiment and 2nd embodiment, although the form which changes the driving | running | working characteristic of a vehicle was illustrated as cross wind countermeasure control, the application range of this invention is not this limitation. For example, the navigation device 1 may notify the driver that the vehicle receives a crosswind before entering the crosswind section by voice, an image, an electric light, or the like, or guide to a route or lane that is not easily affected by the crosswind. Information may be output. Warning and guidance information can be output by lighting or blinking of a light disposed on the display 12, the speaker 14, or the instrument panel. For example, the navigation apparatus 1 may perform deceleration control before the vehicle enters the crosswind section, or may perform control to increase the pretension of the seat belt. In other words, as long as it can be predicted that the vehicle will receive a crosswind, various controls for avoiding danger can be realized.

The flowchart which concerns on embodiment of this invention. The block diagram which concerns on 1st embodiment of this invention. The block diagram which concerns on 1st embodiment of this invention. The schematic diagram which concerns on 1st embodiment of this invention. The schematic diagram which concerns on 1st embodiment of this invention. The flowchart which concerns on 1st embodiment of this invention. The flowchart which concerns on 2nd embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

1: navigation device (running support device), 17: interface, 30: GPS unit (locator), 62: locator module (locator), 64: route search module (route search means), 66: roll control setting module (source information) Acquisition means, setting means), 68: roll control module (control means)

Claims (11)

Source information acquisition means for acquiring wind information including road direction and road map information;
A locator that identifies the current position of the vehicle,
Setting means for setting a crosswind section in which the vehicle is predicted to receive a crosswind on the planned road based on the current position, the road map information, and the wind direction;
Based on the current position and the crosswind section, a control means for executing a predetermined crosswind countermeasure control that is determined in advance when the host vehicle reaches a predetermined point before the crosswind section;
A driving support device comprising: The crosswind countermeasure control is control for increasing the roll rigidity of the vehicle.
The travel support apparatus according to claim 1. The crosswind countermeasure control is control for at least one of a stabilizer, a suspension, and a vehicle height.
The travel support apparatus according to claim 2. The crosswind countermeasure control is a warning or guidance for the driver.
The travel support apparatus according to claim 1. The wind information includes wind speed or wind force,
The crosswind section set by the setting means is a section where the vehicle is predicted to receive a crosswind whose wind speed or wind power is equal to or greater than a predetermined value.
The driving assistance device according to any one of claims 1 to 4. The road map information includes static attribute information of roads related to wind,
The setting means sets the crosswind section based on the static attribute information;
The driving assistance device according to any one of claims 1 to 5. The static attribute information includes feature information related to the wind of the scheduled road.
The travel support apparatus according to claim 6. Further comprising route search means for searching for a guidance route to the destination of the vehicle,
The setting means specifies the planned travel road based on the guidance route.
The travel support device according to any one of claims 1 to 7. The locator identifies the traveling lane of the vehicle,
The setting means identifies the planned driving road as a right turn destination road when the driving lane of the own vehicle is a right turn exclusive lane, and sets the planned driving road as a left turn when the driving lane of the own vehicle is a left turn exclusive use lane. Identify the road,
The travel support device according to any one of claims 1 to 7.   The travel support device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the source information acquisition unit acquires the wind information by road-to-vehicle communication or vehicle-to-vehicle communication. Get wind information including road direction and road map information,
Identify the current location of your vehicle,
Setting a crosswind section where the vehicle is predicted to receive crosswind on the planned road based on the current position, the road map information and the wind information,
Based on the current position and the crosswind section, when the vehicle reaches a predetermined point in front of the crosswind section, a predetermined crosswind countermeasure control is executed in advance.
A driving support method including the above.

Images