JP2007137418A - Traveling control device for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To hardly inhibit the traveling state according to intention of a driver for operating a manual operation part in a traveling control device for a vehicle for driving/controlling an actuator provided on at least one of a braking system and an accelerator system of the vehicle based on a control signal according to an operation amount of the manual operation part. <P>SOLUTION: In the traveling control device for the vehicle, the actuator provided on at least one of the braking system and the accelerator system of the vehicle is driven/controlled based on the control signal according to the operation amount of the manual operation part. The manual operation part is provided with a mechanism such that a relationship of the operation amount and operation force becomes a non-linear relationship the an increase degree of operation force required for an increase degree of the operation amount becomes much as the operation amount becomes much. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle travel control device that controls a vehicle travel state (acceleration, deceleration, forward travel, reverse travel, constant speed maintenance, etc.), and more specifically, an actuator provided in at least one of a vehicle braking system and an accelerator system. The present invention relates to a vehicular travel control apparatus in which drive control is performed based on a control signal corresponding to an operation amount of a manual operation unit.

  Conventionally, for example, a braking system has been proposed in which a servo motor (actuator) that reciprocates the piston shaft of a master cylinder of a braking system is driven and controlled by a control signal corresponding to the operation amount of a handle brake switch (manual operation unit). (JP-A-9-58426). According to such a braking device, it is possible to shorten the idling distance of the vehicle due to the time for switching from the accelerator pedal to the brake pedal by operating the handle switch immediately in an emergency.

  As described above, in the vehicle travel control device that controls the drive of the actuator based on the control signal corresponding to the operation amount of the manual operation unit, the required drive amount is generated in the actuator with a small operation amount of the manual operation unit. I have to let it. Under such restrictions, the influence of the operation caused by driver's careless operation and disturbance such as vehicle vibration on the driving state is relatively large, and the driving state according to the driver's intention to operate the manual operation unit Is easily disturbed.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a vehicular travel control apparatus in which an actuator provided in at least one of a braking system and an accelerator system of a vehicle is driven and controlled based on a control signal corresponding to an operation amount of a manual operation unit. In other words, the traveling state according to the intention of the driver who operates the manual operation unit is hardly obstructed.

  In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides an actuator provided in at least one of a braking system and an accelerator system of a vehicle based on a control signal corresponding to an operation amount of a manual operation unit. In the vehicular travel control apparatus, the manual operation unit is configured such that the relationship between the operation amount and the operation force increases as the operation amount increases and the required operation force increases with respect to the operation amount. It is comprised so that the mechanism used as such a nonlinear relationship may be provided.

  In such a vehicular travel control device, the greater the operation amount of the manual operation unit, the greater the increase in the required operation force with respect to the increase in the operation amount. Therefore, the force necessary to obtain a large operation amount is increased. Increases nonlinearly. Therefore, although it is possible to increase the operation amount of the manual operation unit by the driver's own intention, the manual operation unit is difficult to be operated with a large amount of operation carelessly.

  The braking system is a system that performs vehicle braking, and can be configured using a hydraulic mechanism, an electrical braking mechanism, or the like. The accelerator system is a system for driving a power source of a vehicle and has a mechanism suitable for a drive source (engine (gasoline, diesel), electric motor, etc.). A mechanism in which the relationship between the operation amount and the operation force has a non-linear relationship in which the increase in the required operation force with respect to the increase in the operation amount increases as the operation amount increases is described in, for example, claim 2 Thus, it can be configured to have a composite elastic body in which a plurality of elastic bodies having different elastic coefficients are connected in series, and the composite elastic body generates a repulsive force against the operating force.

  In such a vehicular travel control device, when an operation force is applied to the mechanism of the manual operation unit, every time the deformation of an elastic body having a smaller elastic coefficient reaches the limit, the relationship between the operation force and the operation amount is obtained. The characteristic to represent changes in steps. The composite elastic body can be configured, for example, by connecting a plurality of coil springs having different elastic coefficients in series.

  Further, as described in claim 3, the mechanism has an elastic body whose elastic coefficient changes continuously, and can be configured such that the elastic body generates a force that resists the operating force. . In such a vehicular travel control apparatus, when an operating force is applied to the mechanism of the manual operation unit, the characteristic representing the relationship between the operating force and the operation amount changes continuously.

  The elastic body can be constituted by a coil spring in which the wire diameter of the winding is continuously changed. In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a control according to an operation amount of a manual operation unit for an actuator provided in at least one of a braking system and an accelerator system of a vehicle. In a vehicular travel control apparatus in which drive control is performed based on a signal, the actuator has a non-linear characteristic such that the increase in the drive amount of the actuator with respect to the increase in the operation amount increases as the operation amount in the manual operation unit increases. It is comprised so that it may have a signal production | generation means which produces | generates the control signal for driving.

  In such a vehicle travel control device, the greater the operation amount of the manual operation unit, the greater the increment of the drive amount of the actuator relative to the increment of the operation amount, so as long as the operation amount of the manual operation unit is small, The drive amount of the actuator does not increase much. When the driver operates the manual operation unit with a large amount of operation with his own intention, the actuator is driven with a larger driving amount. However, even if the manual operation unit is inadvertently touched, the effect on the driving amount of the actuator becomes smaller with a small operation amount.

  Furthermore, in order to solve the above-described problem, the present invention provides a control signal according to the operation amount of the manual operation unit, the actuator provided in at least one of the braking system and the accelerator system of the vehicle. In the vehicular travel control apparatus in which drive control is performed based on the above, when the operation amount of the manual operation unit fluctuates at a predetermined frequency or more, the response characteristic of the drive amount of the actuator with respect to the operation amount of the manual operation unit is blunted Thus, it is configured to include signal adjustment means for adjusting the control signal.

  In such a vehicular travel control device, when the amount of operation fluctuates at a predetermined frequency or more due to vehicle vibration or the like while the driver is operating the manual operation unit, the signal adjustment means performs control for driving the actuator. The signal is adjusted so that the response characteristic of the drive amount of the actuator with respect to the operation amount of the manual operation unit becomes dull. Therefore, fluctuations in the drive amount of the actuator based on fluctuations in the operation amount of the manual operation unit are alleviated. As a result, the influence of the fluctuation of the manual operation unit at a predetermined frequency or more is less likely to appear in the traveling state of the vehicle based on the actuator drive control.

  The predetermined frequency, which is the reference for the fluctuation of the operation amount for adjusting the control signal, represents the standard of the frequency fluctuation and the steepness of the time fluctuation, considering the vibration and running characteristics applied to the manual operation part as disturbance. Predetermined. In the vehicular travel control apparatus, the signal adjustment means includes, for example, a low-pass filter means for attenuating a component having a frequency equal to or higher than a predetermined frequency of a signal representing an operation amount of the manual operation unit, as described in claim 6, And a means for adjusting a control signal for driving the actuator based on the signal processed by the low-pass filter means.

  In such a vehicle travel control device, an operation amount that varies due to a disturbance or the like is superimposed on an operation amount that is directly operated by a driver of a manual operation unit, and a signal that represents a total operation amount has a frequency that is equal to or higher than a predetermined frequency. When a component is included, the component is attenuated by the low-pass filter means. Then, a control signal for driving the actuator is adjusted based on the signal in which the component is attenuated. As a result, the influence of the manipulated variable that varies due to the disturbance or the like on the drive amount of the actuator is reduced.

  Furthermore, in order to solve the above-described problem, the present invention provides a control according to the operation amount of the manual operation unit for the actuator provided in at least one of the braking system and the accelerator system of the vehicle. In the vehicular travel control apparatus configured to perform drive control based on the signal, an operation fluctuation determination unit that determines whether or not a value indicating a steep fluctuation of the operation amount of the manual operation unit is equal to or greater than a predetermined value; When the operation variation determining means determines that the value representing the steepness of the variation in the operation amount is equal to or greater than the predetermined value, the drive amount of the actuator is more slowly after the variation than the operation amount variation of the manual operation unit. Signal adjusting means for adjusting the control signal so as to change to a driving amount corresponding to the operation amount.

  In such a vehicular travel control device, for example, when a driver accidentally and suddenly operates a manual operation unit, the signal adjustment means adjusts when a value representing the steepness of fluctuation of the operation amount becomes a predetermined value or more. In response to the control signal, the drive amount of the actuator changes to a drive amount corresponding to the operation amount after the change so that the drive amount changes more gently than the change of the operation amount. Therefore, rapid fluctuations in the running state against the driver's will are alleviated.

  In the vehicle travel control device, the operation variation determination means includes, for example, a differential processing means for differentially processing a signal representing an operation amount of the manual operation unit, and a differential processing means as described in claim 7. And determining means for determining whether or not the obtained signal is equal to or greater than a predetermined value. In addition, the signal adjustment means, for example, as described in claim 9, gradually changes the signal representing the operation amount of the manual operation unit gradually from the change in the operation amount to the one corresponding to the operation amount after the change. And a means for adjusting a control signal for driving the actuator based on the signal processed by the signal processing means.

  According to each of the operation variation determining means and the signal adjusting means, the variation in the driving amount of the actuator with respect to the variation in the operation amount of the manual operation unit can be easily reduced by electrical processing. By the way, when driving a vehicle, different driving characteristics such as acceleration and deceleration, forward and backward, rapid acceleration and slow acceleration, rapid deceleration and slow deceleration are used properly in various situations. Furthermore, from the viewpoint that the driving operation (braking operation, accelerator operation) for properly using such different traveling characteristics in various scenes can be easily performed, the present invention provides the vehicle described above. In the braking control device for a vehicle, the manual operation unit has a neutral position and is movable in two directions from the neutral position, and the operation body is placed in the neutral position in a state where no operation force is applied to the operation body. A mechanism for holding the actuator in position, and when the operating body is in the neutral position, the drive amount of the actuator is eliminated, and the operating body is operated in one direction from the neutral position and is operated in the other direction from the neutral position. In this case, it is configured to include signal generation means for generating a control signal such that the running characteristics of the vehicle are different.

  In such a vehicular travel control device, in order to drive the vehicle with a certain travel characteristic (for example, acceleration), when the operating body is operated in one direction, the signal generating means responds to the operation amount in the travel characteristic. Control signal is generated. Then, drive control of the actuator is performed based on the control signal. As a result, the vehicle is in a running state according to its running characteristics.

  Here, in order for the driver to drive with other travel characteristics (for example, deceleration), first, when the hand (finger) is released from the operating body, the operating body is moved so as to be held in the neutral position. . In a state in which the operating body is held at the neutral position, the signal generation unit generates a control signal that causes the actuator to be driven out, and the actuator is driven based on the control signal. As a result, the vehicle is temporarily stopped from traveling control according to its traveling characteristics.

  Thereafter, when the driver operates the operating body in the other direction from the neutral position, the signal generating means generates a control signal corresponding to the operation amount in the other traveling characteristics. Then, drive control of the actuator is performed based on the control signal. As a result, the vehicle is in a traveling state according to other traveling characteristics. As described above, when switching the travel characteristics, when the operating force is no longer applied to the operating tool by releasing the operating tool, the operating tool moves so as to be held in the neutral position, and the driver moves the operating tool. It becomes easier to operate in the other direction from the neutral position. And it becomes possible to drive the vehicle with two traveling characteristics with one operating body.

  The above-mentioned different driving characteristics are actually assumed to be suitable for the operation of one operating body, such as acceleration and deceleration, forward and backward, rapid acceleration and slow acceleration, rapid deceleration and slow deceleration, etc. It can be determined from the running pattern of the vehicle driving. In particular, from the viewpoint that a wide range of running characteristics can be switched, the present invention provides the signal generating means according to the eleventh aspect, in which the operating body is operated in one direction from the neutral position to the neutral position. When the vehicle is operated in the other direction, the control signal can be generated so that the running characteristics of the vehicle are reversed.

  In such a vehicle travel control device, a travel state with completely opposite travel characteristics can be obtained by changing the operation direction of the operating body. The reverse traveling characteristic means that the direction of change of information representing the traveling characteristic is reverse, such as acceleration and deceleration, forward and backward, and the like. In addition, when the manual operation unit is provided with a mechanism for holding the operation body in the neutral position in a state where no operation force is applied to the operation body as described above, the operation body is operated due to deterioration of the mechanism over time. In a state where no force is applied, the operating body may be held at a position different from the neutral position. In such a case, a control signal based on the operation amount corresponding to the difference between the neutral position and the different position is generated despite the generation of a control signal that essentially eliminates the drive amount of the actuator. Thus, the actuator is driven.

  From the viewpoint of preventing such a situation, as described in claim 12, the present invention provides a vehicle travel control device in which the operating body is always in a position where no operating force is applied. A neutral position correcting means for correcting the control signal so as to eliminate the drive amount of the actuator can be provided. In such a vehicular travel control device, even when the operating force is not applied to the operating body due to aging of the mechanism that holds the operating body in the neutral position, the operating body is held at a position different from the neutral position. Then, the neutral position correcting means corrects the control signal so that the driving amount of the actuator disappears at the holding position of the operating body. As a result, the drive amount of the actuator is always lost when no operating force is applied to the operating body.

  In addition, from the viewpoint that the driver during the driving operation can easily operate the manual operation unit, the present invention provides the vehicle operation control device according to claim 13, wherein the manual operation unit is configured as described above. Can be configured to be provided on a steering wheel for steering the vehicle. In such a vehicle travel control device, a driver who performs a steering operation of the vehicle by grasping the steering wheel can immediately operate a manual operation unit provided on the steering wheel.

  According to the present invention described in each claim, the influence on the vehicle running state due to inadvertent operation of the manual operation unit is reduced, or the vehicle running of the operation amount variation of the manual operation unit due to disturbance such as vehicle vibration is reduced. The influence on the state is reduced. As a result, the traveling state according to the driver's intention to operate the manual operation unit is hardly obstructed.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The vehicle includes an accelerator pedal and a brake pedal, and the vehicle is driven and braked by each depression operation. In such a vehicle, for example, as shown in FIG. 1, a travel control switch 100 is provided in the vicinity of a normal grip position of the steering wheel 10. The travel control switch 100 is used for auxiliary accelerator control and braking control, as will be described later. As shown in FIG. 2, which is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 1, the installation portion of the traveling control switch 100 in the steering wheel 10 is recessed, and the tip of the operation lever 101 of the traveling control switch 100 is It does not protrude from the outer surface. Such a structure prevents a driver operating the steering wheel 10 from moving the operation lever 101 by mistake.

  As shown in FIG. 3, in the travel control switch 100, the operation lever 101 can reciprocate between the end positions (B) and (F). The operating lever 101 is held at the neutral position (N) in a non-operating state where no operating force is applied. When the operation lever 101 is operated in the terminal position (B) direction, a braking force corresponding to the operation amount is generated. When the operation lever 101 is operated in the direction of the terminal position (F) on the opposite side, the accelerator control is performed at the accelerator opening corresponding to the operation amount.

  The interior of the travel control switch 100 has a structure as shown in FIG. 4, for example. That is, composite springs (elastic bodies) 102 and 103 are provided on both sides of the operation lever 101. When the operation lever 101 is operated in the terminal position (B) direction, the composite spring 102 positioned in that direction is compressed, and a repulsive force corresponding to the operation amount of the operation lever 101 acts on the operation lever 101. When the operation lever 101 is operated in the terminal position (F) direction, the composite spring 103 positioned in that direction is compressed, and a repulsive force corresponding to the operation amount of the operation lever 101 acts on the operation lever 101. Further, in a state where no operating force is applied to the operating lever 101, the operating lever 101 is held in the neutral position (N) by the action of both composite springs 102 and 103.

  Each of the composite springs 102 and 103 has, for example, a structure in which two (or three or more) springs having different spring constants (elastic coefficients) are connected in series. With this structure, when the composite spring is compressed, the ratio of the compression amount of the spring having a large spring constant to the compression amount of the spring having a small spring constant increases as the compression amount increases. For this reason, as the operation amount of the operation lever 101 increases, the increment of the repulsive force from the composite spring with respect to the increment of the operation amount, that is, the increment of the operation force increases. Since the relationship between the operation amount of the operation lever 101 and the operation force is a non-linear relationship as described above, the operation lever 101 is operated with a large amount of operation without the driver's positive intention to perform the operation. There is nothing. That is, the operation lever 101 is prevented from being erroneously operated with a large operation amount.

The characteristics of the composite springs 102 and 103 as described above can also be realized by a spring whose spring constant continuously changes. Such a spring can be made of a wire whose wire diameter continuously changes. As shown in FIG. 5, the operation lever 101 is connected to a slider 101 a of a variable resistor, and the slider 101 a slides on the resistor 104 by the operation of the operation lever 101. ing. The terminal O ₁ connected to the slider 101a and the terminal O ₂ of the resistor 104 close to the terminal position (F) are used as the output terminals (O ₁ , O ₂ ) of the variable resistor. The output resistance characteristic of the resistor 104 of this variable resistor depends on the position (stroke) of the operation lever 101 from the terminal position (B) to the reverse terminal position (F) as shown in FIG. Thus, the resistance value changes linearly (linearly) from the maximum value R _B to the minimum value R _F. In the state where the operation lever 101 is held at the neutral position (N), the output resistance value becomes R _N.

  The basic configuration of the travel control device is as shown in FIG. In FIG. 7, a travel control switch 100 composed of a variable resistor having the above resistance characteristics is connected to the control unit 20. The control unit 20 adjusts the brake actuator 30 that adjusts the wheel cylinder pressure in the vehicle braking system and the accelerator opening degree in the accelerator system with a control signal corresponding to the resistance value corresponding to the operation amount of the operation lever 101 of the travel control switch 100. This is supplied to the accelerator actuator 40. Specifically, for example, a control signal based on a resistance value corresponding to the operation amount of the travel control switch 100 is supplied to the brake actuator 30 and the accelerator actuator 40 so as to obtain acceleration / deceleration characteristics as shown in FIG. The

In FIG. 8, while the operation lever 101 of the travel control switch 100 is operated from the neutral position (N) to the end position (B), the deceleration is a straight line from zero to -G ₁ according to the operation amount (stroke). Braking control (driving control of the brake actuator 30) is performed. Further, while the operation lever 101 is operated from the neutral position (N) to the end position (F) in the reverse direction, the acceleration linearly changes from zero to G ₂ according to the operation amount (stroke). Accelerator control (drive control of the accelerator actuator 40) is performed.
With the travel control device as described above, the vehicle can be accelerated, decelerated, and stopped by operating the operation lever 101 of the travel control switch 100 provided on the steering wheel 10. As described above, the relationship between the operation amount of the operation lever 101 and the operation force is a non-linear relationship in which the operation force increases at an accelerated rate as the operation amount increases. Incorrect operation with a large operation amount is prevented.

  In the above-described example, the acceleration / deceleration characteristics based on the operation amount (stroke) of the operation lever 101 of the travel control switch 100 are linear characteristics as shown in FIG. 8, but for example, as shown in FIG. It may be a non-linear characteristic. Such a non-linear characteristic can be realized by the output characteristic of the variable resistor of the travel control switch 100 or can be realized by the output characteristic of the control signal of the control unit 20.

  Thus, when the acceleration / deceleration characteristic based on the operation amount of the operation lever 101 of the travel control switch 100 becomes a non-linear characteristic, the increase in the acceleration / deceleration with respect to the increase in the operation amount increases as the operation amount increases. That is, the control signal is adjusted so that the increment of the drive amount of each actuator 30 and 40 with respect to the increment of the operation amount becomes large. According to such characteristics, even if the driver inadvertently touches the operation lever 101, the amount of operation accompanying the operation lever 101 is small, so the influence on the drive amount of each actuator 30 and 40 is small. When traveling control of the vehicle at a large acceleration / deceleration is performed, the driver must operate the operation lever 101 with his / her own intention.

  In the vehicle travel control apparatus as described above, the driver applies, for example, a thumb to the operation lever 101 of the travel control switch 100 while gripping the steering wheel 10 during vehicle driving. When the vehicle travels in such a state, vibration due to road surface unevenness and the like is transmitted to the driver's hand through the steering wheel 10, and the vibration of the hand is transmitted to the operation lever 101. When the operation lever 101 vibrates, the control signal to be supplied to the actuators 30 and 40 fluctuates at a relatively high frequency, and a stable traveling state cannot be obtained.

Therefore, in order to prevent the stability of the vehicle from being impaired by the vibration of the operation lever 101, the control unit 20 adjusts a signal related to the operation position of the operation lever 101, for example, in the procedure shown in FIG. Yes. The control unit 20 executes processing in synchronization with a predetermined timing signal. In FIG. 10, the signal based on the output resistance value of the travel control switch 100 is converted from analog to digital, and, for example, the operation position (stroke) data P _swad according to the characteristics shown in FIG. 6 is acquired (S1). . Then, a deviation E _rr (P _swad −P _sw ) between the operation position data P _swad and the adjusted operation position data P _sw (initial value “0”) is calculated (S2). When this deviation E _rr is obtained, an integral value IE _{rr of} this deviation is further calculated (S3). Specifically, the calculated deviation E _rr is added to the integrated value IE _rro (initial value “0”) of the previous deviation (previous timing) (IE _rr = IE _rro + E _rr ). Then, the calculated integral value IE _rr is next (next timing) is set as the previous integration value IE _rro use should deviation (S4), further, by multiplying the filter constant K _f to the calculated integral value IE _rr Thus, the adjusted operation position data P _sw is calculated (P _sw = IE _rr * K _f ) (S5).

Note that the filter constant K _f used to calculate the operation position data P _sw in step S5 depends on the sampling frequency and cut-off frequency of the synchronization signal. The cut-off frequency is determined based on a critical frequency that affects the finger applied to the operation lever 101 of the travel control switch 100 provided in the steering wheel 10 when vibrations picked up from the road surface when the vehicle travels.

By repeating the processes from S1 to S5 as described above, the function of a low-pass filter expressed using a transfer function as shown in FIG. 11 is realized. As a result, the relatively high frequency fluctuation of the operation position data P _swad corresponding to the actual operation position of the travel control switch 100 is removed and adjusted according to the characteristics determined by the filter constant K _f depending on the sampling frequency and the cut-off frequency. Later operation position data P _sw is obtained.

Based on the operation position data P _sw from which the relatively high frequency fluctuation component has been removed, the control unit 20 controls the driving of the actuators 30 and 40 according to the characteristics shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, for example. Thus, a control signal for each actuator 30, 40 is generated. Thus, the brake actuator 30 and the accelerator actuator 40 are controlled based on the operation position data P _sw after the relatively high frequency component of the operation position data P _swad corresponding to the actual operation position of the travel control switch 100 is removed. Therefore, even if the vehicle vibration is transmitted to the steering wheel 10, the influence does not appear in the travel control based on the operation of the travel control switch 100. As a result, a stable traveling state of the vehicle is maintained.

The travel control switch 100 having the above-described structure has a structure in which the operation lever 101 is always held in the neutral position (N) when no operation force is applied to the operation lever 101. In such a structure, the position where the operation lever 101 is held in a state where no operation force is applied (no load state) due to manufacturing variations, aging of mechanical parts, etc. is the true neutral position (N) (output The resistance value may deviate from the position at which R _N is reached. In such a case, even if the driver lifts his / her finger from the operation lever 101, slight acceleration / deceleration control based on the output of the travel control switch 100 is performed.

Therefore, in a state where no operating force is applied to the operation lever 101 of the travel control switch 100, the control unit 20 is shown in FIG. 12, for example, in order to prevent each actuator based on the output of the travel control switch 100 from being driven as much as possible. Execute the process according to the procedure. In FIG. 12, the signal based on the output resistance value of the travel control switch 100 is converted from analog to digital, and, for example, the operation position (stroke) data P _swad according to the characteristics shown in FIG. 6 is acquired (S11). . Then, the acquired operation position data P _swad and the previous (previous timing) acquired operation position data P _swado are compared (S12).

If the current operation position data P _swad is equal to the previous operation position data P _swado (S12, YES), it is determined that the travel control switch 100 has not been operated, and the steering angle ( It is determined whether or not (operation angle) Steer (absolute value) is larger than a predetermined angle Kang (S13). This predetermined angle is a steering angle of the steering wheel 10 that makes it impossible for the driver to operate the travel control switch 100, and is set to 90 °, for example.

When the steering angle Steer of the steering wheel 10 is larger than the predetermined angle Kang, that is, when it is expected that the travel control switch 100 is not operated, the operation position data is corrected in the state where the operating force is not applied to the operating lever 101. The value P _swg is calculated (S14). This calculation is performed according to, for example, P _swg = (P _sw + P _swgo ) / 2. In the above formula, P _sw is the adjusted operation position data, and P _swgo is the correction value at the previous time (previous timing). That is, the correction value P _swg is calculated as the average of the previous correction value P _swso and the operation position (origin) data P _sw corresponding to the current neutral position (N). The correction value P _swg calculated in this way is set as the previous correction value P _swgo used in the next calculation (S15).

Thereafter, the adjusted operation position data P _sw is obtained by subtracting the correction value P _swg from the operation position data P _swad (obtained in step S1) based on the output value of the travel control switch 100 (P _sw = P _swad − P _swg ) is calculated (S16). Then, the operation position data P _swad acquired in step S1 this time is set as the previous operation position data P _swado used in the next (next timing) calculation.

When the operation position data P _swad acquired this time is not equal to the operation position data P _swado acquired last time (S12, NO), or when the steering angle (operation angle) Steer of the steering wheel 10 is equal to or less than the predetermined angle Kang. Since there is a possibility that the operation lever 101 of the travel control switch 100 is operated, the arithmetic processing regarding the correction value P _swg in steps S14 and S15 is not performed.

Since the operation position data P _swad based on the output value of the travel control switch 100 is corrected using the correction value P _swg calculated as described above, no operating force is applied to the operation lever 101. Then, even if the absolute position of the operation lever 101 is shifted, each actuator can be prevented from being driven as much as possible based on the output value of the travel control switch 100.

Furthermore, the travel control switch 100 is configured to always return to the neutral position (N) when the finger is released from the operation lever 101 (excluding the operation force). Thus, in the course of operation run control in accordance with the operation lever 101 of the travel control switch 100 is being performed, when the driver releases the fingers from the operating lever 101, for example, shown at time t ₁ shown in FIG. 13 (a) As described above, the operation position data P _swad changes rapidly. In such a case, in order to prevent the acceleration / deceleration control based on the operation position data P _{swad from} changing abruptly, the control unit 20 executes, for example, processing according to the procedure shown in FIG.

In FIG. 14, the signal based on the output resistance value of the travel control switch 100 is converted from analog to digital, and, for example, the operation position (stroke) data P _swad according to the characteristics shown in FIG. 6 is acquired (S21). . Then, the differential value D _psw operating position data P _Swad is calculated (S22). The differential value D _psw is calculated as a difference (D _psw = P _swado −P _swad ) from the previous (previous timing) operation position data P _swado and the operation position data P _swad acquired in step S21 this time.

Next, it is determined whether or not the differential value D _psw is smaller than a predetermined reference value K _d (S23). When the vehicle is controlled by operating the operation lever 101 of the travel control switch 100, the differential value D _psw is the reference value K as shown before time t _{1 in} FIG. Never exceed _d . In such a situation, it is determined that the differential value D _psw is smaller than the predetermined value K _d (S23, YES). Then, it is determined whether or not the flag F _d indicating that the transient process is being executed is set (F _d = 1) (S24). If this flag F _d is not set, the operation position data P _Swad acquired in step S21 is set as the operation position data P _sw to be outputted (S25). The operation position data P _swad acquired this time is set as the previous operation position data P _swado used in the next process (S31).

Thereafter, the same processing as described above (step S21) is performed until the operation lever 101 of the travel control switch 100 is suddenly operated and the differential value D _{psw of} the corresponding operation position data P _swad exceeds the reference value K _d. , S22, S23, S24, S25, S31) are repeatedly executed. Here, when the driver releases his / her finger from the operation lever 101 of the travel control switch 100, the operation lever 101 is rapidly returned to the neutral position (N). At this time, for example, as shown at time t ₁ in FIG. 13B, the operation position data P _swad fluctuates rapidly, and the differential value D _psw exceeds the reference value K _d (S23, NO). Then, the flag F _d is set (F _d = 1) (S26), and then low-pass filter processing (LPF) is executed (S27). In this low-pass filter process, as described above, the adjusted operation position data P _swf in a state in which the change is relaxed is calculated from the acquired operation position data P _swad (in) according to the procedure shown in FIG.

Then, it is determined whether or not the adjustment operation position data P _swf is equal to the operation position data P _swad acquired this time (S28). It is determined whether or not the adjustment operation position data P _swf whose change has been relaxed by the low-pass filter processing has reached the operation position data P _swad after the operation lever 101 is suddenly returned to the neutral position (N). To do. If the adjustment operation position data P _swf has not yet reached the operation position data P _swad acquired in step S21, the adjustment operation position data P _swf is set as the operation position data P _sw to be output. (S30). Similarly to the above, after the operation position data P _swad acquired this time is set as the previous operation position data P _swado used in the next processing (S31), the operation position data P _swad is acquired (S21). Then, the calculation of the differential value D _{psw. Of} the operation position data P _swap (S22) and the magnitude determination of the differential value D _psw (S23) are performed.

After the driver _lifts his finger from the operation lever 101, the fluctuation of the operation position data P _swad corresponding to the operation position of the operation lever 101 becomes small, and when the differential value D _psw becomes smaller than the reference value K _d , Further, it is determined whether or not the flag _Fd is set (S24, YES). At this time, since the flag F _d is already set (F _d = 1), the low-pass filter processing or the like (S27S, 28) is executed, and the adjustment operation position obtained by the low-pass filter processing (S27). The data P _swf is set as the operation position data P _sw to be output (S30). Thereafter, the above-described processing (S21, S22, S23, S24, S27, S28, S30) is repeatedly executed from the setting of the operation position data P _swado (S31).

As a result, the operation position data P _swad based on the output resistance value of the travel control switch 100 is actually output even if it changes suddenly, for example, at time t ₁ in FIG. The operation position data P _sw is gradually reduced according to the characteristics of the low-pass filter processing. Accordingly, the target deceleration determined by the control signal generated based on the operation position data P _sw gradually decreases from time t ₁ as shown in FIG. 13C, for example.

When the processing as described above is executed, the adjustment operation position data P _swf obtained by the low-pass filter processing gradually decreases, and the value of the operation lever 101 is already held at the neutral position (N). If it becomes equal to the operation position data P _swad acquired in the above state (S28, YES), the flag F _d is reset (F _d = 0) (S29). After the adjustment operation position data P _swf obtained by the low-pass filter process is set as the operation position data P _sw to be output, the same operation as before the sudden return of the neutral position (N) of the operation lever 101 is performed. The processing (S21, S22, S23, S24, S25, S31) is repeated, and the acquired operation position data P _swad is set as the operation position data P _sw to be output (S31).

According to the above processing, even if the driver operating the travel control switch 100 releases his / her finger from the operation lever 101, the control lever 101 is suddenly returned to the neutral position (N). The operation position data P _sw output for generating a control signal for each actuator in the unit 20 gradually decreases to a value corresponding to the neutral position (N). Therefore, the vehicle is also gradually decelerated without being decelerated suddenly, and its stability is not impaired.

  In the above example, processing for removing fluctuations at a relatively high frequency in the operation position data caused by vehicle vibration (see FIG. 10), correction associated with fluctuations in the neutral position (N) of the operation lever 101 ( It has been described that the adjustment processing (see FIG. 14) of the operation position data for the rapid operation of the operation lever 101 (see FIG. 12) is performed separately. However, it is possible to carry out any combination of the two processes, or to perform all three processes.

  In the above example, the function of the control unit 20 for generating a control signal for each of the actuators 30 and 40 in accordance with the characteristics shown in FIG. 9 showing the relationship between the stroke of the operation lever 101 of the travel control switch 100 and the acceleration / deceleration is described. Corresponds to the signal generation means. The processing shown in FIG. 10 corresponds to the signal adjustment means described in claim 5. Further, the processing at steps S22 and S23 shown in FIG. 14 corresponds to the operation variation determination means according to claim 7, and the processing at steps S27, S28 and S30 shown in FIG. 14 corresponds to the signal adjustment means according to claim 7. .

  Furthermore, the function of the control unit 20 for generating a control signal for each of the actuators 30 and 40 in accordance with the characteristics shown in FIG. 8 or FIG. 9 showing the relationship between the stroke of the operation lever 101 of the travel control switch 100 and the acceleration / deceleration. The processing shown in FIG. 12 corresponds to the neutral position correcting means described in claim 12.

  In addition, various forms can be considered as a travel control switch that can perform the travel control of the vehicle by an operation by the driver's hand. For example, as shown in FIG. 15, brake buttons 110a and 110b for braking operation and an accelerator button 120 for accelerator operation can be provided on the steering wheel 10 separately. The installation position of the accelerator button 120 is determined such that the button can be pushed with the thumb when the driver holds the steering wheel 10 during normal driving operation. Further, the brake buttons 110 and 110 are determined at positions where the driver can push the buttons by extending the thumb upward while holding the steering wheel 10 during a normal driving operation.

  In this case, the control unit controls each actuator so that the braking force and the accelerator opening corresponding to the operation pressure of each button can be obtained. The two brake buttons 110a and 110b can be braked regardless of which one is operated. Also, for example, as shown in FIG. 16, brake buttons 110a and 110b for braking operation are installed at the same positions as shown in FIG. 15, and an operation lever 130 for accelerator operation is provided above the right brake operation button 110b. You may make it install in. In this case, since the accelerator operation can be performed by lever operation, the operation for maintaining the accelerator state is easier to perform than the operation of continuously pressing the accelerator button 120 as in the example shown in FIG. Further, since the brake operation and the accelerator operation are different, the driver can determine the brake buttons 110a and 110b and the operation lever 130 with a fingertip without diverting the line of sight from the front of the vehicle.

It is a figure which shows the installation position of the traveling control switch of the vehicle traveling control apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows the installation state in the steering wheel of the traveling control switch shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows the operation lever position of a traveling control switch. It is a figure which shows the structural example of a traveling control switch. It is a figure which shows the relationship between the operating lever of a traveling control switch, and a sliding resistor. It is a figure which shows the relationship between the operation amount (stroke) of an operation lever, and the output resistance value of a travel control switch. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a vehicle travel control apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a characteristic diagram showing a relationship between an operation amount of an operation lever of a travel control switch and an acceleration / deceleration controlled based on the operation amount. It is a characteristic view which shows the other relationship between the operation amount of the operation lever of a travel control switch, and the acceleration / deceleration controlled based on the operation amount. It is a flowchart which shows the example of the process in a control unit. It is the block diagram which showed the low pass filter implement | achieved by the process shown in FIG. 10 with the transfer function. It is a flowchart which shows the other example of the process in a control unit. It is a characteristic view showing the target deceleration determined based on the state of the operation position data based on the operation of the operation lever, the differential value of the operation position data representing the fluctuation, and the operation position data. It is a flowchart which shows the further another example of the process in a control unit. It is a figure which shows the other example of installation of a traveling control switch. It is a figure which shows the further another example of installation of a traveling control switch.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Steering wheel 20 Control unit 30 Brake actuator 40 Accelerator actuator 100 Travel control switch 101 Operation lever 102, 103 Compound spring 104 Sliding resistor

Claims (13)

In a vehicular travel control device configured to drive and control an actuator provided in at least one of a braking system and an accelerator system of a vehicle based on a control signal corresponding to an operation amount of a manual operation unit,
The above-mentioned manual operation unit has a mechanism for a vehicle having a non-linear relationship in which the relationship between the operation amount and the operation force becomes a non-linear relationship such that as the operation amount increases, the necessary operation force increases with respect to the increase in the operation amount. Control device. The vehicle travel control apparatus according to claim 1,
The mechanism includes a composite elastic body in which a plurality of elastic bodies having different elastic coefficients are connected in series, and the composite elastic body generates a repulsive force against an operating force. The vehicle travel control apparatus according to claim 1,
The mechanism includes a vehicle travel control device having an elastic body whose elastic coefficient continuously changes and generating a force that resists the operating force. In a vehicular travel control device configured to drive and control an actuator provided in at least one of a braking system and an accelerator system of a vehicle based on a control signal corresponding to an operation amount of a manual operation unit,
For a vehicle having a signal generating means for generating a control signal for driving the actuator with a non-linear characteristic such that the increase in the drive amount of the actuator with respect to the increase in the operation amount increases as the operation amount of the manual operation unit increases. Travel control device. In a vehicular travel control device configured to drive and control an actuator provided in at least one of a braking system and an accelerator system of a vehicle based on a control signal corresponding to an operation amount of a manual operation unit,
Vehicle traveling provided with a signal adjusting means for adjusting a control signal so as to make the response characteristic of the driving amount of the actuator with respect to the operation amount of the manual operation unit dull when the operation amount of the manual operation unit fluctuates at a predetermined frequency or more Control device. The vehicle travel control apparatus according to claim 5, wherein
The signal adjusting means includes a low-pass filter means for attenuating a component having a frequency equal to or higher than a predetermined frequency of a signal representing an operation amount of the manual operation unit, and a control signal for driving the actuator based on the signal processed by the low-pass filter means And a vehicle travel control device. In a vehicular travel control device configured to drive and control an actuator provided in at least one of a braking system and an accelerator system of a vehicle based on a control signal corresponding to an operation amount of a manual operation unit,
An operation variation determination unit that determines whether or not a value that represents the steepness of variation in the operation amount of the manual operation unit is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, and the operation variation determination unit includes: When it is determined that the value is equal to or greater than the predetermined value, the control signal is adjusted so that the drive amount of the actuator changes more slowly than the operation amount variation of the manual operation unit to the drive amount corresponding to the operation amount after the variation. A vehicle travel control device comprising signal adjusting means. The vehicle travel control apparatus according to claim 7, wherein
The operation variation determination means includes: differentiation processing means for differentiating a signal representing the operation amount of the manual operation unit; determination means for determining whether or not a signal obtained by the differentiation processing means is equal to or greater than a predetermined value; A vehicular travel control device. The vehicle travel control apparatus according to claim 7 or 8,
The signal adjustment means is processed by the signal processing means for gradually changing the signal representing the operation amount of the manual operation unit to the one corresponding to the operation amount after the change more gently than the change in the operation amount, and the signal processing means. A travel control device having means for adjusting a control signal for driving the actuator based on the received signal. In the vehicle brake control device according to any one of claims 1, 4, 5 and 7,
The manual operation unit has a neutral position and is movable in two directions from the neutral position, and a mechanism for holding the operation body at the neutral position in a state where no operation force is applied to the operation body. Further, when the operating body is in the neutral position, the driving amount of the actuator is eliminated, and when the operating body is operated in one direction from the neutral position and in the other direction from the neutral position, A vehicular travel control device including signal generation means for generating a control signal having different travel characteristics. The vehicle travel control apparatus according to claim 10, wherein
The signal generating means generates a control signal for generating a control signal that reverses the running characteristics of the vehicle when the operating body is operated from the neutral position to one side and when operated from the neutral position to the other direction. Travel control device. The vehicle travel control device according to claim 10 or 11,
A vehicle travel control device having a neutral position correcting means for correcting a control signal so that the driving amount of an actuator is always lost at a position of an operating body when no operating force is applied. The vehicle travel control device according to claim 1,
The said manual operation part is a vehicle travel control apparatus provided in the steering wheel for steering a vehicle.

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