JP2010166635A - Information processor and vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To sufficiently perform follow-up travel between vehicles having driving motors different in performance. <P>SOLUTION: A leading vehicle 2 and a following vehicle 3 respectively hold output maps. The output map is transmitted to the leading vehicle 2 from the following vehicle 3 before the following vehicle 3 performs follow-up travel. The leading vehicle 2 synthesizes the output map with that of a self-vehicle, generates an emulation map being a virtual map that is output by the driving motor of the leading vehicle 2 or the following vehicle 3, holds it by the self-vehicle and transmits it to the following vehicle 3. The leading vehicle 2 and the following vehicle 3 each have a control system performing output following the emulation map. The control system is operated just before command output to the driving motor. Thus, a performance difference of the driving motors between the leading vehicle 2 and the following vehicle 3 is adjusted, and sufficient follow-up travel is performed. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle, for example, a vehicle in which a plurality of vehicles follow.

A vehicle (hereinafter, a following vehicle) that auto-cruises following a preceding vehicle (hereinafter, a preceding vehicle) has been proposed.
For example, in the “vehicle” of the following Patent Document 1, in a single-seat vehicle capable of traveling independently, a preceding vehicle travels as a host vehicle, while other vehicles line up next to the host vehicle as follow-up vehicles. It has been proposed for the case of running following running.

In addition, this technique follows the vertical direction. As a technique for controlling the inter-vehicle distance between the preceding vehicle and the following vehicle, there is “inter-vehicle distance control system and vehicle” in Patent Document 2 below.
In this technique, the preceding vehicle sends the accelerator opening or the required acceleration to the following vehicle, and the following vehicle travels by using this, thereby reducing the variation in the distance between the two vehicles.

Furthermore, as a technique for correcting a difference in engine characteristics between a preceding vehicle and a following vehicle, there is a “travel control device” disclosed in Patent Document 3 below.
This technique limits the maximum speed and acceleration.

JP 2006-338117 A JP 2008-155740 A JP2008-120302

However, when performing tracking control in which the vehicle follows in the vertical or horizontal direction with a short inter-vehicle distance and travels like a single vehicle, there is a difference in characteristics between the driving motors of the preceding vehicle and the following vehicle. It may be difficult to control such a single vehicle.
For example, when the drive motor of the following vehicle has a smaller output than that of the preceding vehicle, the following vehicle may not be able to follow the preceding vehicle in a region where the speed or acceleration is large. The following vehicle cannot follow even if it is sent to the following vehicle.
Further, even if the maximum speed and maximum acceleration are limited by the technique of Patent Document 3, the characteristics up to the maximum speed and maximum acceleration are not the same, and in this case, it is difficult to follow well. .
In particular, prime movers (drive motors, internal combustion engines, etc.) may not be able to achieve the required output even if a command is issued if the load is large. If the performance of the following vehicle is low, if the load changes on a slope, etc. There are cases where it becomes impossible to follow even below the set maximum speed or maximum acceleration.

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to satisfactorily follow the vehicle between vehicles having drive motors with different performances.

(1) In order to achieve the above object, according to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information processing apparatus for processing an output map representing a relationship between a rotational speed and an output with respect to an output command of a drive motor of a vehicle. Output map acquisition means for acquiring an output map of the drive motor of the vehicle, and a common output for generating a common output map common to the plurality of vehicles that can be output by the drive motor of the plurality of vehicles, using the acquired output map Provided is an information processing apparatus comprising map generation means and common output map output means for outputting the generated common output map.
(2) In the invention according to claim 2, the common output map generating means generates the common output map by selecting an output having the lowest output with respect to the output command over a section where the rotational speed changes. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 is provided.
(3) In invention of Claim 3, the common output map acquisition means which acquires the common output map which the said common output map output means of the information processing apparatus of Claim 1 or Claim 2 outputs, The own vehicle Vehicle output map storage means for storing the output map, output command reception means for receiving the output command, rotation speed acquisition means for acquiring the rotation speed of the drive motor of the vehicle, the received output command and the acquired Output acquisition means for acquiring a common output for the rotational speed using the acquired common output map, and output command acquisition means for acquiring an actual output command for the acquired common output using the stored output map of the host vehicle. And an output command means for issuing an output command to the drive motor of the host vehicle using the acquired actual output command.
(4) In the invention according to claim 4, the output command means uses the actual output command when the own vehicle follows the other vehicle or when the other vehicle follows the other vehicle. The vehicle according to claim 3, wherein an output command is issued to the drive motor using an output command received by the output command receiving means when the follow-up traveling is not performed.
(5) In the invention according to claim 5, the information processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 is mounted, and the common output map output by the mounted information processing apparatus is applied to another vehicle that follows the vehicle. 4. The vehicle according to claim 3, further comprising a common output map transmission means for transmitting.
(6) The invention according to claim 6 provides the vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the output command receiving means acquires an output command for traveling following another vehicle.

  According to the present invention, a common common output map that can be output from the drive motors of the plurality of vehicles is generated from the output maps of the drive motors of the plurality of vehicles, and the drive motors having different performances are generated by running using the same. It is possible to satisfactorily follow the vehicle between vehicles having

It is a figure for demonstrating the following driving | running | working which a preceding vehicle and a following vehicle perform. It is the figure which showed the structure of the vehicle. It is a figure for demonstrating the output map of a drive motor. It is a figure for demonstrating the creation method of an emulation map. It is a figure for demonstrating the command method of a request torque. It is a flowchart for demonstrating the procedure of an output torque command process. It is a flowchart for demonstrating the procedure of the output torque instruction | command process in a modification.

(1) Outline of Embodiment The preceding vehicle 2 and the following vehicle 3 that travel in groups by following traveling each hold an output map that maps the characteristics of the drive motor with respect to the required torque, that is, the output torque for each rotational speed. is doing.
The preceding vehicle 2 receives an output map from the following vehicle 3 before the following vehicle 3 performs the following traveling. Then, the preceding vehicle 2 combines this with the output map of the own vehicle, and generates an emulation map that is a virtual map that can be output by any of the driving motors of the preceding vehicle 2 and the following vehicle 3. This is held and transmitted to the following vehicle 3 as well.
The preceding vehicle 2 and the following vehicle 3 have a control system that performs output in accordance with the emulation map, and the preceding vehicle 2 and the following vehicle 3 follow by operating this control system immediately before the output of the command to the drive motor. The performance difference of the drive motor of the vehicle 3 can be adjusted and good follow-up running can be performed.

(2) Details of Embodiments Each drawing of FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining the follow-up running performed by the preceding vehicle 2 and the follower vehicle 3 of the present embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 1 (a), the following vehicle 3 sets a target point 5 at a position a lateral distance a from the representative point 6 of the preceding vehicle 2, and the representative point 7 of the host vehicle and the target point 5 A front-rear deviation Δd in the front-rear direction (traveling direction, vertical direction) and a left-right deviation Δw in the left-right direction (lateral direction) are calculated, and the vehicle speed and turning of the host vehicle are feedback controlled so that these deviations converge to zero. .
As a result, as shown in FIG. 1 (b), the following vehicle 3 is lined up beside the preceding vehicle 2, and both vehicles travel as if they were one vehicle.

This example is an example of follow-up traveling. For example, the follow-up vehicle 3 is configured to follow from the rear portion of the preceding vehicle 2, or any one of the preceding vehicle 2 and the following vehicle 3 running side by side. It is also possible to configure such that another vehicle follows one or both of them, or that more vehicles form a group and perform group traveling (group traveling).
In either case, one preceding vehicle 2 runs as a host, and the other vehicles travel following the preceding vehicle 2 as a reference.

In addition, the vehicle of the present embodiment can be applied to a normal four-wheel vehicle, but can also be applied to a small vehicle having a high degree of lateral turning freedom.
In the present embodiment, a case where the present invention is applied to an inverted pendulum vehicle (one-shaft two-wheel vehicle or the like) that can turn with a small radius will be described as an example. Although the preceding vehicle will be described as an inverted pendulum vehicle, other four-wheel vehicles may be used.

  The inverted pendulum vehicle travels while sensing the posture of the riding section and performing posture control so as to maintain the balance in the front-rear direction in the driving direction of the drive wheels in accordance with the posture. As the attitude control method, for example, various controls disclosed in US Pat. No. 6,302,230, JP-A 63-35082, JP-A 2004-129435, and JP-A 2004-276727 are disclosed. The method can be used.

FIG. 2 shows the configuration of the vehicle (following vehicle 3) of this embodiment.
The configuration of the preceding vehicle 2 is basically the same as that of the following vehicle 3, and hereinafter, when referring to the configuration of the preceding vehicle 2, description will be made using the same reference numerals as the following vehicle 3.
As shown in FIG. 2, the following vehicle 3 includes an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 10, a laser radar 20, a vehicle speed sensor 30, a yaw rate sensor 40, a radio communication device 50, and drive motors 60a and 60b. .
Although not shown, a battery is also provided that supplies drive power to the drive motors 60a and 60b and the like, and supplies a low-voltage power supply for control to the ECU 10.

The ECU 10 includes a computer system including a ROM that stores various programs and data (not shown), a RAM that is used as a work area, an external storage device, an interface unit, and the like.
In the present embodiment applied to an inverted pendulum vehicle, a posture control program for maintaining the posture, a travel control program for controlling travel based on various instruction signals from the control device, and following the preceding vehicle 2 in the present embodiment. Various programs such as a follow-up traveling program for traveling are stored in the ROM, and the ECU 10 performs corresponding processing by executing these various programs.

The ECU 10 also includes a preceding vehicle relative position detection unit 11, a follow-up control unit 12, and a vehicle control unit 13.
The preceding vehicle relative position detection unit 11 detects the relative position and direction (traveling direction) of the preceding vehicle 2 based on the position and distance measured by the laser radar 20, and supplies them to the follow-up control unit 12.
Note that the vehicle speed and yaw rate information may be received from the preceding vehicle 2 by communication.
Further, although not required in the present embodiment, when receiving position coordinate data from the preceding vehicle 2 and performing dead reckoning, a current position such as GPS is used to detect the absolute position of the host vehicle (following vehicle 3). You may make it provide a detection apparatus.

The follow-up control unit 12 supplies the vehicle control unit 13 with control command values (front-rear direction command value, left-right direction command value) when performing parallel running follow-up as follow-up running in the present embodiment.
The follow-up control unit 12 acquires the vehicle speed from the vehicle speed sensor 30 and the yaw rate from the yaw rate sensor 40. Further, the target command value of the preceding vehicle 2 received by the wireless communication device 50 is acquired. The wireless communication device 50 transmits / receives data to / from the preceding vehicle 2 and other vehicles (including following vehicles) by inter-vehicle communication.
The follow-up control unit 12 includes a front-rear direction front-rear control unit and a left-right direction left-right control unit based on feedback control and feedforward control.
The follow-up control unit 12 is a front-rear control command value (target speed or target acceleration) by the front-rear control unit based on each input from the preceding vehicle relative position detection unit 11, the vehicle speed sensor 30, the yaw rate sensor 40, and the wireless communication device 50. And a left / right control command value (target rotational angular velocity ω) by the left / right control unit is supplied to the vehicle control unit 13.

The vehicle control unit 13 controls the drive motors 60a and 60b.
That is, the vehicle control unit 13 controls the drive motors 60a and 60b so that the target speed (or target acceleration) supplied from the follow-up control unit 12 is achieved. Specifically, the vehicle control unit 13 includes a speed (or acceleration) -current map for the drive motor 60, and a target speed (or target acceleration) supplied from the follow-up control unit 12 according to the torque-current map. The current control is performed so that the current corresponding to) is output to the drive motors 60a and 60b.

In addition, the vehicle control unit 13 outputs different currents to the drive motors 60a and 60b so that the tracking vehicle 3 turns at the target rotational angular velocity ω (left and right control command value) supplied from the tracking control unit 12. Thus, the turning may be performed by the differential between the drive motors 60a and 60b.
Further, the vehicle control unit 13 stores an output map (described later) of the host vehicle and an emulation map (described later) generated by the preceding vehicle 2. Similarly, the vehicle control unit 13 of the preceding vehicle 2 stores an output map of the own vehicle and an emulation map generated by the own vehicle.
Thus, the preceding vehicle 2 and the following vehicle 3 are provided with own vehicle output map storage means for storing the output map of the own vehicle.

  In the present embodiment, the inverted pendulum vehicle is described as an object. However, the present invention can also be applied to other vehicles such as a four-wheel vehicle. In this case, the vehicle includes a steering motor. And the vehicle control part 13 controls a steering motor so that it may become a steering angle corresponding to the target rotational angular velocity (omega) supplied from the tracking control part 12. FIG.

FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining an output (characteristic) map of a drive motor of the electric vehicle.
The drive motors 60a and 60b of the preceding vehicle 2 and the following vehicle 3 (hereinafter simply referred to as the drive motor 60 if they are not distinguished from each other) have such unique characteristics.
The output map is a map of output torque-rotation speed-required torque that graphs the characteristics of the drive motor, and shows the change of the output torque actually output by the drive motor with respect to the required torque. is there. Here, the rotation speed is the number of rotations at which the rotor of the drive motor 60 rotates per unit time.

Generally, the output torque of the drive motor with respect to the required torque varies depending on the rotational speed of the drive motor.
For example, the output curve 101 represents a change due to the rotational speed of the output torque that is actually output by the drive motor when the required torque A is commanded to the drive motor, and the output curve 102 corresponds to the drive motor. When the required torque B (required torque B <required torque A) is commanded, it represents a change due to the rotational speed of the output torque actually output by the drive motor.

As shown in FIG. 3, in the region where both the output curves 101 and 102 are low in the rotational speed of the drive motor, the output torque almost as commanded is output.
With respect to the output curve 102, the output torque is substantially constant up to the rotational speed b, and the output torque drops sharply in the region where the rotational speed is higher than this, and the output torque becomes substantially zero at the rotational speed c or higher. .

Regarding the output curve 101, the output torque is substantially constant up to the rotational speed a, and thereafter, the output torque is slightly reduced up to the rotational speed b.
And in the area | region higher than the rotational speed b, output torque falls rapidly, and output torque becomes substantially 0 above the rotational speed c.
The relationship between the output torque and other required torques is the same, and the output torque decreases in a region where the rotational speed is high.
The higher the required torque, the greater the degree of decrease in output torque.

The preceding vehicle 2 and the following vehicle 3 store an output map of the drive motor 60 of the host vehicle in the memory of the vehicle control unit 13 of the ECU 10.
Then, when there is a request for follow-up travel, the vehicle that requested the generation of the emulation map (here, the following vehicle 3) transmits to the generation source of the emulation map (here, the preceding vehicle 2) by wireless communication.

Next, a method for creating an emulation map will be described with reference to FIGS.
FIG. 4A is an output map of the drive motor 60 of the preceding vehicle 2 and is a diagram showing an output torque output curve 71 for the required torque A and an output torque output curve 72 for the required torque B by solid lines.
As is apparent from the figure, the output torque decreases as the rotational speed of the drive motor 60 increases, and the output torque becomes equal at the rotational speed d.
FIG. 4B is an output map of the drive motor 60 of the follower vehicle 3, and is an output torque output curve 81 for the required torque A and an output torque output curve 82 for the required torque B indicated by broken lines.
Again, as the rotational speed of the drive motor 60 increases, the output torque decreases, and the output torque becomes equal at the rotational speed d.

FIG. 4C is a diagram showing the output map of the preceding vehicle 2 and the output map of the following vehicle 3 superimposed.
Regarding the output torque (output curve 72, output curve 82) with respect to the required torque B, both are equal at the rotation speed c, and the output curve 82 has a smaller output torque than the rotation speed c and is higher than the rotation speed c. Then, the output curve 72 has a smaller output torque.
Therefore, when an output curve having a smaller output torque is adopted over the change region of the rotation speed and connected, an output curve 92 represented by a bold line is obtained.
That is, the output curve 92 is an output curve that is joined by adopting the output curve 82 when the rotational speed is less than c, and adopting the output curve 72 when the rotational speed is higher than c.

If the same processing is performed for the required torque A, an output curve 91 is obtained by joining the output curve 81 on the low rotational speed side and adopting the output curve 71 on the high rotational speed side.
When the above processing is performed over all the required torques, an emulation map in which the output maps of the preceding vehicle 2 and the following vehicle 3 are integrated is generated.
Since the emulation map employs an output curve having a lower output torque than the required torque, the output torque according to the emulation map is output by any of the driving motors 60 of the preceding vehicle 2 and the following vehicle 3. It is possible to do.

  In the present embodiment, the output torque of the emulation map is set to the side where the output torque is lower than the required torque, but this is an example, and if the output torque is less than this, the preceding vehicle 2 and the following vehicle Since any of 3 can be output, an emulation map can be created by employing an output torque equal to or lower than the output curve on the side where the output torque is lower than the required torque.

The preceding vehicle 2 creates an emulation map and then stores it in the vehicle control unit 13 and transmits it to the following vehicle 3 as well. The following vehicle 3 receives the emulation map from the preceding vehicle 2 and stores it in the vehicle control unit 13.
Then, the preceding vehicle 2 and the following vehicle 3 perform the emulation map conversion (hereinafter, the converted required torque is referred to as a common required torque) during the following traveling, and the common required torque and the output map for the own vehicle From this, a required torque to be actually commanded to the drive motor 60 (hereinafter referred to as an actual required torque) is obtained and commanded to the drive motor 60.
Thus, the commanded requested torque in the preceding vehicle 2 and the requested torque for following the preceding vehicle 2 in the following vehicle 3 are changed to the actual requested torque via the emulation map and the output map of the own vehicle. Thus, the preceding vehicle 2 and the following vehicle 3 can obtain the same effect as virtually mounting the same drive motor within the range of the capability of the drive motor 60 of both vehicles and driving it.

In the above, the case where the output maps of the preceding vehicle 2 and the following vehicle 3 are integrated into the emulation map has been described. However, the output map of many vehicles can be further integrated using the same method.
In this case, an emulation map is created by superimposing all the output maps of many of these vehicles and connecting the ones with the lowest output torque.

That is, the ECU 10 of the preceding vehicle 2 creates an emulation map by performing the operation qp = min (Qn (m, qd)).
Here, qp is an output torque of a newly generated emulation map, Qn is an n number of functions indicating the output map of the own vehicle and the output map of n-1 other vehicles, and m is The motor rotation speed, qd, is the required torque.

The ECU 10 of the preceding vehicle 2 performs the above calculation at all the discrete points in the output map and holds the result in the memory. By doing this, an emulation map that can be output by all vehicles is generated.
Here, the emulation map functions as a common output map common to the plurality of vehicles that can be output by the drive motor 60 of the plurality of vehicles (the preceding vehicle 2 and the following vehicle 3). The common output map is generated by selecting the output torque having the lowest output with respect to the required torque) over the section where the rotational speed changes.

FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining a method of commanding actual required torque using an emulation map.
Here, a case where the preceding vehicle 2 commands the required torque dm will be described.
FIG. 5A shows an emulation map created and stored by the preceding vehicle 2, and FIG. 5B shows an output map of the drive motor 60 of the preceding vehicle 2.

The preceding vehicle 2 receives an acceleration request from the accelerator opening and the like, and converts it into a required torque dm.
Then, the preceding vehicle 2 does not directly command the requested torque dm to the drive motor 60, but first calculates the common output torque when the requested torque dm is commanded to the virtual drive motor represented by the emulation map.
That is, as shown in FIG. 5A, the preceding vehicle 2 obtains the common output torque qec represented by the intersection of the current rotational speed of the drive motor 60 and the output curve of the required torque dm.

Here, the current rotational speed of the drive motor 60 is calculated from the vehicle speed sensor value and the gear ratio.
Further, when the emulation map is a discrete map, the intersection is calculated as an intersection that is smaller than and closest to the required torque dm at the current rotational speed of the drive motor 60, and an intersection that is larger than and closest to the required torque dm. May be calculated by performing one-dimensional interpolation.

Next, the preceding vehicle 2 outputs the actual required torque qdr to be commanded to the drive motor 60 so that the output from the drive motor 60 of the own vehicle becomes the common output torque qec of the virtual drive motor. Back-calculate using the map.
That is, as shown in FIG. 5B, the preceding vehicle 2 specifies an output curve at the intersection of the current rotational speed of the drive motor 60 and the common output torque qec, and the actual required torque qdr of the output curve. Is obtained, and the drive motor 60 is instructed to output the actual required torque qdr.
In this manner, the preceding vehicle 2 commands the actual required torque qdr, which is converted from the requested torque dm via the emulation map and the output map of the host vehicle, to the driving motor 60, so that the driving motor 60 And the common output torque qec that the following vehicle 3 can output.

In this way, the preceding vehicle 2 uses the emulation map and the output map of the host vehicle to convert a command for the drive motor 60 into a command for the virtual drive motor, and whether the drive motor 60 is a virtual drive motor. It can be controlled (emulated) as follows.
Similarly, the following vehicle 3 controls the drive motor 60 of the own vehicle using the emulation map and the output map of the own vehicle, and controls the drive motor 60 of the own vehicle as if it were a virtual drive motor (emulation). )

  In this way, the drive motor 60 mounted on the preceding vehicle 2 and the following vehicle 3 is emulated so that the driving motor 60 of the preceding vehicle 2 and the following vehicle 3 behaves as a virtual common drive motor having the same performance. Even if there is a difference in performance in 60, it is possible to control as if the drive motor having the same performance is mounted, and the following vehicle 3 can follow the traveling well by the following vehicle 3.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining the procedure of the output torque command process performed by the preceding vehicle 2 when the preceding vehicle 2 and the following vehicle 3 perform the following traveling.
The following processing is performed by the ECU 10 of the preceding vehicle 2.
First, the preceding vehicle 2 receives an output map of the following vehicle 3 from each following vehicle 3 by communication (step 5).

Next, the preceding vehicle 2 generates an emulation map using the output map of the own vehicle and the output map received from the following vehicle 3 (step 10), and stores the generated emulation map in the own vehicle. Is transmitted to the following vehicle 3 (step 15).
The following vehicle 3 receives and stores the emulation map from the preceding vehicle 2 when it is transmitted.

Thus, the preceding vehicle 2 uses the output map acquisition means for acquiring the output maps of the drive motors of a plurality of vehicles (the preceding vehicle 2 and the following vehicle 3) including the own vehicle, and the acquired output map, A common output map generating means for generating a common output map (emulation map) common to the plurality of vehicles that can be output by the drive motors of the plurality of vehicles, a common output map output means for outputting the generated common output map, Is equipped with an information processing device.
Then, the common output map is output by the common output map output means, and the preceding vehicle 2 includes the common output map acquisition means for acquiring from the preceding vehicle 2 by the output of the ECU 10 and the following vehicle 3 by communication.

  Thus, the preceding vehicle 2 generates an emulation map by integrating the output map of the own vehicle and the output map of the following vehicle 3, and the preceding vehicle 2 and the following vehicle 3 hold the generated emulation map. Thereafter, the preceding vehicle 2 and the following vehicle 3 follow the vehicle by controlling the drive motor 60 based on the held emulation map.

First, the preceding vehicle 2 obtains the required acceleration from, for example, the driver's accelerator opening and brake pedal stroke (step 20), calculates the required torque dm therefrom (step 25), and sets the rotational speed of the drive motor 60. Obtain (step 30).
The preceding vehicle 2 can convert an acceleration command from an output adjustment device (for example, a joystick, an accelerator, etc.) into a required torque dm. Further, the speed command may be converted into the required torque dm.
Thus, the preceding vehicle 2 includes an output command receiving unit that receives an output command (requested torque dm) and a rotational speed acquisition unit that acquires the rotational speed of the drive motor 60 of the host vehicle.

Next, the preceding vehicle 2 applies the required torque dm and the rotation speed to the emulation map, and calculates a common output torque qec based on the emulation map (step 35).
As described above, the preceding vehicle 2 includes output acquisition means for acquiring the output command (requested torque) and the output (common output torque qec) with respect to the rotation speed using the common output map (emulation map).

Next, the preceding vehicle 2 applies the calculated common output torque qec and the rotation speed of the drive motor 60 to the output map of the own vehicle, calculates the actual required torque qdr (step 40), and calculates the calculated actual request. The torque qdr is commanded to the drive motor 60 (step 45).
Thus, the preceding vehicle 2 includes an output command acquisition means for acquiring an output command (actual request torque qdr) for the output (common output torque qec) using the output map of the host vehicle, and the acquired output command (actual request). There is provided output command means for issuing an output command to the drive motor 30 of the host vehicle using the torque qdr).
As described above, the preceding vehicle 2 can control the drive motor 60 based on the emulation map.

On the other hand, in the case of the following vehicle 3, an output map of the own vehicle is transmitted to the preceding vehicle 2, and an emulation map generated by the preceding vehicle 2 is received from the preceding vehicle 2 and stored.
Thus, the preceding vehicle 2 includes a common output map transmission unit that transmits the common output map (emulation map) to another vehicle (following vehicle 3) that performs the follow-up traveling.
Then, the same processing as in Steps 20 to 45 is performed using the emulation map and the output map of the own vehicle to follow the preceding vehicle 2.

In the following vehicle 3, the required acceleration in step 20 is output from the feedback system that performs the feedback control shown in FIG.
More specifically, the required acceleration of the following vehicle 3 is feedback-controlled with respect to the vehicle acceleration calculated by differentiating the vehicle speed value received by the vehicle control unit 13 from the sensor via the tracking control unit 12 (FIG. 2). It is calculated by doing.
The feedback control may be performed by general P, PI, PID control, or the like, but may be other feedback control.
Thus, the follower vehicle 3 includes follower means for following the other vehicle (the preceding vehicle 2) using the common output map (emulation map).

In order to enhance the response of the following vehicle 3 to follow, the requested acceleration can be transmitted from the preceding vehicle 2 to the following vehicle 3, and the following vehicle 3 can perform feedforward control using this.
In this case, the required acceleration in step 20 is a combination of the output command by the feedback system and the output command by feedforward.

The example described in the above flowchart is a case where the preceding vehicle 2 generates an emulation map and transmits the emulation map to the following vehicle 3. However, the emulation map may be held in each vehicle according to other modes.
For example, each vehicle can collect output maps of other vehicles and create emulation maps individually.

Further, for example, a center server capable of communicating with the preceding vehicle 2 and the following vehicle 3 is installed. Then, the preceding vehicle 2 and the following vehicle 3 each transmit an output map of the own vehicle to the center server, and the center server creates an emulation map using this and transmits it to the preceding vehicle 2 and the following vehicle 3.
When the emulation map is created by the center server in this way, the output map of each vehicle is stored in the center server in advance, and each vehicle transmits the ID information of the own vehicle to the center server. it can.
In this case, the center server reads the output map of each vehicle from the ID information, creates an emulation map, and transmits it to each vehicle. Thus, by storing the output map of each vehicle in the center server in advance, the communication amount between the vehicle and the center server can be reduced.

As described above, in the present embodiment, at the start of the follow-up control, the vehicles participating in the follow-up running each send out the acceleration and deceleration performance of the own vehicle by wireless communication. Compared with the performance of, perform the calculation to match the lower one.
The vehicle to be followed (preceding vehicle 2) emulates this performance, so that the output torque of the prime mover can be virtually limited including the transient state, and the following vehicle 3 can be smoothly followed.
The calculation to be adjusted to the lower one may be performed individually, or may be distributed by communication after being performed by either the preceding vehicle 2 or the following vehicle 3 (in this case, useless calculation can be omitted), or You may carry out by a center server.

  Further, in the embodiment described above, the case where each vehicle holds the output map of the motor alone has been described. However, the overall output map including (considering) gears and tires is defined and held so that the common output A map may also be created from this total output map.

Furthermore, in order to make the follow-up running according to the present embodiment more versatile, assuming that the vehicle weight and air resistance coefficient of each vehicle are greatly different, all output torques may be output acceleration, and all output commands may be acceleration commands. .
In this case, the required torque described in the above embodiment is the required acceleration.

Then, instead of the output map representing the relationship of output torque-rotation speed-required torque in the output map described in FIGS. 3 to 5 of the embodiment, an output map representing the relationship of output acceleration-vehicle speed mn-required acceleration a. Hold.
This map holds, for each vehicle, a value calculated or experimentally obtained in advance assuming a flat road and no wind. The acceleration is realized by differentiation of the speed sensor value or feedback control with respect to the acceleration sensor value.
By deforming in this way, for example, in an extreme case, it is possible to follow the inverted vehicle and the dump truck.

In the follow-up traveling, only the driver of the preceding vehicle issues a travel command, so that the required acceleration is an operation value of a joystick, an accelerator pedal, or the like.
However, if this operation value is simply associated with the required acceleration, the motor will continue to accelerate as much as possible, so by applying a function that gradually decreases according to the vehicle speed according to the following equation (1), It becomes possible to approximate the running sensation of a general vehicle.

(1) a = (A * dmj) / (| mn | + A)
When mn <0, “a” is a value obtained by multiplying “a” in Formula (1) by (−1).

  In Equation (1), a is the required acceleration, dmj is the position of the joystick, accelerator pedal, etc. (representing the required acceleration when the speed is 0), mn is the vehicle speed, and A is experimentally sensuous so that there is no sense of incongruity. A constant to be tuned.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the processing of the preceding vehicle in the case of performing follow-up traveling according to this modification example in which the output torque is the output acceleration and the output command is the acceleration command.
First, the preceding vehicle 2 receives the output map of the following vehicle 3 from each following vehicle 3 by communication in the same manner as described in FIG. 6 (step 5), and uses the output map of the own vehicle and the received output map. Then, an emulation map based on output acceleration-vehicle speed mn-required acceleration a is generated (step 10), and the generated emulation map is stored in the own vehicle and transmitted to the following vehicle 3 (step 15).

The following vehicle 3 receives and stores the emulation map from the preceding vehicle 2 when it is transmitted.
Thereafter, the preceding vehicle 2 and the following vehicle 3 follow the vehicle by controlling the drive motor 60 based on the held emulation map.

The preceding vehicle 2 obtains the required acceleration a according to the equation (1) from the position of the joystick, the accelerator pedal, etc. (step 26) and the vehicle speed mn (step 36).
Then, the preceding vehicle 2 applies the requested acceleration a and the vehicle speed mn to the emulation map, and calculates an output acceleration based on the emulation map (step 36).

Next, the preceding vehicle 2 calculates the actual required acceleration by applying the calculated output acceleration and the vehicle speed mn to the output map of the host vehicle (step 41).
Then, the preceding vehicle calculates a torque for realizing the calculated actual required acceleration by a feedback calculation (step 42), and commands the calculated torque to the drive motor 60 as the required torque (step 46).
As described above, the preceding vehicle 2 can control the drive motor 60 based on the emulation map.

On the other hand, in the case of the following vehicle 3, an output map of the own vehicle is transmitted to the preceding vehicle 2, and an emulation map generated by the preceding vehicle 2 is received from the preceding vehicle 2 and stored.
Then, using the emulation map and the output map of the host vehicle, the same processing as Step 26 to Step 46 described in FIG.
The required acceleration a in step 26 is acquired from the feedback system that performs the feedback control shown in FIG.

Although the present embodiment and its modifications have been described above, the following effects can be obtained.
(1) When a vehicle with a performance difference performs follow-up control (both vertically and horizontally), it is possible to prevent the preceding vehicle 2 from outputting acceleration and speed that cannot be realized by the follow-up vehicle 3.
(2) Each vehicle maps the output characteristics of the prime mover of the host vehicle and holds it as an output map, and this information can be transmitted to the emulation map generator by communication at the start of follow-up running.
(3) The emulation map generator uses the transmitted output map to calculate the characteristics that can be output by all the vehicles participating in the follow-up over each rotational speed and required torque, and this characteristic is then used as the emulation map. Can be mapped to.
(4) Each vehicle uses an emulation map to calculate a value to be output in response to the required torque command, and using this value, the actual output torque command is calculated backward from the output map of the host vehicle. This can be used to command the drive motor 60.

2 preceding vehicle 3 following vehicle 5 target point 6 representative point 7 representative point 10 ECU
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 Leading vehicle relative position detection part 12 Tracking control part 13 Vehicle control part 20 Laser radar 30 Vehicle speed sensor 40 Yaw rate sensor 50 Wireless communication apparatus 60a, 60b Drive motor 71, 72 Output curve 81, 82 Output curve 91, 92 Output curve 101, 102 Output curve

Claims (6)

An information processing apparatus for processing an output map representing a relationship between a rotation speed and an output with respect to an output command of a vehicle drive motor,
Output map acquisition means for acquiring output maps of drive motors of a plurality of vehicles;
Using the acquired output map, a common output map generating means for generating a common output map common to the plurality of vehicles that can be output by the drive motors of the plurality of vehicles;
A common output map output means for outputting the generated common output map;
An information processing apparatus comprising:
The said common output map production | generation means produces | generates the said common output map by selecting the output with the lowest output with respect to an output command over the area where a rotational speed changes. Information processing device.
A common output map acquisition means for acquiring a common output map output by the common output map output means of the information processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2,
Own vehicle output map storage means for storing an output map of the own vehicle;
An output command receiving means for receiving an output command;
Rotation speed acquisition means for acquiring the rotation speed of the drive motor of the host vehicle;
Output acquisition means for acquiring a common output for the received output command and the acquired rotation speed using the acquired common output map;
Output command acquisition means for acquiring an actual output command for the acquired common output using the stored output map of the host vehicle;
Output command means for issuing an output command to the drive motor of the host vehicle using the acquired actual output command;
A vehicle characterized by comprising:
The output command means uses the actual output command when the own vehicle follows the other vehicle or when the other vehicle follows the own vehicle and does not perform the following travel. An output command is issued to the drive motor using the output command received by the receiving means.
The vehicle according to claim 3.
The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2 is mounted,
The vehicle according to claim 3, further comprising a common output map transmission unit configured to transmit a common output map output by the mounted information processing apparatus to another vehicle that follows the vehicle.
  The vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the output command receiving means acquires an output command for traveling following another vehicle.

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