JP2010244478A - Driving operation assist device for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To alert a driver when his vehicle is to enter a crossing with bad visibility. <P>SOLUTION: If a visual field shielding object that is an object shielding the visual field of the driver 28 is recognized through a radar when the vehicle 26 is to enter a specific crossing 30 which requires temporary stop or slow entry, a reaction force to be applied to an accelerator pedal through a reaction application section is increased. Therefore, a lack of safety confirmation can be notified to the driver 28 by a physical sensation. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle driving operation assisting device that assists a driving operation of a driver by controlling a reaction force applied to an accelerator pedal.

  Conventionally, the distance between other vehicles traveling in front of the host vehicle is continuously detected by a radar, etc., and the value obtained by dividing the detected distance between the vehicles by the relative speed between the host vehicle and the other vehicle is defined as the margin time. There has been proposed a vehicle driving assistance device that generates a greater reaction force to the accelerator pedal (force in a direction to return the accelerator pedal to its original position) as the margin time is shorter (Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2005-112243 (paragraphs [0024]-[0027])

  However, the vehicular driving operation assisting device according to the above-described prior art, for example, temporarily stops or slowly enters the vehicle when entering the intersection where the priority road intersects from the non-priority road where the own vehicle has poor visibility. In this case, there is no other vehicle traveling in front of the host vehicle, so it does not function. In other words, such a situation is unexpected in the background art described above.

  The present invention has been made in consideration of such a problem, and for example, the own vehicle intersects with a priority road from a road on the non-priority side with a low visibility (including a road with a temporary stop sign, etc.). An object of the present invention is to provide a vehicular driving operation assisting device that can effectively apply a reaction force to an accelerator pedal even when starting or slowing down after a temporary stop when entering an intersection. To do.

  A vehicle driving operation assisting device according to the present invention includes an external sensor for recognizing an object that obstructs the driver's field of view, an accelerator pedal reaction force applying unit that applies a reaction force to the accelerator pedal, and starting or slowing down after the vehicle is temporarily stopped. When entering the intersection where entry is required, when the distance between the object obstructing the field of view of the intersection road direction recognized by the external sensor and the own vehicle is shorter than a threshold distance, the accelerator pedal is passed through the reaction force applying unit. And a reaction force control unit that increases the reaction force applied to.

  According to the present invention, when it is detected that the own vehicle is about to enter the intersection, when it is detected that the distance between the object that obstructs the field of view in the intersection road direction and the own vehicle is shorter than the threshold distance, Since the reaction force applied to the accelerator pedal is increased through the force applying unit, the reaction force applied to the accelerator pedal can be effectively applied.

  In this case, an accelerator pedal operation amount sensor for detecting the operation amount of the accelerator pedal is further provided, and the reaction force control unit is configured to reduce the reaction force when the operation amount by the accelerator pedal operation amount sensor exceeds a threshold operation amount. If it is made to increase, reaction force can be increased more appropriately.

  Furthermore, when a vehicle speed sensor is provided and the vehicle is traveling slowly, the reaction force can be increased more appropriately by increasing the reaction force.

  According to the present invention, when the vehicle enters an intersection where a priority road intersects from a road on the non-priority side of an intersection (including a road with a stop sign and a road with a yellow blinking signal), the vehicle starts after a temporary stop. Or, in the case of slow approach, when the distance between the object obstructing the field of view in the crossing road direction recognized by the external sensor and the own vehicle is shorter than the threshold distance, the reaction force applied to the accelerator pedal through the reaction force applying unit is Since it is made to increase, the reaction force to an accelerator pedal can be effectively given at the time of approach to the intersection where a priority road crosses.

1 is a block diagram of a vehicle driving assistance device according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a scanning range explanatory drawing of the radar beam of the perpendicular direction to the front upper part of the own vehicle. It is a scanning range explanatory drawing of the horizontal radar beam with respect to the front side of the own vehicle. It is explanatory drawing of the cross road direction view with respect to the front of the own vehicle detected by a radar, a side, and the upper direction. It is explanatory drawing of the distance detection before approach to the intersection by a navigation system. It is a flowchart with which operation | movement description of the driving assistance device for vehicles which concerns on this embodiment is provided. It is explanatory drawing which shows the state by which the visual field obstruction | occlusion object is not detected in the cross road direction visual field. It is explanatory drawing which shows the state by which the visual field obstruction | occlusion object is detected in the cross road direction visual field. It is explanatory drawing of increase reaction force provision to an accelerator pedal. It is explanatory drawing which shows the state by which the visual field obstruction | occlusion object is not detected in the cross road direction visual field.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a vehicle driving assistance device 10 according to this embodiment. This vehicle driving operation assisting device 10 is mounted on a vehicle (self-vehicle) such as a four-wheeled vehicle, and basically includes an accelerator pedal 12, an operation amount sensor 14 of the accelerator pedal 12, a vehicle speed sensor 16, and A radar 18, a navigation system 20, a reaction force applying unit 24, and an ECU (electronic control unit) 22 are provided.

  The operation amount sensor 14 detects an operation amount (a depression amount, a depression angle) θ [°] from the original position (a position where the accelerator pedal 12 is not depressed) with a potentiometer or the like, and outputs it to the ECU 22.

  The vehicle speed sensor 16 measures the vehicle speed V [km / h] of the host vehicle and outputs it to the ECU 22.

  As shown in a side view of the vehicle 26 in FIG. 2 and a plan view of the vehicle 26 in FIG. 3, the radar 18 is attached to the front grill or bumper portion of the vehicle 26 (vehicle). As shown in FIG. 3, the radar beam is scanned with respect to the front side of the host vehicle 26 as indicated by the arrow in FIG. The three-dimensional scanning is performed in the horizontal scanning direction 51 of 180 [°].

  In FIG. 1, the ECU 22 uses a reflected wave of the radar beam detected by the radar 18, as shown in FIG. 4, a radius D [m] at the front, side, and upper side of the vehicle 26, usually D = 5 [m]. ] To 15 [m], in this embodiment, an object existing in the cross road direction view 52 represented by a solid having a volume of 1/4 of a sphere of D = 8 [m] It is recognized as an object that obstructs 28 views.

  For example, an object that is recognized by the radar 18 and has a volume larger than that of a normal vehicle and whose outline is in a range of about 2 [m] × 2 [m] is recognized and processed as an object that obstructs the view of the driver 28. To do. It is preferable that the size threshold (2 [m] × 2 [m] described above) measured by the radar 18 of the object that obstructs the field of view of the driver 28 can be continuously adjusted both vertically and horizontally.

  In this embodiment, the distance of the radius D indicating the outline of the hatching area in front, side, and upper side of the host vehicle 26 in FIGS. 2, 3, and 4 is defined as the threshold distance Dth in the crossing road direction. When the ECU 22 detects an object (an obstacle such as a building, a tree, another vehicle, or a person) within the threshold distance Dth through the radar 18, it is determined that the object is an object (a visual field shielding object) that blocks the visual field of the size described above. As a condition, the distance Dx between the view shielding object and the host vehicle 26 is shorter than the threshold distance Dth.

  In this embodiment, an external sensor is configured by the interaction between the ECU 22 and the radar 18. However, the external sensor can use a radar 18 using radio waves or an infrared or ultrasonic radar. Similarly, the ECU 22 can also be configured to analyze an image of a 180 [°] fisheye lens attached to the front grill portion or bumper portion of the vehicle 26. For example, by correcting distortion of an image acquired using a fish-eye lens and detecting a straight line, it is determined whether or not the intersection road is overlooked. If it is determined that this is not the case, the size described above within the distance Dx is determined. There may be a visual field shielding object.

  In FIG. 1, the navigation system 20 can detect the position of the vehicle 26 on the map using GPS (Global Positioning System), and as shown in FIG. The distance (referred to as a pre-entry distance or a remaining distance) L is a function of detecting whether the content enters a specific intersection 30 described later and transmitting the detected information to the ECU 22.

  In this case, in the navigation system 20, the own vehicle 26 intersects with an intersection road (priority road) 34 from an intersection non-priority road 32 (including a road with a stop sign and a road with a yellow blinking signal) with poor visibility. It functions as a specific intersection detection unit 106 that detects whether or not it is located at a position to enter an intersection (an intersection that requires a start or slow approach after a temporary stop and is also referred to as a specific intersection hereinafter) 30.

  In FIG. 5, the own vehicle 26 goes to the above-described specific intersection 30 (shown by hatching for the sake of convenience) in order to proceed from the narrow non-priority road 32 to the wide intersection road (priority road) 34. Indicates the state of entering.

  In this case, the host vehicle 26 enters the specific intersection 30 at a slow start or a slow speed (a speed at which the vehicle can stop immediately during driving) after a temporary stop. That is, the specific intersection 30 where the intersection road 34 which is a priority road exists ahead is an intersection which requires a start or slow approach after a temporary stop.

  As described above, whether or not the specific intersection 30 requires a start or a slow approach after the temporary stop is determined by the navigation system 20 and transmitted to the ECU 22.

  Note that the intention of the vehicle 26 to enter the specific intersection 30 that needs to start after the temporary stop or approach slowly is that the vehicle 26 is stopped or traveling (actually, the vehicle is traveling slowly). The distance L before the approach from the tip position, in this case, the radar 18 mounting position (for example, the front grill position) to the specific intersection 30 is shorter than the threshold approach distance Lc (Lc is, for example, about Lc = 5 [m]). Then, the ECU 22 estimates that the host vehicle 26 (driver 28) has an intention to enter the intersection. In this respect, the ECU 22 also functions as the intersection approach intention detection unit 102 of the own vehicle 26.

  The operation of the vehicular driving assistance device 10 basically configured as described above will be described below with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

  In step S1, as shown in FIG. 5, the ECU 22 positions the vehicle 26 traveling on the non-priority road 32 having a relatively narrow road width toward the specific intersection 30 in the vicinity of the specific intersection 30 (before). It is judged from the distance L from the position of the own vehicle 26 to the position of the specific intersection 30. Specifically, it is determined whether or not the own vehicle 26 exists in the vicinity of the specific intersection 30 based on whether or not the pre-entry distance L to the position of the specific intersection 30 is equal to or less than the above threshold approach distance Lc (L ≦ Lc). Is done.

  When it is determined in step S1 that the vehicle 26 is located near (before) the specific intersection 30, in step S2, whether the vehicle 26 is stopped or slowed down is confirmed by the vehicle speed V by the vehicle speed sensor 16. To do.

  When it is determined that the vehicle is stopped or slowing down, in step S3, the radar 18 searches the cross road direction view 52 (see FIG. 4). If the determinations in steps S1 and S2 are not established, the radar 18 scans a range of the vehicle width (vehicle width) + α in front of the vehicle 26 to search for other vehicles or the like. Used as

  After step S3, during the search of the cross road direction view 52 by the radar 18, the determination process of step S4 is performed.

  In this step S4, it is continuously detected whether or not there is an object including a visual field shielding object in the cross road direction view 52 of the threshold distance Dth in the cross road direction when viewed from the host vehicle 26.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 7, when the own vehicle 26 is present at the position of the threshold approach distance Lc shown as the own vehicle 26 </ b> A, the detected cross road direction view 52 is the cross road direction view as shown in the figure. 52A, and the visual field shielding object 56 is not detected in the cross road direction visual field 52A (Dx ≧ Dth where Dx is a detection distance to the visual field shielding object 56 in the cross road direction visual field 52A). The process of increasing the reaction force Fr against the accelerator pedal 12 in the process of S6 is not performed. In this case, as shown in the process of step S7, the reaction force Fr applied to the accelerator pedal 12 by the reaction force applying unit 24 is a normal reaction force Fra.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 8, it is detected when the host vehicle 26 is located at a position within the threshold approach distance Lc shown as the host vehicle 26B and the host vehicle 26C at the time of determination in step S4. The cross road direction field of view 52 becomes cross road direction fields of view 52B and 52C as shown in the figure. In this case, a visual field shielding object 56 is detected in the cross road direction field of view 52B (Dx <Dth).

  In step S4, when the visual field shielding object 56 is detected in the cross road direction visual field 52B, the operation amount θ of the accelerator pedal 12 detected by the operation amount sensor 14 exceeds the threshold operation amount (threshold angle) θth in step S5. In step S6, as shown in FIG. 9, the reaction force Fr is increased from the normal reaction force Fra to the increased reaction force Frb through the reaction force applying unit 24 in step S6. The driver 28 is alerted. As the reaction force Fr increases, a warning may be given from a speaker or the like (“You are about to enter an intersection with a poor view. Please drive carefully”).

  Further, when the own vehicle 26 travels from the position shown as the own vehicle 26C (see FIG. 8) to the position shown as the own vehicle 26D as shown in FIG. 10, the own vehicle 26D. Since the cross road direction view 52 detected by the radar 18 at the position becomes the cross road direction view 52D, the view shielding object 56 is not detected in the cross road direction view 52D (again, step S4: NO).

  In this case, as shown in step S7, the reaction force Fr against the accelerator pedal 12 is returned from the increased reaction force Fr to the normal reaction force Fra through the reaction force applying unit 24.

  In this case, as indicated by a one-dot chain line in FIG. 10, it can be visually recognized from the driver 28 that the crossing vehicle 60 </ b> A is approaching from the right side of the crossing road 34. Therefore, in this case, the driver 28 switches the foot from the accelerator pedal 12 to the brake pedal (not shown).

  From the driver 28 on the position of the own vehicle 26D, the crossing vehicle 60B located behind the crossing vehicle 60A can also be visually recognized. In this case, it may be notified that "a car or the like is approaching from the right side".

  In the flowchart of FIG. 6, when the own vehicle 26 is not located near the specific intersection 30 (step S1: NO) and when it is detected that the operation amount θ of the accelerator pedal 12 is equal to or less than the threshold operation amount θth (step S5). : NO), even if the visual field shielding object 56 is detected in the cross road direction visual field 52, it is considered that the vehicle 26 is traveling at a sufficiently low speed (the driver 28 is regarded as driving carefully). In step S7, the reaction force Fr through the reaction force applying unit 24 is returned from the increased reaction force Frb to the normal reaction force Fra.

  In the above-described embodiment, the present invention also includes a process in the case where there is no determination process of whether or not the operation amount θ of the accelerator pedal 12 in step S5 exceeds the threshold operation amount θth, and the host vehicle 26 in step S2 Processing in the case where there is no confirmation processing for stopping or slowing down is also included in the present invention.

  As described above, the vehicular driving operation assisting apparatus 10 according to the above-described embodiment is configured so that the ECU 22 recognizes the visual field shielding object 56 that is an object that blocks the visual field of the driver 28 through the radar 18 (the ECU 22 and the radar 18 are external sensors). When the host vehicle 26 enters a specific intersection 30 that requires a start or slow approach after a temporary stop, the ECU 22 passes the radar 18 to the ECU 22. When the recognized distance Dx between the visibility shield 56 in the crossing road direction and the vehicle 26 is shorter than the threshold distance Dth (step S4: YES), the reaction force Fr applied to the accelerator pedal 12 through the reaction force applying unit 24 is calculated. A reaction force control unit 104 is provided that increases the normal reaction force Fra to the increased reaction force Frb (step S6).

  According to this embodiment, when it is detected by the intersection approach intention detection unit 102 of the ECU 22 that the host vehicle 26 is about to enter the specific intersection 30, the field shield 56 and the host vehicle in the direction of the intersection road 34 are detected. Since the reaction force applied to the accelerator pedal 12 through the reaction force applying unit 24 is increased from the normal reaction force Fra to the increased reaction force Frb when the distance Dx between the distance 26 and the distance 26 is shorter than the threshold distance Dth, to the accelerator pedal 12 The reaction force can be effectively applied. In other words, since it is possible to notify the driver 28 of a lack of safety confirmation, the driver 28 can be urged to voluntarily operate.

  In this case, an operation amount sensor 14 for detecting the operation amount θ of the accelerator pedal 12 is further provided, and the reaction force control unit 104 detects when the operation amount θ detected by the operation amount sensor 14 exceeds the threshold operation amount θth ( Step S5: YES) Since the reaction force Fr is increased, the reaction force Fr can be increased more appropriately.

  That is, in a situation where it is difficult to confirm the safety of the specific intersection 30, the reaction force Fr of the accelerator pedal 12 is increased from the normal reaction force Fra when the accelerator pedal 12 is depressed more than a certain threshold operation amount θth. Since the reaction force Frb is increased, it is possible to prompt the driver 28 to appropriately confirm safety. Since the increased reaction force Frb is applied only when the driver 28 depresses the accelerator pedal 12 for the threshold operation amount θth or more, the driver 28 himself / herself in the intersection road 34 in order to confirm the safety of the intersection road 34. The driving operation that brings the vehicle 26 closer is not hindered.

  Further, the vehicle speed sensor 16 is provided, and when the host vehicle 26 is traveling slowly (step S2: YES), the reaction force Fr can be increased more appropriately by increasing the reaction force Fr. It is possible to prompt the person 28 to confirm the safety.

  In the above situation, as a comparative example, when control by automatic braking or throttle control by DBW (Device By Wire) is performed in step S6, the driver 28 is stepping on the accelerator pedal 12. Nevertheless, since the situation where the host vehicle 26 does not accelerate occurs, the driver 28 may feel uncomfortable.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and it is needless to say that various configurations can be adopted based on the contents described in this specification.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Vehicle operation assistance apparatus 12 ... Accelerator pedal 14 ... Operation amount sensor 18 ... Radar 20 ... Navigation system 22 ... ECU
24 ... Reaction force application unit 26, 26A to 26D ... Own vehicle 28 ... driver 30 ... specific intersection 32 ... non-priority road 34 ... intersection road 50, 51 ... scanning range 52, 52A-52D ... intersection road direction view 56 ... view Shield

Claims (3)

An external sensor that recognizes an object that obstructs the driver's field of view;
An accelerator pedal reaction force applying section for applying a reaction force to the accelerator pedal;
When the host vehicle enters a crossing that requires a start or slow approach after a temporary stop, and the distance between the object that obstructs the field of view of the crossing road direction recognized by the external sensor and the host vehicle is shorter than a threshold distance, A reaction force control unit that increases a reaction force applied to the accelerator pedal through the reaction force applying unit;
A driving operation assisting device for a vehicle, comprising: The driving assistance device for a vehicle according to claim 1,
Furthermore, an accelerator pedal operation amount sensor for detecting the operation amount of the accelerator pedal is provided,
The reaction force control unit increases the reaction force when an operation amount by the accelerator pedal operation amount sensor exceeds a threshold operation amount. The vehicular driving assist device according to claim 1 or 2,
It also has a vehicle speed sensor
When the host vehicle is traveling slowly, the reaction force is increased.

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