JP2017207340A - Travel plan creation device and center - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable a sensing incapable state due to backlight from the sun to be avoided more reliably regarding the running of a vehicle that performs automatic drive by recognizing a peripheral environment using an onboard camera.SOLUTION: The present invention comprises: a route search unit 138 used in a vehicle that performs automatic drive by recognizing a peripheral environment using a captured image that is photographed by a front camera, for searching for an automatic drive route when performing automatic drive; and a prediction unit 140 for predicting an angular difference between the photographing direction of the front camera and the indirection in which the sun is positioned. The route search unit 138 searches for an automatic drive route such that the angular difference predicted by the prediction unit 140 stays out of a threshold range in which recognition of the peripheral environment by the captured image is disabled by backlight from the sun.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

  The present invention relates to a travel plan creation device and a center for creating a travel plan for an autonomous driving vehicle.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a technology for performing automatic driving by recognizing the surrounding environment using an in-vehicle camera in an automatic driving vehicle that performs automatic driving that automatically controls part or all of acceleration, braking, and steering is known. In order to continue such automatic driving stably, it is important that the state of the image captured by the in-vehicle camera does not become a non-sensing state where the surrounding environment cannot be recognized.

  As a technique for attempting to accurately photograph an object using an in-vehicle camera, for example, there is a technique disclosed in Patent Document 1. In the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1, when a road sign or the like is photographed using an in-vehicle camera, the evaluation value is higher for a route including a link having a large angle between the photographing direction of the in-vehicle camera and the azimuth angle where the sun is positioned. To do. And the path | route which minimizes the influence by the backlight from the sun is provided by outputting and displaying the path | route with the highest evaluation value.

JP 2007-315799 A

  In the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1, the route with the highest evaluation value is output and displayed. However, even with the route with the highest evaluation value, it means that the backlight from the sun does not appear in the in-vehicle camera. Not. This is the most evaluated depending on the angle between the shooting direction of the in-vehicle camera and the azimuth angle where the sun is located in a link other than this link, even if the link includes a link that reflects the back light from the sun on the in-vehicle camera. This is because the route may have a high value.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described conventional problems, and its purpose is to make it impossible to sense the vehicle traveling in an automatic operation by recognizing the surrounding environment using an in-vehicle camera due to backlight from the sun. It is an object of the present invention to provide a travel plan creation device and a center that can more reliably avoid a state.

  The above object is achieved by a combination of the features described in the independent claims, and the subclaims define further advantageous embodiments of the invention. Reference numerals in parentheses described in the claims indicate a correspondence relationship with specific means described in the embodiments described later as one aspect, and do not limit the technical scope of the present invention. .

  In order to achieve the above object, the travel plan creation device of the present invention recognizes the surrounding environment by using a captured image captured by an in-vehicle camera (50) mounted on the host vehicle, thereby accelerating, braking, and A route search unit (138) that is used in a vehicle that performs automatic driving that automatically controls at least one of steering, searches for an automatic driving route when performing automatic driving, and the shooting direction of the in-vehicle camera and the direction in which the sun is positioned And the route search unit is estimated that the angle difference predicted by the prediction unit cannot recognize the surrounding environment using the captured image due to backlight from the sun. An automatic driving route that maintains outside the threshold range is searched.

  In order to achieve the above object, the center of the present invention recognizes the surrounding environment using a captured image captured by the on-vehicle camera (50) mounted on the host vehicle, thereby at least accelerating, braking, and steering. A center-side acquisition unit (231) that acquires information including a departure point, a departure time, a destination, and an imaging direction of the vehicle-mounted camera with respect to the vehicle that performs automatic driving that automatically controls any one of the vehicles, and the vehicle automatically An angle difference between the shooting direction of the in-vehicle camera and the direction of the sun is predicted using the route search unit (238) for searching for an automatic driving route when driving and the imaging direction acquired by the center side acquisition unit. A prediction unit (240), and a distribution unit (241) that transmits the automatic driving route searched by the route search unit to the vehicle. The route search unit includes the departure place, departure time, and purpose acquired by the center side acquisition unit Using the ground , The angle difference predicting predictive unit searches the automatic driving directions to maintain the outside of the threshold range in which the recognition of the surrounding environment is estimated to be unable using a captured image by the backlight from the sun.

  According to these, the angle difference between the predicted shooting direction of the vehicle-mounted camera and the incident direction of sunlight is automatically maintained outside the threshold range where the surrounding environment using the captured image cannot be recognized due to the backlight from the sun. A driving route can be searched. Therefore, when traveling on this automatic driving route, it becomes possible to more reliably avoid the sensing impossible state in which the surrounding environment using the captured image cannot be recognized due to the backlight from the sun. In addition, this automatic driving route is a route when a vehicle that performs automatic driving recognizes the surrounding environment using an in-vehicle camera, and thus automatically recognizes the surrounding environment using the in-vehicle camera. It is possible to more reliably avoid a sensing impossible state due to backlight from the sun when the vehicle is driven.

It is a figure which shows an example of a schematic structure of the driving assistance system. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a schematic configuration of a vehicle-side unit 1. FIG. It is a figure which shows an example of a schematic structure of automatic driving | operation ECU10. It is a figure which shows an example of a schematic structure of the medium-and-long term plan part 103. FIG. It is a schematic diagram for demonstrating specification of the appearance area. It is a schematic diagram for demonstrating specification of the appearance area. It is a schematic diagram for demonstrating a backlight threshold range. It is a schematic diagram for demonstrating a backlight threshold range. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the flow of the path | route adoption related process in the medium-to-long term plan part 103. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the flow of the path | route adoption related process in the medium-to-long term plan part 103. It is a figure which shows an example of a schematic structure of the driving assistance system 4a. It is a figure which shows an example of a schematic structure of the center 2a. It is a figure which shows an example of a schematic structure of the medium-to-long term plan part 103a.

  A plurality of embodiments and modifications for disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. For convenience of explanation, between the plurality of embodiments and the modified examples, parts having the same functions as those shown in the drawings used for the explanation so far are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted. There is a case. For the portions denoted by the same reference numerals, the description in other embodiments and / or modifications can be referred to.

(Embodiment 1)
<Schematic configuration of the driving support system 4>
Embodiment 1 of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, the driving support system 4 includes a vehicle side unit 1 and a center 2 used in a vehicle. The vehicle-side unit 1 is used in a vehicle that performs automatic driving that automatically controls at least one of acceleration, braking, and steering, and communicates with the center 2. The center 2 is, for example, a server device, and stores weather information such as information on the altitude and azimuth of the sun (hereinafter referred to as solar information) and weather forecast for each region in addition to each region. Yes. The altitude of the sun is assumed to be expressed in elevation. It is assumed that the solar information includes the sunrise time and sunset time for each region and calendar. Further, the center 2 reads the stored solar information and weather information and transmits them to the vehicle side unit 1 as distribution information.

  For example, the center 2 may be configured to transmit distribution information to the vehicle-side unit 1 that has made a transmission request for distribution information (hereinafter, distribution request). In this embodiment, as an example, in order to reduce the amount of communication, position information is transmitted from the vehicle-side unit 1, and the center 2 distributes the area corresponding to the position indicated by the position information based on this position information. Information shall be transmitted. The area referred to here may be, for example, an area divided in units of administrative divisions or an area divided in units of meshes. Moreover, as an example, the center 2 shall transmit the solar information about the present date about the solar information of distribution information, in order to suppress communication volume. In addition, it is good also as a structure which transmits the future departure time from the vehicle side unit 1 at the time of a delivery request | requirement, and the center 2 transmits the solar information about the date on which this future departure time belongs.

<Schematic configuration of vehicle-side unit 1>
Next, a schematic configuration of the vehicle side unit 1 will be described with reference to FIG. The vehicle-side unit 1 is used in a vehicle that performs automatic driving, and as shown in FIG. 2, an automatic driving ECU 10, a communication device 20, an ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) locator 30, an HMI (Human Machine Interface) system. 40, the front camera 50, and vehicle control ECU60. The automatic operation ECU 10, the communication device 20, the ADAS locator 30, the HMI system 40, and the vehicle control ECU 60 are connected to, for example, an in-vehicle LAN, and can exchange information with each other by communication.

  The communication device 20 communicates with the center 2. The communication device 20 may be configured to communicate with the center 2 using a communication module for performing communication via a public communication network such as a mobile phone network or the Internet. For example, an in-vehicle communication module used for telematics communication such as DCM (Data Communication Module) may be configured to communicate with the center 2 via a communication network used for telematics communication. The communication device 20 outputs the information downloaded from the center 2 to the in-vehicle LAN, and uploads the information transmitted from the automatic driving ECU 10 through the in-vehicle LAN to the center 2. The communication device 20 may be configured to communicate with the center 2 via a roadside device.

  Further, the communication device 20 may be configured to perform wireless communication with, for example, an in-vehicle communication device mounted on a vehicle around the own vehicle and / or a roadside device installed on the roadside. For example, the communication device 20 may be configured to acquire position information, travel speed information, and the like of surrounding vehicles of the host vehicle through vehicle-to-vehicle communication with an in-vehicle communication device and road-to-vehicle communication with a roadside device.

  The ADAS locator 30 includes a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) receiver 31, an inertial sensor 32, and a map database (hereinafter referred to as DB) 33 storing map data. The GNSS receiver 31 receives positioning signals from a plurality of artificial satellites. The inertial sensor 32 includes, for example, a triaxial gyro sensor and a triaxial acceleration sensor. The map DB 33 is a non-volatile memory, and stores map data such as link data, segment data, node data, POI (Points Of Interest) data, road shapes, and structures.

  The link data includes a link ID for identifying the link, a link length indicating the length of the link, a link direction, a link travel time, link shape information, node coordinates (latitude / longitude) at the start and end of the link, and road attributes. It consists of each data such as. The segment data is data for each segment obtained by dividing the link by shape points, and is composed of a segment ID for identifying the segment, a segment length indicating the length of the segment, a curvature of the segment, shape point IDs at both ends of the segment, and the like. The Node data includes node ID, node coordinates, node name, node type, connection link ID describing the link ID of the link connected to the node, intersection type, etc. Consists of

  The POI data is composed of data such as the name, address, position, and type of the facility. The road shape data includes the longitudinal gradient of the link. The structure data is data of a road structure such as a tunnel and a structure such as a building facing the road.

  The ADAS locator 30 sequentially measures the vehicle position of the vehicle on which the ADAS locator 30 is mounted by combining the positioning signal received by the GNSS receiver 31 and the measurement result of the inertial sensor 32. In addition, it is good also as a structure which uses the travel distance calculated | required from the pulse signal sequentially output from the wheel speed sensor mounted in the own vehicle for positioning of a vehicle position. And the measured vehicle position is output to in-vehicle LAN. The ADAS locator 30 also reads map data from the map DB 33 and outputs it to the in-vehicle LAN. The map data may be obtained from the outside of the own vehicle using an in-vehicle communication module such as DCM mounted on the own vehicle.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the HMI system 40 includes an HCU (Human Machine Interface Control Unit) 41, an operation device 42, a display device 43, and an audio output device 44. The HMI system 40 accepts an input operation from the driver of the own vehicle or presents information to the driver of the own vehicle.

  The operation device 42 is a switch group operated by a driver of the own vehicle. The operation device 42 is used for performing various settings. For example, as the operation device 42, there are a steering switch provided in a spoke spoke portion of the own vehicle, a touch switch integrated with the display device 43, and the like.

  The display device 43 presents information by displaying text and / or images. Examples of the display device 43 include a combination meter, a CID (Center Information Display), and a HUD (Head-Up Display). The audio output device 44 presents information by outputting audio. Examples of the audio output device 44 include an audio speaker.

  The HCU 41 includes a CPU, a memory such as a ROM and a RAM, an I / O, and a bus for connecting them, and executes various processes by executing a control program stored in the memory. For example, the HCU 41 causes the display device 43 and / or the audio output device 44 to present information in accordance with an instruction from the automatic operation ECU 10. The HCU 41 also outputs a signal corresponding to the operation input received by the operation device 42 to the in-vehicle LAN.

  The front camera 50 is installed, for example, in a room mirror in the center of the vehicle interior of the host vehicle, and photographs a predetermined range in front of the host vehicle. Hereinafter, as an example, it is assumed that the front camera 50 is installed with the optical axis inclined in the horizontal direction or on the road surface side from the horizontal direction. In addition, the front camera 50 captures the front of the vehicle at a horizontal and vertical viewing angle of about 45 degrees, for example. The front camera 50 may be a configuration using a stereo camera or a configuration using a monocular camera. The front camera 50 corresponds to the in-vehicle camera in the claims. The front camera 50 sequentially outputs captured images taken sequentially to the automatic driving ECU 10.

  The vehicle control ECU 60 is an electronic control device that performs acceleration / deceleration control and / or steering control of the host vehicle. The vehicle control ECU 60 includes a steering ECU that performs steering control, a power unit control ECU that performs acceleration / deceleration control, a brake ECU, and the like. The vehicle control ECU 60 acquires detection signals output from sensors such as an accelerator position sensor, a brake pedal force sensor, a rudder angle sensor, and a wheel speed sensor mounted on the host vehicle, and performs electronic control throttle, brake actuator, EPS (Electric Power Steering) Outputs a control signal to each driving control device such as a motor. Further, the vehicle control ECU 60 can output detection signals of the above-described sensors to the in-vehicle LAN.

  The automatic operation ECU 10 includes a CPU, a volatile memory, a non-volatile memory, an I / O, and a bus for connecting them, and executes various processes by executing a control program stored in the non-volatile memory. For example, the automatic driving ECU 10 recognizes the traveling environment of the own vehicle from the captured image captured by the front camera 50. Moreover, the automatic driving ECU 10 generates a travel plan for causing the vehicle to travel by automatic driving. Furthermore, the automatic driving ECU 10 controls the vehicle control ECU 60 to perform a driving operation by the driver. Note that some or all of the functions executed by the automatic driving ECU 10 may be configured in hardware by one or a plurality of ICs. Details of the automatic operation ECU 10 will be described below.

<Schematic configuration of automatic operation ECU 10>
Here, a schematic configuration of the automatic driving ECU 10 will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 3, the automatic driving ECU 10 includes a travel environment recognition unit 100, a travel plan generation unit 101, and an automatic driving function unit 104.

  The travel environment recognition unit 100 recognizes the travel environment of the host vehicle from the vehicle position and map data of the host vehicle acquired from the ADAS locator 30, the captured image taken by the front camera 50, and the like. As an example, the driving environment recognizing unit 100 recognizes the shape and moving state of an object around the own vehicle by a known image recognition technique from a captured image photographed by the front camera 50 within the photographing range of the front camera 50. A virtual space that reproduces the actual driving environment is generated. In addition, the traveling environment recognition unit 100 recognizes the traveling environment using the map data and each information acquired from the communication device 20 outside the imaging range of the front camera 50.

  The driving environment recognition unit 100 may be configured to recognize the driving environment using a sensor for recognizing the driving environment around the host vehicle other than the front camera 50. As sensors for recognizing the traveling environment around the vehicle other than the front camera 50, millimeter wave radar, sonar, LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging / Laser Imaging Detection ion and Ranging) and other sensors. Moreover, it is good also as a structure which has a sensing range with which several types of sensors overlapped, such as performing sensing ahead of the own vehicle together using the front camera 50 and a millimeter wave radar.

  The travel plan generation unit 101 includes a short-term plan unit 102 and a medium- and long-term plan unit 103, and generates a travel plan for traveling the vehicle by automatic driving. The short-term plan unit 102 generates a short-term travel plan, and the medium-to-long-term plan unit 103 generates a medium- to long-term travel plan. The travel plan generated by the travel plan generation unit 101 is output to the automatic driving function unit 104.

  The medium- to long-term plan unit 103 generates a recommended route for moving the host vehicle from the departure point to the destination by automatic driving as a medium- to long-term travel plan. The generation of the recommended route in the medium to long-term planning unit 103 will be described in detail later. The short-term plan unit 102 generates a short-term travel plan for traveling according to the recommended route generated by the medium- to long-term plan unit 103 using the virtual space around the host vehicle generated by the travel environment recognition unit 100. To do. As a specific example, execution of steering for lane change, acceleration / deceleration for speed adjustment, steering and braking for obstacle avoidance, and the like is determined.

  In accordance with the travel plan output from the travel plan generation unit 101, the automatic driving function unit 104 causes the vehicle control ECU 60 to automatically perform acceleration, braking, and / or steering of the host vehicle so that the driver performs a driving operation. Do. This substitution of driving operation is called automatic driving. As an example of the function of automatic driving, there is an ACC (Adaptive Cruise Control) function that controls the traveling speed of the host vehicle so as to maintain the target inter-vehicle distance from the preceding vehicle by adjusting the driving force and the braking force. In addition, there is an LKA (Lane Keeping Assist) function that causes the vehicle HV to travel while maintaining the lane during travel by generating a steering force in a direction that prevents the approach to the travel lane line. In addition, there is an LCA (Lane Change Assist) function for automatically moving the vehicle HV to the adjacent lane. Further, there is an AEB (Autonomous Emergency Braking) function for forcibly decelerating the vehicle by generating a braking force based on forward sensing information.

  In addition, as an example of the function of automatic driving, a function for accelerating / decelerating and steering so that the vehicle position of the vehicle travels along the recommended route generated by the medium to long-term planning unit 103, along a recommended traveling locus There are also a function of accelerating / decelerating and steering so as to travel, a function of automatically stopping on the road shoulder in an emergency, and the like. In addition, what was described here is an example to the last, and it is good also as a structure provided with another function as an automatic driving | operation function.

  Furthermore, it is assumed that the automatic driving function unit 104 can switch execution / non-execution of the automatic driving. The failure to perform automatic driving means that the driver operates all the main control systems such as the brake, steering, throttle, and driving force of the vehicle without performing automation. That is, manual operation. The automatic driving function unit 104 may be switched so as not to perform the automatic driving according to an input operation by the driver to the operation device 42, for example. In addition, it is good also as a structure autonomously performed according to the malfunction of the sensing with the front camera 50, the traveling environment recognized by the traveling environment recognition part 100 being unsuitable for automatic driving, etc. As an example of a malfunction in sensing with the front camera 50, there is a malfunction in which recognition by the image recognition technology fails due to reflected backlight of the sun in the captured image.

<Schematic configuration of the medium- to long-term planning unit 103>
Next, a schematic configuration of the medium-to-long term planning unit 103 provided in the automatic operation ECU 10 of the vehicle side unit 1 will be described with reference to FIG. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the medium-to-long term planning unit 103 includes an information acquisition unit 131, an HMI processing unit 132, a cost setting unit 137, a route search unit 138, a haunt area specifying unit 139, and a prediction unit 140. This medium-to-long-term plan unit 103 corresponds to the travel plan generation device in the claims.

  The information acquisition unit 131 acquires distribution information transmitted from the center 2 via the communication device 20. For example, the information acquisition unit 131 makes a distribution request including the current vehicle position measured by the ADAS locator 30 from the communication device 20 to the center 2, thereby distributing the area where the vehicle is located and the current date. Get information. The distribution information includes the above-described solar information and weather information.

  The HMI processing unit 132 performs processing related to exchange with the HCU 41. For example, an input corresponding to the operation of the operation device 42 is accepted, or an information presentation on the display device 43 and / or the audio output device 44 is instructed. The HMI processing unit 132 includes a proposal processing unit 133, a change receiving unit 134, an acceptance receiving unit 135, and a switching notification unit 136. Processing in the proposal processing unit 133, the change reception unit 134, the acceptance reception unit 135, and the switching notification unit 136 will be described later.

  The cost setting unit 137 determines the road type, road shape, link length, link transit time, backlight influence characteristics, and the like for roads (that is, links) that are candidates for the recommended route search by the route search unit 138. Set the link cost of. The term “backlight influence characteristic” as used herein refers to the ease of occurrence of an incapable sensing state using the front camera 50 due to backlight from the sun. The link cost is a link cost used for cost calculation by the Dijkstra method, for example, and a lower value is set for a road suitable for running by automatic driving. This link cost corresponds to the cost value in the claims.

  The link cost for the road type may be set, for example, such that an automobile-only road is smaller than a general road. Further, the link cost for the road shape may be set smaller as the road has a smaller curve curvature. In addition, the link cost for the link length may be set to be smaller for a road having a shorter link length, and the link cost for the link passage time may be set to be smaller for a road having a shorter link passage time. The link cost for the backlight influence characteristic is set lower than the default for roads where the sun is always blocked by the structure, and is lower than the default for roads identified as a backlight target link by the prediction unit 140 described later. Set larger.

  The element for setting the link cost is not limited to the one described here, and other elements may be added. For elements other than the backlight influence characteristic, the elements may be reduced or replaced with other elements.

  The route search unit 138 searches for an optimum recommended route that satisfies preset search conditions such as distance priority and time priority when traveling between two points. As a method for searching for a recommended route, for example, a Dijkstra method is used to search for a route having a smaller total value of the link cost for each element as a recommended route. Here, the search for the recommended route in the present embodiment will be briefly described.

  The departure point, departure time, and destination of the recommended route may be the departure point, departure time, and destination that are input by the operation of the operation device 42 by the user. Information on the departure point, departure time, and destination input by operating the operation device 42 may be acquired from the HCU 41. The input of the departure point, departure time, and destination is not limited to the configuration performed by the operation device 42, and for example, a configuration that is input in advance via a terminal or the like outside the host vehicle may be used. Alternatively, the current vehicle position measured by the ADAS locator 30 of the host vehicle may be set as the departure place, and the current time may be set as the departure time.

  First, the route search unit 138 reads map data about the mesh from the departure point to the destination from the map DB 33 of the ADAS locator 30 and temporarily stores it in a memory such as a working RAM. The route search unit 138 extracts recommended route candidates (hereinafter referred to as route candidates) from the information of the departure point and the destination and the read map data.

  The haunting area specifying unit 139 specifies a predetermined time zone (hereinafter referred to as the haunting time zone) after sunrise and before sunset. The predetermined time zone referred to here is a time zone in which the altitude of the sun is low enough to cause the sun to be backlit for the front camera 50. The time zone is calculated from the solar information about the area where the vehicle is located and the current date acquired by the information acquisition unit 131. Specifically, it calculates using the sunrise time and sunset time in the solar information. In addition, when the destination of the own vehicle is outside the region where the own vehicle is located, the information acquisition unit 131 acquires solar information about the region passing from the departure point to the destination, and for each passing region What is necessary is just to set it as the structure which calculates an appearance time zone.

  In addition, the haunting area specifying unit 139 predicts whether or not the sun is shaded in the haunting time zone from the specified haunting time zone and the weather information acquired by the information acquisition unit 131. As an example, when the weather information in the time zone has shown weather that is shaded such as rainy weather or cloudy weather, the sun may be predicted to be shaded in the time zone. On the other hand, if the weather information in the time zone shows a weather that is not shaded, such as sunny weather, it may be predicted that the sun is not shaded in the time zone.

  The haunt area specifying unit 139 specifies an area (hereinafter referred to as an haunt area) scheduled to pass in the haunt time period among the route candidates when it is predicted that the sun does not appear in the specified haunt time period. The haunt area specifying unit 139 does not specify the haunt area when it is predicted that the sun is shaded in the specified haunt time zone. In the following, the process of specifying the appearance area in the appearance area specifying unit 139 will be described.

  The haunt area specifying unit 139 calculates the scheduled time when the vehicle passes through each link of the route candidate from the departure time information and the link travel time for the route candidate. Of the route candidates, a link in which the calculated scheduled time corresponds to the appearance time zone is set as a candidate for the appearance region. In addition, the haunt area specifying unit 139 determines the course direction of the host vehicle from the sun azimuth information of the sun information acquired by the information acquiring unit 131 and the link direction of the link that is a candidate for the haunt area. It is preferable to specify a link in which the difference between the sun and the azimuth angle of the sun in the time zone appears within a predetermined range. Here, the link direction is read as the course direction of the own vehicle. In addition, the predetermined range mentioned here is a range in which the difference can be said to have been reduced to such an extent that the sun may be backlit for the front camera 50.

  The haunt area specifying unit 139 specifies, as the haunt area, a link in which the difference between the planned course direction of the host vehicle and the azimuth angle of the sun in the haunt time zone is within a predetermined range among the links of the haunt area candidates. It is preferable. This narrows down links that may cause the sun to be backlit for the front camera 50 from among the route candidate links.

  Here, the identification of the haunting area will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6. AR of FIG.5 and FIG.6 has shown the area | region which is scheduled to pass in the appearance time zone among route candidates. FIG. 5 shows an example in which the vehicle travels north at sunset, and FIG. 6 shows an example in which the vehicle travels west at sunset. As shown in FIG. 5, when the vehicle travels north at sunset, the sun is unlikely to be backlit by the front camera 50, so even if the vehicle is scheduled to pass during the infestation time zone , Exclude from the haunting area. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 6, when the vehicle travels west at sunset, there is a high possibility that the sun will be backlit for the front camera 50. Identified as a haunting area.

  In addition, the haunting area specifying unit 139 is based on the structure data in the map data, and the link is predicted to be blocked by the structure such as the tunnel from the haunting area candidate links. It is preferable to adopt a configuration in which the haunting area is specified except for. Other structures that always block the sun include high-rise buildings.

  The prediction unit 140 predicts the angle difference between the shooting direction of the front camera 50 and the direction in which the sun is located when each link specified as the appearance region by the appearance region specifying unit 139 passes through this link. As an example, the photographing direction of the front camera 50 and the direction in which the sun is positioned may be represented by an azimuth angle and an elevation angle, respectively.

  What is necessary is just to set it as the structure calculated | required from the direction of the optical axis of the front camera 50 with respect to the own vehicle, and the link direction of the link which the own vehicle is going to pass about the imaging | photography direction of the front camera 50 at the time of passing a link. The azimuth angle in the shooting direction of the front camera 50 may be obtained by correcting the link azimuth that the host vehicle is scheduled to pass by the horizontal angle of the optical axis of the front camera 50 with respect to the front-rear direction of the host vehicle. Further, as the elevation angle in the shooting direction of the front camera 50, the vertical angle of the optical axis of the front camera 50 with respect to the front-rear direction of the host vehicle may be used. The horizontal angle and the vertical angle of the optical axis of the front camera 50 with respect to the front-rear direction of the host vehicle may be stored in advance in a nonvolatile memory of the automatic operation ECU 10. In addition, by correcting the elevation angle in the shooting direction of the front camera 50 by the vertical gradient of the link that the host vehicle is scheduled to pass, the prediction accuracy of the shooting direction of the front camera 50 when passing the link is further increased. It is good also as composition which improves.

  What is necessary is just to set it as the structure calculated | required from the solar information acquired in the information acquisition part 131 about the direction where the sun at the time of passing a link passes. As the azimuth angle in the direction in which the sun is located, the azimuth angle of the sun for the area where the link where the vehicle is scheduled to pass is located. The elevation angle in the direction in which the sun is located may be the altitude of the sun for the area where the link where the vehicle is scheduled to pass is located.

  The prediction unit 140 determines, for the target link, the horizontal angle difference between the azimuth angle in the shooting direction of the front camera 50 and the azimuth angle of the sun and the elevation angle in the shooting direction of the front camera 50 and the elevation angle of the sun. Each vertical angle difference is calculated. Then, the calculated horizontal angle difference and vertical angle difference are estimated to be a threshold range (hereinafter referred to as backlight) where it is estimated that the surrounding environment cannot be recognized using the captured image of the front camera 50 due to backlight from the sun (hereinafter referred to as sensing impossible). It is determined whether it is within the threshold range.

  Here, the backlight threshold range will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8. 7 and 8 indicate the imaging direction of the front camera 50, and SU indicates the direction in which the sun is located. Further, the range indicated by HO in FIG. 7 and the range indicated by PE in FIG. 8 indicate non-sensable ranges in which sensing is not possible when the direction of the sun is located in this range. The sensing impossible range may be determined in advance by a test or the like.

  As shown in FIG. 7, when the horizontal angle difference between the shooting direction of the front camera 50 in the horizontal direction and the position of the sun is within the non-sensing range, sensing becomes impossible depending on the altitude of the sun. Therefore, when the non-sensing range is spread uniformly in the horizontal direction around the optical axis of the front camera 50, the half of the angle corresponding to the sensing range in the horizontal direction is set as the backlight threshold range for the horizontal angle difference. Use it.

  It should be noted that the backlight threshold range for the horizontal angle difference is preferably provided with a predetermined margin that allows a fluctuation in the shooting direction of the front camera 50 due to lane change, turning back, turning, etc. within the same link. According to this, it becomes difficult to make the range in which sensing is impossible outside the backlight threshold range when fluctuations in the shooting direction of the front camera 50 occur due to lane change, turning back, turning, etc. within the same link.

  As shown in FIG. 8, when the vertical angle difference between the shooting direction of the front camera 50 in the vertical direction and the position of the sun is within the sensing impossible range, sensing becomes impossible depending on the azimuth angle of the sun. Therefore, when the non-sensing range is equally spread in the vertical direction around the optical axis of the front camera 50, the half of the angle corresponding to the sensing range in the vertical direction is set as the backlight threshold range for the vertical angle difference. Use it.

  When both the horizontal angle difference and the vertical angle difference calculated for the target link are within the backlight threshold range, the prediction unit 140 sets this link as the backlight target link. As an example, a configuration may be adopted in which a flag or the like that can be distinguished from a link that is not a backlight target link is given. In addition, although the structure which determines whether both a horizontal angle difference and a vertical angle difference are within the backlight threshold range is specified here per link, the backlight target link is shown here, it is not necessarily limited to this. For example, for each segment included in the link, it is determined whether both the horizontal angle difference and the vertical angle difference are within the backlight threshold range, and when at least one segment determined to be within the backlight threshold range is included, A link including this segment may be configured as a backlight target link. This backlight target link corresponds to a road to avoid in the claims.

  As described above, the cost setting unit 137 sets a link cost larger than the default for the road identified as the backlight target link by the prediction unit 140. Moreover, the link cost according to whether the sun is always obstruct | occluded by the road classification about the link contained in a route candidate, road shape, link length, link passage time, and a structure is set.

  Then, the route search unit 138 searches for a recommended route in which the total value of the link cost of each element is smaller from the link cost set by the cost setting unit 137 and the link data of the link included in the route candidate. As an example, a plurality of types of recommended routes including a recommended route in which the total value of the link cost of each element is the smallest and the total value of the link cost of each element becomes smaller are searched.

  When there is a recommended route that does not include the backlight target link among the searched recommended routes, the route search unit 138 adopts the recommended route as an automatic driving route for performing automatic driving. In addition, it is good also as a structure which inquires consent of adoption of an automatic driving | running route from HMI process part 132 via HCU41. In addition, when there is no recommended route that does not include the backlight target link among the recommended routes searched, the route search unit 138 obtains a recommended route that does not include the backlight target link while sequentially shifting the departure time. Until this time, the search for the recommended route as described above is repeated. The time unit to be shifted can be arbitrarily set, for example, a unit of 10 minutes.

  The proposed processing unit 133 searches for a recommended route that does not include the backlight target link through a search in which the departure time in the route search unit 138 is sequentially shifted, and then the new departure time when the recommended route is obtained via the HCU 41. Suggest changes to. As an example, a configuration may be adopted in which an instruction is sent to the HCU 41 so that the display device 43 and / or the audio output device 44 may present information suggesting a change to the new departure time. In the case of presenting information that suggests a change to the new departure time, it is preferable that the information is also presented for a change to continue automatic driving stably. Hereinafter, the recommended route at the new departure time is referred to as a first changed route, and the recommended route at the initial departure time is referred to as a pre-change route.

  The change accepting unit 134 accepts the change to the new departure time when the signal indicating that the operation input for permitting the change to the new departure time is performed by the operation device 42 is acquired via the HCU 41. . On the other hand, when a signal indicating that an operation input indicating that the change to the new departure time is not permitted is performed by the operation device 42 is acquired via the HCU 41, the change to the new departure time is not accepted. become.

  When the change reception unit 134 receives a change to the new departure time, the route search unit 138 employs the first changed route as the automatic driving route. If this change is not accepted, the route search unit 138 searches the rest point located before the backlight target link from the pre-change route. A resting point is a transit point where a resting area such as a service area, a parking area, a restaurant, an entertainment facility, etc. can rest, and may be searched based on the POI in the map data.

  When the rest point can be searched, the route search unit 138 searches for a recommended route that does not include the backlight target link with the rest at the rest point interposed therebetween. As an example, for the routes after the resting point, the route searching unit 138 sequentially shifts the departure time from the resting point until the route that does not include the backlight target link is obtained, and the same route as the above-described recommended route search. Repeat the search. In addition, the route search unit 138 obtains a time (hereinafter referred to as a change time) of a departure time difference from the rest point required until a route not including the backlight target link is obtained. A recommended route that does not include the backlight target link and that rests at the rest point for the changed time is hereinafter referred to as a second changed route.

  When the route search unit 138 can search for a resting point, the proposal processing unit 133 proposes resting at a resting point that is equal to or longer than the changed time determined by the route searching unit 138 via the HCU 41. As an example, an instruction may be sent to the HCU 41 so that the display device 43 and / or the audio output device 44 may present information for proposing rest at a rest point that is longer than the changed time.

  The acceptance accepting unit 135 accepts the rest at the resting point when a signal indicating that the operation input for accepting the resting at the resting point is performed by the operation device 42 is obtained through the HCU 41. Accepts input from users. On the other hand, when a signal indicating that the operation input not accepting the rest at the resting point has been performed by the operation device 42 via the HCU 41, the user accepting the rest at the resting point is received. Is not accepted.

  When the acceptance accepting unit 135 accepts an input from the user to accept the rest at the resting point, the route searching unit 138 adopts the second changed route as the automatic driving route. On the other hand, if this input is not accepted, and if the rest point cannot be searched by the route search unit 138, the route search unit 138 adopts the route before change. When the pre-change route including the backlight target link is adopted, a route other than the backlight target link may be set as an automatic driving route, and the backlight target link may be set as a manual driving route for manually driving. In addition, it is good not only as a structure which uses a backlight object link as a manual driving path | route, but it is good also as a path | route which needs to perform an automatic driving | operation in preparation for the switch to a manual driving | operation. For example, the route may be a route for performing automatic driving by obliging to put a hand on the steering wheel. As a specific example, it may be configured such that guidance is given to the steering wheel before entering the backlight target link, and a warning is issued when it is detected that the steering wheel is not touched by the sensor in the backlight target link. .

  In addition, when the input from the user to accept the rest at the resting point is not accepted, and when the resting point cannot be searched by the route search unit 138, the switching notification unit 136, via the HCU 41, The backlit target link is notified that there is a possibility of switching from automatic operation to manual operation. As an example, an instruction may be sent to the HCU 41 to notify the display device 43 and / or the audio output device 44 that there is a possibility of switching from automatic driving to manual driving on the road corresponding to the backlight target link. .

<Route adoption related processing>
Next, an example of the flow of processing (hereinafter referred to as route adoption related processing) relating to the adoption of the automatic driving route in the medium- to long-term planning unit 103 will be described using the flowcharts of FIGS. 9 and 10. The flowchart in FIG. 9 may be configured to start when the operation device 42 receives an operation input requesting, for example, an automatic driving route search. Note that the description will be made assuming that the departure place, departure time, and destination have already been input to the medium- to long-term planning unit 103.

  First, in step S <b> 1, the haunting area specifying unit 139 specifies the sun infestation time zone from the sun information about the area where the vehicle is located and the current date acquired by the information acquiring unit 131. In step S <b> 2, the haunt area specifying unit 139 determines whether the vehicle is traveling in the haunt time zone specified in S <b> 1 from the departure time, the route candidate extracted by the route search unit 138, and the map data. If it is determined that the vehicle is traveling during the time zone (YES in S2), the process proceeds to step S3. On the other hand, when it is determined that the vehicle does not travel during the time of appearance (NO in S2), the process proceeds to step S5.

  In step S3, the information acquisition unit 131 acquires weather information. In step S4, the haunting area specifying unit 139 predicts whether or not the sun is shaded in the haunting time zone from the haunting time zone specified in S1 and the weather information acquired in S3. Then, when it is predicted that the sun is shaded in the time zone (YES in S4), the process proceeds to step S5. On the other hand, when it is predicted that the sun is not shaded in the time zone (NO in S4), the process proceeds to step S7. In step S5, the route search unit 138 searches for a recommended route. In step S6, the route search unit 138 adopts the recommended route searched in S5 as the automatic driving route, and ends the route adoption related processing.

  In step S <b> 7, the haunt area specifying unit 139 sets a link in which the scheduled time for the vehicle to pass corresponds to the haunt time period among the path candidates as candidates for the haunt area. Further, the haunt area specifying unit 139 determines the difference between the planned direction of the vehicle and the sun's azimuth angle in the haunt time zone from the information on the sun azimuth and the link azimuth of the link that is a candidate for the haunt area. A link in which is within a predetermined range is specified. If there is a link in which the difference between the planned direction of the vehicle and the azimuth angle of the sun in the time zone is within a predetermined range (YES in S7), the process proceeds to step S8. On the other hand, if there is no link within the predetermined range (NO in S7), the process proceeds to step S5.

  In step S <b> 8, the haunt area specifying unit 139 specifies a link excluding the links within the predetermined range specified in S <b> 7 from the haunt area candidate links as the haunt area. In step S9, the prediction unit 140 predicts the horizontal angle difference and the vertical angle difference between the shooting direction of the front camera 50 and the sun position for each link identified as the haunting area in S8. In step S10, the prediction unit 140 sets a link cost larger than the default for the backlight target link in which both the horizontal angle difference and the vertical angle difference predicted in S9 are within the backlight threshold range. That is, the link cost is increased.

  In step S11, the route search unit 138 searches for a recommended route using the link cost set in S10. In step S12, when a recommended route not including the backlight target link is searched in S10 (YES in S12), the process proceeds to step S13. On the other hand, if any of the recommended routes searched in S10 includes a backlight target link (NO in S12), the process proceeds to step S14. In step S13, the route search unit 138 adopts the recommended route that does not include the backlight target link searched in S10 as the automatic driving route, and ends the route adoption related processing.

  Moving to FIG. 10, in step S14, the route search unit 138 repeats the search for the recommended route until the first changed route not including the backlight target link is obtained while sequentially shifting the departure time. In step S15, the proposal processing unit 133 proposes a change to the new departure time when the first changed route is obtained in S14.

  In step S16, when the change receiving unit 134 receives a change to the new departure time (YES in S16), the process proceeds to step S17. On the other hand, when the change to the new departure time is not accepted (NO in S16), the process proceeds to step S18. In step S17, the route search unit 138 adopts the first changed route as the automatic driving route, and ends the route adoption related processing.

  In step S18, the route search unit 138 searches for a resting point located before the backlight target link from the route before change, which is the recommended route at the initial departure time. If there is a rest point (YES in S18), the process proceeds to step S19. On the other hand, when there is no resting point (NO in S18), the process proceeds to step S23. In step S19, the route search unit 138 searches for the second changed route that does not include the backlight target link, with the rest of the changed time at the rest point searched in S18. In step S <b> 20, the proposal processing unit 133 proposes a rest longer than the changed time at the resting point.

  In step S21, when the acceptance receiving unit 135 accepts an input from the user to accept the rest at the resting point (YES in S21), the process proceeds to step S22. On the other hand, if this input is not accepted (NO in S21), the process proceeds to step S23. In step S22, the route search unit 138 adopts the second changed route as the automatic driving route, and ends the route adoption related processing.

  In step S23, the route search unit 138 employs a route excluding the backlight target link in the route before change as an automatic operation route. As described above, the road corresponding to the backlight target link may be a manual driving route, or may be a route that needs to be automatically operated while preparing for switching to manual driving. In step S24, the switching notification unit 136 notifies that there is a possibility of switching from automatic driving to manual driving in the backlight target link, and ends the route adoption related processing.

<Summary of Embodiment 1>
In the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1, since the altitude of the sun is not taken into consideration, the evaluation value is lowered even in a route that is not affected by backlight due to the high altitude of the sun, and unnecessary detours are performed. There was a problem of providing a route. On the other hand, according to the configuration of the first embodiment, the backlight target link is specified in consideration of both the azimuth angle and the altitude of the sun, and the automatic driving route not including this backlight target link is adopted. Therefore, it is possible to more reliably avoid the sensing impossible state in which the surrounding environment using the captured image cannot be recognized due to the backlight from the light source, and it is possible to suppress unnecessary detours. In addition, when it is necessary to travel on a route corresponding to the backlight target link, the driver is notified in advance of the possibility of switching from automatic operation to manual operation. You can also switch. From this point, it is possible to more reliably avoid the sensing disabled state.

  In addition, according to the structure of Embodiment 1, the object which specifies a backlight object link is narrowed down to the link applicable to the area | region which is going to pass during the sun's appearance time zone. Therefore, it is possible to eliminate the waste of specifying the backlight target link by performing the processing in the prediction unit 140 for the link scheduled to pass during the time zone in which the sun is unlikely to be backlit for the front camera 50. Furthermore, according to the structure of Embodiment 1, even if it is a link corresponding to the area | region which is going to pass in the sun's appearance time zone, the difference between the course direction of the planned own vehicle and the azimuth angle of the sun in the appearance time zone A link that is not within the predetermined range is excluded from the target for specifying the backlight target link. Therefore, it is possible to eliminate the waste of specifying the backlight target link by performing the process in the prediction unit 140 for the link that is unlikely to be backlit by the sun for the front camera 50.

  Further, according to the configuration of the first embodiment, the haunt area specifying unit 139 does not specify the haunt area when it is predicted that the sun is shaded in the specified haunt time zone. Therefore, it is possible to eliminate the waste of specifying the backlight target link by performing the processing in the prediction unit 140 for the link that is estimated to be less likely to be backlit by the sun for the front camera 50. .

  Furthermore, according to the configuration of the first embodiment, when there is no recommended route that does not include the backlight target link among the recommended routes searched by the route search unit 138, a recommended route that does not include the backlight target link is obtained. Suggest new departure times. Therefore, by shifting the departure time, it becomes possible to more reliably avoid a sensing impossible state in which the surrounding environment using the captured image cannot be recognized due to backlight from the sun.

  Further, according to the configuration of the first embodiment, when a change to the new departure time is not accepted, a rest at a resting point that is longer than a time at which a recommended route not including the backlight target link is obtained is proposed. Therefore, even when the user does not want to change the departure time, by resting at the resting point, it is possible to more surely avoid the unsensible state in which the surrounding environment using the captured image cannot be recognized due to backlight from the sun. It becomes possible.

(Embodiment 2)
In the first embodiment, the configuration in which the processing of S14 to S22 is included in the route adoption related processing in the medium- to long-term planning unit 103 is not necessarily limited thereto. For example, it is good also as a structure (henceforth Embodiment 2) which does not include the process of S14-S22 in a path | route adoption related process.

  When adopting the configuration of the second embodiment, if NO in S12, the processing of S23 and S24 may be performed. Further, when the configuration of the second embodiment is adopted, the proposal processing unit 133, the change receiving unit 134, and the approval receiving unit 135 may be omitted.

  Even in the configuration of the second embodiment, the backlight target link is specified in consideration of both the azimuth angle and altitude of the sun, and the automatic operation route that does not include the backlight target link is adopted. In the same manner as described above, it is possible to more reliably avoid an incapable sensing state in which the surrounding environment using the captured image cannot be recognized due to backlight from the sun, and it is possible to suppress unnecessary detours.

(Embodiment 3)
In the first embodiment, the configuration in which the recommended route is searched for by the automatic operation ECU 10 of the vehicle-side unit 1 is shown, but the configuration is not necessarily limited thereto. For example, a configuration in which a recommended route is searched for in the center 2a (hereinafter, Embodiment 3) may be employed.

  Hereinafter, Embodiment 3 of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The driving support system 4a of the third embodiment includes a center 2a instead of the center 2, a point including the vehicle side unit 1a instead of the vehicle side unit 1, and a point including the user terminal 3, as shown in FIG. Is the same as the driving support system 4 of the first embodiment.

  The vehicle-side unit 1a is the same as the vehicle-side unit 1 of the first embodiment except that the automatic operation ECU 10 includes a mid-long term plan unit 103a instead of the mid-long term plan unit 103. The user terminal 3 is a terminal having an information presentation function, a communication function, and an input function used for a user. Examples of the user terminal 3 include a multi-function mobile phone, a PC, and a tablet terminal. The user terminal 3 communicates with the center 2a via a public communication network such as the Internet.

  Here, the center 2a will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 12, the center 2 a includes a search DB 230, an information acquisition unit 231, an HMI processing unit 232, a cost setting unit 237, a route search unit 238, a haunt area specifying unit 239, a prediction unit 240, and a distribution unit 241. I have.

  The search DB 230 stores the above-described solar information, weather information, and map data. The solar information, weather information, and map data may be obtained from a center other than the center 2a and stored.

  The information acquisition unit 231 acquires information on the departure place, departure time, and destination input to the user terminal 3 by the user. This information acquisition unit 231 corresponds to the center side acquisition unit in the claims. Moreover, the information acquisition part 231 acquires the horizontal angle and the vertical angle of the optical axis of the front camera 50 with respect to the front-back direction of the vehicle, which are input to the user terminal 3 by the user. The information acquisition unit 231 acquires the horizontal angle and vertical angle of the optical axis of the front camera 50 with respect to the vehicle front-rear direction from the above-described nonvolatile memory of the automatic operation ECU 10 of the vehicle-side unit 1a via the communication device 20. It is good also as a structure.

  The HMI processing unit 232 performs processing related to exchanges with the user terminal 3. For example, an input corresponding to an operation of the user terminal 3 is accepted, or information presentation at the user terminal 3 is instructed. The HMI processing unit 232 includes a proposal processing unit 233, a change receiving unit 234, a consent receiving unit 235, and a switching notification unit 236. Regarding the processing in the proposal processing unit 233, the change reception unit 234, the acceptance reception unit 235, and the switching notification unit 236, the proposal processing according to the first embodiment is performed except that the exchange target is the user terminal 3 instead of the HCU 41. The processing is the same as that performed by the unit 133, the change receiving unit 134, the acceptance receiving unit 135, and the switching notification unit 136.

  The cost setting unit 237 performs the same processing as the cost setting unit 137 of the first embodiment. The route search unit 238 obtains the map data from the search DB 230, obtains information on the departure point, departure time, and destination from the information acquisition unit 231, and the adopted recommended route from the communication of the vehicle side unit 1a. Except for the point transmitted to the machine 20, the same processing as the route search unit 138 of the first embodiment is performed. Except for the point of obtaining the sun information and the weather information from the search DB 230 and the point of acquiring the information of the departure place, the departure time, and the destination from the information acquisition unit 231, the appearance area specifying unit 239 is the same as that of the first embodiment. Processing is performed in the same manner as the appearance area specifying unit 139. The prediction unit 240 is the first embodiment except that the solar information is obtained from the search DB 230 and the horizontal angle and the vertical angle of the optical axis of the front camera 50 with respect to the front-rear direction of the vehicle are obtained from the information acquisition unit 231. The same processing as that of the prediction unit 140 is performed. The distribution unit 241 transmits the recommended route searched by the route search unit 138 to the communication device 20 of the vehicle side unit 1a.

  Subsequently, the mid-long term plan unit 103a included in the automatic operation ECU 10 of the vehicle-side unit 1a will be described with reference to FIG. As illustrated in FIG. 13, the medium-to-long term planning unit 103a includes an information acquisition unit 131a and a route setting unit 141.

  The information acquisition unit 131a acquires the recommended route received from the distribution unit 241 by the communication device 20. The route setting unit 141 sets an automatic driving route based on the recommended route acquired by the information acquisition unit 131a. Specifically, when the recommended route does not include the manual driving route, the recommended route is set as the automatic driving route. When the recommended route includes a manual driving route and an automatic driving route, this automatic driving route is set as the automatic driving route.

  Also in the configuration of the third embodiment, the backlight target link is specified in consideration of both the azimuth angle and altitude of the sun, and an automatic driving route that does not include this backlight target link is adopted, so that it is the same as the configuration of the first embodiment. In addition, useless detours can be suppressed while more reliably avoiding a sensing impossible state in which the surrounding environment using the captured image cannot be recognized due to backlight from the sun.

(Modification 1)
In the third embodiment, the center 2a communicates with the user terminal 3 to search for a recommended route. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the center 2a may communicate with the vehicle side unit 1a to search for a recommended route. In this case, an operation input from the user may be received by the operation device 42. Further, instead of the HMI processing unit 232 being provided in the center 2a, a function block having the same function as that of the HMI processing unit 232 may be provided in the medium to long-term planning unit 103a or the HCU 41.

(Modification 2)
In the above-described embodiment, a configuration in which the haunting area is not specified when the haunting area specifying unit 139 predicts that the sun is shaded in the haunting time zone based on the weather information acquired by the information acquiring unit 131. Although shown, it is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the weather acquisition may not be acquired by the information acquisition unit 131, and the haunting area may be specified regardless of whether the sun is shaded during the haunting time zone.

(Modification 3)
In the above-described embodiment, the configuration in which the predetermined time zone after sunrise and before sunset is used as the appearance time zone is not necessarily limited thereto. For example, it is good also as a structure which makes the predetermined time zone after sunrise or sunset before the time of appearance.

(Modification 4)
In the above-described embodiment, the prediction units 140 and 140a are configured to predict the angle difference between the shooting direction of the front camera 50 and the direction in which the sun is located by focusing on the link specified as the appearance region by the appearance region specifying unit 139. Although shown, it is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the appearance area is not specified by the appearance area specifying unit 139, and the prediction units 140 and 140a predict the angle difference between the shooting direction of the front camera 50 and the direction in which the sun is located for all the links of the route candidates. It is good also as composition to do.

(Modification 5)
In the above embodiment, when both the horizontal angle difference and the vertical angle difference calculated by the prediction units 140 and 140a for the target link are within the backlight threshold range, this link is set as the backlight target link. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the prediction units 140 and 140a may be configured to use this link as a backlight target link (hereinafter, modified example 5) when the horizontal angle difference calculated for the target link is within the backlight threshold range.

  In the case of adopting the configuration of the modification example 5, the vertical angle difference may not be calculated. Further, when adopting the configuration of the modified example 5, in order to make it difficult for a link that is not affected by backlight due to high altitude of the sun to be a backlight target link, the link for which the horizontal angle difference is calculated is displayed. It is preferable to narrow down to the link corresponding to the time zone.

(Modification 6)
In the above-described embodiment, the configuration in which the route search units 138 and 238 search for a rest point and propose a rest at the rest point when the change accepting units 134 and 234 do not accept the change to the new departure time is shown. However, this is not necessarily the case. For example, when the change reception units 134 and 234 do not receive a change to the new departure time, the route search units 138 and 238 may adopt a route before change. In this case, a route other than the backlight target link may be set as an automatic driving route, and the backlight target link may be set as a manual driving route for driving manually.

(Modification 7)
In the above-described embodiment, if there is no recommended route that does not include the backlight target link among the recommended routes searched by the route search units 138 and 238, the backlight target link is not included while sequentially shifting the departure time. Although the configuration in which the search for the recommended route is repeated until the recommended route is obtained is shown, the configuration is not necessarily limited thereto. For example, the route search units 138 and 238 may adopt the pre-change route when there is no recommended route that does not include the backlight target link.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and modifications, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the claims, and technical means disclosed in different embodiments and modifications, respectively. Embodiments obtained by appropriately combining the above are also included in the technical scope of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1,1a Vehicle side unit, 2,2a center, 3 User terminal, 4,4a Travel support system, 10 Automatic operation ECU, 20 Communication apparatus, 30 ADAS locator, 41 HCU, 50 Front camera (vehicle camera), 100 Travel plan Generation unit, 103, 103a Medium to long-term planning unit (travel plan creation device), 131, 131a Information acquisition unit, 132 HMI processing unit, 133 Proposal processing unit, 134 Change reception unit, 135 Acceptance reception unit, 136 Switching notification unit, 137 Cost setting unit, 138 route search unit, 139 haunt area identification unit, 140 prediction unit, 141 route setting unit, 230 search DB, 231 information acquisition unit (center side acquisition unit), 232 HMI processing unit, 237 cost setting unit, 238 route search unit, 239 haunt area identification unit, 240 prediction unit, 241 distribution unit

Claims (13)

Used in vehicles that perform automatic driving that automatically controls at least one of acceleration, braking, and steering by recognizing the surrounding environment using a captured image captured by the on-vehicle camera (50) mounted on the host vehicle. And
A route search unit (138) for searching for an automatic driving route when performing the automatic driving;
A prediction unit (140) that predicts an angle difference between the shooting direction of the in-vehicle camera and the direction in which the sun is located;
The route search unit is configured to maintain the automatic driving route in which the angle difference predicted by the prediction unit is outside a threshold range in which it is estimated that the surrounding environment using the captured image cannot be recognized due to backlight from the sun. A travel plan creation device for searching. In claim 1,
The predicting unit is a horizontal angle difference that is an angle difference between the shooting direction of the in-vehicle camera and the azimuth angle of the sun in the horizontal direction, and a vertical that is an angle difference between the shooting direction of the in-vehicle camera and the altitude of the sun in the vertical direction. Predict both the angle difference and
The route search unit is a travel plan creation device that searches for the automatic driving route in which both the horizontal angle difference and the vertical angle difference predicted by the prediction unit are outside the threshold range. In claim 2,
Of the candidate routes to be searched by the route search unit, using the time of sun rise and / or sunset for each region and calendar, a predetermined time zone after sunrise and / or before sunset. A haunt area specifying unit (139) for specifying an haunt area, which is an area scheduled to pass during the haunt time zone,
The prediction unit is a travel plan creation device that predicts the angle difference by focusing on the appearance area specified by the appearance area specifying unit. In claim 3,
The haunting area specifying unit is a travel plan creation device that does not specify the haunting area when it is predicted that the sun is shaded in the haunting time zone based on information of weather forecast. In claim 4,
The prediction unit does not perform prediction of the angle difference when not specifying the appearance region in the appearance region specifying unit,
If the route search unit does not specify the haunting region in the haunting region specifying unit, the route search unit assumes that all candidate routes searched by the route searching unit fall outside the threshold range. A travel plan creation device that searches for driving routes. In any one of Claims 3-5,
The haunt area specifying unit is an area scheduled to pass through the haunt time zone among candidate routes to be searched by the route search unit using the sun azimuth angle of the sun for each region and calendar. And the travel plan preparation apparatus which specifies the said appearance area where the difference of the planned course direction and the said azimuth angle of an appearance is in a predetermined range. In any one of Claims 3-6,
A cost setting unit (137) that increases a cost value of a road that belongs to the haunting area and that is to be avoided in which the angle difference predicted by the prediction unit falls within the threshold range; ,
The route search unit is a travel plan creation device that searches for the automatic driving route so that a total value of the cost values becomes small. In claim 7,
The cost setting unit reduces a cost value for a road that is predicted to be obstructed by the structure at all times based on information on at least one of the road structure and the structure facing the road. Travel plan creation device to let you. In claim 7 or 8,
The route search unit searches for the automatic driving route for starting from the departure place to the destination at a set departure time,
If any of the candidate routes to be searched by the route search unit includes the avoidance road, a change to a new departure time at which any of the candidate routes does not include the avoidance road is performed. A travel plan creation apparatus provided with the proposal process part (133) to propose. In claim 9,
A change acceptance unit (134) for accepting a change to the new departure time;
The proposal processing unit is a case where the change accepting unit has not accepted the change to the new departure time in spite of proposing the change to the new departure time, and is in the middle of the candidate route A travel plan creation device that proposes a rest at this way point at least for a time when the avoidance road is not included in at least one of the candidate routes. In claim 10,
An acceptance receiving unit (135) for accepting an input from the user to accept the rest at the waypoint,
Despite proposing rest at the waypoint, if the input from the user accepting the rest at the waypoint is not accepted at the acceptance section, or resting in the middle of the candidate route A travel plan creation device comprising a switching notification unit (136) for notifying that there is a possibility of switching from the automatic driving to the manual driving on the avoidance road when there is no waypoint. In claim 7 or 8,
The route search unit searches for the automatic driving route for starting from the departure place to the destination at a set departure time,
When any of the candidate routes to be searched by the route search unit includes the avoidance road, a switch notification for notifying that there is a possibility of switching from the automatic driving to the manual driving on the avoidance road. Travel plan preparation apparatus provided with a part (136). Recognizing a surrounding environment using a captured image taken by an in-vehicle camera (50) mounted on the host vehicle, the vehicle performs automatic driving for automatically controlling at least one of acceleration, braking, and steering. A center side acquisition unit (231) for acquiring information including a departure point, a departure time, a destination, and an imaging direction of the vehicle-mounted camera with respect to the vehicle;
A route search unit (238) for searching for an automatic driving route when the vehicle performs the automatic driving;
A prediction unit (240) that predicts an angle difference between the shooting direction of the in-vehicle camera and the direction in which the sun is located, using the imaging direction acquired by the center-side acquisition unit;
A distribution unit (241) that transmits the automatic driving route searched by the route search unit to the vehicle;
The route search unit uses the picked-up image by the back light from the sun for the angle difference predicted by the prediction unit using the departure point, the departure time, and the destination acquired by the center side acquisition unit. A center that searches for the automatic driving route that is maintained outside a threshold range that is estimated to be incapable of recognizing the surrounding environment.

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