JP2020135663A - Vehicle controller and method for controlling vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

To control travelling of an own vehicle by predicting behaviors of other vehicles regardless of whether there are possible communications with other vehicles.SOLUTION: A vehicle controller 1, which is equipped in an own vehicle V, includes: a storage unit 11 for storing vehicle control information in which the type of a vehicle travelling ahead of an own vehicle V and travel condition information showing the travel condition of the vehicle V to the type of the vehicle ahead of the vehicle V are related to each other; an image acquisition unit 121 for acquiring an image taken by a camera 2 provided in the vehicle V; an information identification unit 122 for identifying number plate information of the vehicle travelling ahead of the vehicle V on the basis of the image taken by the image acquisition unit 121; a vehicle type specification unit 123 for specifying the type of the vehicle ahead of the vehicle V on the basis of the number plate information identified by the information identification unit 122; and a travel control unit 124 for controlling travel of the vehicle V on the basis of the travel condition information related to the type of vehicle of the preceding vehicle specified by the vehicle type specification unit 123 with reference to the vehicle control information stored in the storage unit 11.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

The present invention relates to a vehicle control device and a vehicle control method.

A technology for acquiring information indicating a driving operation from another vehicle traveling in front of the own vehicle by inter-vehicle communication and controlling the running of the own vehicle based on the behavior of the other vehicle predicted based on the information is disclosed. (For example, Patent Document 1).

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2010-86269

However, the technique described in Patent Document 1 cannot predict the behavior of another vehicle when it is not possible to acquire information indicating the driving operation of another vehicle by vehicle-to-vehicle communication. Therefore, the technology of the own vehicle is based on the behavior of the other vehicle. I can't control the driving. In this case, the driver needs to predict the behavior of the other vehicle and operate the own vehicle, which increases the driving load.

Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of these points, and provides a technique capable of predicting the behavior of another vehicle and controlling the running of the own vehicle without communicating with the other vehicle. The purpose.

In the first aspect of the present invention, the vehicle control device mounted on the vehicle indicates the vehicle type of the vehicle in front of the vehicle and the traveling conditions of the vehicle with respect to the vehicle in front of the vehicle. A storage unit that stores vehicle control information associated with driving condition information, an image acquisition unit that acquires an image captured by an image pickup unit provided on the vehicle, and the captured image acquired by the image acquisition unit. An information identification unit that identifies the number plate information of the preceding vehicle passing in front of the vehicle based on the above, and a vehicle type that identifies the vehicle type of the preceding vehicle based on the number plate information identified by the information identification unit. The running of the vehicle is controlled based on the driving condition information associated with the vehicle type of the preceding vehicle specified by the vehicle type specifying unit with reference to the specific unit and the vehicle control information stored in the storage unit. Provided is a vehicle control device including a traveling control unit.

For example, a road information acquisition unit that acquires road information in which a position on the road, a vehicle type, and a condition relating to passage of a vehicle corresponding to the vehicle type on the road are associated with each other, and a position of the preceding vehicle. With reference to the specified position specifying unit and the road information acquired by the road information acquisition unit, the position of the preceding vehicle specified by the position specifying unit is associated with the vehicle type of the preceding vehicle. The vehicle further includes a prediction unit that predicts the behavior of the preceding vehicle based on the conditions relating to the traffic, and the travel control unit performs the traveling of the vehicle based on the behavior of the preceding vehicle predicted by the prediction unit. Control.

For example, the conditions relating to the passage include information indicating the direction in which the vehicle corresponding to the vehicle type can travel at the intersection corresponding to the position on the road, and the prediction unit is the front specified by the position identification unit. The behavior of the preceding vehicle is predicted based on the position of the traveling vehicle and the traveling direction associated with the vehicle type of the preceding vehicle.

For example, the traffic condition includes information indicating the speed limit of a vehicle corresponding to the vehicle type at a position on the road, further includes a vehicle speed specifying unit for specifying the speed of the preceding vehicle, and the predicting unit Based on the position of the preceding vehicle specified by the position specifying unit, the speed limit associated with the vehicle type of the preceding vehicle, and the speed of the preceding vehicle specified by the vehicle speed specifying unit. The behavior of the vehicle in front is predicted.

In the second aspect of the present invention, a step of acquiring an image captured by an imaging unit provided in the vehicle, which is executed by a computer mounted on the vehicle, and a step of acquiring the captured image of the vehicle based on the acquired image are obtained. A step of identifying the license plate information of the preceding vehicle passing in front, a step of identifying the vehicle type of the preceding vehicle based on the identified license plate information, and a vehicle type of the preceding vehicle passing in front of the vehicle. And the step of acquiring vehicle control information in which the vehicle control information indicating the traveling condition of the vehicle with respect to the vehicle in front of the vehicle type is associated with the vehicle, and the vehicle control information obtained with reference to the acquired vehicle control information. Provided is a vehicle control method including a step of controlling the vehicle based on control information associated with the vehicle type of the vehicle.

According to the present invention, there is an effect that the behavior of the other vehicle can be predicted and the traveling of the own vehicle can be controlled without communicating with the other vehicle.

It is a figure for demonstrating the outline of embodiment. It is a figure which shows the structure of the own vehicle which concerns on 1st Embodiment. It is a flowchart of the process which controls own vehicle. It is a figure which shows the structure of the own vehicle which concerns on 2nd Embodiment. It is a figure which shows road information schematically. It is a flowchart of the process which controls own vehicle.

<First Embodiment>
[Outline of Embodiment]
FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining an outline of an embodiment. FIG. 1 schematically shows a own vehicle V traveling on a road and a front-running vehicle A passing in front of the own vehicle V. The preceding vehicle A is traveling in the same direction as the own vehicle V.

The vehicle control device according to the present embodiment is a device that identifies the vehicle type of the preceding vehicle A and controls the traveling of the own vehicle V based on the specified vehicle type. The vehicle control device has a storage unit that stores vehicle control information indicating the traveling conditions of the own vehicle V with respect to the vehicle type of the preceding vehicle A. The vehicle control device identifies the license plate information of the preceding vehicle A based on the image captured by the imaging unit provided in the own vehicle V, and identifies the vehicle type of the preceding vehicle A based on the identified license plate information. To do. Then, the vehicle control device refers to the vehicle control information stored in the storage unit, and controls the traveling of the own vehicle V based on the traveling conditions corresponding to the specified vehicle type of the preceding vehicle A.

In the conventional technology, information indicating a driving operation is acquired from a vehicle in front traveling in front of the vehicle by inter-vehicle communication, and the traveling of the vehicle is controlled based on the behavior of the vehicle in front predicted by using the information. can do. However, in the conventional technology, when the vehicle-to-vehicle communication cannot be performed between the vehicle and the vehicle in front, it is not possible to acquire the information indicating the driving operation. Therefore, the behavior of the vehicle in front cannot be predicted based on the information indicating the driving operation, and the running of the vehicle cannot be controlled based on the predicted behavior.

On the other hand, the vehicle control device according to the present embodiment predicts the behavior of the preceding vehicle A based on the vehicle type of the preceding vehicle A without communicating with the preceding vehicle A, and travels the own vehicle V. Can be controlled, so that the driving load of the driver can be reduced.

[Structure of Vehicle Control Device 1 According to First Embodiment]
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration of the own vehicle V according to the first embodiment. The own vehicle V includes a vehicle control device 1 and a camera 2. The camera 2 is an imaging unit that captures the periphery of the own vehicle V and generates an captured image.

The vehicle control device 1 includes a storage unit 11 and a control unit 12. The storage unit 11 is, for example, a ROM (Read Only Memory) or a RAM (Random Access Memory). The storage unit 11 stores various programs for operating the control unit 12. The storage unit 11 stores vehicle control information in which the vehicle type of the preceding vehicle A and the traveling condition information indicating the traveling conditions of the own vehicle V with respect to the preceding vehicle A of the vehicle type are associated with each other. The vehicle type is information indicating the classification according to the type and use of the automobile, and is, for example, an ordinary passenger car or a large freight vehicle. The traveling condition is a condition relating to the traveling state of the own vehicle V. For example, the storage unit 11 stores vehicle control information in which the vehicle type "large freight vehicle" is associated with the traveling condition "the inter-vehicle distance is made larger than the inter-vehicle distance during normal traveling". The inter-vehicle distance during normal traveling is a predetermined inter-vehicle distance according to the speed of the own vehicle V.

The control unit 12 is a calculation resource including a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) (not shown). The control unit 12 realizes functions as an image acquisition unit 121, an information identification unit 122, a vehicle type identification unit 123, and a travel control unit 124 by executing a program stored in the storage unit 11. The image acquisition unit 121 acquires an captured image captured by the camera 2 provided in the own vehicle V.

The information identification unit 122 identifies the license plate information of the preceding vehicle A based on the captured image acquired by the image acquisition unit 121. The information identification unit 122 identifies the characters written on the license plate attached to the preceding vehicle A as license plate information by analyzing the captured image. The information identification unit 122 may identify the color or size of the license plate as license plate information. For example, the license plate information includes a vehicle registration number or a vehicle number, a classification number indicating a vehicle type, and information for distinguishing between private use and business use. The information identification unit 122 identifies the license plate information of the preceding vehicle A each time a predetermined time elapses. The specific value of the predetermined time is, for example, 50 ms.

The vehicle type identification unit 123 identifies the vehicle type of the preceding vehicle A based on the license plate information identified by the information identification unit 122. Specifically, the vehicle type identification unit 123 identifies the vehicle type of the preceding vehicle A based on the classification number identified as the license plate information.

The travel control unit 124 refers to the vehicle control information stored in the storage unit 11, and travels the own vehicle V based on the travel condition information associated with the vehicle type of the preceding vehicle A specified by the vehicle type identification unit 123. To control. For example, the travel control unit 124 controls the travel of the own vehicle V so as to satisfy the travel conditions shown in the travel condition information. Specifically, when the vehicle type of the preceding vehicle A is specified to be a "large freight vehicle", the travel control unit 124 sets the travel condition "from the inter-vehicle distance during normal travel" associated with the "large freight vehicle". Also, increase the inter-vehicle distance ”, and adjust the inter-vehicle distance between the preceding vehicle A and the own vehicle V.

Hereinafter, a flow of processing for controlling the own vehicle V executed by the control unit 12 of the vehicle control device 1 according to the first embodiment will be described. FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a process for controlling the own vehicle V.

First, the image acquisition unit 121 acquires the captured image captured by the camera 2 provided in the own vehicle V (step S1). Next, the information identification unit 122 identifies the license plate information of the front vehicle A based on the acquired captured image (step S2). Subsequently, the vehicle type identification unit 123 identifies the vehicle type of the preceding vehicle A based on the identified license plate information (step S3). Then, the travel control unit 124 controls the travel of the own vehicle V based on the travel condition information associated with the specified vehicle type of the preceding vehicle A with reference to the vehicle control information (step S4).

[Effect of Vehicle Control Device 1 According to First Embodiment]
As described above, the vehicle control device 1 according to the first embodiment identifies the vehicle type of the preceding vehicle A based on the license plate information identified based on the captured image captured by the camera 2, and sets the specified vehicle type. The running of the own vehicle V is controlled based on the associated running condition information. By doing so, the vehicle control device 1 can predict the behavior of the preceding vehicle A and control the traveling of the own vehicle V without communicating with the preceding vehicle A.

<Second Embodiment>
The vehicle control device 1 according to the second embodiment predicts the behavior of the preceding vehicle A based on the traffic conditions associated with the vehicle type of the preceding vehicle A, and travels the own vehicle V based on the predicted behavior. It is different from the vehicle control device 1 according to the first embodiment in that it controls, and is the same in other respects. Hereinafter, the points different from the vehicle control device 1 according to the first embodiment will be described, and the same points will be omitted as appropriate.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a configuration of the own vehicle V according to the second embodiment. The vehicle control device 1 according to the second embodiment includes a receiver 3, a distance measuring sensor 4, and a vehicle speed sensor 5 in addition to the configuration provided by the vehicle control device 1 according to the first embodiment. The receiver 3 is, for example, a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver. The distance measuring sensor 4 is a sensor that detects the distance to an object around the own vehicle V. The distance measuring sensor 4 has, for example, a laser distance measuring sensor, but may have another distance measuring sensor. The vehicle speed sensor 5 is a sensor that detects the speed of the own vehicle V.

By executing the program stored in the storage unit 11, the control unit 12 of the vehicle control device 1 according to the second embodiment executes the road information acquisition unit 125, the position identification unit 126, the vehicle speed identification unit 127, and the prediction. The function as a part 128 is realized.

The road information acquisition unit 125 acquires road information in which the position on the road, the vehicle type of the preceding vehicle A, and the condition information indicating the conditions regarding the passage of the vehicle corresponding to the vehicle type on the road are associated with each other. .. FIG. 5 is a diagram schematically showing road information. As shown in FIG. 5, the condition information indicating the conditions for passage is information indicating the direction in which the vehicle corresponding to the vehicle type can travel at the intersection corresponding to the position on the road (hereinafter referred to as the travelable direction), or the road. Contains information indicating the speed limit of the vehicle corresponding to the vehicle type at the upper position. The road information acquisition unit 125 may acquire the road information stored in the storage unit 11 in advance, or may acquire the road information from an external device not mounted on the own vehicle V via a communication unit (not shown). Good.

The position specifying unit 126 specifies the position of the preceding vehicle A. Specifically, first, the position specifying unit 126 specifies the inter-vehicle distance between the own vehicle V and the preceding vehicle A based on the distance detected by the distance measuring sensor 4. Then, the position specifying unit 126 specifies the position of the preceding vehicle A based on the position of the own vehicle V specified based on the GPS signal acquired by the receiver 3 and the specified inter-vehicle distance. Further, the position specifying unit 126 specifies the traveling direction of the preceding vehicle A based on the change in the position of the preceding vehicle A. For example, the position specifying unit 126 specifies the direction in which the preceding vehicle A is heading based on the change in the position of the preceding vehicle A, and sets the direction as the traveling direction.

The vehicle speed specifying unit 127 specifies the speed of the preceding vehicle A. Specifically, first, the vehicle speed specifying unit 127 specifies the relative speed between the own vehicle V and the preceding vehicle A based on the time change of the inter-vehicle distance between the specified own vehicle V and the preceding vehicle A. Then, the vehicle speed specifying unit 127 specifies the speed of the preceding vehicle A based on the specified relative speed and the speed of the own vehicle V detected by the vehicle speed sensor 5.

The prediction unit 128 refers to the road information acquired by the road information acquisition unit 125, and is based on the position of the preceding vehicle A specified by the position identification unit 126, the traveling direction, and the condition information associated with the vehicle type. The behavior of the preceding vehicle A is predicted. Specifically, the prediction unit 128 determines whether or not the condition information is associated with the specified position of the preceding vehicle A, the vehicle type of the preceding vehicle A, and the traveling direction of the preceding vehicle A. To do. When the condition information is associated, the prediction unit 128 predicts the behavior of the preceding vehicle A based on each item included in the condition information.

For example, the prediction unit 128 predicts the behavior of the preceding vehicle A based on the position of the preceding vehicle A, the traveling direction, and the traveling direction associated with the vehicle type. Specifically, the prediction unit 128 determines the road based on the position (X1, Y1) of the preceding vehicle A on the road, the traveling direction "north", and the traveling direction associated with the vehicle type "large". At the intersection corresponding to the upper position (X1, Y1), it is predicted that the preceding vehicle A will decelerate to make a right turn.

Further, the prediction unit 128 determines the position of the preceding vehicle A specified by the position specifying unit 126, the traveling direction, the speed limit associated with the vehicle type, and the preceding vehicle A specified by the vehicle speed specifying unit 127. The behavior of the preceding vehicle A is predicted based on the speed. Specifically, the prediction unit 128 indicates that the speed of the preceding vehicle A is larger than the speed limit associated with the position on the road (X1, Y1), the traveling direction "south", and the vehicle type "large". , It is predicted that the vehicle A in front will decelerate.

The travel control unit 124 controls the travel of the own vehicle V based on the behavior of the preceding vehicle A predicted by the prediction unit 128. For example, the travel control unit 124 decelerates the own vehicle V when the preceding vehicle A is predicted to decelerate. By doing so, the vehicle control device 1 can reduce the driving load of the driver.

Hereinafter, the flow of processing for controlling the own vehicle V executed by the control unit 12 of the vehicle control device 1 according to the second embodiment will be described. FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a process for controlling the own vehicle V. Since the processes from step S1 to step S3 are the same as the processes for controlling the own vehicle V according to the first embodiment, the description thereof will be omitted.

In step S5, the road information acquisition unit 125 acquires road information. Next, the position specifying unit 126 specifies the position of the preceding vehicle A on the road (step S6). Subsequently, the prediction unit 128 refers to the road information and predicts the behavior of the preceding vehicle A based on the position of the preceding vehicle A and the condition information associated with the vehicle type of the preceding vehicle A (step S7). ). Then, the travel control unit 124 controls the travel of the own vehicle V based on the behavior of the preceding vehicle A (step S8).

[Effect of vehicle control device 1 according to the second embodiment]
As described above, the vehicle control device 1 according to the second embodiment predicts the behavior of the preceding vehicle A based on the traffic conditions associated with the vehicle type of the preceding vehicle A, and based on the predicted behavior. Controls the running of the own vehicle V. By doing so, the vehicle control device 1 does not communicate with the preceding vehicle A, and the own vehicle V so as to correspond to the behavior of the preceding vehicle A predicted based on the vehicle type of the preceding vehicle A. Since the running of the vehicle can be controlled, the driving load of the driver can be reduced.

Although the present invention has been described above using the embodiments, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the scope described in the above embodiments, and various modifications and changes can be made within the scope of the gist. is there. For example, all or a part of the device can be functionally or physically distributed / integrated in any unit. Also included in the embodiments of the present invention are new embodiments resulting from any combination of the plurality of embodiments. The effect of the new embodiment produced by the combination has the effect of the original embodiment.

1 Vehicle control device 2 Camera 3 Receiver 4 Distance measurement sensor 5 Vehicle speed sensor 11 Storage unit 12 Control unit 121 Image acquisition unit 122 Information identification unit 123 Vehicle type identification unit 124 Travel control unit 125 Road information acquisition unit 126 Position identification unit 127 Vehicle speed identification Part 128 Prediction part

Claims (5)

A vehicle control device mounted on a vehicle
A storage unit that stores vehicle control information in which the vehicle type of the preceding vehicle passing in front of the vehicle and the traveling condition information indicating the traveling condition of the vehicle with respect to the vehicle in front of the vehicle type are associated with each other.
An image acquisition unit that acquires an image captured by an image pickup unit provided in the vehicle, and an image acquisition unit.
An information identification unit that identifies the license plate information of the vehicle in front passing in front of the vehicle based on the captured image acquired by the image acquisition unit.
A vehicle type identification unit that identifies the vehicle type of the preceding vehicle based on the license plate information identified by the information identification unit, and
A traveling control unit that controls the traveling of the vehicle based on the traveling condition information associated with the vehicle type of the preceding vehicle specified by the vehicle type specifying unit with reference to the vehicle control information stored in the storage unit. When,
Vehicle control device with. A road information acquisition unit that acquires road information in which a position on a road, a vehicle type, and a condition relating to passage of a vehicle corresponding to the vehicle type at the position on the road are associated with each other.
A position specifying unit that specifies the position of the vehicle in front and
With reference to the road information acquired by the road information acquisition unit, based on the position of the preceding vehicle specified by the position specifying unit and the conditions relating to the passage associated with the vehicle type of the preceding vehicle. Further equipped with a prediction unit that predicts the behavior of the vehicle in front,
The travel control unit controls the travel of the vehicle based on the behavior of the vehicle in front predicted by the prediction unit.
The vehicle control device according to claim 1. The conditions relating to the passage include information indicating the direction in which the vehicle corresponding to the vehicle type can travel at the intersection corresponding to the position on the road.
The prediction unit predicts the behavior of the preceding vehicle based on the position of the preceding vehicle specified by the position specifying unit and the traveling direction associated with the vehicle type of the preceding vehicle.
The vehicle control device according to claim 2. The conditions relating to the passage include information indicating the speed limit of the vehicle corresponding to the vehicle type at the position on the road.
Further provided with a vehicle speed specifying unit for specifying the speed of the preceding vehicle,
The prediction unit includes the position of the preceding vehicle specified by the position specifying unit, the speed limit associated with the vehicle type of the preceding vehicle, and the preceding vehicle specified by the vehicle speed specifying unit. Predict the behavior of the vehicle in front based on the speed
The vehicle control device according to claim 2 or 3. Executed by a computer mounted on the vehicle,
A step of acquiring an image captured by an imaging unit provided in the vehicle, and
A step of identifying the license plate information of the vehicle in front passing in front of the vehicle based on the acquired captured image, and
A step of identifying the vehicle type of the preceding vehicle based on the identified license plate information, and
A step of acquiring vehicle control information in which a vehicle type of a preceding vehicle passing in front of the vehicle and a traveling condition information indicating the traveling condition of the vehicle with respect to the vehicle in front of the vehicle type are associated with each other.
A step of controlling the vehicle based on the control information associated with the identified vehicle type of the preceding vehicle by referring to the acquired vehicle control information.
Vehicle control method having.

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