JP2021068984A - Vehicle remote operation system - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a vehicle remote operation system that can improve communication quality for remote operation.SOLUTION: A vehicle remote operation system includes: an operator operation unit 20 that outputs an operation signal for remotely operating a vehicle, which is a remote control object; a driving control unit 34 that controls travel of the vehicle according to the operation signal; and a remote control unit 22 that switches between first communication to transmit the operation signal to the vehicle by using a base station of wireless communication and second communication to transmit the operation signal by causing a drone 50 with a communication repeater 54 to relay for the first communication.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

The present invention relates to a vehicle remote control system.

Patent Document 1 describes an operation that enables remote automatic driving even when the vehicle receives a control signal from the remote control device and is delayed due to deterioration of the communication state between the remote control device and the vehicle to be controlled. A control system has been proposed.

Specifically, the remote control device includes a transmission means for transmitting a signal including time information, and the operation control device includes a timing unit, a receiving means for receiving a signal including time information from the remote control device, and time information. It is provided with a calculation means for calculating the delay time of wireless communication from the time of the time measuring part and a control means for changing the operation control of the vehicle from the normal control to the safety control when the delay time is equal to or more than the threshold value. A driving control system has been proposed in which the operating device and the driving control device of the vehicle perform wireless communication to control the driving of the vehicle.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2016-071585

However, in the technique of Patent Document 1, there is a possibility that the remote target vehicle cannot be moved quickly when the remote control communication becomes impossible while traveling. In addition, there is room for improvement in communication quality because the communication delay becomes large in a situation where communication is congested.

The present invention has been made in consideration of the above facts, and an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle remote control system capable of improving communication quality for remote control.

In order to achieve the above object, the vehicle remote control device according to claim 1 has an operator operation unit that outputs an operation signal for remotely operating the vehicle to be remotely operated, and controls the traveling of the vehicle according to the operation signal. The operation control unit, the first communication for transmitting the operation signal to the vehicle using the base station for wireless communication, and the small unmanned airplane having a wireless communication relay function for the first communication are relayed. It includes a second communication for transmitting the operation signal and a switching unit for switching to.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the operator operation unit outputs an operation signal for remotely controlling the vehicle to be remotely controlled, and the operation control unit controls the traveling of the vehicle according to the operation signal. This enables remote control of the vehicle.

In addition, the switching unit relays the operation signal by relaying the first communication that transmits the operation signal to the vehicle using the base station of the wireless communication and the small unmanned aerial vehicle that has the relay function of the wireless communication for the first communication. It can be switched to the second communication to be transmitted. As a result, the small unmanned aerial vehicle can be used as a relay station, so that the communication quality for remote control can be improved.

As described above, according to the present invention, there is an effect that it is possible to provide a vehicle remote control system capable of improving communication quality for remote control.

It is a figure which shows the schematic structure of the vehicle remote control system which concerns on this embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows the functional structure of each part of the vehicle remote control system 10 which concerns on this embodiment. It is a figure which shows the state that the communication between a remote control center and an in-vehicle device was established through a communication network and a drone. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the flow of the process performed in the remote control center of the vehicle remote control system which concerns on this embodiment. It is a figure which shows how the communication between a remote control center and an on-board unit was established through a communication network, a drone, and other vehicles.

Hereinafter, an example of the embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a vehicle remote control system according to the present embodiment.

The vehicle remote control system 10 according to the present embodiment is mounted on a remote control center 12 for remotely controlling the vehicle 14, a communication network 18 including a plurality of base stations 17 for wireless communication, and a vehicle 14 to be remotely controlled. The vehicle-mounted device 16 is provided. In the vehicle remote control system 10 according to the present embodiment, the remote control center 12 and the vehicle-mounted device 16 mounted on the vehicle 14 to be remotely controlled are connected via the communication network 18, and the vehicle is connected from the remote control center 12. 14 can be remotely controlled. That is, the remote control center 12 transmits an operation signal for the operator to operate the vehicle 14 to each on-board unit 16 via the communication network 18, and the on-board unit 16 receives the operation signal and represents the operation signal. By controlling the vehicle 14 to perform the operation, the vehicle 14 is remotely controlled from the remote control center 12.

Further, in the present embodiment, the drone 50 as a small unmanned aerial vehicle having a function of a relay station between the communication network and the vehicle-mounted device 16 is mounted on the vehicle 14. In the present embodiment, for example, in order to enable remote control in an area outside the communication range, the drone 50 is dispatched and the drone 50 is used as a relay station to enable remote control.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of each part of the vehicle remote control system 10 according to the present embodiment.

The remote control center 12 includes an operator operation unit 20, a remote control unit 22 as a switching unit, and a communication I / F (Inter Face) unit 24.

The operator operation unit 20 includes an operation unit for remotely controlling the vehicle 14 and a display unit for displaying peripheral monitoring results and the like transmitted from the remote target vehicle 14, and an operation signal is generated by the operator operating the operation unit. To generate. The operator operation unit 20 includes, for example, operation units such as an accelerator, a brake, a steering wheel, and a turn signal, and an operation signal is generated when the operator operates each operation unit.

The communication I / F unit 24 communicates with the vehicle-mounted device 16 mounted on the vehicle 14 via the communication network 18 (omitted in FIG. 2).

The remote control unit 22 is a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a memory such as a ROM (Read Only Memory) or a RAM (Random Access Memory), or a non-volatile storage unit such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or an SSD (Solid State Drive). And communication I / F is included. The remote control unit 22 controls the remote operation by transmitting the operation signal generated by the operator operation unit 20 to the remote target vehicle 14 by executing the program stored in the ROM or the like.

On the other hand, the vehicle-mounted device 16 has a function of receiving an operation signal transmitted from the remote control center 12 via the communication network 18 and controlling each part of the vehicle 14 based on the operation signal. The vehicle-mounted device 16 has a function of monitoring the periphery of the vehicle 14 and transmitting the monitoring result to the remote control center 12 via the communication network 18. As a result, the remote control of the vehicle 14 is performed by displaying the monitoring result on the remote control center 12 and confirming it by the operator.

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, the on-board unit 16 includes a communication I / F (Inter Face) unit 26, a sensor group 28, a riding operation operation unit 30, a driving operation driving unit 32, and an operation control ECU (Electronic Control). Unit) 34, which are connected to each other via a bus 36.

The communication I / F unit 26 communicates with the remote control center 12 and the like via the communication network 18 (omitted in FIG. 2). The sensor group 28 includes a plurality of types of sensors that acquire information indicating the state of the surrounding environment of the vehicle 14, and the surrounding environment of the vehicle 14 acquired by the sensor group 28 is monitored around the vehicle 14. As a result, it is fed back to the remote control center 12. Examples of the sensor included in the sensor group 28 include a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) device, an in-vehicle communication device, a navigation system, a radar device, a camera, and the like.

The GNSS device receives GNSS signals from a plurality of GNSS satellites and positions the own vehicle 14. The GNSS device improves the positioning accuracy as the number of GNSS signals that can be received increases. The in-vehicle communication device is a communication device that performs at least one of vehicle-to-vehicle communication with another vehicle 14 and road-to-vehicle communication with a roadside unit via a communication I / F unit 26. The navigation system includes a map information storage unit that stores map information, and displays the position of the own vehicle 14 on a map based on the position information obtained from the GNSS device and the map information stored in the map information storage unit. Or, perform processing to guide the route to the destination.

The radar device includes a plurality of radars having different detection ranges, detects objects such as pedestrians and other vehicles 14 existing around the own vehicle 14, and determines the relative position and relative speed between the detected object and the own vehicle 14. get. In addition, the radar device has a built-in processing device that processes the detection results of surrounding objects. The processing device excludes noise, roadside objects such as guardrails, etc. from the monitoring target based on changes in the relative position and relative speed with each object included in the latest multiple detection results, and pedestrians and others. The vehicle 14 and the like are tracked and monitored as objects to be monitored. Then, the radar device outputs information such as the relative position and the relative speed with each object to be monitored. The camera captures the surroundings of the own vehicle 14 with a plurality of cameras and outputs the captured images.

The riding driving operation unit 30 includes an accelerator pedal, a brake pedal, a steering wheel, and a display unit provided in the vehicle 14 on which the vehicle-mounted device 16 is mounted. The boarding driving operation unit 30 is operated by the driver who is riding in the vehicle 14 when the vehicle 14 is in the riding driving mode. Further, the riding driving operation unit 30 includes a sensor that detects the operating amount of each of the accelerator pedal, the brake pedal, and the steering wheel, and outputs the operating amount of each pedal and the steering wheel by the driver as riding driving operation information. ..

The driving operation drive unit 32 changes the throttle actuator that changes the throttle opening of the own vehicle 14, the brake actuator that changes the braking force generated by the braking device of the own vehicle 14, and the steering amount by the steering device of the own vehicle 14. Includes steering actuators and the like.

The operation control ECU 34 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a memory such as a ROM (Read Only Memory) and a RAM (Random Access Memory), a non-volatile storage unit such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) and an SSD (Solid State Drive), and a non-volatile storage unit. Includes communication I / F. The operation control ECU 34 executes the driving control of the vehicle 14 in response to the operation signal from the remote control center 12 by reading a predetermined program stored in the storage unit into the memory and executing the program by the CPU.

Further, the drone 50 includes a flight control unit 52 and a communication repeater 54, which are connected via a bus 56.

The flight control unit 52 controls the flight toward the area within the communication range according to the instruction from the remote control center 12 or the instruction from the vehicle-mounted device 16.

The communication repeater 54 functions as a relay station between the vehicle-mounted device 16 and the communication network 18 when the vehicle-mounted device 16 travels in an area outside the communication range, and is represented by a dotted line in FIG. 2 in the area outside the communication range. As shown, the communication between the remote control center 12 and the vehicle-mounted device 16 is relayed.

In the vehicle remote control system 10 according to the present embodiment, when the remote control unit 22 predicts the travel outside the communication range from the predetermined communication area map and the current location of the remote target vehicle 14, and the travel outside the communication range is predicted. In addition, the drone 50 is dispatched and set as a relay station. Then, the remote control unit 22 transmits the operation signal between the remote control center 12 and the vehicle-mounted device 16 by using the plurality of base stations 17, and the operation signal is transmitted from the first communication to the first communication by using the relay station. Is controlled to switch to the second communication for transmitting. By dispatching the drone 50 in this way, communication between the remote control center 12 and the vehicle-mounted device 16 is established via the communication network 18 and the communication repeater 54 of the drone 50, as shown in FIG. When traveling in an area outside the communication range, the communication area can be expanded. As a result, it becomes possible to establish communication in the area outside the communication range and continue remote control of the vehicle 14, and the communication quality can be improved.

Further, when the vehicle 14 moves from an area outside the communication range to an area within the communication range by remote control, the drone 50 is controlled to cancel the setting of the relay station, return to the original communication, and return the drone 50. I do.

Subsequently, a specific process performed at the remote control center 12 of the vehicle remote control system 10 according to the present embodiment configured as described above will be described. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of processing performed at the remote control center 12 of the vehicle remote control system 10 according to the present embodiment. The process of FIG. 4 starts when, for example, a request for remote control is received from the vehicle-mounted device 16.

In step 100, the remote control unit 22 starts remote control and shifts to step 102. That is, the operation signal generated by the operator operation unit 20 is remotely controlled by operating the operator operation unit 20 while the operator confirms the surrounding monitoring result received from the vehicle-mounted device 16 mounted on the vehicle 14 to be remotely controlled. It is transmitted to the on-board unit 16 mounted on the vehicle 14 of the above to start remote control.

In step 102, the remote control unit 22 determines whether or not the vehicle is predicted to travel out of the communication range or in the out-of-communication area based on the position information collected from the vehicle-mounted device 16. If the determination is affirmed, the process proceeds to step 104, and if the determination is denied, the process proceeds to step 116.

In step 104, the remote control unit 22 determines whether or not the drone 50 has not been dispatched. The determination determines whether or not the drone 50 has not yet been dispatched according to step 106 described later. If the determination is affirmed, the process proceeds to step 106, and if the determination is denied, the process proceeds to step 110.

In step 106, the remote control unit 22 performs dispatch control of the drone 50 in order to continue communication, and proceeds to step 108. As a result, in response to the instruction from the remote control unit 22, the flight control unit 52 of the drone 50 controls the flight to an area where communication can be established as a relay station between the on-board unit 16 and the communication network 18.

In step 108, the remote control unit 22 sets the communication repeater 54 of the drone 50 as a relay station, switches the communication connection, and proceeds to step 110. That is, since the first communication that transmits the operation signal to the vehicle 14 using the base station 17 of the wireless communication is switched to the second communication that relays the drone 50 to the first communication and transmits the operation signal, it is out of the communication range. Even if the vehicle travels in the area, the communication between the remote control center 12 and the vehicle-mounted device 16 is continued.

In step 110, the remote control unit 22 determines whether or not the vehicle has returned to the communication range based on the position information collected from the vehicle-mounted device 16. If the determination is denied, the process returns to step 102 and the above processing is repeated, and if the determination is affirmed, the process proceeds to step 112.

In step 112, the remote control unit 22 releases the relay station of the drone 50 and proceeds to step 114. As a result, the communication connection between the vehicle-mounted device 16 and the communication network 18 is restored to the original first communication using the plurality of base stations 17.

In step 114, the remote control unit 22 controls the return of the drone 50 and proceeds to step 116. As a result, in response to the instruction from the remote control unit 22, the flight control unit 52 of the drone 50 flies so as to return to the vehicle 14 on which the on-board unit 16 is mounted while acquiring the position information of the on-board unit 16. Control.

In step 116, the remote control unit 22 determines whether or not the remote operation is completed. The determination determines whether or not the vehicle has arrived at the remote control destination, whether or not the switch to manual operation has been performed, or whether or not the remote control end request has been made from the on-board unit 16. To do. If the determination is denied, the process returns to step 102 and the above processing is repeated, and if the determination is affirmed, the process proceeds to step 118.

In step 118, the remote control unit 22 executes a predetermined remote operation end process to end the series of processes. As the remote control end process, for example, a process of notifying the end of the vehicle 14 to be remotely controlled and switching to manual operation is performed. Alternatively, the vehicle 14 to be remotely controlled is stopped, and processing such as notifying the occupant of the end of the remote control is performed.

In the above embodiment, an example in which the drone 50 is used as a relay station has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, when a communication repeater 54 is mounted on another vehicle and communication cannot be continued only by the drone 50, as shown in FIG. 5, another vehicle 14 registered in advance is further used as a relay station for communication. May be sustainable.

Further, in the above embodiment, an example in which the drone 50 is used as a relay station when the vehicle 14 travels in an area outside the communication range has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the vehicle 14 strikes in a communicable area. The drone 50 may be used as a relay station even inside. For example, when communication is congested and communication delay occurs, or when traveling in an area where communication delay occurs, it is possible to improve communication quality by using the drone 50 as a relay station.

Further, in the above embodiment, an example in which the process of FIG. 4 is executed on the remote control center 12 side has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this, and a part of the process of FIG. 4 is executed on the vehicle-mounted device 16 side. May be good. For example, steps 102 to 116 of FIG. 4 may be executed on the vehicle-mounted device 16 side. Alternatively, the processes of steps 104 to 114 in FIG. 4 may be executed on the vehicle-mounted device 16 side.

Further, the processing performed in each part of the remote control center 12 in each of the above embodiments has been described as software processing performed by executing a program, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the processing may be performed by hardware such as GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), and FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array). Alternatively, the processing may be a combination of both software and hardware. Further, in the case of software processing, the program may be stored in various storage media and distributed.

Further, the present invention is not limited to the above, and it goes without saying that the present invention can be variously modified and implemented within a range not deviating from the gist thereof.

10 Vehicle remote control system 12 Remote control center 14 Vehicle 16 On-board unit 17 Base station 18 Communication network 20 Operator control unit 22 Remote control unit 24, 26 Communication I / F unit 34 Operation control ECU
50 Drone 52 Flight Control Unit 54 Communication Repeater

Claims (1)

An operator operation unit that outputs an operation signal for remote control of a vehicle to be remotely controlled,
A driving control unit that controls the running of the vehicle according to the operation signal,
The operation signal is transmitted by relaying the first communication for transmitting the operation signal to the vehicle using a wireless communication base station and a small unmanned aerial vehicle having a wireless communication relay function for the first communication. The second communication, the switching part to switch to,
Vehicle remote control system including.

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