JP2024056153A - Control device, assistance system, lean vehicle, and control method - Google Patents

Abstract

A control device that executes an assist operation for a driver of a lean vehicle, the control device being capable of executing an assist operation that reflects information about the driver's posture while driving.
[Solution] The control device of the present invention is a control device that performs an assist operation for a driver of a lean vehicle, and is equipped with an information acquisition unit that acquires center of gravity position information, which is position information of the center of gravity of the driver's load applied to the seating portion of the lean vehicle, and helmet position information, which is information on the position of the helmet worn by the driver, a posture recognition unit that acquires posture information of the driver while driving based on the center of gravity position information and the helmet position information, and an execution unit that executes the assist operation based on the result of comparing the posture information with reference information.
[Selected Figure] Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to a control device that performs driver assistance operations for a lean vehicle, an assistance system equipped with the control device, a lean vehicle equipped with the control device, and a control method that performs driver assistance operations for a lean vehicle.

A lean vehicle, in which the body tilts in the turning direction when turning, is known (JP Patent Publication No. 2021-20645).

JP 2021-20645 A

As mentioned above, when a lean vehicle turns, the body tilts in the direction of the turn. For this reason, in a lean vehicle, the driver's posture while driving has a significant effect on the vehicle behavior. Therefore, in the past, there was a problem in that it was desirable to perform an assistance operation for the driver of a lean vehicle that reflected information about the driver's posture while driving.

The present invention has been made against the background of the above-mentioned problems, and has a first object to provide a control device that executes an assist operation for a driver of a lean vehicle, and that is capable of executing an assist operation that reflects information about the driver's posture while driving. A second object of the present invention is to provide an assist system that includes such a control device. A third object of the present invention is to provide a lean vehicle that includes such a control device. A fourth object of the present invention is to provide a control method that executes an assist operation for a driver of a lean vehicle, and that is capable of executing an assist operation that reflects information about the driver's posture while driving.

The control device according to the present invention is a control device that executes an assist operation for a driver of a lean vehicle, and includes an information acquisition unit that acquires center of gravity position information, which is position information of the center of gravity of the load of the driver applied to the seat of the lean vehicle, and helmet position information, which is information on the position of the helmet worn by the driver, a posture recognition unit that acquires posture information of the driver while driving based on the center of gravity position information and the helmet position information, and an execution unit that executes the assist operation based on the result of comparing the posture information with reference information.

The assistance system according to the present invention is also equipped with the control device according to the present invention.

The lean vehicle according to the present invention is also equipped with the control device according to the present invention.

The control method according to the present invention is a control method for executing an assist operation for a driver of a lean vehicle, and includes an information acquisition step for acquiring center of gravity position information, which is position information of the center of gravity of the load of the driver applied to the seat of the lean vehicle, and helmet position information, which is information of the position of the helmet worn by the driver, a posture recognition step for acquiring posture information of the driver while driving based on the center of gravity position information and the helmet position information, and an execution step for executing the assist operation based on a comparison result between the posture information and reference information.

The present invention acquires posture information of the driver of a lean vehicle while driving, and performs an assist operation for the driver of the lean vehicle based on the posture information. Therefore, the present invention can perform an assist operation that reflects the posture information of the driver of the lean vehicle while driving.

1 is a side view showing a lean vehicle equipped with an assistance system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining a load detection device of an assistance system according to an embodiment of the present invention, and is a plan view showing a seating portion of a lean vehicle. 1 is a block diagram showing a control device according to an embodiment of the present invention; 1 is a rear view showing a lean vehicle equipped with an assistance system according to an embodiment of the present invention; 1 is a rear view showing a lean vehicle equipped with an assistance system according to an embodiment of the present invention; 1 is a rear view showing a lean vehicle equipped with an assistance system according to an embodiment of the present invention; 4 is a flow chart showing a control method when the control device according to the embodiment of the present invention executes an assisting operation. FIG. FIG. 11 is a side view showing a lean vehicle equipped with a modified example of the control device according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 13 is a block diagram showing a modified example of the control device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

In the following embodiments, examples of the control device, assistance system, lean vehicle, and control method according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

The configuration and operation described below are examples of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to such configurations and operations.

For example, in the following, a motorcycle is used as an example of a lean vehicle. However, a lean vehicle generally refers to a vehicle whose body tilts in the turning direction when turning. For this reason, a lean vehicle is not limited to a motorcycle. For example, lean vehicles include motorcycles (motorcycles and three-wheeled vehicles whose body tilts in the turning direction when turning) whose body tilts in the turning direction when turning, and bicycles, etc. Furthermore, a motorcycle whose body tilts in the turning direction when turning may be one whose driving source is an engine or one whose driving source is a motor, and includes, for example, a motorcycle, a scooter, an electric scooter, etc. Furthermore, a bicycle refers to any vehicle that can be propelled on the road by the pedal force applied by the rider-driver to the pedals. Bicycles include ordinary bicycles, electrically assisted bicycles, electric bicycles, etc.

Furthermore, in the following, the same or similar descriptions have been appropriately simplified or omitted. Furthermore, in each drawing, the same or similar members or parts are not labeled with a reference symbol, or are labeled with the same reference symbol. Furthermore, illustrations of detailed structures have been appropriately simplified or omitted.

Embodiment
<Configuration of lean vehicle and assistance system mounted on the lean vehicle>
The configuration of a lean vehicle equipped with the assistance system according to this embodiment will be described.
FIG. 1 is a side view showing a lean vehicle equipped with an assistance system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

For example, a lean vehicle 100, which is a motorcycle, includes a body 101, a handlebar 102 rotatably held on the body 101, a front wheel 103 rotatably held together with the handlebar 102 on the body 101, and a rear wheel 104 rotatably held on the body 101. The body 101 also includes a seating section 105 on which a driver 200 of the lean vehicle 100 sits.

The lean vehicle 100 also includes a drive device 130 that generates a driving force for the lean vehicle 100. The drive device 130 includes a drive source for the lean vehicle 100 and a drive source control device 132 that controls the output of the drive source. In this embodiment, the lean vehicle 100 includes an engine 131 as a drive source. The drive source control device 132 controls the output of the engine 131 by controlling the rotation speed of the engine 131, etc.

The lean vehicle 100 is also provided with a braking device 120 that generates a braking force on the lean vehicle 100. The braking device 120 is provided with a braking mechanism that generates a braking force on the lean vehicle 100 according to the amount of operation of an operating unit. In this embodiment, the braking device 120 is provided with a front wheel braking mechanism 121 and a rear wheel braking mechanism 122 as braking mechanisms. The front wheel braking mechanism 121 generates a braking force on the front wheel 103 according to the amount of operation of the brake lever 106 when the brake lever 106, which is an example of an operating unit provided on the handlebars 102, is operated. The rear wheel braking mechanism 122 generates a braking force on the rear wheel 104 according to the amount of operation of the brake pedal 107, which is an example of an operating unit provided on the body 101, when the brake pedal 107, which is an example of an operating unit provided on the body 101, is operated. In addition, the braking device 120 is equipped with a braking mechanism control device 123 that controls the magnitude of the braking force generated by the braking mechanism, in order to control the magnitude of the braking force generated by the braking mechanism independently of the operating unit.

This lean vehicle 100 is equipped with at least a part of an assistance system 1 that executes assistance operations for the driver 200. Specifically, the assistance system 1 includes a load detection device 2 and a control device 10 that are mounted on the lean vehicle 100, and an inertial measurement unit 4 that is provided in the helmet 210 of the driver 200.

Figure 2 is a diagram for explaining the load detection device of the assistance system according to an embodiment of the present invention, and is a plan view showing the seating area of a lean vehicle. Note that Figure 2 is a diagram of the seating area 105 of the lean vehicle 100 observed from above in a state in which the direction from the bottom to the top of the page is the forward direction of the lean vehicle 100.

The load detection device 2 is provided on the seating portion 105 of the lean vehicle 100. Based on the detection result of the load detection device 2, the control device 10 acquires center-of-gravity position information, which is position information of the center of gravity C of the load of the driver 200 applied to the seating portion 105 of the lean vehicle 100. As shown in FIG. 2, in this embodiment, the load detection device 2 is composed of four force sensors 3 arranged in a substantially rectangular shape. The force sensors 3 are sensors that can detect loads in multiple axial directions. Note that, as long as the control device 10 can acquire center-of-gravity position information, the sensors that configure the load detection device 2 are not limited to the force sensors 3. For example, a load detection sensor that can detect only a load in one axial direction may be used as the sensor that configures the load detection device 2. In addition, as long as the control device 10 can acquire center-of-gravity position information, the number of sensors that configure the load detection device 2 is not limited. For example, the number of sensors that configure the load detection device 2 may be a number other than four.

Referring again to FIG. 1, the inertial measurement unit 4 is provided in the helmet 210 of the driver 200 as described above. The inertial measurement unit 4 detects, for example, acceleration in three mutually orthogonal axis directions and angular velocity around each of the above-mentioned three axes. Based on the detection results of the inertial measurement unit 4, the control device 10 acquires helmet position information, which is information on the position P of the helmet 210 worn by the driver 200. Note that, as long as the control device 10 can acquire the helmet position information, the number of axes for which the inertial measurement unit 4 detects acceleration and angular velocity is arbitrary.

The control device 10 executes an assist operation for the driver 200 based on the center of gravity position information and helmet position information described above. The configuration of the control device 10 will be described in detail below.

<Configuration of the control device>
FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a control device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
The control device 10 may be one or may be divided into multiple devices. A part or all of the control device 10 may be configured, for example, by a microcomputer, a microprocessor unit, or the like, or may be configured by an updatable firmware, or may be a program module executed by a command from a CPU, or the like. At least a part of the control device 10 may be configured integrally with at least one of the braking mechanism control device 123 and the driving source control device 132. This control device 10 includes an information acquisition unit 11, a posture recognition unit 12, and an execution unit 13 as functional units.

The information acquisition unit 11 acquires center of gravity position information, which is position information of the center of gravity C of the load of the driver 200 applied to the seating portion 105 of the lean vehicle 100, and helmet position information, which is information of the position P of the helmet 210 worn by the driver 200.

In this embodiment, as described above, the information acquisition unit 11 acquires center of gravity position information based on the detection result of the load detection device 2. Specifically, the information acquisition unit 11 acquires, as the center of gravity position information, the coordinate value of the center of gravity C on a virtual plane on the seating portion 105 based on the load detected by each force sensor 3 of the load detection device 2. Note that if the position of the center of gravity C of the load of the driver 200 applied to the seating portion 105 is known, the information acquisition unit 11 may acquire other physical quantities other than the coordinate values as the center of gravity position information. For example, the information acquisition unit 11 may acquire other physical quantities that can be converted to the coordinate values as the center of gravity position information.

In addition, in this embodiment, as described above, the information acquisition unit 11 acquires helmet position information based on the detection result of the inertial measurement unit 4 provided in the helmet 210 of the driver 200. Conventionally, a technique for acquiring the position of an object on which an inertial measurement unit is provided based on the detection result of the inertial measurement unit is known. In this embodiment, using such a known technique, the information acquisition unit 11 acquires, as the helmet position information, the coordinate value of the position P of the helmet 210 in three-dimensional space based on the detection result of the inertial measurement unit 4. Note that, if the position P of the helmet 210 worn by the driver 200 is known, the information acquisition unit 11 may acquire other physical quantities other than the coordinate values as the helmet position information. For example, the information acquisition unit 11 may acquire other physical quantities that can be converted to the coordinate values as the helmet position information.

The posture recognition unit 12 acquires posture information of the driver 200 while driving, based on the center of gravity position information and helmet position information acquired by the information acquisition unit 11. In this embodiment, the posture recognition unit 12 acquires, as posture information, an axis L passing through the center of gravity C of the load of the driver 200 on the seat 105 and the position P of the helmet 210. The axis L is roughly aligned with the torso of the driver 200. Therefore, the posture recognition unit 12 acquires the axis L as posture information. Note that, if the posture of the driver 200 is known, the posture recognition unit 12 may acquire other physical quantities other than the axis L as posture information. For example, the posture recognition unit 12 may acquire other physical quantities that can be converted to the axis L as posture information.

The execution unit 13 compares the posture information acquired by the posture recognition unit 12 with the reference information. The reference information may be stored by the execution unit 13, or may be stored in a functional unit other than the execution unit 13. The execution unit 13 compares the posture information with the reference information, for example, as follows.

Figures 4 and 5 are rear views showing a lean vehicle equipped with an assistance system according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figures 4 and 5 are views of the lean vehicle 100 traveling straight, observed from behind the lean vehicle 100. Figure 4 shows a state in which the torso of the driver 200 is roughly aligned with the center line of the lean vehicle 100. Figure 5 shows a state in which the torso of the driver 200 is tilted relative to the center line of the lean vehicle 100.

When comparing the posture information with the reference information, the execution unit 13 acquires, for example, the inclination of the axis L relative to the reference axis K. The reference axis K is, for example, a vertical axis. Specifically, in this embodiment, the execution unit 13 acquires the longitudinal inclination θ1 of the axis L relative to the reference axis K as shown in FIG. 1. Also, the execution unit 13 acquires the lateral inclination θ2 of the axis L relative to the reference axis K as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. The reference information to be compared with the posture information indicates posture information when the driver 200 is driving the lean vehicle 100 in a suitable posture. For example, the range of the inclination of the axis L relative to the reference axis K when the driver 200 is driving the lean vehicle 100 in a suitable posture is used as the reference information. Specifically, in this embodiment, the suitable range of the longitudinal inclination θ1 of the axis L relative to the reference axis K and the suitable range of the lateral inclination θ2 of the axis L relative to the reference axis K are used as the reference information. The reference information is obtained, for example, by measuring the posture of the experienced driver 200 when driving the lean vehicle 100. The execution unit 13 then compares the posture information with the reference information and determines whether the inclination of the axis L with respect to the reference axis K of the driver 200 while driving the lean vehicle 100 is within the range of the reference information. Specifically, in this embodiment, it determines whether the inclinations θ1 and θ2 of the axis L with respect to the reference axis K of the driver 200 while driving the lean vehicle 100 are within the range of the reference information.

The execution unit 13 also executes an assist operation for the driver 200 based on the comparison result between the posture information acquired by the posture recognition unit 12 and the reference information. Therefore, the control device 10 according to this embodiment can execute an assist operation that reflects the posture information of the driver 200 of the lean vehicle 100 while driving. For example, the execution unit 13 of the control device 10 executes the following assist operation.

For example, the assistance operation executed by the execution unit 13 includes a notification operation that outputs a control command to the notification device 112. The execution unit 13 then changes the control command to be output to the notification device 112 depending on the result of the comparison between the posture information and the reference information. Specifically, for example, when the inclination of the axis L of the driver 200 driving the lean vehicle 100 relative to the reference axis K is not within the range of the reference information, the execution unit 13 outputs a control command to the notification device 112 to instruct a notification. The notification by the notification device 112 allows the driver 200 to be aware that he has been driving the lean vehicle 100 in an unsuitable posture. That is, the notification by the notification device 112 allows the driver 200 to correct his posture while driving to a suitable posture. If the driver 200 drives the lean vehicle 100 in an unsuitable posture, the physical burden on the driver 200 increases. For this reason, the physical burden on the driver 200 can be reduced by installing the control device 10 according to the present embodiment in the lean vehicle 100. Furthermore, if the driver 200 drives the lean vehicle 100 in an unsuitable position, the running of the lean vehicle 100 is likely to become unstable. Therefore, by installing the control device 10 according to this embodiment in the lean vehicle 100, the safety of the driver 200 who drives the lean vehicle 100 is improved.

In this embodiment, the notification device 112 is a display device provided in the lean vehicle 100. For this reason, the notification device 112 uses a notification method that displays characters or marks. However, as long as the driver 200 can recognize the notification method, the notification method is not limited to the above method. For example, the notification method may be a method of turning on or blinking a light bulb. Also, for example, the notification method may be a method of outputting a sound such as a voice. Furthermore, the notification device 112 is not limited to a display device of the lean vehicle 100. For example, if the helmet 210 is a smart helmet, the helmet 210 may be used as the notification device 112.

For example, the assistance operation executed by the execution unit 13 includes an automatic acceleration/deceleration operation that outputs a control command to the braking device 120 and/or the drive device 130. That is, the execution unit 13 outputs a control command to at least one of the braking device 120 and the drive device 130, and automatically accelerates or decelerates the lean vehicle 100. In the case of this embodiment, the execution unit 13 outputs a control command to at least one of the braking mechanism control device 123 of the braking device 120 and the drive source control device 132 of the drive device 130. Then, the execution unit 13 varies the above-mentioned control command depending on the result of comparing the posture information with the reference information.

Conventionally, a technique for automatically accelerating and decelerating a lean vehicle, in other words, a technique for automatically accelerating and decelerating a lean vehicle, is known. For example, a technique for automatically accelerating and decelerating a lean vehicle according to the inclination of the road and keeping the vehicle speed of the lean vehicle near a preset vehicle speed is known. When performing such automatic acceleration and deceleration, if the lean vehicle is automatically accelerated and decelerated when the driver is driving the lean vehicle in an unsuitable posture, the driver may lose balance and the running of the lean vehicle may become unstable. Therefore, the execution unit 13 of the control device 10 according to the present embodiment differs the above-mentioned control command output to the braking device 120 and/or the driving device 130 according to the comparison result between the posture information and the reference information. For example, when the driver 200 is driving the lean vehicle 100 in an unsuitable posture, the execution unit 13 differs the control command so that the acceleration and deceleration of the lean vehicle 100 is smaller than when the driver 200 is driving the lean vehicle 100 in a suitable posture. This makes it possible to suppress the running of the lean vehicle 100 from becoming unstable. Therefore, by installing the control device 10 according to this embodiment in the lean vehicle 100, the safety of the driver 200 who drives the lean vehicle 100 is improved.

Here, in the control device 10 according to the present embodiment, the information acquisition unit 11 is further configured to acquire helmet posture information, which is information on the posture of the helmet 210. The posture of the helmet 210 is, for example, the inclination of the helmet 210 with respect to a certain reference axis. Moreover, the helmet posture information is, for example, a physical quantity indicating the posture of the helmet 210, or another physical quantity that can be converted into a physical quantity indicating the posture of the helmet 210. As shown in FIG. 1, the support system 1 according to the present embodiment includes an inertial measurement unit 4 provided in the helmet 210. Conventionally, a technology is known for acquiring the posture (inclination, etc.) of an object on which the inertial measurement unit is provided based on the detection result of the inertial measurement unit. In the present embodiment, the information acquisition unit 11 is configured to acquire helmet posture information, which is information on the posture of the helmet 210, using such a known technology. The helmet posture information, which is information on the posture of the helmet 210, corresponds to the line of sight Ls of the driver 200.

In the control device 10 according to the present embodiment, the posture recognition unit 12 is further configured to acquire posture information based on helmet posture information, which is information on the posture of the helmet 210. That is, the posture information acquired by the posture recognition unit 12 also includes information on the posture of the helmet 210. Therefore, the reference information also includes information on the posture of the helmet 210 when the driver 200 is driving the lean vehicle 100 in an appropriate posture. Then, when the posture information and the reference information are compared by the execution unit 13, the posture of the helmet 210 is also compared. By comparing the posture information and the reference information in this way, it is possible to determine whether the posture of the driver 200 while driving the lean vehicle 100 is appropriate or not, taking into account the line of sight Ls of the driver 200. When the lean vehicle 100 is driven stably, the line of sight Ls of the driver 200 is also an important factor. For example, even if the inclination of axis L relative to reference axis K of driver 200 while driving lean vehicle 100 is within the range of the reference information, if driver 200's line of sight is too close to lean vehicle 100, the running of lean vehicle 100 is likely to become unstable. For this reason, information acquisition unit 11 further acquires helmet posture information, which is information about the posture of helmet 210, and posture recognition unit 12 further acquires posture information based on the helmet posture information, thereby further improving the safety of driver 200 driving lean vehicle 100.

In addition, in the control device 10 according to this embodiment, the information acquisition unit 11 is further configured to acquire vehicle attitude information, which is information on the attitude of the lean vehicle 100. The vehicle attitude information is, for example, a physical quantity indicating the attitude of the lean vehicle 100, or another physical quantity that can be converted into a physical quantity indicating the attitude of the lean vehicle 100. As described above, a technique for acquiring the attitude (tilt, etc.) of an object to which an inertial measurement device is attached based on the detection result of the inertial measurement device is known. Also, as shown in FIG. 1, the lean vehicle 100 is equipped with an inertial measurement device 108. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 3, in this embodiment, the information acquisition unit 11 acquires vehicle attitude information, which is information on the attitude of the lean vehicle 100, such as the lean angle of the lean vehicle 100, based on the detection result of the inertial measurement device 108. In the control device 10 according to this embodiment, the execution unit 13 is configured to change the reference information to be compared with the posture information according to the above-mentioned vehicle attitude information. For example, the execution unit 13 varies at least one of the preferred range of the forward-backward tilt θ1 of the axis L relative to the reference axis K and the preferred range of the lateral tilt θ2 of the axis L relative to the reference axis K.

Figure 6 is a rear view showing a lean vehicle equipped with an assistance system according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 6 is a view of the lean vehicle 100 during a turn, observed from behind the lean vehicle 100. When the lean vehicle 100 turns, the body tilts in the turning direction. Therefore, even if the driver 200 is driving the lean vehicle 100 in an appropriate position while the lean vehicle 100 is turning, the lateral tilt θ2 of the axis L relative to the reference axis K may be outside the range of the appropriate tilt θ2 when the lean vehicle 100 is traveling straight. Therefore, the information acquisition unit 11 further acquires vehicle attitude information, which is information on the attitude of the lean vehicle 100, and the execution unit 13 changes the reference information according to the vehicle attitude information, so that it is possible to more accurately determine whether the driver 200 is driving the lean vehicle 100 in an appropriate position.

In addition, in the control device 10 according to this embodiment, the information acquisition unit 11 is further configured to acquire vehicle speed information of the lean vehicle 100. As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 3, in this embodiment, the information acquisition unit 11 acquires the vehicle speed of the lean vehicle 100 from a speedometer 110 provided in the lean vehicle 100 as the vehicle speed information of the lean vehicle 100. Note that the information acquisition unit 11 may acquire the vehicle speed information of the lean vehicle 100 from a device other than the speedometer 110. Furthermore, the vehicle speed information of the lean vehicle 100 may be another physical quantity that can be converted to the vehicle speed of the lean vehicle 100.

In the control device 10 according to this embodiment, the execution unit 13 is configured to vary the reference information to be compared with the posture information depending on the vehicle speed information of the lean vehicle 100. For example, the execution unit 13 varies at least one of the preferred range of the longitudinal tilt θ1 of the axis L relative to the reference axis K and the preferred range of the lateral tilt θ2 of the axis L relative to the reference axis K. This is because the preferred posture of the driver 200 driving the lean vehicle 100 may differ depending on the vehicle speed of the lean vehicle 100.

For example, when the lean vehicle 100 is decelerating, if the lean vehicle 100 is at a low speed, it is preferable for the driver 200 to maintain the posture before the lean vehicle 100 is decelerated. On the other hand, when the lean vehicle 100 is decelerating, if the lean vehicle 100 is at a medium or high speed, it is preferable for the driver 200 to lean backward compared to the posture before the lean vehicle 100 is decelerated. Also, for example, when the lean vehicle 100 is turning, if the lean vehicle 100 is at a medium or high speed, it is preferable for the driver 200 to have a posture in which the trunk is inclined to the same extent as the lean vehicle 100. On the other hand, when the lean vehicle 100 is turning, if the lean vehicle 100 is at a low speed, it is preferable for the driver 200 to have a posture in which the trunk is not inclined more than the lean vehicle 100. In this way, the preferable posture of the driver 200 driving the lean vehicle 100 may differ depending on the vehicle speed of the lean vehicle 100. Therefore, the information acquisition unit 11 further acquires vehicle speed information of the lean vehicle 100, and the execution unit 13 varies the reference information according to the vehicle speed information of the lean vehicle 100, so that it is possible to more accurately determine whether the driver 200 is driving the lean vehicle 100 in an appropriate posture.

In addition, in the control device 10 according to this embodiment, the execution unit 13 is further configured to execute the assist operation based on the vehicle speed information of the lean vehicle 100. For example, when the lean vehicle 100 is traveling at a low speed, even if the driver 200 is driving the lean vehicle 100 in an unfavorable position, the running of the lean vehicle 100 is unlikely to become unstable. For this reason, depending on the vehicle speed of the lean vehicle 100, there are cases where an assist operation is not necessary for the driver 200, or the degree of the assist operation may be reduced. For this reason, the information acquisition unit 11 further acquires the vehicle speed information of the lean vehicle 100, and the execution unit 13 executes the assist operation based on the vehicle speed information of the lean vehicle 100, thereby suppressing excessive assist operations for the driver 200, and improving the comfort of the driver 200 who drives the lean vehicle 100.

In addition, in the control device 10 according to this embodiment, the information acquisition unit 11 is configured to further acquire the surrounding environment information of the lean vehicle 100. As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 3, in this embodiment, the information acquisition unit 11 acquires the surrounding environment information of the lean vehicle 100 from the surrounding environment detection device 111 equipped in the lean vehicle 100. In the control device 10 according to this embodiment, the execution unit 13 is configured to change the reference information to be compared with the posture information according to the surrounding environment information of the lean vehicle 100. For example, the execution unit 13 changes at least one of the preferred range of the forward/rearward tilt θ1 of the axis L relative to the reference axis K and the preferred range of the lateral tilt θ2 of the axis L relative to the reference axis K. For example, if there is an object around the lean vehicle 100 that requires attention for the running of the lean vehicle 100, the driver 200 may be able to recognize the object more easily and assume a preferred posture by driving the lean vehicle 100 with his/her body upright (reducing the tilt of the axis L relative to the reference axis K). Therefore, the information acquisition unit 11 further acquires surrounding environment information for the lean vehicle 100, and the execution unit 13 varies the reference information according to the surrounding environment information for the lean vehicle 100, thereby further improving the safety of the driver 200 who drives the lean vehicle 100.

In addition, in the control device 10 according to the present embodiment, the execution unit 13 is further configured to execute an assist operation based on the surrounding environment information of the lean vehicle 100. When executing an assist operation based on the surrounding environment information, for example, the execution unit 13 can perform an automatic acceleration/deceleration operation based on the surrounding environment information. Specifically, for example, the execution unit 13 can automatically accelerate and decelerate the lean vehicle 100 to make the lean vehicle 100 follow a vehicle traveling in front of the lean vehicle 100. Also, for example, when an object that may come into contact with the lean vehicle 100 is detected, the execution unit 13 can decelerate the lean vehicle 100 to prevent the lean vehicle 100 from coming into contact with the object. When performing such an automatic acceleration/deceleration operation, if the driver 200 is driving the lean vehicle 100 in an unsuitable position, the driver 200 may lose balance, and the running of the lean vehicle 100 may become unstable. Therefore, when the execution unit 13 according to this embodiment executes an automatic acceleration/deceleration operation based on the surrounding environment information, when the driver 200 is driving the lean vehicle 100 in an unsuitable posture, it outputs a control signal to reduce the acceleration/deceleration of the lean vehicle 100 compared to when the driver 200 is driving the lean vehicle 100 in a suitable posture. Alternatively, the execution unit 13 according to this embodiment does not execute the automatic acceleration/deceleration operation when the driver 200 is driving the lean vehicle 100 in an unsuitable posture. This makes it possible to prevent the running of the lean vehicle 100 from becoming unstable, improving the safety of the driver 200 who drives the lean vehicle 100.

In addition, for example, when performing an assistance operation based on surrounding environment information, the execution unit 13 can output a control command to the alarm device 112 and cause the alarm device 112 to notify when an object that may come into contact with the lean vehicle 100 is detected. At this time, if the driver 200 is driving the lean vehicle 100 in an unsuitable position, the driver 200 may be surprised by the alarm operation of the alarm device 112, and the running of the lean vehicle 100 may become unstable. For this reason, when performing a notification operation based on surrounding environment information, the execution unit 13 according to this embodiment outputs a control signal to reduce the degree of notification when the driver 200 is driving the lean vehicle 100 in an unsuitable position compared to when the driver 200 is driving the lean vehicle 100 in a suitable position. Reducing the degree of notification means, for example, reducing the sound of the notification or dimming the light of the notification. Alternatively, the execution unit 13 according to this embodiment does not execute the notification operation when the driver 200 is driving the lean vehicle 100 in an unsuitable posture. This prevents the running of the lean vehicle 100 from becoming unstable, improving the safety of the driver 200 who drives the lean vehicle 100.

<Control method when the control device executes the assist operation>
A control method used by the control device according to the present embodiment when the control device executes an assisting operation will be described.

FIG. 7 is a flow chart showing a control method when the control device according to the embodiment of the present invention executes an assisting operation.
When the control start condition is met, in step S1, the control device 10 starts the control shown in Fig. 7. The control start condition is, for example, when the engine 131 of the lean vehicle 100 is started. Step S2 after step S1 is an information acquisition step. In step S2, the information acquisition unit 11 of the control device 10 acquires center of gravity position information, which is position information of the center of gravity C of the load of the driver 200 applied to the seating portion 105 of the lean vehicle 100, and helmet position information, which is information of the position P of the helmet 210 worn by the driver 200. Note that in step S2, the information acquisition unit 11 may further acquire at least one of the above-mentioned helmet posture information, vehicle posture information, vehicle speed information, and surrounding environment information.

Step S3 following step S2 is a posture recognition step. In step S3, the posture recognition unit 12 of the control device 10 acquires posture information of the driver 200 while driving based on the center of gravity position information and helmet position information acquired in step S2. Note that if helmet posture information has been acquired in step S2, in step S3 the posture recognition unit 12 of the control device 10 may acquire posture information of the driver 200 while driving based on the helmet posture information in addition to the center of gravity position information and helmet position information.

Step S4 after step S3 is an execution step. In step S4, the execution unit 13 of the control device 10 executes the assist action of the driver 200 based on the result of the comparison between the posture information and the reference information acquired in step S3. Specifically, the execution unit 13 determines whether or not the assist action of the driver 200 is necessary based on the result of the comparison between the posture information and the reference information. Then, when the execution unit 13 determines that the assist action of the driver 200 is necessary, it executes the assist action of the driver 200. The assist action is, for example, the above-mentioned notification action and automatic acceleration/deceleration action. Note that, as described above, the execution unit 13 may change the reference information based on at least one of the vehicle attitude information, the vehicle speed information, and the surrounding environment information. Also, as described above, the execution unit 13 may execute the assist action of the driver 200 based on at least one of the vehicle speed information and the surrounding environment information in addition to the result of the comparison between the posture information and the reference information.

Step S5 after step S4 is an end determination step. In step S5, the control device 10 determines whether or not the end condition of the control is satisfied. The end condition of the control is, for example, when the engine 131 of the lean vehicle 100 is stopped. If the end condition of the control is satisfied, the control device 10 proceeds to step S6 and ends the control shown in FIG. 7. On the other hand, if the end condition of the control is not satisfied, the control device 10 returns to step S2 and repeats the above-mentioned steps.

<Modification>
Fig. 8 is a side view showing a lean vehicle equipped with a modified control device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 9 is a block diagram showing the modified control device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
The lean vehicle 100 shown in FIG. 8 is equipped with a camera 20. In the control device 10 shown in FIG. 8 and FIG. 9, the information acquisition unit 11 is further configured to acquire image data of the driver 200 captured by the camera 20. In the control device 10 shown in FIG. 8 and FIG. 9, the information acquisition unit 11 is further configured to acquire posture information based on the image data. That is, the posture information acquired by the posture recognition unit 12 of the control device 10 shown in FIG. 8 and FIG. 9 also includes information on the positions of the elbows 201 and knees 202 of the driver 200. For this reason, in the control device 10 shown in FIG. 8 and FIG. 9, the reference information also includes information on the positions of the elbows 201 and knees 202 when the driver 200 is driving the lean vehicle 100 in a suitable posture. In the comparison between the posture information and the reference information performed by the execution unit 13, the positions of the elbows 201 and knees 202 of the driver 200 are also compared. By comparing the posture information with the reference information in this way, it is possible to determine whether the posture of the driver 200 while driving the lean vehicle 100 is suitable, taking into consideration points that could not be considered in the information described in the examples and before Fig. 7. Therefore, by comparing the posture information with the reference information in this way, it is possible to more accurately determine whether the driver 200 is driving the lean vehicle 100 in a suitable posture.

8 and 9, a person skilled in the art may think that it is possible to determine whether the posture of the driver 200 while driving the lean vehicle 100 is suitable or not by using only the image data of the driver 200 captured by the camera 20. However, it is difficult to recognize the direction of the driver's 200 torso (the inclination of axis L relative to reference axis K) by using only the image data of the driver 200 captured by the camera 20. For this reason, in the control device 10 according to this embodiment, it is important to acquire information on the posture of the driver 200 while driving based on at least the center of gravity position information and helmet position information acquired by the information acquisition unit 11.

<Effects of the control device>
The effects of the control device according to this embodiment will be described.

The control device 10 according to this embodiment is a control device that executes an assist operation for the driver 200 of the lean vehicle 100. The control device 10 includes an information acquisition unit 11, a body posture recognition unit 12, and an execution unit 13. The information acquisition unit 11 acquires center of gravity position information, which is position information of the center of gravity C of the load of the driver 200 applied to the seating portion 105 of the lean vehicle 100, and helmet position information, which is information of the position of the helmet 210 worn by the driver 200. The body posture recognition unit 12 acquires body posture information of the driver 200 while driving, based on the center of gravity position information and the helmet position information. The execution unit 13 executes the assist operation based on a result of comparing the body posture information with the reference information.
The control device 10 configured in this manner can execute an assistance operation that reflects posture information of the driver 200 of the lean vehicle 100 while driving.

Preferably, the information acquisition unit 11 is further configured to acquire helmet posture information which is information on the posture of the helmet 210. The posture recognition unit 12 is further configured to acquire posture information based on the helmet posture information.
The control device 10 configured in this manner improves the safety of the driver 200 who drives the lean vehicle 100.

Preferably, the information acquisition unit 11 is further configured to acquire image data of the driver 200 captured by the camera 20. The body posture recognition unit 12 is further configured to acquire body posture information based on the image data.
The control device 10 configured in this manner can more accurately determine whether the driver 200 is driving the lean vehicle 100 in an appropriate posture.

Preferably, the information acquisition unit 11 is configured to further acquire vehicle attitude information that is information on the attitude of the lean vehicle 100. The execution unit 13 is configured to change the reference information to be compared with the posture information depending on the vehicle attitude information.
The control device 10 configured in this manner can more accurately determine whether the driver 200 is driving the lean vehicle 100 in an appropriate posture.

Preferably, the information acquisition unit 11 is configured to further acquire vehicle speed information of the lean vehicle 100. The execution unit 13 is configured to change the reference information to be compared with the posture information depending on the vehicle speed information.
The control device 10 configured in this manner can more accurately determine whether the driver 200 is driving the lean vehicle 100 in an appropriate posture.

Preferably, the information acquisition unit 11 is further configured to acquire vehicle speed information of the lean vehicle 100. The execution unit 13 is further configured to execute the assist operation based on the vehicle speed information.
The control device 10 configured in this manner can improve the comfort of the driver 200 who drives the lean vehicle 100, for example by suppressing excessive assistance operations for the driver 200.

Preferably, the information acquisition unit 11 is configured to further acquire surrounding environment information of the lean vehicle 100. The execution unit 13 is configured to change the reference information to be compared with the posture information depending on the surrounding environment information.
The control device 10 configured in this manner improves the safety of the driver 200 who drives the lean vehicle 100.

Preferably, the information acquisition unit 11 is further configured to acquire surrounding environment information of the lean vehicle 100. The execution unit 13 is further configured to execute the assist operation based on the surrounding environment information.
The control device 10 configured in this manner improves the safety of the driver 200 who drives the lean vehicle 100.

Preferably, the assisting action includes a notifying action of outputting a control command to the notifying device 112. Then, the execution unit 13 varies the above-mentioned control command depending on the comparison result.
The control device 10 configured in this manner can reduce the physical burden on the driver 200, thereby improving the safety of the driver 200 who drives the lean vehicle 100.

Preferably, the assist operation includes an automatic acceleration/deceleration operation that outputs a control command to the braking device 120 and/or the driving device 130. Then, the execution unit 13 varies the above-mentioned control command depending on the comparison result.
The control device 10 configured in this manner improves the safety of the driver 200 who drives the lean vehicle 100.

Although an example of the control device according to the present invention has been described above in the embodiment, the control device according to the present invention is not limited to the description of the embodiment. For example, the control device according to the present invention may implement only a part of the description of the embodiment.

1 Assistance system, 2 Load detection device, 3 Force sensor, 4 Inertial measurement unit, 10 Control device, 11 Information acquisition unit, 12 Posture recognition unit, 13 Execution unit, 20 Camera, 100 Lean vehicle, 101 Body, 102 Handle, 103 Front wheel, 104 Rear wheel, 105 Seating unit, 106 Brake lever, 107 Brake pedal, 108 Inertial measurement unit, 110 Speedometer, 111 Surrounding environment detection device, 112 Notification device, 120 Brake device, 121 Front wheel braking mechanism, 122 Rear wheel braking mechanism, 123 Brake mechanism control device, 130 Drive device, 131 Engine, 132 Drive source control device, 200 Driver, 201 Elbow, 202 Knee, 210 Helmet, C Center of gravity, K Reference axis, L Axis, Ls Line of sight, P Position, θ1 tilt, θ2 tilt.

Claims (13)

A control device (10) that performs an assistance operation for a driver (200) of a lean vehicle (100),
an information acquisition unit (11) that acquires center of gravity position information, which is position information of the center of gravity (C) of the load of the driver (200) applied to the seating portion (105) of the lean vehicle (100), and helmet position information, which is information of the position (P) of a helmet (210) worn by the driver (200);
A posture recognition unit (12) that acquires posture information of the driver (200) while driving based on the center of gravity position information and the helmet position information;
an execution unit (13) that executes the assisting action based on a comparison result between the posture information and reference information;
A control device (10) comprising: The information acquisition unit (11) is further configured to acquire helmet posture information which is information on the posture of the helmet (210),
The control device (10) according to claim 1, wherein the body posture recognition unit (12) is further configured to acquire the body posture information based on the helmet posture information. The information acquisition unit (11) is further configured to acquire image data of the driver (200) captured by a camera (20),
The control device (10) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the posture recognition unit (12) is further configured to acquire the posture information based on the image data. The information acquisition unit (11) is further configured to acquire vehicle attitude information which is information on the attitude of the lean vehicle (100),
3. The control device (10) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the execution unit (13) is configured to change the reference information to be compared with the posture information depending on the vehicle attitude information. The information acquisition unit (11) is further configured to acquire vehicle speed information of the lean vehicle (100),
3. The control device (10) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the execution unit (13) is configured to change the reference information to be compared with the posture information depending on the vehicle speed information. The information acquisition unit (11) is further configured to acquire vehicle speed information of the lean vehicle (100),
The control device (10) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the execution unit (13) is further configured to execute the assist operation based on the vehicle speed information. The information acquisition unit (11) is further configured to acquire surrounding environment information of the lean vehicle (100),
The control device (10) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the execution unit (13) is configured to change the reference information to be compared with the posture information depending on the surrounding environment information. The information acquisition unit (11) is further configured to acquire surrounding environment information of the lean vehicle (100),
The control device (10) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the execution unit (13) is further configured to execute the assist action based on the surrounding environment information. The assistance action includes an alarm action of outputting a control command to an alarm device (112);
The control device (10) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the execution unit (13) varies the control command depending on a result of the comparison. The assist operation includes an automatic acceleration/deceleration operation that outputs a control command to a braking device (120) and/or a driving device (130);
The control device (10) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the execution unit (13) varies the control command depending on the result of the comparison. A control device (10) according to claim 1 or claim 2;
A load detection device (2) provided on the seating portion (105) of the lean vehicle (100);
an inertial measurement unit (4) mounted on the helmet (210);
Equipped with
The information acquisition unit (11) is configured to acquire the center of gravity position information based on the detection result of the load detection device (2), and to acquire the helmet position information based on the detection result of the inertial measurement unit (4). A lean vehicle (100) comprising the control device (10) according to claim 1 or 2. A control method for performing an assistance operation for a driver (200) of a lean vehicle (100), comprising:
An information acquisition step (S1) of acquiring center of gravity position information, which is position information of the center of gravity (C) of the load of the driver (200) applied to the seating portion (105) of the lean vehicle (100), and helmet position information, which is information of the position (P) of the helmet (210) worn by the driver (200);
A posture recognition step (S3) of acquiring posture information of the driver (200) while driving based on the center of gravity position information and the helmet position information;
an execution step (S4) of executing the assisting action based on a comparison result between the posture information and reference information;
A control method comprising:

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