JP3392723B2 - Traveling vehicle control method in automatic driving merger - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a traveling vehicle control method for automatically joining a plurality of vehicles traveling on a traveling road. 2. Description of the Related Art A moving target method (hereinafter, referred to as an MT method) has been known as one of the traveling vehicle control methods for automatically controlling a plurality of vehicles traveling on a traveling road. In the MT method, as shown in FIG. 4, a virtual travel path 42 equivalent to an actual travel path (actual travel path) 41 is set on an operation management computer, and the virtual travel path 42 is set on the virtual travel path 42. At a certain interval, a point (moving target; hereinafter, referred to as MT) 43 for ideal running is set and run.
In this method, the actual vehicle on the actual traveling path 41 is controlled to follow the MT43. A system to which such an MT method is applied is as follows.
As shown in FIG. 5, it has a group of communication and position information equipment 55 for communicating with the traveling vehicle, controlling the vehicle, and obtaining position information of the vehicle. The group of the equipments 55 is provided on a traveling path, and the vehicle is operated in an orderly manner according to the MT signal emitted from the equipment 55 under the control of the operation management computer. [0005] A stop point 59 is set on the branch line 52. The vehicle traveling on the branch line 52 temporarily stops at the stop point 59, then starts and enters the acceleration section 56.
In order for the vehicle on the branch line 52 that has started from the stop point 59 and entered the acceleration section 56 to merge with the main line 51, the timing at which the MT 53 on the main line 51 is exactly captured at the junction 54 (such a main line) The MT on the 51 is called a merged MT), or the vehicle on the branch line 52 which starts the vehicle from the stop point 59 or tries to enter and merge at the merge point 54 (MT on the branch line 52). In order to assign 53, control may be performed to shift all MTs assigned to each vehicle on the main line 51. [0006] However, the conventional traveling vehicle control method to which the MT method is applied is not suitable for a high-density operation control system accompanying the recent increase in transport volume. However, there are the following problems when trying to apply the system as it is to a high-density operation control system. [0007] 1) The vehicle on the branch line to be merged needs to catch the merging MT on the branch line at the stop point and start in synchronization therewith, so it can be applied to places such as tollgates. However, it cannot be applied to junctions at interchanges where vehicles do not stop. [0008] 2) The conditions on which the vehicles on the branch line to be merged can be merged without stopping temporarily include: a) when there is no vehicle on the main line, or b) when traveling on the main line. It is assumed that there is a sufficient space between the preceding vehicle and the following vehicle before and after the merged MT. [0009] Here, the merging MT assigned to the merging vehicle on the branch line for entering and merging into the main line is synchronized with the vehicle, and at the merging point, the merging MT coincides with the free MT to be merged on the main line. MT for merging
It is possible to shift However, a),
In both cases b), it is assumed that the traffic volume is extremely low,
Merging without stopping once was not feasible. 3) If the merging vehicle cannot exhibit sufficient performance as a vehicle (due to engine trouble, etc.),
Since it is not possible to follow the merging MT, there is a danger that the merging point will be reached without being properly controlled, and there is also a problem in the security of the system. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a traveling vehicle control method capable of smoothly joining a main line without stopping a vehicle traveling on a branch line. is there. It is another object of the present invention to provide a traveling vehicle control method capable of rescuing a merged vehicle that cannot sufficiently exhibit the performance as a vehicle from a dangerous merger. According to the present invention, there is provided a traveling vehicle control method for automatically controlling a plurality of vehicles traveling on a traveling road having a main line and a branch line to enter the main line from the branch line. -Set the approach section of the vehicle to be merged, enter the main line from the branch line.After the vehicle to be merged enter the approach section, the vehicle and the MT for merging on the branch line assigned to the vehicle. Is determined, and the vehicle is controlled to accelerate or decelerate in accordance with the determined error, thereby causing the vehicle to follow the corresponding MT for merging. Further, the present invention provides a vehicle which controls the vehicle as described above in accordance with a tracking error between a vehicle entering and merging with the main line and a merging MT on a branch line allocated to the vehicle. If the following error does not fall within the predetermined allowable range, the vehicle and the corresponding MT for merging are decelerated and stopped on the assumption that a dangerous merge is caused. In such a traveling vehicle control method,
When a vehicle traveling on a branch line attempts to enter or join the main line from the branch line and enters the approach section provided on the branch line, the vehicle (merging vehicle) and the MT for merging assigned to the vehicle follow. An error is calculated. And
Control is performed such that the vehicle is accelerated or decelerated in a direction in which the following error is eliminated, that is, in a direction in which the merging vehicle coincides with the merging MT. This makes it possible to safely join the main line without temporarily stopping the vehicle. However, in an abnormal state in which the merging vehicle cannot sufficiently exhibit the performance as a vehicle due to, for example, an engine trouble or the like, even if acceleration control of the merging vehicle is performed so as to match the merging MT, the merging vehicle cannot follow the merging MT. Cases can occur.
In this case, the estimated speed of the merging vehicle at the merging point is determined by the vehicle traveling on the main line (and the M assigned to the vehicle).
This is dangerous because it is significantly slower than the average speed of T). However, in the present invention, if the following error is not within a predetermined allowable range even when the acceleration control of the merging vehicle is performed so as to coincide with the merging MT, the merging MT is decelerated and stopped. Since the merging vehicle is controlled (decelerated and stopped) so that the merging vehicle follows, it is possible to avoid dangerous merging. The merging MT is decelerated and
When stopping, deceleration is also performed for the subsequent MT row.
Stop it. Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a system to which a traveling vehicle control method according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. This system applies the MT method, and FIG.
As shown in the figure, the position of the vehicle on the traveling road (main line 1, branch line 2) is detected, and the vehicle is MT (MT on the main line, M for merging).
T) 3 has a configuration necessary for assignment. That is, the part related to the MT method of the present system communicates with a vehicle traveling on a traveling road, controls the vehicle, and obtains positional information of the vehicle (installed on the traveling road) with communication and position information equipment. And an operation management computer 7 that manages and controls the traveling vehicles based on the information on the positions detected by the facilities 5 (particularly, the control of assigning the MT3 to the traveling vehicles through the facilities 5). It consists of. Here, in the normal state, the group of MT3 ideally travels at a constant interval on a virtual travel path equivalent to the actual travel path (main line 1 and branch line 2) under the control of the operation management computer 7. In FIG. 1, an acceleration section 6 of an appropriate length is provided on the branch line 2 on the side of the junction 4 so as to form a run-up section of a vehicle that is going to enter and merge with the main line 1 from the branch line 2. . In the acceleration section 6, when a vehicle (vehicle A in the figure) enters the acceleration section 6, the vehicle is accelerated (or decelerated) in accordance with the MT (merging MT) 3 assigned to the vehicle, and the merging point 4 is set. Is controlled so as to join the main line 1. FIG. 1 is a diagram for simplifying the description.
Although only the case of merging is shown, also regarding the branch, the merging in this embodiment becomes a branch, the acceleration section becomes a deceleration section,
Only the acceleration is replaced by the deceleration, but the basic configuration remains the same. For example, in the case of a branch of the vehicle from the main line 1 to the branch line 2, instead of the acceleration section on the branch line 2 (corresponding to the branch point 58 in FIG. 5) (the deceleration section 60 in FIG. 5). A deceleration section is provided, the vehicle branches off at a branch point according to the branching MT, and the vehicle is decelerated in the deceleration section. Next, a description will be given of a running vehicle control operation in the system having the configuration shown in FIG. 1 with reference to FIG. First, it is assumed that a merging vehicle A, a merging vehicle B, and a merging vehicle C sequentially enter the acceleration section 6 on the branch line 2 as vehicles (merging vehicles) that are to merge from the branch line 2 to the main line 1 in FIG. . At this time, as shown in FIG. 2, the MT3 in FIG. 1 is moved over the branch line 2 (a virtual traveling road equivalent to the branch line 2 set on the operation management computer 7 in FIG. 1 correspondingly). (MT for merging) 3A, MT3B, MT3C corresponding to
Are moving sequentially (ideal running) at regular intervals. In the present embodiment, a group of MTs (MTs for merging) 3 moving on a branch line 2 (virtual traveling road equivalent to a branch line) with respect to a vehicle (merging vehicle) that is going to merge with the main line 1 is described. The empty MT3 having the least amount of control (acceleration or deceleration) at the merged vehicle, that is, the empty MT3 closest to the merged vehicle is assigned as the optimal MT3. Therefore, as described above, the vehicle A, the vehicle B, and the vehicle C enter the acceleration section 6 in this order in FIG.
In the example of, for the first merged vehicle A, since the empty MT3 closest to the vehicle A is MT3A,
T3A is assigned. In this case, vehicle A is MT3A
In the acceleration section 6, the communication and position information equipment 5 is controlled by the operation management computer 7 in FIG. 1 so that the tracking error with the MT3A (that is, the displacement with the MT3A) is eliminated. The acceleration is controlled through an acceleration control as shown by reference numeral 21A in FIG.
Follow T3A. Next, for the merging vehicle B following the merging vehicle A, the empty MT3 closest to the merging vehicle B is MT3B
Therefore, the MT3B is assigned. In this case, since vehicle B is moving ahead with respect to MT3B,
In the acceleration section 6, deceleration control is performed through the communication and position information equipment 5 under the control of the operation management computer 7, and FIG.
At the time, the motor decelerates to follow the MT3B as shown by the reference numeral 21B. Next, MT3B is the closest to merging vehicle C following merging vehicle B, but MT3B has already been allocated to vehicle B and is no longer empty. MT3C is assigned as the MT3 of. In this case, since the vehicle C is moving ahead of the MT3C, the vehicle C is decelerated in the acceleration section 6 and is controlled as shown in FIG.
At the time, the motor decelerates to follow the MT3C as shown by reference numeral 21C. As described above, in the present embodiment, the main line 1
Vehicle that has entered the acceleration zone 6 to join
In FIG. 2, the merging vehicles A, B, and C) are combined with the combining MT3 on the branch line 2 assigned to the vehicle (MT3A, 3B,
3C), acceleration or deceleration control is performed so that the vehicle can smoothly merge with the main line 1 at the merging point 4 without entering a stop when entering the acceleration section 6, unlike the conventional art. However, in a state where the merging vehicle cannot sufficiently exhibit the performance as a vehicle due to an engine trouble or the like, even if the acceleration control of the merging vehicle is performed so as to match the MT (MT for merging) 3, In some cases, it may not be possible to follow the merging MT. In such a case, junction 4
It is dangerous because the expected speed of the merging vehicle at becomes significantly slower than the average speed of the vehicle traveling on the main line 1 (and the MT3 assigned to the vehicle). Therefore, in such a case, a traveling vehicle control operation for avoiding dangerous merging of the merging vehicles will be described with reference to FIG. First, as shown in FIG. 3, it is assumed that a vehicle (merged vehicle) D has entered the acceleration section 6 on the branch line 2. Since the empty MT3 closest to the merging vehicle D is MT3D, it is assumed that this MT3D has been assigned to the merging vehicle D. In the example of FIG. 3, when the MT3D is assigned to the merging vehicle D, the vehicle D is behind the MT3D, so the operation management computer 7 in FIG.
In order to eliminate the following error of the vehicle D with respect to the MT3D (positional deviation from the MT3D), control is performed via the communication and position information equipment 5 so that the vehicle D accelerates as indicated by reference numeral 31 in FIG. When the operation management computer 7 is controlling (acceleration control) the merging vehicle D so as to eliminate the following error with respect to the MT3D in the acceleration section 6, the error (position shift with respect to the MT3D) is determined at the merging point. In step 4, it is determined whether or not it falls within a predetermined allowable range (shrinks). This determination is made based on the actual position (and traveling speed) of the merged vehicle D detected by the communication and position information equipment 5.
By estimating the position corresponding to the lapse of time. If the acceleration performance of the merged vehicle D is insufficient or abnormal, the predicted position of the merged vehicle D corresponding to the passage of time is indicated by reference numeral 32 in FIG. As a result, when it is found that the merging vehicle D cannot follow the MT3D even at the merging point 4, the operation management computer 7 decelerates the MT3D to MT3D 'as shown by reference numeral 33 in FIG. The operation is stopped as indicated by reference numeral 34. At the same time, the operation management computer 7 transfers the merged vehicle D to the MT3D '.
Decelerate and stop to follow. The operation management computer 7 is an MT3D
, The reference numeral 35 in FIG.
As shown by, the speed is reduced as MT3E ', and
Stop as shown by. Such deceleration / stop control is similarly performed for the MT group following MT3E. As a result, it is possible to prevent the merging vehicle D from merging with the main line 1 in a state where it cannot follow the MT3D, that is, to avoid dangerous merging of the merging vehicle D. In addition, the row of MT3 starting with MT3E 'assigned to the following merged vehicle is also decelerated and stopped, so that the risk of a rear-end collision of the subsequent merged vehicle is prevented. As described above in detail, according to the present invention, when a vehicle traveling on a branch line attempts to enter or merge with the main line from the branch line, the support allocated to the vehicle is reduced. Since the vehicle is controlled to be accelerated or decelerated so as to follow the MT for merging on the line, the vehicle can smoothly merge with the main line without temporarily stopping, thereby preventing the vehicle from stopping. It can be applied to junctions and junctions of interchanges, etc., and the application place is expanded. Further, according to the present invention, even if a vehicle entering or merging with the main line is controlled to follow the merging MT on the branch line assigned to the vehicle, the M
If the tracking error with respect to T does not fall within a predetermined allowable range, the MT is decelerated and stopped, and the vehicle is followed to decelerate and stop, so that dangerous merging can be avoided. The safety and reliability of the system are greatly improved.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a system to which a traveling vehicle control method according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of acceleration / deceleration control for causing a merging vehicle entering or merging into a main line from a branch line to follow a merging MT in the system. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of control on a merging MT and a vehicle when the following error of the merging vehicle is large with respect to the merging MT in the same system; FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram for explaining an MT method. FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining conventional vehicle travel control to which the MT method is applied. [Description of Signs] 1 Main Line 2 Branch Line 3 MT (Moving Target) 3A to 3E, 3D ', 3E' MT (Merging MT) 4 Merging Point 5 Communication and Location Information Equipment 6 Acceleration Section 7: Operation management computers A to D: Vehicles (merged vehicles)

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Satoshi Takagi 2-5-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Inside Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (72) Inventor Soichi Takemoto 1-1-1 Kotobukicho, Mihara-shi, Hiroshima Prefecture Socio Diamond Systems (56) References JP-A-52-121192 (JP, A) JP-A-52-97576 (JP, A) JP-A-48-69983 (JP, A) JP-A-54-45017 (JP, A) A) JP-A-52-149708 (JP, A) JP-A-53-131608 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G08G 1/16 G08G 1/09 B61L 27 / 00 G05D 1/00

Claims (1)

(57) [Claim 1] In a traveling vehicle control method for automatically joining and controlling a plurality of vehicles traveling on a traveling road having a main line and a branch line, the vehicle enters the main line from the branch line on the branch line. After the approaching section of the vehicle to be merged is set, and the vehicle to enter and merge into the main line from the branch line enters the approaching section, the merging on the branch line assigned to the vehicle and the vehicle is performed. A tracking error with the moving target is determined, and the vehicle is controlled to accelerate or decelerate according to the determined error, thereby causing the vehicle to follow the corresponding moving target for merging , and determining the determined error. Follow the vehicle even if the vehicle is controlled according to
If the error does not fall within the specified tolerance, the vehicle
The moving target for merging corresponding to
Subsequent junction mues assigned to vehicles following the vehicle
A traveling vehicle control method, which comprises decelerating and stopping a bing target .