JP4322791B2 - Vehicle travel safety device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle travel safety device.

Conventionally, for example, an imaging device such as a CCD camera is used to image a traveling road ahead in the traveling direction of a vehicle, a lane marking is recognized from image data obtained by this imaging, and whether or not the vehicle departs from the lane is determined. A lane departure warning device that outputs a tactile warning that generates vibration in the driver's body when it is determined that the vehicle departs from the lane is known (for example, see Patent Document 1).
JP 2001-341599 A

By the way, in the lane departure warning device according to the above-described prior art, even if a tactile warning that generates vibration on the driver's body is output, the driver is warned in a state where road surface vibration generated when the vehicle travels increases. May not be recognized accurately. Therefore, there is a problem that it is difficult to recognize the degree of danger only by changing the vibration level according to the degree of lane departure.
The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle travel safety device that allows a driver to appropriately recognize an alarm relating to a vehicle lane departure.

In order to solve the above problems and achieve the object, the vehicle travel safety device according to the first aspect of the present invention is a photographing means for photographing a travel path in the traveling direction of the host vehicle (for example, in the embodiment). 11), travel lane marking recognition means (for example, road shape recognition unit 52 in the embodiment) for recognizing a travel lane marking from an image taken by the imaging means, and recognition by the travel lane marking recognition means. Deviation determination means for determining whether or not the own vehicle deviates from or is likely to deviate from the traveling lane of the own vehicle based on the travel lane marking (for example, deviation determination unit 54 in the embodiment) And a motion state detection means for detecting the motion state of the host vehicle (for example, the gyro sensor 32, the vehicle speed sensor 33, the vehicle state quantity sensor 34 in the embodiment) and the motion state detected by the motion state detection means. Based on A serial traffic lane is determined travel road determining means for determining is other than a straight road or a straight road (e.g., serving also as the road shape recognition unit 52 in the embodiment) performs a winding operation of the seat belt by an electric motor When it is determined that the travel lane is other than a straight road according to the determination results of the seat belt retractor (for example, the retractor 62 in the embodiment) and the departure determination unit and the travel path determination unit. Seat belt winding control means for controlling the operation of the seat belt winding means to generate stepwise tension in the tightening direction by repeating normal rotation and stationary of the electric motor (for example, the seat in the embodiment) Belt control unit 42).

According to the travel safety device for a vehicle described above, the determination result as to whether or not the own vehicle deviates from or is likely to deviate from the travel lane of the own vehicle, and the travel lane is a straight road or other than a straight road. By controlling the seat belt retracting operation in accordance with the determination result, it is possible to cause the driver to appropriately recognize an alarm relating to the lane departure of the host vehicle.
When it is determined that the driving lane is other than a straight road, the lane departure on the curve is deviated by the behavior of the seat belt by generating stepwise tension in the tightening direction by repeating the forward rotation and stationary of the electric motor. A warning is issued to the passenger.

  Furthermore, in the vehicle travel safety device according to the second aspect of the present invention, the seat belt winding control means includes the case where the travel lane determining means determines that the travel lane is a straight road, and the travel The operation content of the seat belt winding means is changed with respect to the case where it is determined that the lane is other than a straight road.

  According to the vehicle safety device described above, the content of the seat belt retracting operation is changed between the case where the traveling lane is determined to be a straight road and the case where the traveling lane is determined to be other than the straight road Thus, the driver can appropriately recognize the risk of lane departure of the host vehicle, and the occupant's protection operation can be appropriately executed according to the risk.

As described above, according to the vehicle travel safety device of the present invention, it is possible to cause the driver to appropriately recognize an alarm related to lane departure of the host vehicle.
Furthermore, according to the vehicle travel safety device of the present invention as set forth in claim 2, it is possible to make the driver appropriately recognize the risk of lane departure of the host vehicle, and to protect the occupant according to this risk. The operation can be appropriately executed.

  A vehicle travel safety device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle travel safety device 10 according to the present embodiment includes, for example, an imaging device 11 and a radar device 12, a navigation device 13, a control device 14, and a safety device that constitute an external sensor. A seat belt device 15, an alarm device 16, an electric power steering (EPS) actuator 17, and a brake actuator 18 are configured.

The imaging device 11 is configured to include a camera 11a and an image processing unit 11b made up of, for example, a CCD camera or a CMOS camera capable of imaging in the visible light region or the infrared region, and the camera 11a is configured as shown in FIG. It is arranged at a position near the rear mirror on the vehicle interior side of the front window, and images the outside of a predetermined detection range in front of the traveling direction of the host vehicle through the front window. The image processing unit 11b performs predetermined image processing such as filtering and binarization processing on the image obtained by photographing with the camera 11a, generates image data, and outputs the image data to the control device 14.
The radar device 12 includes a radar 12a such as a laser beam or a millimeter wave and a radar control unit 12b. The radar 12a includes, for example, a nose portion of a vehicle body or a vehicle as shown in FIG. An emission signal such as a laser beam or a millimeter wave is appropriately detected in accordance with a control command that is arranged near the front window of the room or the like and is input from the control device 14 to the radar controller 12b (for example, the traveling direction of the host vehicle). Forward, etc.), and when the transmission signal is reflected by an object (detection target) outside the host vehicle, the reflection signal is received, and the reflection signal and the transmission signal are mixed to beat A signal is generated and output to the control device 14.

The navigation device 13 includes, for example, a current position detection unit 21, a map data storage unit 22, a navigation processing unit 23, an input unit 24, and a display unit 25.
Further, the current position detection unit 21 corrects an error in the GPS signal using, for example, a GPS (Global Positioning System) signal for measuring the position of the vehicle using an artificial satellite or an appropriate base station, for example. A positioning signal receiving unit 31 that receives a positioning signal such as a D (Differential) GPS signal for improving positioning accuracy, and an inclination angle (for example, a longitudinal axis of the vehicle) A gyro sensor 32 that detects a tilt angle with respect to the vertical direction and a yaw angle that is a rotation angle of the center of gravity of the vehicle about the vertical axis, and a change amount of the tilt angle (for example, a yaw rate) and a vehicle speed (vehicle speed) are detected. A vehicle speed sensor 33, and the current position of the vehicle by a received positioning signal or by an autonomous navigation calculation process based on a detection signal such as a vehicle speed or a yaw rate. The position is calculated.

  The map data storage unit 22 includes a computer-readable storage medium such as a magnetic disk device such as a hard disk device or an optical disk device such as a CD-ROM, CD-R, MO, or DVD. The map data storage unit 22 stores road data such as road width data, intersection angles of multiple roads, intersection shapes and positions, and the like as map data for displaying a map on the display unit 25, for example. Yes.

For example, for the road data acquired from the map data storage unit 22, the navigation processing unit 23 performs the positioning signal and / or autonomous navigation calculation processing in the current position detection unit 21 or the vehicle current obtained from either of them. Map matching is performed based on the position information, the result of position detection is corrected, and the current position of the detected vehicle, or an appropriate input input by the operator via the input unit 24 including various switches, a keyboard, etc. The map display on the display unit 25 is controlled with respect to the position of the vehicle.
In addition, the navigation processing unit 23 executes processing such as vehicle route search and route guidance, and displays, for example, route information to the destination and various additional information along with the road data acquired from the map data storage unit 22. To the unit 25.

The control device 14 includes a determination processing unit 41, a seat belt control unit 42, an alarm control unit 43, a steering control unit 44, and a brake control unit 45. The control device 14 includes, for example, A sensor that detects a steering angle (direction and magnitude of a steering angle input by a driver) and steering torque, a turn signal SW that outputs a signal indicating a turn-on / off state of a brake, a brake SW, and the like are provided. Each signal output from the vehicle state quantity sensor 34 is input.
Further, the determination processing unit 41 includes an object detection unit 51, a road shape recognition unit 52, a movement trajectory calculation unit 53, and a departure determination 54.

The object detection unit 51 is based on the image data input from the imaging device 11 or the beat signal output from the radar device 12, and the stationary object present in each detection area of the camera 11a or the radar 12a in the traveling direction of the host vehicle. An object composed of a moving body is detected, and a relative position, a relative distance, and a relative speed between the detected object and the host vehicle are detected.
The road shape recognition unit 52 acquires the road data stored in the map data storage unit 22 and detects the road shape (for example, a curve or the like) in the traveling direction or the traveling direction of the host vehicle based on the road data.

Further, the road shape recognition unit 52 recognizes the traveling shape of the host vehicle and the road shape in the traveling direction based on, for example, image data input from the imaging device 11 or a detection result by the object detection unit 51.
For example, the road shape recognition unit 52 recognizes the road shape by detecting a travel lane line for the travel lane of the host vehicle on the image data input from the imaging device 11.
In addition, for example, the road shape recognition unit 52 includes a plurality of stationary objects detected by the object detection unit 51, such as an arrangement state of roadside structures such as guardrails and reflectors, a single moving body (for example, a preceding vehicle, Based on the time change (that is, the movement trajectory) of the position of the oncoming vehicle or the like, the position states of a plurality of moving bodies, etc., the traveling path of the host vehicle and the road shape in the traveling direction are recognized.

  The movement trajectory calculation unit 53 includes, for example, a time change of the current position of the host vehicle detected by the current position detection unit 21, a traveling state of the host vehicle, for example, the speed of the host vehicle detected by the vehicle speed sensor 33, and the gyro. Based on the yaw rate of the host vehicle detected by the sensor 32, the movement locus of the host vehicle is calculated.

  The departure determination unit 54 includes the movement trajectory PR of the host vehicle P calculated by the movement trajectory calculation unit 53, the road shape recognized by the road shape recognition unit 52, and each signal output from the vehicle state quantity sensor 34. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, the host vehicle P deviates to the oncoming lane side on a straight road SR based on (for example, a detection signal of a steering angle or steering torque, or a signal indicating an on / off state of a direction indicator). Assuming that the host vehicle P deviates to the opposite lane side in the curve CR as shown in FIG. 4, for example, whether the host vehicle has deviated from the traveling lane of the host vehicle, Whether or not there is a possibility of deviating from the traveling lane of the host vehicle is determined together with the driving intention of the driver.

When the determination result by the departure determination unit 54 determines that the own vehicle has deviated from or may deviate from the traveling lane of the own vehicle, contrary to the driver's driving intention. In addition, the winding operation of the seat belt device 15 is executed.
The seat belt device 15 includes a seat belt 61 that can restrain an occupant to the seat S, and a retractor (winding device) 62 that winds the seat belt 61.
One end of the seat belt 61 is fixed to the vehicle body floor via a lower anchor 71 disposed outside the passenger compartment with respect to the seat S, and the other end of the seat belt 61 is near the upper portion of the seat back 72. It is connected to the retractor 62 through a shoulder anchor 74 installed on the center pillar 73.

Further, the seat belt 61 is inserted between the lower anchor 71 and the shoulder anchor 74 through a tongue plate 75. The tongue plate 75 is attached to and detached from a buckle 76 attached to the vehicle body floor on the vehicle interior side with respect to the seat S. Has been made possible.
The seat belt device 15 includes a buckle switch 77. The buckle switch 77 sends an ON signal to the seat belt control unit 42 when the tongue plate 75 is engaged with the buckle 76 (that is, when the seat belt is worn). When the tongue plate 75 is released from the buckle 76 (that is, when the seat belt is not attached), an OFF signal is output to the seat belt control unit 42.

  The retractor 62 is installed inside the center pillar 73. For example, an explosive-type irreversible first fastening device (not shown) that pulls the seat belt 61 instantaneously and fastens it with an explosive force using explosives when a collision occurs. ) And a reversible second tightening device that pulls and tightens the seat belt 61 with the driving force of the electric motor 62a. In other words, the second fastening device winds up the seat belt 61 in the tightening direction by forcibly rotating the reel (not shown) that winds up the seat belt 61 in the retractor 62 by forward rotation of the electric motor 62a. On the other hand, the seat belt 61 is fed out in the tightening release direction by forcibly reversing the reel by the reverse rotation of the electric motor 62a.

For example, when the seat belt 61 is pulled out from the retractor 62 in the state where the seat belt is not attached, the seat belt control unit 42 sets the magnitude of the forward rotation torque of the electric motor 62a to a relatively small value. Thus, the occupant is set so that the seat belt 61 can be pulled out of the retractor 62 when the seat belt 61 is worn.
When the tongue plate 75 is engaged with the buckle 76, the seat belt controller 42 sets the magnitude of the forward rotation torque of the electric motor 62a to a relatively medium value. Accordingly, the occupant is set to be restrained by the tension of the seat belt 61 that does not cause the occupant to feel the pressure.
Next, when the tongue plate 75 is released from the buckle 76, the seat belt control unit 42 sets the magnitude of the forward rotation torque of the electric motor 62a to a relatively large value. As a result, the seat belt 61 is set so as to be quickly wound onto the retractor 62.

  Further, in the seat belt wearing state, as a result of determination by the departure determination unit 54, it is determined that the host vehicle P has deviated to the oncoming lane side or may deviate on the straight road SR as shown in FIG. In this case, the seat belt control unit 42 alternately performs forward rotation of the electric motor 62a that increases the tightening force of the seat belt 61 and reverse rotation of the electric motor 62a that releases the tightening of the seat belt 61 within a predetermined time. The electric motor 29a is driven so as to repeat a predetermined number of times. As a result, the generation of tension due to the winding of the seat belt 61, that is, driving in the tightening direction, and the release of tension generated by the driving of the seat belt 61, that is, driving in the tightening releasing direction, are alternately repeated a plurality of times within a predetermined time. Accordingly, a warning about lane departure on a straight road is notified to the occupant by the behavior of the seat belt 61.

  Further, when the departure determination unit 54 determines that the host vehicle P has deviated to the oncoming lane or is likely to deviate on the curve CR as shown in FIG. 43 in the seat belt wearing state. In this case, the seat belt control unit 42 alternately performs forward rotation of the electric motor 62a that increases the tightening force of the seat belt 61 and stationary of the electric motor 62a that maintains the tightening force of the seat belt 61 within a predetermined time. The electric motor 29a is driven so as to repeat a predetermined number of times. As a result, a gradual tension is generated by a gradual winding of the seat belt 61, that is, a gradual driving in the tightening direction, and the behavior of the seat belt 61 alerts the occupant to a lane departure on a curve. To be notified.

  The alarm control unit 43 audible alarms such as voices when it is determined that the own vehicle has deviated from or may deviate from the traveling lane of the own vehicle according to the determination result by the departure determining unit 54. The alarm device 16 outputs a visual alarm such as an alarm or a display and a tactile alarm such as a steering vibration.

The steering control unit 44 determines the traveling direction of the host vehicle when it is determined that the host vehicle deviates from or may deviate from the traveling lane of the host vehicle according to the determination result by the departure determining unit 54. The assist amount of the torque required to drive the host vehicle along the travel division line on the road is calculated. Then, under a predetermined condition, a torque command for outputting the assist amount from the EPS actuator 17 is output. For example, the steering control unit 44 uses an EPS actuator to drive the host vehicle along the lane center as the host vehicle moves away from the center of the lane of the travel lane recognized by the road shape recognition unit 52. It sets so that the assist torque output from 17 may change in an increasing tendency.
Further, the steering control unit 44 calculates an assist amount for power steering that assists the steering torque, for example, according to the steering torque input from the driver detected by the vehicle state quantity sensor 34, and the assist amount. Assist torque is calculated as a torque command for causing the EPS actuator 17 to output the EPS actuator 17, and the EPS actuator 17 is driven.

  When it is determined that the host vehicle has deviated from or may deviate from the traveling lane of the host vehicle according to the determination result by the departure determination unit 54, the brake control unit 45 The brake actuator 15 is actuated to automatically decelerate the vehicle.

  The vehicle travel safety device 10 according to the present embodiment has the above-described configuration. Next, the seatbelt control unit 42 according to the operation of the vehicle travel safety device 10, particularly the determination result in the departure determination unit 54. The operation will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

First, for example, in step S01 shown in FIG. 6, the recognition result of the traveling lane of the host vehicle on the road data acquired from the map data storage unit 22 or the image data obtained by photographing by the photographing device 11, or the outside world Based on the movement trajectory of the object detected in the detection area of the sensor, information on the position of the plurality of objects, and the like, the road shape of the traveling path of the host vehicle is recognized.
Next, in step S02, based on the time change of the current position of the host vehicle detected by the current position detection unit 21 and the traveling state of the host vehicle (for example, the speed and yaw rate of the host vehicle), While calculating a movement locus, the traveling lane of the own vehicle is recognized based on the recognition result of the traveling lane of the own vehicle on the image data obtained by the map matching in the navigation processing unit 23 and the photographing of the photographing device 11.

Next, in step S03, it is determined whether or not the own vehicle has deviated from the traveling lane of the own vehicle or is likely to deviate.
When the determination result is “NO”, the series of processes is terminated.
On the other hand, if this determination is “YES”, the flow proceeds to step S 04.
In step S04, it is determined whether or not a lane change operation (for example, a turn-on operation of a direction indicator) by the driver is not performed.
If the determination result in step S05 is “NO”, the series of processing ends.
If the determination result of step S05 is “YES”, the process proceeds to step S05.

In step S05, it is determined whether or not the traveling road on which the host vehicle has deviated or is determined to deviate is a straight road.
If this determination is “YES”, the flow proceeds to step S 06, and in this step S 06, as a normal alarm, the fastening of the seat belt 61 and the releasing of the tightening are alternately repeated, and a warning about lane departure on a straight road Is notified to the occupant, and the series of processing ends.
When the determination result is “NO”, the process proceeds to step S07. In step S07, as a special alarm, a process of increasing the tightening force of the seat belt 61 and a process of maintaining the tightening force are alternately repeated. In addition to notifying the occupant of a warning about a lane departure on a curve, the restraint force on the occupant is increased step by step, and the series of processing ends.

As described above, according to the traveling safety device 10 for a vehicle according to the present embodiment, the determination result as to whether or not the own vehicle deviates from or is likely to deviate from the traveling lane of the own vehicle, and the traveling lane. By controlling the winding operation of the seat belt 61 in accordance with the determination result as to whether the vehicle is a straight road or other than a straight road, it is possible to make the driver appropriately recognize an alarm relating to the departure from the lane of the host vehicle. .
Moreover, by changing the content of the winding operation of the seat belt 61 when the traveling lane is determined to be a straight road and when the traveling lane is determined to be other than a straight road, the lane of the host vehicle is changed. It is possible to make the driver appropriately recognize the risk of departure, and to appropriately perform the occupant protection operation according to the risk.

1 is a functional block diagram illustrating a configuration of a vehicle travel safety device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a plan view of a vehicle schematically showing an imaging device, a radar device, and a seat belt device that constitute an external sensor. It is a figure which shows an example of the state from which the own vehicle P which is drive | working the straight road SR deviates from a driving lane. It is a figure which shows an example of the state from which the own vehicle P which is drive | working curve CR deviates from a driving lane. It is a block diagram of the seatbelt apparatus shown in FIG. It is a flowchart which shows operation | movement of the vehicle travel safety apparatus shown in FIG.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Vehicle safety device 11 Imaging device (imaging means)
42 Seat belt control section (seat belt winding control means)
52 Road shape recognition unit (travel line recognition means, travel route determination means)
62 Retractor (seat belt retracting means)
32 Gyro sensor (motion state detection means)
33 Vehicle speed sensor (motion state detection means)
34 Vehicle state quantity sensor (motion state detecting means)

Claims (2)

Photographing means for photographing the traveling road in the traveling direction of the host vehicle;
A travel lane marking recognition means for recognizing a travel lane marking from an image captured by the photographing means;
Deviation determining means for determining whether or not the own vehicle has deviated from or is likely to deviate from the traveling lane of the own vehicle based on the traveling lane line recognized by the traveling lane marking recognition means;
Motion state detection means for detecting the motion state of the host vehicle;
Travel path determination means for determining whether the travel lane is a straight road or other than a straight road based on the motion state detected by the motion state detection means;
Seat belt winding means for performing a seat belt winding operation by an electric motor ;
When the travel lane is determined to be other than a straight road according to the determination results of the departure determination unit and the travel path determination unit, the operation of the seat belt winding unit is changed between normal rotation and stationary of the electric motor. And a seat belt winding control means for controlling to generate stepwise tension in the tightening direction by repeating the above . The seat belt take-up control means, when the travel road determination means determines that the travel lane is a straight road, and when the travel lane is determined to be other than a straight road, 2. The vehicle travel safety device according to claim 1, wherein the operation content of the seat belt retracting means is changed.

Images