JP5262124B2 - Vehicle travel control device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle travel control device, and more particularly, to a vehicle travel control device that performs travel control when a stopped vehicle follows a preceding vehicle and starts traveling.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a vehicle control device that performs vehicle travel control, a vehicle travel control device that performs vehicle control following a preceding vehicle is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In this vehicle travel control device, when the preceding vehicle is traveling, travel control is performed to keep the distance between the preceding vehicle constant, and when the preceding vehicle is stopped, stop holding control is performed to stop the host vehicle. Do. When the preceding vehicle that has been stopped starts traveling while the stop holding control is being performed, the host vehicle also starts traveling and shifts to the follow-up control as the preceding vehicle starts.

Here, the start of the preceding vehicle is performed, for example, by measuring the inter-vehicle distance between the host vehicle and the preceding vehicle. The distance between the vehicle and the preceding vehicle is measured while the host vehicle is stopped, and when the amount of change in the distance between the vehicles exceeds a predetermined threshold, it is determined that the preceding vehicle has started. When it is determined that the preceding vehicle has started, the stop holding control is shifted to the follow-up control.
JP 2006-56398 A

  By the way, in this type of vehicle travel control device, even if the shift lever is positioned in the drive range, the gear is set to the neutral range during the stop holding control, and the gear is set to the drive range when shifting to the follow-up control. I am doing so. In addition, when the driver operates the accelerator pedal and restarts without detecting the start of the preceding vehicle during the stop holding control, the gear is moved from the neutral range when the accelerator pedal operation is detected. I try to change the drive range. For this reason, when the vehicle shifts from the neutral range to the drive range, the host vehicle starts at the same time or immediately after the shift. Therefore, when the host vehicle in a stopped state starts, the shock that occurs when the vehicle moves from the neutral range to the drive range. There was a problem of giving to the driver.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle travel control device that can reduce the feeling of shock given to a driver when the host vehicle in a stopped and held state starts.

A vehicle travel control device according to the present invention that has solved the above-mentioned problems is a vehicle travel control device that travels following the preceding vehicle, and includes a preceding vehicle start detection unit that detects the start of the preceding vehicle being stopped. A host vehicle starting unit that starts the host vehicle in response to the start of the preceding vehicle, and a start preparation state transition unit that shifts the host vehicle from the stop-holding state to the start preparation state before the stopped host vehicle starts. And a stop lamp lighting detection means for detecting the lighting state of the stop lamp of the preceding vehicle, the start preparation state transition means, when the stop lamp lighting detection means detects that the stop lamp of the preceding vehicle is extinguished, The vehicle is shifted from the stop holding state to the start preparation state,
Vehicle starting means, the vehicle completed migration start preparation state transition means in which to start the vehicle after a start preparation state.

  In the vehicle travel control device according to the present invention, the stop lamp detecting means is provided in the preceding vehicle in the start preparation state in which the own vehicle is shifted from the stop holding state to the start preparation state before the stopped own vehicle starts. When the stop lamp is turned off, the host vehicle is shifted from the stop holding state to the start preparation state. For this reason, the host vehicle does not start from the stop holding state, but starts after the start preparation state. Therefore, it is possible to reduce a shock feeling given to the driver when the own vehicle in the stopped holding state starts.

The vehicle travel control device according to the present invention that has solved the above-mentioned problems is a vehicle travel control device that travels following the preceding vehicle, and detects the start of the preceding vehicle that is stopped. A vehicle starting means for starting the host vehicle in response to the start of the preceding vehicle, and a start preparation state for shifting the host vehicle from the stop holding state to the start preparation state before the stopped host vehicle starts. Transition means, and the own vehicle starting means starts the own vehicle when the relative speed of the preceding vehicle with respect to the own vehicle exceeds a predetermined first speed threshold, and the starting preparation state shifting means When the relative speed of the preceding vehicle with respect to the vehicle exceeds a predetermined second speed threshold value smaller than the first speed threshold value, the host vehicle is shifted from the stop holding state to the start preparation state, The vehicle start means Completed migration ready state means a vehicle in which to start the vehicle after a start preparation state.

  In the vehicle travel control device according to the present invention, when the relative speed between the preceding vehicle and the host vehicle exceeds the first speed threshold, the host vehicle starts, but is smaller than the first speed threshold. When the predetermined second speed threshold value is exceeded, the host vehicle is shifted from the stop holding state to the start preparation state. For this reason, since the own vehicle can be shifted from the stop holding state to the start preparation state before the own vehicle starts, the shock feeling given to the driver when the own vehicle in the stop holding state starts is reduced. be able to.

Furthermore, a vehicle travel control device according to the present invention that has solved the above problems is a vehicle travel control device that travels following the preceding vehicle, and detects the start of the preceding vehicle that is stopped. A vehicle starting means for starting the host vehicle in response to the start of the preceding vehicle, and a start preparation state for shifting the host vehicle from the stop holding state to the start preparation state before the stopped host vehicle starts. Transition means, and when the relative distance between the host vehicle and the preceding vehicle exceeds a predetermined first distance threshold, the host vehicle starts, the start preparation state transition means, When the relative distance between the host vehicle and the preceding vehicle exceeds a predetermined second distance threshold that is shorter than the first distance threshold, the host vehicle is shifted from the stop holding state to the start preparation state. The own vehicle starting means transfers the start preparation state. Vehicle moves is completed by means in which to start the vehicle after a start preparation state.

  In the vehicle travel control device according to the present invention, the host vehicle starts when the relative distance between the preceding vehicle and the host vehicle exceeds the first distance threshold, but is shorter than the first distance threshold. When the predetermined second distance threshold is exceeded, the host vehicle is shifted from the stop holding state to the start preparation state. For this reason, since the own vehicle can be shifted from the stop holding state to the start preparation state before the own vehicle starts, the shock feeling given to the driver when the own vehicle in the stop holding state starts is reduced. be able to.

  In each of the vehicle control devices, the stop holding state is a state where the driving range of the own vehicle is a neutral range, and the start preparation state is a state where the driving range of the own vehicle is a driving range. Can do.

  In this way, the drive range can be set to the neutral range when in the stop holding state, and the drive range can be set to the drive range when in the start preparation state.

  According to the vehicle travel control device of the present invention, it is possible to reduce a feeling of shock given to the driver when the own vehicle in the stopped holding state starts.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the description of the drawings, the same elements are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description is omitted. For the convenience of illustration, the dimensional ratios in the drawings do not necessarily match those described.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a vehicle travel control apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle travel control apparatus according to the present embodiment includes an inter-vehicle control ECU 1. The inter-vehicle control ECU 1 according to the present embodiment performs full vehicle speed tracking control (ACC: Adaptive Cruise Control). In the all-vehicle speed tracking control here, control is performed to track the preceding vehicle regardless of whether the host vehicle is stopped or traveling. For example, when the preceding vehicle is traveling, follow-up control is performed to follow the preceding vehicle while maintaining a constant distance or a constant speed relationship with the preceding vehicle. Further, when the preceding vehicle is stopped, start control is performed to start the own vehicle following the start of the preceding vehicle when the preceding vehicle starts.

  A camera 2, a millimeter wave radar 3, and a stop lamp switch 4 are connected to the inter-vehicle control ECU 1. Further, a cruise setting switch 5, an accelerator opening sensor 6, and a vehicle speed sensor 7 are connected to the inter-vehicle control ECU 1. Further, an engine ECU 8 and a brake ECU 9 are connected to the inter-vehicle control ECU 1. The engine ECU 8 and the brake ECU 9 transmit / receive information to / from the inter-vehicle control ECU 1 via a CAN (Control Area Network). A throttle actuator 10 and an AT (automatic transmission) 11 are connected to the engine ECU 8, and a brake actuator 12 is connected to the brake ECU 9.

  The camera 2 is a stereo camera that captures the front of the vehicle, and captures an image in front of the vehicle, particularly the rear portion of the preceding vehicle. The camera 2 transmits the captured image as an image signal to an image processing unit (not shown). The image processing unit detects the brake lamp of the preceding vehicle in the image by performing image processing on the image signal. In addition, when the brake lamp is detected, the image processing unit determines a lighting state of the brake lamp and determines whether the brake lamp is ON or OFF. The image processing unit transmits brake lamp information corresponding to the lighting state of the brake lamp to the inter-vehicle control ECU 1.

  The millimeter wave radar 3 is attached to the front side of the vehicle, and detects the inter-vehicle distance from the preceding vehicle. The millimeter wave radar 3 transmits the detected inter-vehicle distance to the inter-vehicle control ECU 1 as inter-vehicle distance information.

  The stop lamp switch 4 is a switch provided on a brake pedal in the vehicle interior, and detects whether or not the brake pedal has been depressed. The stop lamp switch 4 transmits brake pedal on / off information to the inter-vehicle control ECU 1.

  The cruise setting switch 5 is a switch provided in a range that can be reached by the driver in the vehicle interior, and transmits a follow-up control start signal to the inter-vehicle control ECU 1 when turned on. The cruise setting switch 5 becomes a switch for determining the set vehicle speed after the follow-up control is started. The cruise setting switch 5 sends a set vehicle speed signal to the inter-vehicle control ECU 1 when the set vehicle speed is determined.

  The accelerator opening sensor 6 is provided, for example, in an accelerator pedal in the passenger compartment, and detects the amount of depression of the accelerator pedal. The accelerator opening sensor 6 obtains the accelerator opening from the detected depression amount of the accelerator pedal, and transmits it to the inter-vehicle control ECU 1 as an accelerator opening signal.

  The vehicle speed sensor 7 is provided, for example, on a vehicle wheel, and detects the actual vehicle speed from the rotational speed of the wheel. The vehicle speed sensor 7 transmits the detected actual vehicle speed to the inter-vehicle control ECU 1 as a vehicle speed signal.

  The inter-vehicle control ECU 1 transmits the inter-vehicle distance information transmitted from the millimeter wave radar 3, the on / off information transmitted from the stop lamp switch 4, the set vehicle speed signal transmitted from the cruise setting switch 5, and the accelerator opening sensor 6. Based on the accelerator opening signal, the target vehicle speed of the host vehicle is calculated. The inter-vehicle control ECU 1 transmits the acceleration / deceleration obtained by comparing the calculated target vehicle speed of the host vehicle and the actual vehicle speed obtained from the vehicle speed signal transmitted from the vehicle speed sensor 7 to the engine ECU 8 and the brake ECU 9 as an acceleration / deceleration signal. .

  The inter-vehicle control ECU 1 monitors the inter-vehicle distance information transmitted from the millimeter wave radar 3 when the preceding vehicle is stopped, and detects the start of the preceding vehicle when the inter-vehicle distance exceeds a predetermined value. To do. After the start of the preceding vehicle is detected, if the condition for starting the host vehicle is satisfied, the follow-up control for starting the host vehicle and following the preceding vehicle is started.

  The inter-vehicle control ECU 1 measures the elapsed time after the host vehicle stops. When the elapsed time measured here exceeds a predetermined threshold value, a neutral range shift signal for shifting the drive range to the neutral range is transmitted to the engine ECU 8 regardless of the position of the gear for selecting the drive range. Further, when the drive range is shifted from the neutral range to the drive range, a drive range shift signal is transmitted to the engine ECU 8.

  Further, the inter-vehicle control ECU 1 monitors the brake lamp of the preceding vehicle when it is in the stop-holding state, and detects a change from ON to OFF of the brake lamp caused by turning off the brake lamp of the preceding vehicle. Here, when a change from ON to OFF of the brake lamp of the preceding vehicle is detected, a drive range shift signal for shifting the drive range to the drive range is transmitted to the engine ECU 8.

  The engine ECU 8 is a control device that controls the throttle actuator 10 and the AT 11 in the engine, and sets the necessary throttle valve target opening based on the acceleration / deceleration signal transmitted from the inter-vehicle control ECU 1. The engine ECU 8 transmits the target opening as a throttle opening signal to the throttle actuator 10.

  Further, the engine ECU 8 shifts the drive range of the AT 11 to the neutral range and the drive range, respectively, according to the neutral range shift signal and the drive range shift signal transmitted from the inter-vehicle control ECU 1.

  The throttle actuator 10 is an actuator that adjusts the opening of the throttle valve. The throttle actuator 10 operates according to a throttle opening signal transmitted from the engine ECU 8 and adjusts the opening of the throttle valve. The AT 11 shifts the drive range to a neutral range or a drive range based on a command from the engine ECU 8.

  The brake ECU 9 is a control device that controls the brake, and sets a target deceleration based on the acceleration / deceleration signal transmitted from the inter-vehicle control ECU 1. The brake ECU 9 sets the brake hydraulic pressure of the wheel cinder of each wheel necessary for achieving the target deceleration, and transmits it to the brake actuator 12 as a brake hydraulic pressure signal.

  The brake actuator 12 is an actuator that controls the hydraulic pressure of the wheel cylinder. The brake actuator 12 operates the actuator in accordance with a brake hydraulic pressure signal transmitted from the brake ECU 9 to generate a predetermined hydraulic pressure in the wheel cylinder.

  Next, the control procedure of the vehicle travel control apparatus according to this embodiment will be described. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a control procedure of the vehicle travel control apparatus according to the present embodiment. This procedure is performed when the preceding vehicle and the host vehicle are stopped.

  As shown in FIG. 2, in the vehicle travel control apparatus according to the present embodiment, first, it is determined whether or not the host vehicle is in a stop-holding state (S1). The stop holding state is determined based on the traveling state of the host vehicle and the position of the drive range. Here, when the host vehicle is stopped and the drive range is the neutral range, it is determined that the vehicle is in the stopped holding state.

  As a result of determining whether or not the vehicle is in the stop holding state, if it is determined that the vehicle is not in the stop holding state, the control process is terminated. On the other hand, when it is determined that the vehicle is in the stop holding state, it is determined whether or not the brake lamp of the preceding vehicle has changed from ON to OFF (S2). The lighting state of the brake lamp of the preceding vehicle is determined based on the brake lamp information based on the brake lamp information obtained by the image processing unit based on the image signal transmitted from the camera 2.

  As a result, when the lighting state of the brake lamp does not change from ON to OFF, for example, when the lighting state of the brake lamp remains ON or remains OFF, the process proceeds to step S4. On the other hand, if it is determined that the lighting state of the brake lamp has changed from ON to OFF, an N (neutral) control return request is made (S3). In the N control return request, the stop holding control is canceled and the stop holding state is shifted to the start preparation state. Specifically, the drive range is shifted from the neutral range to the drive range.

  Subsequently, it is determined whether or not an accelerator operation is performed (S4). The presence or absence of the accelerator operation is determined based on the accelerator opening signal transmitted from the accelerator opening sensor 6. As a result, when it is determined that the accelerator operation has been performed, the start control for starting the host vehicle is performed (S5), and the control is terminated. At this time, follow-up control according to the traveling speed of the preceding vehicle is started.

  If it is determined that there is no accelerator operation, the presence / absence of lever operation is determined (S6). Whether or not the lever is operated is determined by whether or not a follow-up control start signal is transmitted from the cruise setting switch 5. As a result, when a follow-up start signal is transmitted from the cruise setting switch 5 and it is determined that a lever operation has been performed, start control for starting the host vehicle is performed (S5), and the control is terminated. On the other hand, if it is determined that the follow-up start signal has not been transmitted and the lever has not been operated, the control is terminated as it is.

  As described above, in the vehicle travel control apparatus according to the present embodiment, when the brake lamp of the preceding vehicle changes from ON to OFF, the drive range is changed from the neutral range to the drive range regardless of whether the accelerator operation or the lever operation is performed. I am trying to migrate to. When the host vehicle starts traveling, the drive range is shifted to the drive range. For this reason, since the own vehicle can be shifted from the stop holding state to the start preparation state before the own vehicle starts, the shock feeling given to the driver when the own vehicle in the stop holding state starts is reduced. be able to.

  Next, the difference in shock feeling given to the driver between the conventional travel control device and the travel control device of the present embodiment will be described. 3A is a time chart in the conventional vehicle travel control apparatus, and FIG. 3B is a time chart in the vehicle travel control apparatus according to the present embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 3 (a), in the conventional vehicle travel control device, the inter-vehicle distance exceeds a predetermined threshold with respect to the time t11 when the preceding vehicle starts and the inter-vehicle distance starts to open. As the accelerator opening gradually increases, the wheel cylinder (WC) pressure gradually decreases and the brake is released. At the same time, the drive range (shift range) starts to shift from the neutral range (N) to the drive range. When the shift to the drive range is completed at time t13, the accelerator opening is also maximized and the vehicle starts. In this case, since the shift to the drive range is completed at time t13 when the vehicle starts, a shock is given to the driver.

  In contrast, in the vehicle travel control apparatus according to the present embodiment, the shift range starts to shift from the neutral range to the drive range from time t21 when the brake lamp of the preceding vehicle is turned off. Thereafter, the accelerator opening gradually increases from time t22, the wheel cylinder (WC) pressure gradually decreases, and the brake is released. At the same time, the drive range (shift range) starts to shift from the neutral range (N) to the drive range. At this time, the shift range is in a state of shifting to the drive range. Then, after the shift range shifts to the drive range at time t23, the accelerator opening is maximized and the vehicle starts at time t24. In this case, since the shift range is shifted to the drive range at time t24 when the vehicle starts, the shock given to the driver can be suppressed to a small level.

  As described above, in the embodiment of the present invention, the drive range of the host vehicle is determined according to the lighting state of the brake lamp of the preceding vehicle, but the drive range is determined by factors other than the brake lamp of the preceding vehicle. It can also be set as the aspect to do. Specifically, the drive range is set to neutral when the relative speed between the host vehicle and the preceding vehicle exceeds a predetermined threshold or when the distance between the host vehicle and the preceding vehicle exceeds a predetermined threshold. The range can be shifted to the drive range.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 4A, when the relative speed of the preceding vehicle with respect to the host vehicle becomes the first speed v1, the drive range is shifted from the neutral range to the drive range, and the first speed v1 larger than the first speed v1. It can be set as the aspect which makes the own vehicle start when it becomes two speed v2. Here, for example, the first speed v1 can be set to 0.01 m / s, and the second speed v2 can be set to 0.03 m / s. Of course, other speeds can be set.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 4B, when the inter-vehicle distance between the host vehicle and the preceding vehicle becomes the first inter-vehicle distance l1, the drive range is shifted from the neutral range to the drive range, and the first inter-vehicle distance l1 The host vehicle can be started when the second inter-vehicle distance 12 becomes larger. Here, for example, the first inter-vehicle distance l1 can be set to 4 m, and the second inter-vehicle distance can be set to 7 m. Of course, other distances can be set.

  The preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described above, but the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, in the above embodiment, the lighting state of the brake lamp in the preceding vehicle is determined by image processing, but it can also be determined by vehicle-to-vehicle communication with the preceding vehicle or road-to-vehicle communication with the roadside device. Moreover, in the said embodiment, although the lighting state of a brake lamp and the relative speed of the own vehicle and a preceding vehicle are distinguished, the transition timing of a drive range is determined, but it can also determine combining these. For example, when the brake lamp of the preceding vehicle is lit when the host vehicle is stopped, the drive range is shifted by turning off the brake lamp, and the brake of the preceding vehicle is stopped when the host vehicle is stopped. When the lamp is not lit, the drive range can be shifted according to the relative speed between the host vehicle and the preceding vehicle.

It is a block block diagram of a vehicle travel control apparatus. It is a flowchart which shows the control procedure of a vehicle travel control apparatus. (A) is a time chart in the conventional vehicle travel control apparatus, (b) is a time chart in the vehicle travel control apparatus which concerns on this embodiment. (A) is a time chart showing the drive range transition timing according to the relative speed between the host vehicle and the preceding vehicle, and (b) is a time showing the drive range transition timing according to the inter-vehicle distance between the host vehicle and the preceding vehicle. There is a chart.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Vehicle distance control ECU, 2 ... Camera, 3 ... Millimeter wave radar, 4 ... Stop lamp switch, 5 ... Cruise setting switch, 6 ... Accelerator opening sensor, 7 ... Vehicle speed sensor, 8 ... Engine ECU, 9 ... Brake ECU, 10 ... Throttle actuator, 11 ... AT, 12 ... Brake actuator.

Claims (4)

A vehicle travel control device that causes the host vehicle to travel following the preceding vehicle,
Preceding vehicle start detection means for detecting the start of the preceding vehicle being stopped;
Own vehicle starting means for starting the own vehicle in response to the start of the preceding vehicle;
A start preparation state transition means for transitioning the host vehicle from a stop holding state to a start preparation state before the host vehicle being stopped starts;
Stop lamp lighting detecting means for detecting the lighting state of the stop lamp of the preceding vehicle;
With
The start preparation state transition means shifts the host vehicle from a stop holding state to a start preparation state when the stop lamp lighting detection means detects that the stop lamp of the preceding vehicle is turned off.
The vehicle starting means, the vehicle travel control device according to claim wherein it to start the vehicle after the vehicle the transition by the start preparation state transition means is completed becomes the start preparation state. A vehicle travel control device that causes the host vehicle to travel following the preceding vehicle,
Preceding vehicle start detection means for detecting the start of the preceding vehicle being stopped;
Own vehicle starting means for starting the own vehicle in response to the start of the preceding vehicle;
A start preparation state transition means for transitioning the host vehicle from a stop holding state to a start preparation state before the host vehicle being stopped starts;
With
The host vehicle starting means starts the host vehicle when a relative speed of the preceding vehicle with respect to the host vehicle exceeds a predetermined first speed threshold,
The start preparation state transition means stops and holds the host vehicle when a relative speed of the preceding vehicle with respect to the host vehicle exceeds a predetermined second speed threshold value smaller than the first speed threshold value. From the state to the start preparation state,
The vehicle starting means, the vehicle travel control device according to claim wherein it to start the vehicle after the vehicle the transition by the start preparation state transition means is completed becomes the start preparation state. A vehicle travel control device that causes the host vehicle to travel following the preceding vehicle,
Preceding vehicle start detection means for detecting the start of the preceding vehicle being stopped;
Own vehicle starting means for starting the own vehicle in response to the start of the preceding vehicle;
A start preparation state transition means for transitioning the host vehicle from a stop holding state to a start preparation state before the host vehicle being stopped starts;
With
The host vehicle starting means starts the host vehicle when a relative distance between the host vehicle and the preceding vehicle exceeds a predetermined first distance threshold,
The start preparation state transition means stops the host vehicle when a relative distance between the host vehicle and the preceding vehicle exceeds a predetermined second distance threshold that is shorter than the first distance threshold. To shift from the hold state to the start preparation state,
The vehicle starting means, the vehicle travel control device according to claim wherein it to start the vehicle after the vehicle the transition by the start preparation state transition means is completed becomes the start preparation state. The stop holding state is a state where the driving range of the host vehicle is a neutral range,
The vehicle travel control device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the start preparation state is a state in which a drive range of the host vehicle is a drive range.

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