JP6624675B2 - Automatic steering control device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an automatic steering control device for a vehicle.

  For example, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-377980, an external environment recognition device for recognizing the environment around the vehicle such as the shape of a road ahead of the vehicle is provided, and automatically based on the recognition result of the device. 2. Description of the Related Art An automatic steering control device for steering a vehicle is known.

JP 2000-377980 A

  In the automatic steering control device, for example, when the supply of power to the external environment recognition device is cut off due to a disconnection of a cable or the like, and the execution of the automatic steering process based on the recognition result of the external environment recognition device becomes impossible, Automatic steering immediately terminates abnormally. Therefore, the vehicle is not steered until the driver of the vehicle recognizes the abnormal termination of the automatic steering by a warning sound or the like and starts the manual steering, so that the behavior of the vehicle may be disturbed.

  An object of the present invention is to solve the above-described problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide an automatic steering control device capable of shifting to manual steering without disturbing the behavior of a vehicle when abnormal automatic steering processing ends.

  An automatic steering control device according to one embodiment of the present invention is an automatic steering control device that controls an operation of a steering device in a vehicle including an automatic steering system, and includes information on external environment of the vehicle and a road on which the vehicle is traveling. An instruction to calculate the latest route corresponding to the shape of the road immediately before the vehicle based on at least one of the latest information of the map information, and to output to the steering device to drive the vehicle along the latest route. An instruction value calculating unit that calculates a value, based on at least one of the external environment information and the map information, calculates a future course corresponding to a shape of a road on which the vehicle travels in the future, and along the future course. A steering instruction device including an estimated instruction value calculation unit that calculates an estimated instruction value estimated to be output to the steering device when the vehicle travels; A storage unit that stores the estimated instruction value received from the estimated instruction value calculation unit, and outputs the instruction value when the steering instruction device is operating normally, and detects an operation abnormality of the steering instruction device. In this case, among the estimated instruction values stored in the storage unit, the switching unit that outputs the estimated instruction value corresponding to the point where the vehicle is currently traveling, and the output from the switching unit A steering control unit including: a steering control unit configured to control an operation of the steering device based on the instruction value or the estimated instruction value.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to realize an automatic steering control device capable of shifting to manual steering without disturbing the behavior of the vehicle at the time of abnormal termination of the automatic steering process.

It is a block diagram showing composition of an automatic steering control device. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an estimated instruction value stored in a storage unit. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of the automatic steering control device.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the drawings used in the following description, the scale of each component is different in order to make each component recognizable in the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited only to the number of components, the shapes of the components, the ratio of the sizes of the components, and the relative positional relationship of the components described in the above.

  The automatic steering control device 1 of the present embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1 is a device that is mounted on a vehicle including an automatic steering system 100 and controls the operation of a steering device 9 included in the vehicle. The steering device 9 is, for example, an electric power steering device that includes an electric actuator and changes the steering angle of the vehicle according to the output of the electric actuator. The automatic steering control device 1 realizes an automatic driving function and a driving support function of the vehicle by the automatic steering system by controlling the steering device 9.

  The automatic steering system 100 includes a notification unit 5, an external environment recognition device 2, and a map information recognition device 4 in addition to the automatic steering control device 1.

  The notification unit 5 includes, for example, a display device that displays images and characters, a light-emitting device that emits light, a speaker that emits sound, a vibrator that emits vibration, or a combination thereof, and information from the automatic steering system 100 to the user. Is output.

  The external environment recognizing device 2 recognizes the shape of the traveling path ahead of the vehicle and the presence of objects existing on and around the traveling path based on information from a sensor that recognizes the external environment of the vehicle.

  The external environment recognition device 2 includes, for example, a stereo camera that puts the front of the vehicle in the field of view, and recognizes the environment in front of the vehicle by performing known image processing or the like on an image captured by the stereo camera. Specifically, the external environment recognition device 2 recognizes a linear sign provided on the road surface along the traveling path of the vehicle. The linear marking is a linear or broken road marking formed on the road surface along the left and right boundaries of the vehicle lane to indicate the vehicle lane. A device for recognizing an environment in front of a vehicle using a stereo camera is known, and a detailed description of the configuration will be omitted.

  The map information recognition device 4 includes a positioning device 4a that detects the current position (latitude and longitude) of the vehicle using at least one of a satellite positioning system, an inertial navigation device, and road-vehicle communication, and a map that stores map information. And an information storage unit 4b. The map information includes information indicating the shape of the road, such as the curvature of the road, the gradient of the vertical section, and the state of intersection with other roads.

  The map information recognition device 4 recognizes the shape of the traveling road ahead of the vehicle based on the current position of the vehicle detected by the positioning device 4a and the map information stored in the map information storage unit 4b.

  The automatic steering system 100 allows the vehicle to travel along the shape of the travel path by the automatic steering control device 1 based on the information on the shape of the travel path of the vehicle recognized by the external environment recognition device 2 and the map information recognition device 4. The operation of the steering device 9 is controlled as described above.

  The automatic steering control device 1 includes a steering instruction device 10 and a steering control device 20.

  Schematically, the steering instruction device 10 includes information on the shape of the traveling path of the vehicle recognized by one or both of the external environment recognition device 2 and the map information recognition device 4 and the vehicle speed such as the current speed and the yaw rate of the vehicle. An instruction value is calculated and output based on the behavior information. Here, the instruction value is information serving as a steering target value to be executed by the steering device 9 so that the vehicle travels along the shape of the traveling road. The instruction value may be, for example, a value of a steering torque to be generated by the steering device 9, or may be, for example, a value of a target steering angle to be changed by the steering device 9.

  Also, roughly, the steering control device 20 controls the operation of the steering device 9 based on the instruction value calculated by the steering instruction device 10. For example, when the instruction value is a steering torque value, the steering control device 20 causes the steering device 9 to generate a steering torque according to the instruction value. Further, for example, when the instruction value is the target steering angle, the steering device 9 is operated so that the steering angle becomes the target steering angle.

  Next, details of the steering instruction device 10 will be described. The steering instruction device 10 includes a computer in which a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, an input / output device, and the like are connected to a bus. The steering instruction device 10 includes an instruction value calculator 11 and an estimated instruction value calculator 12. These components included in the steering instruction device 10 may be implemented as separate hardware for executing individual functions, or may be implemented by software so that the CPU executes a predetermined program to achieve the individual functions. May be implemented in a specific way.

  The instruction value calculation unit 11 is configured to update the current route that the vehicle should travel on based on the latest information on the shape of the traveling path of the vehicle recognized by one or both of the external environment recognition device 2 and the map information recognition device 4. The route is calculated, and an instruction value to be given to the steering device 9 to cause the vehicle to travel along the latest route is calculated.

  In other words, the instruction value calculation unit 11 recognizes the latest road shape in front of the vehicle using the external environment recognition device 2 such as a stereo camera or the map information recognition device 4, and follows the vehicle shape along the road shape in the latest recognition result. Is calculated as the target value of the steering that should be immediately performed by the steering device 9 in order to make the vehicle travel.

  The instruction value calculation unit 11 calculates an instruction value at a predetermined period ΔT and outputs the instruction value to the steering control device 20. The value of the predetermined period ΔT is not particularly limited, but in the present embodiment, as an example, the period ΔT at which the steering instruction device 10 calculates and outputs the instruction value is 10 milliseconds. The value of the predetermined period ΔT may be variable.

  The estimated instruction value calculation unit 12 determines a future course in which the vehicle is predicted to travel in the future based on information on the shape of the traveling path of the vehicle recognized by one or both of the external environment recognition device 2 and the map information recognition device 4. Then, an estimated instruction value to be given to the steering device 9 when the vehicle travels along the future course is calculated. Here, the future may be a time when a predetermined time X has elapsed from the current time, or a time when the vehicle has traveled a predetermined distance D1 from a point where the vehicle is currently located. Note that the predetermined time X or the predetermined distance D1 may be variable.

  For example, the estimated instruction value calculation unit 12 recognizes the road shape in the traveling direction of the vehicle using the external environment recognition device 2 such as a stereo camera or the map information recognition device 4, and recognizes a predetermined time Y from the present. The future course which is the course when the vehicle travels along the road shape thus calculated is calculated. Then, at the time when a predetermined time X shorter than the time Y has elapsed from the present, the estimated instruction value calculation unit 12 calculates a target steering value to be performed by the steering device 9 in order to cause the vehicle to travel along the future course. Is calculated.

  Further, for example, the estimation instruction value calculation unit 12 recognizes the road shape in the vehicle traveling direction using the external environment recognition device 2 such as a stereo camera or the map information recognition device 4, and moves the vehicle along the recognized road shape to the current position. A future course which is a course until the vehicle travels a predetermined distance D2 from the current point is calculated. Then, when the vehicle has traveled a predetermined distance D1 shorter than the distance D2 from the current point, the estimated instruction value calculation unit 12 performs a steering operation to be performed by the steering device 9 in order to cause the vehicle to travel along the future course. Is calculated as the target instruction value.

  The estimated instruction value calculator 12 calculates an estimated instruction value at a predetermined period ΔT and outputs the estimated instruction value to the steering control device 20 in synchronization with the operation of the instruction value calculator 11 for calculating the instruction value.

  In the present embodiment, as an example, the estimated instruction value calculation unit 12 calculates an estimated instruction value at a point in time after X seconds that is a predetermined time has elapsed. In the present embodiment, as an example, X seconds is 5 seconds.

  Next, details of the steering control device 20 will be described. The steering control device 20 includes a computer in which a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, an input / output device, and the like are connected to a bus, and controls the steering device 9.

  The steering control device 20 includes a storage unit 21, an abnormality diagnosis unit 22, a switching unit 23, and a steering control unit 24.

  The storage unit 21 stores the estimated instruction value received from the estimated instruction value calculation unit 12 during a predetermined period in the past. In the present embodiment, as an example, the estimated instruction value received from the estimated instruction value calculation unit 12 in a predetermined period from the present to the past for a predetermined time X seconds is stored.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the estimated instruction value calculation unit 12 outputs an estimated instruction value corresponding to the steering of the vehicle after a lapse of a predetermined time X seconds from the present at every period ΔT seconds. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 2, the storage unit 21 stores the estimated instruction values of X / ΔT [pieces] received in the past X seconds. Then, when receiving a new estimated instruction value, the storage unit 21 deletes the stored estimated instruction value received at the oldest time. As described above, in the present embodiment, the predetermined time X is 5 seconds, and the predetermined period ΔT is 10 milliseconds. Therefore, the storage unit 21 stores the 500 estimated instruction values received in the past five seconds.

  In FIG. 2, t [sec] is the reception time of each estimated instruction value, and t = 0 is the current time. In the following, for the plurality of estimated indication values stored in the storage unit 21, the oldest estimated indication value received at t = − (X / ΔT) = − 5 is set to DATA (1), and the next to DATA (1). Are assigned so that the old estimated instruction value is DATA (2). That is, the latest estimated indication value is DATA (500), and the estimated indication value received 10 ms before DATA (500) is DATA (499).

  In FIG. 2, the storage area of the storage unit 21 is compared with a plurality of shelves vertically arranged in a row, and the lowermost row is the level where the oldest DATA (1) is stored. Shall be In this case, when a new estimation instruction value is received, the storage unit 21 deletes the contents of DATA (1) at the bottom and shifts the storage contents of all remaining stages down by one stage and stores them. . Then, the newly received estimation instruction value is stored in the uppermost DATA (500).

  FIG. 2 is shown for explanation, and the form in which the storage unit 21 stores a plurality of estimated instruction values is not limited to FIG. The storage unit 21 only needs to store, for all the estimated instruction values received during the stored predetermined period in the past, in a state where the individual reception times can be recognized by the switching unit 23 described later. In the example shown in FIG. 2, the switching unit 23 can recognize the time at which the estimated instruction value is received, depending on the stage in which the estimated instruction value is stored. For example, the storage unit 21 receives the estimated instruction value. The switching unit 23 may store the estimated instruction value reception time from the reception time value.

  The abnormality diagnosis unit 22 detects whether the operation of the steering instruction device 10 is normal. For example, when the output of the instruction value from the steering instruction device 10 is interrupted, the abnormality diagnosis unit 22 determines that the operation of the steering instruction device 10 is not normal but abnormal. An abnormality in the operation of the steering instruction device 10 may occur, for example, when power supply to the steering instruction device 10 is lost or when a communication path between the steering instruction device 10 and the steering control device 20 is cut off. . An abnormality in the operation of the steering instruction device 10 may also occur when the external environment recognition device 2 or the map information recognition device 4 cannot recognize the road shape.

  Note that a diagnostic device that determines whether the operation of the steering instruction device 10 is normal may be provided outside the steering control device 20. In this case, the abnormality diagnosis unit 22 detects whether the operation of the steering instruction device 10 is normal based on a signal output from a diagnosis device provided outside the steering control device 20.

  When the steering instruction device 10 is operating normally, the switching unit 23 outputs an instruction value received from the steering instruction device 10 to a steering control unit 24, which will be described later, and an operation abnormality of the steering instruction device 10 is detected. In this case, the estimated instruction value calculated by the estimated instruction value calculation unit 12 in the past corresponding to the point where the vehicle is currently traveling is read from the storage unit 21 and output to the steering control unit 24. Whether or not the steering instruction device 10 is operating normally is detected by the abnormality diagnosis unit 22 as described above.

  Specifically, in the present embodiment, when the abnormality diagnosis unit 22 determines that the steering instruction device 10 is operating normally, the switching unit 23 is calculated by the instruction value calculation unit 11. The command value is output to the steering control unit 24. In the present embodiment, when the abnormality diagnosis unit 22 determines that the operation of the steering instruction device 10 is abnormal, the switching unit 23 stops outputting the instruction value, and outputs the estimated value stored in the storage unit 21. The instruction value is sequentially read from the oldest DATA (1) to the newest DATA (500) at a predetermined cycle ΔT and output to the steering control unit 24.

  The steering control unit 24 controls the operation of the steering device 9 based on the instruction value output from the switching unit 23 or the estimated instruction value.

  Next, the operation of the automatic steering control device 1 having the configuration described above will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. The automatic steering control device 1 executes the processing shown in FIG. 3 when the vehicle travels.

  First, in step S100, the automatic steering control device 1 starts a process of calculating an indicated value by the indicated value calculating unit 11 and a process of calculating an estimated indicated value by the estimated indicated value calculating unit 12. In step S100, storage of the estimated instruction value output by the estimated instruction value calculation unit 12 in the storage unit 21 is started.

  Then, as shown in step S110, the process waits until an instruction operation to start automatic steering is input by the driver of the vehicle. Step S110 may be performed before step S100. That is, the calculation of the instruction value and the estimated instruction value and the storage of the estimated instruction value may be started after the instruction operation for starting the automatic steering by the driver is input.

  When the automatic steering control device 1 determines that the instruction operation to start the automatic steering by the driver has been input, the automatic steering control device 1 starts the processing from step S120.

  In step S120, the automatic steering control device 1 starts a steering support process. The steering assist processing controls the steering device 9 based on the information on the shape of the traveling path of the vehicle recognized by the external environment recognition device 2 and the map information recognition device 4 so as to prevent the vehicle from deviating from the traveling road. This is a so-called lane keep assist that assists the driver's operation. That is, at the time of execution of step S120, automatic steering has not been started, and so-called free-running operation is impossible.

  Next, in step S130, the automatic steering control device 1 determines whether or not the storage unit 21 stores the estimated instruction value received from the estimated instruction value calculation unit 12 in the past predetermined X seconds. In the present embodiment, it is determined whether the storage unit 21 stores 500 estimated instruction values from the oldest DATA (1) to the newest DATA (500).

  If it is determined in step S130 that the storage unit 21 stores the estimated instruction value received from the estimated instruction value calculation unit 12 in the past predetermined X seconds, the automatic steering control device 1 proceeds to step S140. Transition. That is, the automatic steering control device 1 does not start the automatic steering until the storage unit 21 stores the estimated instruction value received from the estimated instruction value calculation unit 12 during the predetermined X seconds in the past, and performs the steering assist. Execute.

  In step S140, the automatic steering control device 1 starts an automatic steering process for controlling the steering device 9 based on the instruction value calculated by the instruction value calculation unit 11. At the time of execution of step S140, the switching unit 23 outputs the instruction value to the steering control unit 24. The execution of step S140 enables a so-called hand-free driving.

  During the execution of the automatic steering process, as shown in steps S150 and S160, the automatic steering control device 1 determines whether or not the driver has input an instruction operation for ending automatic steering, and abnormal operation of the steering instruction device 10. Is repeatedly determined.

  In step S150, when the input of the instruction operation for ending the automatic steering by the driver is detected, the automatic steering control device 1 proceeds to step S190 and ends the automatic steering process.

  When the abnormality diagnosis unit 22 detects in step S160 that the operation of the steering instruction device 10 is abnormal, the automatic steering control device 1 proceeds to step S170.

  In step S170, the automatic steering control device 1 notifies the driver via the notification unit 5 that the operation of the steering instruction device 10 is abnormal. In step S170, the automatic steering control device 1 notifies the driver via the notification unit 5 that the automatic steering based on the estimated instruction value in step S180 described below will be performed for a predetermined X seconds.

  Then, in step S180, the automatic steering control device 1 starts an automatic steering process based on the estimated instruction value stored in the storage unit 21. That is, in step S180, the switching unit 23 stops outputting the instruction value, and stores the estimated instruction value calculated by the estimated instruction value calculation unit 12 in the past corresponding to the point where the vehicle is currently traveling from the storage unit 21. It is read out and output to the steering control unit 24.

  Specifically, in the present embodiment, the switching unit 23 stops outputting the indicated value, and sequentially changes the estimated indicated value stored in the storage unit 21 from the oldest DATA (1) to the newest DATA (500). It is read out at a predetermined period ΔT and output to the steering control unit 24.

  The oldest estimated instruction value DATA (1) stored in the storage unit 21 is X seconds before (5 seconds before) and X seconds after (5 seconds after) when the operation abnormality of the steering instruction device 10 is detected. Is the target value of the steering that the steering device 9 should perform in order to make the vehicle travel along the future course. In other words, the oldest estimated instruction value DATA (1) stored in the storage unit 21 corresponds to the shape of the road on which the vehicle is located when the operation abnormality of the steering instruction device 10 is detected. This is the target value of the steering to be performed.

  Similarly, in the past, DATA (2) calculated ΔT seconds after the calculation of DATA (1) is the shape of the road on which the vehicle is located ΔT seconds after the operation abnormality of the steering instruction device 10 is detected. Is a target value of steering for driving the vehicle in accordance with the following.

  Therefore, if the estimated instruction value stored in the storage unit 21 is sequentially output from the oldest one to the steering control unit 24 at a predetermined cycle ΔT, and the automatic steering process is executed, the vehicle will be at a predetermined time X Drive along the future course predicted two seconds ago. The automatic steering along the future course based on the estimated instruction value can be continued for a predetermined time X seconds. During execution of the automatic steering process based on the estimated instruction value in step S180, the automatic steering control device 1 continues the notification operation by the notification unit 5 in step S170.

  After a predetermined time X seconds has elapsed after execution of step S180, the process proceeds to step S190, and the automatic steering control device 1 ends the automatic steering process.

  As described above, the automatic steering control device 1 of the present embodiment calculates the future course according to the shape of the road on which the vehicle travels in the future, and sets the steering apparatus 9 when the vehicle travels along the future course. And a storage unit 21 for storing the estimated instruction value received from the estimated instruction value computation unit 12 during a predetermined period in the past. . When the automatic steering control device 1 detects an abnormality in the recognition operation of the road shape by the external environment recognition device 2 and the map information recognition device 4, the automatic steering control device 1 determines whether the vehicle is included in the estimated instruction values stored in the storage unit 21. The steering device 9 is controlled using the estimated instruction value corresponding to the point where the vehicle is currently traveling.

  For this reason, the automatic steering control device 1 according to the present embodiment performs an automatic steering process based on the recognition result of the external environment recognition device 2 by, for example, cutting off the supply of power to the external environment recognition device 2 due to disconnection of a cable or the like. The automatic steering process can be continued for a predetermined period based on the estimated instruction value stored in the storage unit 21 even after the execution of the operation becomes impossible. Since the driver can start the manual steering during the execution period of the automatic steering process based on the estimated instruction value, it is possible to prevent disturbance of the behavior of the vehicle when the automatic steering process ends abnormally.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be appropriately changed without departing from the spirit or spirit of the invention which can be read from the claims and the entire specification, and an automatic steering control device accompanied by such a change Are also included in the technical scope of the present invention.

1 automatic steering control device,
2 External environment recognition device,
4 map information recognition device,
4a positioning device,
4b map information storage unit,
5 Notification Department,
9 steering gear,
10 steering indicating device,
11 indicated value calculation unit,
12. Estimated instruction value calculation unit
20 steering control device,
21 storage unit,
22 abnormality diagnosis unit,
23 switching unit,
24 steering control unit,
100 Automatic steering system.

Claims (2)

An automatic steering control device that controls the operation of a steering device in a vehicle including an automatic steering system,
Based on the latest information of at least one of the external environment information of the vehicle and the map information of the road on which the vehicle is traveling, calculate the latest route according to the shape of the road immediately before the vehicle, and calculate the latest route. An instruction value calculation unit that calculates an instruction value to be output to the steering device to cause the vehicle to travel along;
Based on at least one of the external environment information and the map information, a future course corresponding to a shape of a road on which the vehicle travels in the future is calculated, and the steering is performed when the vehicle travels along the future course. An estimated instruction value calculation unit that calculates an estimated instruction value estimated to be output to the device,
A steering instruction device comprising:
A storage unit that stores the estimated instruction value received from the estimated instruction value calculation unit during a predetermined period in the past,
When the steering instruction device is operating normally, the instruction value is output, and when an operation abnormality of the steering instruction device is detected, among the estimated instruction values stored in the storage unit, A switching unit that outputs the estimated instruction value corresponding to a point where the vehicle is currently traveling, and steering control that controls the operation of the steering device based on the instruction value or the estimated instruction value output from the switching unit. Department,
A steering control device comprising:
An automatic steering control device comprising: The instruction value calculation unit calculates the instruction value at a predetermined cycle,
The estimated instruction value calculation unit calculates the estimated instruction value after a predetermined time from the present at the predetermined cycle in synchronization with the instruction value calculation unit,
The storage unit stores the estimated instruction value received from the present to the past for the predetermined time,
The switching unit, when detecting an operation abnormality of the steering instruction device, reads out the estimated instruction values stored in the storage unit sequentially from the oldest one at the predetermined cycle and performs the steering control. The automatic steering control device according to claim 1, wherein the output is output to a section.

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