JP6815856B2 - Travel locus prediction device for preceding vehicles and vehicles equipped with them - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a traveling locus prediction device for predicting a traveling locus of a preceding vehicle traveling in front of the own vehicle and a vehicle equipped with the same.

Conventionally, a technique has been developed in which the behavior of a preceding vehicle is predicted by detecting a change in the movement of the preceding vehicle to improve the safety of the own vehicle. For example, in Patent Document 1, when the lateral movement is detected from the temporal change of the lateral position of the preceding vehicle by using the image information captured by the camera and the preceding vehicle is approaching the white line drawn on the road surface. , The technology for determining to change lanes is disclosed.

Japanese Patent No. 3747599

The movement of the vehicle when changing lanes is as follows. First, when the steering of the vehicle is turned and the front wheels are angled, a lateral force is generated on the front wheel side and the vehicle body starts to rotate, and the rotation of the vehicle body also causes the rear wheels to be angled and a lateral force is generated. As a result, centripetal force acts on the vehicle body and the vehicle body begins to turn, and as a result, lateral movement begins. Here, if the lateral movement amount is ΔY, the speed is V, the yaw angle of the vehicle body is θ, and the side slip angle of the tire is ignored, the lateral movement amount ΔY is expressed by the following equation.

ΔY = V · ∫ (sin (θ)) dt

From this equation, it can be seen that there is a time delay between the rotation of the vehicle body and the yaw angle generated by turning the steering wheel and the increase in the lateral movement amount ΔY.

Then, in the above-mentioned conventional technique, the lane change cannot be determined unless the driver of the preceding vehicle turns the steering wheel with the intention of changing lanes, the vehicle body turns, and the vehicle starts lateral movement. Therefore, if the distance between the own vehicle and the preceding vehicle is short, the preceding vehicle may have already approached when the decision to change lanes is made, and the notification to the driver of the own vehicle may not be in time.

In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a traveling locus prediction device for predicting the behavior of a preceding vehicle at an earlier stage and a vehicle equipped with the same.

In order to achieve the above object, the traveling locus prediction device of the preceding vehicle according to one aspect of the present invention detects the direction of the vehicle body surface of the preceding vehicle by using the image information in front of the own vehicle captured by the imaging device. The information detection unit, the yaw rate calculation unit that calculates the yaw rate that is the time change of the yaw angle of the preceding vehicle from the change in the direction of the vehicle body surface of the preceding vehicle, the speed calculation unit that calculates the speed of the preceding vehicle, and the above. It has a preceding vehicle traveling locus prediction unit that obtains the turning radius of the preceding vehicle using the yaw rate and the speed and predicts a future traveling locus that is an arc having the turning radius as the radius .

It is a functional block diagram of the vehicle which mounts the traveling locus prediction device of the preceding vehicle which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows typically the image shown in the image information in front of the own vehicle, and an example of the vehicle body surface of the preceding vehicle recognized in the image. It is a figure which shows an example of the future travel locus of the preceding vehicle predicted by the travel locus prediction apparatus of FIG. 1 (arc-shaped travel locus by turning in radius R). It is a figure which shows another example of the future traveling locus of the preceding vehicle predicted by the traveling locus prediction apparatus of the preceding vehicle which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention (S-shaped which repeats turning in radius R alternately. Travel trajectory). It is a graph which shows an example of a steering angle change by a steering operation at the time of a lane change. It is a graph which shows an example of the yaw rate change at the time of a lane change and wobbling.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings and the like. The following description shows specific examples of the contents of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to these descriptions, and various works by those skilled in the art will be made within the scope of the technical ideas disclosed in the present specification. It can be changed and modified. Further, in all the drawings for explaining the present invention, those having the same function may be designated by the same reference numerals and the repeated description thereof may be omitted.

(First Embodiment)
Hereinafter, a vehicle equipped with a traveling locus prediction device for a preceding vehicle according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3.

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of a vehicle equipped with a traveling locus prediction device for a preceding vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing an image shown in the image information in front of the own vehicle and an example of the vehicle body surface of the preceding vehicle recognized in the image. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a future travel locus of the preceding vehicle predicted by the travel locus prediction device of FIG. 1, and shows an arc-shaped travel locus by turning at a radius R.

As shown in FIG. 1, the own vehicle 100 as a vehicle according to the present embodiment includes a stereo camera 11 as an imaging device, a vehicle speed sensor 12, a yaw rate sensor 13, a display device 14, and an interference avoidance control device 15. , The traveling locus prediction device 20 is installed.

The stereo camera 11 is composed of two cameras. The stereo camera 11 is attached to the front side of the vehicle body (not shown), for example, the upper part of the windshield, with two cameras fixed at intervals in the left-right direction so that an image in front of the own vehicle 100 can be captured. The stereo camera 11 transmits image information related to the captured image (parallax image) to the traveling locus prediction device 20 described later. A device other than the stereo camera 11 may be used as long as it is an imaging device capable of capturing image information capable of detecting the orientation and position of the vehicle body surface of the preceding vehicle.

The vehicle speed sensor 12 is attached to a transmission, each axle, or the like, detects the speed of the own vehicle 100 from its rotation speed, and transmits it to the traveling locus prediction device 20. The yaw rate sensor 13 is installed near the center of gravity of the vehicle body, detects the rotation speed around the vertical axis passing through the center of gravity, and transmits it to the traveling locus prediction device 20.

The display device 14 is, for example, a liquid crystal display device arranged in the instrument panel of the own vehicle 100, a navigation display device embedded in a central portion of the dashboard, and the like. As shown in FIG. 3, the display device 14 displays the future travel locus K1 of the own vehicle 100 and the future travel locus K2 of the preceding vehicle 200 predicted by the travel locus prediction device 20 described later.

The interference avoidance control device 15 is connected to, for example, the braking device of the own vehicle 100, and the future travel locus K1 of the own vehicle 100 and the future travel locus K2 of the preceding vehicle are connected by the travel locus prediction device 20 described later. When interference is detected, the speed of the own vehicle 100 is controlled so as to drive the braking device to avoid the interference.

The traveling locus prediction device 20 includes a preceding vehicle information detection unit 21, a yaw rate calculation unit 22, a speed calculation unit 23, a preceding vehicle travel locus prediction unit 24, a own vehicle travel locus prediction unit 25, and an interference determination unit 26. , The interruption alarm unit 27, the rotation determination unit 28, and the abnormal behavior alarm unit 29.

The preceding vehicle information detection unit 21 detects the orientation of the vehicle body surface of the preceding vehicle by using the image information in front of the own vehicle captured by the imaging device. For example, the preceding vehicle information detection unit 21 receives the image information in front of the own vehicle 100 captured by the stereo camera 11, and analyzes the image information to obtain the vehicle body surface of the preceding vehicle 200, which is a three-dimensional object, and its orientation. , And the position of the preceding vehicle 200 may be detected.

Specifically, the preceding vehicle information detection unit 21 first extracts common feature points from the three-dimensional objects shown in the two left and right parallax images. This is a process of searching for common elements contained in each of the two parallax images. For example, a pixel of a part of one image is cut out and compared with the other image, and a part having a high degree of matching of the features is specified. To do. When extracting the feature points, an edge extraction process may be performed in advance to make the contour or straight line portion of the object in the image stand out.

Next, the preceding vehicle information detection unit 21 uses a triangulation method to determine the feature points in the three-dimensional object based on the positional relationship of the common feature points, the positional relationship of the two cameras, and the optical geometric relationship such as the focal length. Calculate the position. The position of each feature point is a relative position from the reference position of the own vehicle 100 (for example, the center of the front surface of the vehicle body). In the present specification, "position" indicates this relative position unless otherwise specified. By grouping these feature point clouds with nearby point clouds, the surface of the three-dimensional object to which those point clouds belong is extracted. When the three-dimensional object is the preceding vehicle 200, the vehicle body rear surface 201 and the vehicle body side surface 202, which are the vehicle body surfaces of the preceding vehicle 200 shown in FIG. 2, are detected. In addition, when the preceding vehicle 200 abnormally rotates (so-called spin) around the vertical axis due to the abnormal behavior of the preceding vehicle 200, the front surface of the vehicle body may be detected, that is, the vehicle body surface of the preceding vehicle 200 facing the own vehicle 100 side. Is detected.

Then, the preceding vehicle information detection unit 21 detects the direction of the vehicle body surface of the preceding vehicle 200. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, since the positions of the feature points belonging to the vehicle body rear surface 201 and the vehicle body side surface 202 are calculated by the above-mentioned triangulation method, the preceding vehicle information detection unit 21 may use the vehicle body rear surface 201. The orientation of the vehicle body surface can be calculated from the difference between the positions of the two feature points included in the vehicle body side surface 202. From the viewpoint of accuracy, it is desirable to select two feature points that are as far apart as possible from the two feature points used to calculate the orientation of the vehicle body surface.

Further, the preceding vehicle information detection unit 21 detects the position of the preceding vehicle 200, for example, the central position of the front surface of the vehicle body, based on the positions of the rear surface 201 of the vehicle body and the side surface 202 of the vehicle body. If only one of the rear surface 201 of the vehicle body and the side surface 202 of the vehicle body can be detected, the vehicle type (passenger car, truck, etc.) is estimated from the width of the detected vehicle body surface, and the other vehicle body surface is estimated according to the estimated vehicle model. The width may be estimated to detect the position of the preceding vehicle 200.

The yaw rate calculation unit 22 acquires the yaw angle of the preceding vehicle 200 from the direction of the vehicle body surface of the preceding vehicle 200 detected by the preceding vehicle information detection unit 21, and calculates the angular velocity, that is, the yaw rate from the time change of the yaw angle.

In FIG. 2, the orientation D2 of the vehicle body side surface 202 of the preceding vehicle 200 is also the orientation D2 of the preceding vehicle 200, and indicates the yaw angle of the preceding vehicle 200. Further, the normal direction of the vehicle body rear surface 201 of the preceding vehicle 200 coincides with the direction D2 and indicates a yaw angle. Then, the angle changed from the orientation D2 of the preceding vehicle 200 at the past time to the orientation D2 of the preceding vehicle 200 at the present time is divided by the time elapsed from the past time to the present time to obtain the preceding vehicle. A yaw rate of 200 can be calculated.

Since the stereo camera 11 is fixed to the own vehicle 100, the direction D1 of the own vehicle 100 is a straight line extending forward in the traveling direction. The angle α formed by the orientation D1 of the own vehicle 100 and the orientation D2 of the preceding vehicle 200 is the relative yaw angle of the preceding vehicle 200 with respect to the orientation D1 of the own vehicle 100. The yaw rate of the preceding vehicle 200 may be calculated using this relative yaw angle.

The speed calculation unit 23 detects the speed of the preceding vehicle. For example, the speed calculation unit 23 calculates the relative speed of the preceding vehicle 200 with respect to the own vehicle 100 from the time change of the position of the preceding vehicle 200 detected by the preceding vehicle information detection unit 21. Further, by adding the speed of the own vehicle 100 obtained by the vehicle speed sensor 12 to the relative speed, the ground speed of the preceding vehicle 200 (hereinafter, simply referred to as "the speed of the preceding vehicle 200") can be calculated.

The preceding vehicle travel locus prediction unit 24 predicts the future travel locus of the preceding vehicle using the yaw rate and speed. For example, the preceding vehicle traveling locus prediction unit 24 is detected by the yaw rate of the preceding vehicle 200 calculated by the yaw rate calculation unit 22, the speed of the preceding vehicle 200 calculated by the speed calculation unit 23, and the preceding vehicle information detection unit 21. Based on the position of the preceding vehicle 200, the future traveling locus K2 of the preceding vehicle 200 is predicted.

In general, it is considered that the traveling locus when a vehicle makes a turning motion performs a circular motion at an angular velocity equivalent to the yaw rate, ignoring the side slip angle of the tire. That is, if the speed of the vehicle is V, the turning radius is R, and the yaw rate is γ, the vehicle turns with the turning radius R represented by the following equation (1).

R = V / γ ・ ・ ・ (1)

In particular, when changing lanes, the turning motion is performed with a relatively small lateral acceleration, so it is considered that the side slip angle of the tire can be ignored.

Therefore, the preceding vehicle traveling locus prediction unit 24 predicts the traveling locus on the assumption that the preceding vehicle 200 makes a turn with a turning radius R from the current position. Specifically, the preceding vehicle traveling locus prediction unit 24 applies the speed and yaw rate of the preceding vehicle 200 to the above equation (1), and creates an arc having a radius R starting from the current position of the preceding vehicle 200 in the future. It is calculated as the traveling locus K2 of. FIG. 3 shows an example of the future travel locus K2 of the preceding vehicle 200. Further, the traveling locus K2w may be calculated with the traveling locus K2 as the center line and having the same width as the vehicle body rear surface 201 of the preceding vehicle 200.

The own vehicle travel locus prediction unit 25 predicts the future travel locus of the own vehicle. For example, the own vehicle travel locus prediction unit 25 receives the speed and yaw rate of the own vehicle 100 detected by the vehicle speed sensor 12 and the yaw rate sensor 13, and based on these speeds and yaw rates, determines the future travel locus K1 of the own vehicle 100. Predict. Similar to the preceding vehicle travel locus prediction unit 24, the own vehicle travel locus prediction unit 25 applies the speed and yaw rate of the own vehicle 100 to the above equation (1), and the radius starting from the current position of the own vehicle 100. The arc that becomes R is calculated as the future traveling locus K1. FIG. 3 shows an example of the future traveling locus K1 of the own vehicle 100. The traveling locus K1 shown in FIG. 3 shows a case where the yaw rate is 0, that is, the own vehicle is traveling in a straight line. When the steering of the own vehicle 100 is turned along the road, such as when the road is curved, the yaw rate of the own vehicle 100 is not 0, so that the traveling locus K1 of the own vehicle 100 is along the road. It will draw an arc. Further, since the vehicle width of the own vehicle 100 can be known in advance, the traveling locus K1w having the traveling locus K1 as the center line and having the vehicle width of the own vehicle 100 may be calculated.

The interference determination unit 26 determines the interference between the future travel locus of the own vehicle and the future travel locus of the preceding vehicle. For example, the interference determination unit 26 includes a future travel locus K1 of the own vehicle 100 predicted by the own vehicle travel locus prediction unit 25 and a future travel locus K2 of the preceding vehicle 200 predicted by the preceding vehicle travel locus prediction unit 24. Judge the interference of. In the present embodiment, the interference determination unit 26 may determine that when the future travel locus K1 of the own vehicle 100 and the future travel locus K2 of the preceding vehicle 200 intersect, they interfere with each other. When the traveling loci K1w and K2w in consideration of the width of the vehicle are used, it can be determined that they have interfered not only when they intersect but also when they overlap, and the contact between the own vehicle 100 and the preceding vehicle 200 can be determined. It is also possible to judge the danger of.

Further, the interference determination unit 26 calculates the time until each vehicle reaches the intersection or the overlapping point from the distance to the intersection or the overlapping point of the traveling trajectories K1 and K2 and the speed of the own vehicle 100 and the preceding vehicle 200. The interference may be determined in consideration of this time.

For example, when the own vehicle 100 and the preceding vehicle 200 are traveling at the same speed and the preceding vehicle 200 slightly turns the steering wheel and gradually approaches the own vehicle 100, the intersection of the traveling loci K1 and K2 Since is far away, it takes a long time for vehicles to collide or come into contact with each other. Therefore, the driver of each vehicle may take evasive action before contacting the vehicle. Alternatively, when the speed difference between the own vehicle 100 and the preceding vehicle 200 is large, the time required to reach the intersection of the traveling trajectories K1 and K2 differs greatly between the preceding vehicle 200 and the own vehicle 100, and one of them first intersects. It is also assumed that the vehicles will not collide with each other or come into contact with each other. By considering the time until interference in this way, it becomes possible to determine the interference based on the urgency and timing.

When the interference determination unit 26 determines that the future travel locus K1 of the own vehicle 100 and the future travel locus K2 of the preceding vehicle 200 interfere with each other, the interruption warning unit 27 causes the preceding vehicle 200 to interfere with the own vehicle 100. Give an alarm to the effect that it will interrupt you before. Here, the "alarm" includes notifying the driver by an alarm sound, a voice, or the like, and for example, the interrupt alarm unit 27 transmitting an alarm signal for issuing an alarm by another device. The display device 14 may receive the warning signal and display a message, a figure (icon), or the like to notify (warn) the driver of the interruption of the preceding vehicle 200.

The rotation determination unit 28 determines the abnormal rotation of the preceding vehicle 200 around the vertical axis by using the yaw rate. For example, the rotation determination unit 28 determines the abnormal rotation (spin) of the vehicle body of the preceding vehicle 200 based on the yaw rate of the preceding vehicle 200 calculated by the yaw rate calculation unit 22. The rotation determination unit 28 calculates a change in the yaw angle of the preceding vehicle 200 by integrating the yaw rate of the preceding vehicle 200, and the calculated change in the yaw angle is equal to or greater than the rotation determination angle (for example, 90 degrees (the vehicle body is sideways)). When the vehicle rotates excessively, it may be determined that the preceding vehicle 200 is rotating abnormally.

When the rotation determination unit 28 determines that the preceding vehicle 200 is rotating abnormally, the abnormal behavior warning unit 29 warns that the preceding vehicle 200 is behaving abnormally. Here, too, the “alarm” includes notifying the driver by an alarm sound, a voice, or the like, and for example, the abnormal behavior alarm unit 29 transmitting an alarm signal for issuing an alarm by another device. The display device 14 may receive the warning signal and display a message, a figure (icon), or the like to notify (warn) the driver of the abnormal behavior of the preceding vehicle 200.

Next, an example of the operation of the own vehicle 100 described above will be described.

The own vehicle 100 analyzes the parallax image captured by the stereo camera 11 to obtain the yaw rate, speed, and position of the preceding vehicle 200, and predicts the future travel locus K2 of the preceding vehicle 200 based on these yaw rates, speed, and position. To do. In parallel with this, the own vehicle 100 predicts the future travel locus K1 of the own vehicle 100 based on the speed and yaw rate of the own vehicle 100 detected by the vehicle speed sensor 12 and the yaw rate sensor 13. Then, the own vehicle 100 displays an image including the predicted future travel locus K1 of the own vehicle 100 and the future travel locus K2 of the preceding vehicle 200 on the display device 14, as shown in FIG.

Further, the own vehicle 100 determines the interference between the future travel locus K1 of the own vehicle 100 and the future travel locus K2 of the preceding vehicle 200. Then, when it is determined that the traveling loci K1 and K2 interfere with each other, the own vehicle 100 gives an alarm that the preceding vehicle 200 interrupts in front of the own vehicle 100, and the interference avoidance control device 15 avoids the interference. The speed of the own vehicle 100 is controlled so as to do so.

Further, the own vehicle 100 determines the abnormal rotation (spin) of the preceding vehicle 200 based on the yaw rate of the preceding vehicle 200. Then, when it is determined that the preceding vehicle 200 is rotating abnormally, the own vehicle 100 gives an alarm that the preceding vehicle 200 is behaving abnormally.

From the above, according to the own vehicle 100 of the present embodiment, the future travel locus K2 of the preceding vehicle 200 can be predicted using the yaw rate, position, and speed of the preceding vehicle 200. From this, by using the change in yaw angle that occurs when the preceding vehicle 200 changes direction, that is, the yaw rate, the future traveling locus K2 of the preceding vehicle 200 can be obtained before the preceding vehicle 200 starts lateral movement. Can be predicted. Therefore, the behavior of the preceding vehicle 200 can be predicted earlier.

Further, in the own vehicle 100, the yaw angle which is the direction of the vehicle body surface of the preceding vehicle 200 and the yaw rate which is the time change thereof are calculated by using the image information captured by the stereo camera 11, and the traveling locus K2 is calculated using this yaw rate. Can be predicted. From this, it is possible to recognize the behavior change of the preceding vehicle 200 at an early stage regardless of the presence or absence of the white line on the road.

In addition, the own vehicle 100 can also predict the future travel locus K1 of the own vehicle 100, and can determine the interference between the travel locus K1 and the future travel locus K2 of the preceding vehicle 200. From this, by determining the interference between the traveling trajectories K1 and K2, it is possible to recognize in advance the risk of collision or contact between the own vehicle 100 and the preceding vehicle 200.

Further, the own vehicle 100 may warn the interruption of the preceding vehicle 200 when it is determined that the future traveling locus K1 of the own vehicle 100 and the future traveling locus K2 of the preceding vehicle 200 interfere with each other. From this, even if the driver overlooks the sign of the lane change of the preceding vehicle 200, it is possible to accurately inform the driver that the preceding vehicle 200 interrupts in front of the own vehicle 100. ..

Further, the own vehicle 100 may display the future travel locus K1 of the own vehicle 100 and the future travel locus K2 of the preceding vehicle 200 on the display device 14. From this, at least by displaying the future traveling locus of the preceding vehicle 200, the behavior of the preceding vehicle 200 can be known in advance.

Further, when it is determined that the future traveling locus K1 of the own vehicle 100 and the future traveling locus K2 of the preceding vehicle 200 interfere with each other, the own vehicle 100 may control the own vehicle 100 to avoid the interference. Good. From this, the risk of collision or contact between the own vehicle 100 and the preceding vehicle 200 can be effectively reduced.

Further, the own vehicle 100 determines the abnormal rotation of the preceding vehicle 200 around the vertical axis by using the yaw rate, and when it is determined that the preceding vehicle 200 is abnormally rotating around the vertical axis, the abnormality of the preceding vehicle 200 is determined. The behavior may be alerted. From this, for example, when the preceding vehicle spins on a snowy road or a wet road, the preceding vehicle 200 may continue to move in the previous traveling direction while rotating the vehicle body. It is also possible to warn about abnormal behavior that does not involve such lateral movement.

(Second Embodiment) In the first embodiment described above, as the future traveling locus K1 of the preceding vehicle 200, an arc having a radius R starting from the current position of the preceding vehicle 200 is calculated as the future traveling locus. However, as shown in FIG. 4, the traveling locus prediction device 20 of the second embodiment has a configuration for calculating an S-shaped traveling locus in which two arcs having a radius R are connected.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the future traveling locus of the preceding vehicle predicted by the traveling locus prediction device of the preceding vehicle according to the embodiment of the present invention (S-shape that alternately repeats turning with a radius R). Travel trajectory).

For example, a vehicle traveling on a road will continue to maintain a turn that exceeds the curvature of the road and crosses in front of the other vehicle, except when turning left or right to enter another road that branches off from one road. That usually doesn't happen. Therefore, when the preceding vehicle 200 starts turning so as to deviate from the lane, it is expected that the lane will be changed to the adjacent lane.

Then, when changing lanes, the driver of the vehicle turns the steering wheel to the lane side of the change destination, and then turns the steering wheel in the opposite direction. In such an operation, the steering is usually turned in the opposite direction at an angle and speed approximately the same as the steering angle that was initially turned. At this time, if the tires do not slip, the steering angle and the turning radius are in a proportional relationship, so the traveling trajectory due to the lane change as described above is an S-shaped traveling that connects two arcs with the same radius R and opposite directions. It is considered to be a trajectory. For this reason, in the preceding vehicle traveling locus prediction unit 24 in the present embodiment, assuming that the preceding vehicle 200 finally travels along the lane of the change destination, the preceding vehicle 200 has an S-shaped shape connecting two arcs. Generate a traveling locus J.

In the present embodiment, the preceding vehicle traveling locus prediction unit 24 has an S-shaped S-shaped traveling locus in which an arc-shaped first half traveling locus and a second half traveling locus obtained by rotating the first half traveling locus by 180 degrees are connected as a future traveling locus of the preceding vehicle. Predict the running trajectory. For example, the preceding vehicle travel locus prediction unit 24 first calculates the first half travel locus Ja, which is the first half of the future travel locus J of the preceding vehicle 200. The first half traveling locus Ja applies the speed and yaw rate of the preceding vehicle 200 to the above equation (1), starts from the current position of the preceding vehicle 200, and is between the position of the preceding vehicle 200 and the position of the own vehicle 100. It is an arc having a radius R with an intermediate line L in the road width direction as an end point. The end point of the first half traveling locus Ja may be the center line of the lane in which the own vehicle 100 is traveling.

Then, the preceding vehicle travel locus prediction unit 24 uses an arc obtained by rotating the first half travel locus Ja by 180 degrees as the second half travel locus Jb, and connects the first half travel locus Ja to the second half travel locus Jb to form an S-shaped travel locus J. calculate.

The preceding vehicle traveling locus prediction unit 24 of the present embodiment can predict a more realistic traveling locus by reproducing such an S-shaped traveling locus J. In the configuration for predicting the traveling locus K2 by one arc described in the first embodiment, even if the traveling locus K2 of the preceding vehicle 200 intersects with the traveling locus K1 of the own vehicle 100, the vehicle continues to turn and separates thereafter. It becomes a trajectory. Therefore, in the first embodiment, the traveling loci K1 and K2 intersect at one point, but according to the present embodiment, by generating an S-shaped locus, the preceding vehicle 200 turns in the first half of the traveling locus. Since the latter half traveling locus Jb that stays in the traveling lane of the own vehicle 100 can be further generated after Ja is generated, the traveling locus K1 and the traveling locus J overlap on the line, and the interference determination can be made more realistically.

Therefore, according to the present embodiment, as the future travel locus J of the preceding vehicle 200, the arc-shaped first half travel locus Ja and the second half travel locus Jb obtained by rotating the first half travel locus Ja by 180 degrees are connected in an S-shape. Since the traveling locus J is predicted, the behavior of the preceding vehicle 200 can be predicted at an early stage in a more realistic manner.

(Third Embodiment) The traveling locus prediction device 20 of the third embodiment of the present invention has a configuration for suppressing the wobbling of the preceding vehicle 200 from being mistakenly recognized as a lane change.

FIG. 5 is a graph showing an example of a steering angle change due to a steering operation when changing lanes. FIG. 6 is a graph showing an example of changes in yaw rate when changing lanes and when wobbling.

As described in the previous embodiment, when the driver tries to change lanes and tries to drive in an S-shaped traveling locus, the steering is turned to the side where the lane change is desired as shown in FIG. 5, and then in the opposite direction. The operation is like turning the steering wheel back. That is, when changing lanes, it is necessary to continue to operate the steering wheel to the side where the lane change is desired for a predetermined period during the lane change operation. From this, as for the yaw rate that is almost proportional to the steering angle (steering angle), as shown by the broken line Y in FIG. 6, the yaw rate is generated in one direction and maintained for a predetermined period, and then the yaw rate in the opposite direction is generated. It will be maintained for a predetermined period of time.

On the other hand, if the course is blurred in the lane, such as when the steering is erroneously operated or when avoiding small road objects, ruts, holes in the road surface, etc., so-called vehicle wobbling occurs, the solid line Yf in FIG. As shown, even if the rise of the yaw rate rises in the same way, the subsequent yaw rate is not stably maintained in one direction, and the yaw rate in the opposite direction is immediately generated and tries to stay in the lane. Depending on the degree of wobbling of the vehicle, such yaw rate fluctuations may be repeated multiple times.

Here, focusing on the sign of the value (that is, a positive value or a negative value) of the yaw rate, in the case of vehicle wobbling, the sign on the side generated at the start of the yaw rate is not maintained for a predetermined period. The opposite sign will be detected in a short time. Therefore, in the interference determination unit 26 of the present embodiment, the yaw rate continues to be a positive value or a negative value for a predetermined period or longer, that is, the yaw rate code detected in the preceding vehicle 200 is a predetermined interference determination period (for example, 0). In addition to being maintained (continued) for .5 seconds), it may be used as a criterion for interference.

Therefore, according to the present embodiment, when the yaw rate continues to be a positive value or a negative value for the interference determination period or longer, the interference between the future travel locus K1 of the own vehicle 100 and the future travel locus K2 of the preceding vehicle 200 is caused. Since the determination is made, it is possible to prevent the wobbling of the vehicle from being erroneously determined as a lane change.

Alternatively, since the direction of the future traveling locus K2 of the preceding vehicle 200 and the yaw rate code have a one-to-one correspondence, the interference determination unit 26 causes the yaw rate calculated by the yaw rate calculation unit 22 to approach the own vehicle 100 side. When this code is maintained for a predetermined interference determination period (for example, 1 second), the future travel locus K1 of the own vehicle 100 and the future travel locus K2 of the preceding vehicle 200 will interfere with each other. It may be determined.

According to the above-described embodiment of the present invention, the interference between the traveling locus of the own vehicle and the traveling locus of the preceding vehicle can be determined by the yaw rate, so that the collision or contact between the own vehicle 100 and the preceding vehicle 200 can occur with a simpler configuration. Be able to recognize the danger in advance.

Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the drawings, the specific configuration is not limited to this embodiment, and there are design changes and the like within a range not deviating from the gist of the present invention. Also, they are included in the present invention.

11 ... Stereo camera (imaging device) 12 ... Vehicle speed sensor 13 ... Yaw rate sensor 14 ... Display device 15 ... Interference avoidance control device 20 ... Travel locus prediction device 21 ... Leading vehicle information detection unit 22 ... Yaw rate calculation unit 23 ... Speed calculation unit 24 ... Leading vehicle travel locus prediction unit 25 ... Own vehicle travel locus prediction unit 26 ... Interference determination unit 27 ... Interruption warning unit 28 ... Rotation determination unit 29 ... Abnormal behavior warning unit 100 ... Own vehicle 200 ... Leading vehicle 201 ... Vehicle rear surface 202 … Side of the car body

Claims (8)

A preceding vehicle information detection unit that detects the orientation of the vehicle body surface of the preceding vehicle using the image information in front of the own vehicle captured by the imaging device, and
A yaw rate calculation unit that calculates the yaw rate, which is a time change of the yaw angle of the preceding vehicle, from a change in the direction of the vehicle body surface of the preceding vehicle.
A speed calculation unit that calculates the speed of the preceding vehicle,
It is characterized by having a preceding vehicle traveling locus prediction unit that obtains the turning radius of the preceding vehicle using the yaw rate and the speed and predicts a future traveling locus which is an arc having the turning radius as a radius. Vehicle travel trajectory prediction device. The preceding vehicle traveling locus prediction unit predicts an S-shaped traveling locus in which an arc-shaped first half traveling locus and a second half traveling locus obtained by rotating the first half traveling locus by 180 degrees are connected as a future traveling locus of the preceding vehicle. The traveling locus prediction device for a preceding vehicle according to claim 1. A rotation determination unit that determines abnormal rotation around the vertical axis of the preceding vehicle using the yaw rate,
The claim is characterized in that it further includes an abnormal behavior warning unit that warns the abnormal behavior of the preceding vehicle when the rotation determining unit determines that the preceding vehicle is abnormally rotating around a vertical axis. 1 or the traveling locus prediction device for a preceding vehicle according to claim 2. The own vehicle travel locus prediction unit that predicts the future travel locus of the own vehicle,
The invention according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising an interference determination unit for determining interference between the future traveling locus of the own vehicle and the future traveling locus of the preceding vehicle. Travel trajectory prediction device for the preceding vehicle. The interference determination unit determines the interference between the future travel locus of the own vehicle and the future travel locus of the preceding vehicle when the yaw rate continues to be a positive value or a negative value for the interference determination period or longer. The traveling locus prediction device for a preceding vehicle according to claim 4. When the interference determination unit determines that the future travel locus of the own vehicle and the future travel locus of the preceding vehicle interfere with each other, the interference determination unit further includes an interrupt warning unit that warns of an interruption of the preceding vehicle. The traveling locus prediction device for a preceding vehicle according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that. An image pickup device installed toward the front of the vehicle and
The traveling locus prediction device for a preceding vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 6.
A vehicle characterized by having at least a display device for displaying the future traveling locus of the preceding vehicle. An image pickup device installed toward the front of the vehicle and
The traveling locus prediction device for a preceding vehicle according to any one of claims 4 to 6.
When the interference determination unit determines that the future travel locus of the own vehicle and the future travel locus of the preceding vehicle interfere with each other, an interference avoidance control device that controls the own vehicle so as to avoid the interference. A vehicle characterized by having.

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