JP7067936B2 - Receiver, receiver method and communication system - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a technique for receiving a travel control instruction from outside the vehicle on the vehicle side.

In recent years, the development of automatic driving technology that enables the vehicle to run automatically has been energetically promoted. For example, Patent Document 1 describes a technique in which an automatic driving control device mounted on a vehicle acquires information on a driving route and driving control by wireless communication with a driving management center and implements automatic driving (automatic driving) of the vehicle. It has been disclosed.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2017-3310

In the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1, in order to generate a driving route suitable for automatic driving regardless of the situation, the road where the accuracy of information acquisition is equal to or less than a predetermined value is excluded from the driving route and the vehicle is automatically driven. Is being carried out.

However, the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1 has a problem that automatic driving can be performed only in a place where a communication environment is prepared. Therefore, if the place where the communication environment is maintained is small, the convenience may be reduced or traffic congestion may occur.

In view of the above problems, the present invention provides a receiving technique capable of enhancing safety when the communication environment deteriorates so that the area where the vehicle can automatically drive based on a driving control instruction from outside the vehicle becomes wider. The purpose is to do.

The receiving device of the present invention includes a receiving unit that receives a traveling control instruction from outside the vehicle, and a correction unit that corrects the traveling control instruction according to the reception state when the own vehicle is performing automatic driving. (First configuration).

In the receiving device of the first configuration, the receiving unit corresponds to a plurality of communication methods, and one communication method is selected and used from the plurality of communication methods, and the correction unit is the correction unit. The configuration may be such that the travel control instruction is corrected according to the communication method used by the receiving unit (second configuration).

In the receiving device having the first or second configuration, the correction unit may have a configuration (third configuration) for correcting the traveling control instruction according to the traveling state of the own vehicle.

In the receiving device having any of the first to third configurations, the correction unit corrects the traveling control instruction so as to prevent the own vehicle from approaching the vehicle in front when the receiving state deteriorates. It may be the configuration (fourth configuration).

In the receiving device having the fourth configuration, the correction unit may have a configuration (fifth configuration) in which it is determined that the receiving state has deteriorated when the received radio wave intensity is less than a predetermined level.

In the receiving device having the fourth or fifth configuration, the correction unit may have a configuration (sixth configuration) in which it is determined that the receiving state has deteriorated when the adjacent channel is used.

The communication system of the present invention has a configuration (seventh configuration) including a receiving device having any one of the first to sixth configurations and a management center for transmitting the traveling control instruction to the receiving device.

The receiving method of the present invention includes a receiving step of receiving a traveling control instruction from outside the vehicle and a correction step of correcting the traveling control instruction according to the reception state when the own vehicle is performing automatic driving. (Eighth configuration).

According to the receiving technique of the present invention, it is possible to enhance safety when the communication environment deteriorates so that the area where the vehicle can automatically drive based on the travel control instruction from the outside of the vehicle becomes wider.

Block diagram showing the configuration of a communication system Flow chart showing an operation example of a communication system

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

<1. Communication system configuration>
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a communication system according to the present embodiment. The communication system according to the present embodiment includes a management center 1 and a receiving device 2. The receiving device 2 is mounted on the vehicle V1. Hereinafter, the vehicle V1 equipped with the receiving device 2 is referred to as "own vehicle V1". The vehicle equipped with the receiving device 2 is also equipped with a vehicle control ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 3.

The management center 1 includes an instruction unit 1a and a communication unit 1b. The instruction unit 1a acquires, for example, the traveling state of the own vehicle V1 and the traveling states of peripheral vehicles of the own vehicle V1 detected by various sensors installed on the road via the communication unit 1b. The instruction unit 1a creates a travel control instruction for the own vehicle V1 and a travel control instruction for each of the peripheral vehicles of the own vehicle V1 based on the traveling state of the own vehicle V1 and each traveling state of the peripheral vehicles of the own vehicle V1. The communication unit 1b transmits each travel control instruction created by the instruction unit 1a.

The receiving device 2 includes a receiving unit 2a and a correction unit 2b. The receiving unit 2a receives a travel control instruction for the own vehicle V1. The correction unit 2b corrects the travel control instruction according to the reception state when the own vehicle V1 is performing automatic driving. When the travel control instruction is corrected, the correction unit 2b outputs the corrected travel control instruction to the vehicle control ECU 3, and when the correction is unnecessary, the correction unit 2b outputs the travel control instruction received from the reception unit 2a to the vehicle control ECU 3 as it is. ..

The vehicle control ECU 3 determines whether or not automatic driving is possible based on the presence or absence of output from the receiving device 2, and selects either the automatic driving mode or the manual driving mode. In the manual operation mode, the vehicle control ECU 3 has a signal AO indicating the amount of accelerator pedal operation of the vehicle by the driver, a signal BO indicating the amount of operation of the brake pedal of the vehicle by the driver, a signal SO indicating the amount of steering operation of the vehicle by the driver, and the driver. The direction and speed of the vehicle are controlled based on the signal LO indicating the operation content of the shift lever of the vehicle. On the other hand, the vehicle control ECU 3 controls the direction and speed of the vehicle based on the travel control instruction output from the receiving device 2 in the automatic driving mode. The control signal generated by the vehicle control ECU 3 in the automatic driving mode is an acceleration parameter corresponding to the accelerator pedal operation amount changed by the driver's driving operation during manual driving, and a brake pedal changed by the driver's driving operation during manual driving. It includes deceleration parameters corresponding to the operation amount, steering angle parameters corresponding to the steering operation amount changed by the driver's driving operation during manual driving, and shift parameters corresponding to the vehicle shift lever operation contents by the driver.

That is, in the manual driving mode, the driver performs the driving operation of the vehicle, whereas in the automatic driving mode, the vehicle control ECU 3 performs the driving operation of the vehicle based on the traveling control instruction output from the receiving device 2.

<2. Operation example of communication system>
FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an operation example of the communication system according to the present embodiment. The own vehicle V1 executes the flow operation shown in FIG. 2 in the automatic operation mode.

First, both the communication unit 1b of the management center 1 and the receiving device 2 of the own vehicle V1 establish communication to determine the communication method and the channel to be used (steps S11 and S21). For example, when the communication unit 1b and the reception unit 2a are compatible with both Wi-Fi (registered trademark) communication and 4G communication, respectively, if Wi-Fi communication is possible, the communication unit 1b and the reception unit 2a are available. Selects Wi-Fi communication, and if Wi-Fi communication is not possible, the communication unit 1b and the receiving unit 2a may select 4G communication, which has a slower communication speed than Wi-Fi communication.

In the management center 1, the instruction unit 1a creates a travel control instruction in step S12 following step S11. Then, the communication unit 1b transmits a travel control instruction (step S13). When the process of step S13 is completed, the process returns to step S12, and the next travel control instruction is created. If the communication environment deteriorates and it becomes difficult to continue the communication with the currently established communication, the process may return to step S11 to establish a new communication.

In the own vehicle V1, in step S22 following step S21, the receiving unit 2a receives the travel control instruction. The receiving unit 2a outputs a traveling control instruction to the correction unit 2b.

The correction unit 2b determines the type of travel control instruction (step S23). The type of travel control instruction is used to determine the correction content in step S27 described later. Types of travel control instructions include, for example, instructions for running, instructions for turning, instructions for stopping, and the like.

In step S24 following step S23, the correction unit 2b grasps the reception state. The reception status includes the communication method in use. Therefore, for example, the correction unit 2b may acquire information on the communication method in use from the reception unit 2a to grasp the communication method in use.

Whether or not the reception condition is good can be determined based on, for example, the received radio wave strength. Therefore, for example, the correction unit 2b acquires information on the received radio wave strength from the receiving unit 2a, and the received radio wave strength is less than a predetermined level. At that time, it may be grasped that the reception condition has deteriorated.

Further, since it is highly probable that the reception state is not good when the adjacent channel is used, for example, the correction unit 2b acquires information regarding the use of the adjacent channel from the reception unit 2a, and when the adjacent channel is used. You may know that the reception condition has deteriorated. The receiving unit 2a may determine whether or not the adjacent channel is used based on the S / N ratio of the received signal, and the communication unit 1b has a specification from the communication unit 1b to transmit information regarding the use of the adjacent channel. You may decide whether or not to use the adjacent channel based on the information.

In step S25 following step S24, the correction unit 2b grasps the traveling state of the own vehicle V1. The correction unit 2b acquires information on the traveling state of the own vehicle V1 from the vehicle control ECU. The correction unit 2b may acquire information on the traveling state of the own vehicle V1 not from the vehicle control ECU but from various sensors such as a vehicle speed sensor provided on the own vehicle V1.

In step S26 following step S25, the correction unit 2b determines whether or not correction is necessary.

For example, the correction unit 2b may determine that correction is necessary when the communication method in use is 4G communication. Since 4G communication has a slower communication speed than Wi-Fi communication, it may be difficult to continue automatic operation if the driving control instruction sent from the management center 1 is observed. Therefore, in such a case, the correction unit 2b determines that it is necessary to make a correction on the safe side. Here, "correcting to the safe side" means making corrections so as to prevent the own vehicle V1 from approaching the vehicle in front. Specifically, when the travel control instruction indicates the distance between the vehicle and the vehicle in front, the distance between the vehicles is corrected so as to be long, so that the vehicle is "corrected to the safe side". Further, when the traveling control instruction indicates deceleration, the deceleration is corrected so as to be large, so that "correction is made to the safe side".

Further, for example, the correction unit 2b may determine that correction is necessary when the vehicle speed of the own vehicle V1 is equal to or higher than a predetermined value. If the own vehicle V1 is traveling faster than expected on the management center 1 side, it may be difficult to continue automatic driving if the travel control instructions sent from the management center 1 are observed. .. Therefore, in such a case, the correction unit 2b determines that it is necessary to make a correction on the safe side. For example, when the above predetermined value is set to 50 km / h, the correction unit 2b indicates that if the vehicle speed of the own vehicle V1 is 60 km / h, "a travel control instruction instructing the distance between the vehicle and the vehicle in front to be 30 m". Is corrected to "a driving control instruction instructing the distance to the vehicle in front to be 60 m", and if the vehicle speed of the own vehicle V1 is 40 km / h, "the distance to the vehicle in front should be 30 m". It is sufficient not to correct the "travel control instruction". In addition to the vehicle speed, the necessity of correction may be determined based on the angular velocity and steering angle of the own vehicle V1.

Further, for example, the correction unit 2b may determine that correction is necessary when the reception state deteriorates. If the reception condition deteriorates, the communication speed slows down, so if the travel control instructions sent from the management center 1 are observed, it may be difficult to continue the automatic operation. Therefore, in such a case, the correction unit 2b determines that it is necessary to make a correction on the safe side. For example, even if the vehicle speed of the own vehicle V1 is the same (for example, 30 km / h), the correction unit 2b indicates that the distance between the vehicle and the vehicle in front is set to 30 m when the adjacent channel is used. "Instruction" is corrected to "Traveling control instruction instructing that the distance to the vehicle in front is 60 m", and when the adjacent channel is not used, "Instruction to make the distance to the vehicle in front 30 m" is instructed. The "control instruction" may not be corrected.

When the correction unit 2b determines that correction is necessary (YES in step S26), the correction unit 2b corrects the travel control instruction according to the reception state and the travel state of the own vehicle V1 (step S27). The relationship between the reception state and the running state of the own vehicle V1 and the correction amount may be stored in the correction unit 2b in the form of a data table, for example, and the reception state and the running state of the own vehicle V1 and the correction amount can be quantified. If this is the case, the correction unit 2b may store it in the form of a relational expression. Further, for example, the correction unit 2b may grasp the relationship between the reception state and the traveling state of the own vehicle V1 and the correction amount by machine learning. For example, the correction unit 2b may correct the travel control instruction to the safe side according to the reception state and the travel state of the own vehicle V1. As a result, safety can be enhanced when the communication environment deteriorates, and the area where the own vehicle V1 can automatically drive based on the travel control instruction from the management center 1 becomes wider. Further, since automatic driving based on the driving control instruction of the management center 1 is possible even in a place where the communication environment is bad, it is possible to suppress a situation where traffic concentration occurs in a place where the communication environment is good and congestion occurs.

When the process of step S27 is completed, the process proceeds to step S28.

On the other hand, when the correction unit 2b determines that the correction is unnecessary (NO in step S26), the process directly proceeds to step S28.

In step S28, the correction unit 2b outputs a travel control instruction to the vehicle control ECU 3. When the process of step S28 is completed, the process returns to step S22, and the next travel control instruction is received. If the communication environment deteriorates and it becomes difficult to continue the communication with the currently established communication, the process may return to step S21 to establish a new communication.

<3. Modification example>
In addition to the above embodiments, the various technical features disclosed herein can be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit of the technical creation. In addition, a plurality of modifications shown in the present specification may be combined and implemented to the extent possible.

For example, when the correction unit 2b corrects the travel control instruction to the safe side, a situation may occur in which the distance between the own vehicle V1 and the following vehicle is shortened. Therefore, in order to suppress the approach of the following vehicle, the receiving device 2 is equipped with an inter-vehicle communication function, and when the correction unit 2b corrects the travel control instruction to the safe side, the correction unit 2b sends the travel control instruction to the safe side. The correction may be notified to the following vehicle by vehicle-to-vehicle communication. When the correction unit 2b tries to notify the following vehicle via the management center 1 that the driving control instruction has been corrected to the safe side, it takes time to transmit the information, and in particular, communication between the management center 1 and the vehicle. When the environment is deteriorating, it takes more time to convey information. Therefore, when notifying the following vehicle that the correction unit 2b has corrected the travel control instruction to the safe side, it is preferable to notify by vehicle-to-vehicle communication.

1 Management center 1a Indicator 1b Communication unit 2 Receiver 2a Receiver 2b Correction unit 3 Vehicle control ECU
V1 vehicle (own vehicle)

Claims (8)

A receiver that receives driving control instructions from outside the vehicle,
A correction unit that corrects the travel control instruction according to the reception state when the own vehicle is performing automatic driving so that the own vehicle continues automatic driving .
A receiver. The receiving unit supports a plurality of communication methods, and one communication method is selected and used from the plurality of communication methods.
The receiving device according to claim 1 , wherein the receiving state includes a communication method being used by the receiving unit. The receiving device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the correction unit corrects the traveling control instruction according to the receiving state when the own vehicle is performing automatic driving and the running state of the own vehicle. The correction unit according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the correction unit corrects the travel control instruction so as to prevent the own vehicle from approaching the vehicle in front when the reception state deteriorates. Receiver. The receiving device according to claim 4, wherein the correction unit determines that the receiving state has deteriorated when the received radio wave intensity is less than a predetermined level. The receiving device according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the correction unit determines that the receiving state has deteriorated when the adjacent channel is used. The receiving device according to any one of claims 1 to 6 and the receiving device.
A management center that sends the travel control instruction to the receiver,
A communication system. The receiving process for receiving driving control instructions from outside the vehicle,
A correction process for correcting the travel control instruction according to the reception state when the own vehicle is performing automatic driving so that the own vehicle continues automatic driving, and a correction process.
A receiving method.

Images