JPH0755628B2 - Travel control device - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a travel control device that controls the travel of a vehicle by operating an engine output, steering, a brake, and the like.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, the speed of a vehicle has been adjusted by opening and closing a throttle valve of an engine via an accelerator wire connected to the accelerator pedal by a driver depressing the accelerator pedal to directly adjust the output of the engine.

Recently, as shown in Isuzu Technical Report No. 72, P7 to P20, the amount of accelerator pedal depression is detected by a sensor, and the throttle valve is driven and controlled by a motor according to the detected output to adjust the engine output. The system to do is announced.

As shown in FIG. 2, this system detects the output of the accelerator pedal sensor 10 by the computer unit 1 and performs signal processing to read the driver's intention, and also select the selector lever position sensor 7, cooling water temperature sensor 12, The motor 4 for adjusting the opening degree of the throttle valve 3 is driven based on the information of the engine rotation sensor 8 for detecting the rotation speed of the engine 17, the gear position sensor 18, the vehicle speed sensor 9, the clutch position sensor 19 and the like, and the clutch. 14
By controlling the on / off of the transmission and the gear position of the transmission 6, the easy drive and the low fuel consumption are realized.

Further, the steering of the vehicle is performed by directing the steered wheels in a direction desired by the driver by operating the steering wheel of the driver.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention]

Since the conventional traveling control device is configured as described above, when the road is congested and the vehicle is in a traveling state in which transmission is repeatedly stopped at a slow speed, the driver needs to repeat the operation of stepping on the accelerator and braking. is there.

Also, the roads that are congested are not always straight roads,
It is necessary to pay attention to the steering operation so that the traveling direction of the own vehicle is constantly corrected to the traffic flow direction.

During long-time traffic congestion, these operations caused not only physical fatigue of the driver but also mental fatigue, and it was easy to cause a collision accident.

The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems, and can reduce driver's fatigue during slow running on congested roads, etc., and allow safe driving. An object of the present invention is to obtain a travel control device that can drive a vehicle as intended.

[Means for Solving the Problems]

A travel control device according to the present invention includes a brake control device, a traveling direction detection device, an obstacle detection device, a steering drive device, and an accelerator depression amount when a driver does not press the brake when a slow traveling mode is set. The throttle valve opening is controlled so that the vehicle speed reaches a predetermined speed regardless of the vehicle speed, and the vehicle is made to match the traveling direction of the preceding vehicle in response to the detection signal from the traveling direction detection device. A computer unit is provided for activating the brake control device when the high speed traveling mode is released and the preceding vehicle or an obstacle is detected.

[Work]

The computer unit according to the present invention keeps the vehicle speed at a predetermined speed regardless of the amount of depression of the accelerator pedal unless the computer unit reads the command when the slow running mode is set and the driver does not press the brake. The throttle valve is controlled to adjust the engine output, the automatic transmission is controlled to drive the vehicle, and the traveling direction of the host vehicle becomes the same as the traveling direction of the preceding vehicle according to the detection signal of the traveling direction detection device. The steering drive device is controlled so that when the driver operates the steering wheel during slow traveling, the slow traveling mode is released, and control is performed to return to the normal traveling mode. When an obstacle including a preceding vehicle is detected within a predetermined distance in front of the vehicle, the brake control device is activated to stop the vehicle.

〔Example〕

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. First
In the figure, 50 is a brake pedal sensor that detects the amount of depression when the driver depresses the brake, and for example, a variable resistor type is used.

Reference numeral 20 denotes a traveling direction detection device that detects the traveling direction of the preceding vehicle. Two video cameras 21 and 22 installed on the left and right around the axis of the vehicle collect images in front of the traveling direction of the vehicle, and an image processing device. The position of the front vehicle with respect to the own vehicle is obtained by correlating the images captured by the two video cameras 21 and 22 with 23.

Reference numeral 1 denotes a computer unit as a control means. In addition to the signal of the brake pedal sensor 50 and the output signal of the traveling direction detection device 20, a selector lever position sensor 7 outputs a lever position signal, an engine rotation sensor 8 outputs an engine speed, The vehicle speed is input from the vehicle speed sensor 9.

The transmission 6 is an automatic transmission having a so-called torque converter of a fluid coupling type, but it may be of a type in which the power is discontinuous by a plate-like clutch and the gear position is selected as in the conventional case. It may be a combination of a machine and a clutch.

Reference numeral 3 is a throttle valve, which is driven by a motor 4 as a throttle valve drive device to adjust the opening. The motor 4 is controlled by the computer unit 1.

The computer unit 1 also receives signals from the slow running mode setting switch 2, the turn signal switch 11, and the throttle opening sensor 5 for detecting the throttle opening.

The staring drive device 30 coupled to the steering shaft 32 via the gear 31 is a motor that generates a predetermined rotational torque, and rotationally drives the steering shaft 32 in accordance with a command from the computer unit 1 to move the vehicle in the traveling direction. change.

The steering sensor 35 detects the steering angle of the steering shaft 32 and inputs it to the computer unit 1. Further, a signal from the obstacle detection device 40 is input to the computer unit 1.

The obstacle detecting device 40 is of a type that emits ultrasonic waves and measures the distance to the obstacle by the time until the reflected wave returns.

The motor 4 is driven by the output of the computer unit 1,
In addition to controlling the steering drive device 30, the output of the computer unit is also applied to the brake control device 51 to drive the brake. The brake can be operated by operating the hydraulic pump by the negative pressure of the engine or the rotational force of the engine and by the obtained hydraulic pressure.

The output of the computer unit 1 also drives a display device (not shown) such as a buzzer or a lamp for notifying the driver of the state.

Next, the operation will be described. First, when the slow running mode setting switch 2 is off, in the normal operation mode, for example, the throttle valve 3 opens basically in proportion to the accelerator depression amount, so that the computer unit 1 operates the motor 4
To drive.

When the vehicle enters a traffic jam road and repeats calling and stopping, and the driver turns on the slow running mode setting switch 2, the slow running mode is entered.

In the slow running mode, the traveling direction detection device 20 always measures the position of the front vehicle within a predetermined distance, for example, 10 m, and inputs the deviation of the front center line of the front vehicle from the image center into the computer unit 1. If the position of the preceding vehicle cannot be confirmed, the slow speed traveling mode is released and the normal traveling mode is resumed.

The position of the front vehicle is confirmed, the driver releases the brake pedal, and the computer unit 1 detects the brake pedal sensor.
The driver's brake depression status is judged from the signal of 50, and when there is no brake depression, the motor 4 is driven by the method preprogrammed in the computer unit 1.
The transmission 6 is controlled (starting from the start when the vehicle is stopped), and travels at a predetermined speed, for example, 20 km / h.

The shift and acceleration patterns at this time are set by the computer unit 1 regardless of the accelerator operation by the driver. When the driver depresses the brake and the brake pedal sensor 50 detects the depression of the brake, the computer unit 1 stops the movement of the motor 4 and maintains the opening of the throttle valve 3 in the state before the depression of the brake, or The motor 4 is driven according to the output signal of the pedal sensor 50 to control the throttle valve 3 in the closing direction.

Therefore, the vehicle speed is adjusted only by the driver's braking operation in a driving state below a predetermined speed.

The computer unit 1 controls the steering drive device 30 so as to rotate the steering shaft 32 in the left turning direction when a signal that the front vehicle has moved from the center of the image to the left is input from the traveling direction detection device 20, Turn the traveling direction of the vehicle to the left, and conversely, if the vehicle moves to the right, turn the vehicle to the right and the signal of the traveling direction detection device 20 is zero,
That is, feedback control is performed so that the deviation in the traveling direction from the preceding vehicle becomes zero.

As a result, in the slow-speed traveling mode, the vehicle always travels following the vehicle in front of the preceding vehicle and does not require steering operation by the driver.

By the way, when the driver desires to change the lane while driving in the slow-speed driving mode, or when the driver finds an obstacle and operates the steering in order to avoid it, the computer unit 1 operates the steering sensor 35. The driver's will is detected from the change in the steering angle signal, and the steering control is released to get out of the slow speed traveling mode. After that, the vehicle travels according to the driver's normal driving.

Furthermore, if the output of the obstacle detection device 40 is input to the computer unit 1 and the obstacle detection device 40 detects an obstacle within a predetermined area in front, for example, within 1 m, the brake control device 51 activates the brake. , The vehicle is not started regardless of accelerator operation. This is performed both in the normal operation and in the slow speed traveling mode.

While the slow speed traveling mode setting switch 2 is on,
When the position of the selector lever is drive or 1st or 2nd speed and the output of the obstacle detection device 40 outputs a signal indicating no obstacle, the computer unit 1 receives the signal input from the brake pedal sensor 50. After detecting the change from the driver's brake pedal depression state to the brake pedal release state, the throttle valve 3 is started to be opened by the motor 4, and the brake control device 51 is instructed to increase the engine output and release the brake.

When the vehicle starts, the throttle valve 3 increases so that the vehicle speed increases according to a predetermined pattern and becomes a constant speed.
Adjust the opening of.

As described above, when the vehicle starts moving from the stopped state, the driver informs the computer unit 1 of the intention to start by releasing the brake pedal. Even if the driver releases the brake pedal when the obstacle is present, the computer unit 1 of course continues to command the brake control device 51 to apply the brake. Even if the obstacle is removed after this, the vehicle is not started unless the driver operates the brake pedal to release it.

When the obstacle detection device 40 detects an obstacle in a predetermined area during traveling, the computer unit 1 issues a command to return the throttle valve 3 and operate the brake. When the traveling direction detecting means 20 confirms the preceding vehicle within a predetermined distance after the obstacle is removed, when the driver releases the brake pedal, the computer unit 1 opens the throttle valve 3 again and applies the brake. Loosen and give a start command.

When the traveling direction detecting means 20 cannot confirm the position of the preceding vehicle,
That is, when the preceding vehicle has already run away, the slow drive mode is canceled and the normal drive mode is set. The driver is notified by a display device such as a buzzer that the slow running mode is released.

When the slow running mode setting switch 2 is turned off, the slow running mode is canceled and the normal mode is entered. It is preferable to release the slow running mode also when the turn signal switch 11 is turned on.

This is because it is often necessary to exit the traffic jam when changing the route by issuing a turn signal or making a right turn or a left turn, and when making a right turn at an intersection etc. there is a straight ahead vehicle and it is necessary to leave the intersection promptly Because there is.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, according to the present invention, if the driver does not step on the brake in the slow speed running mode, the throttle valve is controlled by the computer unit regardless of the amount of depression of the accelerator pedal to bring the vehicle speed to a predetermined speed. Since it is configured to keep it, the vehicle can be started only by operating the brakes by setting the slow driving mode when traveling during traffic jams.
It can be stopped, and even if there is a slight change in the travel route, you can easily drive without the need for steering operation.

Further, since the steering drive device is configured to be controlled by the computer unit so that the traveling direction of the host vehicle is the same as the traveling direction of the preceding vehicle according to the detection signals of the traveling direction detection device and the obstacle detection device, Even if the driver does not inadvertently look ahead, the driver can automatically stop when a person or a vehicle approaches, so that the driver's fatigue during a traffic jam can be reduced and the driver can drive safely.

Furthermore, when the driver operates the steering wheel during slow speed traveling, the slow speed traveling mode is canceled and the normal traveling mode is restored, so that if the driver operates the steering wheel even during the slow speed traveling mode, The slow drive mode is released, and the driver can drive the vehicle as intended.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a traveling control device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a conventional traveling control device. 1 ... Computer unit, 3 ... Throttle valve, 4
...... Motor (throttle valve drive device), 20 …… Movement direction detection device, 30 …… Steering drive device, 35 …… Steering sensor, 40 …… Obstacle detection sensor, 50 …… Brake pedal sensor, 51 …… Brake Control device. In the drawings, the same reference numerals indicate the same or corresponding parts.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A throttle valve drive device for controlling an engine output by driving an accelerator pedal and a throttle valve that is structurally released, a brake control device for controlling a brake, and a traveling direction of a vehicle traveling in front. A traveling direction detection device for detecting, a steering drive device for controlling the traveling direction of the vehicle, a steering sensor for detecting a steering angle of the steering wheel, and an obstacle detection device for detecting an obstacle within a predetermined distance in front of the vehicle, In the slow running mode, the throttle valve is driven to adjust the engine output and control the steering drive device so that the vehicle speed when the driver does not operate the steering wheel and the brake pedal is not depressed becomes a predetermined value. Controls the traveling direction of the host vehicle in the same direction as the traveling direction of the preceding vehicle, and when the steering operation is performed, the above It cancels the travel mode, the travel control device when the obstacle detecting device detects an obstacle within a predetermined forward distance of the vehicle is provided with a computer unit to stop the vehicle by controlling the braking.