JPH09315180A - Inter-vehicle distance control device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To keep a safety distance between an own car and a side-traveling car by judging whether the own car and the side-traveling car can make a way through each other or not on the basis of a distance and direction to the side-traveling car, and in the case of YES, by changing the target inter-vehicle distance to a value longer than the reference value in the case where possibility of parallel traveling of the side-traveling car is judged on the basis of the relative speed between the own car and the side-traveling car. SOLUTION: During the traveling of a vehicle, an inter-vehicle distance and direction detecting means 1 detects the inter-vehicle distance and a distance between a side- traveling car, and the relative speed is obtained by a relative speed computing means 2. Relative speed between the side-traveling car is obtained by a relative speed computing means 6. An inter-vehicle distance control means 3 computes the open degree of throttle on the basis of the inter-vehicle distance, the target inter-vehicle distance, and the relative speed. A going-through of the side-traveling car judging means 5 judges whether the going-through is possible or not, and in the case of YES, a target inter-vehicle distance changing means 7 judges parallel traveling in the case where the relative speed between the own car and the side-traveling car exists in a range of the predetermined reference value, and changes the target inter-vehicle distance to a value longer than the reference value.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an inter-vehicle distance control device for controlling an inter-vehicle distance.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a conventional inter-vehicle distance control device, for example, there is a device described in JP-A-7-105495. This device is a vehicular inter-vehicle distance warning device that determines (determines) whether or not to make an alarm target by looking at the movement vector of the vehicle.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing a conventional vehicular distance warning device. The technology of the alarm device can also be used in the inter-vehicle distance control device to determine whether or not to target the vehicle to be controlled by looking at the movement vector of the vehicle.

[0004]

However, in such a conventional inter-vehicle distance control device, (1) a side traveling vehicle straddles the lane at a place where stopped vehicles are lined up at the end of the road. May drive. In such a case, if only the inter-vehicle distance from the preceding vehicle is controlled to the reference target distance, the driver will feel uncomfortable because the vehicle approaches the side vehicle too much.

(2) When the two-wheeled vehicles are running sideways on the same lane, the driver feels uncomfortable as in (1). There was a problem.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a conventional problem of parallel running of a four-wheeled vehicle. There is no reaction to the side vehicle when overtaking a slow four-wheel vehicle traveling sideways (FIG. A) and when a four-wheel vehicle traveling sideways slips through (FIG. B). When a four-wheeled vehicle is running side by side (Fig. C), it does not react in the same way as when passing or slipping through the side vehicle, and the above-mentioned problem occurs.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a conventional problem of parallel running of a two-wheeled vehicle. There is no reaction to the two-wheeled vehicle when overtaking a slow motorcycle (FIG. A) and when the motorcycle slips through (FIG. B). Further, when the two-wheeled vehicle is traveling in the center (Fig. C), it becomes the preceding vehicle and the reference inter-vehicle distance is secured. When the two-wheeled vehicle runs sideways (FIG. D), the above-mentioned problems occur because the two-wheeled vehicle does not react in the same way as when the two-wheeled vehicle passes or slips past the two-wheeled vehicle.

The present invention has been made in view of such a conventional problem, and controls the throttle and the brake according to the inter-vehicle distance, the target inter-vehicle distance and the relative speed to control the inter-vehicle distance to the target inter-vehicle distance. In the device equipped with the inter-vehicle distance control means, it is judged from the distance and the direction to the side vehicle whether the side vehicle and the own vehicle can pass through, and if the side vehicle can pass through, the side vehicle and the own vehicle can pass through. It is determined whether or not the side vehicle always runs in parallel from the relative speed of No. 1, and in the case of always running in parallel, by providing a target inter-vehicle distance changing unit that makes the target inter-vehicle distance longer than the reference value, The purpose is to resolve.

[0009]

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides an inter-vehicle distance / direction detecting means for detecting an inter-vehicle distance and a direction between a vehicle and a preceding vehicle, and a relative speed between the vehicle and a preceding vehicle. A relative speed calculation means for calculating the target vehicle distance calculation means, and a vehicle distance for controlling the vehicle-to-vehicle distance to the preceding vehicle to the target vehicle-to-vehicle distance by controlling the throttle and the brake according to the vehicle-to-vehicle distance, the target vehicle-to-vehicle distance, and the relative speed. In an inter-vehicle distance control device including a control means, an inter-vehicle distance / direction detecting means for detecting an inter-vehicle distance and a direction between a vehicle and a side vehicle, and a relative speed calculating means for calculating a relative speed between the own vehicle and a side vehicle. , A side vehicle slip-through determination means for determining whether or not the side vehicle and the own vehicle can slip through from the distance and direction between the side vehicle and the own vehicle, and the side vehicle when the side vehicle can slip through Side cars always run side by side based on their relative speed Determines whether all times when running parallel is configured to include a target following distance changing unit longer than the reference value the target vehicle-to-vehicle distance.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

(First Embodiment) FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram showing an embodiment. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 is an inter-vehicle distance / direction detecting means for detecting a distance and a direction, and the inter-vehicle distance and the direction are detected by a scanning type laser radar or the like. Reference numeral 2 denotes a relative speed calculation means, which is obtained by differentiating or calculating a difference between the inter-vehicle distances by a microcomputer or the like. Further, the relative velocity can be directly measured from the frequency change of the received wave of the radar due to the Doppler effect. 10 is a target inter-vehicle distance calculation means,
The driver selects the target inter-vehicle distance with a switch or the like. 3 is an inter-vehicle distance control means, which calculates a throttle opening and a brake pedal pressure for controlling the inter-vehicle distance to the target inter-vehicle distance from the inter-vehicle distance, the target inter-vehicle distance and the relative speed. The inter-vehicle distance control means 3 uses a computing device such as a microcomputer. A throttle and brake actuator 4 controls the throttle opening and the brake pedal pressure. Reference numeral 5 is a side vehicle slip-through determination means, which determines the possibility of slip-through from the distance and direction between the side vehicle and the host vehicle. 6
Is a relative speed calculating means for the side vehicle and the own vehicle, and is obtained by differentiating or calculating the distance detected by the side vehicle. Reference numeral 7 denotes a target inter-vehicle distance changing means, which determines when the side vehicle is running side by side and changes the target inter-vehicle distance to be longer than the reference value. The side vehicle slip-through judging means 5, the relative speed calculating means 6 between the side vehicle and the own vehicle, and the target inter-vehicle distance changing means 7 are constituted by a calculating device such as a microcomputer.

Next, the operation of the first embodiment will be described. The inter-vehicle distance / direction detecting means 1 in FIG. 1 detects the inter-vehicle distance between the preceding vehicle and the side vehicle. Relative speed calculation means 2
The relative speed is obtained by differentiating or differentiating the distance to the preceding vehicle. Similarly to the relative speed calculation means 2, the relative speed calculation means 6 for the side vehicle and the own vehicle also calculates the relative speed to the side vehicle.

Then, the inter-vehicle distance control means 3 controls the throttle opening to control the inter-vehicle distance to the target inter-vehicle distance from the inter-vehicle distance, the target inter-vehicle distance, and the relative speed, for example, as expressed by the formula (1).
Calculate with. Actuator instruction value = P1 × (inter-vehicle distance-target inter-vehicle distance) + P2 × relative speed (1) Here, P1 and P2 are control gains. The throttle and brake actuator 4 controls the throttle opening to the command value when the result calculated by the equation (1) is positive. When the result calculated by the equation (1) is negative, the brake pedal pressure is controlled to the absolute value of the command value.

The side vehicle slip-through judging means 5 judges whether or not the vehicle can slip through from the distance and direction between the side vehicle and the own vehicle.

In FIG. 3, when the distance to the side vehicle is Ls, the direction is θ, and the vehicle width of the own vehicle is W, the lateral slip-through width between the side vehicle and the own vehicle is expressed by the equation (2). Slip-through width = Ls · sin θ− (W / 2) (2) For example, when the slip-through width obtained by the equation (2) has a positive value, it is determined that slip-through is possible.

The target inter-vehicle distance changing means 7 determines that the vehicle is running in parallel when the relative speeds of the side vehicle and the own vehicle are within a predetermined reference value, and the target inter-vehicle distance is calculated by, for example, formula (3). To change. Change target distance = target inter-vehicle distance × (1 + C1) (3) where C1 is a constant, for example (0 <C1 <1),
The changed target distance is set to be longer than the original target inter-vehicle distance and shorter than twice the original target inter-vehicle distance.

FIG. 2 shows an overall flow chart.

Next, the effect of the first embodiment will be described. According to the first embodiment of the present invention, in the inter-vehicle distance control device configured to control the inter-vehicle distance, the parallel running of the side vehicle is detected from the relative speed of the side vehicle and the own vehicle, and the target inter-vehicle distance is detected. Since the distance is set to be longer than the reference value, (1) Even when a side vehicle is traveling across the lane at a place where stopped vehicles are lined up at the end of the road or at a construction site, the side vehicle Since the target distance is determined in consideration of the existence of, the driver does not feel uncomfortable. (2) Even when the two-wheeled vehicles run sideways on the same lane, the driver does not feel uncomfortable as in (1).

There is a good effect.

(Second Embodiment) Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

In FIG. 4, reference numeral 1 is an inter-vehicle distance / direction detecting means, 2 is a relative speed calculating means, 3 is an inter-vehicle distance controlling means, 4 is a throttle and brake actuator, 5 is a side vehicle slip-through judging means, and 7 is a target. Inter-vehicle distance changing means,
Reference numeral 10 is a target inter-vehicle distance calculation means.

Reference numeral 8 is a relative speed calculating means for the side vehicle and the preceding vehicle, which calculates from the relative speeds of the own vehicle, the side vehicle and the preceding vehicle. The configuration of the relative speed calculation means 8 is performed by a calculation device such as a microcomputer.

Next, the operation of the second embodiment will be described. In FIG. 4, the distance / direction detecting means 1 detects the inter-vehicle distance between the preceding vehicle and the side vehicle. The relative speed is calculated by differentiating or differentiating the distance to the preceding vehicle by the relative speed calculating means 2.

In order to control the inter-vehicle distance to the target inter-vehicle distance from the inter-vehicle distance, the target inter-vehicle distance, and the relative speed, the inter-vehicle distance control means 3 calculates the throttle opening, for example, by the equation (1). The side vehicle slip-through judging means 5 judges whether or not the slip-through is possible from the distance and direction between the side vehicle and the own vehicle.

The relative speed calculation means 9 between the side vehicle and the preceding vehicle is
The relative speed between the side vehicle and the preceding vehicle is calculated from the sum of the relative speed obtained by differentiating or subtracting the distance between the side vehicle and the own vehicle and the relative speed between the preceding vehicle and the own vehicle.

The target inter-vehicle distance changing means 7 determines that the vehicle is running in parallel when the relative speeds of the side vehicle and the preceding vehicle are within a predetermined reference value, and sets the target inter-vehicle distance by, for example, formula (3). To change.

FIG. 5 shows an overall flow chart of the second embodiment.

Next, the effect of the second embodiment will be described. According to the second embodiment of the present invention, in the inter-vehicle distance control device configured to control the inter-vehicle distance, the parallel running of the side vehicle is detected from the relative speed of the side vehicle and the preceding vehicle, and the target inter-vehicle distance is detected. Since the distance is made longer than the reference value, the first
In addition to the effects of the embodiment described above, when the preceding vehicle accelerates and the side vehicle running in parallel does not accelerate, the side vehicle is overtaken and the distance to the preceding vehicle is set to the original target distance. The effect that it can be controlled smoothly is added.

(Third Embodiment) Next, the third embodiment of the present invention will be described.
The embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 6, reference numeral 1 is an inter-vehicle distance / direction detecting means, 2 is a relative speed calculating means, 3 is an inter-vehicle distance controlling means, 4 is a throttle and brake actuator, 5 is a side vehicle slip-through judging means,
Reference numeral 7 is a target inter-vehicle distance changing means, and 10 is a target inter-vehicle distance calculating means.

Numeral 9 is a distance calculating means between the side vehicle and the preceding vehicle, which calculates from the detected distance between the own vehicle and the side vehicle and the detected distance between the preceding vehicle. The distance calculating means 9 between the side vehicle and the preceding vehicle is configured by an arithmetic device such as a microcomputer.

Next, the operation of the third embodiment will be described. In FIG. 6, the distance / direction detection means 1 detects the inter-vehicle distance between the preceding vehicle and the side vehicle. The relative speed is calculated by differentiating or differentiating the distance to the preceding vehicle by the relative speed calculating means 2.

In order to control the vehicle-to-vehicle distance to the target vehicle-to-vehicle distance from the vehicle-to-vehicle distance, the target vehicle-to-vehicle distance, and the relative speed, the vehicle-to-vehicle distance control means 3 calculates the throttle opening, for example, by the equation (1). The side vehicle slip-through determination means 5 determines whether or not slip-through is possible from the distance and direction between the side vehicle and the vehicle.

The distance calculating means 9 between the side vehicle and the preceding vehicle calculates the relative distance between the side vehicle and the preceding vehicle based on the difference between the distance between the side vehicle and the own vehicle and the distance between the preceding vehicle and the own vehicle.

When the relative distance between the side vehicle and the preceding vehicle falls within a predetermined reference value, the target inter-vehicle distance changing means 7 determines that the vehicles are running in parallel, and the target inter-vehicle distance is calculated by, for example, the formula (3). To change.

FIG. 7 shows an overall flow chart of the third embodiment.

Next, the effect of the third embodiment will be described. According to the third embodiment of the present invention, in the inter-vehicle distance control device configured to control the inter-vehicle distance, the parallel running of the side vehicle is detected from the relative distance between the side vehicle and the preceding vehicle, and the target inter-vehicle distance is detected. Since the distance is made longer than the reference value, the first
In addition to the effects of the embodiment, the relative speeds of the preceding vehicle, the side vehicle, and the own vehicle are small, and when the inter-vehicle distance between the preceding vehicle and the side vehicle gradually increases, There is an effect that the vehicle can be overtaken and the distance to the preceding vehicle can be smoothly controlled to the original target distance.

(Fourth Embodiment) Next, a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described.
The embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

In FIG. 8, reference numeral 1 is an inter-vehicle distance / direction detecting means, 2 is a relative speed calculating means, 3 is an inter-vehicle distance controlling means, 4 is a throttle and brake actuator, 5 is a side vehicle slip-through judging means, and 6 is a two-wheeled vehicle. And a preceding vehicle distance calculating means, 7 is a target vehicle distance changing means, and 11 is an infrared camera for detecting a driver of a two-wheeled vehicle.

Reference numeral 12 is a two-wheeled vehicle recognizing means, which recognizes the two-wheeled vehicle by detecting the distance, the direction detection value and the driver. The construction of the two-wheeled vehicle recognizing means 12 is performed by a computing device such as a microcomputer.

Next, the operation of the fourth embodiment will be described. The fourth embodiment is an embodiment in which a side vehicle is specified as a two-wheeled vehicle, and changes in the target inter-vehicle distance are the same as in the first to third embodiments. The infrared camera 11 detects the distance and direction of the motorcycle driver. The two-wheeled vehicle recognizing means 12 recognizes that the vehicle is a two-wheeled vehicle when the value detected by the infrared camera 11 matches the distance and the value detected by the direction detecting means 1.

Next, the effect of the fourth embodiment will be described. According to the fourth embodiment of the present invention, in the inter-vehicle distance control device for controlling the inter-vehicle distance, the configuration detects the parallel running of the side vehicle from the relative speed of the side vehicle and the own vehicle, and detects the target inter-vehicle distance. Since the distance is set to be longer than the reference value, in addition to the effect of the first embodiment, it is possible to identify and detect a two-wheeled vehicle having a high possibility of traveling laterally, and to improve the detection accuracy of the lateral two-wheeled vehicle. There is an effect that it can be improved.

[0042]

As described above, according to the present invention, there is a case where a side traveling vehicle travels across a lane at a place where stopped vehicles are lined up at the end of a road or a construction site. Since the target distance is determined in consideration of the presence of the side vehicle, the driver does not feel uncomfortable. Further, even when the two-wheeled vehicles run sideways on the same lane, the driver does not feel uncomfortable.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an operation explanatory view of the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram showing a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a configuration diagram showing a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a configuration diagram showing a conventional inter-vehicle distance control device.

FIG. 10 is a configuration diagram showing a problem of a conventional inter-vehicle distance control device.

FIG. 11 is a configuration diagram showing a problem of a conventional inter-vehicle distance control device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Distance / Direction Detecting Means 2 Relative Velocity Calculating Means 3 Inter-Vehicle Distance Controlling Means 4 Throttle and Brake Actuators 5 Side Vehicle Slip-through Judging Means 6 Relative Velocity Calculating Means for Side Vehicles and Own Vehicle 7 Target Vehicular Distance Changing Means 8 Side Vehicles And the relative speed calculation means of the preceding vehicle 9 Distance calculation means between the side vehicle and the preceding vehicle 10 Target distance calculation means 11 Infrared camera 12 Two-wheeled vehicle recognition means

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An inter-vehicle distance / direction detecting means for detecting an inter-vehicle distance and a direction between a host vehicle and a preceding vehicle, a relative speed calculating means for calculating a relative speed between the own vehicle and a preceding vehicle, and a target inter-vehicle distance. An inter-vehicle distance control device including a target inter-vehicle distance calculating means and an inter-vehicle distance control means for controlling a throttle and a brake in accordance with the inter-vehicle distance, the target inter-vehicle distance and the relative speed to control the inter-vehicle distance with the preceding vehicle to the target inter-vehicle distance. In the above, the vehicle-to-vehicle distance and direction detecting means for detecting the distance and direction between the own vehicle and the side vehicle, the relative speed calculating means for calculating the relative speed between the own vehicle and the side vehicle, and the distance between the side vehicle and the own vehicle It has a side vehicle slip-through judging means that determines whether or not the side vehicle and the own vehicle can slip through from the distance and direction.When the side vehicle can slip through, the relative speed of the side vehicle and the own vehicle To determine whether or not the side cars always run in parallel, In the case of parallel running is inter-vehicle distance control apparatus characterized by comprising: a target inter-vehicle distance changing means for longer than the reference value the target vehicle-to-vehicle distance, a. 2. The inter-vehicle distance control device according to claim 1, further comprising a second relative speed calculating means for calculating a relative speed between the side vehicle and the preceding vehicle, wherein the target inter-vehicle distance changing means is a side vehicle. When it is possible to pass through the vehicle, it is judged from the relative speed of the side vehicle and the preceding vehicle whether or not the side vehicle always runs in parallel.If it always runs in parallel, the target inter-vehicle distance should be set longer than the reference value. An inter-vehicle distance control device that features 3. The inter-vehicle distance control device according to claim 1, further comprising a second inter-vehicle distance calculating means for a side vehicle and a preceding vehicle, wherein the target inter-vehicle distance changing means can pass through the side vehicle. In addition, it is determined from the inter-vehicle distance between the side vehicle and the preceding vehicle whether or not the side vehicle always runs in parallel, and if they always run in parallel, the inter-vehicle distance is characterized by setting the target inter-vehicle distance to be longer than the reference value. Control device.