JP2002092779A - Control method and control device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [PROBLEMS] To provide a device for controlling own vehicle based on position information and control information of a preceding vehicle. SOLUTION: In an apparatus for controlling own vehicle,
GPS that receives own vehicle position information as own vehicle position information
A receiver 16, another vehicle information receiving unit 52 that receives the position information of the preceding vehicle and the control information of the preceding vehicle as other vehicle position information and other vehicle control information, and the own vehicle position information and the other vehicle position information. A control unit for controlling the own vehicle based on the other vehicle control information. Preferably, when the own vehicle position information reaches the same position as the other vehicle position information, the control unit 12 controls the own vehicle based on the other vehicle control information.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for suitably controlling a host vehicle.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional control system for a vehicle, a marker installed on a road side and a white line on the road are detected and controlled so as not to deviate from a traveling lane.

[0003]

When the vehicle travels following the preceding vehicle, the distance from the preceding vehicle is measured by a radar using light or millimeter waves, for example, in following travel or platenning, and the speed of the own vehicle is measured. Is controlling. However, if the road is straight, the vehicle can be controlled only by the radar, but if the road is not straight, to maintain the driving lane, it is necessary to use markers and white lines installed on the roadside and vehicles that detect this. An on-board detection device is required. Each vehicle detects a marker or a white line and performs control so as not to deviate from this.

A general object of the present invention is to detect a position information and a control information of a preceding vehicle running ahead of the own vehicle and to control the own vehicle based on the position information and the control information of the preceding vehicle. And a control device.

A special object of the present invention is to provide a control method and a control device that can travel along a road without deviating from a traveling lane without a device such as a marker on the road side.

[0006]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, in a method for controlling a host vehicle, a host vehicle information receiving step of receiving host vehicle position information as host vehicle position information; Other vehicle information receiving step of receiving the position information of the preceding vehicle and the control information of the preceding vehicle as other vehicle position information and other vehicle control information, and the own vehicle position information, the other vehicle position information, and the other vehicle control information, And a control step of controlling the own vehicle based on the control method.

[0007] According to a second aspect of the present invention, the above-mentioned first aspect is provided.
In the control method according to the aspect, the control step includes:
When the position information of the own vehicle reaches the same position as the position information of the other vehicle, a control method characterized by controlling the own vehicle based on the other vehicle control information is obtained.

[0008] According to a third aspect of the present invention, the above-mentioned first aspect is provided.
Alternatively, in the control method according to the second aspect, in the own vehicle information receiving step, the position information of the own vehicle is stored in a GPS (Global Pos.
(sitioning System) A control method characterized in that the receiver receives the information as the vehicle position information by a receiver.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in a device for controlling a host vehicle, host vehicle information receiving means for receiving host vehicle position information as host vehicle position information; The other vehicle information receiving means for receiving the control information of the preceding vehicle as other vehicle position information and other vehicle control information, based on the own vehicle position information, the other vehicle position information, and the other vehicle control information, A control device characterized by having control means for controlling.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, the above-mentioned fourth aspect is provided.
In the control device according to the aspect, the control means controls the own vehicle based on the other vehicle control information when the own vehicle position information reaches the same position as the other vehicle position information. A device is obtained.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, the above-mentioned fourth aspect is provided.
Alternatively, in the control device according to the fifth aspect, the control device includes a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver that receives the position information of the vehicle as the vehicle position information. Can be

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings.

As described below, according to the present invention, when controlling the own vehicle (steering control, brake control, accelerator control, etc.), the control information of the preceding vehicle transmitted from the preceding vehicle and the control thereof are implemented. Receiving the position information and the position information of the own vehicle, and controlling the own vehicle based on the control information of the preceding vehicle when the own vehicle reaches the same position as the position indicated by the position information of the preceding vehicle. It is characterized by doing.

According to the present invention, it is possible to obtain information necessary for automatic driving and the like and control the own vehicle without any special device on the road side.

At this time, it goes without saying that a collision prevention device and the like are required.

As a communication frequency used for transmitting control information and position information from a preceding vehicle, for example, 30 to 300 GHz (wavelength 1 cm to 1
mm) is preferably used. Millimeter waves have straightness and are resistant to weather conditions such as rain and snow, so they are suitable for communication on the ground surface, for example, within about ± 200 m.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a control device 10 to which an embodiment of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 schematically shows the vehicle 100.

In FIG. 1, a portion surrounded by a dotted line indicates an automatic following control unit 12 for allowing the vehicle 100 to travel following the preceding vehicle. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 11 denotes a communication device (FIG. 2).

The control device 10 shown in FIG.
Has a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver 16 connected thereto, and the output of the GPS receiver 16 is supplied to a position calculation unit 20. The position calculation unit 20 outputs own vehicle position information.

The output of the position calculation unit 20 is the vehicle information collection unit 4
0 is supplied.

Sensor 3 constituting automatic follow-up control unit 12
6 (for example, a steering angle, a vehicle speed sensor, a yaw rate sensor, a brake sensor, etc.), and own vehicle control information such as sensor signals are transmitted to the transmission data processing unit 34 through the vehicle information collecting unit 40 together with the own vehicle position information.

The transmission data processing section 34 sends the own vehicle control information to the rear transmitting section 46 together with the own vehicle position information.

The rear transmitter 46 transmits the control information and the position information of the own vehicle 100 to the rear vehicle via the antenna 48 as a millimeter wave radio signal.

The reason for using the millimeter wave {30 to 300 GHz (wavelength 1 cm to 1 mm)} is that it has straightness,
In addition, since it is resistant to weather conditions such as rain and snow,
This is because it is suitable for communication within about ± 200 m on the ground.

On the other hand, the millimeter wave radio signal including the control information and the position information transmitted from the vehicle ahead is transmitted to the antenna 5.
0 is received.

The received data from the receiving unit 52 is sent to a received data processing unit 55. The reception data processing unit 55 sends, for example, control information (another vehicle control information and other vehicle position information) of the preceding vehicle in position to the vehicle control unit 58. The vehicle control unit 58 controls the own vehicle 1 based on the control information and the position information of the immediately preceding vehicle and the own vehicle position information from the vehicle information collection unit 40.
In addition to driving the vehicle drive unit 60 including the steering, engine, brake, etc. of 00, an alarm signal is sent to the alarm display unit 64 as necessary.

Note that the GPS receiver 16 is a GPS receiver.
DGPS receivers that utilize signals from satellites and signals from terrestrial base stations that are accurately located can also be used.

Each component shown in FIG. 1 is controlled by a control unit 66 including a CPU.

As shown in FIG. 2, the antennas 44 and 50 of the front transmitting section 42 (FIG. 1) and the front receiving section 52 (FIG. 1).
Are attached to the front bumper of the vehicle 100, respectively, and the antennas 48 and 54 of the rear transmitting unit 46 (FIG. 1) and the rear receiving unit 56 (FIG. 1) are attached to the rear bumper.

The control device 10 according to this embodiment is basically configured and operated as described above, and the operation will be described in detail below.

The GPS receiver 16 receives spread spectrum modulated satellite signals from a plurality of GPS satellites, demodulates navigation data necessary for positioning calculation from the satellite signals, and executes positioning calculation based on the demodulated navigation data. And outputs the position information (latitude and longitude information) of the vehicle 100 on which the control device 10 is mounted to the position calculation unit 20.

At this time, since the control information and the position information of the own vehicle 100 such as the steering angle and the throttle opening collected by the sensor 36 and the position calculation unit 20 are supplied to the data processing unit 34, these information are supplied. Is transmitted as a millimeter wave radio signal from the transmission unit 46 to the subsequent vehicle.

On the other hand, a receiving unit 52 receives a millimeter wave radio signal having control information and position information of another vehicle from another vehicle operating in the same configuration as that of the own vehicle 100 (the configuration shown in FIGS. 1 and 2). The data is demodulated and sent to the reception data processing unit 55.

The forward transmitting unit 42 and the backward receiving unit 56 are configured to communicate ACK (Acknowledge) / NAK (Negative Acknowledge).
Used for communication.

The reception data processing unit 55 extracts the demodulated control information and position information of the other vehicle.

The position information of the preceding vehicle is compared with the own vehicle position information. When the own vehicle arrives at the same position as the previously received preceding vehicle, the vehicle is similarly controlled based on the previously received control information of the preceding vehicle. The control unit 58 controls the drive of the vehicle drive unit 60 of the own vehicle 100 to perform automatic following travel and the like. In addition, an alarm is displayed on the alarm display unit 62 as needed.

It is considered that errors occurring in the receiving unit, the calculating unit, and the like of each control device 10 may differ depending on each device. It is assumed that the maximum value of these errors can be assumed on each device, and that this value corresponds to the transmission time. Since it can be made so small that it can be disregarded as compared with the above, it is possible to solve the problem by providing an operation in consideration of the maximum value of this error in the apparatus.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, but can adopt various configurations without departing from the gist of the present invention.

The present invention can be operated by only the present control device, or can be used as a roadside-installed system, for example, an auxiliary device for a marker embedded on a road.

[0041]

As described above, according to the present invention,
A new control method and control device for detecting the position information and control information of the preceding vehicle traveling ahead of the own vehicle and controlling the own vehicle based on the position information and the control information of the preceding vehicle can be obtained.

Further, according to the present invention, it is possible to obtain a control method and a control device that can travel along a road without deviating from the lane of travel without a device such as a marker on the road side.

That is, according to the present invention, the self-vehicle is controlled only from the position information and the control information of the vehicle without using any equipment on the road side, and the automatic driving along the road can be performed.

Further, the present invention can perform automatic control even when there is no control station (master station) or when no grouping is performed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a control device to which an embodiment of the present invention has been applied.

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a vehicle equipped with the control device of FIG. 1;

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 10 control device 11 communication device 12 automatic follow-up control unit 16 GPS receiver 20 position calculation unit 34 transmission data processing unit 42, 46 transmission unit 52, 56 reception unit 55 reception data processing unit 100 vehicle

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI Theme coat ゛ (Reference) B60R 21/00 628 B60R 21/00 628B B60T 7/12 B60T 7/12 C G01S 5/14 G01S 5/14 G08G 1/09 G08G 1/09 HF term (reference) 3D046 BB18 HH00 5H180 AA01 BB04 FF05 FF27 LL01 LL08 LL09 5J062 AA05 AA06 BB01 CC07

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A method for controlling an own vehicle, an own vehicle information receiving step of receiving position information of the own vehicle as own vehicle position information, and transmitting a position information of a preceding vehicle and control information of the preceding vehicle to another vehicle. Having another vehicle information receiving step of receiving as position information and other vehicle control information, and a control step of controlling the own vehicle based on the own vehicle position information, the other vehicle position information, and the other vehicle control information. Characteristic control method. 2. The control method according to claim 1, wherein, when the own vehicle position information reaches the same position as the other vehicle position information, the own vehicle is controlled based on the other vehicle control information. A control method characterized by controlling. 3. The control method according to claim 1, wherein said own vehicle information receiving step includes a step of:
A control method characterized by receiving as S (Global Positioning System) receiver as own vehicle position information. 4. An apparatus for controlling an own vehicle, an own vehicle information receiving means for receiving position information of the own vehicle as own vehicle position information, and transmitting position information of a preceding vehicle and control information of the preceding vehicle to another vehicle. Other vehicle information receiving means for receiving as position information and other vehicle control information, and control means for controlling the own vehicle based on the own vehicle position information, the other vehicle position information, and the other vehicle control information, Characteristic control device. 5. The control device according to claim 4, wherein the control means, when the own vehicle position information reaches the same position as the other vehicle position information, based on the other vehicle control information,
A control device for controlling a host vehicle. 6. The control device according to claim 4, wherein the own vehicle information receiving means receives a position information of the own vehicle as own vehicle position information by a GPS (Global Positioning System).
m) A control device comprising a receiver.