Speed control device of vehicle

Abstract

To provide a speed control device of a vehicle that can suppress a vehicle from being rapidly accelerated and rapidly started, due to erroneous operation of an accelerator pedal when performing parking operation, without the necessity for installing an external system for sensing entrance and exit of the vehicle into and from a parking lot.SOLUTION: A speed control device of a vehicle, which performs speed limiting control when performing parking operation, is provided with: a condition determining part that is configured to determine that an operation condition for executing the speed limiting control is satisfied, on the basis of running speed V and a steering angle θ obtained from a steering angle detecting part, when the running speed V remains below first speed V1 for a first time T1 and the steering angle θ is above a first angle θ1; and a speed limiting part that is configured to execute a speed limiting function of limiting the running speed V of the vehicle to be below a set upper limit value, when the condition determining part determines that the operation condition is satisfied.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle speed control device. [Background technology]

[0002] There is known a speed control device that suppresses an increase in vehicle speed, such as sudden acceleration or sudden start, when a driver accidentally presses the accelerator pedal while intending to press the brake pedal. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a vehicle control system that includes an entry / exit detection means that detects the entry and exit of the host vehicle into a parking lot using a short-range communication system, and is configured to suppress the driving force of the host vehicle generated in response to accelerator pedal operation or limit the host vehicle's speed to a low vehicle speed upper limit value or less during the period from when the host vehicle's entry into the parking lot is detected to when the host vehicle's exit from the parking lot is detected. In the vehicle control system described in Patent Document 1, the entry / exit detection means is configured using a short-range communication system that wirelessly connects an on-board device and a roadside device. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-85375 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the vehicle control system described in Patent Document 1, in order to enforce speed limits in parking lots, an external system is required to perform wireless communication in a narrow area between the on-board device and a roadside device installed in the parking lot in order to detect entry and exit from the parking lot, which makes the system complex and expensive. Also, parking lots that do not have roadside devices cannot detect entry and exit from the parking lot, and therefore cannot enforce speed limits on vehicles to prevent sudden acceleration or sudden starts caused by erroneous operation of the accelerator pedal in the parking lot.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-described circumstances, and its purpose is to provide a vehicle speed control device that can perform speed limit control to suppress sudden acceleration or sudden starts caused by erroneous operation of the accelerator pedal during parking operations, without the need to install an external system to detect entry and exit into a parking lot. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] According to one aspect of the present invention, a vehicle speed control device for performing speed limit control during parking operations comprises a speed detection unit configured to detect the vehicle's traveling speed, a steering angle detection unit configured to detect the steering angle of the vehicle, a condition determination unit configured to determine, based on the traveling speed acquired from the speed detection unit and the steering angle acquired from the steering angle detection unit, that an operating condition for executing a speed limit function is satisfied when the traveling speed remains below a first speed for a first time period and the steering angle is equal to or greater than a first angle, and a speed limit unit configured to execute the speed limit function to limit the vehicle's traveling speed to a set upper limit value or less when the condition determination unit determines that the operating condition is satisfied. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] The vehicle speed control device of the present invention can perform speed limit control to suppress sudden acceleration or sudden starts caused by erroneous operation of the accelerator pedal during parking operations, without the need for an external system to detect entry and exit into a parking lot. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a vehicle speed control device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the flow of speed limit control in one embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] A vehicle speed control device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the vehicle speed control device according to this embodiment. The vehicle speed control device according to this embodiment has a speed limiting function and is configured to perform speed limit control during parking. Specifically, the vehicle speed control device according to this embodiment is configured to limit the vehicle's traveling speed in order to prevent sudden acceleration or sudden start caused by erroneous operation of the accelerator pedal during parking.

[0010] Here, a parking maneuver refers to a driving operation involving steering, and specifically includes a driving operation for moving a vehicle into a parking space and a driving operation for searching for a parking space within the parking lot. A parking lot is an area where multiple parking spaces are arranged, separated from roads along which vehicles travel, and is not limited to areas equipped with entrances and exits and developed as a parking lot. A parking lot may also include passageways through which vehicles travel, and may also include intersections where passageways intersect. Possible accelerator pedal misoperations include when a driver accidentally depresses the accelerator pedal while intending to depress the brake pedal, or when a driver accidentally depresses the accelerator pedal heavily while intending to depress the accelerator pedal lightly.

[0011] As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle speed control device 1 includes, for example, a vehicle speed sensor 11 that detects the vehicle's traveling speed, a steering angle sensor 12 that detects the steering angle, an accelerator pedal sensor 13 that detects the amount of depression of the accelerator pedal, a control device 20, and a drive device 30.

[0012] The vehicle speed sensor (speed detection unit) 11 is configured to detect the vehicle traveling speed V by detecting, for example, the number of rotations of a drive shaft (not shown). The traveling speed V detected by the vehicle speed sensor 11 is input to the control device 20. The vehicle speed sensor 11 may be configured to detect the vehicle traveling speed V by detecting the wheel speed of the vehicle.

[0013] Steering angle sensor (steering angle detection unit) 12 is attached to, for example, a steering shaft (not shown), and is configured to detect a steering angle (operation angle) θ of a steering wheel. The steering angle θ detected by steering angle sensor 12 is input to control device 20. Accelerator pedal sensor 13 is configured to detect a depression amount (operation amount) AP of an accelerator pedal (not shown). The depression amount AP of the accelerator pedal detected by accelerator pedal sensor 13 is input to control device 20.

[0014] The start switch 14 is a switch operated by the driver to start and stop the vehicle. When the start switch 14 is turned on, the vehicle system starts, and when the start switch 14 is turned off, the vehicle system stops. The start switch 14 is an operation switch equivalent to an ignition switch in an engine vehicle that uses an internal combustion engine as the drive device 30, and a power switch in an electric vehicle that uses an electric motor as the drive device 30. A signal from the start switch 14 is input to the control device 20.

[0015] The control device 20 is configured by a computer including, for example, a ROM that stores programs and data, a CPU that performs arithmetic processing, a RAM that stores dynamic data and arithmetic processing results, an input / output interface, etc. The control device 20 is configured to execute the functions of a low vehicle speed determination unit 21, a steering determination unit 22, a condition determination unit 23, a speed limiting unit 24, a memory unit 25, etc., and to control the entire vehicle speed control device 1.

[0016] The low vehicle speed determination unit 21 is configured to determine whether the vehicle's traveling speed V input from the vehicle speed sensor 11 is equal to or less than a predetermined first speed V1, based on the vehicle's traveling speed V. The first speed V1 is set, for example, based on the average traveling speed of the vehicle when it moves through a parking lot while searching for a parking space. That is, the first speed V1 is a threshold value of the traveling speed V for determining whether the vehicle is traveling through the parking lot. The first speed V1 can be set, for example, to approximately 10 km / h, which is a slow speed. The low vehicle speed determination unit 21 is further configured to count, using a timer (not shown), the time the vehicle is traveling at a speed equal to or less than the first speed V1 and the time the vehicle is traveling at a speed exceeding the first speed V1.

[0017] The steering determination unit 22 is configured to determine whether a steering operation of equal to or greater than a predetermined first angle θ1 is being performed, based on the steering angle θ input from the steering angle sensor 12. The first angle θ1 is set to a value similar to the steering angle when a vehicle makes a right or left turn while searching for a parking space in, for example, a parking lot with multiple parking stalls (for example, a steering angle equivalent to a front wheel steering angle of approximately 45 degrees to approximately 90 degrees when turning right or left). In other words, the first angle θ1 is a threshold value of the steering angle θ for determining whether the vehicle is traveling in the parking lot.

[0018] The steering determination unit 22 is further configured to determine whether the steering angle θ is equal to or greater than a predetermined second angle θ2. The second angle θ2 is a threshold value for the steering angle θ for determining whether the vehicle is continuing a parking operation in the parking lot. The second angle θ2 may be the same as or different from the first angle θ1. Since the steering angle for turning right or left is usually considered to be larger than the steering angle for forward parking or backward parking, when the second angle θ2 is set to a value different from the first angle θ1, it is preferable that the second angle θ2 be smaller than the first angle θ1. Therefore, it is preferable that the second angle θ2 be equal to or smaller than the first angle θ1.

[0019] The condition determination unit 23 is configured to determine whether or not an activation condition for executing the speed limit function is satisfied based on the determination results of the low vehicle speed determination unit 21 and the steering determination unit 22. The condition determination unit 23 is further configured to determine whether or not a standby condition for setting the speed limit function to a standby mode and a termination condition for terminating the speed limit function are satisfied. The condition determination unit 23 stores the determination result in the storage unit 25. Note that the low vehicle speed determination unit 21, the steering determination unit 22, and the condition determination unit 23 may be configured to function collectively as the condition determination unit 23. The determination processing in the condition determination unit 23 will be described later.

[0020] When the condition determination unit 23 determines that the activation conditions are satisfied, the speed limiting unit 24 is configured to execute a speed limiting function that limits the vehicle's traveling speed V to a set upper limit value Va or less. The set upper limit value Va is the upper limit of the traveling speed V at which the vehicle can travel while the speed limiting function is being executed, and is set to an appropriate value in advance to suppress sudden acceleration or sudden starts during parking operations. The set upper limit value Va can be set to, for example, approximately 15 km / h. While the speed limiting function is being executed, the speed limiting unit 24 transmits a speed limit signal to the drive unit 30.

[0021] When the condition determination unit 23 determines that the standby condition is satisfied, the speed limiting unit 24 sets the speed limiting function to a standby mode. In the standby mode, the speed limiting function is not executed, and the vehicle accelerates up to a traveling speed V according to the accelerator pedal operation by the driver, but the execution of the speed limiting function can be quickly resumed according to the steering angle θ. The speed limiting unit 24 will be described later.

[0022] The storage unit 25 is configured to store the determination result of the condition determination unit 23, i.e., the state of the speed limiting function. The storage unit 25 is made up of, for example, a non-volatile memory, and is configured to store the state of the speed limiting function that was set before the start switch 14 was turned off, even if the start switch 14 is turned off.

[0023] The drive unit 30 is configured to generate a drive force for driving the vehicle, and includes an engine controller (not shown) that controls the drive force in response to the accelerator pedal depression amount AP by the driver detected by the accelerator pedal sensor 13, or in response to a control command from the control unit 20. For example, the drive unit 30 is configured to control the opening of the engine's throttle valve in accordance with a target opening map in which the target opening of the throttle valve increases as the accelerator pedal depression amount AP increases. As a result, the drive force increases as the accelerator pedal depression amount AP increases, and the vehicle's traveling speed V increases.

[0024] When the drive unit 30 receives a speed limit signal from the control unit 20, it controls the driving force of the vehicle so that the traveling speed V does not exceed the set upper limit value Va, regardless of the accelerator pedal depression amount AP. When the drive unit 30 receives the speed limit signal from the control unit 20, the drive unit 30 uses, for example, a limit opening map, instead of the target opening map described above, that sets a limit on the target opening of the throttle valve relative to the accelerator pedal depression amount AP. This makes it possible to control the driving force of the vehicle so that the traveling speed V does not exceed the set upper limit value Va, even when the accelerator pedal is depressed greatly. Alternatively, the drive unit 30 may be configured to use a so-called adjustable speed limiter function to calculate a target opening corresponding to the set upper limit value Va of the traveling speed V, and select the smaller of the target opening of the throttle valve corresponding to the accelerator pedal depression amount AP or the target opening corresponding to the set upper limit value Va as the target opening. Note that a motor or the like may be used as the vehicle drive unit 30 instead of or in addition to an internal combustion engine.

[0025] Next, the speed limiting function of this embodiment will be described in detail. As described above, the vehicle speed control device 1 of this embodiment is configured to limit the vehicle speed to prevent sudden acceleration or sudden start due to erroneous operation of the accelerator pedal during parking. Therefore, the condition determination unit 23 is configured to determine whether the vehicle is in a parking lot, i.e., whether the vehicle is attempting to perform a parking maneuver, based on the vehicle's traveling speed V and steering angle θ. Specifically, the condition determination unit 23 determines whether an activation condition for executing the speed limiting function, a standby condition for setting the speed limiting function to a standby mode, and a termination condition for terminating the speed limiting function are satisfied.

[0026] (1) Speed ​​limit function activation conditions The condition determination unit 23 determines that an activation condition for executing the speed limiting function is satisfied when the traveling speed V remains equal to or less than a first speed V1 for a first time T1 and the steering angle θ is equal to or greater than a first angle θ1. Here, the first time T1 is a threshold value for determining that the vehicle is moving within a parking lot while searching for a parking space, and is set to an appropriate value in advance. The first time T1 may be, for example, several seconds to approximately 10 seconds. If the vehicle performs a steering operation of equal to or greater than a first angle θ1 while traveling at a low speed equal to or less than the first speed V1 for the first time T1, the condition determination unit 23 determines that the vehicle is searching for a parking space within the parking lot and turning left or right at an intersection, i.e., that the vehicle is within the parking lot, and determines that an activation condition for executing the speed limiting function is satisfied.

[0027] Condition determination unit 23 includes in the activation conditions for the speed limit function that the steering angle θ is equal to or greater than the first angle θ. Therefore, in this embodiment, the speed limit function is configured to be executed when a parking maneuver involving steering is being performed. This is because, when a parking maneuver requiring steering is being performed, the driver must also pay attention to checking the surroundings of the vehicle, such as avoiding contact with adjacent vehicles, making sure that there is no collision due to the difference in the inner wheel radius of the vehicle, and checking blind spots in the direction of travel. This is a situation in which measures against erroneous operation of the accelerator pedal are particularly desirable, and it is considered appropriate to execute the speed limit function.

[0028] When the condition determination unit 23 determines that the activation conditions are satisfied, the speed limit unit 24 sets the speed limit flag to ON and transmits a speed limit signal to the drive unit 30. As a result, when it is estimated that the vehicle is in a parking lot, the speed limit function is executed to limit the vehicle's traveling speed V to a set upper limit value Va or less.

[0029] (2) Speed ​​limit function standby conditions When the steering angle θ falls below the second angle θ2 while the speed limit function is being executed due to the above-described activation conditions, the condition determination unit 23 determines that the standby condition for setting the speed limit function to standby mode is satisfied. If the steering angle θ decreases while the vehicle is in a parking lot, it is estimated that the driving operation is not related to an actual parking maneuver. For example, it is estimated that there are no parking spaces near the vehicle and the vehicle is moving almost straight to another block in the parking lot. In such a situation, it is preferable not to activate the speed limit function and to achieve a driving speed V corresponding to accelerator pedal operation. Therefore, when the steering angle θ falls below the second angle θ2 while the speed limit function is being executed, the speed limit function is set to standby mode, and the speed limit function is not executed. Note that the speed limit flag remains on even in standby mode.

[0030] When the steering angle θ becomes equal to or greater than the second angle θ2 in the standby mode, the condition determination unit 23 determines that the vehicle is again performing a parking operation and determines that the standby mode should be terminated. This restarts the execution of the speed limiting function. Here, the second angle θ2 for determining the standby condition is used as the threshold value of the steering angle θ for determining the termination of the standby mode. However, this is not limited thereto, and the threshold value of the steering angle θ for determining the termination of the standby mode may be set to a third angle θ3 different from the second angle θ2. The third angle θ3 can be set as a threshold value for determining, for example, whether the vehicle is traveling substantially straight.

[0031] (3) Termination conditions for the speed limit function The condition determination unit 23 determines that the termination condition is satisfied when the state in which the traveling speed V is greater than the second speed V2 continues for a second time T2 in the standby mode. Here, the second speed V2 is set, for example, based on the average traveling speed when the vehicle moves within the parking lot while searching for a parking space. The second speed V2 may be the same value as the first speed V1 described above (for example, approximately 10 km / h), or may be a different value. The second time T2 is a threshold value for determining that the vehicle has exited the parking lot rather than moving to another block within the parking lot, and is set to an appropriate value in advance. The second time T2 may be, for example, several seconds to several tens of seconds.

[0032] If the steering operation is less than the second angle θ2 and the vehicle is traveling at a speed greater than the second speed V1 for a second time T2, the condition determination unit 23 estimates that the vehicle is traveling almost straight at a speed faster than the typical speed in the parking lot, i.e., that the vehicle has exited the parking lot, and determines that the termination condition for terminating the speed limit function is satisfied.

[0033] When the condition determination unit 23 determines that the termination condition is satisfied, the speed limit unit 24 sets the speed limit flag to OFF and transmits a speed limit termination signal to the drive device 30. This terminates the speed limit function.

[0034] A series of flows of speed limit control in this embodiment will be described in detail below using the flowchart in Fig. 2. The processing shown in Fig. 2 is mainly executed by the control device 20. Note that the control flow shown in Fig. 2 is an example, and the flow of speed limit control in this embodiment is not limited to this.

[0035] First, in step S101, the vehicle traveling speed V detected by the vehicle speed sensor 11 is acquired. In step S102, the low vehicle speed determination unit 21 determines whether the traveling speed V acquired in step S101 is equal to or less than a first speed V1. If the traveling speed V is equal to or less than the first speed V1, the process proceeds to step S103, and if the traveling speed V exceeds the first speed V1, the process returns to step S101.

[0036] In step S103, the low vehicle speed determination unit 21 determines whether a first time T1 has elapsed since the traveling speed V became equal to or less than the first speed V1. If the state in which the traveling speed V is equal to or less than the first speed V1 has continued for the first time T1, the process proceeds to step S104; otherwise, the process returns to step S101.

[0037] In step S104, the steering angle θ detected by the steering angle sensor 12 is obtained. In step S105, it is determined whether the vehicle has been traveling at a speed exceeding the first speed V1 for a certain period of time. If step S105 is determined to be positive and the processes in steps S102 and S103 determine that the vehicle has been traveling at a low speed for the first period of time T1, and then the vehicle has been traveling at a speed faster than the first speed V1 for a certain period of time, it is determined that the vehicle is not in a parking lot, and the process returns to step S101. Here, the certain period of time is a threshold value for determining whether the vehicle is in a parking lot, and can be set to, for example, a value similar to the second period of time T2 described above.

[0038] In step S106, the steering determination unit 22 determines whether the steering angle θ acquired in step S104 is equal to or greater than the first angle θ1. If the steering angle θ is equal to or greater than the first angle θ1, it determines that the vehicle is in a parking lot, and the process proceeds to step S107. If the steering angle θ is less than the first angle, it determines that the vehicle is not in a parking lot, and the process returns to step S104. The processes from step S101 to S106 described above are the processes for determining whether the vehicle is in a parking lot.

[0039] In step S107, the condition determination unit 23 determines that the activation conditions for executing the speed limit function are satisfied, and the speed limit unit 24 sets a speed limit flag to ON, indicating that the speed limit function for suppressing sudden acceleration or sudden starts of the vehicle during parking has been activated. In step S108, the speed limit unit 24 transmits a speed limit signal to the drive unit 30 and executes the speed limit function. As a result, the vehicle's traveling speed V is limited to a value equal to or less than the set upper limit value Va, regardless of the driver's operation of the accelerator pedal.

[0040] In step S109, it is determined whether the steering angle θ detected by the steering angle sensor 12 is equal to or greater than the second angle θ2. If a steering operation equal to or greater than the second angle θ2 is being performed while the speed limiting function is being executed, it is determined that the vehicle is continuing to park, and the process returns to step S108 to continue execution of the speed limiting function. On the other hand, if the steering angle θ becomes less than the second angle θ while the speed limiting function is being executed, the process proceeds to step S110.

[0041] In step S110, the condition determination unit 23 determines that the standby condition is satisfied and sets the speed limiting function to standby mode. In step S111, it is determined whether the steering angle θ detected by the steering angle sensor 12 is equal to or greater than the second angle θ2. If a steering operation equal to or greater than the second angle θ2 is again performed in standby mode, the standby mode is terminated and the process returns to step S108, where the execution of the speed limiting function is resumed. On the other hand, if a steering operation equal to or greater than the second angle θ2 is not performed in standby mode, the process proceeds to step S112.

[0042] In step S112, it is determined whether the vehicle has traveled for a second time T2 at a speed exceeding the second speed V2 in standby mode. If step S112 is determined to be positive, the steering angle θ is less than the second angle θ2, and the vehicle has been traveling for the second time T2 at a speed faster than the second speed V2, it is determined that the vehicle has left the parking lot, and the process proceeds to step S113. If the vehicle has not been traveling for the second time T2 at a speed faster than the second speed V2 after the steering angle θ becomes less than the second angle θ2, it is determined that the vehicle is still in the parking lot, and the process returns to step S110, and standby mode continues.

[0043] In step S113, the condition determination unit 23 determines that the termination condition for the speed limiting function is satisfied, and the speed limiting unit 24 terminates the speed limiting function by transmitting a speed limit termination signal to the drive device 30. In step S114, the speed limiting unit 24 sets the speed limit flag to OFF, thereby completing the series of speed limiting controls.

[0044] Next, consider the case where the vehicle has completed parking in the parking space and the start switch 14 has been turned off. The memory unit 25 of the control device 20 has stored therein that the speed limit flag was set to on in step S107 and that the speed limit function was set to standby mode in step S110, and these pieces of information are stored even when the start switch 14 is turned off.

[0045] After the speed limit function is executed in step S108, when the vehicle has completed parking in the parking space, the steering wheel is usually returned to the neutral position, so the steering angle θ is less than the second angle θ2 and the speed limit function is set to standby mode (step S110). Even if the start switch 14 is turned off in this state, the memory unit 25 stores the speed limit flag that is set to on and the speed limit function that is set to standby mode. When the start switch 14 is then turned on, the control device 20 refers to the information stored in the memory unit 25 and recognizes that the speed limit flag is set to on and the speed limit function is set to standby mode.

[0046] In this case, the speed limiting unit 24 maintains the standby mode of the speed limiting function. Therefore, when the driver performs a driving operation to move the vehicle out of the parking space and the steering angle θ becomes equal to or greater than the second angle θ2 (YES in step S111), the process returns to step S108 and the speed limiting function is executed. This allows the speed limiting function to be executed appropriately even when the vehicle is leaving the parking space.

[0047] The vehicle speed control device 1 according to the present embodiment described above can achieve the following advantageous effects.

[0048] (1) A vehicle speed control device 1 for performing speed limit control during parking operations includes a vehicle speed sensor 11 configured to detect the vehicle's traveling speed V, a steering angle sensor 12 configured to detect the vehicle's steering angle θ, a condition determination unit 23 configured to determine, based on the traveling speed V obtained from the vehicle speed sensor 11 and the steering angle θ obtained from the steering angle sensor 12, that an operating condition for executing a speed limit function is satisfied when the traveling speed V remains equal to or less than a first speed V1 for a first time T1 and the steering angle θ is equal to or greater than a first angle θ1, and a speed limit unit 24 configured to execute the speed limit function to limit the vehicle's traveling speed V to a set upper limit value Va or less when the condition determination unit 23 determines that the operating condition is satisfied.

[0049] The activation condition determination unit 23 is configured to determine whether the activation conditions for executing the speed limit function are satisfied based on the vehicle's traveling speed V and steering angle θ. Therefore, it is possible to determine whether the vehicle is in a parking lot and whether it is desirable to execute the speed limit function using a configuration that is standard equipment on the vehicle. Whether the vehicle is in a parking lot can be determined, for example, using a positioning device such as GNSS and map information from a navigation system. However, in this embodiment, it is possible to estimate whether the vehicle is in a parking lot from the traveling speed V and steering angle θ without using these external systems, and to determine whether it is desirable to suppress sudden acceleration or sudden start of the vehicle. This allows for the construction of a simple and inexpensive system. Furthermore, the activation conditions for the speed limit function include the steering angle θ being equal to or greater than the first angle θ, and the speed limit function is executed when a parking maneuver involving steering is being performed. This is because, when parking, which requires steering, the driver must also pay attention to checking the surroundings of the vehicle, such as avoiding contact with adjacent vehicles, making sure that the vehicle is not being caught in a blind spot due to a difference in the turning radius of the vehicle, and so on, and it is considered that this is a situation in which measures against erroneous operation of the accelerator pedal are particularly desirable. In such a situation, by implementing a speed limiting function that limits the vehicle's traveling speed V to a set upper limit value Va or less, it is possible to suppress sudden acceleration or sudden starts caused by erroneous operation of the accelerator pedal and prevent collisions with obstacles or people around the vehicle.

[0050] (2) When the speed limiting function is being executed, the condition determining unit 23 determines that the standby condition is satisfied if the steering angle θ acquired from the steering angle sensor 12 falls below the second angle θ2. When the condition determining unit 23 determines that the standby condition is satisfied, the speed limiting unit 24 sets the speed limiting function to standby mode. By setting the speed limiting function to standby mode in a situation where the steering angle θ is smaller than the second angle θ2 and the vehicle is traveling almost straight, the vehicle's traveling speed V is not unnecessarily limited. By allowing acceleration in accordance with the driver's operation of the accelerator pedal, speed control that is comfortable for the driver can be achieved.

[0051] (3) In the standby mode of the speed limiting function, the condition determining unit 23 determines that the termination condition is satisfied if the traveling speed V acquired from the vehicle speed sensor 11 remains greater than the second speed V2 for a second time T2. The speed limiting unit 24 terminates the speed limiting function when the condition determining unit 23 determines that the termination condition is satisfied. In this manner, based on the vehicle's traveling speed V and steering angle θ, if the vehicle continues traveling straight ahead at a traveling speed greater than the second speed V2, the speed limiting unit 24 determines that the termination condition is satisfied and terminates the speed limiting function. Since no speed limit is imposed during normal traveling when the vehicle is not performing a parking maneuver, speed control that minimizes discomfort felt by the driver can be achieved. Furthermore, similar to the above-described activation condition, the speed limiting unit 24 is configured to determine that the vehicle has exited the parking lot based on the traveling speed V and steering angle θ, so it is possible to determine whether the speed limiting function is unnecessary using a configuration that is standard equipment on the vehicle.

[0052] (4) In the standby mode of the speed limiting function, the speed limiting unit 24 resumes execution of the speed limiting function when the steering angle θ acquired from the steering angle sensor 12 becomes equal to or greater than the second angle θ. By quickly resuming the speed limiting function when a parking maneuver involving steering is being performed, it is possible to suppress sudden acceleration or sudden starts caused by erroneous operation of the accelerator pedal, and to prevent collisions with obstacles or people around the vehicle.

[0053] (5) The second angle θ2 is equal to or less than the first angle θ1. By setting the second angle θ2, which is the threshold value of the steering angle θ for determining whether the standby condition is satisfied, to be equal to or less than the first angle θ1, which is the threshold value of the steering angle θ for determining whether the activation condition is satisfied, it is possible to set in detail the conditions for transitioning to the standby mode while the speed limit function is being executed, and it is possible to allow acceleration in accordance with the driver's operation of the accelerator pedal in situations where it is considered that a speed limit is unnecessary.

[0054] (6) If the start switch 14 of the vehicle is turned off while the speed limit function is in standby mode and then turned on again, the speed limiter 24 maintains the standby mode of the speed limit function. If the speed limit function is configured to terminate when the start switch 14 is turned off after parking into a parking space, activation conditions based on the driving speed V and steering angle θ must be satisfied in order to activate the speed limit function when the vehicle leaves the parking space. In this case, the activation conditions are not satisfied when the vehicle leaves the parking space, and the speed limit function cannot be activated. Therefore, if the start switch 14 is turned off while the vehicle is in standby mode, the standby mode continues when the start switch 14 is turned on again. This allows the steering angle θ to reach the second angle θ2 when the vehicle leaves the parking space, thereby quickly reactivating the speed limit function. This suppresses sudden acceleration or sudden starts due to erroneous operation of the accelerator pedal when the vehicle is leaving the parking space, making it possible to prevent collisions with obstacles or people around the vehicle.

[0055] -Variations- (1) The vehicle speed control device 1 may be configured to further include an alarm device for notifying the driver that the speed limit function is being executed. The alarm device may be configured to, for example, notify the driver that the speed limit function is being executed in response to a command from the control device 20. In this case, the alarm device may have, for example, a display, an indicator light, a speaker, etc., arranged on an instrument panel at the front of the vehicle, and can notify the driver visually and / or audibly. The alarm device may be configured to notify the driver that the speed limit function is set to standby mode.

[0056] (2) In the above-described embodiment, the speed limit flag is set to ON when the activation condition determination unit 23 determines that the activation condition is satisfied, and the speed limit flag is set to OFF when the termination condition is satisfied. However, this is not limiting, and the speed limit flag may be omitted. Furthermore, the memory unit 25 for storing the setting of the speed limit flag and the state of the speed limit function may be provided outside the control device 20.

[0057] Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described above, it should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications and variations are possible within the scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0058] 1 Vehicle speed control device 11 Vehicle speed sensor (speed detection section) 12 Steering angle sensor (steering angle detection section) 20 Control device 21 low vehicle speed determination unit, 22 steering determination unit, 23 condition determination unit, 24 speed limit unit, 25 memory unit 30 Drive unit

Claims

1. A vehicle speed control device for performing speed limit control during parking operations, a speed detection unit configured to detect a traveling speed of the vehicle; a steering angle detection unit configured to detect a steering angle of the vehicle; a condition determination unit configured to determine, based on the traveling speed acquired from the speed detection unit and the steering angle acquired from the steering angle detection unit, that an activation condition for executing a speed limiting function is satisfied when the traveling speed remains equal to or less than a first speed for a first time period and the steering angle is equal to or greater than a first angle; a speed limiting unit configured to execute the speed limiting function of limiting the traveling speed of the vehicle to a set upper limit value or less when the condition determining unit determines that the operating condition is satisfied; A vehicle speed control device comprising:

2. the condition determination unit determines that a standby condition is satisfied when the steering angle acquired from the steering angle detection unit falls below a second angle while the speed limiting function is being executed; The vehicle speed control device according to claim 1 , wherein the speed limiting unit sets the speed limiting function to a standby mode when the condition determining unit determines that the standby condition is satisfied.

3. the condition determination unit determines that an end condition is satisfied when a state in which the traveling speed acquired from the speed detection unit is greater than a second speed continues for a second time in the standby mode of the speed limiting function; The vehicle speed control device according to claim 2 , wherein the speed limiting unit terminates the speed limiting function when the condition determining unit determines that the termination condition is satisfied.

4. 3. The vehicle speed control device according to claim 2, wherein the speed limiting unit resumes execution of the speed limiting function when the steering angle acquired from the steering angle detecting unit becomes equal to or greater than the second angle in the standby mode of the speed limiting function.

5. The vehicle speed control device according to claim 2 , wherein the second angle is equal to or smaller than the first angle.

6. 5. The vehicle speed control device according to claim 2, wherein when a start switch of the vehicle is turned off in the standby mode of the speed limiting function and then the start switch is turned on, the speed limiting unit maintains the standby mode of the speed limiting function.

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