Control device of a driving assistance device

Abstract

The present invention aims at improving the convenience of parking assistance. A control device (111) of a driving assistance device (200) of the present invention controls an emergency brake device for causing an emergency brake operation based on a distance to an obstacle detected by a sonar (3) constituting a detection device mounted on a vehicle (1), and a parking assistance device for performing parking assistance of the vehicle (1). The sonar (3) constituting the detection device is predetermined with an upper limit value and a lower limit value for defining a range of the above-mentioned distance capable of detecting the obstacle. In a case where the above-mentioned distance between the vehicle (1) and the obstacle at a target position, i.e., a target parking position, where the vehicle (1) is caused to stop in the parking assistance is less than the lower limit value, the control device (111) invalidates the operation of the emergency brake device.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a control device for a driving assistance system. Background Technology

[0002] A driving assistance device is known, comprising a parking assistance device for assisting driving operations from the starting position of parking assistance to the parking position, and an emergency braking device for actuating the brakes if the distance to an obstacle detected by a detection device is less than a predetermined distance.

[0003] Patent Document 1 describes a driving assistance device that shortens the distance to an obstacle that would trigger an emergency braking device during parking assistance when the vehicle speed is below a specified speed.

[0004] Existing technical documents

[0005] Patent documents

[0006] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-30580 Summary of the Invention

[0007] The technical problem that the invention aims to solve

[0008] During parking assistance, the vehicle sometimes needs to be turned back to stop in order to switch between forward and reverse driving. If there is an obstacle several tens of centimeters ahead of the turning point, the emergency braking device of the driving assistance device described in Patent Document 1 may activate before reaching the turning point. In the driving assistance device described in Patent Document 1, parking assistance is interrupted before reaching the turning point, or the number of turning back actions increases during the period until reaching the target parking position. The driving assistance device described in Patent Document 1 has room for improvement in terms of improving the convenience of parking assistance.

[0009] The present invention was made in view of the above, and its purpose is to improve the convenience of parking assistance.

[0010] Technical means for solving technical problems

[0011] To address the aforementioned problems, the control device of the driving assistance device according to the present invention controls an emergency braking device for performing emergency braking based on the distance to an obstacle detected by a detection device mounted on the vehicle, and a parking assistance device for performing parking assistance for the vehicle. The device is characterized in that an upper limit and a lower limit are predetermined for the detection device, which define the range of distances from which the obstacle can be detected. In the parking assistance, if the distance between the obstacle located in front of the vehicle in the direction of travel towards the target parking position and the vehicle at the target parking position is less than the lower limit, the control device disables the operation of the emergency braking device.

[0012] Invention Effects

[0013] According to the present invention, the convenience of parking assistance can be improved.

[0014] The problems, structures, and effects beyond those described above become clearer through the following description of the implementation methods. Attached Figure Description

[0015] Figure 1 This is a diagram showing the structure of the driving assistance device according to Embodiment 1.

[0016] Figure 2 It is shown Figure 1 The diagram shows the internal structure of the emergency braking ECU.

[0017] Figure 3 It is shown Figure 1 The diagram shows the structure of the emergency braking ECU.

[0018] Figure 4 It is shown Figure 1 The diagram shows the internal structure of the parking assist ECU.

[0019] Figure 5 It is shown Figure 1 The diagram shows the structure of the parking assistance ECU.

[0020] Figure 6 This is an explanation of what includes Figure 1 The diagram shows an example of parking assistance provided by the parking assistance ECU.

[0021] Figure 7 This is a flowchart of the processes involved in the parking assistance of Implementation Method 1.

[0022] Figure 8 This is a flowchart of the processes involved in the parking assistance of Implementation Method 2.

[0023] Figure 9This is a flowchart of the processes involved in the parking assistance of Implementation Method 3.

[0024] Figure 10 This is a flowchart of the processes involved in the parking assistance of Implementation Method 4.

[0025] Figure 11 This is a flowchart of the processes involved in the parking assistance of Implementation Method 5.

[0026] Figure 12 This is a flowchart of the processes involved in the parking assistance of Implementation Method 6. Detailed Implementation

[0027] The embodiments of the present invention will now be described using the accompanying drawings. Furthermore, unless otherwise specified, structures labeled with the same reference numerals in each embodiment have the same function in each embodiment, and therefore their description is omitted.

[0028] [Implementation Method 1]

[0029] Figure 1 This is a diagram showing the structure of the driving assistance device 200 according to Embodiment 1.

[0030] The driver assistance device 200 is a driver assistance device installed on vehicle 1 that has parking assistance and emergency braking functions. The driver assistance device 200 includes a front camera 2F, a right camera 2R, a rear camera 2B, a left camera 2L, a sonar 3, a right front wheel speed sensor 8FR, a right rear wheel speed sensor 8RR, a left rear wheel speed sensor 8RL, and a left front wheel speed sensor 8FL. In addition, the driver assistance device 200 includes an EPS (Electric Power Steering) device 6, an in-vehicle display device 9, a parking assistance ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 10, a vehicle control ECU 11, and an emergency braking ECU 12.

[0031] The front camera 2F is mounted on the front of vehicle 1 and captures images of the front of vehicle 1. The right camera 2R is mounted on the right side of vehicle 1 and captures images of the right side of vehicle 1. The rear camera 2B is mounted on the rear of vehicle 1 and captures images of the rear of vehicle 1. The left camera 2L is mounted on the left side of vehicle 1 and captures images of the left side of vehicle 1. In this embodiment, the front camera 2F, right camera 2R, rear camera 2B, and left camera 2L are collectively referred to as "camera 2". Camera 2 includes a lens and an image capturing element. Camera 2 can be a monocular camera or a stereo camera. Camera 2 is positioned at an appropriate location to capture a comprehensive view of the surrounding environment of vehicle 1. The images acquired by camera 2 are output to parking assist ECU 10 for image processing. In addition, the images acquired by camera 2 can be output not only to parking assist ECU 10 but also to emergency braking ECU 12 for image processing.

[0032] Sonar 3 is a detection device mounted on vehicle 1 to detect obstacles present around vehicle 1. Multiple sonars 3 are mounted on the front, right, rear, and left sides of vehicle 1. Each of the multiple sonars 3 transmits ultrasonic waves and detects the presence or absence of obstacles by receiving reflected waves from obstacles around vehicle 1. The time from transmitting the ultrasonic wave to receiving the reflected wave can be converted into the distance from vehicle 1 to the obstacle. That is, the distance from vehicle 1 to the obstacle is calculated based on the detection results of the sonar 3. The signal representing the detection results of the sonar 3 is output to parking assist ECU 10 and emergency braking ECU 12 and stored as obstacle detection information. Figure 1 The diagram showing the connection between sonar 3, parking assist ECU 10, and emergency braking ECU 12 is omitted. Sonar 3 constitutes the detection device described in the claims.

[0033] The distance from vehicle 1 to the obstacle is calculated based on the detection results of sonar 3. The range of distances from which sonar 3 can detect obstacles is predetermined by the specifications of sonar 3. This range is defined by an upper and lower limit value for the distance at which sonar 3 can detect obstacles. In other words, an upper and lower limit value is predetermined for sonar 3, which defines the range of distances from which obstacles can be detected. In this embodiment, the range of distances from which sonar 3 can detect obstacles is also referred to as the "detectable range." The detectable range is the range of distances from which the distance between vehicle 1 and the obstacle can be accurately calculated. In this embodiment, the lower limit value defining the detectable range is also referred to as the "lower limit value of the detectable range."

[0034] The right front wheel speed sensor 8FR is located on the right front wheel 7FR of the vehicle 1 and detects its wheel speed. The right rear wheel speed sensor 8RR is located on the right rear wheel 7RR of the vehicle 1 and detects its wheel speed. The right rear wheel speed sensor 8RL is located on the left rear wheel 7RL of the vehicle 1 and detects its wheel speed. The left front wheel speed sensor 8FL is located on the left front wheel 7FL of the vehicle 1 and detects its wheel speed. In this embodiment, the right front wheel 7FR, right rear wheel 7RR, left rear wheel 7RL, and left front wheel 7FL are collectively referred to as "wheel 7". In this embodiment, the right front wheel speed sensor 8FR, right rear wheel speed sensor 8RR, left rear wheel speed sensor 8RL, and left front wheel speed sensor 8FL are collectively referred to as "wheel speed sensors 8". The signal indicating the detection result of the wheel speed sensor 8 is output to the parking assist ECU 10 and the emergency braking ECU 12 for estimating the vehicle position of vehicle 1 and calculating the speed of vehicle 1.

[0035] The EPS device 6 changes the direction of the wheels 7 based on the amount of steering wheel 18 operation (steering angle) located in the driver's cab of the vehicle 1. For example, the EPS device 6 includes a steering angle sensor 5 for detecting the steering angle of the steering wheel 18; an electric motor for assisting the steering torque used to change the direction of each wheel 7; and an ECU for controlling the steering torque. The EPS device 6 controls the steering torque and changes the direction of the wheels 7 to assist the driver in operating the steering wheel 18. The signal indicating the detection result of the steering angle sensor 5 is output to the parking assist ECU 10 and used to calculate the driving direction of the vehicle 1.

[0036] The in-vehicle display device 9 is installed in the driver's cabin of the vehicle 1 and provides various information to the driver. For example, the in-vehicle display device 9 displays images captured by the camera 2 and processed by the parking assistance ECU 10 to the driver. In particular, as described later, the in-vehicle display device 9 displays candidate parking locations as alternative parking spaces. The target parking location is the location where the vehicle 1 is to be parked in parking assistance. The in-vehicle display device 9 consists of a pressure-sensitive or electrostatic touchscreen that integrates a display and input device, and can be installed as part of a car navigation system or as a head-up display. In addition, the in-vehicle display device 9 may also have information input devices such as a keyboard, voice prompts, and switches. The in-vehicle display device 9 can output input content to the parking assistance ECU 10 through input operations performed by the driver.

[0037] The emergency braking ECU 12 is an electronic control unit that performs emergency braking based on the distance to an obstacle detected by the sonar 3 constituting the detection device. If the distance from vehicle 1 to the obstacle is below a threshold, the emergency braking ECU 12 performs emergency braking. Specifically, the emergency braking ECU 12 estimates the vehicle 1's position and calculates the vehicle 1's speed using trajectory calculations based on the detection results from the wheel speed sensors 8. The emergency braking ECU 12 calculates the distance from vehicle 1 to the obstacle based on the detection results from the sonar 3. The emergency braking ECU 12 calculates the braking force required to stop the vehicle without colliding with the obstacle and outputs a signal including the calculated braking force value to the vehicle control ECU 11.

[0038] The parking assistance ECU 10 is an electronic control unit used to assist parking of vehicle 1. Specifically, based on information acquired by camera 2 and sonar 3, the parking assistance ECU 10 generates candidate parking positions and information about surrounding obstacles. The parking assistance ECU 10 outputs the candidate parking positions to the in-vehicle display device 9 and displays them overlaid with an image of the surroundings of vehicle 1, thereby prompting the driver with the candidate parking positions. If multiple candidate parking positions are provided to the in-vehicle display device 9 during the parking process of vehicle 1, the driver can select a target parking position from among the multiple candidates.

[0039] The parking assistance ECU 10 generates a driving path for vehicle 1 in parking assistance based on the selected target parking location and information about surrounding obstacles; that is, a path from the vehicle 1's current position to the target parking location. The parking assistance ECU 10 generates information necessary for vehicle 1 to move based on the generated path and outputs a signal representing this information to the vehicle control ECU 11. Path generation is based on the accuracy of obstacle information acquired by sensors on vehicle 1. The parking assistance ECU 10 can generate a safe and effective path that avoids collisions with obstacles and does not unnecessarily create unnecessary distance from obstacles. Thus, the driver assistance device 200 can perform parking assistance in a way that makes the driver perceive the vehicle 1's movements as natural.

[0040] The vehicle control ECU 11 is an electronic control unit used to control the driving devices of the vehicle 1, such as the accelerator and brakes. For example, the vehicle control ECU 11 is configured to include at least a motor ECU 11A for controlling the electric motor that drives the vehicle 1, a brake ECU 11B for controlling the brakes of the vehicle 1, and an EPS ECU 11C for controlling the EPS device 6 (see reference). Figure 4 ).

[0041] The vehicle control ECU 11 controls the driving mechanism of the vehicle 1 based on signals output from the parking assist ECU 10 and the emergency braking ECU 12. Specifically, the vehicle control ECU 11 controls the braking of the vehicle 1 based on a signal including a braking force value output from the emergency braking ECU 12. The vehicle control ECU 11 assists the driver in at least one of steering, acceleration, braking, and gear shifting operations by controlling the driving mechanism of the vehicle 1 based on signals output from the parking assist ECU 10. For example, the vehicle control ECU 11 assists the driver in steering by autonomously activating the EPS device 6 based on a signal including a steering angle output from the parking assist ECU 10. For example, the vehicle control ECU 11 assists the driver in acceleration and braking operations by autonomously activating the drive motor and brake based on signals including a driving force value and a braking force value output from the parking assist ECU 10. For example, the vehicle control ECU 11 assists the driver in gear shifting by autonomously activating a shift-by-wire device that controls the shift range of the automatic transmission based on signals for changing to drive, reverse, or parking gear. Therefore, when the driver performs the driving operation required to park, the driving assistance device 200 can assist in part or all of the operation.

[0042] In this embodiment, the camera 2, sonar 3, EPS device 6, wheel speed sensor 8, vehicle display device 9, parking assist ECU 10, and vehicle control ECU 11 constitute the parking assist device described in the claims. In this embodiment, the sonar 3, wheel speed sensor 8, emergency braking ECU 12, and vehicle control ECU 11 constitute the emergency braking device described in the claims. Furthermore, the emergency braking device of this embodiment detects obstacles using the sonar 3 and estimates the vehicle's position using trajectory calculation based on the detection results from the wheel speed sensor 8. The emergency braking device is not limited to this; obstacles can also be detected using other sensors such as the camera 2 or lidar. Moreover, the emergency braking device can estimate the vehicle's position not only using the detection results from the wheel speed sensor 8 but also using the steering angle detected by the steering angle sensor 5 to perform trajectory calculation. Although the parking assist function and emergency braking function are described in different ECUs in this embodiment, they can also be installed in a single ECU or in the vehicle control ECU 11.

[0043] Figure 2 It is shown Figure 1 The diagram shows the internal structure of the emergency braking ECU 12. Figure 2 The electrical connections between the emergency braking ECU12 and its peripheral devices are shown.

[0044] The emergency braking ECU 12 is configured to include an input / output LSI (Large Scale Integration) 12A containing an AD converter, and a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 12B. The sonar 3, wheel speed sensors 8, and parking assist ECU 10 are connected to the input side of the emergency braking ECU 12. The braking ECU 11B of the vehicle control ECU 11 is connected to the output side of the emergency braking ECU 12.

[0045] Figure 3 It is shown Figure 1 The diagram shows the functional structure of the emergency braking ECU 12. Figure 3 The functions shown are implemented through hardware or software or a combination thereof.

[0046] The emergency braking ECU 12 includes a vehicle position estimation unit 121, a distance calculation unit 122, a vehicle speed calculation unit 123, a braking force calculation unit 124, and an invalidation unit 125.

[0047] The vehicle position estimation unit 121 estimates the current position of the vehicle 1 by using the trajectory calculation based on the detection results of the wheel speed sensor 8. The distance calculation unit 122 calculates the distance from the vehicle 1 to the obstacle based on the detection results of the sonar 3. The vehicle speed calculation unit 123 calculates the current vehicle speed of the vehicle 1 based on the detection results of the wheel speed sensor 8. The braking force calculation unit 124 calculates the braking force value required to stop the vehicle without colliding with the obstacle based on the distance to the obstacle calculated by the distance calculation unit 122 and the vehicle speed calculated by the vehicle speed calculation unit 123. The braking force calculation unit 124 outputs a signal including the calculated braking force value to the brake ECU 11B of the vehicle control ECU 11. The invalidation unit 125 generates a signal indicating that the braking action based on the emergency braking function is temporarily invalidated based on the signal output from the control device 111 of the parking assist ECU 10 (described later), and outputs it to the vehicle control ECU 11.

[0048] Figure 4 It is shown Figure 1 The diagram shows the internal structure of the parking assistance ECU 10. Figure 4 The electrical connections between the parking assistance ECU10 and its peripheral devices are shown.

[0049] The parking assist ECU 10 is configured to include an input / output LSI 10A containing an AD converter and a CPU 10B. A camera 2, a sonar 3, a steering angle sensor 5, a wheel speed sensor 8, and an on-board display 9 are connected to the input side of the parking assist ECU 10. The on-board display 9, the emergency braking ECU 12, and the electric motor ECU 11A, brake ECU 11B, and EPS ECU 11C of the vehicle control ECU 11 are connected to the output side of the parking assist ECU 10.

[0050] Figure 5 It is shown Figure 1 The diagram shows the functional structure of the parking assistance ECU 10. Figure 5 The functions shown are implemented through hardware or software or a combination thereof. Figure 6 This is an explanation of what includes Figure 1 The diagram shows an example of parking assistance performed by the parking assistance device of the parking assistance ECU 10.

[0051] The parking assistance ECU 10 includes a vehicle position estimation unit 101, a backup prompt unit 102, a distance calculation unit 103, a path generation unit 104, a target vehicle speed calculation unit 105, a driving distance calculation unit 106, a vehicle speed calculation unit 107, a braking force calculation unit 108, a target steering angle calculation unit 109, a steering angle control unit 110, and a control device 111.

[0052] The vehicle position estimation unit 101 estimates the current position of the vehicle 1 by using trajectory calculations based on the detection results of the wheel speed sensor 8 and the steering angle sensor 5. The candidate parking location suggestion unit 102 generates candidate parking locations (i.e., candidate target parking locations) based on the vehicle 1's position and the positions of white lines or obstacles around the vehicle's position as obtained by the camera 2, outputs this information to the vehicle display device 9, and prompts the driver. If multiple candidate target parking locations exist while the vehicle 1 is parking, the driver can select a target parking location from these candidates. The distance calculation unit 103 calculates the distance from the vehicle 1 to the obstacle based on the detection results of the sonar 3. The path generation unit 104 generates a path from the vehicle 1's position to the target parking location selected by the driver. If, during the period between the vehicle 1's arrival at the target parking location and the need to switch between forward and reverse driving, the path generation unit 104 determines the target parking location. The target return position is the position of the vehicle 1 during the period from when it stops to when it stops at the target parking position, in order to perform a return maneuver in parking assistance. The path generation unit 104 generates multiple target return positions based on the positional relationship between the vehicle 1, obstacles, and the target parking position. In this embodiment, the target parking position and the target return position are collectively referred to as the "target parking position".

[0053] The target vehicle speed calculation unit 105 calculates the target vehicle speed based on the path length generated by the path generation unit 104 and generates a target vehicle speed configuration file. The travel distance calculation unit 106 calculates the travel distance of vehicle 1 since it began autonomous driving after passing the parking assist device, based on the detection results of the wheel speed sensor 8. The vehicle speed calculation unit 107 calculates the current vehicle speed of vehicle 1 based on the detection results of the wheel speed sensor 8. The braking force calculation unit 108 calculates the required driving force and braking force values ​​based on the target vehicle speed configuration file generated by the target vehicle speed calculation unit 105, the travel distance calculated by the travel distance calculation unit 106, and the vehicle speed calculated by the vehicle speed calculation unit 107. The braking force calculation unit 108 outputs signals containing the calculated driving force and braking force values ​​to the electric motor ECU 11A and brake ECU 11B of the vehicle control ECU 11. The target steering angle calculation unit 109 calculates the target steering angle based on the path generated by the path generation unit 104 and generates a target steering angle configuration file. The steering angle control unit 110 calculates the required steering angle based on the target steering angle profile generated by the target steering angle calculation unit 109 and the detection results of the steering angle sensor 5. The steering angle control unit 110 outputs a signal containing the calculated steering angle to the EPSECU 11C of the vehicle control ECU 11.

[0054] Control device 111 is the control device for driver assistance device 200. Control device 111 controls the emergency braking device and the parking assistance device. Based on the positional relationship between vehicle 1, obstacles, and target parking position, and the detectable range of sonar 3, control device 111 determines which of the emergency braking device and the parking assistance device should be activated first. Control device 111 constitutes the control device described in the claims.

[0055] Figure 6 The diagram illustrates an example of using path R to assist in parking. Path R is the path by which vehicle 1 moves forward from its current position Px to a target return position P1, stops at the target return position P1, and then reverses from the target return position P1 to the target parking position P2. Figure 6 In the example, there is an obstacle Ob1 in front of the vehicle 1 in the direction from its current position Px toward the target return position P1, and there is an obstacle Ob2 in front of the vehicle 1 parked at the target return position P1 toward the target parking position P2.

[0056] Here, the target return position P1 and the target parking position P2 are collectively referred to as the target parking position P. Obstacles Ob1 and Ob2 are collectively referred to as obstacles Ob. Ob is an obstacle located in front of the vehicle 1 in the direction of travel during parking assistance. In the target parking position P located in front of the vehicle 1 in the direction of travel, the position of the part of the vehicle 1 closest to the obstacle Ob in the direction of travel is designated as Pa. When the emergency braking device is activated, the position of the part of the vehicle 1 closest to the obstacle Ob in the direction of travel is designated as Q1. At the parking position of the emergency braking device, the position of the part of the vehicle 1 closest to the obstacle Ob in the direction of travel is designated as Q2. Furthermore, the distance between the vehicle 1 at its current position Px and the obstacle Ob in front of the vehicle 1 in the direction of travel is designated as D1. The distance between the vehicle 1 and the obstacle Ob when the emergency braking device is activated is designated as D2. The distance between vehicle 1 at the target parking position P, located ahead of vehicle 1 in its direction of travel, and the obstacle Ob, located ahead of vehicle 1 in its direction of travel, is defined as D3. In other words, distance D3 is equivalent to the distance between the position Pa of vehicle 1 when it is parked at the target parking position P and the obstacle Ob, located ahead of vehicle 1 in its direction of travel. The distance between the current position Px of vehicle 1 and the target parking position P, located ahead of vehicle 1 in its direction of travel, is defined as D4. In this embodiment, the distance D1 between vehicle 1 and obstacle Ob is assumed to be greater than the distance D4 between the current position Px and the target parking position P.

[0057] exist Figure 6 In the scenario where vehicle 1 is moving towards the target return position P1, distance D1 is the distance between vehicle 1 and obstacle Ob1, and distance D2 is the distance between vehicle 1 and obstacle Ob1 when the emergency braking device is activated. Figure 6 In this situation, distance D3 is the distance between vehicle 1 at the target return position P1 and obstacle Ob1, and distance D4 is the distance between the vehicle's position Px and the target return position P1. Additionally, in Figure 6 In the scenario where vehicle 1 reverses from the target return position P1 to the target parking position P2 after returning to its original position, distance D1 is the distance between vehicle 1 and obstacle Ob2, and distance D2 is the distance between vehicle 1 and obstacle Ob2 when the emergency braking device is activated. Figure 6 In this situation, distance D3 is the distance between vehicle 1 at the target parking position P2 and obstacle Ob2, and distance D4 is the distance between the vehicle's position Px and the target parking position P2.

[0058] When vehicle 1 is moving towards the target return position P1, if vehicle 1 exceeds the lower limit L of the detectable range and gets too close to obstacle Ob1, the ultrasonic waves emitted from sonar 3 will strongly interfere with the reflected waves from obstacle Ob1, reducing the detection accuracy of sonar 3. If vehicle 1 exceeds the lower limit L of the detectable range and gets too close to obstacle Ob1, it will be difficult to accurately calculate the distance D1 between vehicle 1 and obstacle Ob1. If the distance D1 between vehicle 1 and obstacle Ob1 cannot be accurately calculated, the emergency braking device may not be able to activate at the required time to stop without colliding with obstacle Ob1. The driver assistance device 200 needs to activate the emergency braking device at a position further away from obstacle Ob1 than the lower limit L of the detectable range, which is the range of distances within which the distance D1 between vehicle 1 and obstacle Ob1 can be accurately calculated. That is, the driver assistance device 200 needs to ensure that the distance D2 between vehicle 1 and obstacle Ob1 at the time the emergency braking device activates is greater than the lower limit L of the detectable range.

[0059] Because the vehicle speed is low during parking assistance, the braking distance is short. Therefore, if the distance D2 between vehicle 1 and obstacle Ob1 when the emergency braking device starts to act is greater than the lower limit L of the detectable range, the stopping position of vehicle 1 caused by the emergency braking device is likely to be further away from obstacle Ob1 than the target return position P1. In other words, in this situation, vehicle 1 moves towards the target return position P1 during parking assistance, but before reaching the target return position P1, vehicle 1 is likely to stop due to the action of the emergency braking device. As a result, in vehicle 1, due to the interruption of parking assistance or the increase in the number of return strokes before stopping at the target parking position P2, a large amount of time is required to complete stopping at the target parking position P2, reducing the convenience of parking assistance.

[0060] To prevent vehicle 1 from stopping before reaching the target return position P1, it is advisable to disable the emergency braking device from the moment the parking assist device begins operation. However, from a safety perspective, it is desirable to maintain the emergency braking function as much as possible. Therefore, if the distance D3 between vehicle 1 and obstacle Ob1 at the target return position P1 is less than the lower limit L of the detectable range, the control unit 111 of the driver assistance device 200 disables the emergency braking device. Specifically, in this case, the control unit 111 outputs a signal to the disabling unit 125 of the emergency braking ECU 12 indicating that the operation of the emergency braking device is disabled. Based on the signal output from the control unit 111, the disabling unit 125 of the emergency braking ECU 12 generates a signal indicating that the braking action based on the emergency braking function is temporarily disabled, and outputs this signal to the vehicle control ECU 11. The same applies to the situation where vehicle 1 reverses from the target return position P1 to the target parking position P2 after the return. If the distance D3 between vehicle 1 and obstacle Ob2 at the target parking position P2 is less than the lower limit L of the detectable range, the control device 111 disables the operation of the emergency braking device.

[0061] Therefore, the control unit 111 of the driver assistance device 200 can maintain the effective period of the emergency braking device for as long as possible, while preventing the vehicle 1 from stopping due to the action of the emergency braking device before reaching the target parking position P during the parking assistance process. Thus, the driver assistance device 200 can improve the convenience of parking assistance while ensuring safety as much as possible.

[0062] Figure 7 This is a flowchart of the parking assistance process in Implementation Method 1. If the driver requests the parking assistance device to start operating through input operations such as inputting into the vehicle display device 9, the driving assistance device 200 performs steps S201 to S210.

[0063] In step S201, the driving assistance device 200 uses the candidate prompting unit 102 to generate a candidate parking location for the vehicle 1, i.e., a candidate target parking location, and prompts it to the driver, thereby determining the target parking location.

[0064] In step S202, the driving assistance device 200 uses the path generation unit 104 to generate the driving path of the vehicle 1 in parking assistance, that is, the path from the current position of the vehicle 1 to the target parking position. At this time, if it is necessary to turn back, the driving assistance device 200 determines the target turning back position.

[0065] In step S203, the driving assistance device 200 uses the control device 111 to start driving the vehicle 1. The driving assistance device 200 causes the vehicle 1 to drive according to the generated path.

[0066] In step S204, the driving assistance device 200 uses the vehicle position estimation unit 101 to estimate the vehicle position of vehicle 1 using trajectory estimation in each control cycle of the processing related to parking assistance.

[0067] In step S205, the driving assistance device 200 uses the distance calculation unit 103 to calculate the distance from the current position of the vehicle 1 to the target parking position. If there is a target return position on the path generated in step S202, and the vehicle 1 is moving towards the target return position, the driving assistance device 200 calculates the distance from the current position of the vehicle 1 to the target return position. If there is no target return position on the path, or if a return has been made, and the vehicle 1 is moving towards the target parking position, the driving assistance device 200 calculates the distance from the current position of the vehicle 1 to the target parking position.

[0068] In step S206, the driving assistance device 200 uses the control device 111 to determine whether the vehicle 1 has reached the target parking position. If the vehicle 1 has reached the target parking position, the driving assistance device 200 terminates the parking assistance and ends the process. Figure 7 The process is as shown. If vehicle 1 fails to reach the target parking position, the driver assistance device 200 proceeds to step S207.

[0069] In step S207, the driving assistance device 200 uses the control device 111 to determine whether the sonar 3 has detected an obstacle when transitioning from the previous control cycle to the current control cycle. If the sonar 3 has not detected an obstacle, the driving assistance device 200 proceeds to step S204. If the sonar 3 has detected an obstacle, the driving assistance device 200 proceeds to step S208.

[0070] In step S208, the driver assistance device 200 uses the control device 111 to determine whether the distance (D1) between the vehicle 1 and the obstacle is greater than the distance (D4) between the vehicle's position and the target parking position. If the sonar 3 detects an obstacle after the path is generated in step S202, or if the parking assist ECU 10 malfunctions, it can be assumed that the distance (D1) between the vehicle 1 and the obstacle is less than or equal to the distance (D4) between the vehicle's position and the target parking position. In this case, the vehicle 1 may collide with the obstacle before reaching the target parking position. Therefore, when the distance (D1) between the vehicle 1 and the obstacle is less than or equal to the distance (D4) between the vehicle's position and the target parking position, the driver assistance device 200 terminates its operation to prioritize the emergency braking device over the parking assist device. Figure 7The process is shown. On the other hand, when the distance (D1) between vehicle 1 and the obstacle is greater than the distance (D4) between the vehicle's position and the target parking position, the driving assistance device 200 proceeds to step S209.

[0071] In step S209, the driving assistance device 200 uses the control device 111 to determine whether the distance (D3) between the vehicle 1 at the target parking position and the obstacle is less than the lower limit (L) of the detectable range. If the distance (D3) between the vehicle 1 at the target parking position and the obstacle is greater than or equal to the lower limit (L) of the detectable range, the driving assistance device 200 proceeds to step S204. If the distance (D3) between the vehicle 1 at the target parking position and the obstacle is less than the lower limit (L) of the detectable range, the driving assistance device 200 proceeds to step S210.

[0072] In step S210, the driver assistance device 200 temporarily disables the emergency braking device using the control device 111. The period during which the driver assistance device 200 temporarily disables the emergency braking device can be until the vehicle 1 reaches the target return position or the target parking position. Afterward, the driver assistance device 200 proceeds to step S204.

[0073] In step S208, if the distance (D1) between vehicle 1 and the obstacle is less than or equal to the distance (D4) between the vehicle's position and the target parking position, the driver assistance device 200 may terminate the operation. Figure 7 After the processing shown, vehicle 1 can be stopped by the action of the emergency braking device, but it can also be stopped before the emergency braking device is activated. Afterwards, regardless of whether the emergency braking device is activated, the driver assistance device 200 can regenerate the path from the vehicle 1's current parking position to the target parking position and continue parking assistance.

[0074] As described above, in the driving assistance device 200 of Embodiment 1, the control device 111 controls an emergency braking device and a parking assistance device. The emergency braking device performs emergency braking based on the distance to an obstacle detected by the sonar 3, which constitutes a detection device mounted on the vehicle 1. The parking assistance device assists in parking the vehicle 1. In the driving assistance device 200 of Embodiment 1, an upper limit and a lower limit are preset in the sonar 3, which constitutes the detection device, to define the range of distances from which obstacles can be detected. In the driving assistance device 200 of Embodiment 1, when the distance (D3) between an obstacle located in front of the vehicle 1 in the direction of travel towards the target parking position and the vehicle 1 at the target parking position is less than the lower limit (L) of the detectable range, the control device 111 disables the operation of the emergency braking device.

[0075] Therefore, in the driving assistance device 200 of Embodiment 1, when the vehicle 1 at the target parking position approaches an obstacle by exceeding the lower limit (L) of the detectable range, the control device 111 can prioritize the parking assistance device over the emergency braking device. The control device 111 can maintain the effective period of the emergency braking device for as long as possible, without rendering the emergency braking device ineffective from the start of the parking assistance device's operation. Furthermore, the control device 111 can prevent the vehicle 1 from stopping before reaching the target parking position due to the operation of the emergency braking device during parking assistance. Thus, the control device 111 can improve the convenience of parking assistance while ensuring safety as much as possible.

[0076] Furthermore, in the driving assistance device 200 of Embodiment 1, the control device 111 disables the operation of the emergency braking device on the premise that the distance (D1) between the vehicle 1 and the obstacle is greater than the distance (D4) between the vehicle's position and the target parking position. In other words, when the distance (D1) between the vehicle 1 and the obstacle is less than or equal to the distance (D4) between the vehicle's position and the target parking position, the control device 111 can make the emergency braking device operate with priority over the parking assistance device.

[0077] Therefore, in the driving assistance device 200 of Embodiment 1, the control device 111 can minimize the risk of the vehicle 1 colliding with an obstacle located closer to the target parking position, while improving the convenience of parking assistance. Thus, the control device 111 can further improve the safety of prevention while improving the convenience of parking assistance.

[0078] [Implementation Method 2]

[0079] use Figure 8 The driving assistance device 200 of Embodiment 2 will be described. In the description of Embodiment 2, the same structures and operations as in Embodiment 1 will be omitted.

[0080] In the driving assistance device 200 of Embodiment 1, if the distance (D3) between the vehicle 1 and the obstacle at the target parking position is less than the lower limit (L) of the detectable range, the operation of the emergency braking device is disabled. In the driving assistance device 200 of Embodiment 2, if the distance (D3) between the vehicle 1 and the obstacle at the target parking position is less than the lower limit (L) of the detectable range but greater than a predetermined value, the operation of the emergency braking device is disabled.

[0081] The specified value refers to a value defined based on at least one of the following: the driving accuracy of the actuator in the driving device of vehicle 1 controlled by vehicle control ECU 11, the estimation accuracy of the vehicle position estimated by vehicle position estimation unit 101, and the obstacle detection accuracy of sonar 3. Specifically, the specified value may be the maximum value of the error range of the distance to the obstacle based on the detection accuracy of sonar 3. Alternatively, the specified value may be the maximum value of the error range of the vehicle position based on the estimation accuracy of vehicle position estimation unit 101. Furthermore, the specified value may be the sum of the maximum value of the error range of the distance to the obstacle based on the detection accuracy of sonar 3 and the maximum value of the error range of the vehicle position based on the estimation accuracy of vehicle position estimation unit 101. When the distance (D3) between vehicle 1 and the obstacle at the target parking position is less than or equal to the specified value, the distance (D1) between vehicle 1 and the obstacle may not be accurately calculated near the target parking position, the emergency braking device may not be properly activated, and vehicle 1 may collide with the obstacle. Therefore, in the driving assistance device 200 of Embodiment 2, if the distance (D3) between the vehicle 1 at the target parking position and the obstacle is greater than a predetermined value, the operation of the emergency braking device is rendered ineffective.

[0082] Figure 8 This is a flowchart of the processes involved in the parking assistance of Implementation Method 2. Figure 8 Corresponding to Figure 7 .

[0083] In steps S201 to S210, the driving assistance device 200 of Embodiment 2 performs interaction with... Figure 7 The processes shown in steps S201 to S210 are the same. However, in Embodiment 2, the driving assistance device 200 performs step S211 between steps S208 and S209. In step S208, if the distance (D1) between vehicle 1 and the obstacle is greater than the distance (D4) between the vehicle's position and the target parking position, the driving assistance device 200 of Embodiment 2 proceeds to step S211.

[0084] In step S211, the driving assistance device 200 of Embodiment 2 uses the control device 111 to determine whether the distance (D3) between the vehicle 1 at the target parking position and the obstacle is greater than a predetermined value. If the distance (D3) between the vehicle 1 at the target parking position and the obstacle is less than or equal to the predetermined value, the driving assistance device 200 of Embodiment 2 terminates the process so that the emergency braking device takes priority over the parking assistance device. Figure 8The process is as shown. On the other hand, if the distance (D3) between the target parking position and the obstacle is greater than a predetermined value, the driving assistance device 200 of Embodiment 2 proceeds to step S209. In this case, if the determination condition of step S209 is met, the operation of the emergency braking device is disabled in the driving assistance device 200 of Embodiment 2.

[0085] As described above, in the driving assistance device 200 of Embodiment 2, if the distance (D3) between the vehicle 1 and the obstacle at the target parking position is greater than a predetermined value, the control device 111 disables the operation of the emergency braking device. Specifically, if the distance (D3) between the vehicle 1 and the obstacle at the target parking position is greater than the maximum value of the error range of the distance to the obstacle based on the detection accuracy of the sonar 3, the control device 111 disables the emergency braking device. In other words, if the distance (D3) between the vehicle 1 and the obstacle at the target parking position is less than or equal to the maximum value of the error range of the distance to the obstacle based on the detection accuracy of the sonar 3, the control device 111 can prioritize the operation of the emergency braking device over the parking assistance device.

[0086] Therefore, in the driving assistance device 200 of Embodiment 2, even if the distance to the obstacle detected by the sonar 3 contains errors, the control device 111 can improve the convenience of parking assistance while minimizing the risk of collision between the vehicle 1 and the obstacle. Thus, the control device 111 can further improve the safety of prevention while also improving the convenience of parking assistance.

[0087] Similarly, in the driving assistance device 200 of Embodiment 2, if the distance (D3) between the vehicle 1 and the obstacle at the target parking position is greater than the maximum value of the error range of the vehicle position based on the estimation accuracy of the vehicle position estimation unit 101, the control device 111 disables the operation of the emergency braking device. That is, if the distance (D3) between the vehicle 1 and the obstacle at the target parking position is less than or equal to the maximum value of the error range of the vehicle position based on the estimation accuracy of the vehicle position estimation unit 101, the control device 111 can prioritize the operation of the emergency braking device over the parking assistance device.

[0088] Therefore, in the driving assistance device 200 of Embodiment 2, even if the vehicle position of the vehicle 1 estimated by the vehicle position estimation unit 101 contains errors, the control device 111 can improve the convenience of parking assistance while minimizing the risk of collision between the vehicle 1 and obstacles. Thus, the control device 111 can further improve the safety of prevention while improving the convenience of parking assistance.

[0089] Similarly, in the driving assistance device 200 of Embodiment 2, if the distance (D3) between the vehicle 1 and the obstacle at the target parking position is greater than the sum of the maximum value of the error range of the distance to the obstacle based on the detection accuracy of the sonar 3 and the maximum value of the error range of the vehicle position based on the estimation accuracy of the vehicle position estimation unit 101, the control device 111 disables the operation of the emergency braking device. That is, if the distance (D3) between the vehicle 1 and the obstacle at the target parking position is less than or equal to the sum of the maximum value of the error range of the distance to the obstacle based on the detection accuracy of the sonar 3 and the maximum value of the error range of the vehicle position based on the estimation accuracy of the vehicle position estimation unit 101, the control device 111 can prioritize the operation of the emergency braking device over the parking assistance device.

[0090] Therefore, in the driving assistance device 200 of Embodiment 2, even if both the vehicle 1's position and the distance to the obstacle contain errors, the control device 111 can improve the convenience of parking assistance while minimizing the risk of collision between the vehicle 1 and the obstacle. Thus, the control device 111 can further improve safety while simultaneously enhancing the convenience of parking assistance.

[0091] [Implementation Method 3]

[0092] use Figure 9 The driving assistance device 200 of Embodiment 3 will be described. In the description of Embodiment 3, the same structures and operations as in Embodiment 1 will be omitted.

[0093] In the driving assistance device 200 of Embodiment 1, parking assistance continues after the emergency braking device is deactivated. In the driving assistance device 200 of Embodiment 3, after the emergency braking device is deactivated, if an event occurs that affects the estimation accuracy of the vehicle position estimation unit 101 in estimating the vehicle position, the operation of the parking assistance device is stopped.

[0094] Events that affect the accuracy of the vehicle position estimation by the vehicle position estimation unit 101 include at least one of the following: vehicle 1 crossing a step, vehicle 1 skidding, and vehicle 1 making a sharp turn. When the vehicle position of 1 is estimated using trajectory calculations from the wheel speed sensor 8, these events degrade the accuracy of the estimated vehicle position. In other words, if these events occur, the vehicle position of 1 estimated by the vehicle position estimation unit 101 may include a large error. If parking assistance continues after these events occur, the error in the vehicle position of 1 will increase, potentially preventing the emergency braking device from properly engaging, and thus the vehicle 1 may collide with an obstacle. Therefore, in the driving assistance device 200 of Embodiment 3, the operation of the parking assistance device is stopped in the event of these events.

[0095] Figure 9 This is a flowchart of the processes involved in the parking assistance of Implementation Method 3. Figure 9 Corresponding to Figure 7 .

[0096] In steps S201 to S210, the driving assistance device 200 of Embodiment 3 performs interaction with... Figure 7 The process is the same for steps S201 to S210. However, in Embodiment 3, the driving assistance device 200 proceeds to step S212 after step S210.

[0097] In step S212, the driving assistance device 200 of Embodiment 3 uses the control device 111 to determine whether an event has occurred that affects the estimation accuracy of the vehicle position estimation unit 101 in estimating the vehicle position. If such an event occurs, the driving assistance device 200 of Embodiment 3 terminates the operation of the parking assistance device and prioritizes the activation of the emergency braking device. Figure 9 The process is as shown. On the other hand, if no event occurs that affects the estimation accuracy of the vehicle position by the vehicle position estimation unit 101, the driving assistance device 200 of Embodiment 3 proceeds to step S204.

[0098] As described above, in the driving assistance device 200 of Embodiment 3, after the control device 111 disables the operation of the emergency braking device, in the event that an event occurs that affects the estimation accuracy of the vehicle position estimation unit 101 in estimating the vehicle position, the operation of the parking assistance device is stopped.

[0099] Therefore, in the driving assistance device 200 of Embodiment 3, the control device 111 can improve the convenience of parking assistance while minimizing the risk of the vehicle 1 colliding with an obstacle before reaching the target parking position. Thus, the control device 111 can further improve the safety of prevention while also enhancing the convenience of parking assistance.

[0100] [Implementation Method 4]

[0101] use Figure 10 The driving assistance device 200 of Embodiment 4 will be described. In the description of Embodiment 4, the same structures and operations as in Embodiment 1 will be omitted.

[0102] In the driving assistance device 200 of Embodiment 1, the emergency braking device is disabled without taking into account the type of obstacle detected by the sonar 3. In the driving assistance device 200 of Embodiment 4, the emergency braking device is disabled when the obstacle is a stationary object.

[0103] A stationary object refers to an object that is stationary, such as a sign. In the driving assistance device 200 of Embodiment 4, features such as the shape of the detected obstacle can be extracted based on the detection results of the sonar 3 and the image acquired by the camera 2, and the probability that the detected obstacle is a stationary object can be calculated. The driving assistance device 200 of Embodiment 4 compares the calculated probability with a predetermined threshold. If the calculated probability is less than the threshold, the driving assistance device 200 of Embodiment 4 determines that the obstacle is more likely to be a moving object than a stationary object. If the probability that the obstacle is a moving object is higher, the probability of the vehicle 1 colliding with the obstacle increases. Therefore, in the driving assistance device 200 of Embodiment 4, if the obstacle is a stationary object, the emergency braking device is disabled, but if the obstacle is a moving object, the emergency braking device is activated with priority over the parking assistance device.

[0104] Figure 10 This is a flowchart of the processes involved in the parking assistance of Implementation Method 4. Figure 10 Corresponding to Figure 7 .

[0105] In steps S201 to S210, the driving assistance device 200 of Embodiment 4 performs interaction with... Figure 7The processes shown in steps S201 to S210 are the same. However, in Embodiment 4, the driving assistance device 200 performs step S213 between steps S209 and S210. In step S209, if the distance (D3) between the vehicle 1 at the target parking position and the obstacle is less than the lower limit (L) of the detectable range, the driving assistance device 200 of Embodiment 4 proceeds to step S213.

[0106] In step S213, the driving assistance device 200 of Embodiment 4 uses the control device 111 to determine whether the probability that the obstacle is a stationary object is above a threshold. If the calculated probability is less than the threshold, since the probability that the obstacle is a moving object is higher, the driving assistance device 200 of Embodiment 4 proceeds to step S204 to continue parking assistance without invalidating the operation of the emergency braking device. On the other hand, if the calculated probability is above the threshold, the driving assistance device 200 of Embodiment 4 proceeds to step S210 because the probability that the obstacle is a stationary object is higher. In this case, in the driving assistance device 200 of Embodiment 4, the control device 111 temporarily invalidates the operation of the emergency braking device, allowing the parking assistance device to operate with higher priority than the emergency braking device.

[0107] As described above, in the driving assistance device 200 of Embodiment 4, when the obstacle is a stationary object, the control device 111 disables the operation of the emergency braking device. That is, when the obstacle is not a stationary object, the control device 111 can make the emergency braking device operate with priority over the parking assistance device.

[0108] Therefore, in the driving assistance device 200 of Embodiment 4, the control device 111 can temporarily disable the emergency braking device only if the obstacle near the target parking position is a stationary object. The control device 111 can improve the convenience of parking assistance while minimizing the risk of collision due to obstacle movement after the parking assistance device is activated with priority over the emergency braking device. Thus, the control device 111 can further improve safety while simultaneously enhancing the convenience of parking assistance.

[0109] Alternatively, in the driving assistance device 200 of Embodiment 4, the control device 111 may not determine whether the probability of the obstacle being a stationary object is above a threshold, but rather determine whether there is an unmoved obstacle during the period from the start of the parking assistance device's operation to the present. In this case, the control device 111 only needs to determine that any obstacle that has not moved during the period from the start of the parking assistance device's operation to the present is a stationary object.

[0110] [Implementation Method 5]

[0111] use Figure 11 The driving assistance device 200 of Embodiment 5 will be described. In the description of Embodiment 5, the same structures and operations as in Embodiment 1 will be omitted.

[0112] In the driving assistance device 200 of Embodiment 1, parking assistance continues after the emergency braking device is deactivated. In the driving assistance device 200 of Embodiment 5, after the emergency braking device is deactivated, the parking assistance device stops operating when the sonar 3 detects a moving object.

[0113] The driving assistance device 200 in Embodiment 5 can determine whether a moving object has been detected by comparing the image acquired by the camera 2 in the previous control cycle with the image acquired in the current control cycle. If a moving object is detected after the emergency braking device has been deactivated, the probability of a collision between the vehicle 1 and the moving object increases. Therefore, in the driving assistance device 200 of Embodiment 5, when a moving object is detected, the parking assistance device is stopped, and the emergency braking device is activated first.

[0114] Figure 11 This is a flowchart illustrating the processing flow involved in the parking assistance according to Embodiment 5. Figure 11 Corresponding to Figure 7 .

[0115] In steps S201 to S210, the driving assistance device 200 of Embodiment 5 performs interaction with... Figure 7 The process shown in steps S201 to S210 is the same. However, in Embodiment 5, the driving assistance device 200 proceeds to step S214 after step S210.

[0116] In step S214, the driving assistance device 200 of Embodiment 5 uses the control device 111 to determine whether a moving object is detected. If a moving object is detected, the driving assistance device 200 of Embodiment 5 terminates the operation to stop the parking assistance device and enable the emergency braking device. Figure 11 The process is shown. On the other hand, if no moving body is detected, the driving assistance device 200 of Embodiment 5 proceeds to step S204.

[0117] As described above, in the driving assistance device 200 of Embodiment 5, after the control device 111 disables the operation of the emergency braking device, it stops the operation of the parking assistance device when a moving object is detected.

[0118] Therefore, in the driving assistance device 200 of Embodiment 5, the control device 111 can minimize the risk of collision with a moving object after the emergency braking device has failed, while improving the convenience of parking assistance. Thus, the control device 111 can further improve safety while simultaneously enhancing the convenience of parking assistance.

[0119] Furthermore, in the driving assistance device 200 of Embodiment 5, if the control device 111 can determine that the moving object is no longer moving after detecting a moving object and stopping the vehicle 1, it can restart the operation of the parking assistance device. Additionally, in this case, if the moving object's direction of movement is away from the target parking position, the probability of a collision between the vehicle 1 and the moving object is low, so the control device 111 may not stop the vehicle 1. The sensor for detecting the moving object is not limited to the camera 2, but can also be other sensors such as lidar.

[0120] [Implementation Method 6]

[0121] use Figure 12 The driving assistance device 200 of Embodiment 6 will be described. In the description of Embodiment 6, the same structures and operations as in Embodiment 1 are omitted.

[0122] In the driving assistance device 200 of Embodiment 1, parking assistance is provided without specifically considering the possibility of a malfunction in the parking assistance device. In the driving assistance device 200 of Embodiment 6, the operation of the parking assistance device is stopped if a malfunction in the parking assistance device is possible.

[0123] In the driving assistance device 200 of Embodiment 6, when parking assistance is in progress, the parking assistance ECU 10 of the parking assistance device outputs a signal indicating that parking assistance is in progress to the emergency braking ECU 12 of the emergency braking device. The control device 111 can monitor this signal during parking assistance and determine whether the signal is interrupted. If the signal is interrupted, the parking assistance ECU 10 may malfunction, and the vehicle 1 may collide with an obstacle. Therefore, in the driving assistance device 200 of Embodiment 6, the operation of the parking assistance device is stopped if a malfunction of the parking assistance device is possible.

[0124] Figure 12 This is a flowchart illustrating the processing flow involved in the parking assistance according to Embodiment 6. Figure 12 Corresponding to Figure 7 .

[0125] In steps S201 to S210, the driving assistance device 200 of Embodiment 6 performs interaction with... Figure 7The processes shown in steps S201 to S210 are the same. However, in Embodiment 6, the driving assistance device 200 performs step S215 between steps S209 and S210. In step S209, if the distance (D3) between the vehicle 1 at the target parking position and the obstacle is less than the lower limit (L) of the detectable range, the driving assistance device 200 of Embodiment 6 proceeds to step S215.

[0126] In step S215, the driving assistance device 200 of Embodiment 6 uses the control device 111 to determine whether the signal indicating parking assistance is interrupted. If the signal indicating parking assistance is interrupted, the driving assistance device 200 of Embodiment 6 terminates in order to stop the operation of the parking assistance device and prioritize the operation of the emergency braking device. Figure 12 The process is as shown. On the other hand, if the signal indicating that parking assistance is in progress is not interrupted, the driving assistance device 200 of Embodiment 6 proceeds to step S210.

[0127] As described above, in the driving assistance device 200 of Embodiment 6, when the parking assistance device is in parking assistance mode, it outputs a signal indicating that it is in parking assistance mode to the emergency braking device, and when the signal is interrupted, the control device 111 stops the operation of the parking assistance device.

[0128] Therefore, in the driving assistance device 200 of Embodiment 6, even if there is a possibility of a parking assistance device malfunction near the target parking position where the detection accuracy of the sonar 3 is reduced, the control device 111 can improve the convenience of parking assistance while minimizing the risk of collision between the vehicle 1 and the obstacle. Thus, the control device 111 can further improve the safety of prevention while also improving the convenience of parking assistance.

[0129] In the above embodiment, it has been explained that the detectable range of the detection device of the driving assistance device 200 is constant, and the lower limit (L) of the detectable range is constant. The detection device of the driving assistance device 200 is not limited to this; the detectable range can be variable, and the lower limit (L) of the detectable range can be a variable. In this case, the lower limit (L) of the detectable range can be a variable determined based on at least one of the ambient temperature, air pressure, and wind speed around the vehicle 1. The ambient temperature, air pressure, and wind speed around the vehicle 1 can be detected by sensors pre-installed in the vehicle 1. The control device 111 can pre-store a table representing the correspondence between variables such as temperature, air pressure, and wind speed and the lower limit (L) of the detectable range. When the parking assistance device starts operating, the lower limit (L) of the detectable range can be set for the detection device by referring to this table.

[0130] When the detection device is composed of sonar 3, since the propagation speed of the ultrasonic waves emitted from sonar 3 varies depending on factors such as the temperature and pressure of the air, which is the medium through which the ultrasonic waves propagate, the lower limit (L) of the detectable range of sonar 3 can also be considered to change. The lower limit (L) of the detectable range is the criterion for determining whether to activate the emergency braking device or the parking assist device first. If the lower limit (L) of the detectable range is a variable determined based on factors such as temperature, then the above-mentioned criterion becomes a criterion suitable for changes in the surrounding environment of vehicle 1. Therefore, in the driver assistance device 200, the control device 111 can more appropriately determine whether to activate the emergency braking device or the parking assist device first, thus further improving the convenience of parking assistance while reliably ensuring preventive safety.

[0131] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, it was explained that the parking assistance of the driver assistance device 200 assists the driver in at least one of the following operations: steering, acceleration, braking, and gear shifting, by autonomously activating the EPS device 6, drive motor, brake, and gear shift lever, which are the driving devices of the vehicle 1. The parking assistance of the driver assistance device 200 is not limited to this; it may also simply display the path from the vehicle 1's current position to the target parking position on the in-vehicle display device 9, or guide the driver's actions for parking via voice commands.

[0132] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, sonar 3, which transmits ultrasonic waves, was described as an example of the detection device included in the driver assistance device 200. The detection device included in the driver assistance device 200 is not limited to this. For example, the detection device included in the driver assistance device 200 could be other sensors such as radar or lidar that transmit electromagnetic waves or lasers to detect obstacles. Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the control device 111 is provided in the parking assistance ECU 10, but it could also be provided in the vehicle control ECU 11, the emergency braking ECU 12, or a dedicated ECU. Additionally, the vehicle 1 could be a vehicle powered by an internal combustion engine, rather than a vehicle powered by a drive electric motor.

[0133] <Other>

[0134] Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and includes various modifications. For example, the above-described embodiments are detailed for ease of understanding and illustration of the present invention, and the present invention is not necessarily limited to including all the structures described. In addition, a portion of the structure of one embodiment may be replaced with a structure of another embodiment, and structures of other embodiments may be added to the structure of one embodiment. Furthermore, it is also possible to add, delete, or replace other structures with a portion of the structure in each embodiment.

[0135] Furthermore, some or all of the aforementioned structures, functions, processing units, and processing modules can be implemented in hardware, for example, using integrated circuits for design. Alternatively, the aforementioned structures and functions can be implemented in software by having a processor interpret and execute programs that perform their respective functions. Information such as programs, tables, and files that implement these functions can be stored in memory or recording devices such as hard disks, SSDs (Solid State Drives), or recording media such as IC cards, SD cards, and DVDs.

[0136] Furthermore, the control lines and information lines shown are taken into account as necessary for the description, but are not limited to showing all the control lines and information lines necessary for the product. In fact, it can be considered that almost all the structures are interconnected.

[0137] Label Explanation

[0138] 1…vehicle, 3…sonar (detection device), 10…parking assist ECU, 12…emergency braking ECU, 111…control device, 101…vehicle position estimation unit, 200…driving assistance device.

Claims

1. A control device of a driving assist device, controls an emergency brake device that performs emergency braking based on a distance to an obstacle detected by a detection device mounted on a vehicle, and a parking assist device that performs parking assist of the vehicle, characterized by an upper limit value and a lower limit value that are predetermined for the detection device, the upper limit value and the lower limit value defining a range of the distance to the obstacle that can be detected, in a case where the distance between the obstacle located ahead of a travel direction of the vehicle traveling toward a target parking position and the vehicle at the target parking position is less than the lower limit value in the parking assist, the control device invalidates an action of the emergency brake device.

2. The control device of the driving assist device according to claim 1, characterized in that in a case where the distance between the obstacle located ahead of the travel direction and the vehicle at the target parking position is greater than a maximum value of an error range of the distance based on a detection accuracy of the detection device, the action of the emergency brake device is invalidated.

3. The control device of the driving assist device according to claim 1, characterized in that the parking assist device performs the parking assist using a host vehicle position of the vehicle estimated by a host vehicle position estimation section, in a case where the distance between the obstacle located ahead of the travel direction and the vehicle at the target parking position is greater than a maximum error range of the host vehicle position based on an estimation accuracy of the host vehicle position estimation section, the control device invalidates the action of the emergency brake device.

4. The control device of the driving assist device according to claim 1, characterized in that the parking assist device performs the parking assist using a host vehicle position of the vehicle estimated by a host vehicle position estimation section, in a case where the distance between the obstacle located ahead of the travel direction and the vehicle at the target parking position is greater than a sum of a maximum value of an error range of the distance based on a detection accuracy of the detection device and a maximum error range of the host vehicle position based on an estimation accuracy of the host vehicle position estimation section, the control device invalidates the action of the emergency brake device.

5. The control device of the driving assist device according to claim 1, characterized in that the parking assist device performs the parking assist using a host vehicle position of the vehicle estimated by a host vehicle position estimation section, in a case where, after the action of the emergency brake device is invalidated, an event occurs that affects estimation accuracy of the host vehicle position estimation section in estimating the host vehicle position, the control device stops an action of the parking assist device.

6. The control device of the driving assist device according to claim 1, characterized in that in a case where the obstacle is a stationary object, the action of the emergency brake device is invalidated.

7. The control device of the driving assist device according to claim 1, characterized in that After the operation of the emergency brake device is invalidated, the operation of the parking assistance device is stopped in the case where the moving body is detected.

8. The control device of a driving assistance device according to claim 1, characterized in that, the parking assistance device outputs a signal indicating that the parking assistance is in progress to the emergency brake device in the case where the parking assistance is in progress, the control device stops the operation of the parking assistance device in the case where the signal is interrupted.

9. The control device of a driving assistance device according to claim 1, characterized in that, the lower limit value is determined based on at least one of air temperature, air pressure, and wind speed.

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