Lane change control device and method

Abstract

A lane change control apparatus includes a processor configured to, in response to cancelling a lane change while a vehicle performs the lane change according to a first lane change path, and then withdrawing the cancelling of the lane change while the vehicle returns to an original lane of the vehicle, determine a lane change path based on the lane change; generating a second lane change path according to the vehicle head angle of the vehicle at the current position of the vehicle to try lane change again; and a storage device configured to store data and algorithms driven by the processor.

Description

[0001] Cross-reference to related applications

[0002] This application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2023-0103007, filed on August 7, 2023, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes. Technical Field

[0003] The present disclosure relates to a lane change control apparatus and method thereof, and more particularly, to a technique for rapid response control in response to a situation of canceling a lane change. Background Art

[0004] Recently, with the rapid development of IT technology, interest in intelligent vehicles that are integrated with vision systems is increasing. Cutting-edge safety vehicle technologies such as lane departure information, lane keeping, collision warning systems, and lane change control systems that reduce the risk of traffic accidents and help safe driving are basic technologies of intelligent vehicle technology, and much manpower and financial resources are being invested in various research and technology development.

[0005] A lane change control system capable of automatically changing the lane in which a vehicle is traveling automatically controls the vehicle to perform a lane change in response to a driver operating a turn signal with an intention to change the lane.

[0006] Such a lane change control system can perform lane change by determining whether the speed and position of surrounding vehicles are suitable for lane change, setting a control path for lane change, and controlling steering torque along the control path.

[0007] However, when executing a lane change, the lane change may be canceled in response to a situation where an object behind the target lane (i.e., the target of the lane change) approaches rapidly. Therefore, after the lane change is canceled, even if it becomes a situation where a lane change can be performed (e.g., the speed of the object behind the target lane decreases), conventionally, the lane change is not attempted again until the vehicle is completely returned to the original lane.

[0008] The information included in this background of the disclosure is only for enhancement of understanding of the general background of the disclosure and should not be taken as an acknowledgment or any form of suggestion that this information forms the prior art already known to a person skilled in the art. Summary of the invention

[0009] Various aspects of the present disclosure are directed to providing a lane change control apparatus and method thereof, which are configured to quickly and reliably retry a lane change in response to a cancellation of a lane change by taking into account the degree of turning of the vehicle from the vehicle's current position, without requiring the vehicle to fully return to the original lane.

[0010] An exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure attempts to provide a lane change control device and method thereof, which are configured to: in response to a situation where a lane change is canceled, by using a function to reflect the degree of turning of the vehicle, and by generating a new lane change path, minimize the difference in lane change and ensure smooth vehicle behavior.

[0011] The technical objectives of the present disclosure are not limited to the above-mentioned objectives, and those skilled in the art can clearly understand other technical objectives not mentioned from the description of the claims.

[0012] An exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure provides a lane change control device, including: a processor, configured to generate a second lane change path to attempt the lane change again according to a front angle of the vehicle at a current position of the vehicle in response to canceling the lane change when the vehicle performs the lane change according to a first lane change path and then undoing the cancellation of the lane change when the vehicle returns to an original lane of the vehicle; and a storage device, configured to store data and algorithms driven by the processor.

[0013] In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, in order to generate the second lane change path, the processor may be configured to generate a lane change reference line as a reference for the vehicle to perform lane change, and generate a driving direction reference line extending in the driving direction of the vehicle.

[0014] In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the processor may be configured to generate the lane change reference line as a straight line extending from a center portion of the front of the vehicle such that the lane change reference line is parallel to a center line of a driving lane in which the vehicle is driving.

[0015] In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the processor may be configured to determine an angle between the lane change reference line and the driving direction reference line.

[0016] In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the processor may be configured to correct the lane change reference line according to the front angle of the vehicle.

[0017] In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the processor may be configured to move the lane change reference line in the direction of a target lane (which is the target of the lane change) or in the direction of a driving lane in which the vehicle is currently traveling by using an angle between the lane change reference line and the driving direction reference line.

[0018] In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the processor may be configured to determine the movement amount of the lane change reference line using at least one of the distance from the center line of the driving lane to the lane change reference line, the angle between the lane change reference line and the driving direction reference line, and a combination thereof.

[0019] In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the processor may be configured to determine the movement amount of the lane change reference line by applying an angle between the lane change reference line and the driving direction reference line to a function.

[0020] In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the processor may be configured to prevent the lane change reference line from encroaching a lane adjacent to the target lane in response to the lane change reference line being moved in the direction of the target lane.

[0021] In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the processor may be configured to prevent the lane change reference line from encroaching the center line of the driving lane in response to a situation where the lane change reference line is moved in the direction of the driving lane.

[0022] In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the processor may be configured to determine a lane change starting point by using at least one of a vehicle speed, a control target time, an angle between a lane change reference line and a driving direction reference line, and a combination thereof, where the lane change starting point is the starting point of the lane change.

[0023] In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the processor may be configured to determine the lane change starting point by applying an angle between the lane change reference line and the driving direction reference line to a function.

[0024] In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the processor may be configured to determine a lane change start point to be positioned on the moved lane change reference line.

[0025] In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the processor may be configured to determine a lane change end point, which is a point at which the lane change is completed, by using the speed of the vehicle and a time required to complete the lane change from the lane change start point.

[0026] In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the processor may be configured to determine a lane change intermediate point between the lane change start point and the lane change end point according to a distance ratio predetermined by a user.

[0027] In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the processor may be configured to increase the movement amount of the lane change reference line as the angle between the lane change reference line and the driving direction reference line increases, and increase the driving distance for the lane change.

[0028] In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, in response to a situation in which a vehicle follows a return path to an original lane and returns to the original vehicle, the return path including a starting point, an intermediate point, and an end point, the processor may be configured to move the lane change reference line in the direction of a target lane that is a target of the lane change when cancellation of the lane change is revoked at the starting point and the front end of the vehicle points in the direction of the target lane.

[0029] In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, in response to a situation in which the vehicle follows a return path to return to the original lane and returns to the original vehicle, the return path including a starting point, an intermediate point, and an end point, the processor may be configured to move the lane change reference line in the direction of the original lane when the cancellation of the lane change is revoked at the intermediate point and the front of the vehicle points in the direction of the original lane.

[0030] An exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure provides a lane change control method, including: when a vehicle performs a lane change along a first lane change path, canceling the lane change by a processor; when the vehicle returns to the original lane of the vehicle, undoing the cancellation of the lane change by the processor; and generating a second lane change path by the processor based on the front angle of the vehicle from the current position of the vehicle to try the lane change again.

[0031] In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, generating a second lane change path may include: generating, by a processor, a lane change reference line as a reference for the vehicle to perform a lane change, and generating a driving direction reference line extending in the driving direction of the vehicle for generating the second lane change path; and moving the lane change reference line in the direction of a target lane that is a target of the lane change or in the direction of a driving lane in which the vehicle is currently traveling, by using an angle between the lane change reference line and the driving direction reference line.

[0032] According to the present technology, a lane change can be quickly and reliably retried in view of the degree of turning of the vehicle from the current position of the vehicle without the vehicle fully returning to the original lane in response to canceling the lane change, thereby shortening the time to perform the lane change.

[0033] According to the present technology, in response to a situation where cancellation of a lane change is revoked, by generating a new lane change path reflecting the turning degree of the vehicle using a trigonometric function, it is possible to minimize the feeling of difference in lane changes and ensure smooth vehicle behavior.

[0034] Furthermore, various effects that can be directly or indirectly recognized through the present specification can be provided.

[0035] The methods and apparatus of the present disclosure have other features and advantages that will be apparent from or set forth in more detail in the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description incorporated herein, which together serve to explain certain principles of the present disclosure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0036] Figure 1 A block diagram of an example configuration of a vehicle system including a lane change control apparatus is shown.

[0037] Figure 2A An example of generating a lane change path is shown.

[0038] Figure 2B An example of a situation in which a lane change is performed is shown.

[0039] Figure 2C An example of generating a lane change cancellation path is shown.

[0040] Figure 2D An example of generating a new lane change path in response to undoing a lane change cancellation is shown.

[0041] Figure 3A An exemplary view for describing a lane change cancellation step is shown.

[0042] Figure 3B An exemplary diagram for describing the steps of generating a new lane change path after canceling a lane change is shown.

[0043] Figure 4A An exemplary diagram is shown for describing the initial steps of canceling a lane change.

[0044] Figure 4B An exemplary view for describing the steps of generating a new lane change path in an initial step of canceling a lane change is shown.

[0045] Figure 5A An exemplary diagram is shown for describing an intermediate step of canceling a lane change.

[0046] Figure 5B An exemplary view for describing the step of generating a new lane change path in the intermediate step of canceling a lane change is shown.

[0047] Figure 6 A flow chart showing an example lane change control method is shown.

[0048] Figure 7 An exemplary computing system is shown.

[0049] It will be appreciated that the accompanying drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, and that they present somewhat simplified representations of various features illustrating the basic principles of the present disclosure. The specific design features of the present disclosure as included herein (including, for example, specific dimensions, orientations, locations, and shapes) will be determined in part by the specific intended application and use environment.

[0050] In the drawings, reference numbers refer to the same or equivalent parts of the present disclosure throughout the several figures of the drawing. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0051] Reference will now be made in detail to various embodiments of the present disclosure, examples of which are shown in the accompanying drawings and described below. Although the present disclosure will be described in conjunction with exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, it should be understood that this specification is not intended to limit the present disclosure to those exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. On the other hand, the present disclosure is intended to cover not only the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, but also various replacements, modifications, equivalents and other embodiments that may be included within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure as defined by the appended claims.

[0052] Hereinafter, some exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the exemplary drawings. It should be noted that when reference numerals are added to the constituent elements of the various drawings, even if the same constituent elements are shown in different drawings, they include reference numerals that are as identical as possible. When describing the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, when it is determined that the detailed description of well-known configurations or functions associated with the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure may obscure the subject matter of the present disclosure, the description thereof will be omitted.

[0053] When describing the constituent elements according to the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, terms such as first, second, A, B, (a) and (b) can be used. These terms are only used to distinguish constituent elements from other constituent elements, and the nature, sequence or order of constituent elements are not limited by these terms. In addition, unless defined differently, all terms including technical scientific terms used in this article include the same meaning as the meaning commonly understood by technicians in the technical field of the present disclosure (those skilled in the art) to which the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure belong. The terms defined in commonly used dictionaries should be interpreted as having a meaning that matches the meaning in the context of the prior art, and should not be interpreted as having an idealized or overly formal meaning unless they are clearly defined in this specification.

[0054] In the following, reference will be made to Figures 1 to 7 Various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are described in detail.

[0055] Figure 1 A block diagram of an example configuration of a vehicle system including a lane change control apparatus is shown.

[0056] See also Figure 1 , a vehicle system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure may include a lane change control apparatus 100 , a sensing device 200 , a steering control device 300 , a braking control device 400 , and a driving control device 500 .

[0057] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the lane change control device 100 may be implemented in a vehicle or independently of the vehicle. In this case, the lane change control device 100 may be formed integrally with the internal control unit of the vehicle, or may be implemented as a separate hardware device connected to the control unit of the vehicle through a connecting device. For example, the lane change control device 100 may be implemented integrally with the vehicle, may be implemented as a structure independent of the vehicle to be installed or attached to the vehicle, or a part thereof may be implemented integrally with the vehicle, and another part may be implemented as a structure independent of the vehicle to be installed or attached to the vehicle.

[0058] In response to canceling the lane change when the vehicle changes lanes according to the lane change path and undoing the lane change when the vehicle returns to the original lane, the lane change control device 100 can be configured to generate a new lane change path for retrying the lane change based on the front angle of the vehicle at the current position of the vehicle to attempt the lane change again.

[0059] To this end, the lane change control apparatus 100 may include a communication device 110 , a memory 120 , an interface device 130 , and a processor 140 .

[0060] The communication device 110 is a hardware device implemented using various electronic circuits to send and receive signals through wireless or wired connections, and can send and receive information based on vehicle-mounted devices and vehicle-mounted network communication technologies. As an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the vehicle-mounted network communication technology may include controller area network (CAN) communication, local interconnect network (LIN) communication, flexible ray communication, etc.

[0061] In addition, the communication device 110 can perform communication with a server, infrastructure, or a third vehicle outside the vehicle, etc. through wireless Internet access or short-range communication technology. Here, the wireless communication technology may include wireless LAN (WLAN), wireless broadband (WiBro), Wi-Fi, Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX), etc. In addition, the short-range communication technology may include Bluetooth, ZigBee, ultra-wideband (UWB), radio frequency identification (RFID), infrared data association (IrDA), etc.

[0062] The communication device 110 may perform vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication. Vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication may include communication between a vehicle and all entities, such as vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication referring to communication between vehicles, vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communication referring to communication between a vehicle and an eNB or a roadside unit (RSU), vehicle-to-pedestrian (V2P) communication referring to communication between a user equipment (UE) held by a vehicle and an individual (pedestrian, cyclist, vehicle driver or passenger), and vehicle-to-network (V2N) communication.

[0063] As an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the communication device 110 may receive a sensing result from the sensing device 200 , and may transmit a command signal to the steering control device 300 , the brake control device 400 , and the drive control device 500 .

[0064] The memory 120 may store sensing results of the sensing device 200 and data and / or algorithms required for the operation of the processor 140 .

[0065] As an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the memory 120 may store algorithms for determining lane change conditions, lane change cancellation conditions, lane change cancellation revocation conditions, etc., algorithms for lane changes, algorithms for generating lane change paths, etc.

[0066] The memory 120 may include at least one type of storage medium among the following types of memories: such as flash memory, hard disk, micro memory, card (e.g., secure digital (SD) card or extreme digital (XD) card), random access memory (RAM), static RAM (SRAM), read-only memory (ROM), programmable ROM (PROM), electrically erasable PROM (EEPROM), magnetic memory (MRAM), magnetic disk, and optical disk.

[0067] The interface device 130 may include an input device for receiving a control command from a user and an output device for outputting an operation state of the device 100 and a result thereof. The interface device 130 may be implemented as a head-up display (HUD), a cluster, an audio-visual navigation (AVN), or a human-machine interface (HM), a human-machine interface (HMI).

[0068] The input device may include key buttons, and may include a mouse, a joystick, a shuttle, a stylus, etc. In addition, the input device may include soft keys implemented on a display.

[0069] The output device may include a display, and may also include a voice output device such as a speaker. In this case, in response to a touch sensor formed by a touch film, a touch sheet, or a touch pad being provided on the display, the display may be operated as a touch screen, and may be implemented in the form of an integrated input device and an output device. In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the output device may output platoon driving information such as sensor failure information, leading vehicle information, group level information, platoon driving speed, destination, waypoint, path, etc.

[0070] In this case, the display may include at least one of a liquid crystal display (LCD), a thin film transistor liquid crystal display (TFTLCD), an organic light emitting diode display (OLED display), a flexible display, a field emission display (FED), a 3D display, or any combination thereof.

[0071] The processor 140 may be electrically connected to the communication device 110 , the memory 120 , the interface device 130 , etc., may electrically control each component, and may be a circuit that executes software commands, performs various data processing and determination described below.

[0072] The processor 140 may be configured to process signals transmitted between the components of the lane change control device 100 to perform overall control so that each component can perform its function normally. The processor 140 may be implemented in the form of hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software. For example, the processor 140 may be implemented as a microprocessor, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, it may be, for example, an electronic control unit (ECU), a microcontroller unit (MCU), or other sub-controllers installed in the vehicle.

[0073] In response to canceling the lane change when the vehicle changes lanes according to the lane change path and undoing the cancellation of the lane change when returning to the original lane, the processor 140 may be configured to generate a new lane change path based on the vehicle's front angle at the vehicle's current position to attempt the lane change again.

[0074] The processor 140 may be configured to generate a lane change reference line as a reference for the vehicle to change lanes to generate a new lane change path for retrying the lane change, and may be configured to generate a driving direction reference line extending in the driving direction of the vehicle.

[0075] The processor 140 may be configured to generate the lane change reference line as a straight line extending from the center portion of the front of the vehicle, and in this case, may be configured to generate the lane change reference line parallel to the center line of the driving lane (original lane) in which the vehicle is traveling. The processor 140 may correct the lane change reference line according to the front angle of the vehicle.

[0076] The processor 140 may be configured to determine an angle between a lane change reference line and a driving direction reference line, and may move the lane change reference line in the direction of a target lane (i.e., a target for lane change) or in the direction of a driving lane in which the vehicle is currently traveling by using the angle between the lane change reference line and the driving direction reference line.

[0077] Processor 140 may be configured to determine the movement amount of the lane change reference line using at least one of the distance from the center line of the driving lane to the lane change reference line, the angle between the lane change reference line and the driving direction reference line, and a combination of the distance and the angle.

[0078] The processor 140 may be configured to determine the movement amount of the lane change reference line by applying the angle between the lane change reference line and the driving direction reference line to a trigonometric function, but an increasing function for the angle between the lane change reference line and the driving direction reference line may be used instead of the trigonometric function.

[0079] The processor 140 prevents the lane change reference line from encroaching an adjacent lane of the target lane in response to moving the lane change reference line in the direction of the target lane, and may be configured to determine not to encroach on the center line of the driving lane in response to moving the lane change reference line in the direction of the driving lane.

[0080] The processor 140 may be configured to determine a lane change starting point by using at least one of the vehicle speed, the control target time, the angle between the lane change reference line and the driving direction reference line, and a combination of the vehicle speed, the control target time and the angle, the lane change starting point being the starting point of the lane change. That is, the lane change starting point indicates the starting point of the lane change path.

[0081] The processor 140 is configured to determine the lane change starting point by applying the angle between the lane change reference line and the driving direction reference line to a trigonometric function, and may be configured to determine the lane change starting point to be positioned on the moved (corrected) lane change reference line.

[0082] The processor 140 may be configured to determine a lane change end point, which is a point at which the lane change is completed, by using the vehicle speed and a time required to complete the lane change from the lane change start point.

[0083] The processor 140 may be configured to determine a lane change middle point between the lane change start point and the lane change end point according to a distance ratio predetermined by a user. Therefore, the lane change start point, the lane change middle point, and the lane change end point may be connected in a straight line to generate a lane change path.

[0084] As the angle between the lane change reference line and the driving direction reference line increases, the movement amount of the lane change reference line may increase, and the driving distance for lane change may increase.

[0085] In response to the vehicle following a return path to the original lane including a starting point, an intermediate point, and an end point and returning to the original lane, the processor 140 may move the lane change reference line in the direction of the target lane in a state in which the cancellation of the lane change is revoked at the starting point and the front of the vehicle faces the direction of the target lane that is the target of the lane change.

[0086] Furthermore, the processor 140 may move the lane change reference line in the direction of the original lane in response to the cancellation of the lane change being revoked at the midpoint of the return path to the original lane and the front of the vehicle faces the direction of the original lane.

[0087] The sensing device 200 may include one or more sensors that sense obstacles (eg, preceding vehicles) positioned around the host vehicle and measure the distance to the obstacles and / or their relative speed.

[0088] The sensing device 200 may include a plurality of sensors for detecting external objects of the vehicle to obtain information related to the position of the external object, the speed of the external object, the moving direction of the external object, and / or the type of the external object (e.g., a vehicle, a pedestrian, a bicycle, or a motorcycle, etc.). The sensing device 200 may detect an object traveling in a target lane for lane change, and may detect the position, speed, moving direction, etc. of the object traveling in the target lane. To this end, the sensing device 200 may include an ultrasonic sensor, a radio detection and ranging (RADAR), a camera, a laser scanner and / or a corner radar, a light detection and ranging (LiDAR), an acceleration sensor, a yaw rate sensor, a torque measurement sensor, and / or a wheel speed sensor, a steering angle sensor, etc.

[0089] The steering control apparatus 300 may be configured to control a steering angle of a vehicle, and may include a steering wheel, an actuator interlocked with the steering wheel, and a controller configured to control the actuator.

[0090] The brake control apparatus 400 may be configured to control braking of a vehicle, and may include a controller configured to control braking thereof.

[0091] The driving control apparatus 500 may be configured to control an engine or motor drive of a vehicle, and may include a controller configured to control a speed of the vehicle.

[0092] Figure 2A An example of generating a lane change path is shown, and Figure 2B An example of a situation in which a lane change is performed is shown. Figure 2C An example of generating a lane change cancellation path is shown, and Figure 2D An example of generating a new lane change path in response to overturning a lane change cancellation is shown.

[0093] Reference Figure 2A In response to a situation where a lane change is required while the vehicle is traveling, the lane change control device 100 may be configured to generate a lane change path 201 to attempt to change the lane to a target lane.

[0094] Reference Figure 2B, the lane change control device 100 may cancel the lane change in response to a rear object 20 traveling to the rear of a target lane into which the vehicle 10 is to change lanes or entering within a distance set by a user (e.g., within 10 meters behind the center portion of the vehicle 10) at a predetermined speed or greater (e.g., relative speed) while the vehicle 10 is executing a lane change along the lane change path 202.

[0095] See also Figure 2C , the lane change control device 100 generates a return path 203 for the vehicle 10 to return to the original path after canceling the lane change, and is configured to control the vehicle 10 to return to the original path.

[0096] However, in response to the speed of the rear object of the target lane to be changed rapidly decelerating to below a predetermined reference speed, the vehicle moving away from a distance predetermined by the user, or the rear object being misidentified, the lane change control device 100 may cancel the lane change.

[0097] Reference Figure 2D , the lane change control device 100 may generate a new lane change path 204 for a new lane change when returning to the original lane and is configured to perform the lane change again.

[0098] Therefore, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, even in a state where the vehicle 10 does not completely return to the original lane when the lane change cancellation is revoked, by generating a new lane change path 204 from the current position of the vehicle 10, it is possible to quickly respond to the behavior change of the rear object 20 in the target lane that is the cause of the lane change cancellation, and by allowing the lane change to be immediately performed again without returning to the original path, the lane change efficiency and user satisfaction can be improved.

[0099] Furthermore, when the lane change cancellation is overturned, a new lane change path 204 may be generated by checking the front angle of the vehicle 10 and reflecting the degree of turning of the vehicle 10 , minimizing the difference feeling due to the steering change.

[0100] Figure 3A An exemplary diagram for describing the steps of canceling a lane change is shown, and Figure 3B An exemplary diagram for describing the steps of generating a new lane change path after canceling a lane change is shown.

[0101] See also Figure 3A The lane change control device 100 is configured to control the vehicle 10 to return to the original lane 309 along the return path 301 to the original lane 309 in response to a situation in which the lane change is canceled due to an increase in the speed of the object 20 behind the target lane 310 while the vehicle 10 attempts to perform the lane change.

[0102] See also Figure 3B In response to a situation where the speed of the object 20 behind the target lane 310 decreases rapidly, the lane change control device 100 cancels the lane change cancellation and is configured to determine the steering angle of the vehicle 10 and generate a new lane change path 302 by reflecting the steering angle of the vehicle 10.

[0103] The process of generating the new lane change path 302 will be described in detail below.

[0104] The lane change control device 100 generates a lane change reference line 303 for lane change. In this case, the lane change reference line 303 may be parallel to a lane center line 306 of the driving lane, and the lane center line 306 of the driving lane may be located on an extension line of the front of the host vehicle 10 (e.g., the center portion of the buffer device).

[0105] Then, the lane change control device 100 generates a driving direction reference line 304 in the driving direction of the vehicle 10. The driving direction of the vehicle 10 is the same as the front angle direction of the vehicle 10.

[0106] The lane change control device 100 is configured to determine an angle θ between the lane change reference line 303 and the driving direction reference line 304. In this case, the angle θ between the lane change reference line 303 and the driving direction reference line 304 indicates a turning angle of the vehicle 10.

[0107] The lane change control device 100 generates a moved lane change reference line 305 by moving the lane change reference line 303 reflecting the angle θ between the lane change reference line 303 and the traveling direction reference line 304 .

[0108] In this case, the distance D1 from the lane center line 306 of the traveling lane to the moving lane change reference line 305 becomes the movement amount of the lane change reference line 303 .

[0109] (Equation 1)

[0110] D1=D2*(1+sin(θ))

[0111] D1 represents the distance from the lane centerline 306 of the driving lane to the moving lane change reference line 305, and D2 represents the distance from the lane centerline 306 of the driving lane (original lane 309) to the center portion of the host vehicle, i.e., the distance to the lane change reference line 303.

[0112] In a state where the moving lane change reference line 305 moves in the direction of the driving lane (original lane 309), the moving lane change reference line 305 may not intersect with the center line 306 of the driving lane, and in a state where the moving lane change reference line 305 moves in the direction of the target lane 310, the moving lane change reference line 305 may not intersect with the line of the target lane. This is because in a state where the moving lane change reference line 305 intersects with the center line 306 of the driving lane or intersects with the lane of the target lane 310, the opposite lane may be encroached.

[0113] As described above, in response to generating the moving lane change reference line 305 , the lane change control device 100 may be configured to determine a lane change start point, which is a point where the lane change starts, to generate a lane change path.

[0114] That is, the lane change control device 100 may be configured to determine the lane change starting point 312 by the following Equation 2.

[0115] (Equation 2)

[0116] D3=V*K*(1+|sinθ|)

[0117] D3 represents the vertical distance from the front of the host vehicle (eg, the bumper) to the lane change start point 312. In this case, the lane change start point 312 may be positioned on the moving lane change reference line 305.

[0118] V represents the speed of the host vehicle, and K may be set to, for example, 0.65 as a control target time (adjustment parameter) and may be determined in advance by experimental values.

[0119] Herein, the sin function may be replaced by an increasing function of θ in which the value of θ may increase as θ increases.

[0120] In the state where the lane change start point 312 is determined in the current manner, the lane change end point 314 may be determined to generate a lane change path. The lane change end point 314 indicates a point where the lane change is completed in the state where the lane change is performed in the longitudinal direction from the lane change start point 312 for a predetermined period of time (e.g., 6 seconds).

[0121] To this end, as shown in the following equation 3, the lane change control device 100 is configured to determine a distance D4 from a point 315 to a lane change end point 314 at which a perpendicular line from the lane change start point 312 to the center line 307 of the target lane 310 intersects the center line 307 .

[0122] (Equation 3)

[0123] D4=V*L

[0124] V represents the speed of the host vehicle, and L represents the time required for the vehicle to reach the lane change end point 314 (eg, 6 seconds).

[0125] In this case, the lane change end point 314 may be located on the center line 307 of the target lane 310 , and a length obtained by drawing a straight line from the lane change start point 312 to the lane change end point 314 is equal to D4 .

[0126] As in Equation 3, in response to the case where the vehicle travels at the current speed and moves by a distance D4 while reaching the center line 307 of the target lane in the case of changing the lane for L time, the reached position is the lane change end point 314 .

[0127] Therefore, in response to determining the lane change end point 314 , the lane change control device 100 may be configured to determine the lane change intermediate point 313 .

[0128] The lane change control device 100 may be configured to determine the lane change middle point 313 at a ratio set by the user. For example, in response to the user setting the distance from the lane change start point 312 to the lane change middle point 313 and the distance from the lane change middle point 313 to the lane change end point 314 to 1:1, the lane change middle point 313 may be determined as the middle point between the lane change start point 312 and the lane change end point 314.

[0129] As described above, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, in response to a situation where the cancellation of the lane change is canceled, the difference in steering may be minimized by generating a new lane change path by reflecting the current turning degree of the vehicle.

[0130] Figure 4A An exemplary diagram for describing the initial steps of canceling a lane change is shown, and Figure 4B An exemplary view for describing the steps of generating a new lane change path in an initial step of canceling a lane change is shown.

[0131] refer to Figure 4A When the lane change is canceled, the lane change control device 100 is configured to control the vehicle 10 to return to the original lane along the return path 401 to the original lane. In this case, the return path 401 includes a starting point 411, an intermediate point 412, and an end point 413, and the vehicle 10 starts from the starting point 411 and moves to the end point 413 via the intermediate point 412.

[0132] In response to canceling the lane change when the vehicle 10 is at the starting point 411, as shown in FIG. Figure 4BAs shown, the lane change control device 100 generates a lane change reference line 403 by moving the center line 406 of the driving lane to the front of the vehicle 10, and the lane change control device 100 is configured to determine the angle between the driving direction reference line 404 and the lane change reference line 403, and is configured to determine the movement amount of the lane change reference line 403 to generate a moving lane change reference line 405.

[0133] Subsequently, the lane change control device 100 may be configured to determine a lane change start point 421 on the moving lane change reference line 405 , and may sequentially determine a lane change end point 423 and a lane change middle point 422 to generate a new lane change path 402 .

[0134] In this case, the lane change reference line 405 is generated at a head angle of the vehicle 10 moving toward the target lane so as to be closer to the target lane with respect to the driving lane, and thereby a smooth lane change can be achieved by allowing the vehicle 10 to move toward the target lane.

[0135] In this case, as the steering angle of the vehicle 10 increases, the lane change reference line 403 set as a reference for lane change may move more, and the length of the lane change path may be further increased, thereby achieving a smooth lane change.

[0136] Figure 5A An exemplary diagram for describing an intermediate step of canceling a lane change is shown, and Figure 5B An exemplary view for describing the step of generating a new lane change path in the intermediate step of canceling a lane change is shown.

[0137] refer to Figure 5A When the lane change is canceled, the lane change control device 100 is configured to control the vehicle 10 to return to the original lane along the return path 401 to the original lane. In this case, the return path 401 includes a starting point 411, an intermediate point 412, and an end point 413, and the vehicle 10 starts from the starting point 411 and moves to the end point 413 via the intermediate point 412.

[0138] exist Figure 5A In response to canceling the lane change when the vehicle 10 is at the intermediate point 412, as shown in FIG. Figure 5BAs shown, the lane change control device 100 generates a lane change reference line 503 by moving the center line 506 of the driving lane to the front of the vehicle 10, and the lane change control device 100 is configured to determine the angle between the driving direction reference line 504 and the lane change reference line 503, and is configured to determine the movement amount of the lane change reference line 503 to generate a moved lane change reference line 505. In this case, the moved lane change reference line 505 is generated so as not to exceed the center line 506 of the driving lane (original lane).

[0139] Subsequently, the lane change control device 100 may be configured to determine a lane change start point 521 on the moving lane change reference line 505 , and may sequentially determine a lane change end point 523 and a lane change middle point 522 to generate a new lane change path 502 .

[0140] In this case, a lane change reference line 505 is generated that moves as the front angle of the vehicle 10 turns toward the driving lane so as to be closer to the driving lane (original lane) relative to the target lane, and thereby a smooth lane change can be achieved by allowing the vehicle 10 to move toward the driving lane (original lane).

[0141] Therefore, in Figure 5B As can be seen from the figure, the lane change starting point 521 is determined to be Figure 4B The greater the angle between the driving direction reference line 504 and the lane change reference line 503, the farther the lane change start point 521 is from the vehicle, the smaller the steering difference, the farther the lane change end point 523 is from the vehicle 10, and the longer the total driving distance of the lane change. Therefore, as the total mileage for changing lanes becomes longer, the lane can be changed smoothly.

[0142] In the following, reference will be made to Figure 6 A lane change control method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is described. Figure 6 A flow chart showing an example lane change control method is shown.

[0143] In the following, it is assumed Figure 1 The lane change control device 100 is configured to perform Figure 6 In addition, Figure 6 In the description of , the operation described as being performed by the device can be understood as being controlled by the processor 140 of the lane change control device 100. However, in order to help understand the description, it will be referred to together Figure 3B .

[0144] See also Figure 6 and Figure 3BIn response to a situation in which the lane change is canceled and the lane change is undone during a lane change to a target lane 310 (S101), the lane change control device 100 generates a lane change reference line 303 at the current position of the vehicle 10 (host vehicle) to attempt the lane change again (S102).

[0145] That is, the lane change control device 100 may be configured to generate the lane change reference line 303 by vertically extending a straight line from a center point of the front face (eg, a bumper) of the vehicle 10 and extending it parallel to the center line 306 of the driving lane.

[0146] The lane change control device 100 generates a driving direction reference line 304 in the driving direction of the vehicle 10 ( S103 ), and is configured to determine an angle between the lane change reference line 303 and the driving direction reference line 304 ( S104 ).

[0147] Subsequently, the lane change control device 100 is configured to determine the movement amount of the lane change reference line by using the determined angle between the lane change reference line 303 and the driving direction reference line 304 for correcting the steering of the vehicle 10, and to generate a moved lane change reference line 305 (S105) by moving the lane change reference line 303. In this case, the lane change control device 100 may be configured to determine the movement amount of the lane change reference line by applying the determined angle between the lane change reference line 303 and the driving direction reference line 304 to a trigonometric function.

[0148] Subsequently, the lane change control device 100 may be configured to determine a lane change start point 312 that can correct the steering of the vehicle 10 by using the determined angle between the lane change reference line 303 and the driving direction reference line 304, and determine a lane change end point 314 to generate a new lane change path 302 again (S106). In this case, the lane change control device 100 may be configured to determine the lane change start point 312 by using the vehicle speed and the control target time, the trigonometric function, and the angle between the lane change reference line 303 and the driving direction reference line 304, as shown in the above equation 2.

[0149] Subsequently, the lane change control device 100 may be configured to determine the length of the final lane change path by determining the lane change end point 314 as shown in Equation 3.

[0150] Therefore, the lane change control device 100 may be configured to control the execution of the lane change by following the new lane change path 302 .

[0151] Therefore, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, in response to attempting to change lanes again while returning to the original lane after canceling the lane change, a new lane change path can be generated based on the current position of the vehicle even when the vehicle has not completely returned to the original lane, thereby reducing the lane change time.

[0152] Furthermore, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, vehicle driving safety may be improved by enabling rapid response to changes in surrounding conditions, such as changes in speed of an object behind a target lane during a lane change.

[0153] In addition, in a state where the vehicle attempts to change lanes again while returning to the original lane after canceling the lane change, that is, in a state where the vehicle has not completely returned to the original lane and attempts to change lanes again when returning, the vehicle is likely to be turning, but according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a new lane change path can be generated by reflecting the turning of the vehicle to make the vehicle's behavior during the lane change natural.

[0154] Figure 7 An exemplary computing system is shown.

[0155] See also Figure 7 The computing system 1000 includes at least one processor 1100 , a memory 1300 , a user interface input device 1400 , a user interface output device 1500 , a storage 1600 , and a network interface 1700 connected via a bus 1200 .

[0156] The processor 1100 may be a central processing unit (CPU) or a semiconductor device configured to execute processing on commands stored in the memory 1300 and / or the storage 1600. The memory 1300 and the storage 1600 may include various types of volatile or non-volatile storage media. For example, the memory 1300 may include a read-only memory (ROM) 1310 and a random access memory (RAM) 1320.

[0157] Thus, the steps of a method or algorithm described in conjunction with the exemplary embodiments included herein may be implemented directly by hardware, software modules, or a combination of both executed by processor 1100. The software modules may reside in a storage medium (i.e., memory 1300 and / or storage 1600), such as RAM memory, flash memory, ROM memory, EPROM memory, EEPROM memory, registers, a hard disk, a removable disk, and a CD-ROM.

[0158] An exemplary storage medium is coupled to the processor 1100, and the processor 1100 can read information from the storage medium and write information to the storage medium. Alternatively, the storage medium can be integrated with the processor 1100. The processor and the storage medium can reside in an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC). The ASIC can reside in a user terminal. Alternatively, the processor and the storage medium can reside in a user terminal as separate components.

[0159] The above description is merely an illustration of the technical concept of the present disclosure, and those skilled in the art to which the present disclosure belongs may make various modifications and changes without departing from the basic characteristics of the present disclosure.

[0160] In various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, each of the operations described above may be performed by a control device, and the control device may be configured by a plurality of control devices or an integrated single control device.

[0161] In various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, the memory and the processor may be provided as one chip, or provided as separate chips.

[0162] In different exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, the scope of the present disclosure includes software or machine-executable commands (e.g., operating systems, applications, firmware, programs, etc.) for enabling operations according to methods of different embodiments to be executed on a device or computer, and non-transitory computer-readable media including such software or commands stored thereon and executable on a device or computer.

[0163] In various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, the control device may be implemented in the form of hardware or software, or may be implemented in a combination of hardware and software.

[0164] Furthermore, terms such as “unit”, “module” and the like included in the specification mean a unit for processing at least one function or operation, which can be implemented by hardware, software or a combination thereof.

[0165] For ease of explanation and accurate definition of the appended claims, the terms "up", "down", "inside", "outside", "upward", "downward", "upward", "downward", "front", "rear", "back", "interior", "exterior", "inward", "outward", "inside", "outside", "inner", "external", "forward", and "rearward" are used to describe features of the exemplary embodiments with reference to the locations of such features shown in the drawings. It should be further understood that the term "connected" or its derivatives refer to both direct and indirect connections.

[0166] The term "and / or" may include any combination of the multiple related listed items or the multiple related listed items. For example, "A and / or B" includes all three cases, such as "A", "B" and "A and B".

[0167] In this specification, unless otherwise stated, a singular expression includes a plural expression unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0168] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, “at least one of A and B” may refer to “at least one of A or B” or “at least one of a combination of at least one of A and B”. Furthermore, “one or more of A and B” may refer to “one or more of A or B” or “one or more of a combination of one or more of A and B”.

[0169] In the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, it should be understood that terms such as “including” or “having” are intended to specify the presence of features, quantities, steps, operations, elements, parts, or a combination thereof described in the specification, and do not exclude the possibility of adding or existing one or more other features, quantities, steps, operations, elements, parts, or a combination thereof.

[0170] For the purpose of illustration and description, the foregoing descriptions of specific exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure have been presented. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the present disclosure to the precise form disclosed, and it is apparent that many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. In order to illustrate certain principles of the present invention and their practical applications, exemplary embodiments have been selected and described to enable other persons skilled in the art to carry out and utilize various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure and various substitutions and modifications thereof. The scope of the present disclosure is intended to be limited by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A lane change control device, comprising: a processor configured to, in response to canceling the lane change when the vehicle performs the lane change according to the first lane change path and then overriding the cancellation of the lane change when the vehicle returns to an original lane of the vehicle, generate a second lane change path according to a front angle of the vehicle at a current position of the vehicle to attempt a lane change again; as well as A memory is configured to store data and algorithms driven by the processor.

2. The lane change control device according to claim 1, wherein: In order to generate the second lane change path, the processor is further configured to generate a lane change reference line as a reference for the vehicle to perform the lane change, and generate a driving direction reference line extending in a driving direction of the vehicle.

3. The lane change control device according to claim 2, wherein: The processor is further configured to generate the lane change reference line as a straight line extending from a center portion of a front face of the vehicle such that the lane change reference line is parallel to a center line of a driving lane in which the vehicle is driving.

4. The lane change control device according to claim 2, wherein: The processor is further configured to determine an angle between the lane change reference line and the driving direction reference line.

5. The lane change control device according to claim 2, wherein: The processor is further configured to correct the lane change reference line according to the head angle of the vehicle.

6. The lane change control device according to claim 2, wherein: The processor is further configured to move the lane change reference line in the direction of a target lane that is a target of the lane change or in the direction of a driving lane in which the vehicle is currently traveling, by using an angle between the lane change reference line and the driving direction reference line.

7. The lane change control device according to claim 2, wherein: The processor is further configured to determine the movement amount of the lane change reference line using at least one of a distance from a center line of a driving lane to the lane change reference line, an angle between the lane change reference line and the driving direction reference line, and a combination of the distance and the angle.

8. The lane change control device according to claim 2, wherein: The processor is further configured to determine a movement amount of the lane change reference line by applying an angle between the lane change reference line and the driving direction reference line to a function.

9. The lane change control device according to claim 2, wherein: The processor is further configured to prevent the lane change reference line from encroaching a lane adjacent to the target lane in response to moving the lane change reference line in the direction of the target lane.

10. The lane change control device according to claim 2, wherein: The processor is further configured to prevent the lane change reference line from encroaching a center line of the driving lane in response to moving the lane change reference line in the direction of the driving lane.

11. The lane change control device according to claim 2, wherein: The processor is further configured to determine a lane change starting point by using the speed of the vehicle, the control target time, the angle between the lane change reference line and the driving direction reference line, and at least one of a combination of the speed, the control target time, and the angle, wherein the lane change starting point is the starting point of the lane change.

12. The lane change control device according to claim 2, wherein: The processor is further configured to determine a lane change starting point by applying an angle between the lane change reference line and the driving direction reference line to a function.

13. The lane change control device according to claim 10, wherein: The processor is further configured to determine a lane change start point to be positioned on the moved lane change reference line.

14. The lane change control device according to claim 2, wherein: The processor is further configured to determine a lane change end point by using the speed of the vehicle and a time required to complete the lane change from a lane change start point, the lane change end point being a point at which the lane change is completed.

15. The lane change control device according to claim 14, wherein: The processor is further configured to determine a lane change intermediate point between the lane change start point and the lane change end point according to a distance ratio predetermined by a user.

16. The lane change control device according to claim 2, wherein: As the angle between the lane change reference line and the driving direction reference line increases, the movement amount of the lane change reference line increases and the driving distance for the lane change increases.

17. The lane change control device according to claim 2, in, The return path includes a starting point, an intermediate point, and an end point, and Wherein, in response to the vehicle following the return path to the original lane and returning to the original lane, the processor is further configured to: in a state where the cancellation of the lane change is revoked at the starting point and the front of the vehicle points in the direction of the target lane, move the lane change reference line in the direction of the target lane, and the target lane is the target of the lane change.

18. The lane change control device according to claim 2, in, The return path includes a starting point, an intermediate point, and an end point, and Wherein, in response to the vehicle following the return path to the original lane and returning to the original lane, the processor is further configured to: move the lane change reference line in the direction of the original lane when the cancellation of the lane change is revoked at the intermediate point and the front of the vehicle points in the direction of the original lane.

19. A lane change control method, comprising: When the vehicle performs a lane change along the first lane change path, canceling the lane change by the processor; undoing, by the processor, the cancellation of the lane change when the vehicle returns to the vehicle's original lane; and A second lane change path is generated by the processor based on the front angle of the vehicle from the current position of the vehicle to attempt the lane change again.

20. The lane change control method according to claim 19, wherein: Generating the second lane change path includes: generating, by the processor, a lane change reference line as a reference for the vehicle to perform the lane change, and generating a driving direction reference line extending in the driving direction of the vehicle for generating the second lane change path; and By using the angle between the lane change reference line and the driving direction reference line, the lane change reference line is moved in the direction of a target lane that is a target of the lane change or in the direction of a driving lane in which the vehicle is currently traveling.

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