Auxiliary system of vehicle

Abstract

The present invention improves a vehicle assistance system that wants to provide a plurality of services including travel control for automatic driving to a vehicle. In a vehicle assistance system, control for automatic driving, in which a traveling state of a vehicle is determined on the basis of information received from the vehicle, information relating to traveling control for automatic driving of the vehicle is generated and transmitted to the vehicle, and relay control, in which the information relating to traveling control for automatic driving of the vehicle is transmitted to the vehicle, is executed. Information relating to a vehicle, including information acquired from the vehicle, is transmitted to a server device that provides a service. A server device that provides a service generates information that can be used for a vehicle service, using information from an automatic driving server device, without directly transmitting and receiving information to and from the vehicle.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to an auxiliary system for a vehicle. Background Art

[0002] In vehicles such as automobiles, research and development for autonomous driving of the vehicle by controlling the vehicle using a server device is being advanced (Patent Documents 1 and 2).

[0003] In addition, research and development is also being advanced on the communication with a server device in the vehicle, providing information for, for example, infotainment from the server device, and providing various services to the vehicle.

[0004] Prior art literature Patent Literature Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2021-179761 Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-018284 Summary of the invention

[0005] Technical issues However, a vehicle whose driving is controlled by a server device needs to send information related to the driving state of the vehicle to the server device, or receive information related to the driving control of the vehicle's driving for the driving of the vehicle from the server device. In addition, since the driving environment of the vehicle during driving changes all the time, it is considered necessary to repeatedly perform the information transmission and reception between the vehicle and the server device for the driving control of the driving for the driving of ...

[0006] In a vehicle assistance system that is intended to provide the vehicle with multiple services including autonomous driving driving control, it is desired to suppress the vehicle's communication load so as to less likely hinder communication for autonomous driving driving control and to be able to provide the vehicle with services other than autonomous driving driving control.

[0007] Technical Solution An auxiliary system for a vehicle according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises: an autonomous driving server device, which is used for autonomous driving driving control and is capable of repeatedly sending and receiving information between the autonomous driving server device and the vehicle; and a server device for providing services, which sends and receives information related to the vehicle between the autonomous driving server device and the autonomous driving server device, the autonomous driving server device having a vehicle-side communication device for communication between the autonomous driving server device and the vehicle, a first server communication device for communication between the autonomous driving server device and the service-providing server device, and an autonomous driving control unit, the autonomous driving control unit of the autonomous driving server device performing control and relay control for autonomous driving, and in the control for autonomous driving, the autonomous driving control unit determines the information based on the information obtained by the vehicle-side communication device through repeated reception from the vehicle. The driving state of the vehicle is used to generate information related to the driving control of the autonomous driving, and the information is repeatedly sent from the vehicle-side communication device to the vehicle. In the relay control, the autonomous driving control unit obtains information related to the vehicle including the information obtained from the vehicle from the autonomous driving server memory, and sends the information from the first server communication device to the server device providing services. The server device providing services has a second server communication device for communication with the autonomous driving server device, and a service control unit. The service control unit of the server device providing services uses the information related to the vehicle obtained by sending and receiving between the service control unit and the autonomous driving server device by the second server communication device without directly sending and receiving information with the vehicle, and generates information that can be used for services for the vehicle.

[0008] Technical Effects The auxiliary system of the vehicle of the present invention has a server device that provides services in addition to an automatic driving server device for driving control of the automatic driving of the vehicle. Moreover, the server device that provides services does not directly send and receive information with the vehicle, but sends and receives information related to the vehicle with the automatic driving server device. At this time, the automatic driving server device sends vehicle-related information including information obtained from the vehicle to the server device that provides services instead of the vehicle. Therefore, the automatic driving server device records the information obtained from the vehicle in the automatic driving server memory, and sends the information obtained from the automatic driving server memory to the server device that provides services.

[0009] Therefore, the server device providing the service generates information that can be used for the service of the vehicle using the information related to the vehicle acquired by transmitting and receiving with the automatic driving server device, without directly transmitting and receiving information with the vehicle.

[0010] Therefore, the vehicle assistance system of the present invention can generate information that is useful for the vehicle's driving and can be used for vehicle services in the server device providing the service by repeatedly communicating with low latency without excessively increasing the communication load between the vehicle and the autonomous driving server device.

[0011] In contrast, assuming that, for example, the server device providing the service directly transmits and receives information to and from the vehicle separately from the autonomous driving server device, the possibility that the communication between the server device providing the service and the vehicle will hinder the communication between the vehicle and the autonomous driving server device increases. In the present invention, information useful to the vehicle that is difficult to provide in the autonomous driving server device can be generated and provided in the server device providing the service without causing an increase in the communication load of the vehicle that may hinder such autonomous driving driving control. Moreover, in the present invention, it can be expected that the vehicle will appropriately continue to perform communications for autonomous driving driving control. Through the present invention, services to vehicles can be improved.

[0012] In this way, the auxiliary system of the vehicle of the present invention can suppress the communication load of the vehicle without hindering the communication for the driving control of the autonomous driving, and can provide services other than the driving control of the autonomous driving to the vehicle. Through the auxiliary system of the vehicle of the present invention, multiple services including the driving control of the autonomous driving can be provided to the vehicle without hindering the driving control of the autonomous driving. In the present invention, even if the services for the vehicle are increased, the communication between the server device for the driving control of the autonomous driving and the vehicle is not easily hindered. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] Figure 1 It is a block diagram of a vehicle support system according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

[0014] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 The main structure diagram of the car's control system.

[0015] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 The main structural diagram of the narrow-area autonomous driving server device.

[0016] Figure 4 yes Figure 2 A flowchart of the transmission control of each car executed by the control system of the car.

[0017] Figure 5 yes Figure 1 A flowchart of the receiving control performed by the narrow-area autonomous driving server device.

[0018] Figure 6 yes Figure 1A flowchart of driving control of multiple vehicles executed by a narrow-domain autonomous driving server device.

[0019] Figure 7 yes Figure 2 A flowchart of the reception control of each vehicle executed by the control system of the vehicle.

[0020] Figure 8 yes Figure 2 Flowchart of automatic driving control of each vehicle executed by the control system of the vehicle.

[0021] Fig. 9 yes Figure 1 Timing diagram of driving control of multiple vehicles in the assistance system.

[0022] Fig.10 yes Figure 1 The main structure diagram of the server device that provides services.

[0023] Fig.11 yes Figure 1 A flowchart of the execution management control in the server device executed by the narrow-domain autonomous driving server device.

[0024] Fig.12 It is an explanatory diagram of communication information for coping with a troublesome situation of the vehicle in the vehicle support system according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] Fig.13 This is a flowchart of the reception control performed by the narrow-area autonomous driving server device of this embodiment.

[0026] Fig.14 This is a flowchart of the failure condition estimation control executed by the vehicle failure condition estimation server device.

[0027] Fig.15 The graph shows waveforms of yaw rates corresponding to the travel positions of a plurality of vehicles including a vehicle whose travel is controlled by an assist system.

[0028] Fig.16 Is to show about Fig.15 A graph showing waveforms of a plurality of yaw rates, and the degree of similarity between the waveform of the yaw rate of a vehicle whose travel is controlled by an assist system and the waveforms of the yaw rates of other vehicles.

[0029] Fig.17 It is an explanatory diagram of communication information for updating road surface information in the automobile support system according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

[0030] Fig.18 yes Fig.17A flowchart of control for updating map data based on slipped road surface information executed by a road surface information updating server device.

[0031] Fig.19 is based on Fig.18 Flow chart of map data update control performed by a narrow-area autonomous driving server device under the control of a road surface information update server device.

[0032] Fig. 20 It is a narrow-domain autonomous driving server device. Figure 6 Flowchart of the process of generating the driving control information of the automobile corresponding to the update of the map data, which is executed in step ST25.

[0033] Explanation of symbols 1…Assistance system; 2…Automobile (vehicle); 3…Operator communication equipment; 4…Internet; 5…Road information update server device; 6…Vehicle bad condition estimation server device; 11…Base station; 12…Local communication network (operator communication network); 13…Operator wide area communication network (operator communication network); 15…Gateway device; 20…Control system; 21…Vehicle communication device; 22…Vehicle state judgment device; 23…Own vehicle sensor control device; 24…Driving operation control device; 25…Travel control device; 26…Drive control device; 27…Steering control device; 28…Braking control device; 29…ABS control device; 30…Vehicle network; 50…Narrow-area autonomous driving server device; 51…Server GNSS interface Receiver; 52…Autonomous driving server CPU; 53…Autonomous driving server memory; 54…First server communication device; 55…Base station communication device; 56…Autonomous driving server bus; 57…High-precision map data of the jurisdiction area; 58…Vehicle database; 60…Wide-area autonomous driving server device; 70…Server device providing services; 71…Service server CPU; 72…Server memory providing services; 73…Second server communication device; 74…Service server bus; 75…Vehicle database; 76…High-precision map data of the entire area; 110…GNSS satellite; Tc…Autonomous driving driving control cycle of the car; Ts…Autonomous driving driving control cycle of the server; Tr…Remaining time DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0034] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described based on the drawings.

[0035] [First embodiment] Figure 1 It is a configuration diagram of an assistance system 1 of a car 2 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 The assistance system 1 of the automobile 2 assists the automatic driving of the automobile 2 and provides services other than the automatic driving for the automobile 2 .

[0036] Figure 1 A plurality of cars 2 that can be driven by the automatic driving of the assistance system 1 are shown. The plurality of cars 2 are driving on the road. A plurality of base stations 11 of the carrier communication equipment 3 are arranged along the road. In addition, there are a plurality of GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) satellites 110 in the sky above the ground. The GNSS satellites 110 transmit information about their own positions and time. By receiving the radio waves of the plurality of GNSS satellites 110, the cars 2 and the like can obtain information about their own positions and time.

[0037] Figure 1 The assistance system 1 includes a plurality of narrow-area autonomous driving server devices 50, a wide-area autonomous driving server device 60, a road surface information update server device 5 as a first service providing server device 70, and a vehicle bad condition estimation server device 6 as a second service providing server device 70, in order to provide a plurality of services including autonomous driving to the automobile 2. The narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 and the wide-area autonomous driving server device 60 basically assist the autonomous driving of the automobile 2. The road surface information update server device 5 and the vehicle bad condition estimation server device 6 are service providing server devices 70 for providing services other than autonomous driving to the automobile 2.

[0038] A narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 is provided for each area in which one or more base stations 11 of the operator communication device 3 can communicate in the area where the assistance system 1 provides the autonomous driving service. The narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 may be connected to the local communication network 12 of the operator communication device 3 connected to the plurality of base stations 11, or may be directly connected to the base station 11. The narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 may be provided as a device integrated with the base station 11.

[0039] The carrier communication equipment 3 includes various gateway devices 15, a carrier wide area communication network 13, etc. in addition to the aforementioned multiple base stations 11 and the local communication network 12. The local communication network 12 and the carrier wide area communication network 13 constitute the carrier communication networks 12, 13.

[0040] For the area where the operator provides services, the operator wide area communication network 13 can be divided into multiple parts and set up, or the operator wide area communication network 13 can be set up as a whole. The local communication network 12 and the base station 11 can be connected to the operator wide area communication network 13 through a gateway device not shown in the figure. In addition, the operator wide area communication network 13 can be connected to the Internet 4 through the gateway device 15. In this way, the operator communication equipment 3 can be set up with a flexible structure corresponding to the actual situation of the area where the operator communication equipment 3 is laid. The operator communication equipment 3 does not include the Internet 4 inside. Therefore, various server devices set up in the operator communication equipment 3 can implement broadband high-speed communication with each other inside the operator communication equipment 3.

[0041] The wide-area autonomous driving server device 60 is connected to, for example, the operator wide-area communication network 13 in the operator communication device 3. The wide-area autonomous driving server device 60, together with the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50, provides a remote or regulated autonomous driving service to a plurality of cars 2 traveling in an area where the operator communication device 3 is laid. However, in the following, in order to simplify the description, an example is described in which only the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 of the wide-area autonomous driving server device 60 and the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 provides a remote or regulated autonomous driving service to the car 2. The various controls described below can be shared by the wide-area autonomous driving server device 60 and the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 according to their respective processing loads and processing capabilities. In this case, both the wide-area autonomous driving server device 60 and the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 are also connected to the network of the operator communication device 3, so that they can implement broadband high-speed communication with each other, so that processing delays, etc. are not easily generated.

[0042] In this way, the wide-area autonomous driving server device 60 and the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 are configured to communicate with the base station 11 wirelessly communicating with the automobile 2 with low latency. As a result, the wide-area autonomous driving server device 60 and the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 can repeatedly send and receive information used for autonomous driving with the automobile 2 during driving.

[0043] The road surface information update server device 5 and the vehicle bad condition estimation server device 6 provide services other than the automatic driving of the automobile 2. The road surface information update server device 5 and the vehicle bad condition estimation server device 6 are connected to the Internet 4. When these service-providing server devices 70 communicate with the automobile 2, the narrow-area automatic driving server device 50, etc., they communicate through the Internet 4 and the network of the operator communication device 3. Such communication has information delay compared to communication only through the network of the operator communication device 3.

[0044] The road surface information update server device 5 updates the high-precision map data for autonomous driving based on the information collected from the automobile 2. As a result, the automobile 2 that is autonomously driving under the assistance system 1 can travel under the high-precision map data updated using the latest information collected from the automobile 2. It can be expected that the driving safety of the automobile 2 that is autonomously driving under the assistance system 1 will be improved. The road surface information update server device 5 provides a service that improves the safety of the automobile 2.

[0045] The vehicle bad condition estimation server device 6 estimates a bad condition of the automobile 2 that is driving automatically under the assistance system 1. Thus, when a bad condition occurs in, for example, the suspension of the automobile 2 that is driving automatically under the assistance system 1, the bad condition estimation information can be provided to the automobile 2. It can be expected that the driving safety of the automobile 2 that is driving automatically under the assistance system 1 can be improved. The vehicle bad condition estimation server device 6 provides a service for improving the safety of the automobile 2.

[0046] It should be noted that the support system 1 of the automobile 2 may also provide services other than the above-mentioned services from a server device connected to the Internet 4. Examples of such services include infotainment services for the automobile 2, entertainment services in the automobile 2, and monitoring services for the automobile 2. It is desirable to provide a plurality of services to each automobile 2 at the same time.

[0047] So, in Figure 1 In the assistance system 1 of FIG. 1 , the wide-area autonomous driving server device 60 and the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 for the autonomous driving of the automobile 2 are directly connected to the operator communication networks 12 and 13 of the operator communication equipment 3. Thus, the wide-area autonomous driving server device 60 and the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 can repeatedly send and receive information with the plurality of automobiles 2 at relatively short intervals. The wide-area autonomous driving server device 60 and the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 can be used as an autonomous driving server device for continuously implementing driving control of the autonomous driving of the automobile 2 for the plurality of automobiles 2.

[0048] In contrast, a server device 70 that provides various services other than autonomous driving, such as the road surface information update server device 5 and the vehicle bad condition estimation server device 6, is connected to the operator communication network 12, 13 via the Internet 4. As a result, the number of server devices directly connected to the operator communication network 12, 13 of the operator communication equipment 3 can be reduced.

[0049] However, even if the server device 70 that provides various services other than autonomous driving is connected to the Internet 4 instead of being directly connected to the carrier communication networks 12 and 13 , the following problem still exists.

[0050] That is, each service-providing server device 70 needs to send and receive information with each car 2 in order to perform services for each car 2. If the services provided by the assistance system 1 are increased, in order to provide each service to each car 2, multiple server devices for each of the multiple services need to send and receive information between the server devices and each car 2. As a result, each car 2 needs to perform communications with multiple server devices for multiple services used in addition to communications with the server device for automatic driving. There is a high possibility that each car 2 cannot bear such a large amount of information communication. In particular, when the server devices 70 providing various services other than automatic driving are connected to the Internet 4, the information propagation between each service-providing server device 70 and the car 2 becomes slow. There is a high possibility that each car 2 cannot bear such a large amount of information communication.

[0051] Furthermore, the automobile 2 can perform autonomous driving under the assistance system 1 by repeatedly transmitting and receiving information for autonomous driving between the automobile 2 and the server device of the assistance system 1 at relatively short intervals. In this case, it is necessary that the communication between each automobile 2 and the server device 70 that provides various services other than autonomous driving does not affect the transmission and reception of information for autonomous driving between each automobile 2 and the server device of the assistance system 1 at each relatively short interval. Even if the wireless communication between the base station 11 and the automobile 2 is the fifth generation of wireless communication, it is unlikely to compensate for this for all the automobiles 2. In addition, in addition to the high-speed communication for autonomous driving of multiple automobiles 2 within the operator communication network 12, 13, if the communication for services for multiple automobiles 2 via the Internet 4 increases, the congestion problem of the operator communication network 12, 13 itself is also exposed.

[0052] In this way, when it is desired to provide other services to a plurality of cars 2 whose autonomous driving is controlled by the server device of the support system 1, if only the server device for other services is connected to the Internet 4, the quality of autonomous driving may not be sufficient.

[0053] For example, since the driving environment of the automobile 2 changes all the time during driving, it is considered necessary to repeatedly perform information transmission and reception between the automobile 2 and the server device for driving control for automatic driving at a cycle of at least several hundred milliseconds. In the automobile 2 in such a relatively high-load communication state, if information for services other than driving control for automatic driving is further directly communicated between, for example, a server device 70 that provides services other than the server device for driving control for automatic driving, it is expected that the communication load of the automobile 2 will become extremely large. The possibility that the automobile 2 will have difficulty in properly continuing to perform the communication for driving control for automatic driving becomes higher. That is, in the case where the server device 70 that provides services other than automatic driving directly communicates with the automobile 2, the possibility of hindering the communication between the server device for driving control for automatic driving and the automobile 2 increases. The more services provided to the automobile 2 are added, the easier it is to hinder the communication between the server device for driving control for automatic driving and the automobile 2.

[0054] In the present embodiment, an assist system 1 for a car 2 is provided, which is used to suppress the communication load of the car 2 and is not likely to hinder the communication for driving control for autonomous driving, and can provide services other than driving control for autonomous driving to the car 2. In the assist system 1 for the car 2, a server device that provides services other than driving control for autonomous driving provides a predetermined service to the car 2 that is driving under the service for driving control for autonomous driving based on the server device, in principle, without directly transmitting and receiving information with the car 2.

[0055] Next, such an assistance system 1 of the automobile 2 will be described in detail.

[0056] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 FIG. 2 is a main structural diagram of a control system 20 of a car 2. The car 2 is an example of a vehicle. Other examples of vehicles include motorcycles, carts, and personal mobile devices.

[0057] Figure 2 The control system 20 of the automobile 2 has a plurality of control devices connected to the vehicle network 30. Figure 2 In the example, as a plurality of control devices, a vehicle communication device 21, a vehicle state determination device 22, a vehicle sensor control device 23, a driving operation control device 24, a travel control device 25, a drive control device 26, a steering control device 27, a brake control device 28, and an ABS (Anti-lock Breake System) control device 29 are exemplified. In addition, other control devices such as an air conditioning device, an occupant monitoring device, and a lighting control device may be connected to the vehicle network 30.

[0058] The vehicle network 30 may be composed of, for example, a central gateway device and a cable connecting the control device to the central gateway device. Such a vehicle network 30 includes a network that complies with, for example, the CAN (Controller Area Network) standard or the LIN (Local Interconnect Network) standard. In addition, the vehicle network 30 may also use a network that complies with, for example, the LAN (Local Area Network) standard or a wireless communication standard.

[0059] The vehicle communication device 21 establishes a wireless communication path with the base station 11 located outside the vehicle 2, and transmits and receives information between the vehicle communication device 21 and the base station 11. In addition, the vehicle communication device 21 can also perform V2X (Vehicle to X) communication between it and other vehicles 2 located near the vehicle, for example.

[0060] The vehicle state determination device 22 determines the state of the vehicle 2 mainly related to driving. The vehicle state determination device 22 collects information for determining the state of the vehicle 2 from other control devices through the vehicle network 30, and records it in the vehicle state memory 49. In addition, the vehicle state determination device 22 can determine, for example, the malfunction of the operation of each device of the control system 20, the quality of the wireless communication between the vehicle communication device 21 and the base station 11, etc. as the state of the vehicle 2 based on the information collected and recorded in the vehicle state memory 49.

[0061] Various sensors installed in the vehicle 2 are connected to the vehicle sensor control device 23. Examples of the sensors installed in the vehicle 2 include a vehicle GNSS receiver 31, an acceleration sensor 32, a speed sensor 33, a wheel speed sensor 34, a corner radar 35, a stereo camera 36, ​​a Lidar (Light Detection And Ranging) 37, a panoramic camera 38, and an actuator sensor 39.

[0062] The vehicle GNSS receiver 31 receives radio waves from the GNSS satellite 110 , and generates information on the current position and current time of the automobile 2 on which the vehicle GNSS receiver 31 is installed.

[0063] The acceleration sensor 32 detects the acceleration of the traveling automobile 2. The acceleration sensor 32 can detect acceleration in the front, rear, left, right, up, and down directions, acceleration in the pitch direction, acceleration in the yaw direction, acceleration in the roll direction, and the like.

[0064] The speed sensor 33 detects the speed of the traveling vehicle 2 .

[0065] The wheel speed sensor 34 detects the rotation speed of the wheels of the vehicle 2 .

[0066] The corner radars 35 are installed at the four corners of the vehicle body of the automobile 2 and detect the relative directions and relative distances of the structures around the automobile 2 .

[0067] The stereo camera 36 captures the exterior of the vehicle in front of the vehicle 2 .

[0068] The laser radar 37 detects the relative direction and relative distance of the automobile 2 mainly to the structure in front by means of laser.

[0069] The panoramic camera 38 captures 360-degree images of the exterior of the vehicle 2 .

[0070] The actuator sensor 39 is provided on, for example, a suspension (not shown) of the automobile 2 , and detects an operating state of the suspension.

[0071] The vehicle sensor control device 23 controls the operations of these various sensors and outputs the detection values ​​of the various sensors to the vehicle network 30 .

[0072] The driving operation control device 24 is connected to operating components operated by the driver of the automobile 2 to manually drive the automobile 2, and the operating components include a steering gear, an accelerator pedal, a brake pedal, and a shift lever (not shown) provided on the automobile 2. The driving operation control device 24 outputs the driver's operation information on these operating components to the vehicle network 30.

[0073] The drive control device 26 is connected to a drive system device such as an engine, a motor, and a transmission (not shown) provided in the automobile 2. The drive control device 26 uses the engine and the motor to generate a driving force corresponding to the control value. The drive control device 26 uses the transmission to decelerate according to the control value and transmit the driving force of the engine and the motor to the wheels. Thus, the wheels of the automobile 2 are driven to rotate. The automobile 2 can accelerate.

[0074] The steering control device 27 is connected to a steering device (not shown) that changes the direction of the wheels of the automobile 2. The steering control device 27 uses the steering device to change the direction of the wheels to a direction corresponding to the control value. Thus, the traveling direction of the automobile 2 is changed.

[0075] The brake control device 28 is connected to a brake device (not shown) for suppressing the rotation of the wheels of the automobile 2. The brake control device 28 applies a braking force corresponding to a control value to the wheels using the brake device. As a result, the automobile 2 can be decelerated and stopped.

[0076] The ABS control device 29 outputs a control value for exerting a high braking force to the brake control device 28 when another car 2 approaches from the traveling direction of the vehicle based on the image captured by the stereo camera 36. As a result, the vehicle 2 can decelerate and stop before interfering with the other car 2.

[0077] The travel control device 25 outputs control values ​​to the drive control device 26 , the steering control device 27 , and the brake control device 28 , and causes the automobile 2 to travel by manual driving or automatic driving.

[0078] In the case of manual driving, for example, the travel control device 25 generates a control value corresponding to the operation information of the operating member output by the driving operation control device 24 to the vehicle network 30, and outputs the control value to the drive control device 26, the steering control device 27, and the brake control device 28. Thus, the automobile 2 travels under the operation of the driver. At this time, the travel control device 25 may also output to the drive control device 26, the steering control device 27, and the brake control device 28 a value obtained by adding or subtracting a correction value for assisting the operation from the control value based only on the operation information of the operating member.

[0079] In the case of autonomous driving, the driving control device 25 determines the traveling direction and speed of the vehicle based on various detection values ​​output by the vehicle sensor control device 23 to the vehicle network 30 and, for example, based on the image captured by the stereo camera 36. In addition, the driving control device 25 generates a control value corresponding to the determination result of the various detection values ​​output by the vehicle sensor control device 23, and outputs the control value to the drive control device 26, the steering control device 27, and the brake control device 28. Thus, the automobile 2 can travel by autonomous automatic driving.

[0080] In addition, as described later, the travel control device 25 generates a control value based on the information obtained from the automatic driving server device, and outputs the control value to the drive control device 26, the steering control device 27, and the brake control device 28. Thus, the automobile 2 can travel by automatic driving according to the remote control or control of the automatic driving server device.

[0081] It should be noted that the driving control device 25 can generate control values ​​by referring to information obtained from the automatic driving server device according to time and situation during the automatic driving process of autonomous driving. In addition, the driving control device 25 can generate control values ​​by referring to various detection values ​​output by the vehicle sensor control device 23 to the vehicle network 30 according to time and situation during the automatic driving process according to the automatic driving server device.

[0082] Furthermore, the travel control device 25 includes a travel control memory and a travel control CPU (Central Processing Unit).

[0083] The travel control memory records programs, setting information, etc. used by the travel control device 25 to execute the above-mentioned various travel controls. Figure 2 The example shows the high-precision map data of the vehicle recorded in the driving control memory. In addition to information showing the branches, merged links and nodes of the road on which the car 2 is traveling, the high-precision map data may also include information such as the reference track for each lane of the road and the position of the stop line. By traveling based on such information, the car 2 traveling in automatic driving can travel in a manner that basically maintains the lane while stopping at the stop line.

[0084] The travel control CPU reads and executes the program recorded in the travel control memory. Thus, a travel control unit that performs control to make the automobile 2 travel under the above-mentioned travel control is realized in the travel control device 25.

[0085] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 The main structure diagram of the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 is shown in FIG. It should be noted that the wide-area autonomous driving server device 60 may also be Figure 3 Same structure.

[0086] A plurality of cars 2 traveling in an area where the operator communication networks 12 and 13 are laid can basically be controlled by sharing a plurality of narrow-area autonomous driving server devices 50 in each area. However, there is a difference in the number of cars 2 located in each area between urban and suburban areas. In addition, the speed range of cars 2 traveling on highways is different from the speed range of cars 2 traveling on ordinary roads. Therefore, for example, consider setting up a narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 for cars 2 traveling on ordinary roads in urban areas, and managing cars 2 traveling in suburban areas and highways by a wide-area autonomous driving server device 60. The narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 and the wide-area autonomous driving server device 60 are preferably appropriately combined and set.

[0087] Figure 3 The narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 has a server GNSS receiver 51, an autonomous driving server CPU 52, an autonomous driving server memory 53, a first server communication device 54, a base station communication device 55, and an autonomous driving server bus 56 connected to them.

[0088] The server GNSS receiver 51 receives radio waves from the GNSS satellite 110, and generates information on the current position and current time of the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 provided with the server GNSS receiver 51. The error between such current position and current time and the current position and current time of the vehicle 2 is likely to be small.

[0089] The base station communication device 55 is connected to the local communication network 12. The base station communication device 55 is used for the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 to send and receive information between the driving server device 50 and the car 2 through the local communication network 12 and the base station 11. Figure 3 , a vehicle communication device 21 provided in a control system 20 of a car 2 is shown together with a base station 11. The base station communication device 55 is a communication device on the car 2 side that transmits and receives information between the base station 11 that wirelessly communicates with the car 2 and is used for communication with the car 2. The communication device on the car 2 side is provided in the base station 11 that wirelessly communicates with the car 2, or is connected to the communication network 12, 13 of the operator that provides the base station 11.

[0090] The first server communication device 54 is connected to the operator wide area communication network 13. The first server communication device 54 is used for the narrow area autonomous driving server device 50 to send and receive information between the narrow area autonomous driving server device 50 and other server devices through the operator wide area communication network 13. Figure 3 In the embodiment, as another server device, a server device 70 providing a service is exemplified. The first server communication device 54 is used for communication with the server device 70 providing a service.

[0091] It should be noted that the wide-area autonomous driving server device 60 is basically connected only to the operator wide-area communication network 13 of the local communication network 12 and the operator wide-area communication network 13. In this case, the wide-area autonomous driving server device 60 only needs to have the first server communication device 54. In addition, the wide-area autonomous driving server device 60 can send and receive information between other server devices including the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 and each base station 11 through the operator wide-area communication network 13.

[0092] In addition, Figure 1 and Figure 3In the embodiment, the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 is connected to the local communication network 12 and the operator wide area communication network 13. In addition, for example, when the local communication network 12 is connected to the operator wide area communication network 13 through a gateway device, the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 may also have a communication device connected to the local communication network 12. In this case, the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 can send and receive information between other server devices including the wide-area autonomous driving server device 60 and each base station 11 through the local communication network 12, the gateway device and the operator wide area communication network 13.

[0093] The automatic driving server memory 53 records programs, setting information, etc. used for automatic driving performed by the narrow-area automatic driving server device 50. Figure 3 The example shows high-precision map data 57 and vehicle database 58 of the control area recorded in the automatic driving server memory 53. The high-precision map data 57 of the control area can be data of the area managed by the narrow-area automatic driving server device 50. The vehicle database 58 records information such as the driving status of multiple cars 2 driving in the area managed by the narrow-area automatic driving server device 50.

[0094] The automatic driving server CPU 52 reads and executes the program recorded in the automatic driving server memory 53. Thus, the automatic driving control unit is realized in the narrow-area automatic driving server device 50.

[0095] Next, refer to Figures 4 to 8 , for those with Figures 1 to 3 Control for automatic driving of a plurality of automobiles 2 performed by an assist system 1 of an automobile 2 having a structure as described above will be described.

[0096] Here, a case where a plurality of narrow-area autonomous driving server devices 50 directly communicate with a plurality of automobiles 2 and control the driving of the plurality of automobiles 2 by remote control or regulation is used as an example for explanation. Figures 4 to 8 It is the control for autonomous driving of multiple cars 2 under the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50.

[0097] It should be noted that the wide-area autonomous driving server device 60 may also communicate directly with the automobile 2 to control the driving of the automobile 2 by remote control or regulation. In this case, the wide-area autonomous driving server device 60 may perform the same control as the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 described below.

[0098] Figure 4 yes Figure 2 Flowchart of transmission control of each car 2 executed by the control system 20 of the car 2.

[0099] The control system 20 of the automobile 2 repeatedly executes the automatic driving control system for each cycle required by the automatic driving through, for example, the driving control CPU or the vehicle communication device 21. Figure 4 Here, the vehicle communication device 21 is used to execute the transmission control of the driving control CPU. Figure 4 The following control is similar. Hereinafter, the cycle required for automatic driving is referred to as the driving control cycle Tc of the automatic driving of the automobile 2.

[0100] In step ST1, the driving control CPU of the control system 20 of the automobile 2 determines whether it is the transmission time of the cycle required for automatic driving. It is preferred that the driving control CPU executes a series of controls for the driving of the automobile 2, for example, every several hundred milliseconds. In this case, the driving control CPU can determine whether it is the transmission time of the cycle required for automatic driving based on whether the driving control cycle has passed since the last execution of the driving control. Moreover, in the case where the driving control cycle has not passed since the last execution of the driving control, the driving control CPU determines that it is not the transmission time and repeats this process. In contrast, in the case where the driving control cycle has passed since the last execution of the driving control, the driving control CPU determines that it is the transmission time and causes the process to enter step ST2.

[0101] In step ST2, the driving control CPU acquires information showing the latest driving state of the automobile 2 as the vehicle information. The acquired information can be recorded in the driving control. The vehicle information collected here can include, for example, the position, time, speed, acceleration, and execution state of the driving control detected by the automobile 2. For example, the speed and acceleration can be the speed and acceleration in the pitch, yaw, and roll directions. In addition, the collected vehicle information can also include information showing whether the ABS control device 29 is working and the time of working, a sign showing whether the passenger is in an emergency state, etc.

[0102] In step ST3, the driving control CPU transmits the latest vehicle information collected in step ST2 from the vehicle communication device 21 to the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50. The vehicle communication device 21 transmits the vehicle information to the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 via the base station 11 over which the wireless communication path is established.

[0103] Figure 5 yes Figure 1 Flow chart of the receiving control performed by the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50.

[0104] The automatic driving server CPU 52 of the narrow-range automatic driving server device 50 repeatedly executes Figure 5The narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 needs to receive the vehicle information of each of the multiple vehicles 2 as the field information. Therefore, the autonomous driving server CPU 52 needs to repeatedly execute the control in a substantially stable manner. Figure 5 receiving control.

[0105] In step ST11, the automatic driving server CPU 52 of the narrow-area automatic driving server device 50 determines whether the base station communication device 55 has received new site information. In order to continuously control the automatic driving, the base station communication device 55 of the narrow-area automatic driving server device 50 needs to receive the vehicle information of each car 2 from the plurality of cars 2 in the jurisdiction area through the base station 11 in the jurisdiction area of ​​the narrow-area automatic driving server device 50 in each cycle required for automatic driving. Therefore, it is highly likely that the base station communication device 55 is in a state of basically and substantially continuously receiving new site information. And, in the case where the base station communication device 55 has received new site information, the automatic driving server CPU 52 advances the processing to step ST12. In the case where the base station communication device 55 has not received new site information, the automatic driving server CPU 52 repeatedly performs this processing.

[0106] In step ST12, the automatic driving server CPU 52 records the vehicle information of each car 2 acquired in step ST11 in the automatic driving server memory 53. As a result, information including the latest vehicle information of a plurality of cars 2 in the jurisdiction area is accumulated and recorded in the vehicle database 58 of the automatic driving server memory 53.

[0107] Figure 6 yes Figure 1 A flowchart of driving control of multiple automobiles 2 executed by the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50.

[0108] The automatic driving server CPU 52 of the narrow-range automatic driving server device 50 repeatedly executes Figure 6Driving control of multiple cars 2. The narrow-band autonomous driving server device 50 needs to generate and send driving control information of multiple cars 2 for each driving control cycle Ts of the server's autonomous driving. The driving control cycle Ts of the server's autonomous driving is preferably set to a cycle that is at least the same as or shorter than the driving control cycle Tc of the car 2's autonomous driving. If the driving control cycle Ts of the server's autonomous driving is longer than the driving control cycle Tc of the car 2, the car 2 delays the driving control cycle of its own autonomous driving to receive the driving control information. In this case, the car 2 needs to take measures such as continuing the control based on the driving control information received last time. The car 2 that delays the driving control cycle of its own autonomous driving to receive the driving control information may have difficulty in continuing to drive well according to the driving control performed by the narrow-band autonomous driving server device 50. Therefore, the autonomous driving server CPU 52 needs to repeatedly execute the driving control information in a roughly stable manner. Figure 6 Driving control of multiple cars 2.

[0109] In step ST21, the automatic driving server CPU 52 determines whether it is the generation time of the driving control information for automatic driving. The automatic driving server CPU 52 can determine whether it is the generation time based on whether the automatic driving driving control cycle Ts of the server has passed since the last execution, for example. And, in the case where the automatic driving driving control cycle Ts of the server has not passed, the automatic driving server CPU 52 determines that it is not the generation time, and repeats this process. If the automatic driving driving control cycle Ts of the server has passed, the automatic driving server CPU 52 determines that it is the generation time, and the process proceeds to step ST22.

[0110] In step ST22 , the automatic driving server CPU 52 acquires the latest on-site information from the automatic driving server memory 53 .

[0111] In step ST23, the automatic driving server CPU 52 maps the multiple cars 2 included in the latest on-site information obtained in step ST22 to a high-precision map based on the high-precision map data of the jurisdiction area. In the high-precision map, the multiple cars 2 are mapped according to their latest positions. The high-precision map used here can be constructed as data for each road in the jurisdiction area, for example. In this case, each car 2 is mapped to the road on which the car 2 is traveling with its latest position.

[0112] In step ST24, the automatic driving server CPU 52 determines the interference of each automobile 2 based on the latest road state generated in step ST23. For example, the presence or absence of interference can be determined based on a threshold value of the inter-vehicle distance corresponding to the speed.

[0113] In step ST25, the automatic driving server CPU 52 generates the driving control information of each car 2. The driving control information generated here may be a control value of the remote control that can be directly used for the driving control of each car 2, or may be an instruction value of the regulation control of acceleration, deceleration and steering for generating the control value for each car 2. For example, in the case where the car 2 in an emergency is to be stopped on the shoulder of the road, the automatic driving server CPU 52 may switch the instruction value of the normal regulation control to the control value of the remote control.

[0114] For example, for the car 2 determined to be not interfering, the automatic driving server CPU 52 may generate driving control information such as maintaining the current speed.

[0115] On the other hand, for the car 2 determined to be interfering, the automatic driving server CPU 52 can generate travel control information for suppressing the interference.

[0116] In step ST26 , the automatic driving server CPU 52 transmits the driving control information generated in step ST25 to the car 2 that drives using the driving control information. The driving control information is transmitted to the car 2 from the base station communication device 55 via the carrier communication networks 12 , 13 and the base station 11 .

[0117] In step ST27, the automatic driving server CPU 52 records the travel control information generated in step ST25 in the automatic driving server memory 53. Thus, the vehicle database 58 of the automatic driving server memory 53 records the latest travel control information of the plurality of cars 2 in the jurisdiction.

[0118] In step ST28, the automatic driving server CPU 52 determines whether there are any unprocessed cars 2 left. If there are any unprocessed cars 2 left, the automatic driving server CPU 52 returns the process to step ST24. The automatic driving server CPU 52 generates and transmits the travel control information for all the multiple cars 2 that are basically traveling in the jurisdiction area. If the generation and transmission of the travel control information for all the cars 2 are completed, the automatic driving server CPU 52 determines that there are no unprocessed cars 2 left, and ends the present control.

[0119] In this way, the automatic driving server CPU 52 of the narrow-area automatic driving server device 50 generates and transmits the driving control information of the plurality of cars 2 for each driving control cycle Ts of the automatic driving of the server. The process of generating and transmitting the driving control information of the plurality of cars 2 requires a certain amount of time.

[0120] Figure 7 yes Figure 2Flowchart of reception control of each car 2 executed by the control system 20 of the car 2.

[0121] The control system 20 of the automobile 2 repeatedly executes the Figure 7 receiving control.

[0122] In step ST31, the driving control CPU determines whether the vehicle communication device 21 has received new information through the base station 11. When the narrow-area automatic driving server device 50 is transmitting driving control information to the vehicle, the vehicle communication device 21 receives new information. In this case, the driving control CPU determines that the vehicle communication device 21 has received new information, and the process proceeds to step ST32. When no new information is received, the driving control CPU repeatedly performs this process.

[0123] In step ST32, the driving control CPU records the new information received by the vehicle communication device 21 in the driving control memory. Thus, the latest driving control information for automatic driving generated by the narrow-area automatic driving server device 50 based on the latest driving environment can be recorded in the driving control memory.

[0124] Figure 8 yes Figure 2 Flowchart of automatic driving control of each car 2 executed by the control system 20 of the car 2.

[0125] The control system 20 of the automobile 2 repeatedly executes the automatic driving control cycle Tc of the automobile 2 through, for example, a driving control CPU. Figure 8 Automatic driving control.

[0126] In step ST41, the driving control CPU determines whether it is time to update the control for the automatic driving. The driving control CPU can determine whether it is the control update time based on whether the driving control cycle Tc of the automatic driving of the car 2 has passed since the last execution. In addition, if the driving control cycle Tc of the automatic driving of the car 2 has not passed, the driving control CPU determines that it is not the control update time and repeats this process. If the driving control cycle Tc of the automatic driving of the car 2 has passed, the automatic driving server CPU 52 determines that it is the control update time and causes the process to enter step ST42.

[0127] In step ST42, the travel control CPU acquires the latest information from the travel control memory. The latest information acquired from the travel control memory may include the latest travel control information for automatic driving generated by the narrow-area automatic driving server device 50 based on the latest travel environment.

[0128] In step ST43, the driving control CPU generates a control value based on the information acquired in step ST42, and outputs the control value to the driving control device 26, the steering control device 27, and the brake control device 28 of the host vehicle. Thus, the driving control CPU of the driving control device 25 can drive by automatic driving according to the latest driving control information generated by the narrow-range automatic driving server device 50.

[0129] Fig. 9 yes Figure 1 A timing diagram of driving control of a plurality of vehicles 2 in an assistance system 1 is shown.

[0130] exist Fig. 9 FIG. 2 shows a car 2, a narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50, and a server device 70 providing services. Fig. 9 In the , time flows from top to bottom. Fig. 9 2 shows the main steps of driving control of multiple cars 2 performed by the above-mentioned narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50.

[0131] In order to perform driving control based on the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50, the automobile 2 obtains the information of the vehicle in step ST2 for each driving control cycle Tc of the autonomous driving of the automobile 2, and sends the vehicle information to the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 in step ST3.

[0132] The narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 receives the vehicle information in step ST11, and records the vehicle information in the autonomous driving server memory 53 in step ST12. In addition, the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 generates driving control information in step ST25 for each driving control cycle Ts of the server's autonomous driving, and transmits the driving control information in step ST26. In addition, the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 executes a command for executing the command in step ST60. Fig. 9 Driving control of other cars 2 not shown.

[0133] The automobile 2 receives the driving control information from the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 in step ST31, and performs driving control based on the driving control information from the server in step ST43. In order to perform driving control based on the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50, it is preferred that the driving control of step ST43 is repeatedly performed for each driving control cycle Tc of the autonomous driving of the automobile 2.

[0134] By maintaining such a synchronized control state between the automobile 2 and the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 , a plurality of automobiles 2 can continue to travel well in accordance with the travel control of the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 .

[0135] Furthermore, assuming that, for example Fig. 9 As shown by the dotted line, the service server device 70 directly sends and receives information with each car 2 in order to provide the service to each car 2. In this case, the communication load of each car 2 increases. In particular, since the service server device 70 communicates with the car 2 via the Internet 4, the communication is slow. When the car 2 performs such communication, the car 2 cannot maintain the communication between it and the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 for autonomous driving. Fig. 9 The possibility of the state of the automobile 2 being difficult to continuously perform the driving control according to the driving control information of the narrow-range automatic driving server device 50 for each driving control cycle Tc of the automatic driving of the automobile 2 increases.

[0136] Therefore, in the present embodiment, the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 that controls the autonomous driving of the automobile 2 also relays information sent and received between the automobile 2 and the server device 70 that provides services.

[0137] In this case, the car 2 acquires the information sent to the server device 70 providing the service as vehicle information in step ST2 , and sends the information to the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 in step ST3 .

[0138] The narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 receives information from the automobile 2 in step ST11 , and records the information in the autonomous driving server memory 53 in step ST12 .

[0139] In addition, the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 performs a server transmission process to the server device 70 providing a service in step ST61 of the remaining time Tr, obtains the information obtained from the car 2 from the autonomous driving server memory 53, and transmits the information to the server device 70 providing a service. As a result, the server device 70 providing a service can receive information that the car 2 wants to transmit to the server device 70 providing a service from the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50. In addition, the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 performs control for relaying in step ST61.

[0140] Here, the remaining time Tr refers to a period during which the process of generating and transmitting the driving control information of a plurality of cars 2 is not executed in the driving control cycle Ts of the server for automatic driving, which is synchronized with the driving control cycle Tc of the car 2 for automatic driving. In the driving control cycle Ts of the server for automatic driving, the remaining time Tr may be generated depending on the number of cars 2 whose driving is controlled by the narrow-area automatic driving server device 50. In the present embodiment, the information is transmitted from the narrow-area automatic driving server device 50 to the server device 70 for providing services using the remaining time Tr. When the remaining time Tr is less than the minimum transmission time required to transmit the information to the server device 70 for providing services, the driving control CPU does not transmit the information from the narrow-area automatic driving server device 50 to the server device 70 for providing services in the driving control cycle Ts of the server for automatic driving. In the service of the server device 70 for providing services, the real-time performance of the service is not required as high as when the automatic driving is controlled by the server.

[0141] Then, the server device 70 providing services records the information of each car 2 received from the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 in the server memory 72 providing services. In step ST62, the server device 70 providing services performs service processing for the car 2 based on the information of the car 2 acquired through the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50. The server device 70 providing services may send information on the result of the service processing to the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 as needed. In this case, the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 may send the information received from the server device 70 providing services together with the driving control information to the car 2 in step ST26 as needed. In step ST31, the car 2 receives the information and the driving control information sent to the car 2 by the server device 70 providing services through the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50.

[0142] Thus, the car 2 can receive and obtain information sent to the car 2 by the service-providing server device 70, and use it to control the car, without directly sending and receiving information with the service-providing server device 70. The car 2 can use services such as infotainment services, entertainment services, and monitoring services of the car 2 provided to the car 2 by the service-providing server device 70.

[0143] In addition, by sending and receiving information between the server device 70 providing services and the car 2 via the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50, even if the number of services used by the car 2 increases, the increase in the communication load of the car 2 caused by the increase can be suppressed. The car 2 can use not only the autonomous driving based on the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 but also various services other than the autonomous driving by always communicating with the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 capable of high-speed broadband communication.

[0144] Fig.10 yes Figure 1 The main structure diagram of the server device 70 that provides services. Figure 1 The road surface information updating server device 5 and the vehicle bad condition estimation server device 6 can basically adopt Fig.10 structure.

[0145] Fig.10 The service providing server device 70 has a service server CPU 71, a service providing server memory 72, a second server communication device 73, and a service server bus 74 connected to them.

[0146] The second server communication device 73 is connected to the Internet 4. The second server communication device 73 is used for the server device 70 providing services to send and receive information between the server device 70 providing services and other server devices through the Internet 4 and the operator communication networks 12 and 13. Fig.10 In the example, as another server device, a narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 connected to the operator communication networks 12 and 13 is exemplified. The narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 transmits and receives information with the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 via the operator communication networks 12 and 13 and the Internet 4 connected to the operator communication networks 12 and 13. The transmission and reception of information via the Internet 4 is slower than the transmission and reception of information via only the operator communication networks 12 and 13.

[0147] The service providing server storage 72 records programs, setting information, etc. used by the service providing server device 70 to provide services. Fig.10 The high-precision map data 76 of the entire area recorded in the server memory 72 providing the service and the vehicle database 75 are exemplified. The high-precision map data 76 of the entire area may be high-precision map data about the area where the operator communication networks 12 and 13 are laid. The vehicle database 75 records information showing the driving status of a plurality of cars 2 assisted in the automatic driving by the assistance system 1 of the car 2, and the like.

[0148] The service server CPU 71 reads and executes the program recorded in the service-providing server memory 72. Thus, a service control unit is realized in the service-providing server device 70.

[0149] The service server CPU 71 as a service control section executes various controls for services provided by the server device 70 that provides the services.

[0150] For example, the service server CPU 71 transmits and receives information between the service server CPU 71 and the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 through the second server communication device 73 without directly transmitting and receiving information with the car 2 .

[0151] The service server CPU 71 generates information on services that can be used in the car 2 using the information on the car 2 acquired through the reception.

[0152] The service server CPU 71 transmits the generated information from the second server communication device 73 to the narrow-area autonomous driving server apparatus 50 .

[0153] Fig.11 yes Figure 1 The flowchart of the execution management control in the server device executed by the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 of FIG. 60 can also execute the wide-area autonomous driving server device 60 when relaying information between the car 2 and the server device 70 providing the service. Fig.11 Executive management control.

[0154] The automatic driving server CPU 52 of the narrow-area automatic driving server device 50 serves as an automatic driving control unit, and repeatedly executes the automatic driving control operation for each driving control cycle Ts of the server. Fig.11 Executive management control.

[0155] In step ST51 , the automatic driving server CPU 52 performs the remaining time Tr of the driving control cycle Ts of the automatic driving with respect to the server.

[0156] like Fig. 9 As shown, the narrow-domain autonomous driving server device 50 periodically performs the control for autonomous driving of the vehicle 2 for each driving control period Ts of the server's autonomous driving. The control for autonomous driving includes steps ST25, ST26, and ST60.

[0157] Furthermore, in order to transmit the information of the automobile 2 to the server device 70 providing the service, in step ST61 , the automatic driving server CPU 52 performs relay control for transmitting the information to the server device 70 providing the service.

[0158] In this case, for example, the automatic driving server CPU 52 predicts or measures the time required for the control of the automatic driving according to the number of cars 2 generating the driving control information, etc. Then, the automatic driving server CPU 52 can calculate the remaining time Tr by subtracting the predicted time or the measured time from the driving control cycle Ts of the automatic driving of the server.

[0159] In step ST52, the autonomous driving server CPU 52 determines whether the remaining time Tr calculated in step ST51 is greater than the minimum sending time. Here, the minimum sending time may be the time required for a series of processes required to send the minimum information to the server device 70 providing the service. When the device sends information, generally speaking, header information, etc. are added to the information to be sent to generate packet data, and the communication device sends the packet data. If the communication device completes the transmission, the next information can be sent. The minimum sending time may be set as the minimum sending time. In addition, for example, the minimum sending time may be set as the time obtained by further adding the normal receiving processing time to the minimum sending processing time. The normal receiving processing time is the time for the server device 70 providing the service to send information to the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50.

[0160] Furthermore, when the remaining time Tr is not equal to or greater than the minimum transmission time, the automatic driving server CPU 52 terminates the control by not transmitting information to the server device 70 providing the service. Thus, in the driving control cycle Ts of the automatic driving of the server at this time, information transmission to the server device 70 providing the service is not performed. When the remaining time Tr is less than the minimum transmission time, and the processing is urgent, the automatic driving server CPU 52 may not transmit information to the server device 70 providing the service.

[0161] On the other hand, when the remaining time Tr is equal to or longer than the minimum transmission time, the automatic driving server CPU 52 advances the processing to step ST53.

[0162] In step ST53, the automatic driving server CPU 52 calculates the amount of information that can be transmitted within the remaining time Tr.

[0163] In step ST54, the automatic driving server CPU 52 instructs execution of information transmission to the server device 70 providing the service. It should be noted that the execution instruction of the information transmission is turned off in the narrow-range automatic driving server device 50. The automatic driving server CPU 52 communicates with the server device 70 for executing the information transmission through, for example, inter-program communication. Fig. 9 The server sends the processing program of step ST61 and sends a message instructing execution.

[0164] Thus, the automatic driving server CPU 52 performs the server transmission processing of step ST61 after the automatic driving driving control for the automatic driving of the automobile 2 in the automatic driving driving control cycle Ts of the server is completed. At this time, the automatic driving server CPU 52 obtains the information of the amount of information calculated in step ST53 from the automatic driving server memory 53, and transmits the information from the first server communication device 54 to the server device 70 providing the service.

[0165] The automatic driving server CPU 52 can complete the information transmission process to the server device 70 providing the service before the current server's automatic driving driving control period Ts ends.

[0166] The automatic driving server CPU 52 can start the processing of the next server automatic driving driving control cycle Ts at the timing assumed in advance for the cycle without delay.

[0167] In addition, the automatic driving server CPU 52 uses the first server communication device 54 in the communication between itself and the server device 70 providing the service. Fig. 9 In the communication with the server device 70 providing the service in step ST61 , the information of each automobile 2 can also be well received through the base station communication device 55 .

[0168] As described above, the support system 1 for the automobile 2 of the present embodiment includes a server device 70 that provides services in addition to the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 for driving control of the automobile 2. The narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 is provided at the base station 11 that the automobile 2 performs wireless communication with, or is connected to the operator communication network 12, 13 that provides the base station 11. Thus, the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 is configured to be able to communicate with the base station 11 that performs wireless communication with the automobile 2 with low latency, and to repeatedly send and receive information with low latency between the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 and the automobile 2 that is traveling. In contrast, the server device 70 that provides services is connected to the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 via the Internet 4 that is a communication network different from the operator communication network 12, 13. Moreover, the server device 70 that provides services does not directly send and receive information with the automobile 2, but sends and receives information related to the automobile 2 between the server device 70 that provides services and the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50. At this time, the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 records the information related to the car 2 including the information acquired from the car 2 in the autonomous driving server memory 53, and transmits the information acquired from the autonomous driving server memory 53 to the service providing server device 70 instead of the car 2. In addition, the service providing server device 70 generates information that can be used for the service of the car 2 using the information related to the car 2 acquired by the transmission and reception between the service providing server device 70 and the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50, without directly transmitting and receiving information with the car 2. Thus, the support system 1 for the car 2 of the present embodiment can generate information that is useful for the driving of the car 2 and can be used for the service of the car 2 in the service providing server device 70, without excessively increasing the communication load between the car 2 and the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 by repeatedly communicating with low latency.

[0169] On the other hand, if, for example, the service-providing server device 70 directly transmits and receives information with the automobile 2 separately from the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50, the possibility that the communication between the service-providing server device 70 and the automobile 2 will hinder the communication between the automobile 2 and the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 increases. Here, when the service-providing server device 70 communicates with the automobile 2 via the Internet 4 and the carrier communication networks 12 and 13, the communication between the automobile 2 and the service-providing server device 70 takes a long time. In this case, the increased communication load in the automobile 2 is likely to exceed the increase in the simple communication volume. The automobile 2 needs to frequently perform at least the processing of switching the communication destination between the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 and the service-providing server device 70. In this embodiment, the service-providing server device 70 can generate and provide information useful for the driving of the automobile 2 that is difficult to provide in the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 without causing an increase in the communication load of the automobile 2 that may hinder the driving control of the autonomous driving of such an automobile 2. In this embodiment, the automobile 2 can appropriately continue to perform communication for driving control of the autonomous driving. According to the present embodiment, the service for the automobile 2 can be improved.

[0170] Moreover, in the present embodiment, the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 does not execute in parallel the control for autonomous driving of sending and receiving information for driving control for autonomous driving between the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 and the automobile 2, and the relay control of information between the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 and the server device 70 that provides services, but instead executes the control for autonomous driving with higher priority than the relay control.

[0171] Therefore, the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 records the information received from the automobile by the base station communication device 55 as the vehicle-side communication device in the autonomous driving server memory 53 during the reception control. In addition, the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 determines the driving state of the vehicle based on the information recorded in the autonomous driving server memory 53 during the control for autonomous driving, and further generates information related to the driving control of the autonomous driving of the automobile 2 and repeatedly sends the information from the base station communication device 55 to the automobile 2.

[0172] In addition, the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 performs execution management control separately from the control for autonomous driving and the relay control in order to manage the execution of the control for autonomous driving that is periodically executed in the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 for the autonomous driving driving control of the automobile 2 and the execution of the relay control for transmitting information to the server device 70 providing services. In the execution management control, the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 manages the execution of the relay control in such a manner that the relay control is executed during the remaining period Tr of the autonomous driving driving control cycle Ts of the server for the control for autonomous driving during which the control for autonomous driving is not executed.

[0173] As a result, the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 can perform relay control for sending information between the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 and the server device 70 that provides services at a time when control for autonomous driving is not performed.

[0174] Since the information related to the autonomous driving driving control of the car 2 is sent from the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 to the car 2 during driving, it is sent between the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 and the server device 70 providing the service, and is therefore not easily obstructed.

[0175] The narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 is capable of performing control for autonomous driving between the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 and the automobile 2 at the same quality or frequency as when relay control between the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 and the server device 70 providing the service is not performed.

[0176] The autonomous driving server device is able to control the driving of car 2 without reducing the communication quality or communication frequency between the autonomous driving server device used for autonomous driving driving control of car 2 and car 2, that is, without reducing the quality of autonomous driving driving control of car 2 performed by the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50.

[0177] In addition, in the present embodiment, the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 includes: a base station communication device 55 for transmitting and receiving information between the base station 11 that wirelessly communicates with the automobile 2; and a first server communication device 54 for transmitting and receiving information between the base station communication device 55 and the server device 70 that provides services. Furthermore, the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 transmits information related to the driving control of the autonomous driving of the automobile 2 generated in the control for autonomous driving to the automobile 2 using the base station communication device 55. Furthermore, the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 transmits information related to the automobile 2 transmitted in the relay control to the server device 70 that provides services using the first server communication device 54. Thus, even when the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 is transmitting information related to the automobile 2 transmitted in the relay control, it is possible to receive information repeatedly transmitted by the automobile 2 through the base station communication device 55.

[0178] In this way, the support system 1 of the automobile 2 of the present embodiment can suppress the communication load of the automobile 2 without hindering the communication for the driving control of the autonomous driving, and can provide services other than the driving control of the autonomous driving to the automobile 2. The support system 1 of the automobile 2 of the present embodiment can provide the automobile 2 with a plurality of services including the driving control of the autonomous driving without hindering the driving control of the autonomous driving. In the present embodiment, even if the service for the automobile 2 is increased, the communication between the server device for the driving control of the autonomous driving and the automobile 2 is not easily hindered.

[0179] [Second embodiment] Next, a support system 1 for a vehicle 2 according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0180] In the above embodiment, the narrow-area automatic driving server device 50 that relays between the automobile 2 and the server device 70 providing services is mainly described. In this embodiment, the case where the server device 70 providing services is the vehicle bad condition estimation server device 6 is particularly described.

[0181] The vehicle bad condition estimation server device 6 obtains information about the car 2 that is driven by the narrow-area automatic driving server device 50 through the narrow-area automatic driving server device 50. The vehicle bad condition estimation server device 6 estimates the bad condition of the car 2 based on the acquired information. The vehicle bad condition estimation server device 6 transmits the bad condition estimation information from the narrow-area automatic driving server device 50 to the car 2.

[0182] In this embodiment, the same reference numerals are used for the same structures as those in the above embodiment, and illustration and description thereof are omitted. In the following description, differences from the above embodiment are mainly described.

[0183] Fig.12 It is an explanatory diagram of communication information for coping with a troublesome situation of the automobile 2 in the support system 1 of the automobile 2 according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

[0184] In this embodiment, the car 2 sends information notifying the emergency of the vehicle, information for estimating the malfunction of the suspension of the vehicle, and information for receiving assistance for autonomous driving as vehicle information to the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 .

[0185] Therefore, the car 2 can send driving information such as vehicle speed, position, direction of travel, yaw rate, and information on vehicle abnormality signs including the MIL light sign as vehicle information to the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50.

[0186] The narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 records the vehicle information received from the automobile 2 in the autonomous driving server memory 53. Thereafter, the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 can generate driving control information for autonomous driving when the server's autonomous driving control cycle arrives.

[0187] Fig.13 This is a flowchart of the reception control executed by the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 of this embodiment.

[0188] The automatic driving server CPU 52 of the narrow-range automatic driving server device 50 repeatedly executes Fig.13 The receiving control is replaced by Figure 5 receiving control.

[0189] When the base station communication device 55 as the vehicle-side communication device receives new information from the car 2, the automatic driving server CPU 52 repeatedly executes the automatic driving driving control of the car 2. Fig.13 receiving control.

[0190] Steps ST11 and ST12 are Figure 5 However, after executing step ST12, the automatic driving server CPU 52 advances the processing to step ST71.

[0191] In step ST71, the automatic driving server CPU 52 determines whether the vehicle information received from the car 2 contains information that requires emergency response to the car 2. The vehicle information may contain valid information of a vehicle abnormality flag, which includes a MIL light-on flag, etc. In this case, the automatic driving server CPU 52 determines that the vehicle information received from the car 2 contains information that requires emergency response to the car 2, and causes the processing to enter step ST72. In the case where it is determined that the vehicle information received from the car 2 does not contain information that requires emergency response to the car 2, the automatic driving server CPU 52 ends this control.

[0192] In step ST72 , the automatic driving server CPU 52 generates a switching request to the automatic driving for the car 2 that requires emergency response.

[0193] In step ST73, the automatic driving server CPU 52 transmits the switching request to the autonomous driving generated in step ST72 to the car 2 that has transmitted the own vehicle information from the base station communication device 55. Thereafter, the automatic driving server CPU 52 ends the present control.

[0194] When the automobile 2 receives a request to switch to autonomous driving, control is performed to switch from the autonomous driving based on the driving control information of the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 to manual driving by the driver or autonomous driving.

[0195] In addition, if Fig.12 As shown, the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 transmits information received from the automobile 2 and the like to the vehicle fault condition estimation server device 6 .

[0196] The vehicle failure condition estimation server device 6 receives information for estimating the failure condition of the automobile 2 from the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 .

[0197] The vehicle bad condition estimation server device 6 records the received information in the service providing server memory 72. Thus, in the vehicle database 75 of the service providing server memory 72, information for estimating the bad condition of the vehicle 2 related to the vehicle 2 being controlled to travel by the narrow-band autonomous driving server device 50 can be accumulated and recorded.

[0198] Fig.14 This is a flowchart of the failure condition estimation control executed by the vehicle failure condition estimation server device 6 .

[0199] The service server CPU 71 of the vehicle failure condition estimation server device 6 repeatedly executes Fig.14 Presumptive control of adverse conditions.

[0200] Basically, the service server CPU 71 may repeatedly execute the processing when a certain amount of unprocessed information of the automobile 2 is accumulated in the server memory 72 providing the service. Fig.14 Presumptive control of adverse conditions.

[0201] In step ST81, the service server CPU 71 selects a driving section for evaluating the bad condition of the car 2 from the high-precision map data 76 of the entire area of ​​the server memory 72 providing the service. The service server CPU 71 can select a driving environment suitable for determining the bad condition of the car 2, such as the suspension, from the path traveled by the car 2. For example, in the case where the car 2 travels at a constant speed on a straight paved road with a few bumps, a sign of a bad condition of the suspension may occur. Therefore, the service server CPU 71 can select a section where the car 2 travels at a constant speed on a straight paved road with a few bumps.

[0202] In step ST82 , the service server CPU 71 extracts information on the actual yaw rate of the automobile 2 in the travel section selected in step ST81 .

[0203] In step ST83 , the service server CPU 71 generates a plurality of yaw rates of the virtual automobile 2 in the travel section.

[0204] For example, the service server CPU 71 may execute a travel simulation regarding a travel section of the virtual car 2 and generate the yaw rate of the virtual car 2 .

[0205] In addition to this, for example, the service server CPU 71 may extract information on the yaw rate of another car 2 without a problem that actually travels in the travel section as information on the yaw rate of the virtual car 2 from the server memory 72 that provides the service.

[0206] Furthermore, the service server CPU 71 may execute a travel simulation for a travel section of the virtual automobile 2 in which a suspension failure occurs, and generate a yaw rate of the virtual automobile 2 .

[0207] In step ST84 , the service server CPU 71 records the information of the yaw rates of the plurality of virtual vehicles 2 acquired in step ST83 in the service providing server memory 72 .

[0208] In step ST85, the service server CPU 71 determines the similarity between the waveform of the actual yaw rate in the travel section and the waveform of the yaw rate of each virtual car 2 in the travel section. The service server CPU 71 compares the waveform of the actual yaw rate with the waveform of the yaw rate of each virtual car 2.

[0209] In step ST86, the service server CPU 71 determines whether the waveform of the actual yaw rate in the driving section is highly similar to the waveform of the yaw rate of the virtual car 2 whose suspension is in a normal state. If the similarity is high, the service server CPU 71 ends the control. If the similarity is not high, the service server CPU 71 advances the processing to step ST87.

[0210] In step ST87, the service server CPU 71 transmits the suspension failure condition estimation information from the second server communication device 73 to the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50. In addition, the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 transmits the suspension failure condition estimation information to the automobile 2 together with the driving control information.

[0211] The automobile 2 records the suspension failure estimation information in the travel control memory. In addition, the automobile 2 may light a warning lamp based on the suspension failure estimation information.

[0212] Therefore, if Fig.12 As shown, the car 2 can receive driving control information for automatic driving and a switching request to autonomous driving for emergency response from the narrow-area automatic driving server device 50. In addition, the car 2 can receive suspension bad condition estimation information from the vehicle bad condition estimation server device 6 through the narrow-area automatic driving server device 50. The car 2 can use the driving control service for automatic driving performed by the narrow-area automatic driving server device 50, and can use the emergency response service and the estimation service of the bad condition of the vehicle.

[0213] Fig.15 1 is a graph showing waveforms of yaw rates corresponding to the travel positions of a plurality of vehicles 2 including the vehicle 2 whose travel is controlled by the support system 1 .

[0214] exist Fig.15 In FIG. 1 , the waveform (actual data) of the actual yaw rate of the vehicle 2 in which the fault condition is estimated is shown by the dotted line. Fig.15 FIG. 1 shows waveforms (SimA and SimB) of the yaw rates of two virtual cars 2 whose suspensions operate normally and a waveform (SimC) of the yaw rate of one virtual car 2 whose suspensions do not operate normally.

[0215] exist Fig.15 In the case of , the waveform (actual data) of the actual yaw rate of the vehicle 2 in the estimated fault condition and the waveforms (SimA, SimB) of the yaw rates of the two virtual vehicles 2 whose suspensions operate normally are highly similar.

[0216] On the other hand, the similarity with the waveform (SimC) of the yaw rate of a virtual car 2 whose suspension does not operate normally is low.

[0217] Fig.16 Is to show about Fig.15 A graph showing waveforms of a plurality of yaw rates, and the degree of similarity between the waveform of the yaw rate of the vehicle 2 whose travel is controlled by the assistance system 1 and the waveforms of the yaw rates of other vehicles 2 .

[0218] exist Fig.16 2 shows the cosine similarity (average value) between the waveform of the actual yaw rate of the vehicle 2 estimated to have a fault condition (actual data) and the waveform of the yaw rate of each virtual vehicle 2 .

[0219] In this case, the cosine similarities (average values) between the waveforms (SimA and SimB) of the yaw rates of the two virtual vehicles 2 whose suspensions operate normally are both negative values ​​of the same degree.

[0220] On the other hand, the cosine similarity (average value) with the waveform (SimC) of the yaw rate of the virtual car 2 whose suspension does not operate normally is a positive value.

[0221] In step ST85, the service server CPU 71 may determine Fig.16 The cosine similarity between the waveforms of the yaw rate.

[0222] In addition, in step ST86, the service server CPU 71 may Fig.16 The cosine similarity of each of the yaw rate waveforms is used to determine the similarity of the actual yaw rate waveform (actual data).

[0223] In this similarity judgment, for example, the service server CPU 71 may be based on Fig.16 By comparing the multiple cosine similarities (average values) of , it is determined whether the waveform of the yaw rate of the virtual car 2 in which the suspension is in a normal state has a high similarity.

[0224] In addition, for example, the service server CPU 71 may also be based only on Fig.16 The similarity is determined by comparing the waveforms of the yaw rate of the virtual car 2 in which the suspension is in a normal state.

[0225] As described above, in the present embodiment, the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 configured to communicate with the base station 11 that wirelessly communicates with the automobile 2 in a low-latency manner performs control for responding to an emergency of the automobile 2. Specifically, the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 determines whether the information acquired from the automobile 2 includes emergency response information for the driving control of the autonomous driving performed by the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50. Furthermore, in the case where the emergency response information is included, the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 sends an autonomous driving switching request to the automobile 2 in order to make the automobile 2 autonomously control the driving without relying on the control of the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50.

[0226] Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 determines whether emergency response information is included at the time of acquiring information from the automobile 2 before the control for autonomous driving of the automobile 2. If the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 receives information on the driving state of the automobile 2 including the emergency response information from the automobile 2, it can immediately send an autonomous driving switching request at that time.

[0227] Thus, when the automobile 2 of this embodiment determines that an emergency response is required for the driving control of the automatic driving performed by the narrow-area automatic driving server device 50, the automobile 2 notifies the narrow-area automatic driving server device 50 of the situation, thereby being able to respond to the situation immediately and switch the driving control of the vehicle from the driving control based on the control of the narrow-area automatic driving server device 50 to the autonomous driving control. The narrow-area automatic driving server device 50 can take an immediate response to the situation that requires an immediate response.

[0228] Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the information on the driving state of the automobile 2 is transmitted from the narrow-area automatic driving server device 50 to the vehicle bad condition estimation server device 6. Furthermore, the vehicle bad condition estimation server device 6 compares the acquired information on the driving state of the automobile 2 with the information on the driving states of other automobiles 2 assuming that they are driving in a normal state and assuming that other automobiles 2 are not driving in a normal state. In addition, when the vehicle bad condition estimation server device 6 cannot determine that the automobile 2 involved in the information related to the automobile 2 is driving in a normal state by the determination based on the similarity of the driving state information of the plurality of automobiles 2 involved in the comparison, it generates bad condition estimation information indicating that a bad condition is estimated in the automobile 2 as information that can be used for the service of the automobile 2, and transmits the information to the automobile 2 via the narrow-area automatic driving server device 50. Thus, the support system 1 for the automobile 2 of the present embodiment can provide the automobile 2 with not only the service of the driving control of the automatic driving for coping with the emergency state repeatedly and with high quality in a low-latency manner, but also the service of the information on the estimation of the bad condition of the automobile 2.

[0229] In particular, in the present embodiment, the vehicle bad condition estimation server device 6 has a memory for storing map data. Furthermore, the service control unit receives and acquires information on the yaw rate indicating the driving state of the car 2 detected by the car 2 as information related to the car 2 acquired by the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50. The service control unit compares the information on the driving state of the yaw rate of the car 2 when the car 2 is driving straight at a stable speed in the map data with at least one of information on the yaw rate of other cars 2 driving in a normal state and information on the yaw rate of other cars 2 driving in a state of abnormal suspension. In addition, when it cannot be determined that the car 2 is driving in a normal state by the determination based on the similarity of the information on the driving waveforms of the yaw rates of the plurality of cars 2 involved in the comparison, the service control unit generates bad condition estimation information indicating that a bad condition is estimated in the suspension of the car 2 as information that can be used for the service of the car 2, and transmits the information to the car 2 via the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50. Thus, in the present embodiment, for the car 2 that can be controlled to drive by the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50, the possibility of a bad condition in the suspension of the car 2 can be determined.

[0230] In this embodiment, not only can the driving of the automobile 2 be controlled by the auxiliary system 1 of the automobile 2, but also a service for judging the possibility of an adverse condition occurring in the automobile 2 can be provided by the auxiliary system 1 of the automobile 2. Furthermore, in this embodiment, only the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 communicates with the automobile 2, so even if a service for judging the possibility of an adverse condition occurring in the automobile 2 is added, driving control for the autonomous driving of the automobile 2 can be repeatedly performed in a low-latency manner, thereby maintaining high-quality services.

[0231] [Third Embodiment] Next, a support system 1 for a vehicle 2 according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0232] In the above embodiment, the matters related to the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 and the like that relay between the automobile 2 and the service-providing server device 70 are mainly described. In this embodiment, the case where the service-providing server device 70 is the road surface information updating server device 5 is particularly described.

[0233] The road surface information update server device 5 obtains information about the car 2 that is controlled to drive automatically by the narrow-area automatic driving server device 50 through the narrow-area automatic driving server device 50. The road surface information update server device 5 determines the road surface condition of the road on which the car 2 is traveling based on the acquired information. The road surface information update server device 5 updates the high-precision map data of the jurisdiction of the narrow-area automatic driving server device 50 according to the determined road surface condition. The narrow-area automatic driving server device 50 generates driving control information for the automatic driving of the car 2 using the updated high-precision map data, and sends the information to the car 2.

[0234] In this embodiment, the same reference numerals are used for the same structures as those in the above embodiment, and illustration and description thereof are omitted. In the following description, differences from the above embodiment are mainly described.

[0235] Fig.17 It is an explanatory diagram of communication information for updating road surface information in the support system 1 of the automobile 2 according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

[0236] For the service server CPU 71 of the road surface information updating server device 5, Fig.17 It is an explanatory diagram of communication information for updating road surface information in the support system 1 of the automobile 2 according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

[0237] In the present embodiment, the automobile 2 transmits information notifying the emergency of the vehicle, information related to the road surface on which the vehicle is traveling, and information for receiving assistance for autonomous driving as vehicle information to the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 .

[0238] Therefore, the car 2 can send driving information such as vehicle speed, position, direction of travel, ABS information, wheel speed information, and the outside image captured by the stereo camera 36 of the vehicle as vehicle information to the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50.

[0239] The narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 records the vehicle information received from the automobile 2 in the autonomous driving server memory 53. Thereafter, the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 can generate driving control information for autonomous driving when the server's autonomous driving control cycle arrives.

[0240] In the driving control used for autonomous driving of the automobile 2, the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 can, in addition to obtaining information on the driving status of the automobile 2, centrally receive and obtain information on the outside images captured by the automobile 2 from the automobile 2 in each communication between the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 and the automobile 2.

[0241] In addition, if Fig.17 As shown, the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 sends information received from the automobile 2 and the like to the road surface information updating server device 5 .

[0242] The road surface information updating server device 5 receives information for determining the state of the road surface on which the automobile 2 is traveling from the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 .

[0243] The road surface information updating server device 5 records the received information in the server memory 72 providing the service. Thus, in the vehicle database 75 of the server memory 72 providing the service, information on the road surface on which the car 2 being controlled to drive by the narrow-band autonomous driving server device 50 is traveling and information on the car 2 that has traveled on the road surface can be accumulated and recorded.

[0244] Fig.18 This is a flowchart of control executed by the road surface information updating server device 5 to update map data based on slippery road surface information.

[0245] The service server CPU 71 of the road surface information update server device 5 repeatedly executes the update Fig.18 Control of map data.

[0246] Basically, the service server CPU 71 can repeatedly execute the update operation when a certain amount of unprocessed information of the automobile 2 is accumulated in the server memory 72 providing the service. Fig.18 Control of map data.

[0247] In step ST90, the service server CPU 71 acquires ABS information from the service-providing server memory 72. The ABS information includes information indicating whether the ABS control device 29 is operating and the operating time.

[0248] In step ST91 , the service server CPU 71 determines whether the running state of the automobile 2 is a slipping state based on the acquired ABS information.

[0249] For example, if the wheels of the automobile 2 stop rotating during the braking control, the ABS control device 29 performs ABS control for restoring the rotation of the wheels. As a result, the wheels that slip relative to the road surface regain their grip on the road surface, and the deceleration effect produced by the braking control can be improved. Such a road surface easily causes the automobile 2 to slip. In addition, when the road surface is icy or the road surface is composed of a metal plate or a metal manhole, the wheels of the automobile 2 easily slip relative to the road surface.

[0250] Therefore, when the acquired ABS information includes information indicating the operation of the ABS control device 29, for example, the service server CPU 71 determines that the driving state of the automobile 2 is a slipping state, and advances the processing to step ST92. When the driving state of the automobile 2 is not determined to be a slipping state, the service server CPU 71 ends the present control.

[0251] In step ST92, the service server CPU 71 sets the section where the ABS control device 29 operates on the road on which the automobile 2 travels as a slip section. The slip section may include a margin section of a predetermined length before and after the section where the ABS control device 29 operates.

[0252] In step ST93 , the service server CPU 71 selects the vehicle exterior image capturing the slip zone from the server memory 72 providing the service.

[0253] In step ST94 , the service server CPU 71 analyzes the road surface of the vehicle exterior image selected in step ST93 .

[0254] The types of roads on which the automobile 2 travels include paved roads, bad roads formed of gravel and soil, etc. In addition, the state of the road surface changes due to rainfall, snowfall, water accumulation, flooding, rockfall, etc. In addition, metal plates for manholes, road surface markings, construction, etc. may be provided on the road surface.

[0255] The server CPU 71 can analyze the road surface in the image outside the vehicle and analyze the type of road surface and the information on the state of the road surface based on the characteristics of the road surface.

[0256] In step ST95 , the service server CPU 71 determines the state of the road surface based on the analysis result of step ST94 .

[0257] The service server CPU 71 specifies the type and state of the road surface in the slip zone.

[0258] Thus, the service server CPU 71 determines whether the cause of the operation of the ABS control device 29 in the automobile 2 is mainly due to the automobile 2 or mainly due to the road surface.

[0259] For example, on a dry paved road, when the automobile 2 does not decelerate suddenly, the ABS control device 29 hardly operates.

[0260] On the other hand, when there is snowfall, water accumulation, or the like on the road surface, the ABS control device 29 may be activated even when the automobile 2 is normally traveling.

[0261] By using the ABS information indicating the operation of the ABS control device 29 and the image outside the vehicle obtained by photographing the road surface in combination, it is possible to reliably identify the section of the road surface where the automobile 2 is likely to slip.

[0262] In step ST96 , the service server CPU 71 generates the road surface information of the slip zone in step ST95 .

[0263] The road surface information in the slip zone may be information of a dry paved road, or may contain snowfall, water accumulation, etc. on the road surface.

[0264] In step ST97 , the service server CPU 71 determines whether the road surface is low μ.

[0265] When there is snowfall, water accumulation, etc. on the road surface, the road surface is usually low μ and easy to slip.

[0266] On the other hand, when the road surface is a dry paved road, the road surface is generally high in μ and is less likely to slip.

[0267] The service server CPU 71 can determine whether the road surface is low μ based on the information on the type and state of the road surface included in the road surface information of the slip zone.

[0268] Then, when it is determined that the road surface in the slip zone is low μ, the service server CPU 71 advances the processing to step ST98 .

[0269] When determining that the road surface in the slip zone is not low μ, the service server CPU 71 ends the present control.

[0270] In step ST98, the service server CPU 71 uses the road surface information of the slip zone determined to be low μ to update the high-precision map data 76 of the entire area recorded in the service server memory 72. Thus, high-precision map data including the road surface information of the slip zone is generated in the service server memory 72.

[0271] In step ST99 , the service server CPU 71 transmits the high-precision map data including the road surface information of the slip zone from the second server communication device 73 to the narrow-area automatic driving server device 50 .

[0272] Fig.19 is based on Fig.18 Flow chart of map data update control performed by the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 under the control of the road surface information update server device 5.

[0273] The automatic driving server CPU 52 of the narrow-range automatic driving server device 50 repeatedly executes Fig.19 Update control of map data.

[0274] In step ST101, the automatic driving server CPU 52 determines whether high-precision map data for updating is received from the road surface information updating server device 5. In the case where high-precision map data for updating is not received from the road surface information updating server device 5, the automatic driving server CPU 52 ends the present control. If high-precision map data for updating is received from the road surface information updating server device 5, the automatic driving server CPU 52 causes the processing to enter step ST102.

[0275] In step ST102, the automatic driving server CPU 52 updates the high-precision map data of the jurisdiction area recorded in the automatic driving server memory 53 using the high-precision map data received from the road surface information update server device 5. Thereafter, the automatic driving server CPU 52 ends the present control.

[0276] As a result, the high-precision map data of the jurisdiction area recorded in the automatic driving server memory 53 is updated to include the road surface information of the slippery section generated in the road surface information updating server device 5 .

[0277] Fig. 20 The narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 is Figure 6 Flowchart of the process of generating the driving control information of the automobile 2 corresponding to the update of the map data, which is executed in step ST25 of FIG.

[0278] The automatic driving server CPU 52 of the narrow-range automatic driving server device 50 is Figure 6 In the process of generating the driving control information of each automobile 2 in step ST25, the execution Fig. 20 Generation and processing of driving control information of car 2.

[0279] In step ST111 , the automatic driving server CPU 52 determines whether or not there is road surface information of a slippery section for the section of the road on which the selected automobile 2 intends to travel.

[0280] The automatic driving server CPU 52 obtains information about the section of the road on which the selected car 2 intends to travel from the latest high-precision map data recorded in the automatic driving server memory 53, and determines whether there is road surface information of a slippery section.

[0281] Furthermore, when there is no road surface information of the slip zone, the automatic driving server CPU 52 advances the processing to step ST113.

[0282] On the other hand, when there is road surface information of a slip zone, the automatic driving server CPU 52 advances the processing to step ST112.

[0283] In step ST112 , since the road section on which the selected automobile 2 intends to travel includes road surface information of a slippery section, the automatic driving server CPU 52 sets the generation conditions of the travel control information.

[0284] Specifically, for example, the automatic driving server CPU 52 sets a speed suppression condition according to the road surface condition in the slip zone.

[0285] In step ST113 , the automatic driving server CPU 52 generates travel control information about the selected car 2 .

[0286] When the process proceeds from step ST111 to step ST113 because the high-precision map data does not include the road surface information of the slip zone, the generation condition of the driving control information does not include the generation condition of step ST112. In this case, the automatic driving server CPU 52 generates driving control information in a manner to suppress interference with other vehicles that may interfere based on the driving environment as usual, without performing speed suppression according to the road surface state.

[0287] On the other hand, when the high-precision map data includes road surface information of the slip zone, the generation condition of the driving control information includes the generation condition of step ST112. In this case, the automatic driving server CPU 52 generates driving control information that suppresses interference with other vehicles that may interfere and suppresses the speed corresponding to the road surface state.

[0288] The driving control information generated here is sent from the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 to the automobile 2 .

[0289] Furthermore, for example, when the road on which the automobile 2 intends to travel may be slippery, the automobile 2 travels at a reduced speed compared to a case where the automobile 2 is not in such a travel environment.

[0290] As described above, in the present embodiment, the driving control of the automobile 2 is performed in the narrow-area automatic driving server device 50 which is configured to communicate with the base station 11 which wirelessly communicates with the automobile 2 in a low-latency manner. In addition, the road surface information update server device 5 generates map data including information showing the road surface state of the automobile 2 slipping. Thus, the narrow-area automatic driving server device 50 can use the map data generated in the road surface information update server device 5 and updated using the map data including information showing the road surface state of the automobile 2 slipping to perform the driving control of the other automobiles 2 traveling in the map data updated thereafter according to the road surface state that may slip. The assistance system 1 of the automobile 2 of the present embodiment can not only repeatedly provide the driving control service of the automatic driving to the automobile 2 in a low-latency manner and with high quality, but also can provide the driving control service of the automatic driving in a manner such as suppressing the slipping when the automobile 2 travels on the road surface that may slip.

[0291] In particular, in the present embodiment, the road surface information update server device 5 obtains the operation information of the control device that operates in the automobile 2 to suppress the slip of the automobile 2 as the information on the driving state of the automobile 2 obtained from the automobile 2 through the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50, analyzes the information of the vehicle exterior image of the section of the road surface where the working device is operating, determines the state of the road surface where the automobile 2 is slipping, generates map data including information showing the road surface state of the section of the road surface where the working device is operating as information that can be used for the service of the automobile 2, transmits the information to the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50, and updates the map data recorded in the memory of the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50. Thus, in the present embodiment, the map data of the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 that can be used in the driving control of the automobile 2 that can be controlled to drive by the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 can be updated.

[0292] In this embodiment, not only can the driving of the automobile 2 be controlled by the auxiliary system 1 of the automobile 2, but also the map data used for the driving control of the autonomous driving can be updated in a manner to suppress the slip of the automobile 2, so that the automobile 2 under the driving control of the autonomous driving is not likely to drive due to excessive slip. In addition, in this embodiment, for the automobile 2, only the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 communicates, so even if a service for updating the map data used for the driving control of the autonomous driving is added, it is possible to maintain a high-quality service brought by low-latency repetition of the driving control of the automobile 2 regarding the autonomous driving.

[0293] The above-mentioned embodiments are examples of preferred embodiments of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and various modifications and changes can be made within the scope not departing from the gist of the invention.

[0294] In the above embodiment, the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50 that directly communicates with the car 2 has a base station communication device 55 for communicating with the car 2 and a first server communication device 54 for communicating with the server device 70 that provides services.

[0295] Moreover, in the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50, the autonomous driving server CPU 52 gives priority to control for autonomous driving using the base station communication device 55 to communicate with the car 2 over relay control using the first server communication device 54 to communicate with the server device 70 providing services.

[0296] In addition, for example, in the narrow-area autonomous driving server device 50, the first processing unit that performs communication using the base station communication device 55 and the second processing unit that performs communication using the first server communication device 54 may be actually maintained by the autonomous driving server CPU 52, so that the first processing unit has priority over the second processing unit. In this case, the first processing unit and the second processing unit may perform their respective communication processing using a common communication device.

Claims

1. A vehicle auxiliary system, characterized in that: have: An automatic driving server device, which is used for driving control of automatic driving and is capable of repeatedly sending and receiving information to and from the vehicle; and A server device providing a service, which transmits and receives information related to the vehicle between the automatic driving server device and the automatic driving server device, The autonomous driving server device has a vehicle-side communication device for communication between the autonomous driving server device and the vehicle, a first server communication device for communication between the autonomous driving server device and the server device providing the service, an autonomous driving server memory, and an autonomous driving control unit. The automatic driving control unit of the automatic driving server device records the information obtained by the vehicle-side communication device through repeated reception from the vehicle in the automatic driving server memory, and performs control and relay control for automatic driving, In the control for autonomous driving, the autonomous driving control unit determines the driving state of the vehicle based on the information recorded in the autonomous driving server memory, generates information related to the autonomous driving driving control, and repeatedly sends the information from the vehicle-side communication device to the vehicle, In the relay control, the automatic driving control unit obtains information related to the vehicle including information obtained from the vehicle from the automatic driving server memory, and transmits the information from the first server communication device to the server device providing the service, The service providing server device has a second server communication device for communication between the service providing server device and the automatic driving server device, and a service control unit, The service control unit of the server device providing the service generates information that can be used for the service of the vehicle using information related to the vehicle obtained by sending and receiving information between the service control unit and the automatic driving server device through the second server communication equipment, without directly sending and receiving information with the vehicle.

2. The vehicle assistance system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The automatic driving control unit gives priority to the driving control for the automatic driving between the vehicle and the automatic driving using the vehicle-side communication device over the relay control for communication between the automatic driving control unit and the server device providing the service using the first server communication device.

3. The vehicle assistance system according to claim 2, characterized in that: The autonomous driving control unit performs execution management control separately for the control for the autonomous driving and the relay control in order to manage the execution of the control for the autonomous driving that is periodically executed in the autonomous driving server device for driving control of the autonomous driving and the execution of the relay control for sending information to the server device providing the service. In the execution management control, the autonomous driving control unit manages the execution of the relay control by executing the relay control during the remaining period of the autonomous driving driving control cycle of the server for the control of the autonomous driving during which the control for the autonomous driving is not executed.

4. The vehicle assistance system according to claim 3, characterized in that: The vehicle-side communication device of the automatic driving server device is a base station communication device that transmits and receives information between the base station that wirelessly communicates with the vehicle. The autonomous driving control unit uses the base station communication device to send information related to the autonomous driving driving control generated in the control for the autonomous driving to the vehicle, and uses the first server communication device to send information related to the vehicle sent in the relay control to the server device providing the service, The automatic driving control unit can receive the information repeatedly transmitted by the vehicle through the base station communication device even when the information related to the vehicle transmitted in the relay control is being transmitted.

5. The vehicle auxiliary system according to claim 4, characterized in that: The vehicle-side communication device of the autonomous driving server device is arranged at a base station for wireless communication with the vehicle, or the vehicle-side communication device of the autonomous driving server device is connected to a communication network of a carrier providing the base station. The second server communication device of the server device providing the service is connected to a communication network different from the carrier communication network and connected to the carrier communication network.

6. The vehicle assistance system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: In a case where the vehicle-side communication device receives new information from the vehicle, before the control for the autonomous driving driving control is performed, the autonomous driving control unit determines whether the information obtained by the vehicle-side communication device from the vehicle contains emergency response information for the autonomous driving driving control performed by the autonomous driving server device. In order to make the vehicle autonomously control driving without relying on the control of the automatic driving server device when the emergency response information is included, the automatic driving control unit sends an autonomous driving switching request from the vehicle-side communication device to the vehicle, The automatic driving control unit performs relay control for communication between the automatic driving control unit and the server device providing the service, and transmits information on the driving state of the vehicle from the first server communication device to the server device providing the service. The service control unit acquires information on the driving state of the vehicle as information related to the vehicle acquired by the second server communication device through the automatic driving server device, The service control unit compares the acquired information about the driving state of the vehicle with information about the driving states of other vehicles. When it is impossible to determine that the vehicle involved in the information related to the vehicle is traveling in a normal state based on the similarity of comparing the information on the driving conditions of multiple vehicles involved, the service control unit generates poor condition estimation information indicating the estimated poor condition of the vehicle as information that can be used for the service of the vehicle.

7. The vehicle auxiliary system according to claim 6, characterized in that: The server device providing the service has a memory for storing map data. the service control unit receives and acquires information on a yaw rate indicating a driving state of the vehicle detected by the vehicle as information related to the vehicle acquired by the automatic driving server device, The service control unit compares the information on the driving state of the yaw rate of the vehicle when the vehicle is traveling straight at a stable speed in the map data with at least one of information on the yaw rate of other vehicles traveling in a normal state and information on the yaw rate of other vehicles traveling in a state of abnormal suspension, When it is impossible to determine that the vehicle is traveling in a normal state based on the similarity of the information of the waveforms of the yaw rates of multiple vehicles involved in the driving, the service control unit generates abnormal condition estimation information indicating that an abnormal condition is estimated in the suspension of the vehicle as information that can be used for the service of the vehicle.

8. The vehicle assistance system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The automatic driving control unit performs the following processing in the control for the automatic driving of the driving control for the automatic driving: In addition to acquiring information on the driving state of the vehicle, acquiring information on an exterior image captured by the vehicle from the vehicle; and generating, based on the information on the driving state acquired from the vehicle, driving control information for automatic driving for controlling the driving of the vehicle during driving, and transmitting the information to the vehicle, The automatic driving control unit causes the control for the automatic driving to be executed in priority over the relay control for communicating between the automatic driving control unit and the server device providing the service, and sends the information of the image outside the vehicle together with the information of the driving state of the vehicle to the server device providing the service, The server device providing the service has a memory for storing map data. The service control unit acquires information on the driving state of the vehicle and information on the image outside the vehicle as information related to the vehicle acquired from the vehicle via the automatic driving server device, The service control unit determines the slip state of the vehicle relative to the road surface based on the acquired information on the driving state of the vehicle, The service control unit analyzes the acquired information of the vehicle exterior image to determine the state of the road surface on which the vehicle is slipping. The service control unit generates map data including road conditions as information that can be used for services for the vehicle, and transmits the map data to the automatic driving server device.

9. The vehicle assistance system according to claim 8, characterized in that: the server device providing the service acquires, as information on the driving state of the vehicle acquired from the vehicle by the automatic driving server device, operation information on a control device that operates in the vehicle to suppress slip of the vehicle, The server device providing the service analyzes the information of the image outside the vehicle in the section of the road where the working device is working, and determines the state of the road where the vehicle is slipping. The service providing server device generates map data including information showing the road surface condition of the section of the road where the working device is working as information that can be used for the service of the vehicle, sends it to the automatic driving server device, and updates the map data recorded in the memory of the automatic driving server device.

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