Travel control device

Abstract

A travel control device (50) is provided with: an adjustment unit (111) that outputs a first target value for control of a prescribed operation in accordance with a first operation request that requests the prescribed operation of a moving body, and outputs a second target value for control of the prescribed operation in accordance with a second operation request that requests the prescribed operation of the moving body; and an operation control unit (113) that controls a predetermined operation of the moving body on the basis of the first target value and the second target value. Even if a first target value before the upper limit is limited to the first upper limit value is larger than a second target value, the operation control unit (113) controls the predetermined operation on the basis of the first target value until the control amount reaches the first upper limit value, if the second target value is larger than the first upper limit value set for the first target value. After the control amount reaches the first upper limit value, the predetermined operation is controlled on the basis of the second target value.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a driving control device for controlling the movement of a vehicle. Background Technology

[0002] In recent years, there has been a desire for a vehicle control system that can help improve traffic safety and contribute to the development of sustainable transportation systems. As such a device, there are known devices that select a single required torque from a plurality of required torques set according to function, and perform prescribed engine control based on the selected required torque (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In the device described in Patent Document 1, any required torque is selected from required torque based on the amount of operation on the accelerator pedal, required torque for controlling the automatic transmission, and required torque for vehicle stability control, and then an upper limit value is set for the selected required torque.

[0003] However, in the structure of setting an upper limit value for the required torque selected from multiple required torques, as described in Patent Document 1, the desired required torque may not be obtained by setting the required torque and the upper limit value.

[0004] Existing technical documents Patent documents Patent document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-214321 (JP2019-214321A). Summary of the Invention

[0005] A driving control device according to one embodiment of the present invention includes: a first target output unit that outputs a first target value for controlling a predetermined action based on a first action requirement demanding a predetermined action of a moving body; a second target output unit that outputs a second target value for controlling a predetermined action based on a second action requirement demanding a predetermined action of the moving body; and an action control unit that, when outputting a first target value from the first target output unit and a second target value from the second target output unit, controls the predetermined action of the moving body based on the first target value and the second target value. The first target output unit outputs the first target value such that its upper limit is limited to a first upper limit value. The second target output unit outputs the second target value such that its upper limit is not limited, or its upper limit is limited to a second upper limit value that is larger than the first upper limit value. Even when the first target value before its upper limit is limited to the first upper limit value is larger than the second target value, the action control unit controls the predetermined action based on the first target value until the control amount of the predetermined action reaches the first upper limit value. After the control amount reaches the first upper limit value, the action control unit controls the predetermined action based on the second target value. Attached Figure Description

[0006] The objectives, features, and advantages of the present invention are further illustrated by the following description of embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0007] Figure 1 This is a block diagram that schematically illustrates the overall structure of the vehicle control system of the present vehicle having the driving control device according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This diagram illustrates an example of the ASIL set in a driver assistance system; Figure 3 This is a diagram used to illustrate braking control based on braking requirements from two functions; Figure 4 This is a block diagram illustrating the main structural components of a driving control device according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 It is used for explanation Figure 4 A diagram showing the braking control implemented by the motion control unit; Figure 6 It is shown by Figure 4 A flowchart illustrating an example of the processing performed by the CPU of the controller. Detailed Implementation

[0008] The following is for reference Figures 1-6 Embodiments of the present invention will be described. The driving control device of the present invention can be applied to, for example, vehicles with autonomous driving functions, i.e., autonomous vehicles. It should be noted that the driving control device of the present invention can be applied to both manually driven vehicles with driving assistance functions and autonomous vehicles, but for the sake of explanation, the application in an autonomous vehicle is described below as an example. It should be noted that sometimes the vehicle equipped with the driving control device of this embodiment is referred to as "this vehicle" to distinguish it from other vehicles. This vehicle can be any of the following: an engine vehicle with an internal combustion engine as the driving source, an electric vehicle with a drive motor as the driving source, or a hybrid vehicle with both an engine and a drive motor as driving sources. This vehicle can drive not only in an autonomous driving mode that does not require driver operation, but also in a manual driving mode where the driver operates the vehicle.

[0009] First, a general description of the vehicle's structure in relation to autonomous driving will be given. Figure 1 This is a block diagram schematically illustrating the overall structure of the vehicle control system 100 of the vehicle having the driving control device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 As shown, the vehicle control system 100 mainly includes a controller 10, an external sensor group 1 and an internal sensor group 2 that are communicatively connected to the controller 10, an input / output device 3, a positioning unit 4, a map database 5, a navigation device 6, a communication unit 7, and a driving actuator AC.

[0010] External sensor group 1 is a collective term for multiple sensors (external sensors) that detect information about the vehicle's surroundings, i.e., external conditions. For example, external sensor group 1 includes a lidar that measures reflected light from the vehicle's omnidirectional illumination to determine the distance from the vehicle to surrounding obstacles; a radar that detects other vehicles and obstacles around the vehicle by illuminating electromagnetic waves and detecting reflected waves; and a camera mounted on the vehicle and equipped with imaging elements such as CCD (charge-coupled device) or CMOS (complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor) to capture images of the vehicle's surroundings (front, rear, and sides).

[0011] Internal sensor group 2 is a collective term for multiple sensors (internal sensors) that detect the driving status of the vehicle. For example, internal sensor group 2 includes a vehicle speed sensor to detect the vehicle's speed, acceleration sensors to detect the vehicle's longitudinal and lateral acceleration (lateral acceleration), a speed sensor to detect the rotational speed of the driving source, and a yaw rate sensor to detect the rotational angular velocity of the vehicle's center of gravity around its vertical axis. Sensors that detect the driver's driving operations in manual driving mode, such as operation of the accelerator pedal, brake pedal, and steering wheel, are also included in internal sensor group 2.

[0012] Input / output device 3 is a general term for devices that allow the driver to input commands or output information to the driver. For example, input / output device 3 includes various switches that allow the driver to input various commands by operating the control components, microphones that allow the driver to input commands by voice, displays that provide information to the driver by displaying images, and speakers that provide information to the driver by sound.

[0013] The positioning unit (GNSS unit) 4 has a positioning sensor that receives positioning signals transmitted from positioning satellites. Positioning satellites are artificial satellites such as GPS satellites and quasi-zenith satellites. The positioning unit 4 uses the positioning information received by the positioning sensor to determine the vehicle's current position (latitude, longitude, and altitude).

[0014] Map database 5 is a device that stores general map information used by navigation device 6, and is composed of, for example, a hard disk or semiconductor components. The map information includes road location information, road shape (curvature, etc.) information, and the location information of intersections or branch points. It should be noted that the map information stored in map database 5 is different from the high-precision map information stored in storage unit 12 of controller 10.

[0015] The navigation device 6 is a device that searches for a target path on the road leading to the destination input by the driver and guides the driver along that path. The input of the destination and the guidance along the target path are performed via the input / output device 3. The target path is calculated based on the vehicle's current position determined by the positioning unit 4 and map information stored in the map database 5. Alternatively, the vehicle's current position can be determined using the detection values ​​from the external sensor group 1, and the target path can be calculated based on this current position and high-precision map information stored in the storage unit 12.

[0016] Communication unit 7 communicates with various servers (not shown) via a network including wireless communication networks such as the Internet and mobile phone networks, and periodically or at any time obtains map information, driving history information, and traffic information from the servers. It can not only obtain driving history information, but also send the vehicle's driving history information to the servers via communication unit 7. The network includes not only public wireless communication networks, but also closed communication networks set up for each designated management area, such as wireless LAN, Wi-Fi (registered trademark), Bluetooth (registered trademark), etc. The obtained map information is output to map database 5 and storage unit 12, and the map information is updated.

[0017] An actuator (AC) is a driving actuator used to control the movement of the vehicle. When the driving source is an engine, the actuator AC includes a throttle actuator for adjusting the opening of the engine's throttle valve (throttle opening). When the driving source is a drive motor, the drive motor is included in the actuator AC. Braking actuators that operate the vehicle's braking system and steering actuators that drive the steering mechanism are also included in the actuator AC.

[0018] The controller 10 is composed of an electronic control unit (ECU). More specifically, the controller 10 is configured as a computer having an arithmetic unit 11 such as a CPU (microprocessor), a storage unit 12 such as ROM (read-only memory) and RAM (random access memory), and other peripheral circuits (not shown) such as I / O interfaces. It should be noted that although multiple ECUs with different functions, such as an engine control ECU, a drive motor control ECU, and a braking device ECU, can be set separately, for convenience, only one is shown. Figure 1 The controller 10 is shown as a collection of these ECUs.

[0019] The storage unit 12 stores high-precision, detailed map information for autonomous driving. This road map information includes road location information, road shape (curvature, etc.), road slope information, location information of intersections or branch points, type or location information of road markings such as white lines, information on the number of lanes, lane width, and the location information of each lane (the center position of the lane or the boundary line of the lane), location information of landmarks (traffic lights, signs, buildings, etc.) used as markers on the map, and information on the road surface contours such as unevenness. The map information stored in the storage unit 12 may include map information obtained from outside the vehicle via the communication unit 7, or map information generated by the vehicle itself using detection values ​​from the external sensor group 1 or detection values ​​from both the external sensor group 1 and the internal sensor group 2. The storage unit 12 also stores information about various control programs, thresholds used in the programs, and other related information.

[0020] The computing unit 11 includes a vehicle position recognition unit 13, an external recognition unit 14, an action plan generation unit 15, and a driving control unit 16 as its functional structure.

[0021] The vehicle position recognition unit 13 identifies the vehicle's position on the map (vehicle position) based on the vehicle's position information obtained from the positioning unit 4 and the map information from the map database 5. Alternatively, the vehicle's position can be identified using map information stored in the storage unit 12 and surrounding information detected by the external sensor group 1, thereby enabling high-precision vehicle position identification. The vehicle's movement information (movement direction, movement distance) is calculated based on the detection values ​​from the internal sensor group 2, thereby also enabling vehicle position identification. It should be noted that when the vehicle's position can be determined using external sensors installed on or beside the road, the vehicle's position can also be identified by communicating with these sensors via the communication unit 7.

[0022] The external identification unit 14 identifies the external conditions around the vehicle based on signals from the external sensor group 1, such as lidar, radar, and cameras. For example, it identifies the position, speed, and acceleration of surrounding vehicles (vehicles in front and behind) traveling around the vehicle, the position of surrounding vehicles parked or stationary around the vehicle, and the position and state of other objects. Other objects include signs, traffic lights, roads, buildings, guardrails, utility poles, signs, pedestrians, and bicycles. Road markings (white lines, etc.) and stop lines are also included among other objects. The state of other objects includes the color of traffic lights (red, green, yellow), the speed and direction of pedestrians or bicycles, etc. Some stationary objects among these other objects constitute landmarks that serve as indicators of the vehicle's location on a map; the external identification unit 14 also identifies the location and category of these landmarks.

[0023] The action plan generation unit 15 generates, for example, the vehicle's travel track (target track) over a predetermined time period from the current point in time, based on the target path calculated by the navigation device 6, map information stored in the storage unit 12, the vehicle's position identified by the vehicle position recognition unit 13, and the external conditions identified by the external environment recognition unit 14. When multiple candidate tracks exist on the target path, the action plan generation unit 15 selects the optimal track that meets criteria such as compliance with laws and efficient and safe driving, and designates the selected track as the target track. Then, the action plan generation unit 15 generates an action plan corresponding to the generated target track. The action plan generation unit 15 generates various action plans corresponding to driving modes such as overtaking (passing ahead of a vehicle), lane changing (changing lanes), following (following ahead of a vehicle), lane keeping (maintaining lane position without leaving the driving lane), deceleration, and acceleration. When generating the target track, the action plan generation unit 15 first determines the driving mode and generates the target track based on the driving mode.

[0024] In automatic driving mode, the driving control unit 16 controls each actuator AC to make the vehicle travel along the target trajectory generated by the action plan generation unit 15. More specifically, the driving control unit 16 considers the driving resistance determined by road gradient and other factors in automatic driving mode, and calculates the required driving force to obtain the target acceleration per unit time calculated by the action plan generation unit 15. Furthermore, it performs feedback control on the actuator AC, for example, in a manner where the actual acceleration detected by the internal sensor group 2 becomes the target acceleration. That is, it controls the actuator AC to make the vehicle travel at the target speed and target acceleration. It should be noted that in manual driving mode, the driving control unit 16 controls each actuator AC based on driving commands (steering operations, etc.) obtained from the driver by the internal sensor group 2.

[0025] However, autonomous driving functions include multiple driver assistance systems such as CMBS (Collision Mitigation Braking System), ACC (Adaptive Cruise Control), PKS (Parking Assist System), and APS (Automatic Parking System). Hereinafter, the functions implemented by each driver assistance system will sometimes be referred to by their names, such as "CMBS," "ACC," "PKS," and "APS."

[0026] When the vehicle is in autonomous driving mode, the controller 10 may receive simultaneous input of action requirements (braking requirements, deceleration requirements, acceleration requirements, steering requirements, etc.) from multiple functions (driving assistance systems) such as CMBS, ACC, PKS, and APS. Additionally, the same action requirement may be input from multiple functions simultaneously. For example, when both CMBS and ACC are active, and a sudden deceleration of a vehicle ahead is detected (emergency braking), braking requirements to avoid a collision with the vehicle ahead may be input from both CMBS and ACC. In this case, the controller 10 performs adjustment processing (hereinafter referred to as adjustment) to determine the priority of each action requirement based on the command values ​​(target values, control values, etc.) contained in each action requirement, selectively executing control according to each action requirement.

[0027] Each driver assistance system is configured with a functional safety level specified by ASIL (Automotive Safety Integrity Level). Therefore, in the above mediation process, it is also necessary to consider the ASIL set by the function (driver assistance system) from which each action requirement originates to determine the priority of each action requirement. Figure 2 This is a diagram showing an example of ASIL set in a driver assistance system. Figure 2 The "A", "B", "C", and "D" shown represent the functional safety level determined by ASIL (hereinafter referred to as ASIL), which is the level of safety for functional requirements, with "D" being the highest and "A" the lowest. Figure 2 In the example, functions SYS1 and SYS2 are classified into ASIL "D", functions SYS1 and SYS3 into ASIL "C", functions SYS1, SYS3, and SYS4 into ASIL "B", and function SYS5 into ASIL "A". It should be noted that, as with functions SYS1 and SYS3, sometimes the same function is classified across multiple different levels. For example, a CMBS capable of using multiple sensors (cameras, radar, etc.) to detect vehicles ahead with high precision is classified into a higher level than a CMBS using a single sensor.

[0028] Figure 3 This is a diagram used to illustrate braking control performed according to braking requirements from two functions. Figure 3 The diagram shows the changes in control variables (deceleration (= initial driving speed - current driving speed)) when two functions, SYS2 and SYS4, classified into different ASILs, simultaneously input braking requirements. Figure 3In the diagram, characteristic f1, shown by a dashed line, represents the control value (deceleration) specified by the braking request from function SYS4. Characteristic f2, also shown by a dashed line, represents the control value (deceleration) specified by the braking request from function SYS2, whose ASIL is higher than that of function SYS4. Characteristic f11, shown by a solid line, represents the change in control quantity when the above adjustment is made based on the target values ​​(target deceleration) contained in the braking requests from the two functions. Characteristic f12, shown by a solid line, represents the change in control quantity when the above adjustment is made based on the ASILs set for the two functions. Target value Tg_S2 represents the target deceleration corresponding to the braking request from function SYS2. Target value Tg_S4 represents the target deceleration corresponding to the braking request from function SYS4. Threshold Th_S4 represents the limit value (upper limit) set for the target value Tg_S4. This limit value is set according to the ASIL of function SYS4, i.e., ASIL "B". It should be noted that for the deceleration of function SYS2, which is classified as ASIL "D", no limit value is set or a value larger than the limit value Th_S4 is set.

[0029] like Figure 3 As shown in characteristic f11, when the braking requirement with the larger target value (target deceleration) among the two braking requirements takes priority, i.e., when the braking requirement from function SYS4 takes priority, the deceleration remains constant at time t1, with the limit value Th_S4 unchanged (deceleration is 0). In this case, the deceleration will not reach the target deceleration Tg_S2, resulting in the braking requirement of function SYS2 not being met. Furthermore, as shown in characteristic f12, when the braking requirement with the higher ASIL of the function from which the requirement originates (hereinafter referred to as the requirement source function) takes priority, i.e., when the braking requirement from function SYS2 takes priority, braking control is performed from time t0 at the deceleration shown in characteristic f2, thus the braking requirement of function SYS4, which specifies a higher deceleration, is not met. In this case, it is impossible to effectively avoid the risk of collision with the vehicle in front. Therefore, in this embodiment, to address such problems, the driving control device is configured as follows.

[0030] Figure 4 This is a block diagram showing the main structural components of the driving control device 50 according to this embodiment. The driving control device 50 comprises... Figure 1 It is part of the vehicle control system 100. For example... Figure 4 As shown, the driving control device 50 has a controller 10 and an actuator AC.

[0031] Figure 4The controller 10 includes a regulating unit 111 (111a, 111b, 111c, 111d), a limit setting unit 112 (112a, 112b, 112c, 112d), and a motion control unit 113, which serves as the arithmetic unit 11 ( Figure 1 The controller 10 has a storage unit 12. The adjustment unit 111, the limit setting unit 112, and the motion control unit 113 constitute part of the driving control unit 16. It should be noted that the adjustment unit 111 and the limit setting unit 112 can also be configured as part of the action plan generation unit 15.

[0032] When a motion request is input from various functions (driving assistance systems), the adjustment unit 111 sets command values ​​(target values, control values, etc.) for controlling the specified action based on that motion request. More specifically, the adjustment unit 111 outputs (stores) the command values ​​included in the motion request to the storage unit 12. For example... Figure 4 As shown, the mediation unit 111 is set according to the ASIL level.

[0033] Mediation unit 111a corresponds to ASIL "A", and action requests from functions classified as ASIL "A" are input to mediation unit 111a. Similarly, mediation unit 111b corresponds to ASIL "B", mediation unit 111c corresponds to ASIL "C", and mediation unit 111d corresponds to ASIL "D".

[0034] It should be noted that when the mediation unit 111 receives action requests from multiple functions classified into a single ASIL, it selects one action request from those requests according to a predetermined criterion. Specifically, the mediation unit 111 selects the action request with the largest increase in control quantity indicated by the control values ​​contained in each action request. Then, the mediation unit 111 stores the target value contained in the selected action request in the storage unit 12.

[0035] The limit setting unit 112 sets limit values ​​for target values ​​included in the operation requirement based on the ASIL of the function from which the operation requirement is input to the adjustment unit 111. More specifically, the limit setting unit 112 sets limit values ​​for the target values ​​in a manner that satisfies the functional safety level determined by the ASIL of the function from which the requirement originates. The limit values ​​are stored in the storage unit 12 in a correspondence with the target values. Figure 4 As shown, the limit setting unit 112 is set according to each level of ASIL.

[0036] Limit setting unit 112a corresponds to ASIL "A" and sets limit values ​​for target values ​​included in the operation requirements of functions classified as ASIL "A". Similarly, limit setting unit 112b corresponds to ASIL "B", limit setting unit 112c corresponds to ASIL "C", and limit setting unit 112d corresponds to ASIL "D".

[0037] The motion control unit 113 controls the execution of a predetermined action based on the target value output from the adjustment unit 111. Here, we use... Figure 3 The following example illustrates the operation of the motion control unit 113. When braking requests are issued simultaneously from functions SYS2 and SYS4, the adjustment unit 111 stores the target values ​​(target deceleration amounts) corresponding to functions SYS2 and SYS4 in the storage unit 12 respectively.

[0038] When the values ​​of the deceleration amounts for each target are different, the motion control unit 113 selects the target deceleration amount with the larger value, reads it from the storage unit 12, and performs braking control based on that target deceleration amount. Figure 3 In the example, the target deceleration amount Tg_S4 corresponding to function SYS4 is larger than the target deceleration amount Tg_S2 corresponding to function SYS2, so the motion control unit 113 selects the target deceleration amount Tg_S4. However, as Figure 3 As in the example, when a limit value Th_S4 (< target deceleration Tg_S2) is set for the target deceleration Tg_S4, when the target deceleration Tg_S4 is selected, as mentioned above, the deceleration will not reach the target deceleration Tg_S2, and the braking requirements of function SYS2 will not be met.

[0039] Therefore, even when the target deceleration Tg_S4 is greater than the target deceleration Tg_S2, the motion control unit 113 will still perform braking control based on the target deceleration Tg_S4 when the target deceleration Tg_S2 is greater than the limit value Th_S4, until time t1 when the deceleration reaches the limit value Th_S4. When the deceleration reaches the limit value Th_S4, the motion control unit 113 will perform braking control based on the target deceleration Tg_S2. It should be noted that in Figure 3 In the example, if the control value (deceleration) in the braking request from function SYS2 is greater than the control value (deceleration) in the braking request from function SYS4, braking control can be executed from time t0 according to the target deceleration amount Tg_S2.

[0040] Figure 5 This is a diagram used to illustrate the braking control performed by the motion control unit 113. Figure 5 The text shows that it has been entered. Figure 3The example shown is where the braking control is performed by the motion control unit 113 when there are two braking requests (braking requests from two functions SYS2 and SYS4). Figure 5 The characteristics f1, f2, f12 and Figure 3 The example is the same, so this explanation is omitted. Figure 5 In the figure, characteristic f21, shown by solid line, represents the change in control quantity when the action control unit 113 performs braking control based on the target value (target deceleration amount) and its limit value contained in the braking requirements from the two functions SYS2 and SYS4.

[0041] The motion control unit 113 first generates control plan information indicating the timing for switching the target deceleration amount based on the target deceleration amount output from the adjustment unit 111 and the limit value set for that target deceleration amount. When braking requirements are simultaneously input from functions SYS2 and SYS4, the following information is generated: Figure 5 The control plan information shown in feature f21 is a control plan information that switches the target deceleration amount at time t1 when the deceleration start time is set as time t0. The motion control unit 113 performs braking control according to the generated control plan information. Specifically, the motion control unit 113 performs braking control based on the target deceleration amount Tg_S4 until time t1 when the deceleration amount reaches the limit value Th_S4, and then starts braking control based on the target deceleration amount Tg_S2 from time t1. As a result, the deceleration amount increases even after time t1. As a result, the deceleration amount reaches the target deceleration amount Tg_S2, which satisfies the braking requirements of function SYS2.

[0042] Figure 6 It shows that in accordance with a predetermined procedure Figure 4 The flowchart illustrates an example of the processing executed by the CPU of controller 10. The processing shown in the flowchart is executed, for example, at predetermined intervals during the operation of vehicle 101 in autonomous driving mode. It should be noted that... Figure 6 The diagram shows an example of the processing when a braking request is input, but for action requests other than braking, the CPU of controller 10 also performs the same processing.

[0043] In step S1, it is determined whether a braking request has been accepted. If step S1 is negative (S1: No), the process ends. If step S1 is positive (S1: Yes), in step S2, it is determined whether a braking request has been accepted from multiple functions (driver assistance systems). If step S2 is negative (S2: No), proceed to step S5. If step S2 is positive (S2: Yes), in step S3, it is determined whether the ASIL of the functions from which the braking requests originate is the same.

[0044] When step S3 is affirmative (S3: Yes), in step S4, the adjustment of the multiple braking requests accepted in step S1 is performed. Specifically, the braking request with the largest increase in deceleration indicated by the control value (deceleration) included in each braking request is selected from the multiple braking requests. In step S5, the target deceleration amount corresponding to the selected braking request is output (stored) to the storage unit 12. It should be noted that in step S5, which is executed after determining step S2 to be negative (S2: No), the target deceleration amount included in the braking request accepted in step S1 is stored in the storage unit 12. In step S6, a limit value is set for the target deceleration amount stored in the storage unit 12 in step S5. Specifically, the limit value of the ASIL of the request source function of the braking request is stored in the storage unit 12 in a manner that establishes a correspondence with the target deceleration amount stored in the storage unit 12 in step S5. It should be noted that if the deceleration amount is not limited according to the ASIL of the request source function of the braking request, information showing no limit value is established in correspondence with the target deceleration amount stored in the storage unit 12 in step S5 and stored in the storage unit 12. The target deceleration amount and limit value stored in the storage unit 12 in steps S5 and S6 are used in the processing (braking control) of step S10.

[0045] When step S3 is negative (S3: No), in step S7, for each braking request with the same ASIL from the source function, the multiple braking requests accepted in step S1 are grouped, and the same mediation as in step S4 is performed on each group. As a result, for each group, the braking request with the largest increase in deceleration is selected from one or more braking requests belonging to that group.

[0046] In step S8, the target deceleration amount corresponding to each group is output. Specifically, the target deceleration amounts included in the braking requirements selected from each group are stored in the storage unit 12. In step S9, limit values ​​are set for the target deceleration amounts of each group stored in the storage unit 12 in step S8. The method for setting the limit values ​​is the same as in step S6. The target deceleration amounts and limit values ​​stored in the storage unit 12 in steps S8 and S9 are used in the processing (braking control) in step S10.

[0047] In step S10, control plan information is generated based on the target deceleration amount and limit value stored in the storage unit 12. Then, braking control is performed according to the control plan information. Specifically, the actuator AC (braking actuator, etc.) is controlled according to the control plan information. It should be noted that in step S10, which is performed after steps S7 to S9, control plan information is generated based on the target deceleration amount corresponding to each group stored in the storage unit 12 and the limit value corresponding to each group's ASIL.

[0048] In the braking control of step S10, executed after steps S7 to S9, braking control based on the largest target deceleration amount Tg_max among the target deceleration amounts corresponding to each group begins first, according to the control plan information. Specifically, the actuator AC (braking actuator, etc.) is controlled to decelerate the vehicle until the deceleration amount reaches the target deceleration amount Tg_max. It should be noted that a limit value Th_max is set for the target deceleration amount Tg_max. If the limit value Th_max is smaller than the target deceleration amount Tg_max, braking control based on the target deceleration amount Tg_max ends when the deceleration amount reaches the limit value Th_max. It should also be noted that if there is one or more target deceleration amounts among the target deceleration amounts corresponding to each group that are larger than the limit value Th_max, braking control based on the target deceleration amount Tg_2nd, which is second only to the target deceleration amount Tg_max, begins after the deceleration amount reaches the limit value Th_max.

[0049] It should be noted that when a limit value Th_2nd is set for the target deceleration amount Tg_2nd, and the limit value Th_2nd is smaller than the limit value Th_max, braking control is initiated based on the target deceleration amount Tg_3rd, which is second only to the target deceleration amount Tg_2nd. Thus, according to the control plan information, braking control is executed with the deceleration amount becoming the final target deceleration amount.

[0050] The embodiments of the present invention can achieve the following effects.

[0051] (1) The driving control device 50 includes: a regulating unit 111, which outputs a first target value for controlling a predetermined action (e.g., braking) based on a first action requirement that demands a predetermined action of the vehicle, and outputs a second target value for controlling a predetermined action based on a second action requirement that demands a predetermined action of the vehicle; and a driving control unit 113, which controls the predetermined action of the vehicle based on the first target value and the second target value when the regulating unit 111 outputs both the first target value and the second target value. The regulating unit 111 outputs the first target value in such a way that it limits the upper limit of the first target value to a first upper limit value, and outputs the second target value in such a way that it does not limit the upper limit of the second target value or limits the upper limit of the second target value to a second upper limit value that is larger than the first upper limit value. Even when the first target value ( Figure 3 In the example, the target value Tg_S4 is greater than the second target value ( Figure 3 In the example where the target value Tg_S2 is larger, the motion control unit 113, when the second target value is greater than the first upper limit value ( Figure 3In the example where the threshold Th_S4 is large, the control of the prescribed action is also based on the first target value until the control amount of the prescribed action reaches the first upper limit value. After the control amount of the prescribed action reaches the first upper limit value, the control of the prescribed action is based on the second target value.

[0052] In this way, by initially performing motion control based on a first target value that is larger than the second target value, and then initiating motion control based on the second target value after reaching a first upper limit value that is smaller than the second target value, motion control exceeding the first upper limit value can be achieved, compared to simply selecting the largest first target value. Furthermore, by performing motion control based on a larger target value (the first target value) in the initial stage of motion control, appropriate motion control can be executed according to the situation. Therefore, effective driving control of vehicles equipped with multiple driver assistance systems can be achieved.

[0053] Furthermore, because the action switches from one based on the first target value to one based on the second target value based on the target value (first target value and second target value) and the limit value (first upper limit value and second upper limit value) used to specify the action, time lag during action switching can be suppressed. As a result, even when multiple action requests with different target values ​​are received, the control quantity can seamlessly reach the final target value. Consequently, smooth driving control of vehicles equipped with multiple driver assistance systems can be performed.

[0054] (2) The motion control unit 113 generates control plan information based on the first target value and the second target value, and performs control of the prescribed action according to the control plan information. Furthermore, the motion control unit 113 generates control plan information such that even when the first target value is larger than the second target value, or when the second target value is larger than the first upper limit value, control of the prescribed action based on the first target value continues until the control quantity of the prescribed action reaches the first upper limit value. When the control quantity reaches the first upper limit value, control of the prescribed action based on the first target value ends and control of the prescribed action based on the second target value begins. Thus, by generating control plan information before starting control of the prescribed action, it is unnecessary to perform processing such as simultaneously feeding back the control quantity and determining the timing of action switching. Therefore, the switching from an action based on the first target value to an action based on the second target value can be performed seamlessly without time lag.

[0055] (3) When the motion control unit 113 controls the prescribed action based on the first target value, the increase in the control quantity is greater than when the motion control unit 113 controls the prescribed action based on the second target value. Therefore, the control quantity increases at a larger slope based on the first target value until it reaches the first upper limit value. After reaching the first upper limit value, the control quantity increases at a smaller slope toward the second target value, which is smaller than the first target value. As a result, the increase in the control quantity can be appropriately controlled by combining the target value and the upper limit value.

[0056] (4) When the mediation unit 111 receives multiple first action requests, it selects the first action request with the largest increase in the control quantity of the specified action from among the multiple first action requests, and outputs a first target value in a manner that limits the upper limit to a first upper limit value. When the mediation unit 111 receives multiple second action requests that do not limit the second target value to an upper limit value, it selects the second action request with the largest increase in the control quantity of the specified action from among the multiple second action requests, and outputs a second target value. When the mediation unit 111 receives multiple second action requests that limit the second target value to a second upper limit value, it selects the second action request with the largest increase in the control quantity of the specified action from among the multiple second action requests, and outputs a second target value in a manner that limits the upper limit of the second target value to a second upper limit value. In this way, by deciding how to control the action during the mediation stage, specifically by deciding the target value used in the control of the action, the switch from an action based on a first target value to an action based on a second target value can be executed smoothly.

[0057] The above-described embodiments can be modified in various ways. The following describes some modifications. In the above-described embodiments, the driving control device 50 is applied to an autonomous vehicle, but the driving control device 50 can also be applied to vehicles other than autonomous vehicles. For example, the driving control device 50 can also be applied to a manually driven vehicle equipped with ADAS (Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems).

[0058] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the regulating unit 111 and the limiting unit 112, serving as the first target output unit, output a first target value by limiting the upper limit of the first target value for controlling the specified action to a first upper limit value, based on a first action requirement that demands a specified action of the vehicle. The regulating unit 111 and the limiting unit 112, serving as the second target output unit, output a second target value by either not limiting the upper limit of the second target value for controlling the specified action or limiting the upper limit of the second target value for controlling the specified action to a second upper limit value larger than the first upper limit value, based on a second action requirement that demands a specified action of the vehicle. However, the action requirement for the specified action (braking, deceleration, etc.) can also be input to the first and second target output units from a driving assistance system of a mobile body other than a vehicle, such as a self-propelled robot. That is, the mobile body to which the driving control device 50 is applied can be a mobile body other than a vehicle.

[0059] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the adjustment unit 111 adjusts the operation request according to the four functional safety levels specified in ASIL. The limit setting unit 112 sets limit values ​​for the target values ​​included in the operation request based on the ASIL of the function that receives the operation request from the adjustment unit 111. However, the operation request can also be adjusted based on five levels, where "QM" is added to the four levels "D", "C", "B", and "A" specified in ASIL. "QM" indicates that no functional safety level specified in ASIL has been set. In this case, the adjustment unit 111 and the limit setting unit 112 corresponding to the level "QM" are respectively provided in the driving control device 50. Additionally, the operation request can be adjusted based on a functional safety level determined by a standard other than ASIL. Furthermore, the target values ​​included in the operation request can be set to satisfy the functional safety level specified by a standard other than ASIL.

[0060] The above description is merely an example, and the above embodiments and modifications do not limit the invention as long as they do not destroy its features. One or more of the above embodiments and modifications can be combined in any way, and modifications can also be combined with each other.

[0061] Using this invention, vehicle driving control can be performed well and smoothly.

[0062] The present invention has been described above in conjunction with preferred embodiments, but those skilled in the art should understand that various modifications and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A driving control device, characterized in that, have: The first target output unit outputs a first target value for controlling the specified action based on a first action requirement for a specified action of the moving body. The second target output unit outputs a second target value for controlling the specified action based on a second action requirement that requires the moving body to perform the specified action. as well as The motion control unit (113) controls the predetermined action of the moving body based on the first target value and the second target value when it outputs the first target value from the first target output unit and the second target value from the second target output unit. The first target output unit outputs the first target value in a manner that limits the upper limit of the first target value to a first upper limit value. The second target output unit outputs the second target value in a manner that either does not limit the upper limit of the second target value or limits the upper limit of the second target value to a second upper limit value that is larger than the first upper limit value. Even if the first target value before the upper limit is limited to the first upper limit value is greater than the second target value, the motion control unit (113) will control the prescribed action based on the first target value until the control amount of the prescribed action reaches the first upper limit value. After the control amount reaches the first upper limit value, the prescribed action will be controlled based on the second target value.

2. The driving control device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The increase in the control amount when the motion control unit (113) controls the prescribed action based on the first target value is greater than the increase in the control amount when the motion control unit controls the prescribed action based on the second target value.

3. The driving control device according to claim 1, characterized in that, When the first target output unit receives multiple first action requests, it selects the first action request with the largest increase in control quantity from the multiple first action requests and outputs the first target value in a manner that limits the upper limit to the first upper limit value. When the second target output unit receives multiple second action requests that do not limit the second target value by an upper limit, it selects the second action request with the largest increase in the control quantity from the multiple second action requests and outputs the second target value. On the other hand, when it receives multiple second action requests that limit the second target value by a second upper limit, it selects the second action request with the largest increase in the control quantity from the multiple second action requests and outputs the second target value in a manner that limits the upper limit of the second target value to the second upper limit.

4. The driving control device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The motion control unit (113) generates control plan information based on the first target value and the second target value, and performs the specified motion control according to the control plan information. Furthermore, the motion control unit (113) generates the control plan information such that even if the first target value before the upper limit is limited to the first upper limit value is greater than the second target value, and even if the second target value is greater than the first upper limit value, the control of the prescribed action based on the first target value is performed until the control amount of the prescribed action reaches the first upper limit value. When the control amount reaches the first upper limit value, the control of the prescribed action based on the first target value ends and the control of the prescribed action based on the second target value begins.

5. The driving control device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The moving body is a vehicle. The driving control device also includes an actuator (AC) for driving the vehicle. The motion control unit (113) controls the actuator (AC) according to the control plan information.

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