Method and device for controlling autonomous vehicle

Abstract

The invention discloses a method and device for controlling an automatic driving vehicle, and relates to the technical field of automatic driving. A specific embodiment of the method comprises the following steps: constructing a detection frame on the side of the driving direction of a target vehicle according to the position and orientation of the target vehicle; identifying other vehicles running side by side with the target vehicle by detecting the running angle and running speed of each vehicle in the detection frame; according to the relative positions of the target vehicle and the other vehicles, the speed limiting speed of the current speed limiting of the target vehicle and the duration of the current speed limiting are determined; and performing speed limiting control on the target vehicle according to the speed limiting speed and the duration. According to the implementation mode, driving of the automatic driving vehicle is safely controlled, and the target vehicle can effectively and accurately actively avoid other vehicles running side by side with the target vehicle.

Description

A method and apparatus for controlling autonomous vehicles Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of autonomous driving technology, and in particular to a method and apparatus for controlling autonomous vehicles. Background Technology

[0002] In recent years, driverless vehicles and intelligent driving technologies have developed rapidly, and various transportation sectors are actively introducing autonomous vehicles to free up human labor, such as unmanned delivery vehicles and unmanned courier vehicles for delivery within industrial parks. The safety of autonomous vehicles has always been a focus of public concern, especially in scenarios where autonomous vehicles are driving alongside other vehicles. Because driving side-by-side makes it difficult for the image to be projected onto the path of the autonomous vehicle, collisions are more likely to occur, posing a safety hazard to autonomous vehicles. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In view of this, embodiments of the present invention provide a method and apparatus for controlling autonomous vehicles, which realizes safe control of the driving of autonomous vehicles. By detecting vehicles in the detection frame to the side of the target vehicle, and combining the speed limit and speed limit duration determined by the positional relationship between the target vehicle and other vehicles, the target vehicle can effectively and accurately avoid other vehicles driving alongside it.

[0004] To achieve the aforementioned objective, according to one aspect of the present invention, a method for controlling an autonomous vehicle is provided, comprising:

[0005] Based on the position and orientation of the target vehicle, a detection box is constructed to the side of the target vehicle's direction of travel;

[0006] By detecting the driving angle and speed of each vehicle within the detection frame, other vehicles driving alongside the target vehicle are identified.

[0007] Based on the relative position of the target vehicle and the other vehicles, determine the speed limit and duration of the current speed limit for the target vehicle.

[0008] The target vehicle is subjected to speed limit control based on the speed limit and the duration.

[0009] Optionally, the target vehicle has a status identifier; before constructing a detection box to the side of the target vehicle's direction of travel, the method further includes: checking and confirming that the target vehicle's status identifier is in a non-speed-limited state; or, in response to the target vehicle's status identifier being in a speed-limited state, determining that the speed-limited duration of the target vehicle has reached the duration of the previous speed limit.

[0010] Optionally, identifying other vehicles traveling alongside the target vehicle by detecting the driving angle and speed of each vehicle within the detection frame includes: detecting the driving angle of each vehicle within the detection frame, calculating the angle difference between the driving angle and the driving angle of the target vehicle, and identifying vehicles traveling in the same direction as the target vehicle from among the vehicles based on the angle difference; detecting the speed of the vehicles traveling in the same direction, calculating the speed difference between the speed of the vehicles traveling in the same direction and the speed of the target vehicle, and identifying other vehicles traveling alongside the target vehicle from among the vehicles traveling in the same direction based on the speed difference.

[0011] Optionally, in response to the presence of a driver in the other vehicles, the speed limit and duration of the current speed limit for the target vehicle are determined based on the relative position of the target vehicle and the other vehicles. This includes: in response to the target vehicle being located in the middle of the other vehicles, calculating the speed limit and duration of the current speed limit based on the speeds of the other vehicles located on either side of the target vehicle, combined with a middle speed limit determination strategy; and in response to the target vehicle being located on one side of the other vehicles, calculating the speed limit and duration of the current speed limit based on the speeds of the other vehicles, combined with a one-sided speed limit determination strategy.

[0012] Optionally, in response to the other vehicles being autonomous vehicles, the speed limit and duration of the current speed limit for the target vehicle are determined based on the relative position of the target vehicle and the other vehicles. This includes: in response to the target vehicle being located on the first side of the other vehicles and in a high-speed lane, a speed value is randomly selected from a preset first speed range with equal probability as the speed limit, and a duration is randomly selected from a preset first duration range with equal probability as the duration of the current speed limit; in response to the target vehicle being located in the middle of the other vehicles, a speed value is randomly selected from a preset second speed range with equal probability as the speed limit, and a duration is randomly selected from a preset second duration range with equal probability as the duration of the current speed limit; in response to the target vehicle being located on the second side of the other vehicles and in a low-speed lane, a speed value is randomly selected from a preset third speed range with equal probability as the speed limit, and a duration is randomly selected from a preset third duration range with equal probability as the duration of the current speed limit.

[0013] Optionally, speed control of the target vehicle is performed based on the speed limit and the duration, including: sending the speed limit and the duration to the target vehicle and listening for the response signal of the target vehicle; and in response to not receiving the response signal within a specified waiting time, resending the speed limit and the duration to the target vehicle according to a preset retry mechanism.

[0014] Optionally, the method further includes: in response to the absence of any other vehicle being identified traveling alongside the target vehicle, the target vehicle continues to travel at its current speed without any speed limit.

[0015] According to a second aspect of the present invention, an apparatus for controlling an autonomous vehicle is provided, comprising:

[0016] The detection box construction module is used to construct a detection box to the side of the target vehicle's direction of travel based on the target vehicle's position and orientation.

[0017] The other vehicle identification module is used to identify other vehicles driving alongside the target vehicle by detecting the driving angle and speed of each vehicle within the detection frame.

[0018] The speed limit data determination module is used to determine the speed limit speed and duration of the current speed limit for the target vehicle based on the relative position of the target vehicle and the other vehicles.

[0019] The vehicle speed limit control module is used to control the speed of the target vehicle according to the speed limit and the duration.

[0020] Optionally, the target vehicle has a status identifier; the device for controlling the autonomous vehicle further includes a status confirmation module, configured to: check and confirm that the status identifier of the target vehicle is in a non-speed-limited state before constructing a detection frame to the side of the target vehicle's driving direction; or, in response to the status identifier of the target vehicle being in a speed-limited state, determine that the speed-limited duration of the target vehicle has reached the duration of the previous speed limit.

[0021] Optionally, the other vehicle recognition module is further configured to: detect the driving angle of each vehicle within the detection frame, calculate the angle difference between the driving angle and the driving angle of the target vehicle, and identify, based on the angle difference, vehicles traveling in the same direction as the target vehicle from among the vehicles; detect the driving speed of the vehicles traveling in the same direction, calculate the speed difference between the driving speed and the driving speed of the target vehicle, and identify, based on the speed difference, other vehicles traveling alongside the target vehicle from among the vehicles traveling in the same direction.

[0022] Optionally, in response to the presence of a driver in the other vehicles, the speed limit data determination module is further configured to: in response to the target vehicle being located in the middle of the other vehicles, calculate the speed limit and duration of the current speed limit based on the speeds of the other vehicles located on either side of the target vehicle, in conjunction with a middle speed limit determination strategy; and in response to the target vehicle being located on one side of the other vehicles, calculate the speed limit and duration of the current speed limit based on the speeds of the other vehicles, in conjunction with a one-sided speed limit determination strategy.

[0023] Optionally, in response to the other vehicle being an autonomous vehicle, the speed limit data determination module is further configured to: in response to the target vehicle being located on the first side of the other vehicle and the target vehicle being located in a high-speed driving lane, extract a speed value with equal probability from a preset first speed range as the speed limit speed for this speed limit, and extract a duration with equal probability from a preset first duration range as the duration of this speed limit; in response to the target vehicle being located in the middle of the other vehicle, extract a speed value with equal probability from a preset second speed range as the speed limit speed for this speed limit, and extract a duration with equal probability from a preset second duration range as the duration of this speed limit; in response to the target vehicle being located on the second side of the other vehicle and the target vehicle being located in a low-speed driving lane, extract a speed value with equal probability from a preset third speed range as the speed limit speed for this speed limit, and extract a duration with equal probability from a preset third duration range as the duration of this speed limit.

[0024] Optionally, the vehicle speed limit control module is further configured to: send the speed limit and the duration to the target vehicle, and listen for the response signal of the target vehicle; in response to not receiving the response signal within a specified waiting time, resend the speed limit and the duration to the target vehicle according to a preset retry mechanism.

[0025] Optionally, the device for controlling the autonomous vehicle further includes a state holding module, configured to: in response to the absence of any other vehicle identified driving alongside the target vehicle, the target vehicle continues to drive at its current speed without any speed limit.

[0026] According to a third aspect of the present invention, an electronic device for controlling an autonomous vehicle is provided, comprising:

[0027] One or more processors;

[0028] Storage device for storing one or more programs.

[0029] When the one or more programs are executed by the one or more processors, the one or more processors implement the method provided in the first aspect of the embodiments of the present invention.

[0030] According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, a computer-readable medium is provided having a computer program stored thereon, which, when executed by a processor, implements the method provided in the first aspect of the present invention.

[0031] According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, a computer program product is provided, comprising a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the method provided in the first aspect of the present invention.

[0032] One embodiment of the invention has the following advantages or beneficial effects: by constructing a detection frame to the side of the target vehicle's direction of travel based on the target vehicle's position and orientation; by detecting the travel angle and speed of each vehicle within the detection frame, other vehicles traveling alongside the target vehicle are identified; based on the relative position of the target vehicle and other vehicles, the speed limit and duration of the current speed limit are determined; and the technical solution of controlling the speed of the target vehicle based on the speed limit and duration achieves safe control of the autonomous vehicle's driving. By detecting vehicles in the detection frame to the side of the target vehicle, and combining this with the speed limit and duration determined by the positional relationship between the target vehicle and other vehicles, the target vehicle can effectively and accurately avoid other vehicles traveling alongside it. Attached Figure Description

[0033] The accompanying drawings are provided to better understand the invention and are not intended to unduly limit the scope of the invention. Wherein:

[0034] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the main flow of a method for controlling an autonomous vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the detection frame according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 3 is a schematic flowchart of a method for controlling an autonomous vehicle according to a possible embodiment of the present invention.

[0037] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the relative position of the target vehicle in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0038] Figure 5 is a schematic flowchart of the method for controlling an autonomous vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0039] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the main modules of a device for controlling an autonomous vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0040] Figure 7 is an exemplary system architecture diagram in which embodiments of the present invention can be applied;

[0041] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a computer system suitable for implementing terminal devices or servers of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0042] It should be noted that the collection, updating, analysis, use, transmission, and storage of user personal information involved in the technical solution of this invention all comply with relevant laws and regulations, are used for legitimate and reasonable purposes, and are not shared, disclosed, or sold outside of these legitimate uses, and are subject to supervision and management by national regulatory authorities. Necessary measures should be taken to selectively block the use or access to personal information data to prevent unauthorized access to such personal information data, ensure that personnel authorized to access personal information data comply with relevant laws and regulations, and ensure the security of user personal information. Furthermore, once this user personal information data is no longer needed, the risk should be minimized by restricting or even prohibiting data collection and / or deleting the data.

[0043] The following description, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrates exemplary embodiments of the present invention, including various details to aid understanding. These details should be considered merely exemplary. Therefore, those skilled in the art will recognize that various changes and modifications can be made to the embodiments described herein without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Similarly, for clarity and brevity, descriptions of well-known functions and structures are omitted in the following description.

[0044] In scenarios where autonomous vehicles drive alongside other vehicles, the parallel driving makes it difficult to project onto the autonomous vehicle's path, increasing the risk of collisions and creating safety hazards for autonomous vehicles, thus failing to adequately meet actual safety requirements.

[0045] To address the aforementioned problems in existing technologies, this invention proposes a method for controlling autonomous vehicles. A detection frame is constructed to the side of the target vehicle. By detecting vehicles within the detection frame, other vehicles traveling alongside the target vehicle are identified. Based on the positional relationship between the target vehicle and other vehicles, a corresponding speed limit and duration are determined to limit the target vehicle's speed, thus achieving safe control of the autonomous vehicle's movement. By detecting vehicles within the detection frame to the side of the target vehicle, and combining this with the speed limit and duration determined by the positional relationship between the target vehicle and other vehicles, the method can effectively and accurately enable the target vehicle to actively avoid other vehicles traveling alongside it.

[0046] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the main flow of a method for controlling an autonomous vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figure 1, the method for controlling an autonomous vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention includes the following steps S101 to S104.

[0047] Step S101: Construct a detection frame to the side of the target vehicle based on its position and orientation.

[0048] Specifically, during the operation of autonomous vehicles, due to the complex road environment, it is common for them to travel alongside other vehicles in other lanes. Although the risk of collision can be avoided by relying on the active avoidance of other vehicles traveling alongside, this passive reliance on other vehicles is unreliable. This invention aims to improve the safety of autonomous vehicles traveling alongside each other by proposing a safe driving scheme that allows autonomous vehicles to actively avoid collisions. It should be noted that the autonomous vehicles in this invention can be the unmanned delivery vehicles and unmanned courier vehicles mentioned in the background section of this invention, or currently popular intelligent vehicles and driverless vehicles equipped with intelligent driving technology.

[0049] During the autonomous driving process of the target vehicle, the control system monitors the target vehicle's current geographical location and orientation angle in real time. Based on the target vehicle's geographical location and orientation angle, a detection box is constructed to the side of the target vehicle. The specific construction direction can be determined according to the target vehicle's driving needs, using the target vehicle's driving direction as a reference. A detection box can be constructed on at least one side of the target vehicle, either the left or right side. Alternatively, it can be constructed on at least one direction, either the left front or right front side, or the left rear or right rear side. This embodiment of the invention does not impose specific limitations. The specific shape of the detection box is determined based on road characteristics and can be rectangular or other shapes. In scenarios where there is a merging lane on the side, the shape of the detection box can be determined based on the traffic guide lines of the merging lane and does not necessarily have to be a regular shape.

[0050] Understandably, the shape and deployment position of the detection boxes for different scenarios can be preset. When a vehicle travels in different road scenarios, the shape of the detection box corresponding to that road scenario can be adaptively deployed to the corresponding position. For example, if the target vehicle is traveling on a highway, the rectangular detection box corresponding to the highway scenario is called and deployed on the left and right sides of the target vehicle's travel direction; if the target vehicle is traveling in a merging road scenario, the merging detection box corresponding to the merging road scenario is called and deployed at the merging position on the left or right front side of the target vehicle's current travel direction.

[0051] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the detection frame according to an embodiment of the present invention. The figure only uses a rectangular detection frame as a simple example. The width of the rectangular detection frame is determined based on the size of the lane, and the length of the detection frame is determined based on the length of the vehicle. According to the position and orientation angle of the target vehicle, two rectangular detection frames with the same orientation angle as the target vehicle are constructed on the left and right sides of the target vehicle.

[0052] Step S102: By detecting the driving angle and speed of each vehicle within the detection frame, other vehicles driving alongside the target vehicle are identified.

[0053] Specifically, based on the detection box constructed to the side of the target vehicle, the system monitors in real time whether any vehicles are entering the geographical area corresponding to the detection box. If a vehicle is detected within the detection box, it is designated as a key focus. The system uses relevant sensors to acquire the speed and angle of these vehicles. Understandably, the target vehicle and these other vehicles use the same coordinate system. The speed and angle of these other vehicles are compared with those of the target vehicle to identify other vehicles traveling alongside it.

[0054] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the method further includes: in response to the absence of any other vehicle being identified traveling alongside the target vehicle, the target vehicle continues to travel at its current speed without any speed limit action.

[0055] Specifically, during the monitoring of vehicles traveling alongside the target vehicle using the constructed detection frame, it's possible that no vehicle will be detected within the frame, or that a detected vehicle, compared to the target vehicle, is not traveling alongside but is in a passing configuration, or even if their directions are similar, their speeds may differ significantly, such as when the target vehicle overtakes or a vehicle in the adjacent lane overtakes. In these cases, the parallel driving is only brief and does not pose a risk of collision due to prolonged parallel driving. Therefore, in these situations, the target vehicle only needs to maintain its current speed without any speed limit measures.

[0056] According to one embodiment of the present invention, identifying other vehicles traveling alongside a target vehicle by detecting the driving angle and speed of each vehicle within the detection frame includes: detecting the driving angle of each vehicle within the detection frame, calculating the angle difference between the driving angle and the driving angle of the target vehicle, and identifying vehicles traveling in the same direction as the target vehicle from among the vehicles based on the angle difference; detecting the speed of the vehicles traveling in the same direction, calculating the speed difference between the speed of the vehicles traveling in the same direction and the speed of the target vehicle, and identifying other vehicles traveling alongside the target vehicle from among the vehicles traveling in the same direction based on the speed difference.

[0057] Specifically, for each vehicle within the detection frame, identification is achieved through the angle and speed differences between vehicles. Following convention, this embodiment first determines the driving direction of the vehicles within the detection frame and the target vehicle based on their orientation, i.e., whether their driving directions are consistent. Since angles are easier to obtain than speeds, the driving direction angles are compared first. The driving angles of each vehicle within the detection frame are obtained, and the angle differences between these driving angles and the target vehicle's driving angle are calculated. Assume the driving angle of a certain vehicle is... The target vehicle's travel angle is Set an angle threshold If the angle difference between the driving angle of the vehicle within the detection box and the driving angle of the target vehicle is less than the angle threshold: In this embodiment of the invention, the vehicle is considered to have a similar driving orientation to the target vehicle. Conversely, if the angle difference exceeds the angle threshold, the vehicle is considered to have a dissimilar driving orientation to the target vehicle, and there is no need to compare the speeds of the two vehicles.

[0058] Furthermore, if vehicles traveling in the same direction as the target vehicle are identified within the detection frame, then these vehicles are used as the identification targets. Their speeds are then measured, and the speed difference between these vehicles and the target vehicle is calculated. Let's assume the speed of a certain vehicle traveling in the same direction is... The target vehicle's speed is Set a speed threshold If the speed difference between the speed of the vehicle traveling in the same direction and the speed of the target vehicle is less than a speed threshold: If the speed difference exceeds a speed threshold, then the vehicle is identified as another vehicle traveling alongside the target vehicle. Conversely, if the speed difference exceeds a speed threshold, the vehicle is considered not to be another vehicle traveling alongside the target vehicle.

[0059] Step S103: Based on the relative position of the target vehicle and the other vehicles, determine the speed limit and duration of the current speed limit for the target vehicle.

[0060] Specifically, after identifying other vehicles traveling alongside the target vehicle, it is necessary to control the speed of the target vehicle and promptly avoid these other vehicles. This embodiment of the invention primarily involves implementing a speed limit on the target vehicle. Furthermore, considering that the relative positions of the target vehicle and other vehicles in the lane will affect the speed and duration of the speed limit, the method determines the required speed and duration of the speed limit based on the relative position of the target vehicle when it is traveling alongside the target vehicle.

[0061] According to one embodiment of the present invention, in response to the presence of a driver in the other vehicles, determining the speed limit and duration of the current speed limit for the target vehicle based on the relative position of the target vehicle and the other vehicles includes: in response to the target vehicle being located in the middle of the other vehicles, calculating the speed limit and duration of the current speed limit based on the speeds of the other vehicles located on either side of the target vehicle, combined with a middle speed limit determination strategy; and in response to the target vehicle being located on one side of the other vehicles, calculating the speed limit and duration of the current speed limit based on the speeds of the other vehicles, combined with a one-sided speed limit determination strategy.

[0062] Specifically, this embodiment of the invention uses the deployment of detection frames on both the left and right sides of the target vehicle as an example; the processing method for other single-sided deployment of detection frames is similar. In actual driving environments, other vehicles driving alongside the target vehicle may be ordinary vehicles with drivers. In this case, if the target vehicle is in the middle, meaning there are other vehicles driving alongside it on both its left and right sides, a pre-configured intermediate speed limit determination strategy is used to break this parallel driving state as quickly as possible. This strategy comprehensively considers the driving speeds of vehicles on both sides, selects a value that deviates significantly from the driving speeds of vehicles on both sides as the speed limit, and extends the configured base duration, for example, by 1.5 times or 2 times the base duration, to simultaneously avoid driving alongside vehicles on both sides. It can be understood that the speed limit in this embodiment of the invention is a value within the maximum driving speed that complies with road safety regulations, preferably a speed reduction scheme. Of course, if the target vehicle is in an initial starting state or a low-speed driving state when parallel driving occurs, a speed increase scheme will be selected. These are all configured in the intermediate speed limit determination strategy. If the target vehicle is on one side of other vehicles, meaning only one side of the target vehicle is parallel driving, then only the vehicles on that side need to be considered. Based on the speed of other vehicles on one side, a pre-configured one-side speed limit determination strategy is used to find the speed level of other vehicles on that side within the strategy. This determines the corresponding reduction or increase ratio, and the speed limit is determined accordingly. For example, if other vehicles are traveling at 50 km / h, and the one-side speed limit determination strategy corresponds to a 30% reduction, then the speed limit is 35 km / h. The base duration corresponding to this speed level in the one-side speed limit determination strategy is then used as the speed limit duration. Similarly, the speed limit in this embodiment of the invention is a value within the maximum safe driving speed for the road.

[0063] Step S104: Based on the speed limit and the duration, perform speed limit control on the target vehicle.

[0064] Specifically, based on the speed limit and duration determined above, the target vehicle is subjected to speed limit control in order to achieve the fastest and most effective control of the target vehicle to actively avoid other vehicles and avoid the possibility of collision.

[0065] According to one embodiment of the present invention, speed limit control of a target vehicle is performed based on the speed limit and the duration, including: sending the speed limit and the duration to the target vehicle and listening for the response signal of the target vehicle; and in response to not receiving the response signal within a specified waiting time, resending the speed limit and the duration to the target vehicle according to a preset retry mechanism.

[0066] Specifically, considering that the speed limit control of the target vehicle should be immediate and reliable in a parallel driving scenario, after determining the speed limit and duration, the speed limit and duration must be sent to the target vehicle quickly and reliably. To ensure reliability, the control system uses a communication method with an acknowledgment signal to send the speed limit and duration to the target vehicle and listens for the target vehicle's response. If an acknowledgment is received from the target vehicle, the speed limit is considered successful. If no acknowledgment is received within the specified waiting time, a preset retry mechanism is activated, and the speed limit and duration are retried according to the number of retries specified in the retry mechanism to try to send the speed limit and duration to the target vehicle again, in order to send the speed limit and duration to the target vehicle as accurately as possible.

[0067] Figure 3 is a schematic flowchart of a method for controlling an autonomous vehicle according to a possible embodiment of the present invention. As another embodiment of the present invention, as shown in Figure 3, the method for controlling an autonomous driving vehicle may include:

[0068] Step S301: Check and confirm that the target vehicle's status indicator is in a non-speed-limited state; or, in response to the target vehicle's status indicator being in a speed-limited state, determine that the target vehicle's speed-limit duration has reached the duration of the previous speed-limit.

[0069] Specifically, the target vehicle in this embodiment of the invention has a status identifier, which can be represented by the variable `used_last_frame`. Defining `used_last_frame` as `True` indicates that the target vehicle is in the speed-limited state of the previous cycle. Understandably, the target vehicle's identification of other vehicles traveling alongside it is based on driving image frames collected by the vehicle's equipment. Sampling is performed periodically according to the sampling time. Therefore, when the current sampling time arrives, the target vehicle may still be affected by the speed limit based on the previous frame and is in a speed-limited state. Correspondingly, defining `used_last_frame` as `False` indicates that the target vehicle's current driving state is a normal driving state without speed limits.

[0070] Before identifying other vehicles traveling alongside the target vehicle in this round—that is, before constructing detection boxes on the left and right sides of the target vehicle based on its position and orientation—it is necessary to query the target vehicle's status flag to determine if its `used_last_frame` is False, or if, even if `used_last_frame` is True, the target vehicle's current speed limit duration has reached the duration of the previous speed limit. In either of these two cases, identification of vehicles traveling alongside the target vehicle in this round can begin. If neither of these conditions is met, it means the target vehicle still needs to adhere to the speed limit from the previous round, so the previous speed limit will continue to be applied, and identification of vehicles traveling alongside it will not proceed.

[0071] Step S302: Based on the position and orientation of the target vehicle, construct a detection box to the side of the target vehicle's driving direction.

[0072] Step S303: By detecting the driving angle and speed of each vehicle within the detection frame, identify other vehicles driving alongside the target vehicle.

[0073] Step S304: Based on the relative position of the target vehicle and the other vehicles, determine the speed limit and duration of the current speed limit for the target vehicle.

[0074] Specifically, after determining the speed limit and duration, and applying the speed limit to the target vehicle, the target vehicle's status identifier variable used_last_frame needs to be set to True to mark the target vehicle's current state. This ensures that if the current speed limit does not reach its duration, a new round of speed limit control will not be introduced, thus preventing disruption to the target vehicle's driving state.

[0075] According to one embodiment of the present invention, in response to the other vehicle being an autonomous vehicle, determining the speed limit and duration of the current speed limit for the target vehicle based on the relative position of the target vehicle and the other vehicle includes: in response to the target vehicle being located on the first side of the other vehicle and the target vehicle being located in a high-speed driving lane, selecting a speed value with equal probability from a preset first speed range as the speed limit for the current speed limit, and selecting a duration with equal probability from a preset first duration range as the duration of the current speed limit; in response to the target vehicle being located in the middle of the other vehicle, selecting a speed value with equal probability from a preset second speed range as the speed limit for the current speed limit, and selecting a duration with equal probability from a preset second duration range as the duration of the current speed limit; in response to the target vehicle being located on the second side of the other vehicle and the target vehicle being located in a low-speed driving lane, selecting a speed value with equal probability from a preset third speed range as the speed limit for the current speed limit, and selecting a duration with equal probability from a preset third duration range as the duration of the current speed limit.

[0076] For example, this embodiment of the invention still takes the deployment of detection frames on the left and right sides of the target vehicle as an example, that is, one detection frame is deployed on the left side of the target vehicle and one detection frame is deployed on the right side of the target vehicle. The first side represents the left side of the target vehicle's driving direction and the second side represents the right side of the target vehicle's driving direction. Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the relative position of the target vehicle in this embodiment of the invention. It can be seen that the relative position of the target vehicle is mainly divided into three types: left, middle and right. When other vehicles driving alongside the target vehicle are autonomous vehicles, considering that these vehicles are all autonomous vehicles, these autonomous vehicles driving alongside the target vehicle may not have avoidance processing logic in the parallel driving scenario, or they may have their own avoidance processing logic. In order to ensure the effective active avoidance of the target vehicle, this embodiment of the invention uses a method of randomly sampling the speed limit and duration from a specified numerical space with equal probability to avoid situations where other autonomous vehicles have the same speed limit and similar speed limit and duration. Furthermore, this embodiment of the invention also incorporates actual road driving habits, such as the speed of vehicles in the left lane being higher than that in the right lane, and the speed gradually decreasing from left to right. It determines the speed limit and duration corresponding to the target vehicle in three different relative positions, setting a base speed V and a base duration T. The speed limit is represented by V_max, and the duration is represented by T_duration.

[0077] When the target vehicle is located on the first side of other vehicles and is in a high-speed lane (i.e., the target vehicle is on the left and there are other vehicles traveling side-by-side on the right), the first speed range is defined as [-V, V], and the first duration range is defined as [0, 2T]. One speed value is randomly selected from [-V, V] with equal probability as the speed limit for this speed limit, and one duration value is randomly selected from [0, 2T] with equal probability as the duration of this speed limit. In this embodiment of the invention, a negative speed indicates that the speed limit is 0.

[0078] When the target vehicle is in the middle, that is, when there are other vehicles driving side by side on both sides of the target vehicle, the corresponding second speed range is defined as [-2V, V], and the second duration range is defined as [2T, 4T]. One speed value is randomly selected from [-2V, V] with equal probability as the speed limit for this speed limit, and one duration value is randomly selected from [2T, 4T] with equal probability as the duration of this speed limit.

[0079] When the target vehicle is located on the second side of other vehicles and in a low-speed lane (i.e., the target vehicle is on the right and there are other vehicles traveling side-by-side to its left), the corresponding third speed range is defined as [-3V, V], and the second duration range is defined as [4T, 6T]. One speed value is randomly selected from [-3V, V] with equal probability as the speed limit for this speed limit, and one duration value is randomly selected from [4T, 6T] with equal probability as the duration of this speed limit.

[0080] From the first, second, and third speed ranges, as well as the first, second, and third duration ranges, it can be seen that from left to right, the probability of the target vehicle being limited to 0 speed increases, and the duration of the speed limit also increases. This makes it easier for speed differences to arise between vehicles traveling side-by-side, thereby increasing the distance between them. Moreover, since the speed ranges also include positive speed values, this equally probabilistic sampling method avoids the situation where parallel autonomous vehicles, employing yielding strategies, wait for the other vehicle to pass before proceeding, thus avoiding a prolonged state of being stuck in place.

[0081] Understandably, the specific numerical spans of the first speed range, second speed range, and third speed range, as well as the first duration range, second duration range, and third duration range in the embodiments of the present invention, and the numerical values ​​included therein, can be adaptively adjusted according to specific scenario requirements. Furthermore, the distribution of values ​​within these ranges can be a mean probability distribution, or a Gaussian distribution, an exponential distribution, a Laplace distribution, etc., as long as it can satisfy the requirement that vehicles traveling side by side can quickly generate speed and position differences within a short period of time.

[0082] Step S305: Based on the speed limit and the duration, perform speed limit control on the target vehicle.

[0083] Figure 5 is a schematic flowchart of the method for controlling an autonomous vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. This schematic uses other vehicles traveling side-by-side as autonomous vehicles, and detection frames are deployed on the left and right sides of the target vehicle's direction of travel as an example. Based on initialized parameters, the speed limit start time T_start, speed limit duration T_duration, speed limit speed V_max, and the status identifier variable used_last_frame, the process first checks whether the target vehicle's used_last_frame is in a speed-limited state. If it is, it then determines whether the speed limit duration has reached the duration of the previous speed limit. If not, the previous speed limit continues. If it is not in a speed-limited state, or the speed limit duration has reached the duration of the previous speed limit, rectangular detection frames are constructed on the left and right sides of the target vehicle according to its position and orientation.

[0084] The control system monitors whether there are vehicles within the rectangular detection frame. If no vehicles are found, the target vehicle continues its current state without speed limit control, and `used_last_frame` is set to False. It waits for the next driving image frame to be sampled before proceeding with parallel driving detection and control. If a vehicle is within the detection frame, its driving angle is used to determine if its direction / orientation is similar to the target vehicle's. If the direction is not similar, speed limit control is unnecessary, `used_last_frame` is set to False, and it waits for the next driving image frame to be sampled before proceeding with parallel driving detection and control. If the direction is similar, the vehicle is identified as traveling in the same direction. Its speed is then compared to the target vehicle's speed. If they are not similar, speed limit control is unnecessary, `used_last_frame` is set to False, and it waits for the next driving image frame to be sampled before proceeding with parallel driving detection and control. If they are similar, the vehicle within the frame is identified as another vehicle traveling alongside the target vehicle.

[0085] Furthermore, based on the identified other vehicles traveling alongside the target vehicle, the speed limit and duration of the current speed limit are determined according to the relative position of the target vehicle to the other vehicles. If the target vehicle is on the first side of the other vehicles and is in the high-speed lane (i.e., on the left), a speed value is randomly selected from [-V, V] with equal probability as the speed limit V_max, and a duration value is randomly selected from [0, 2T] with equal probability as the duration T_duration. If the target vehicle is in the middle, a speed value is randomly selected from [-2V, V] with equal probability as the speed limit V_max, and a duration value is randomly selected from [2T, 4T] with equal probability as the duration T_duration. If the target vehicle is located on the second side of other vehicles and in the low-speed lane (i.e., on the right), a speed value is randomly selected from [-3V, V] with equal probability as the speed limit V_max, and a duration value is randomly selected from [4T, 6T] with equal probability as the duration T_duration of the speed limit. After determining the speed limit and duration, the current time is set as the speed limit start time T_start, and used_last_frame is updated to True. The speed limit is then applied to the target vehicle according to the selected V_max and T_duration.

[0086] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the main modules of a device for controlling an autonomous vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figure 6, the device 600 for controlling an autonomous vehicle mainly includes a detection frame construction module 601, an other vehicle identification module 602, a speed limit data determination module 603, and a vehicle speed limit control module 604.

[0087] The detection box construction module 601 is used to construct a detection box to the side of the target vehicle's driving direction based on the target vehicle's position and orientation.

[0088] Other vehicle identification module 602 is used to identify other vehicles driving alongside the target vehicle by detecting the driving angle and driving speed of each vehicle within the detection frame;

[0089] The speed limit data determination module 603 is used to determine the speed limit speed and duration of the current speed limit for the target vehicle based on the relative position of the target vehicle and the other vehicles.

[0090] The vehicle speed limit control module 604 is used to control the speed of the target vehicle according to the speed limit and the duration.

[0091] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the target vehicle has a status identifier; the device 600 for controlling the autonomous vehicle further includes a status confirmation module (not shown in the figure), used to: check and confirm that the status identifier of the target vehicle is in a non-speed-limited state before constructing a detection frame to the side of the target vehicle's driving direction; or, in response to the status identifier of the target vehicle being in a speed-limited state, determine that the speed-limited duration of the target vehicle has reached the duration of the previous speed limit.

[0092] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the other vehicle identification module 602 is further configured to: detect the driving angle of each vehicle within the detection frame, calculate the angle difference between the driving angle and the driving angle of the target vehicle, and identify, based on the angle difference, vehicles traveling in the same direction as the target vehicle from among the vehicles; detect the driving speed of the vehicles traveling in the same direction, calculate the speed difference between the driving speed and the driving speed of the target vehicle, and identify, based on the speed difference, other vehicles traveling alongside the target vehicle from among the vehicles traveling in the same direction.

[0093] According to another embodiment of the present invention, in response to the presence of a driver in the other vehicle, the speed limit data determination module 603 is further configured to: in response to the target vehicle being located in the middle of the other vehicles, calculate the speed limit speed and duration of the current speed limit based on the speeds of the other vehicles located on either side of the target vehicle, in conjunction with a middle speed limit determination strategy; and in response to the target vehicle being located on one side of the other vehicles, calculate the speed limit speed and duration of the current speed limit based on the speeds of the other vehicles, in conjunction with a one-sided speed limit determination strategy.

[0094] According to another embodiment of the present invention, in response to the other vehicle being an autonomous vehicle, the speed limit data determination module 603 is further configured to: in response to the target vehicle being located on the first side of the other vehicle and the target vehicle being located in a high-speed driving lane, extract a speed value with equal probability from a preset first speed range as the speed limit speed for this speed limit, and extract a duration with equal probability from a preset first duration range as the duration of this speed limit; in response to the target vehicle being located in the middle of the other vehicle, extract a speed value with equal probability from a preset second speed range as the speed limit speed for this speed limit, and extract a duration with equal probability from a preset second duration range as the duration of this speed limit; in response to the target vehicle being located on the second side of the other vehicle and the target vehicle being located in a low-speed driving lane, extract a speed value with equal probability from a preset third speed range as the speed limit speed for this speed limit, and extract a duration with equal probability from a preset third duration range as the duration of this speed limit.

[0095] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the vehicle speed limit control module 604 is further configured to: send the speed limit and the duration to the target vehicle, and listen for the response signal of the target vehicle; and in response to not receiving the response signal within a specified waiting time, resend the speed limit and the duration to the target vehicle according to a preset retry mechanism.

[0096] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the device 600 for controlling the autonomous vehicle further includes a state holding module (not shown) for: in response to the absence of identification of other vehicles driving alongside the target vehicle, the target vehicle continues to drive at its current speed without speed limit processing.

[0097] Figure 7 is an exemplary system architecture diagram in which embodiments of the present invention can be applied.

[0098] As shown in Figure 7, the system architecture 700 may include vehicle-to-everything (V2), 703, and 704 interactive devices, a vehicle system 701, an application server 706, and a cloud platform 707. A network 705 serves as the medium for providing communication links between the vehicle system 701, the application server 706, and the cloud platform 707 to enable interaction. The network 705 may include various connection types, such as wired or wireless communication links, or fiber optic cables, etc.

[0099] Each vehicle-to-everything (V2X) interactive device may include input devices and output devices. For example, input devices may be displays, microphones, etc., and output devices may be displays, speakers, headphones, etc. Various communication client applications, such as vehicle control applications, may be installed on V2X, 703, and 704 (for example only).

[0100] Application server 706 can be a server providing various services, such as a backend management server supporting user requests to control autonomous vehicles sent to vehicle infotainment system 701 via 702, 703, and 704 (this is just an example). The backend management server can construct a detection frame to the side of the target vehicle's direction of travel based on the target vehicle's position and orientation; identify other vehicles traveling alongside the target vehicle by detecting the travel angle and speed of each vehicle within the detection frame; determine the speed limit and duration of the current speed limit for the target vehicle based on the relative position of the target vehicle and the other vehicles; perform speed limit control and other processing on the target vehicle based on the speed limit and duration, and feed the processing results back to the terminal device.

[0101] It should be noted that the method for controlling autonomous vehicles provided in this embodiment of the invention is generally executed by the application server 706, and correspondingly, the device for controlling autonomous vehicles is generally located in the server 706.

[0102] It should be understood that the number of vehicle-to-everything (V2X) interaction devices, vehicle-to-everything (V2X) systems, networks, and application servers shown in Figure 7 is merely illustrative. Depending on implementation needs, there can be any number of V2X interaction devices, vehicle-to-everything (V2X) systems, networks, and application servers.

[0103] Referring now to FIG8, FIG8 is a schematic diagram of a computer system suitable for implementing a terminal device or server of the present invention. The terminal device or server shown in FIG8 is merely an example and should not impose any limitation on the functionality and scope of use of the embodiments of the present invention.

[0104] As shown in Figure 8, the computer system 800 includes a central processing unit (CPU) 801, which can perform various appropriate actions and processes based on programs stored in read-only memory (ROM) 802 or programs loaded from storage section 808 into random access memory (RAM) 803. The RAM 803 also stores various programs and data required for the operation of the system 800. The CPU 801, ROM 802, and RAM 803 are interconnected via bus 804. An input / output (I / O) interface 805 is also connected to bus 804.

[0105] The following components are connected to I / O interface 805: an input section 806 including a keyboard, mouse, etc.; an output section 807 including a cathode ray tube (CRT), liquid crystal display (LCD), etc., and speakers, etc.; a storage section 808 including a hard disk, etc.; and a communication section 809 including a network interface card such as a LAN card, modem, etc. The communication section 809 performs communication processing via a network such as the Internet. A drive 810 is also connected to I / O interface 805 as needed. A removable medium 811, such as a disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, semiconductor memory, etc., is installed on drive 810 as needed so that computer programs read from it can be installed into storage section 808 as needed.

[0106] In particular, according to the embodiments disclosed in this invention, the processes described above with reference to the flowcharts can be implemented as computer software programs. For example, embodiments disclosed in this invention include a computer program product comprising a computer program carried on a computer-readable medium, the computer program containing program code for performing the methods shown in the flowcharts. In such embodiments, the computer program can be downloaded and installed from a network via communication section 809, and / or installed from removable medium 811. When the computer program is executed by central processing unit (CPU) 801, it performs the functions defined above in the system of this invention.

[0107] It should be noted that the computer-readable medium shown in this invention can be a computer-readable signal medium or a computer-readable storage medium, or any combination of the two. A computer-readable storage medium can be, for example,—but not limited to—an electrical, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, or device, or any combination thereof. More specific examples of a computer-readable storage medium may include, but are not limited to: an electrical connection having one or more wires, a portable computer disk, a hard disk, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), optical fiber, portable compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM), optical storage device, magnetic storage device, or any suitable combination thereof. In this invention, a computer-readable storage medium can be any tangible medium containing or storing a program that can be used by or in conjunction with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. In this invention, a computer-readable signal medium can include a data signal propagated in baseband or as part of a carrier wave, carrying computer-readable program code. Such propagated data signals can take various forms, including but not limited to electromagnetic signals, optical signals, or any suitable combination thereof. Computer-readable signal media can also be any computer-readable medium other than computer-readable storage media, which can send, propagate, or transmit a program for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. The program code contained on the computer-readable medium can be transmitted using any suitable medium, including but not limited to: wireless, wire, optical fiber, RF, etc., or any suitable combination thereof.

[0108] The flowcharts and block diagrams in the accompanying drawings illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods, and computer program products according to various embodiments of the present invention. In this regard, each block in a flowchart or block diagram may represent a module, segment, or portion of code containing one or more executable instructions for implementing a specified logical function. It should also be noted that in some alternative implementations, the functions indicated in the blocks may occur in a different order than those indicated in the drawings. For example, two consecutively indicated blocks may actually be executed substantially in parallel, and they may sometimes be executed in reverse order, depending on the functions involved. It should also be noted that each block in a block diagram or flowchart, and combinations of blocks in a block diagram or flowchart, may be implemented using a dedicated hardware-based system that performs the specified function or operation, or using a combination of dedicated hardware and computer instructions.

[0109] The units described in the embodiments of the present invention can be implemented in software or hardware. The described units can also be housed in a processor; for example, a processor can be described as including: a detection frame construction module, an other vehicle identification module, a speed limit data determination module, and a vehicle speed limit control module.

[0110] In some cases, the names of these modules do not constitute a limitation on the module itself. For example, the detection box construction module can also be described as "a module for constructing a detection box to the side of the target vehicle's direction of travel based on the target vehicle's position and orientation".

[0111] On the other hand, the present invention also provides a computer-readable medium, which may be included in the device described in the embodiments; or it may exist independently and not assembled into the device. The computer-readable medium carries one or more programs, which, when executed by the device, cause the device to include: constructing a detection frame to the side of the target vehicle's direction of travel based on the target vehicle's position and orientation; identifying other vehicles traveling alongside the target vehicle by detecting the travel angle and speed of each vehicle within the detection frame; determining the speed limit and duration of the current speed limit for the target vehicle based on the relative position of the target vehicle and the other vehicles; and performing speed limit control on the target vehicle based on the speed limit and the duration.

[0112] According to the technical solution of the present invention, the following advantages or beneficial effects are achieved: by constructing a detection frame to the side of the target vehicle's driving direction based on the target vehicle's position and orientation; by detecting the driving angle and speed of each vehicle within the detection frame, other vehicles driving alongside the target vehicle are identified; based on the relative position of the target vehicle and other vehicles, the speed limit and duration of the current speed limit for the target vehicle are determined; and the technical solution of controlling the speed of the target vehicle based on the speed limit and duration achieves safe control of the autonomous driving vehicle's driving. By detecting vehicles in the detection frame to the side of the target vehicle, and combining this with the speed limit and duration determined by the positional relationship between the target vehicle and other vehicles, the target vehicle can effectively and accurately avoid other vehicles driving alongside it.

[0113] The specific embodiments described herein do not constitute a limitation on the scope of protection of this invention. Those skilled in the art should understand that various modifications, combinations, sub-combinations, and substitutions can occur depending on design requirements and other factors. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of this invention should be included within the scope of protection of this invention.

Claims

1. A method for controlling an autonomous vehicle, characterized in that, include: Based on the position and orientation of the target vehicle, a detection box is constructed to the side of the target vehicle's direction of travel; By detecting the driving angle and speed of each vehicle within the detection frame, other vehicles driving alongside the target vehicle are identified; based on the relative position of the target vehicle and the other vehicles, the speed limit and duration of the current speed limit for the target vehicle are determined. The target vehicle is subjected to speed limit control based on the speed limit and the duration.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The target vehicle has a status identifier; before constructing a detection box to the side of the target vehicle's direction of travel, the method further includes: checking and confirming that the target vehicle's status identifier is in a non-speed-limited state; or, in response to the target vehicle's status identifier being in a speed-limited state, determining that the speed-limited duration of the target vehicle has reached the duration of the previous speed limit.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, By detecting the driving angle and speed of each vehicle within the detection frame, other vehicles traveling alongside the target vehicle are identified, including: detecting the driving angle of each vehicle within the detection frame, calculating the angle difference between the driving angle and the driving angle of the target vehicle, and identifying vehicles traveling in the same direction as the target vehicle based on the angle difference; detecting the speed of the vehicles traveling in the same direction, calculating the speed difference between the speed of the vehicles traveling in the same direction and the speed of the target vehicle, and identifying other vehicles traveling alongside the target vehicle based on the speed difference.

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, In response to the presence of a driver in another vehicle, the speed limit and duration of the current speed limit for the target vehicle are determined based on the relative position of the target vehicle and the other vehicles. This includes: in response to the target vehicle being located in the middle of the other vehicles, calculating the speed limit and duration of the current speed limit based on the speeds of the other vehicles located on either side of the target vehicle, combined with a middle speed limit determination strategy; and in response to the target vehicle being located on one side of the other vehicles, calculating the speed limit and duration of the current speed limit based on the speeds of the other vehicles, combined with a one-sided speed limit determination strategy.

5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, In response to the other vehicles being autonomous vehicles, the speed limit and duration of the current speed limit for the target vehicle are determined based on the relative position of the target vehicle and the other vehicles. This includes: in response to the target vehicle being located on the first side of the other vehicles and in a high-speed lane, a speed value is randomly selected from a preset first speed range with equal probability as the speed limit, and a duration is randomly selected from a preset first duration range with equal probability as the duration of the current speed limit; in response to the target vehicle being located in the middle of the other vehicles, a speed value is randomly selected from a preset second speed range with equal probability as the speed limit, and a duration is randomly selected from a preset second duration range with equal probability as the duration of the current speed limit; in response to the target vehicle being located on the second side of the other vehicles and in a low-speed lane, a speed value is randomly selected from a preset third speed range with equal probability as the speed limit, and a duration is randomly selected from a preset third duration range with equal probability as the duration of the current speed limit.

6. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Based on the speed limit and the duration, speed control is applied to the target vehicle, including: sending the speed limit and the duration to the target vehicle and listening for the response signal from the target vehicle; and in response to not receiving the response signal within a specified waiting time, resending the speed limit and the duration to the target vehicle according to a preset retry mechanism.

7. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The method further includes: in response to the absence of any other vehicle being identified traveling alongside the target vehicle, the target vehicle continues to travel at its current speed without any speed limit.

8. A device for controlling an autonomous vehicle, characterized in that, include: The detection box construction module is used to construct a detection box to the side of the target vehicle's direction of travel based on the target vehicle's position and orientation. The other vehicle identification module is used to identify other vehicles driving alongside the target vehicle by detecting the driving angle and speed of each vehicle within the detection frame. The speed limit data determination module is used to determine the speed limit speed and duration of the current speed limit for the target vehicle based on the relative position of the target vehicle and the other vehicles. The vehicle speed limit control module is used to control the speed of the target vehicle according to the speed limit and the duration.

9. A mobile electronic device terminal, characterized in that, include: One or more processors; A storage device for storing one or more programs, which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the method as described in any one of claims 1-7.

10. A computer-readable medium having a computer program stored thereon, characterized in that, When the program is executed by the processor, it implements the method as described in any one of claims 1-7.

11. A computer program product, comprising a computer program, characterized in that, When the computer program is executed by a processor, it implements the method as described in any one of claims 1-7.

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