Piloting mobile body

Abstract

The objective of this invention is to improve the practicality of a navigation mobile unit for electronically towing vehicles. A navigation mobile unit is provided for transporting vehicles to a designated transport location. The navigation mobile unit autonomously travels within a lane and can wirelessly control the transported vehicle to follow it. The transport location is located on the shoulder of the lane. The navigation mobile unit is configured to perform vehicle entry assistance processing, which assists the transported vehicle in entering the lane from the transport location. If this processing is performed with the aim of avoiding interference with another vehicle traveling in the lane when the transported vehicle enters the lane, the safety of the transported vehicle entering the lane can be ensured.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a navigation mobile body for electronically tractioning vehicles. Background Technology

[0002] Previously, for example, a remote control device disclosed in Patent Document 1 was known. This conventional remote control device was mounted on an autonomously moving lead vehicle and guided the vehicle, acting as a follower, to travel along the path moved by the lead vehicle via remote operation. In other words, the lead vehicle had the function of wirelessly manipulating the vehicle to make it follow it as a follower.

[0003] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent No. 7424535 Summary of the Invention

[0004] However, the remote control device mounted on the pilot vehicle, in addition to having the function of remotely controlling following vehicles to follow the pilot vehicle (i.e., electronic traction), also possesses other functions, thereby improving the practicality of the pilot vehicle. In view of this, the objective of the present invention is to provide a highly practical pilot vehicle.

[0005] To address the aforementioned issues, the present invention provides a guiding mobile unit for transporting vehicles to a designated transport location. This guiding mobile unit autonomously travels along a lane and can wirelessly control the transported vehicles to make them follow it.

[0006] The transport location is situated on the shoulder of the roadway.

[0007] The guiding mobile unit is configured to perform vehicle entry assistance processing, which is a process to assist the transported vehicle in entering the lane from the transport location.

[0008] Invention Effects

[0009] After the transport is completed, the vehicle is handed over to the driver, who then drives it. At this point, the transported vehicle departs from the transport site and enters the driveway. The guide vehicle enhances the ease of entry into this driveway by assisting with the guide vehicle's movement.

[0010] [Method of Invention]

[0011] The vehicle entry assistance process performed by the navigation mobile unit of the present invention can, for example, be performed to avoid interference with another vehicle traveling in the lane when the vehicle has been transported and is entering the lane. In this case, the navigation mobile unit only needs to detect the presence or absence of the other vehicle using its own sensors. When detecting the presence or absence of the other vehicle using its own sensors, the navigation mobile unit preferably moves to a location where the detection can be performed.

[0012] As a specific assistance method, the vehicle entry assistance process can be performed as follows: after the driver has actually driven the vehicle into the lane, the driver is informed of the time of entry into the lane. Alternatively, the vehicle entry assistance process can also be performed as follows: the vehicle is driven into the lane by the control of the navigation vehicle, and after entry, the driving of the vehicle is handed over to the driver. Attached Figure Description

[0013] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the electronic traction of a following vehicle based on the pilot mobile body according to this embodiment.

[0014] Figure 2 It is a three-dimensional diagram used to illustrate the navigator.

[0015] Figure 3 This is the main view used to illustrate the navigation movement.

[0016] Figure 4 This is a top view used to illustrate the pilot movement.

[0017] Figure 5 This is a side view used to illustrate the pilot movement.

[0018] Figure 6 This diagram illustrates the various devices mounted on the navigation mobile unit.

[0019] Figure 7 It is a block diagram used to illustrate the functional structure of a remote control device.

[0020] Figure 8 It is a block diagram used to illustrate the functional structure of the driving control device.

[0021] Figure 9 This diagram illustrates the vehicle entry assistance process.

[0022] Figure 10 This is another diagram used to illustrate vehicle entry assistance procedures.

[0023] Figure 11 This is a diagram showing the interior of a vehicle being electronically towed by a navigator.

[0024] Figure 12 This is a flowchart of the entry assistance process executed in the pilot vehicle. Detailed Implementation

[0025] Hereinafter, a navigation mobile body, as an embodiment of the present invention, will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Furthermore, in addition to the embodiments described below, the navigation mobile body of the present invention can be implemented in various ways with various modifications and improvements based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art.

[0026] [A] Structure of the Navigator

[0027] The navigation mobile unit 10 is configured to be capable of autonomous driving (autonomous movement), such as... Figure 1 As shown, a following vehicle 20 (a type of "following vehicle") that follows another vehicle in a manner that maintains a specific positional relationship is electronically towed to the destination via remote operation, i.e., through wireless communication. Here, the navigator 10 can be exemplified as a vehicle traveling on a road or an aerial vehicle such as a drone. In this embodiment, the case where the navigator 10 is a vehicle will be described.

[0028] For autonomous driving, the navigation mobile body 10 in this embodiment has the following features: Figure 2 , Figure 3 , Figure 4 , Figure 5 The diagram shows a pair of left and right drive wheels 11 and driven wheels 12. Each pair of drive wheels 11 is independently driven by a pair of left and right electric motors (not shown) powered by a battery (not shown) mounted on the vehicle body of the navigation vehicle 10. Therefore, the navigation vehicle 10 can rotate about its axis of rotation in the vertical direction by imparting a difference in rotational speed (a difference in driving force) to the left and right drive wheels 11. Thus, even without a separate steering device to turn the left and right drive wheels 11 about the steering axis, the navigation vehicle 10 can perform left and right turns, direction changes, and U-turns (including U-turns in place) while autonomously driving. Furthermore, in the following description, left and right turns, direction changes, and U-turns are sometimes collectively referred to as "left and right turns, etc."

[0029] Furthermore, in the navigation mobile unit 10, the autopilot control unit 116 of the remote control device 100 (described later) can be used for navigation. Figure 7 The regenerative control of the drive wheel 11 (more specifically, the electric motor for driving) generates regenerative braking force. Thus, the navigation vehicle 10 can stop by regenerative braking force.

[0030] Furthermore, each drive wheel 11 is equipped with a friction braking device (drum brake or disc brake, not shown in the diagram). Thus, in the parking state of the pilot vehicle 10, the friction braking device functions as a parking brake by generating braking force due to friction. Alternatively, as a friction braking device, an electric motor can be used to press the brake pads onto the drum or the disc, a so-called electric brake.

[0031] The driven wheel 12 is positioned further rearward than the drive wheel 11 in the longitudinal direction of the pilot vehicle 10. In this embodiment, the driven wheel 12 is configured as a free-type caster with a rotation axis extending vertically at approximately the center portion in the width direction (lateral direction) of the pilot vehicle 10. Therefore, when the pilot vehicle 10 is moving simultaneously, for example, due to the difference in rotational speed (driving force difference) of the drive wheel 11, the driven wheel 12 rotates freely about the rotation axis in the direction of travel as it turns left or right, thereby freely steer.

[0032] And, as Figure 6 As shown, the navigation mobile body 10 includes an autonomous driving detector 13, a position detector 14, and a vehicle detector 15 housed in the upper part 10U of the vehicle body. The autonomous driving detector 13 detects the relative positional relationship between the navigation mobile body 10 and objects such as obstacles (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "detection objects") existing in the direction of travel when the navigation mobile body 10 is autonomously driving; specifically, it detects the relative distance.

[0033] Therefore, in this embodiment, the autonomous driving detector 13 is configured to include a ranging device such as a Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) 13A and a camera 13B. The LiDAR 13A acquires three-dimensional point cloud data showing the three-dimensional position of the point cloud representing the detected object with high precision. The camera 13B can be, for example, a stereo camera, a monocular camera, or an RGBD camera (depth camera), and acquires image data indicating the presence direction or size of the detected object. Alternatively, instead of using the LiDAR 13A or the camera 13B, a Time-of-Flight (ToF) sensor can also be used, for example.

[0034] The autonomous driving detector 13 outputs the acquired data, namely 3D point cloud data or camera data, to the remote control device 100, which will be described later. Then, as described later, the remote control device 100 performs Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) simultaneously with the self-position estimation and environmental map creation for the autonomous driving of the navigation mobile body 10, using the acquired 3D point cloud data or camera data.

[0035] The position detector 14, for example, has a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver, and detects the position of the navigation mobile body 10 based on the received signal. In this embodiment, two position detectors 14 are arranged on each side of the upper part of the vehicle body 10U in the vehicle width direction, i.e., arranged as a left-right pair. Furthermore, regarding the number of position detectors 14, they can be arranged only on the upper part of the vehicle body 10U, or three or more can be arranged on the upper part of the vehicle body 10U.

[0036] Furthermore, the lead vehicle 10 is configured to include a vehicle detector 15 to detect the following vehicle 20. The vehicle detector 15 is a device for measuring various data used to estimate the relative position (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "relative position") of the following vehicle 20 relative to the lead vehicle 10. Here, the relative position includes the relative orientation and posture (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "relative posture") of the following vehicle 20 relative to the lead vehicle 10.

[0037] The vehicle detector 15 includes a LiDAR as a main component, which measures the three-dimensional point cloud data of the following vehicle 20, which is electronically towed by the lead vehicle 10. Here, in the remote control device 100 described later, for example, it is also possible to acquire only the relative position of the following vehicle 20 detected by the vehicle detector 15 (i.e., the LiDAR), and estimate the relative attitude or direction of travel of the following vehicle 20 by understanding the time-varying changes of the following vehicle 20 based on the intermittently acquired relative position.

[0038] Furthermore, the lead vehicle 10 is equipped with a remote control device 100 as a controller for remotely operating the following vehicle 20. The remote control device 100 performs drive control by remotely operating the following vehicle 20 in a manner that maintains a specific positional relationship with the lead vehicle 10.

[0039] [B] Structure and Basic Functions of Remote Control Devices

[0040] like Figure 7 As shown, the remote control device 100 includes a CPU 110, a storage device 120, an interface circuit 130, and a remote communication device 140. The CPU 110, storage device 120, and interface circuit 130 are connected bidirectionally via an internal bus. The remote communication device 140 communicates wirelessly with the following vehicle 20 via a network or the like.

[0041] To implement at least a portion of the functions provided in this embodiment, the CPU 110 executes a computer program stored in the storage device 120. Then, the CPU 110 executes the computer program, such as... Figure 7As shown, it functions as a remote control unit 111, a point cloud data acquisition unit 112, a positioning unit 113, a relative position estimation unit 114, a SLAM unit 115, an autonomous driving control unit 116, and a special control unit 117. However, some or all of these functions can also be implemented by hardware circuitry.

[0042] The remote control unit 111 generates control commands for remote control and transmits them wirelessly to the following vehicle 20, so that the following vehicle 20 maintains a specific positional relationship with the lead vehicle 10 and follows the lead vehicle 10, that is, so that the lead vehicle 10 appears to be pulling the following vehicle 20 with a rope. Here, the control commands transmitted by the remote control unit 111 of the remote control device 100 mounted on the lead vehicle 10 via wireless communication using the remote communication device 140, and the state in which the following vehicle 20 appears to be pulled with a rope, is called "electronic traction".

[0043] Additionally, the remote control unit 111 can generate control commands, for example, including driving force or braking force and rudder angle. Alternatively, the remote control unit 111 can also generate control commands including at least one of the position and orientation of the following vehicle 20 and the future driving route. Thus, the following vehicle 20, as described later, can follow the lead vehicle 10 by receiving control commands for remote control.

[0044] The point cloud data acquisition unit 112 acquires the three-dimensional point cloud data (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as "vehicle point cloud data VP") measured by the vehicle detector 15. The positioning unit 113 determines the starting position for matching the vehicle point cloud data VP based on the three-dimensional point cloud data surrounding the navigator 10 acquired by the LiDAR 13A of the autonomous driving detector 13. From the viewpoint of completing template matching as early as possible, the starting position for starting matching is preferably the position of the following vehicle 20 of the detection object in the three-dimensional point cloud data or a position next to the following vehicle 20.

[0045] Here, the vehicle point cloud data VP functions as a template point cloud for estimating at least one of the position and orientation (pose) of the following vehicle 20. The vehicle point cloud data VP can include information for determining the orientation (pose) of the following vehicle 20. Thus, the positioning unit 113 and the relative position estimation unit 114 can estimate the position and orientation (pose) of the following vehicle 20 in the surrounding three-dimensional point cloud data with high accuracy by using template matching of the vehicle point cloud data VP.

[0046] In this embodiment, the positioning unit 113 uses information related to the position of the following vehicle 20 in the 3D point cloud data (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as "position-related information") to determine the starting position for template matching. Here, the position-related information is data used to estimate the position of the following vehicle 20 in the 3D point cloud data and / or the position next to the following vehicle 20. In addition, in order to speed up the template matching process, the position-related information is preferably small-volume data or data obtained through simple processing, such as GNSS signals.

[0047] The relative position estimation unit 114 estimates the relative position of the following vehicle 20 relative to the lead vehicle 10 in the acquired 3D point cloud data. The relative position includes the relative orientation (posture), i.e., the relative posture. Here, the relative position can be based on the position and posture of the lead vehicle 10, for example, the relative distance between the following vehicle 20 and the lead vehicle 20 in the direction of travel, the deviation of the following vehicle 20's trajectory relative to the lead vehicle 10 in the vehicle width direction, and the relative turning posture (left and right turning posture) of the following vehicle 20 relative to the lead vehicle 10.

[0048] In this embodiment, the relative position estimation unit 114 estimates the relative position of the following vehicle 20 in the 3D point cloud data by performing template matching on the 3D point cloud data using vehicle point cloud data VP. Furthermore, regarding the template matching of the vehicle point cloud data VP performed by the positioning unit 113 and the relative position estimation unit 114 on the 3D point cloud data, known algorithms such as the Iterative Closest Point (ICP) algorithm or the Normal Distribution Transform (NDT) algorithm can be used.

[0049] The SLAM unit 115 performs SLAM using data (camera data or 3D point cloud data) detected by the autonomous driving detector 13, and generates a map for the navigation mobile body 10 to use during autonomous driving. The autopilot control unit 116 enables the navigation mobile body 10 to drive autonomously by controlling the operation of actuators 150, such as electric motors that drive the drive wheels 11 mounted on the navigation mobile body 10 or electric motors that drive friction braking devices. Specifically, the autopilot control unit 116 controls the operation of the actuators 150 and uses the map generated by the SLAM unit 115 to, for example, enable the navigation mobile body 10 to drive autonomously along the navigation vehicle route GR (an autonomous movement) to the set destination TP. In addition, when enabling the navigation mobile body 10 to drive autonomously, the autopilot control unit 116 detects the position of the navigation mobile body 10 based on the GNSS signal received by the position detector 14.

[0050] The special control unit 117 is a functional unit used to implement special functions in the navigation mobile body 10. Details regarding this special control unit 117 will be provided later.

[0051] Storage device 120 may include, for example, RAM, ROM, HDD, and SSD. Vehicle point cloud data VP, navigator route GR, destination TP, actuator drive record AC, and last matching position BM are stored in the read / write area of ​​storage device 120.

[0052] Here, the navigator route GR is the target route that can be determined for the navigator mobile unit 10 to travel. Furthermore, the destination TP is the destination that the navigator mobile unit 10 can arbitrarily set. Additionally, when the autonomous driving control unit 116 uses a map generated by the SLAM unit 115 based on data output from the autonomous driving detector 13 to enable the navigator mobile unit 10 to drive autonomously, the navigator route GR can be omitted. However, in this case, the autonomous driving control unit 116, for example, generates a travel route to the set destination TP and causes the navigator mobile unit 10 to travel along the generated travel route.

[0053] The actuator drive record AC is a record of the input and output values ​​of each actuator 220 of the following vehicle 20, as described later. The actuator drive record AC can also be described, for example, as a record of control command values ​​sent from the remote control device 100 to the following vehicle 20. Alternatively, the actuator drive record AC can be, for example, the measured values ​​of the following vehicle 20's speed, steering angle, braking force, and rotation angle detected by the detectors of the following vehicle 20. The last matching position BM is the coordinate value of the position where the template matching of the previously executed three-dimensional point cloud data and the vehicle point cloud data VP was completed by the relative position estimation unit 114 of the aforementioned remote control device 100.

[0054] [C] The structure of the following vehicle

[0055] The following vehicle 20 can include cars, trucks, buses, construction vehicles, two-wheeled vehicles, etc. In this embodiment, the following vehicle 20 is exemplified as a battery electric vehicle (BEV), which is a car. However, the vehicle is not limited to electric vehicles; for example, it could be a vehicle powered by an internal combustion engine, a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) powered by both an internal combustion engine and an electric motor, a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), or a vehicle equipped with a fuel cell and an electric motor (FCEV).

[0056] like Figure 1 As shown, the following vehicle 20 is equipped with a driving control device 200. (As indicated...) Figure 8As shown, the driving control device 200 includes an Electronic Control Unit (ECU) 210. The ECU 210 is a microcomputer with a CPU 211, a storage device 212, and an interface circuit 213 as its main components. Furthermore, the CPU 211, storage device 212, and interface circuit 213 are connected bidirectionally via an internal bus. An actuator 220 and a vehicle communication device 230 are connected to the interface circuit 213. The vehicle communication device 230 wirelessly communicates with the remote communication device 140 of the remote control device 100 mounted on the navigation vehicle 10 via a network or directly.

[0057] CPU 211 performs driving control of the following vehicle 20 by executing a computer program stored in the read / write area of ​​storage device 212. Here, driving control includes, for example, adjusting the acceleration or deceleration, speed, rudder angle, etc. of the following vehicle 20, that is, various controls for driving the actuators 220 that perform the functions of "driving", "turning", and "stopping" of the following vehicle 20.

[0058] In this embodiment, although not shown in the figures, the actuator 220 can be exemplified by an actuator including a driving electric motor that constitutes a drive device for accelerating or decelerating the following vehicle 20, an electric motor that constitutes a braking device for decelerating the following vehicle 20, and a steering motor (electric motor) that constitutes a steering device for changing the direction of travel of the following vehicle 20. Furthermore, the actuator 220 is driven by electricity supplied from a battery (not shown) mounted on the following vehicle 20.

[0059] When a driver is riding in the following vehicle 20, the CPU 211 controls the operation of the actuator 220 according to the driver's operation, enabling the following vehicle 20 to move. Regardless of whether a driver is riding in the following vehicle 20, the CPU 211 controls the operation of the actuator 220 according to the control commands sent from the remote control device 100 mounted on the lead vehicle 10, enabling the following vehicle 20 to follow and drive in a manner that maintains a specific positional relationship with the lead vehicle 10.

[0060] [D] Remote operation based on the navigation mobile body

[0061] Next, the remote operation of the following vehicle 20 based on the lead vehicle 10 will be described. The remote control device 100 mounted on the lead vehicle 10 acquires specification information in advance of the electronically towed following vehicle 20, such as vehicle length, width, minimum turning radius, wheelbase, acceleration performance, braking performance, and other information related to the following vehicle 20's "driving," "turning," and "stopping." Then, the remote control device 100, for example, autonomously drives according to the lead vehicle route GR stored in the storage device 120 while electronically towing the following vehicle 20, which has acquired the specification information. That is, the remote control device 100 causes the following vehicle 20 to follow as if the lead vehicle 10 were towing the following vehicle 20 with a rope.

[0062] Therefore, the remote control device 100 causes the following vehicle 20 to follow the lead vehicle 10 in a manner that maintains a specific positional relationship between the lead vehicle 10 and the guide vehicle 10. Specifically, the following vehicle 20 follows the guide vehicle 10 along its track while maintaining a specific distance from the guide vehicle 10. Here, for example, we assume that the guide vehicle 10 is turning left at an intersection, and we will specifically explain electronic traction. Incidentally, when the guide vehicle 10 is going straight, the following vehicle 20 maintains a specific distance and goes straight.

[0063] When making a left turn at an intersection, the remote control unit 111 of the remote control device 100 predicts the future driving state (including speed or trajectory) of the following vehicle 20 based on the relative position (including relative posture) estimated by the relative position estimation unit 114. Then, the remote control unit 111 remotely operates the following vehicle 20 in a manner that eliminates the difference between the current driving state (including speed or trajectory) of the leading vehicle 10 and the predicted driving state of the following vehicle 20, that is, in a manner that the following vehicle 20 maintains a specific distance (for example, the distance along its turning trajectory in the case of a left turn or other U-turn) and follows the driving trajectory of the leading vehicle 10.

[0064] Therefore, the remote control unit 111 determines the acceleration (or deceleration) of the following vehicle 20 based on the distance between the leading mobile unit 10 and the following vehicle 20. Furthermore, the remote control unit 111 determines the steering angle (or steering amount) of the following vehicle 20 based on the driving trajectory of the leading mobile unit 10, and more specifically, based on the turning trajectory of the leading mobile unit 10. Then, the remote control device 100 sends speed-related information representing the determined acceleration (or deceleration) and steering-related information representing the determined steering angle (or steering amount) as control commands to the vehicle communication device 230 of the following vehicle 20 via the remote communication device 140.

[0065] In the following vehicle 20, the driving control device 200 drives the following vehicle 20 according to control commands, namely speed-related information and steering-related information, sent from the remote control device 100 of the leading vehicle 10. Specifically, the CPU 211 of the ECU 210 obtains speed-related information and steering-related information via the vehicle communication device 230.

[0066] Then, based on speed-related information, the CPU 211 supplies power to the driving electric motor constituting the actuator 220 to generate driving force when the following vehicle 20 accelerates, and cuts off the power supply to the driving electric motor to perform regenerative braking when the following vehicle 20 decelerates. Furthermore, based on steering-related information, the CPU 211 supplies power to the steering motor constituting the actuator 220 to generate a motor rotation angle corresponding to the steering angle (steering amount) when the following vehicle 20 turns left at the intersection. Thus, the following vehicle 20 turns left at the intersection while maintaining a specific positional relationship with the leading vehicle 10 turning left at the intersection.

[0067] As can be understood from the above description, according to the present embodiment, the remote control device 100, which is the controller, enables the navigation mobile body 10 to drive autonomously and remotely operates the following vehicle 20 in such a way that the following vehicle 20 follows the navigation mobile body 10. In other words, it is as if the following vehicle 20 is being pulled by an actual rope so that the following vehicle 20 and the navigation mobile body 10 maintain a specific positional relationship.

[0068] [E] Vehicle Entry Assist Processing

[0069] The navigation mobile unit 10 of this embodiment (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as "this navigation mobile unit 10") is used to transport vehicles to a designated transport location. Specifically, the navigation mobile unit 10 autonomously travels in a lane and wirelessly manipulates and transports the transported vehicle so that it follows the following vehicle 20. In addition to this function, the navigation mobile unit 10 also has a vehicle entry assistance function, which assists the driver's vehicle in entering the transported lane from the transport location after the vehicle has been transported. The processing used to implement this function is a vehicle entry assistance process, which is executed by the special control unit 117 described above. Incidentally, this assistance is performed, for example, to avoid interference with other vehicles traveling in the lane when the driver's vehicle enters the lane.

[0070] Furthermore, the vehicle entry assistance process is performed in either of two ways. One way is to inform the driver of the moment of entry into the lane when the vehicle has been actually driven into the lane by the driver; the other way is to guide the vehicle into the lane by maneuvering the navigation mobile body 10, and then hand over the driving of the vehicle to the driver after entry. The former is referred to as the entry moment notification process, and the latter as the automatic entry process. The above is an overview of the vehicle entry assistance process; the process will now be described in detail.

[0071] First, in the description, such as Figure 9 , Figure 10 As shown, assuming there is only one road with a lane 40 of width that allows two vehicles to pass each other in a left-hand traffic manner, the transport location 50 is set on the shoulder, that is, parallel to lane 40 to the left of lane 40 in the direction of vehicle travel. Figure 9 As shown in (a), the lead vehicle 10 electronically tractions the following vehicle 20, and together with the following vehicle 20, enters the transport area 50. Then, as... Figure 9 (b) shows the vehicle parked at the transport site 50. At the transport site 50, the driver 60 rides in a vehicle that is towed as a follow-up vehicle 20 (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as "the transported vehicle 20").

[0072] like Figure 10 As shown in (a), the navigation vehicle 10 moves to the front end of the transport area 50 and changes its orientation there. Specifically, the navigation vehicle 10 changes its orientation in a manner that allows it to identify the conditions ahead and behind the lane 40 using its own autonomous driving detector 13, which has a wide detection range; that is, it identifies the presence of other vehicles 30, such as following vehicles and oncoming vehicles, traveling in the lane 40. Then, as... Figure 10 As shown in (b), when the lead vehicle 10 determines that there is no interference with other vehicles 30, that is, there are no other vehicles 30 that may interfere on the lane 40, the transported vehicle 20' enters the lane 40.

[0073] If the reference indicates that the vehicle's compartment 20' has been moved... Figure 11 To explain, the driver 60, riding in the transported vehicle 20', turns on the ignition switch (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as "IG") 70 of the vehicle 20' and operates the mode selection switch 72 to select either the aforementioned entry time notification process or the automatic entry process. Incidentally, the navigation mobile unit 10 receives the operation information from IG 70 and the mode selection switch 72 wirelessly. Alternatively, either preset process can be performed regardless of the driver 60's selection.

[0074] In the entry time notification mode, which involves processing entry time notification, the navigation mobile unit 10 first generally allows driving operations by the driver 60 after the vehicle 20' has been moved, but applies the brakes to prevent the vehicle 20' from starting. Then, when the navigation mobile unit 10 determines that another vehicle 30 that may interfere is not traveling in lane 40, it releases the brakes and remotely operates the vehicle 20' to notify the vehicle 20' to start from the in-vehicle equipment. Specifically, for example, the driver 60 is prompted to perform driving operations for starting by displaying characters such as "Please start" on the head-up display 74, the in-vehicle navigation display 76, or by emitting a "Please start" sound from the speaker 78.

[0075] In the automatic entry mode, which performs automatic entry processing, firstly, driving operations by the driver 60 who has completed transporting the vehicle 20' are prohibited. Then, if other vehicles 30 that are deemed potentially interfering are not traveling in lane 40, the transported vehicle 20' is remotely started and driven into lane 40. While the vehicle 20' is traveling in lane 40 on its own, the navigation mobile unit 10 transfers the driving operation of the vehicle 20' to the driver 60. Specifically, the driving operation of the vehicle 20' is handed over to the driver 60 by displaying characters such as "Please start driving operation" on the head-up display 74, the in-vehicle navigation display 76, or by emitting a sound of "Please start driving operation" from the speaker 78.

[0076] The vehicle entry assistance process described above is executed by the special control unit 117. Figure 12 The entry assistance procedure shown is executed. The following is a brief explanation of the processing flow according to this procedure.

[0077] The procedure begins when the electronic traction of the following vehicle 20 ends, that is, when the following vehicle 20 is moved to the designated transport location 50. In the processing according to this procedure, firstly, in step 1 (hereinafter referred to as "S1," and the other steps are the same), the navigator 10 moves to the front end of the transport location 50. In S2, it changes direction and visually identifies the condition of lane 40, that is, the passage of other vehicles 30 in lane 40. This front end is a location where the presence or absence of other vehicles 30 can be well detected; therefore, the navigator 10 moves to this location and visually identifies the passage of other vehicles 30.

[0078] In the subsequent S3, it is determined whether IG70 is in the ON state. If IG70 is in the ON state, in S4, it is determined whether the automatic entry mode is set through the mode selection switch 72.

[0079] If the automatic entry mode is not set, that is, if the entry time notification mode is set, in S5, the driver 60 is allowed to complete the driving operation of the vehicle 20' after the transfer is completed, and the vehicle 20' is braked. Next, in S6, it is determined whether there is another vehicle 30 in the lane 40 that may interfere with the start of the vehicle 20'. If there is no such other vehicle 30, in S7, the brake is released, and in S8, the vehicle 20' is notified of the start instruction.

[0080] On the other hand, when set to automatic entry mode, in S9, driving operations of the transported vehicle 20' performed by the driver 60 are prohibited. Next, in S10, it is determined whether there are other vehicles 30 that may interfere with the vehicle 20' entering the lane 40. If there are no such other vehicles 30, in S11, the vehicle 20' is started remotely. In S12, it is determined whether the vehicle 20' is traveling in the lane 40 by passing the location of the guiding mobile body 10. If the vehicle 20' has already passed, in S13, the driving operation of the vehicle 20' is transferred to the driver 60.

[0081] Based on the processing according to the procedure, the special control unit 117 sends signals and information to the remote control unit 111 and the automatic driving control unit 116, and the remote control unit 111 and the automatic driving control unit 116 respectively control the navigation mobile body 10 and the transported vehicle 20'.

[0082] The vehicle entry assistance process described above enables the transported vehicle 20' to safely start from the transport site 50. In other words, the transported vehicle 20' safely merges into lane 40.

[0083] Symbol Explanation

[0084] 10-Navigation vehicle, 20-Following vehicle, 20'-Transported vehicle, 30-Other vehicles, 40-Lane, 50-Transportation location, 60-Driver, 70-Ignition switch (IG), 72-Mode selection switch, 74-Head-up display, 76-In-vehicle navigation display, 78-Speaker, 100-Remote control device.

Claims

1. A navigation mobile unit, characterized in that, Used to transport vehicles to a designated transport location, the guiding mobile unit autonomously travels on a lane and can wirelessly control the transported vehicles to make them follow it. The transport location is situated on the shoulder of the roadway. The guiding mobile unit is configured to perform vehicle entry assistance processing, which is a process to assist the transported vehicle in entering the lane from the transport location.

2. The navigation mobile unit according to claim 1, characterized in that, The vehicle entry assistance process is a process used to avoid interfering with another vehicle when the vehicle's own sensors detect another vehicle traveling in the lane.

3. The navigation mobile unit according to claim 2, characterized in that, The navigation mobile body is configured to move itself to a position where it can detect the other vehicle via the sensor in order to perform the vehicle entry assistance process.

4. The navigation mobile unit according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The vehicle entry assistance process is performed as follows: when the vehicle being transported is actually driven by the driver into the lane, the driver is informed of the time of entry into the lane.

5. The navigation mobile unit according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The vehicle entry assistance process is performed as follows: the transported vehicle is driven into the lane by the operation of the navigator, and the driving of the vehicle is handed over to the driver after entry.

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