Vehicle control device and vehicle control method

Abstract

A vehicle control device (10) comprises: a control unit (3) configured to control an actuator (4) and generate status information representing the state of the actuator (4), wherein the actuator (4) operates a vehicle based on requests from a plurality of application execution units (5) configured to control the movement of the vehicle; a request arbitration unit (1) configured to receive request signals from application execution units (5) and to arbitrate the requests of the application execution units (5) based on the received request signals; and a request generation unit (2) configured to generate a drive request signal for the control unit (3) based on an arbitration result of the request arbitration unit (1), wherein: the request arbitration unit (1) includes a status information receiver (12) configured to receive status information from the control unit (3), and a status information output unit (13) configured to output the status information received from the status information receiver (12) to the application execution units (5); and the control unit (3) contains a detection unit (19) configured to detect whether the request arbitration unit (1) behaves abnormally, a first transmission unit (21) configured to transmit the status information to the request arbitration unit (1), and a second transmission unit (22) configured to transmit the status information to the application execution units (5) such that the status information does not pass through the request arbitration unit (1) when the detection unit (19) detects that the request arbitration unit (1) is behaving abnormally.

Description

Background of the invention 1. Technical field of the invention

[0001] The invention relates to a vehicle control device and a vehicle control method that controls the movement of the vehicle. 2. Description of the closest prior art

[0002] JP 2012-096619 A describes a vehicle lateral movement control system that controls the lateral movement of the vehicle by driving actuators mounted in a front- and rear-wheel steering system and a braking system, respectively. In the system described in JP 2012-096619 A, an availability representing a controllable range of each actuator is detected, an F / F request value for feedforward control of each actuator and an F / B request value for feedback control of each actuator are calculated using the detected availability, and a mechanism serving as a control target and a control amount ultimately generated in the mechanism are decided based on the calculated F / F and F / B request values. Summary of the invention

[0003] In recent years, the increase in driver assistance functions installed in vehicles has made it more difficult for actuators to process requests from a multitude of applications. Accordingly, a system configuration is provided in the vehicle in which an arbitration function unit is configured to, on the one hand, forward the transmission and receive signals between a multitude of applications and actuators, and, on the other hand, to arbitrate the requests from a vehicle's applications. It is assumed that a status of each actuator is returned to each application by the arbitration function unit.

[0004] However, the system configuration does not allow the status of each actuator to be reported back to the application when an error occurs in the arbitration functional unit.

[0005] For this reason, the invention provides a vehicle control device and a vehicle control method capable of reliably reporting a status of an actuator to the application execution units implementing driver assistance functions.

[0006] A first aspect of the invention relates to a vehicle control device. The vehicle control device comprises a control unit, a request arbitration unit, and a request generation unit. The control unit is configured to control an actuator and generate status information indicating the status of the actuator. The actuator is configured to operate a vehicle based on requests from a plurality of application execution units configured to control the movement of the vehicle. The request arbitration unit is configured to receive drive request signals from the application execution units and to arbitrate the requests from the application execution units based on the received request signals.The request generation unit is configured to generate a drive request signal for the control unit based on an arbitration result of the request arbitration unit. The request arbitration unit includes a status information receiver and a status information output unit. The status information receiver is configured to receive status information from the control unit. The status information output unit is configured to output the status information received from the status information receiver. The control unit includes a detection unit and a first and second transmission unit. The detection unit is configured to detect whether the request arbitration unit is behaving abnormally.The first transmission unit is configured to transmit the status information to the request arbitration unit, and the second transmission unit is configured to transmit the status information to the application execution units such that the status information does not pass through the request arbitration unit when the detection unit detects that the request arbitration unit is behaving abnormally.

[0007] According to the first aspect of the invention, it is possible to reliably report the status information of the actuator back to the application execution units regardless of an operation status of the request arbitration unit.

[0008] According to the first aspect, the second transmission unit may transmit the status information in the vehicle control device to the application execution units so that the status information does not pass through the request arbitration unit.

[0009] According to the first aspect of the invention, it is possible to immediately report the status information of the actuator back to the application execution units and to suppress a signal delay when the specific failure mode occurs in the actuator.

[0010] In the vehicle control device according to the first aspect, when the control unit determines that the actuator is not in a certain failure mode, the first transmission unit may transmit the status information to the request arbitration unit.

[0011] A second aspect of the invention relates to a vehicle control method. The vehicle control method comprises controlling an actuator and generating status information indicating a status of the actuator. The actuator is configured to operate a vehicle based on requests from a plurality of application execution units configured to control the movement of the vehicle.The vehicle control method comprises, on the one hand, detecting whether a request arbitration unit is behaving abnormally, wherein the request arbitration unit is configured to receive request signals from the application execution units and to arbitrate requests from the application execution units based on the received request signals, if it has been detected that the request arbitration unit is behaving abnormally, and, on the other hand, transmitting the status information showing the status of the actuator to the application execution units so that the status information does not pass through the request arbitration unit, or, if it has been detected that the request arbitration unit is not behaving abnormally, transmitting the status information representing the status of the actuator to the request arbitration unit.

[0012] According to aspects of the invention, it is possible to provide a vehicle control device and a vehicle control method capable of reliably reporting a status of an actuator to application execution units that implement driver assistance functions. Short description of the characters

[0013] Features, advantages and technical and industrial significance of embodiments of the invention are described below with reference to the accompanying figures in which numbers indicate elements: Fig. 1 shows a functional block diagram of a vehicle control device according to an embodiment; Fig. Figure 2 shows a functional block diagram of a request arbitration unit used in Fig. 1 is shown; Fig. Figure 3 shows a functional block diagram of a control unit used in Fig. 1 is shown; and Fig. Figure 4 shows a flowchart showing the control process performed by the Fig. 1 shown control unit. Detailed description of the implementation examples

[0014] According to a first aspect of the invention, the vehicle control device comprises the request arbitration unit configured to arbitrate requests from the application execution units between the application execution units configured to implement driver assistance functions and the control unit configured to control the actuator. The control unit configured to control the actuator returns information about the status of the actuator to the application execution units through the request arbitration unit when the request arbitration unit is behaving normally, and returns the information about the status of the actuator directly to the application execution units when the request arbitration unit is behaving abnormally.Accordingly, it is possible to reliably report the status of the actuator to application execution units that implement driver assistance functions, regardless of the operating status of the request arbitration unit. Example configuration

[0015] Fig. 1 shows a functional block diagram of a vehicle control device according to the embodiment. In Fig. 1, solid arrows show transmission paths of request signals from a plurality of application execution units 5 to actuators 4, and broken arrows show feedback paths from the actuators 4 to the application execution units 5.

[0016] A vehicle control device 10 is a device that controls the actuators 4 in the vehicle based on requests from the application execution units 5. The application execution units 5 are devices that execute applications for implementing driver assistance functions of the vehicle, such as autonomous driving, automatic parking, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, and collision avoidance braking. These applications are typically implemented by electronic control units (ECUs). Application execution units 5 can execute applications simultaneously according to the driver assistance functions to be used. Although in Fig. 1 shows three application execution units 5 for simplifying the description, the number of application execution units 5 that realize driver assistance functions is not limited, and two or fewer or four or more application execution units 5 may be mounted in the vehicle. The application execution units 5 output request signals for operating the actuators 4 to the request arbitration unit 1 as described below. The actuators 4 are drive mechanisms for operating a powertrain (referred to as a powertrain), a braking device, a steering device, and the like, and are controlled by control units 3 as described below.

[0017] The vehicle control device 10 includes the request arbitration unit 1, the request generation units 2 and the control units 3.

[0018] The request arbitration unit 1 receives the request signals output from the application execution units 5 and selects a request signal from the received request signals based on predetermined criteria, thereby arbitrating the requests of the application execution units 5.

[0019] Each request generation unit 2 generates drive requests for the actuators 4 based on an arbitration result of the request arbitration unit 1, that is, the request signal is selected by the request arbitration unit 1 and the generated drive requests are output to the control unit 3.

[0020] Each control unit 3 is an ECU that controls the actuators 4. Although in the example in Fig. 1 a control unit 3 controls one or two actuators 4, the number of actuators to be controlled by the control unit 3 can be three or more.

[0021] The request arbitration unit 1, the request generation units 2, the control units 3, the actuators 4 and the application execution units 5 are interconnected to communicate through a communication network, and how Fig. As shown in Figure 1, the feedback path of a signal from the actuator 4 to the application execution unit 5 is provided as a first feedback path, along which a signal is transmitted to the application execution unit 5 using the request arbitration unit 1, and a second feedback path, along which a signal is transmitted directly to the application execution unit 5 without using the request arbitration unit 1. Details of the two feedback paths are described below. A communication network that connects the actuators 4 to the application execution units 5 through the request arbitration unit 1 and a communication network that connects the actuators 4 directly to the application execution units 5 can be configured the same or different.

[0022] Although the vehicle control device 10 in the example, the Fig. 1 shows, comprises three request generation units 2 and three control units 3, the number of request generation units 2 and control units 3 is not limited thereto.

[0023] The detailed configurations of the request arbitration unit 1 and the control unit 3 are described below with reference to Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 described.

[0024] Fig. Figure 2 shows a functional block diagram of the request arbitration unit used in Fig. 1 is shown.

[0025] The request arbitration unit 1 comprises an arbitration processing unit 11, a status information receiver 12 and a status information output unit 13.

[0026] The arbitration processing unit 11 receives request signals from the application execution units 5 and executes arbitration processing, that is, processing in which a request signal is selected from the set of received request signals.

[0027] The status information receiver 12 receives status information from the control unit 3, which represents the status of the actuator 4. The status information is information about whether the actuator 4 is behaving normally or whether a fault has occurred, and it is obtained or generated by the control unit 3 that controls the actuator 4. When a fault occurs in the actuator 4, the status information includes information indicating a fault mode of the actuator 4, that is, a fault state into which the actuator 4 is placed. When the status information includes the fault mode of the actuator 4, the application execution unit 5 that receives the status information can distinguish between a drive request that can give an instruction to the actuator 4 in the fault mode and a drive request that cannot give an instruction to the actuator 4 in the fault mode.

[0028] The status information output unit 13 outputs status information received from the status information receiver 12 to the application execution units 5, thereby executing feedback of the status of the actuator 4.

[0029] Fig. Figure 3 shows a functional block diagram of a control unit used in Fig. 1 is shown.

[0030] Each of the control units 3 comprises a detection unit 19, a status detection unit 20, a first transmission unit 21 and a second transmission unit 22.

[0031] The detection unit 19 detects whether the request arbitration unit 1 is behaving abnormally. A determination method of the detection unit 19 regarding an abnormality in the request arbitration unit 1 is not specifically limited. For example, an abnormality may be determined when information indicating that the request arbitration unit 1 is behaving abnormally is received from the request arbitration unit 1, or an abnormality may be determined when the request signal or response signal from the request arbitration unit 1 cannot be detected for a certain time, or when the drive request from the request generation unit 2 is abnormal.

[0032] The status acquisition unit 20 acquires the status of the actuator 4 and generates status information representing the status of the actuator 4. For example, the status acquisition unit 20 determines whether the status of the actuator 4 is normal based on a response signal output from the actuator 4 in response to a request signal output to the actuator 4 or an output from the actuator 4 or a sensor near the actuator 4. If it is determined that a failure has occurred in the actuator 4, the failure status (failure mode) is more accurately determined. The status acquisition unit 20 generates status information including a determination result of the status of the actuator 4 and the specific failure mode.

[0033] The first transmission unit 21 transmits the status information generated by the status acquisition unit 20 to the request arbitration unit 1. The status information transmitted to the request arbitration unit 1 from the first transmission unit 21 is output to the application execution unit 5 by the status information output unit 13 of the request arbitration unit 1. A path along which the status information is transmitted from the first transmission unit 21 to the application execution unit 5 by means of the request arbitration unit 1 corresponds to the first feedback path described above.

[0034] When the detection unit 19 determines that the request arbitration unit 1 is behaving abnormally, or it is determined that the actuator 4 is in a specific failure mode, the second transmission unit 22 transmits the status information generated by the status detection unit 20 to the application execution unit 5, so that the status information does not pass through the request arbitration unit 1. The specific failure mode of the actuator 4 refers to a state in which a failure occurs to such an extent that it is necessary for the vehicle to quickly transition to a safe state. A path along which the status information is transmitted from the first transmission unit 21 to the application execution unit 5 without using the request arbitration unit 1 corresponds to the second feedback path described above. Control processing

[0035] Fig. Figure 4 shows a flowchart showing the control process performed by the Fig. 1 shown control unit. The control processing in Fig. 4 is started when a start switch of the vehicle is activated and is executed repeatedly until the vehicle is no longer operated.

[0036] Step 1: The detection unit 19 determines whether the request arbitration unit 1 is behaving abnormally. If the determination in step 1 is YES, process step 4 follows; otherwise, process step 2 follows.

[0037] Step 2: The status detection unit 20 determines whether an error has occurred in actuator 4. If the determination in step 2 is YES, process step 3 follows; otherwise, process step 5 follows.

[0038] Step 3: The status detection unit 20 determines whether the actuator 4 is in the specific failure mode. If the determination in step 3 is YES, process step 4 follows; otherwise, process step 5 follows.

[0039] Step 4: The second transmission unit 22 transmits the status information of the actuator 4 directly to the application execution unit 5. This is followed by process step 1.

[0040] Step 5: The first transmission unit 21 transmits the status information of the actuator 4 to the request arbitration unit 1. This is followed by process step 1. When the status information receiver 12 receives the status information transmitted by the first transmission unit 21, the request arbitration unit 1 outputs the status information received from the status information output unit 13 to the application execution unit 5. Effects and similar:

[0041] According to the first aspect of the invention, in the vehicle control device 10, the request arbitration unit 1 is provided between the application execution units 5, which operate the actuators 4 to implement the driver assistance functions, and the control units 3 of the actuators 4. The request arbitration unit 1 functions to relay the transmission and receive the signals between the application execution units 5 and the control units 3, and to arbitrate the requests of the application execution units 5. The request arbitration unit 1 is provided so that even when the number of application execution units 5 implementing driver assistance functions increases, it is possible to limit the control interference of the actuators 4 and suppress problems in the signal paths of the application execution units 5 and the actuators 4.

[0042] It should be noted that in a configuration where the transmission and reception of all signals between the application execution units 5 and the actuators 4 are performed via the request arbitration unit 1, when an abnormality such as a failure occurs in the request arbitration unit 1, it is not possible to report the status information of the actuator 4 back to the application execution unit 5, and controllability may also be deteriorated. When a failure of such magnitude occurs in the actuator 4 that it is necessary for the vehicle to quickly transition to a safe state, it is recommended to transmit the status information of the actuator 4 to the application execution unit 5 without delay so that the vehicle can be quickly controlled to a safe state.Although it is assumed that the status information of the actuator 4 is always transmitted directly to the application execution unit 5, in this case an increase in the communication infrastructure is caused by signals from the many actuators 4 installed in the vehicle.

[0043] According to the first aspect of the invention, in the vehicle control device 10, in the normal state, the status information of the actuator 4 is transmitted from the first transmission unit 21 to the application execution unit 5 via the request arbitration unit 1. However, when it is determined that the request arbitration unit 1 is behaving abnormally or when it is determined that the actuator 4 is in the specific failure mode, the second transmission unit 22 directly transmits the status information of the actuator 4 to the application execution unit 5, so that the status information does not pass through the request arbitration unit 1. According to the first aspect of the invention, even if an abnormality occurs in the request arbitration unit 1, it is possible to reliably return the status information of the actuator 4 to the application execution unit 5.If the actuator 4 enters a failure mode of such magnitude that it is necessary to quickly transition to a safe state, the status information of the actuator 4 is transmitted directly to the application execution unit 5, so that the status information does not pass through the request arbitration unit 1, thereby avoiding signal delay. Since the feedback of the status information of the actuator 4 directly to the application execution unit 5 only occurs under a specific condition, it is possible to minimize the increase in communication infrastructure. Other examples:

[0044] In the first aspect, even though the actuator 4 is detected to be in the specific failure mode, the second transmission unit 22 directly returns the status information to the application execution unit 5 when the request arbitration unit 1 does not behave abnormally. According to the normal state, the first transmission unit 21 may return the status information to the application execution unit 5 via the request arbitration unit 1. It should be noted that, according to the first aspect, even when the actuator 4 is detected to be in the specific failure mode, it is recommended that the second transmission unit 22 directly returns the status information to the application execution unit 5, thereby making it possible to further suppress the delay in transmitting the status information.

[0045] The invention can be used as a vehicle control device that controls a vehicle equipped with a driver assistance function.

Claims

[1] A vehicle control device (10) comprises: a control unit (3) configured to control an actuator (4) and generate status information representing the state of the actuator (4), wherein the actuator (4) operates a vehicle based on requests from a plurality of application execution units (5) configured to control the movement of the vehicle; a request arbitration unit (1) configured to receive request signals from application execution units (5) and to arbitrate the requests of the application execution units (5) based on the received request signals; and a request generation unit (2) configured to generate a drive request signal for the control unit (3) based on an arbitration result of the request arbitration unit (1), wherein: the request arbitration unit (1) includes a status information receiver (12) configured to receive status information from the control unit (3), and a status information output unit (13) configured to output the status information received from the status information receiver (12) to the application execution units (5); and the control unit (3) contains a detection unit (19) configured to detect whether the request arbitration unit (1) behaves abnormally, a first transmission unit (21) configured to transmit the status information to the request arbitration unit (1), and a second transmission unit (22) configured to transmit the status information to the application execution units (5) such that the status information does not pass through the request arbitration unit (1) when the detection unit (19) detects that the request arbitration unit (1) is behaving abnormally. [2] The vehicle control device (10) according to claim 1, wherein the second transmission unit (22) transmits the status information to the application execution units (5) so that the status information does not pass through the request arbitration unit (1) when the control unit (3) determines that the actuator (4) is in a specific failure mode. [3] The vehicle control device (10) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first transmission unit (21) transmits the status information to the request arbitration unit (1) when the control unit (3) determines that the actuator (4) is not in a specific failure mode. [4] A vehicle control method includes: Controlling an actuator (4) and generating status information representing a state of the actuator (4), wherein the actuator 4 operates a vehicle based on requests from a plurality of application execution units (5) configured to control the movement of the vehicle; Detecting whether a request arbitration unit (1) is behaving abnormally, wherein the request arbitration unit (1) is configured to arbitrate request signals from the application execution units (5) based on the received request signals; if it is detected that the request arbitration unit (1) is behaving abnormally, the status information representing the state of the actuator (4) is transmitted to the application execution units (5) so that the status information does not pass through the request arbitration unit (1); and If it is detected that the request arbitration unit (1) is not behaving abnormally, the status information representing the state of the actuator (4) is transmitted to the request arbitration unit (1).

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