A ROAD DRIVER ASSISTANCE SYSTEM AND PROCEDURES FOR IT

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a driving assistance system for a road, comprising a plurality of communication units along the road, each communication unit being adapted to transmit traffic data to vehicles on the road in a respective communication zone.

[0002] The present invention further relates to an associated assistance method.

[0003] US document 6,411,889 B1 describes a system comprising a plurality of track terminals.

[0004] Each terminal has a limited range, so it can only communicate with a small number of vehicles. Therefore, each terminal is designed to communicate with the nearest vehicle(s).

[0005] However, such a system is not suitable for providing driving assistance for a road because each terminal only communicates with a very limited number of vehicles, the range not being sufficient.

[0006] US Patent 2019 / 392712 A1 describes a method for an automated heavy vehicle operation and control system that facilitates the operation and control of heavy vehicles for connected automated highway systems. The heavy vehicle management system provides the heavy vehicles with customized information and real-time vehicle control instructions to perform driving tasks such as car tracking, lane changes, and route guidance.

[0007] One object of the invention is therefore to provide a driving assistance system for a road.

[0008] To this end, the invention relates to a system of the aforementioned type, in which the communication units are arranged along the road so that the set of communication units presents a continuous coverage including the whole of the road, the traffic data of each communication unit being specific to said communication unit, the traffic data including and / or being at least partially deduced from traffic information detected on the road.

[0009] The continuous coverage of all communication units makes it possible to communicate with all vehicles on the road and thus to provide driver assistance across the entire road.

[0010] The system may also exhibit one or more of the following characteristics, considered individually or in all technically possible combinations: The communication units are placed along the road at regular intervals; the system is adapted to personalize the data transmitted by the communication units, notably according to the available bandwidth of the driver assistance system; each communication unit is adapted to transmit data with a period corresponding to a given unique time interval, the given unique time interval being common to the communication units; each communication unit is adapted to transmit data with a time offset relative to each of the adjacent communication units; each communication unit is adapted to transmit to a vehicle within the communication zone of said communication unit traffic data relating to said communication zone; the traffic data transmitted by each communication unit includes the position,the speed and acceleration of all vehicles in the communication area of ​​said communication unit and the respective communication area of ​​at least one adjacent communication unit, more particularly the adjacent communication units of said communication unit, each communication unit is adapted to transmit to a vehicle in the communication area of ​​said communication unit traffic data relating to a horizon area, the horizon area comprising, here being made up of, the communication area of ​​said communication unit and the communication area of ​​the preceding communication unit of said communication unit with respect to a direction of travel and / or the communication areas of the at least six following communication units of said communication unit with respect to the direction of travel,Each communication unit is adapted so that the traffic data transmitted to a vehicle within the communication area of ​​said communication unit includes general information about the communication areas of the horizon zone outside of the communication units adjacent to said communication unit. The system includes road traffic information detection units. The driver assistance system is adapted so that each communication unit receives respective data, the respective data being and / or being inferred from the traffic information detected by the detection units. The communication units are also adapted to communicate with a vehicle via a wireless connection, of the V2X type.

[0011] The invention further relates to a method of road driving assistance, comprising the provision of a driving assistance system of the preceding type, in which each communication unit has a range, each location on the road being within the range of at least one communication unit, each communication unit transmitting traffic data to any compatible vehicle within its range.

[0012] Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of embodiments of the invention, given by way of example only and with reference to the drawings in which: [ Fig 1 ] there figure 1 is a schematic top view of a road equipped with a system according to one embodiment of the invention, and [ Fig 2 ] there figure 2 is a schematic representation of an example of a system according to one embodiment of the invention.

[0013] A section of road 10 equipped with a driver assistance system 12 according to an embodiment of the invention is schematically represented on the figure 1 The said figure 1 only shows a portion of the road, and therefore of the installation, which is repeated along Route 10.

[0014] Route 10 extends in one direction X, the direction having two directions X1, X2.

[0015] The two directions X1, X2 correspond to the two directions of traffic in the case of a two-way road or to the direction of traffic and the opposite direction in the case of a one-way road.

[0016] The unit(s) adjacent to a given unit are understood to be the unit(s) framing the given unit along the direction of road X.

[0017] The terms "previous" and "next" are further defined as the adjacent unit before or after the given unit, according to a direction X1 or X2 of travel. The selected direction corresponds, for example, to the direction of travel of the vehicle in question.

[0018] Route 10 defines a first side 14 and a second side 16.

[0019] The driver assistance system 12 includes a plurality of communication units 18 along the road, more particularly on one side of the road, here on the first side 14 of the road.

[0020] The 18 communication units are adapted to transmit traffic data to vehicles on road 10.

[0021] The 18 communication units are placed along route 10 in the direction of route X at a given regular interval L to within a margin of error, for example 5%.

[0022] The overlap is chosen to ensure coverage of adjacent areas for a given minimum time.

[0023] The given regular interval L is, for example, between 250 m and 400 m.

[0024] More specifically, in the example shown, Route 10 is provided with a plurality of roadside units 20, 22 arranged along Route 10. Some of the roadside units 20 include a communication unit 18.

[0025] In the example shown, some roadside units 22 lack a communication unit 18.

[0026] More specifically, one out of every two roadside units includes or does not include a communication unit 18, alternately along the direction of route X.

[0027] Roadside units 20, 22 are, more specifically, roadside radio units.

[0028] Roadside units 20, 22 are placed alternately on the first side 14 and the second side 16 of Route 10.

[0029] Thus, each roadside unit 20, 22, apart from a possible first and / or last roadside unit, has two adjacent units which are located on the opposite side of road 10 relative to said roadside unit.

[0030] The roadside units 20 including a communication unit 18 are arranged on one side 14 of the road and the roadside units 22 without a communication unit are arranged on the other side 16 of the road.

[0031] The 20 roadside units are placed along road 10 in the direction of road X at an interval equal to half of the given regular interval L, to a margin of error, for example 5%, within.

[0032] The roadside units 20, 22 are linked together, for example, by a local network.

[0033] Each communication unit 18 has a given range 24.

[0034] The communication units 18 are placed along route 10 so that the set of communication units 18 presents continuous coverage over the whole of route 10, i.e. that route 10 is included in the union of the ranges 24 of each communication unit 14.

[0035] More specifically here, the range 24 of a communication unit 18 includes the segment 26 of the road of length the given regular interval L centered on the communication unit 14 along the direction of the road X, within the previous margin of error.

[0036] Each communication unit 18 is adapted to transmit traffic data to vehicles at least on the segment 26, here over the entire range 24.

[0037] In the example shown, the respective ranges 24 of two adjacent communication units 18 have a non-empty intersection. A vehicle positioned at the intersection is likely to receive data from each of the two communication units 18.

[0038] Each communication unit 18 is adapted to transmit data with a period corresponding to a given unique time interval.

[0039] The given unique time interval is, for example, common to the communication units.

[0040] Each communication unit 18 is adapted to transmit data with a time offset relative to each of the adjacent communication units.

[0041] This allows, in particular, that for a vehicle arranged at the intersection of two communication units, the communication units do not transmit traffic data to the vehicle at the same time.

[0042] The unique time interval is consistent with the message sending cycle.

[0043] For example, the time delay is greater than or equal to 50 ms, for a given message size and radio data technology.

[0044] Each communication unit 18 is adapted to communicate with one or more vehicles via a wireless connection, for example via Wi-Fi or cellular network.

[0045] Communication is, for example, achieved by V2X technology, that is to say by a vehicle-to-everything communication system.

[0046] Communication is, for example, carried out using the ITS-G5 standard and / or the C-V2X standard.

[0047] Communication via the ITS-G5 standard is achieved through Wi-Fi (802.11p and its evolution).

[0048] Communication via the C-V2X standard is carried out by the 3GPP type network on the PC5 interface.

[0049] The data is transmitted, for example, via V2X messages of the CAM type. (Cooperative Awareness messages) or DENM (Dentralized Environmental Notification Message).

[0050] The vehicle(s) on the road are, for example, adapted to receive data via intrinsic vehicle connectivity or via an additional box embedded within the vehicle.

[0051] The driver assistance system is adapted to personalize the data transmitted, particularly based on the available bandwidth of the assistance system.

[0052] More specifically, the driving assistance system is adapted to personalize the data transmitted by each communication unit 18 independently, in particular according to the available bandwidth of the communication unit 18.

[0053] The adaptation makes it possible in particular to manage a large number of vehicles, for example in the event of traffic at the limit of saturation, that is to say with many vehicles which move relatively quickly.

[0054] The data transmitted to a vehicle 28 by a communication unit 18 includes, more specifically, information relating to a horizon area 30 of the road.

[0055] The horizon zone 30 of a communication unit 18 here includes a communication zone of said communication unit 18, a communication zone of the preceding communication unit and / or communication zones of several subsequent communication units.

[0056] The number of subsequent communication units in the horizon area is, for example, chosen to cover the desired horizon area.

[0057] In the example described, the communication area of ​​a communication unit 18 corresponds to segment 26.

[0058] The horizon zone 30 includes, here corresponding to, section 26 of the road included in the range 24 of the given communication unit 18, the preceding section and a plurality of subsequent sections, here more particularly the following six or seven sections.

[0059] The traffic data transmitted by a communication unit 18 includes the position, speed and acceleration of all vehicles in the communication area of ​​said communication unit 18 and the communication areas of the communication units adjacent to said communication unit 18, i.e. the previous communication unit and the next communication unit.

[0060] The traffic data transmitted by a communication unit 18 also includes general information about the rest of the horizon area 30, outside the communication area of ​​said communication unit and adjacent communication units. The general information includes, for example, the average speed of vehicles, the minimum speed, and the maximum speed of vehicles within subsets of the rest of the horizon area for each subset. The subsets are, for example, a portion of each lane; here, the segments of each lane corresponding to each of the road segments 26.

[0061] Thus, the communication unit provides precise data on all vehicles near the vehicle communicating with the communication unit, but only general information on more distant areas. This allows for the provision of useful information to anticipate an event such as a significant slowdown, without overloading a vehicle or user with overly distant data and without saturating the bandwidth.

[0062] In one embodiment, the traffic data transmitted by a communication unit 18 includes, for example, in addition, the position and size of possible obstacles present on the road at least in the horizon zone 30.

[0063] In one embodiment, the traffic data transmitted by a communication unit 18 includes, for example, in addition, dynamic signage information present on the road at least in the horizon zone 30, for example a possible speed limit, a possible lane closure, a possible specific trajectory to be observed, etc.

[0064] In the example shown, each roadside unit 20, 22 includes a road traffic information detection unit 32 10.

[0065] Each detection unit 32 includes, for example, a first subset 34 detecting information from the roadside unit 20, 22 in a first direction X1 of the road 10 and a second subset 36 detecting information from the roadside unit 20, 22 in the second direction X2 of the road.

[0066] The assistance system 12 is adapted so that each communication unit 18 receives respective data, the respective data being and / or being deduced from the traffic information detected by the detection units 32.

[0067] The data transmitted by each communication unit is derived, at least partially, from the data received.

[0068] A virtual scene is, for example, reconstructed from traffic information detected by detection units 32.

[0069] This makes it possible, for example, to compensate for a possible obstruction of one or more detection units and / or an error at a location, by visualizing the traffic virtually.

[0070] Alternatively, the 32 detection units are arranged separately from the 20 roadside units comprising the 18 communication units.

[0071] Alternatively, the data transmitted by the communication units 18 are not obtained by road traffic information detection units arranged in the roadside units 20, 22. The data are, for example, provided by a general control center.

[0072] Each roadside unit 20, 22 here also includes an antenna 36 for communicating with, for example, a central system (not shown).

[0073] An example of a road-based driver assistance procedure will now be described in relation to the system previously described.

[0074] The process includes the provision of a support system as described above.

[0075] Each communication unit has a range, with each location on the route being within the range of at least one communication unit, as previously highlighted.

[0076] Each communication unit transmits traffic data to any compatible vehicle within its range.

[0077] The transmission takes place with a period corresponding to the given unique time interval.

[0078] Advantageously, each communication unit transmits data with a time delay relative to each of the adjacent communication units.

[0079] The traffic data transmitted is, for example, adapted as described previously.

[0080] The vehicle(s) on the road are, for example, adapted to receive data via intrinsic vehicle connectivity or via an additional box embedded within the vehicle.

[0081] The data transmitted by each communication unit derives, at least partially, from data received.

[0082] The data received is or is deduced from the traffic information detected by the detection units 32 in one of the variants described above.

[0083] Additionally or alternatively, each communication unit is capable of receiving additional data, for example from a general control center.

[0084] A driving assistance system according to the invention covers the entire road and is therefore suitable for transmitting information to all vehicles present on the road.

[0085] This allows a driver to know data that can be useful for driving and / or to provide useful information to a vehicle in a driving delegation mode.

Claims

1. A driving assistance system (12) for a road (10), comprising a plurality of communication units (18) along the road (10), each communication unit (18) being adapted to transmit traffic data to vehicles (28) on the road (10) in a respective communication zone (26), wherein - the communication units (18) are arranged along the route (10) such that the set of communication units (18) has a continuous coverage comprising the whole road (10), - each communication unit (18) being adapted to transmit traffic data relating to a horizon zone to a vehicle (28) in the communication zone (26) of said communication unit (18), - the horizon zone comprising the communication zone (26) of said communication unit (18) and the communication zone of the preceding communication unit of said communication unit relative to a traffic direction and the communication zones of the at least six subsequent communication units of said communication unit relative to the traffic direction, - the traffic data of each communication unit (18) being specific to said communication unit (18), the traffic data comprising and / or being at least partially deduced from traffic information detected on the road (10), - the traffic data of each communication unit (18) further comprising general traffic information on the communication zones (26) of the horizon zone outside the communication units adjacent to said communication unit (18).

2. The driving assistance system (12) according to claim 1, wherein the communication units (18) are placed along the road at regular intervals (L).

3. The driving assistance system (12) according to claim 1 or 2, adapted to personalise the data transmitted by the communication units (18), in particular according to an available bandwidth of the driving assistance system (12).

4. The driving assistance system (12) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein each communication unit (18) is adapted to transmit the data with a period corresponding to a given single time interval, the given single time interval being common to the communication units (18), each communication unit (18) being adapted to transmit the data with a time offset relative to each of the adjacent communication units.

5. The driving assistance system (12) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the traffic data transmitted by each communication unit (18) comprises the position, speed and acceleration of the set of vehicles (28) of the communication zone (26) of said communication unit (18) and of the respective communication zone of at least one adjacent communication unit, more particularly adjacent communication units, of said communication unit (18).

6. The driving assistance system (12) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, comprising units (32) for detecting traffic information on the road (10), the driving assistance system (12) being adapted so that each communication unit (18) receives respective data, the respective data being and / or being deduced from the traffic information detected by the detection units (32).

7. The driving assistance system (12) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the communication units (18) are adapted to communicate with a vehicle (28) via a V2X type wireless connection.

8. The driving assistance system (12) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the general traffic information comprises: the average speed of the vehicles and / or the minimum speed and / or the maximum speed of the vehicles comprised in subsets of the horizon zone.

9. The driving assistance system (12) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the general traffic information comprises the position and size of any obstacles present on the road at least in the horizon zone (30).

10. The driving assistance system (12) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the general traffic information comprises dynamic signalling information present on the road at least in the horizon zone (30).

11. A driving assistance method on a road (10), comprising providing a driving assistance system (12) according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein each communication unit (18) has a range (24), each location of the road (10) being comprised in the range (24) of at least one communication unit (18), each communication unit (18) transmitting traffic data relating to a horizon zone to any compatible vehicle within its range (24), the horizon zone comprising the communication zone (26) of said communication unit (18) and the communication zone of the preceding communication unit of said communication unit relative to a traffic direction and the communication zones of the at least six subsequent communication units of said communication unit relative to the traffic direction, the traffic data transmitted by the communication unit (18) comprising general information about the communication zones (26) of the horizon zone outside the communication units adjacent to said communication unit (18).