Driving assistance device and driving assistance method

Abstract

When route information used to generate driving assistance information is updated and communicated from the ground during travel, the updated route information cannot be accurately acquired in sections where communication conditions are unstable. Therefore, a driving assistance device is provided with a planned route information storage unit that stores planned route information for a vehicle, a vehicle information processing unit that processes various information used inside the vehicle, a driving assistance information generation unit that generates driving assistance information to assist the driving of the vehicle, and a display unit that displays the driving assistance information. The vehicle information processing unit notifies the driving assistance information generation unit of changed route information for the vehicle upon having received the changed route information from outside the vehicle, and notifies the display unit of driving assistance information generated by the driving assistance information generation unit in order to display the driving assistance information. The driving assistance information generation unit generates driving assistance information on the basis of changed route information when a notification of the changed route information has been received from the vehicle information processing unit, or on the basis of planned route information when a notification changed route information has not been received.

Description

Title of Invention: DRIVING ASSISTANCE DEVICE AND DRIVING ASSISTANCE METHOD Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a driving assistance device and a driving assistance method for railway vehicles. Background Art

[0002] As a conventional technology, there has been known a driver assistance technology (hereinafter referred to as a "DAS" (Driver Advisory System)). DAS is a technology which wirelessly obtains route information including stops from the starting station to the terminal and departure / arrival times in limited locations such as depots and stations, uses the route information during traveling to generate driving assistance information which provides optimal driving advice and supports energy-saving driving, and displays it to a driver. This realizes on-time train operation and energysaving driving.

[0003] As a vehicle operation business support system, there has been described in Patent Literature 1, a technology which includes an arithmetic processor, a storage device, a display device, and data transmission / reception means capable of transmitting and receiving data between an external train operation control system having the function of changing vehicle operations and a vehicle tracking system capable of grasping a vehicle position in real time, and manages vehicle operations based on vehicle operation data stored in the storage device. Citation List Patent Literature

[0004] Patent Literature 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2020-82876 Summary of Invention Technical Problem

[0005] A driver advisory system (DAS) generates driving assistance information based on route information pre-stored in a vehicle and displays it to a driver. However, during commercial operations, when an operation schedule is disrupted due to train delays, accidents or the like, the train will not travel in accordance with the pre-acquired route information, and there occur many cases where driving assistance information is not generated. A problem therefore arises in that the state in which the driving assistance information is not displayed to the driver.

[0006] On the other hand, although the route information is wirelessly obtained by the vehicle in limited locations, it is technically possible for the vehicle to communicate with the ground during the vehicle traveling within the coverage range of communication radio waves. Therefore, when the route information is updated and notified from the ground, the updated route information can be obtained. A problem, however, arises in that since there are not only sections with satisfactory communication conditions but also sections with unstable communication conditions during the traveling, route information cannot be obtained accurately in the sections with the unstable communication conditions.

[0007] Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a technology that, when route information is changed, acquires the changed route information during traveling, adopts the changed route information only insofar as communication conditions are satisfactory, and displays driving assistance information generated based on the changed route information to a driver. Solution to Problem

[0008] In order to solve the above problems, one of typical the driving assistance device of the present invention includes: a planned route information storage unit which stores planned route information of a vehicle; a vehicle information processing unit which processes various types of information used inside the vehicle; a driving assistance information generating unit which generates driving assistance information assisting driving of the vehicle; and a display unit which displays the driving assistance information. In the driving assistance device, when the vehicle information processing unit receives changed route information of the vehicle from outside the vehicle, the vehicle information processing unit notifies the changed route information to the driving assistance information generating unit, and notifies the driving assistance information generated by the driving assistance information generating unit to the display unit in order to display the driving assistance information. The driving assistance information generating unit generates the driving assistance information based on the changed route information when the driving assistance information generating unit is notified of the changed route information from the vehicle information processing unit, or generates the driving assistance information based on the planned route information when the driving assistance information generating unit is not notified of the changed route information . Advantageous Effects of Invention

[0009] According to the present invention, it is possible to obtain route information which has been changed during traveling, and to generate driving assistance information by determining optimal route information from communication conditions. Thus, even if a train schedule is disrupted, driving assistance information can be correctly transmitted to a driver, and energy-saving and safe driving can be realized. Objects, configurations, and effects other than the above will be apparent from the description of the following embodiments . Brief Description of Drawings

[0010] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a driving assistance device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a view showing a flowchart of a driving assistance information generating procedure processed by a driving assistance device generating unit of the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a driving assistance device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a view showing a flowchart of an assessment result generating procedure processed by a switch assessment unit of the second embodiment. Fig. 5 is a view showing a flowchart of a driving assistance information generating procedure processed by a driving assistance device generating unit of the second embodiment. Description of Embodiments

[0011] A first embodiment and a second embodiment will hereinafter be described as embodiments of the present invention with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited by these embodiments. Further, in the description of the drawings, the same parts are given the same reference numerals. First Embodiment

[0012] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a driving assistance device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. With the configuration shown in FIG. 1, the first embodiment brings about the function of, when route information changes during travel, acquiring the changed route information, generating driving assistance information using the acquired route information and planned route information, and displaying it to a driver.

[0013] A vehicle 101 is equipped with a vehicle information control device 102 and a receiving unit 103 which correspond to the driving assistance device.

[0014] When there is a change in the route information, the receiving unit 103 receives the changed route information notified from the ground side therein, and notifies it to a vehicle information processing unit 106 provided in the vehicle information control device 102 as changed route information 111.

[0015] Here, the communication form of changed route information notified from the ground side is mainly assumed to be wireless communication inclusive of the second embodiment to be described later, but is not limited to this and also includes communications using a track circuit, etc., for example.

[0016] The vehicle information processing unit 106 processes various types of information such as receiving information from each device inside the vehicle 101 and controlling the transmission of information to each device, etc. In regard to driving assistance among these, the vehicle information processing unit 106 receives changed route information 111 from the receiving unit 103 and outputs changed route information 112 to a driving assistance information generating unit 105. It also receives driving assistance information 114 generated by the driving assistance information generating unit 105 and outputs it to a display unit 107 as driving assistance information 115 to be displayed to the driver.

[0017] Thus, the changed route information received from the ground side is notified to the driving assistance information generating unit 105 as changed route information 112 .

[0018] On the other hand, a planned route information storage unit 104 stores in advance planned route information 113 for the route to be traveled.

[0019] In the driving assistance information generating unit 105, an assessment unit included therein determines route information to be adopted from the planned route information 113 notified from the planned route information storage unit 104 and the changed route information 112 notified from the vehicle information processing unit 106, and generates driving assistance information 114 based on the adopted route information. The implementation of the processing by the driving assistance information generating unit 105 will be described later in the description of FIG. 2.

[0020] The driving assistance information 114 output from the driving assistance information generating unit 105 is output to the vehicle information processing unit 106.

[0021] The display unit 107 receives driving assistance information 115 from the vehicle information processing unit 106 and displays it to the driver.

[0022] FIG. 2 is a view showing a flowchart of a driving assistance information generating procedure processed by the driving assistance information generating unit 105. Since a processing subject of the flowchart is the driving assistance information generating unit 105, the description of the processing subject in each of the following steps will be omitted.

[0023] In Step Sil, it is always checked whether the changed route information received from the ground side is being received as changed route information 112 via the vehicle information processing unit 106. When it has been received (Yes), the procedure proceeds to Sep S12. When it has not been received (No), the procedure proceeds to Step S13.

[0024] In Step S12, driving assistance information 114 is generated based on the received changed route information 112 .

[0025] In Step S13, driving assistance information 114 is generated based on the planned route information 113 received from the planned route information storage unit 104, and the procedure returns to Step Sil to always check whether new changed route information 112 has been received.

[0026] According to the above flowchart, it is always checked whether the changed route information is being received from the ground side. When it is received therefrom, the changed route information is adopted. When it is not received therefrom, the planned route information is continued to use, and the driving assistance information is generated based on each information described above. Second Embodiment

[0027] FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a driving assistance device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The second embodiment brings about the function of adopting either changed route information or planned route information from results determined based on changed route information and communication conditions, generating driving assistance information based on the adopted route information, and displaying it to a driver.

[0028] As in the previous first embodiment, a vehicle 101 is equipped with a vehicle information control device 102 and a receiving unit 103 which correspond to the driving assistance device. In comparison to the first embodiment, the second embodiment is different therefrom in that a switch assessment unit 108 is newly provided in the vehicle information control device 102.

[0029] When there is a change in the route information, the receiving unit 103 receives the changed route information notified from the ground side therein, and notifies it to a vehicle information processing unit 106 provided in the vehicle information control device 102 as changed route information 111. Further, the receiving unit 103 always monitors the conditions of communication with the ground side, and notifies the communication conditions to the switch assessment unit 108 as communication conditions 116.

[0030] The switch assessment unit 108 uses the communication conditions 116 notified from the receiving unit 103 to notify an assessment result 117 as to adopt either the planned route information 113 or the changed route information 112 to the vehicle information processing unit 106. The mode of a procedure for generating this assessment result will be described later in the description of FIG. 4. The vehicle information processing unit 106 processes various types of information such as receiving information from each device inside the vehicle 101 and controlling the transmission of information to each device, etc. Among these, in regard to driving assistance, the vehicle information processing unit 106 receives changed route information 111 from the receiving unit 103 and receives the assessment result 117 from the switch assessment unit 108. The vehicle information processing unit 106 outputs the changed route information 112 to a driving assistance information generating unit 105 and outputs the assessment result 117 to the driving assistance information generating unit 105. It also receives driving assistance information 114 generated by the driving assistance information generating unit 105 and outputs it to a display unit 107 as driving assistance information 115 to be displayed to the driver .

[0032] Thus, the changed route information notified from the ground side and the communication conditions 116 in the vehicle 101 are received by the driving assistance information generating unit 105 as the changed route information 112 and the switch assessment result 118 based on the communication condition 116.

[0033] On the other hand, the planned route information storage unit 104 stores in advance, the planned route information 113 for the route to be traveled as in the first embodiment.

[0034] In the driving assistance information generating unit 105, an assessment unit included therein determines route information to be adopted from the planned route information 113 received from the planned route information storage unit 104 and the changed route information 112 and the assessment result 117 notified from the vehicle information processing unit 106, and generates driving assistance information 114 based on the adopted route information. The implementation of the processing by the driving assistance information generating unit 105 will be described later in the description of FIG. 5.

[0035] The driving assistance information 114 output from the driving assistance information generating unit 105 is output to the vehicle information processing unit 106.

[0036] The display unit 107 receives driving assistance information 115 from the vehicle information processing unit 106 and displays it to the driver.

[0037] FIG. 4 is a view showing a flowchart of a procedure for generating the assessment result 117 processed by the switch assessment unit 108. Since a processing subject of the flowchart is the switch assessment unit 108, the description of the processing subject in each of the following steps will be omitted. In Step S21, it is determined whether the communication conditions 116 received from the receiving unit 103 are satisfactory or unstable. When the result of its determination is satisfactory (Yes), the procedure proceeds to Step S22. When it is unstable (No), the procedure proceeds to Step S23.

[0039] In Step S22, it is determined whether or not the satisfactory communication conditions have continued for a certain period of time. When the determination result is that the communication conditions have continued for the certain period of time (Yes), the procedure proceeds to Step S24. When the communication conditions have not continued for the certain period of time (No), the procedure proceeds to Step S23.

[0040] In Step S23, when the communication conditions 116 are not satisfactory (No in Step S21), or when the communication conditions 116 are satisfactory but have not continued for the certain period of time (No in Step S21), it is determined that the changed route information 112 cannot be accurately acquired and correct driving assistance information 114 cannot be generated, and the vehicle information processing unit 106 is notified of the assessment to switch to the planned route information 113 as the assessment result 117. In addition, the procedure returns to Step S21 to always confirm the communication conditions 116. In Step S24, assuming that it can be confirmed that the communication conditions 116 are satisfactory and have continued for the certain period of time, the vehicle information processing unit 106 is notified of the assessment to switch to the changed route information 112 as the assessment result 117.

[0042] FIG. 5 is a view showing a flowchart of a driving assistance information generating procedure processed by the driving assistance information generating unit 105. Since a processing subject of the flowchart is the driving assistance information generating unit 105, the description of the processing subject in each of the following steps will be omitted.

[0043] In Step S31, when the assessment result 118 notified from the vehicle information processing unit 106 is a decision to adopt the changed route information 112 (Yes), the procedure proceeds to Step S32. When it is a decision to adopt the planned route information 113 (No), the procedure proceeds to Step S33.

[0044] In Step S32, it is always confirmed whether the changed route information 112 has been received. When it has been received (Yes), the procedure proceeds to Step S34. When it has not been received (No), the procedure proceeds to Step S33.

[0045] In Step S33, driving assistance information 114 is generated based on the planned route information 113. In addition, the procedure returns to Step S31 to always confirm whether the changed route information 112 has been received.

[0046] In Step S34, driving assistance information 114 is generated based on the changed route information 112.

[0047] The above flowchart makes it possible to generate the driving assistance information 114 based on the correctly received route information, by adopting the changed route information 112 only when the state in which the communication conditions while driving are satisfactory continues for the certain period of time, based on the assessment result 117 determined by the switch assessment unit 10 8.

[0048] It is also possible to use information useful for making the decision to adopt the route information from among the various types of vehicle information held by the vehicle information processing unit 106 and to add it as an additional condition without limitation to the condition branch in Step S31 shown in FIG. 5.

[0049] Although the first embodiment and the second embodiment have been described above as the embodiments of the present invention, the present invention is not limited to the first and second embodiments, and various modifications are possible within the scope not departing from the gist of the present invention.

[0050] For example, the above-described two embodiments have been described in detail in order to facilitate the understanding of the present invention, and the present invention is not necessarily limited to those including all of the described configurations. In addition, part of the configuration of one embodiment can be replaced with the configurations of other embodiments, and in addition, the configuration of the one embodiment can also be added with the configurations of other embodiments. In addition, part of the configuration of each of the embodiments can be subjected to addition, deletion, and replacement with respect to other configurations.

[0051] The above-described configurations, functions, and processing units, etc. may be realized in part or in whole by hardware, for example by designing of them with integrated circuits, and the like. Further, the abovedescribed configurations and functions, etc. may be realized with software by a processor interpreting and executing a program which realizes each function. Information such as programs, tables, and files which realize each function can be stored in recording devices such as a memory, a hard disk, and an SSD (Solid State Drive), or in recording mediums such as an IC card, an SD card, and a DVD. List of Reference Signs

[0052] : vehicle : vehicle information control device : receiving unit : planned route information storage unit : driving assistance information generating unit : vehicle information processing unit : display unit : switch assessment unit , 112: changed route information : planned route information , 115: driving assistance information : communication condition , 118: assessment result

Claims

1. A driving assistance device comprising:a planned route information storage unit which stores planned route information of a vehicle;a vehicle information processing unit which processes various types of information used inside the vehicle;a driving assistance information generating unit which generates driving assistance information assisting driving of the vehicle; anda display unit which displays the driving assistance information, whereinwhen the vehicle information processing unit receives changed route information of the vehicle from outside the vehicle, the vehicle information processing unit notifies the changed route information to the driving assistance information generating unit, and notifies the driving assistance information generated by the driving assistance information generating unit to the display unit in order to display the driving assistance information, andthe driving assistance information generating unit generates the driving assistance information based on the changed route information when the driving assistance information generating unit is notified of the changed route information from the vehicle information processing unit, or generates the driving assistance information based on the planned route information when the driving assistance information generating unit is not notified of the changed route information.

2. The driving assistance device according to Claim 1, further comprising:a switch assessment unit which assesses communication conditions when the changed route information is received from outside, whereinthe switch assessment unit generates an assessment result as to switching of whether either the changed route information or the planned route information is adopted, and notifies the assessment result to the vehicle information processing unit,the vehicle information processing unit notifies the assessment result to the driving assistance information generating unit together with the changed route information, andthe driving assistance information generating unit generates the driving assistance information based on the changed route information when the assessment result is to adopt the changed route information and the changed route information has been notified, or generates the driving assistance information based on the planned route information when the changed route information has not been notified even when the assessment result is to adopt the changed route information and when the assessment result is to adopt the planned route information.

3. The driving assistance device according to Claim 2, whereinthe switch assessment unit generates the assessment result based on the communication conditions which remain satisfactory, as the communication conditions.

4. The driving assistance device according to Claim 3, whereinthe switch assessment unit further generates the assessment result based on whether the satisfactory communication conditions continue for a certain period of time, as the communication conditions.

5. A railway vehicle equipped with a driving assistance device according to any one of Claims 1 to 4.

6. A driving assistance method comprising the steps of: storing planned route information for a vehicle planned in advance;generating driving assistance information for the vehicle based on changed route information for the vehicle when the changed route information is received from outside the vehicle, or based on the planned route information when the changed route information is not received, anddisplaying the generated driving assistance information .

7. The driving assistance method according to Claim 6, comprising the steps of:determining whether or not communication conditions received from outside the vehicle are satisfactory conditions, andgenerating the driving assistance information based on the changed route information when the changed route information is received in the satisfactory conditions, or generating the driving assistance information based on the planned route information when the changed route information is received and is not received in unsatisfactory conditions .

8. The driving assistance method according to Claim 7, comprising the steps of:determining whether the satisfactory communication conditions continue for a certain period of time, andgenerating the driving assistance information based on the changed route information when the changed route information is received in a state in which the satisfactory communication conditions continued for the certain period of time, or generating the driving assistance information based on the planned route information when the changed route information is received and is not received in a state in which the satisfactory communication conditions are not continued for the certain period of time.

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