Intention display device, system for controlling automatic driving vehicle, road traffic control server, automatic driving vehicle, intention display method, and method for controlling automatic driving vehicle

Abstract

To provide an intention display device, a system for controlling an automatic driving vehicle, a road traffic control server, an automatic driving vehicle, an intention display method, and a method for controlling an automatic driving vehicle that enable an intention of a pedestrian to cross a pedestrian crossing in a region where an automatic driving vehicle and the pedestrian are present to be confirmed without performing a large-scale construction or the like and enable the pedestrian to safely cross the pedestrian crossing.SOLUTION: The intention display device is an intention display device to be used by a pedestrian who crosses a pedestrian crossing in a region where an automatic driving vehicle capable of receiving a predetermined radio wave and the pedestrian are present, including: an input acceptance unit that accepts input from the pedestrian who crosses the pedestrian crossing; and a radio wave transmission unit that transmits a radio wave in a predetermined time period after the input is accepted. When the automatic driving vehicle present close to the pedestrian crossing receives the radio wave, the automatic driving vehicle performs an operation determined in advance.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an intention display device, a control system for an autonomous vehicle, a traffic control server, an autonomous vehicle, an intention display method, and a control method for an autonomous vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a trajectory control method for an autonomous vehicle that controls the autonomous vehicle in a relative coordinate system. Patent Document 2 discloses a method for detecting the intrusion of pedestrians and the like, in which a person who enters a specified area is detected on the ground infrastructure side. Patent Documents 3 and 4 disclose devices and mechanisms for emitting radio signals from ground infrastructure. Patent Document 5 discloses a mechanism for receiving radio signals on the vehicle side. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2018-40647 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2019-168950 A [Patent Document 3] JP 2018-55286 A [Patent Document 4] JP 2012-46914 A [Patent Document 5] JP 2011-162132 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] For example, consider the case of detecting a pedestrian crossing the driving lane of an autonomous vehicle. The method disclosed in Patent Document 2 is premised on controlling the entry and exit of people with barriers such as railroad crossings, and detecting people who enter the area. Therefore, the action is taken for people who enter a specific area, which means that the response from the autonomous vehicle is delayed.

[0005] In addition, in an open system such as a crosswalk without traffic lights, additional factors are required to determine whether a person is about to cross the road. For example, technologies to detect pedestrians using human detection cameras and LiDAR have been known for some time. However, even with these technologies, it is difficult to read the intentions of pedestrians on the side of a road with a crosswalk, such as whether they are about to cross the road or are about to walk on the side of the road without crossing the road. As a result, the autonomous vehicle is required to excessively slow down or stop, which may lead to traffic disruptions for manually operated manned vehicles that coexist on the road.

[0006] From the perspective of construction costs for ground infrastructure, installing pedestrian traffic signals is also an option, but this would require large-scale construction work for installing the signals, power supply, wiring systems, etc. Furthermore, when installing traffic signals, control of the green and red lights (and sometimes yellow lights) is essential, but it is generally difficult to control the lights in a way that does not cause congestion due to the control of the lights. Furthermore, the more traffic signals there are, the higher the possibility of congestion caused by the control of the lights.

[0007] Even in the case of wireless ground infrastructure that does not use wired communication, the power consumption increases and commercial power supply construction is required if the communication equipment is made complex, as described in Patent Document 3, for example. Furthermore, in roads where autonomous vehicles cross roads at many points, the construction costs for wiring work also increase.

[0008] In addition, when a frequency band near the 1000 MHz band is used to link multiple terrestrial infrastructures, as in Patent Document 4, linkage over a wide area is possible, but radio waves from multiple transmitting points are prone to interference, making it difficult to identify the source of the transmission.

[0009] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above, and aims to provide an intention display device, an autonomous vehicle control system, a traffic control server, an autonomous vehicle, an intention display method, and an autonomous vehicle control method that can confirm the intention of pedestrians to cross at a crosswalk in areas where autonomous vehicles and pedestrians are present without carrying out large-scale construction work, and that allows pedestrians to cross the crosswalk safely. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] (1) The intention display device according to the present invention is an intention display device used by a pedestrian crossing a crosswalk in an area where an autonomous vehicle capable of receiving a predetermined radio signal and a pedestrian exist, an input receiving unit that receives an input from the pedestrian crossing the crosswalk; a wireless transmission unit that transmits the wireless signal for a predetermined time after receiving the input; Equipped with When the autonomous vehicle near the crosswalk receives the radio signal, the autonomous vehicle performs a predetermined operation.

[0011] (2) The intention display device of the present invention is the intention display device described in (1) above, which is installed and fixed at the end of the crosswalk.

[0012] (3) The control system for an autonomous vehicle according to the present invention is a control system for an autonomous vehicle including an intention display device used by a pedestrian crossing a crosswalk and an autonomous vehicle capable of receiving a predetermined radio signal, The said intention indication means: an input receiving unit that receives an input from the pedestrian crossing the crosswalk; a wireless transmission unit that transmits the wireless signal for a predetermined time after receiving the input; Equipped with When the autonomous vehicle receives the radio signal near the crosswalk before passing through the crosswalk, the autonomous vehicle stops until the radio signal ends.

[0013] (4) The control system for an autonomous vehicle according to the present invention is a control system for an autonomous vehicle including an intention display device used by a pedestrian crossing a crosswalk, an autonomous vehicle capable of receiving a predetermined radio signal, and a traffic management server that manages the operation of the autonomous vehicle, The said intention indication means: an input receiving unit that receives an input from the pedestrian crossing the crosswalk; a wireless transmission unit that transmits the wireless signal for a predetermined time after receiving the input; Equipped with When the autonomous vehicle receives the radio signal near the crosswalk, the autonomous vehicle transmits location information of the autonomous vehicle to the traffic management server, The fleet management server includes: Identifying a position of the crosswalk based on position information of the autonomous vehicle and a planned driving route of the autonomous vehicle; determining whether the autonomous vehicle has passed through the crosswalk based on position information of the autonomous vehicle and the identified position of the crosswalk; If it is determined that the autonomous vehicle is not passing through the crosswalk, the autonomous vehicle is stopped by transmitting information instructing the autonomous vehicle to stop.

[0014] (5) A control system for an autonomous vehicle according to the present invention includes an intention display device used by a pedestrian crossing a crosswalk, an autonomous vehicle capable of receiving radio signals, a traffic management server that manages the operation of the autonomous vehicle, and a traffic control server that controls ground infrastructure installed on a road, The said intention indication means: an input receiving unit that receives an input from the pedestrian crossing the crosswalk; a wireless transmission unit that transmits the wireless signal for a predetermined time after receiving the input; Equipped with When the autonomous vehicle receives the radio signal near the crosswalk, the autonomous vehicle transmits location information of the autonomous vehicle to the traffic management server, The fleet management server transmits position information of the autonomous vehicle to the traffic control server, The traffic control server identifies a position of the intention display device based on position information of the autonomous vehicle, and transmits the identified position of the intention display device to the traffic management server; The fleet management server includes: determining whether or not the autonomous vehicle has passed through the crosswalk based on position information of the autonomous vehicle and the identified position of the crosswalk on which the intention display device is installed; If it is determined that the autonomous vehicle is not passing through the crosswalk, the autonomous vehicle is stopped by transmitting information instructing the autonomous vehicle to stop.

[0015] (6) The control system for an autonomous vehicle according to the present invention is the control system for an autonomous vehicle described in (5) above, When there are multiple intention display devices in the vicinity of the autonomous vehicle whose location information has been obtained, the traffic control server identifies the intention display device that is the source of the radio signal based on the location information of the autonomous vehicle and the location of each intention display device, and transmits the location of the identified intention display device to the operations management server.

[0016] (7) The control system for an autonomous vehicle according to the present invention is the control system for an autonomous vehicle according to (5) or (6), The traffic control server operates the ground infrastructure installed near the crosswalk to notify the surrounding area of ​​the status of the autonomous vehicle and the status of the pedestrians.

[0017] (8) A traffic control server according to the present invention is a traffic control server that operates together with the intention display device described in (1) above and a traffic management server that manages the operation of an autonomous vehicle, When an autonomous vehicle receives a radio signal from the traffic management server near a crosswalk, it transmits a stop instruction to the autonomous vehicle, and in order to stop the autonomous vehicle, the position of the intention display device is identified based on the position information of the autonomous vehicle, and the identified position of the intention display device is transmitted to the traffic management server.

[0018] (9) The present invention provides an autonomous vehicle that travels in an area where a pedestrian and the intention display device described in (1) above that is used by the pedestrian when crossing a pedestrian crossing exist, A wireless receiving unit that receives a predetermined wireless signal transmitted from the intention display device; a control unit that causes the autonomous vehicle to execute a predetermined operation to stop transmitting the radio signal until the transmission of the radio signal ends when the autonomous vehicle receives the radio signal near the crosswalk before passing through the crosswalk; It is equipped with the following.

[0019] (10) The intention expression method according to the present invention is an intention expression method using the intention expression device described in (1) above, an input receiving step of receiving an input from a pedestrian crossing the crosswalk by an input receiving unit; a wireless transmission step of transmitting wireless signals from a wireless transmission unit for a predetermined time after receiving the input; Including, When an autonomous vehicle near the crosswalk receives the radio signal, the autonomous vehicle performs a predetermined operation.

[0020] (11) A method for controlling an autonomous vehicle according to the present invention is a method for controlling an autonomous vehicle executed by a system including an intention display device used by a pedestrian crossing a crosswalk and an autonomous vehicle capable of receiving a predetermined radio signal, A step in which the intention display device receives an input from the pedestrian crossing the crosswalk; a step of the intention display device transmitting the wireless signal for a predetermined time after receiving the input; When the autonomous vehicle receives the radio signal near the pedestrian crossing before passing through the pedestrian crossing, the autonomous vehicle stops until the radio signal ends; It includes.

[0021] (12) A method for controlling an autonomous vehicle according to the present invention is a method for controlling an autonomous vehicle executed by a system including: an intention display device used by a pedestrian crossing a crosswalk; an autonomous vehicle capable of receiving a predetermined radio signal; and a traffic management server that manages the operation of the autonomous vehicle, A step in which the intention display device receives an input from the pedestrian crossing the crosswalk; a step of the intention display device transmitting the wireless signal for a predetermined time after receiving the input; When the autonomous vehicle receives the radio signal near the crosswalk, transmitting location information of the autonomous vehicle to the fleet management server; The traffic management server specifies the position of the pedestrian crossing based on position information of the autonomous vehicle and a planned driving route of the autonomous vehicle; a step of the traffic management server determining whether the autonomous vehicle has passed through the crosswalk based on position information of the autonomous vehicle and the identified position of the crosswalk; When the fleet management server determines that the autonomous vehicle is not passing through the crosswalk, the fleet management server stops the autonomous vehicle by transmitting stop instruction information to the autonomous vehicle; It includes.

[0022] (13) A method for controlling an autonomous vehicle according to the present invention is a method for controlling an autonomous vehicle executed by a system including: an intention display device used by a pedestrian crossing a crosswalk; an autonomous vehicle capable of receiving radio signals; a traffic management server that manages the operation of the autonomous vehicle; and a traffic control server that controls ground infrastructure installed on a road, A step in which the intention display device receives an input from the pedestrian crossing the crosswalk; a step of the intention display device transmitting the wireless signal for a predetermined time after receiving the input; When the autonomous vehicle receives the radio signal near the crosswalk, transmitting location information of the autonomous vehicle to the fleet management server; The operation management server transmits position information of the autonomous vehicle to the traffic control server; The traffic control server identifies a position of the intention display device based on position information of the autonomous vehicle, and transmits the identified position of the intention display device to the operation management server; a step in which the traffic management server determines whether the autonomous vehicle has passed through the crosswalk based on position information of the autonomous vehicle and the identified position of the crosswalk where the intention display device is installed; When the fleet management server determines that the autonomous vehicle is not passing through the crosswalk, the fleet management server stops the autonomous vehicle by transmitting stop instruction information to the autonomous vehicle; It includes. Effect of the Invention

[0023] According to the intention display device, autonomous vehicle control system, traffic control server, autonomous vehicle, intention display method, and autonomous vehicle control method of the present invention, by using an intention display device that is easy to install and introduce, it is possible to confirm the intention of pedestrians to cross at a crosswalk in an area where autonomous vehicles and pedestrians exist, without carrying out large-scale construction work, etc. As a result, pedestrians can cross the crosswalk safely. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0024] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an overview of a control system for an autonomous vehicle according to an embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a first aspect of the configuration of the control system for an autonomous vehicle according to the embodiment. [Diagram 3]FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a case where intention display devices are installed on both sides of a pedestrian crossing in a first mode of the control system for an autonomous vehicle according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a second aspect of the configuration of the control system for an autonomous vehicle according to the embodiment. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example in which load sensors are installed on both sides of a pedestrian crossing in the second mode of the control system for an autonomous vehicle according to the embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a third example of the configuration of the control system for an autonomous vehicle according to the embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a movable gate installed on the entrance side of a pedestrian crossing in a third mode of the control system for an autonomous vehicle according to the embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a movable gate installed on the exit side of a pedestrian crossing in a third mode of the control system for an autonomous vehicle according to the embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a first aspect of a control method for an autonomous vehicle using an intention display device in a control system for an autonomous vehicle according to an embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a second aspect of the control method for an autonomous vehicle using an intention display device in the control system for an autonomous vehicle according to the embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing a third aspect of the control method for an autonomous vehicle using an intention display device in the control system for an autonomous vehicle according to the embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing a fourth aspect of the control method for an autonomous vehicle using an intention display device in the control system for an autonomous vehicle according to the embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing a fifth aspect of a control method for an autonomous vehicle using an intention display device and a traffic management server in an autonomous vehicle control system according to an embodiment. [Figure 14]FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing a sixth aspect of a control method for an autonomous vehicle using an intention display device, a traffic management server, and a traffic control server in a control system for an autonomous vehicle according to an embodiment. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is a flowchart showing the details of step S37 in FIG. [Figure 16] FIG. 16 is a flow chart showing the details of step S40 in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0025] The intention display device, the control system for an autonomous vehicle, the traffic control server, the autonomous vehicle, the intention display method, and the control method for an autonomous vehicle according to the embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the components in the following embodiments include those that are easily replaceable by a person skilled in the art, or those that are substantially the same. In the following description, the description of the same or overlapping parts will be omitted or simplified as appropriate. In addition, in each of the drawings referred to below, the same reference numerals are used for the same or overlapping parts.

[0026] (Autonomous vehicle control system) The configuration of an autonomous vehicle control system according to an embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1 and 2. The autonomous vehicle control system is a system for controlling the operation of autonomous vehicles in an area where at least autonomous vehicles and pedestrians exist. The autonomous vehicle control system is also a system for linking autonomous vehicles with ground infrastructure.

[0027] 1 and 2, the control system for an autonomous vehicle includes an intention display device 1, an autonomous vehicle 2, a traffic management server 3, a traffic control server 4, and ground infrastructure 5. Note that, although this embodiment shows an example in which the traffic management server 3 and the traffic control server 4 are realized as separate servers, the traffic management server 3 and the traffic control server 4 may also be realized as a single server having the functions of traffic management and traffic control.

[0028] Furthermore, the traffic management server 3 may be installed in the person and / or company that uses the intention display device 1 and the autonomous vehicle 2, or in a different person and / or company. Furthermore, the traffic management server 3 may be installed in the country in which the intention display device 1 and the autonomous vehicle 2 are used, or in a different country. Here, when installed in a different person, different company, and / or different country, the autonomous vehicle control system will use an external traffic management server 3. In other words, the autonomous vehicle 2 and the traffic control server 4 will transmit data to the external traffic management server 3, and the autonomous vehicle 2 and the traffic control server 4 will receive and use the data provided by the external traffic management server 3.

[0029] Similarly, the traffic control server 4 may be installed in the person and / or company that uses the intention display device 1 and the autonomous vehicle 2, or in a different person and / or company. Furthermore, the traffic control server 4 may be installed in the country in which the intention display device 1 and the autonomous vehicle 2 are used, or in a different country. Here, when installed in a different person, different company, and / or different country, the autonomous vehicle control system will use the external traffic control server 4. In other words, the autonomous vehicle 2 and the traffic management server 3 will transmit data to the external traffic control server 4, and the autonomous vehicle 2 and the traffic management server 3 will receive and use the data provided by the external traffic control server 4.

[0030] Of course, in the autonomous driving control system, both the traffic management server 3 and the traffic control server 4 may be installed by a person, a company, and / or a country different from the person, company, and / or country that uses the intention display device 1 and the autonomous driving vehicle 2. In this case, the behavior of each server will be as described above.

[0031] In the control system for an autonomous vehicle, an autonomous vehicle 2, a traffic management server 3, a traffic control server 4, and ground infrastructure 5 are configured to be able to communicate with each other via a network N such as an Internet network. The network N may be a wireless network or a wired network.

[0032] (intention display device) The intention display device 1 is for displaying the intention of a pedestrian in a wireless manner when the pedestrian crosses a crosswalk 6 in an area where at least self-driving vehicles and pedestrians exist. This intention display device 1 is used by the pedestrian when crossing the crosswalk.

[0033] Here, the crosswalk 6 refers to an area reserved on the road 7 for pedestrians to cross the road 7 (particularly the road 7 on which cars run). As an example, in FIG. 1, the crosswalk 6 is shown as an area on the surface of the road 7 where stripes are painted so that the crosswalk 6 crosses the road 7 on which cars run. And, as shown in FIG. 1, for example, the intention display device 1 is placed right next to the specified crosswalk 6, on the sidewalk side of the crosswalk 6. And, as shown in FIG. 2, the intention display device 1 includes an input receiving unit 11, a wireless transmitting unit 12, and a notification unit 13.

[0034] The intention display device 1 is installed and fixed at the end of the crosswalk 6. "The end of the crosswalk 6" refers to one or both ends of the crosswalk 6. The end of the crosswalk 6 is also a place where pedestrians can wait safely for vehicles, including the autonomous vehicle 2.

[0035] For example, it is conceivable that the functions of the intention display device 1 could be realized by a pedestrian's mobile device (e.g., a smartphone, etc.), but in this case, pedestrians who do not have a mobile device cannot use the functions of the intention display device 1, and therefore cannot safely cross the crosswalk 6. On the other hand, by installing and fixing the intention display device 1 at the end of the crosswalk 6, as in the present embodiment, it becomes possible for the pedestrian (user of the intention display device 1) to safely cross the crosswalk 6 without being affected by the environment. Also, it becomes possible for an unspecified number of pedestrians to use the intention display device 1 without making any prior preparations, etc.

[0036] The input receiving unit 11 receives input from a pedestrian crossing the crosswalk 6 on which the intention display device 1 is installed. Specific examples of the input receiving unit 11 include a physical push button, an electric button, an IC card reader, a contactless terminal that can be operated by voice or gestures (human body movements), etc. When a pedestrian operates the above-mentioned push button or the like and the input is received by the input receiving unit 11, the pedestrian has indicated his / her intention to cross the crosswalk 6.

[0037] The wireless transmitter 12 transmits a predetermined wireless signal (hereinafter referred to as "pedestrian wireless") for a predetermined time (e.g., k seconds) after the input of the pedestrian is accepted by the input accepting unit 11. This pedestrian wireless signal has a narrow wireless range (radio range) of, for example, 100 m or less. A pedestrian wireless signal with a narrow wireless range is used because if the wireless range is too wide, there is a possibility of interference when there are multiple crosswalks 6. Note that when the input accepting unit 11 accepts the pedestrian input, if there is no autonomous vehicle 2 near the crosswalk 6, that is, within the range where the pedestrian wireless signal can be received, the pedestrian can cross the crosswalk 6 as is.

[0038] It is sufficient that the pedestrian radio signal reaches the autonomous vehicle 2 near the crosswalk 6 where the intention display device 1 is installed. Furthermore, the pedestrian radio signal does not need to reach the operation management server 3 or the traffic control server 4 described below directly. The operation management server 3 and the traffic control server 4 described below execute a predetermined action via the autonomous vehicle 2 that received the pedestrian radio signal. For example, when an autonomous vehicle 2 located near the crosswalk 6 where the intention display device 1 is installed receives a pedestrian radio signal, the autonomous vehicle performs a predetermined operation (for example, slowing down, stopping, preparing to start, etc.).

[0039] As shown in FIG. 2, the intention display device 1 is not connected to the autonomous vehicle 2, the operation management server 3, the traffic control server 4, and the ground infrastructure 5 via the network N. In other words, the intention display device 1 is a standalone device that transmits pedestrian radio signals under certain conditions. The intention display device 1 and the autonomous vehicle 2 are not constantly connected, and in a situation where a pedestrian radio signal is transmitted, the intention display device 1 is unilaterally connected to the autonomous vehicle 2. In addition, the autonomous vehicle 2 is not assumed to transmit information (issue an alert) to the intention display device 1. In addition, the intention display device 1 does not transmit information directly to the operation management server 3, but always transmits information to the operation management server 3 via the autonomous vehicle 2. In addition, the intention display device 1 may transmit information to the traffic control server 4 in some cases.

[0040] The wireless distance of the pedestrian radio is preferably determined in consideration of, for example, the braking distance of the autonomous vehicle 2 and an environment-dependent coefficient determined based on the mass of the autonomous vehicle 2 and the road on which the autonomous vehicle 2 travels. Then, it is preferable to select a wireless communication suitable for the determined wireless distance.

[0041] For example, if the wireless distance is R (unit: m), the braking distance of the autonomous vehicle 2 is K (unit: m), and the environmental dependence coefficient determined based on the mass of the autonomous vehicle 2 and the road on which the autonomous vehicle 2 is traveling is a, it is preferable to select a wireless communication that satisfies the following formula (1).

[0042] R>α K (1)

[0043] As the pedestrian radio, it is preferable to appropriately select and use from the group of technologies called "short-range wireless communication" (WiFi (registered trademark, Wireless Fidelity), Bluetooth (registered trademark), infrared communication, NFC, etc.). More specifically, as the pedestrian radio, wireless communication mainly in the 500 MHz to 5 GHz band, such as WiFi (registered trademark) and Bluetooth (registered trademark), can be used. In addition, other communication technologies such as optical or radio wave beacons, which have a wireless distance of 100 m or less and do not require a radio station license, can also be used.

[0044] On the other hand, long-distance wireless communication such as 3GPP (registered trademark), 4G, LTE, 5G, WiMAX, satellite communication, etc. is not used as a pedestrian radio. These can reach long distances, but generally have a large output. Therefore, it is necessary to secure a separate external power source for the intention display device 1, which makes it difficult to install. In addition, in Japan, procedures for obtaining a radio station license may also be required, which also makes it difficult to install.

[0045] When the input receiving unit 11 receives an input of a pedestrian, the radio transmitting unit 12 transmits a pedestrian radio signal for a predetermined time (e.g., k seconds) and ends the transmission of the pedestrian radio signal when the predetermined time has elapsed. This "predetermined time" for transmitting the pedestrian radio signal can be determined in advance based on, for example, the length of the crosswalk 6, the average crossing time of pedestrians, etc.

[0046] The radio transmission unit 12 may change the way of transmission according to the situation of the pedestrian, for example, as in the following (1) to (4), instead of continuing to transmit the pedestrian radio signal for a predetermined period of time.

[0047] (1) Immediately after the input reception unit 11 receives an input, a first pedestrian radio signal is transmitted for a predetermined time A. At that time, a voice or text message saying "Please wait" is output from the notification unit 13 described below. Furthermore, upon receiving the first pedestrian radio signal, the autonomous vehicle 2 switches from driving at a normal speed to driving slowly. (2) After the predetermined time A has elapsed, a second pedestrian radio signal is transmitted for a predetermined time B. At that time, a voice or text message saying "Please cross" is output from notification unit 13, which will be described later. Furthermore, autonomous vehicle 2, which has received the second pedestrian radio signal, temporarily stops. (3) After the predetermined time B has elapsed, a third pedestrian radio signal is transmitted for a predetermined time C. At that time, a voice or text message saying "Please wait" is output from notification unit 13, which will be described later. Furthermore, autonomous vehicle 2, which has received the third pedestrian radio signal, remains stopped and prepares to start moving. (4) After the lapse of a predetermined time C, the pedestrian radio transmission ends. In response, autonomous vehicle 2 starts moving and resumes normal speed after slowing down for a certain period of time.

[0048] The first, second, and third pedestrian radios in (1) to (4) above are radios with different output intensities and frequencies, for example. Each operation of the autonomous vehicle 2 corresponding to the first, second, and third pedestrian radios (slow down, stop, prepare to start, etc.) is pre-installed on the autonomous vehicle 2 side or the traffic management server 3 side.

[0049] In the above example, the pedestrian radio signal is transmitted for a predetermined period of time based on the length of the crosswalk 6 or the notification unit 13 is used to instruct the pedestrian to cross the crosswalk, but safety may be improved by determining whether or not the pedestrian has crossed the crosswalk. An example of a method for determining whether a pedestrian has crossed the crosswalk will be described below.

[0050] (Method 1 for determining whether a pedestrian is crossing the road) For example, as shown in Fig. 3, intention display devices 1 may be installed on both sides of a crosswalk 6, and these intention display devices 1 may be used to determine whether a pedestrian has crossed the crosswalk. In this case, the intention display devices 1 are installed on the side where pedestrians enter and exit the crosswalk 6. In this method, whether a pedestrian has crossed is determined, for example, by the following steps (1) to (5).

[0051] (1) When a pedestrian intending to enter the crosswalk 6 presses a push button or the like on the intention display device 1 installed on the entrance side of the crosswalk 6, the input is received by the input receiving unit 11. In response to this, the wireless transmission unit 12 transmits a pedestrian radio signal (hereinafter referred to as "entrance radio signal"). (2) Upon receiving the approach radio signal, autonomous vehicle 2 stops and at the same time enters a state of alert. (3) When a pedestrian who has just exited the crosswalk 6 presses a push button or the like on the intention display device 1 installed on the exit side of the crosswalk 6, the input is received by the input receiving unit 11. In response to this, the radio transmitting unit 12 transmits a pedestrian radio signal (hereinafter referred to as "exit radio signal"). The exit radio signal may be configured with a signal of a different type, frequency band, or number of channels from the entry radio signal, for example. (4) Having received the exit radio signal, the autonomous vehicle 2 determines whether the time from when the entry radio signal was transmitted until when the exit radio signal was transmitted is longer than a predetermined time t. This predetermined time t can be determined in advance based on, for example, the length of the crosswalk 6, the average time it takes for pedestrians to cross, etc. (5) If the time from when the approach radio signal is transmitted until when the exit radio signal is transmitted is longer than a predetermined time t, autonomous vehicle 2 determines that the pedestrian has finished crossing the street and starts moving. On the other hand, if the time from when the approach radio signal is transmitted until when the exit radio signal is transmitted is equal to or shorter than the predetermined time t, autonomous vehicle 2 continues to be stopped and in a state requiring vigilance.

[0052] In this method, a case where a pedestrian approaches a road from the front to the back is described (see FIG. 3), but the same processing is possible when the pedestrian approaches from the opposite direction.

[0053] (Method 2 for determining whether a pedestrian is crossing the road) 4 and 5, for example, load sensors 31, 32, 33, and 34 may be installed on both sides of the crosswalk 6, and it may be determined whether or not a pedestrian has crossed the crosswalk using these load sensors 31, 32, 33, and 34. In this case, the load sensors 31 and 32 are installed (e.g., buried) on the side of the crosswalk 6 where pedestrians enter, and the load sensors 33 and 34 are installed (e.g., buried) on the side where pedestrians exit.

[0054] The specific configuration of the load sensors 31, 32, 33, 34 is not limited, and for example, a strain gauge type or a piezoelectric type sensor can be used. Furthermore, the load sensors 31, 32, 33, 34 are used that have a width large enough relative to the foot length (shoe length) of a pedestrian in order to detect the load when stepped on by a pedestrian. In this method, the crossing of a pedestrian is judged, for example, by the following steps (1) to (5).

[0055] (1) When a pedestrian intending to enter the crosswalk 6 presses a push button or the like on the intention display device 1 installed on the entrance side of the crosswalk 6, the input is received by the input receiving unit 11. Furthermore, when the load of the pedestrian is detected by the load sensor 31 and then the load sensor 32, the detection result is output to the intention display device 1. In response to this, the wireless transmission unit 12 transmits an entrance wireless signal. (2) Upon receiving the approach radio signal, autonomous vehicle 2 stops and at the same time enters a state of alert. (3) When a pedestrian exits the crosswalk 6 and the load of the pedestrian is detected by the load sensor 33 and then the load sensor 34, the detection result is output to the intention display device 1 installed on the exit side of the crosswalk 6. In response to this, the wireless transmitter 12 transmits an exit wireless signal. (4) Having received the exit radio signal, the autonomous vehicle 2 determines whether the time from when the entry radio signal was transmitted until when the exit radio signal was transmitted is longer than a predetermined time t. This predetermined time t can be determined in advance based on, for example, the length of the crosswalk 6, the average time it takes for pedestrians to cross, etc. (5) If the time from when the approach radio signal is transmitted until when the exit radio signal is transmitted is longer than a predetermined time t, autonomous vehicle 2 determines that the pedestrian has finished crossing the street and starts moving. On the other hand, if the time from when the approach radio signal is transmitted until when the exit radio signal is transmitted is equal to or shorter than the predetermined time t, autonomous vehicle 2 continues to be stopped and in a state requiring vigilance.

[0056] In the above example, the load sensors 33, 34 detect whether a pedestrian has crossed the crosswalk 6 and transmit an entry radio signal and an exit radio signal from the intention display device 1, but the load sensors 33, 34 may directly transmit an exit radio signal. Also, in this method, the case where a pedestrian enters the road from the near side to the far side (see FIG. 5) has been described, but if the pedestrian enters in the opposite direction, the same processing is possible by setting the load sensors 33, 34 on the entry side and the load sensors 31, 32 on the exit side.

[0057] Furthermore, in this method, an example in which the load sensors 31, 32, 33, and 34 are used has been described. However, instead of the load sensors 31, 32, 33, and 34, a human detection sensor (eg, a camera or the like) may be used to determine whether a pedestrian is crossing.

[0058] (Method 3 for determining whether a pedestrian is crossing the road) 6 to 8, movable gates 41, 42 may be installed on both sides of the crosswalk 6, and it may be determined whether or not a pedestrian has crossed the crosswalk using these movable gates 41, 42. In this case, the movable gate 41 is installed on the side of the crosswalk 6 where pedestrians enter, and the movable gate 42 is installed on the side of the crosswalk 6 where pedestrians exit.

[0059] As shown in Fig. 7, the movable gate 41 includes an arm unit 411 and a rotation mechanism 412. Under normal conditions, the arm unit 411 is located at a fixed position, that is, at the boundary between the sidewalk and the road 7. When the arm unit 411 is pushed toward the road by a pedestrian, the arm unit 411 rotates about the rotation mechanism 412 and changes its position from the fixed position by an angle θ. If the deflection angle θ of the arm unit 411 changes from the fixed position in the positive direction by more than a predetermined value γ, it can be determined that the pedestrian has entered the crosswalk 6. The predetermined value γ is set to a value larger than the value of the position change of the arm unit 411 due to the influence of wind, vibration, etc.

[0060] The rotation mechanism 412 rotatably supports the base end of the arm portion 411. The rotation mechanism 412 also includes a rotation angle sensor (not shown) that detects the deflection angle θ of the arm portion 411 relative to a fixed position. Although not shown in FIG. 7, the movable gate 41 also includes a mechanism (e.g., an elastic member) for returning the arm portion 411 to a fixed position.

[0061] As shown in Fig. 8, the movable gate 42 includes an arm unit 421 and a rotation mechanism 422. Under normal conditions, the arm unit 421 is located at a fixed position, that is, at the boundary between the sidewalk and the road 7. However, when the arm unit 421 is pushed toward the sidewalk by a pedestrian, it rotates about the rotation mechanism 422 and changes its position from the fixed position by an angle -θ. If the deflection angle θ of the arm unit 421 changes in the negative direction from the fixed position by more than a predetermined value γ, it can be determined that the pedestrian has exited the crosswalk 6.

[0062] The rotation mechanism 422 rotatably supports the base end of the arm portion 421. The rotation mechanism 422 also includes a rotation angle sensor (not shown) that detects the deflection angle θ of the arm portion 421 relative to a fixed position. Although not shown in Fig. 8, the movable gate 42 includes a mechanism (e.g., an elastic member) for returning the arm portion 421 to the fixed position.

[0063] The home position of the arm units 411, 421 is a position where the deflection angle θ=0°. The rotatable range of the arm units 411, 421 is a range of deflection angles θ=90° to −90°. When the absolute value of the deflection angle θ is small, the arm units 411, 421 are in a closed state where they close the space between the sidewalk and the road 7. When the pedestrian's approach direction is perpendicular to the home position and the absolute value of the deflection angle θ is 90°, as shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. 8, the arm units 411, 421 are in a fully open state. That is, when the arm units 411, 421 and the pedestrian's approach direction become parallel, the arm units 411, 421 are in a fully open state. In this method, for example, the following steps (1) to (5) are used to determine whether a pedestrian is crossing the road.

[0064] (1) When a pedestrian intending to enter the crosswalk 6 presses a push button or the like on the intention display device 1 installed on the entrance side of the crosswalk 6, the input is received by the input receiving unit 11. Furthermore, when the deflection angle θ of the arm portion 411 of the movable gate 41 exceeds a predetermined value γ in the positive direction, the detection result is output to the intention display device 1. In response to this, the wireless transmission unit 12 transmits an entrance wireless signal. (2) Upon receiving the approach radio signal, autonomous vehicle 2 stops and at the same time enters a state of alert. (3) When a pedestrian exits the crosswalk 6 and the deflection angle θ of the arm portion 421 of the movable gate 42 exceeds a predetermined value γ in the negative direction, the detection result is output to the intention display device 1 installed on the exit side of the crosswalk 6. In response to this, the wireless transmission unit 12 transmits an exit wireless signal. (4) Having received the exit radio signal, the autonomous vehicle 2 determines whether the time from when the entry radio signal was transmitted until when the exit radio signal was transmitted is longer than a predetermined time t. This predetermined time t can be determined in advance based on, for example, the length of the crosswalk 6, the average time it takes for pedestrians to cross, etc. (5) If the time from when the approach radio signal is transmitted until when the exit radio signal is transmitted is longer than a predetermined time t, autonomous vehicle 2 determines that the pedestrian has finished crossing the street and starts moving. On the other hand, if the time from when the approach radio signal is transmitted until when the exit radio signal is transmitted is equal to or shorter than the predetermined time t, autonomous vehicle 2 continues to be stopped and in a state requiring vigilance.

[0065] In the above example, the movable gates 41, 42 detect whether a pedestrian has crossed the crosswalk 6, and an entry radio signal and an exit radio signal are transmitted from the intention display device 1. However, the movable gates 41, 42 may directly transmit entry and exit radio signals.

[0066] In this case, when a pedestrian radio signal is transmitted from the intention display device 1 installed on the approach side of the crosswalk 6, the autonomous vehicle 2 enters a state of alert. If a pedestrian then comes into contact with the movable gate 41 and the deflection angle θ of the arm portion 411 exceeds a predetermined value γ in the positive direction, the movable gate 41 transmits an approach radio signal. In response to this, the autonomous vehicle 2 stops.

[0067] Subsequently, after a pedestrian crosses crosswalk 6, if the pedestrian comes into contact with movable gate 42 and the deflection angle θ of arm portion 421 exceeds predetermined value γ in the negative direction, movable gate 42 transmits an exit radio signal. If the time from when the entry radio signal is transmitted until when the exit radio signal is transmitted is longer than predetermined time t, autonomous vehicle 2 determines that the pedestrian has completed crossing, and starts moving. On the other hand, if the time from when the entry radio signal is transmitted until when the exit radio signal is transmitted is equal to or shorter than predetermined time t, autonomous vehicle 2 continues to be stopped and in a state requiring caution.

[0068] Note that this method has been described as being for the case where pedestrians enter the road from the front to the back, but if the pedestrians enter from the opposite direction, similar processing is possible by designating movable gate 42 as the entry side and movable gate 41 as the exit side.

[0069] The notification unit 13 provides a predetermined notification to the pedestrian when an input from the pedestrian is received by the input receiving unit 11. The notification unit 13 can be realized by, for example, a speaker that provides notification by voice, or a display that provides notification by text or images.

[0070] When the notification unit 13 is realized by a speaker, it can be silent before the input is received by the input receiving unit 11, and can output a predetermined voice (such as "Please wait" or "Please cross") or melody after the input is received. Also, as described above, it is possible to output a voice or melody that matches the situation of the pedestrian.

[0071] When the notification unit 13 is realized by a display, no display is displayed before the input is received by the input receiving unit 11, and after the input is received, a predetermined character (such as "Please wait" or "Please cross") or image can be output. Also, as described above, a character or image according to the situation of the pedestrian may be output.

[0072] (Autonomous Vehicles) The autonomous vehicle 2 is a vehicle capable of receiving pedestrian radio signals. The autonomous vehicle 2 may be manned or unmanned. The specific configuration of the autonomous vehicle 2 is not particularly limited. The autonomous vehicle 2 may be, for example, any of a general engine vehicle, a hybrid vehicle (HEV: Hybrid Electric Vehicle), a plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHEV: Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle), an electric vehicle (BEV: Battery Electric Vehicle), etc. The autonomous vehicle 2 includes a control unit 21 and a wireless receiving unit 22.

[0073] The control unit 21 is an electronic control unit (ECU) whose main components are a microcomputer including a central processing unit (CPU), a read only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), and the like.

[0074] For example, when wireless receiver 22 receives a pedestrian radio signal near crosswalk 6 before autonomous vehicle 2 (host vehicle) passes through crosswalk 6, control unit 21 stops autonomous vehicle 2 until the transmission of the pedestrian radio signal ends. In other words, control unit 21 causes autonomous vehicle 2 to execute a predetermined operation so as to stop until the transmission of the pedestrian radio signal ends. In this case, control unit 21 of autonomous vehicle 2 mainly controls the operation of autonomous vehicle 2.

[0075] Furthermore, the control unit 21 may control the operation of the autonomous vehicle 2 based on instructions from the traffic management server 3. In this case, when the control unit 21 receives a pedestrian radio signal, it transmits to the traffic management server 3 a flag indicating that the pedestrian radio signal has started (hereinafter referred to as a "radio signal start flag") and location information of the autonomous vehicle 2 (own vehicle) at the time the pedestrian radio signal was received (hereinafter referred to as "vehicle location information"). In response to this, the traffic management server 3 determines whether the autonomous vehicle 2 has passed through the pedestrian crossing 6. Then, when the control unit 21 acquires information of a stop instruction from the traffic management server 3, it stops the autonomous vehicle 2. Note that the radio signal start flag may include information such as the time when the pedestrian radio signal started, the output strength and frequency of the pedestrian radio signal, in addition to the information indicating that the pedestrian radio signal has started.

[0076] Furthermore, when the pedestrian radio transmission has ended, control unit 21 transmits a flag indicating that the pedestrian radio transmission has ended (hereinafter referred to as the "radio end flag") to the traffic management server 3. In response to this, the traffic management server 3 transmits departure instruction information to the autonomously driven vehicle 2. Then, when control unit 21 acquires the departure instruction information from the traffic management server 3, it starts autonomously driven vehicle 2. Note that the radio end flag may include information such as the time when the pedestrian radio transmission was completed, in addition to the information indicating that the pedestrian radio transmission has ended.

[0077] The control unit 21 can determine whether or not the autonomous vehicle 2 (host vehicle) has passed through the crosswalk 6 by using, for example, the following methods (1) to (3).

[0078] (1) An image of the road ahead is captured by an onboard camera, and the presence or absence of a pedestrian crossing 6 and the distance to the pedestrian crossing 6 are detected from the captured image. (2) The presence or absence of a pedestrian crossing 6 and the distance to the pedestrian crossing 6 are detected by determining whether or not the pedestrian is approaching the intention display device 1 from changes in the intensity of the received pedestrian radio output. (3) The presence or absence of a pedestrian crossing 6 and the distance to the pedestrian crossing 6 are detected by determining whether or not the pedestrian is approaching the intention display device 1 from changes in the frequency of the received pedestrian radio signal.

[0079] Furthermore, control unit 21 may stop the vehicle once it receives a pedestrian radio signal, without determining whether or not the vehicle has passed the crosswalk 6, and may start moving once the pedestrian radio signal ends. Furthermore, when the operation of autonomous vehicle 2 is controlled based on instructions from traffic management server 3 as described above, traffic management server 3 or traffic control server 4 may determine whether or not the vehicle has passed the crosswalk 6.

[0080] The wireless receiving unit 22 is configured by, for example, a DCM (Data Communication Module), etc. This wireless receiving unit 22 receives the pedestrian radio signal transmitted from the intention display device 1.

[0081] (Fleet management server) The traffic management server 3 is for managing the operation of the autonomous vehicle 2. This traffic management server 3 is realized by, for example, a general-purpose computer such as a workstation or a personal computer, or a server located on the cloud. The traffic management server 3 also includes a storage unit (or a database) for storing the following information:

[0082] (1) Map of the area in which the autonomous vehicle 2 will travel (2) The types and locations (absolute coordinates) of roads, sidewalks, crosswalks6, road signs, etc. on the map above (3) Planned route for autonomous vehicle 2

[0083] The traffic management server 3 can also operate together with the intention display device 1 according to the present invention and, as necessary, the traffic control server 4 described below. In particular, it is also possible to use external devices as the intention display device 1, the autonomous vehicle 2, and / or the traffic control server 4.

[0084] The traffic management server 3 controls the operation of the autonomous vehicle 2 on the road (slowing down, stopping, starting, etc.). When the autonomous vehicle 2 receives a pedestrian radio signal, the traffic management server 3 acquires a radio start flag and vehicle position information from the autonomous vehicle 2. Next, the traffic management server 3 identifies the position of the crosswalk 6 near the autonomous vehicle 2 (the crosswalk 6 where the intention display device 1 that serves as the transmission source of the pedestrian radio signal is installed) based on the vehicle position information, the planned driving route of the autonomous vehicle 2, and pre-stored position information of the crosswalk 6.

[0085] Next, the traffic management server 3 determines whether the autonomous vehicle 2 has passed through the crosswalk 6 based on the vehicle position information, the planned driving route of the autonomous vehicle 2, and the identified position of the crosswalk 6. If the traffic management server 3 determines that the autonomous vehicle 2 has not passed through the crosswalk 6, it stops the autonomous vehicle 2 before the crosswalk 6 by transmitting stop instruction information to the autonomous vehicle 2. Note that if the traffic management server 3 determines that the autonomous vehicle 2 has passed through the crosswalk 6, it allows the autonomous vehicle 2 to continue driving without transmitting stop instruction information.

[0086] If there are multiple intention display devices 1 near the autonomous vehicle 2, the traffic control server 4 may identify the position of the intention display device 1 that is the source of the pedestrian radio signal. In this case, the traffic management server 3 transmits a radio start flag and vehicle position information to the traffic control server 4. In response to this, the traffic control server 4 identifies the position of the intention display device 1 that is the source of the signal based on the vehicle position information, and transmits the identified position of the intention display device 1 to the traffic management server 3.

[0087] Next, the traffic management server 3 determines whether the autonomous vehicle 2 has passed through the crosswalk 6 based on the vehicle position information, the planned driving route of the autonomous vehicle 2, and the position of the crosswalk 6 where the identified intention display device 1 is installed. If the traffic management server 3 determines that the autonomous vehicle 2 has not passed through the crosswalk 6, it sends information instructing the autonomous vehicle 2 to stop, thereby causing the autonomous vehicle 2 to stop before the crosswalk 6.

[0088] If the traffic management server 3 determines that the autonomous vehicle 2 has not crossed the crosswalk 6, it may cause the autonomous vehicle 2 to slow down before the crosswalk 6 by transmitting slow-down instruction information to the autonomous vehicle 2. Moreover, if the traffic management server 3 determines that the autonomous vehicle 2 has crossed the crosswalk 6, it causes the autonomous vehicle 2 to continue traveling without transmitting stop instruction information.

[0089] (Traffic control server) The traffic control server 4 is for controlling the ground infrastructure 5 installed on the road. This traffic control server 4 is realized by a general-purpose computer such as a workstation or a personal computer, or a server installed on the cloud. The traffic control server 4 also includes a storage unit (or a database) for storing the following information:

[0090] (1) Position of the intention display device 1 (absolute coordinates) (2) Position of ground infrastructure 5 (absolute coordinates)

[0091] The traffic control server 4 can operate together with the intention display device 1 according to the present invention and the above-mentioned traffic management server 3 that manages the operation of the autonomous vehicle 2. In particular, it is also possible to use external devices as the intention display device 1, the autonomous vehicle 2, and / or the traffic management server 3.

[0092] The coordinate systems of the position information of the traffic control server 4 and the operation management server 3 may be the same or different. If the coordinate systems are different, it is preferable to provide the traffic control server 4 with a function for converting the position information.

[0093] The traffic control server 4 cooperates with the traffic management server 3 to perform various processes when the traffic management server 3 controls the operation of the autonomous vehicle 2 (slow down, stop, start, etc.). The traffic control server 4 transmits stop instruction information to the autonomous vehicle 2 that receives a radio signal from the traffic management server 3 near a pedestrian crossing. Then, in order to stop the autonomous vehicle 2, the traffic control server 4 identifies the position of the intention display device 1 based on the position information of the autonomous vehicle 2, and transmits the identified position of the intention display device 1 to the traffic management server 3.

[0094] More specifically, when the autonomous vehicle 2 receives a pedestrian radio signal, the traffic control server 4 acquires a radio start flag and vehicle position information from the traffic management server 3. Next, the traffic control server 4 identifies the position of the intention display device 1 that is the transmission source of the pedestrian radio signal based on the vehicle position information. Then, the traffic control server 4 transmits the identified position of the intention display device 1 to the traffic management server 3.

[0095] Furthermore, when there are multiple intention display devices 1 in the vicinity of the autonomous vehicle 2 from which the vehicle position information has been acquired, the traffic control server 4 identifies the intention display device 1 that is the source of the pedestrian radio signal based on the vehicle position information and the positions of each intention display device 1. Then, the traffic control server 4 transmits the position of the identified intention display device 1 to the operation management server 3.

[0096] The traffic control server 4 can identify the intention display device 1 that is the source of the pedestrian radio signal, for example, by using the following method. First, the traffic control server 4 converts the vehicle position information acquired from the traffic management server 3 into an absolute coordinate system as necessary, and then searches for the coordinates of the intention display device 1 near the autonomous vehicle 2.

[0097] When searching for the coordinates of the intention display device 1, for example, coordinates are searched for such that the distance between the coordinates (Xj, Yj) of the self-driving vehicle j and the coordinates (Xi, Yi) of the intention display device i (variable) satisfies the following formula (2).

[0098]

number

[0099] When the coordinates of the intention display device i can be narrowed down to one location by the above formula (2), if necessary, the coordinates of the intention display device i are converted to the coordinate system of the autonomous vehicle 2 and then transmitted to the traffic management server 3.

[0100] The operation management server 3 acquires the position coordinates of the intention display device 1 that is the source of the pedestrian radio signal, and determines whether the autonomous vehicle 2 has passed through the crosswalk 6 based on the position of the crosswalk 6 where the intention display device 1 is installed, vehicle position information, and the planned driving route of the autonomous vehicle 2.

[0101] In addition to the above-mentioned processing, the traffic control server 4 may also activate ground infrastructure 5 installed near the crosswalk 6 to notify the surrounding area of ​​the status of the autonomous vehicle 2 and the status of pedestrians.

[0102] (Ground infrastructure) The ground infrastructure 5 is equipment installed on the road and controlled by the traffic control server 4. Examples of the ground infrastructure 5 include electric indicators, traffic lights (including traffic light controllers), and PATLITE (registered trademark). In addition, some or all of the ground infrastructure 5 includes a wireless receiver for receiving pedestrian radio signals from the intention display device 1.

[0103] The ground infrastructure 5 cooperates with the traffic control server 4 to notify the surrounding area of, for example, the status of the autonomous vehicle 2 and the status of pedestrians. This makes it possible to realize an environment in which autonomous vehicles 2 and manually driven vehicles can travel safely in areas where autonomous vehicles 2, manually driven vehicles, pedestrians, etc. exist, and in which pedestrians can safely cross crosswalk 6.

[0104] (Control method for autonomous vehicle: first aspect) A first aspect of the control method for an autonomous vehicle executed by the control system for an autonomous vehicle according to the embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 9. This aspect is a control method for an autonomous vehicle 2 using an intention display device 1.

[0105] First, the input receiving unit 11 of the intention display device 1 judges whether or not an input from a pedestrian has been received (step S1). If it is judged in step S1 that an input from a pedestrian has been received (Yes in step S1), the radio transmission unit 12 transmits a pedestrian radio signal (step S2). Note that, if an input from a pedestrian has been received in step S1, the notification unit 13 may notify the user that the input has been received by voice, text, or the like.

[0106] Next, the control unit 21 of the autonomous vehicle 2 determines whether the autonomous vehicle 2 is within a receivable range of the pedestrian radio (step S3). If it is determined in step S3 that the autonomous vehicle 2 is within a receivable range of the pedestrian radio (Yes in step S3), the radio receiving unit 22 receives the pedestrian radio signal transmitted by the intention display device 1 (step S4).

[0107] Next, control unit 21 determines whether autonomous vehicle 2 is about to cross crosswalk 6 (step S5). The determination in step S5 can be made based on, for example, images from an in-vehicle camera, changes in the output strength of the pedestrian radio, changes in the frequency of the pedestrian radio, etc. If it is determined in step S5 that autonomous vehicle 2 is about to cross crosswalk 6 (Yes in step S5), control unit 21 stops autonomous vehicle 2 (step S6).

[0108] Next, the control unit 21 determines whether or not the transmission of the pedestrian radio signal has ended (step S7). If it is determined in step S7 that the transmission of the pedestrian radio signal has ended (Yes in step S7), the control unit 21 starts the autonomous vehicle 2 while slowly driving (step S8), and completes this process.

[0109] Here, if it is determined in step S1 that no input from a pedestrian has been received (No in step S1), wireless transmitter 12 returns to the beginning of the process in step S1. Also, if it is determined in step S3 that autonomous vehicle 2 is not within the receivable range of the pedestrian radio (No in step S3), control unit 21 causes autonomous vehicle 2 to continue traveling at a normal speed (step S9), and completes this process. In this case, the pedestrian also continues to cross the crosswalk 6.

[0110] Furthermore, if it is determined in step S5 that autonomous vehicle 2 has already passed through crosswalk 6 (No in step S5), control unit 21 causes autonomous vehicle 2 to continue traveling at a normal speed (step S9) and completes this process. In this case, the pedestrian also continues to cross crosswalk 6. Furthermore, if it is determined in step S7 that pedestrian radio transmission has not ended (No in step S7), control unit 21 returns to the beginning of the process in step S7.

[0111] In this embodiment, when a pedestrian radio signal is received (step S4), a determination is made as to whether or not the autonomous vehicle 2 is about to cross the crosswalk 6 (step S5) before the autonomous vehicle 2 is stopped (step S6), but the determination in step S5 is not essential. In other words, the autonomous vehicle 2 may be stopped (step S6) immediately after receiving a pedestrian radio signal (step S4).

[0112] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the reception of a pedestrian radio signal (step S4) is used as a trigger to stop the autonomous vehicle 2 (step S6), but the reception of a pedestrian radio signal (step S4) may also be used as a trigger to cause the autonomous vehicle 2 to slow down for a predetermined period of time and then stop.

[0113] According to this embodiment, the structure of the intention display device 1 is simple, so it can be easily installed and the installation cost can be kept low. In addition, since there is no need to control the intention display device 1 itself, and no need to control the lighting of traffic lights, such as red and green lights, it can be easily introduced. In addition, by using the intention display device 1, it is possible to prevent traffic congestion caused by the lighting control of traffic lights due to the overlap of multiple red lights and multiple green lights. It is also possible to add the function of the intention display device 1 to a conventional traffic light. In this case, the above-mentioned effects can also be obtained.

[0114] (Control method for autonomous vehicles: second aspect) A second aspect of the control method for an autonomous vehicle executed by the control system for an autonomous vehicle according to the embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 10. This aspect is a control method for an autonomous vehicle 2 using an intention display device 1, and is a method that applies the above-mentioned "Method 1 for determining whether a pedestrian is crossing".

[0115] First, the input receiving unit 11 of the intention display device 1 judges whether or not an input from a pedestrian has been received (step S51). If it is judged in step S51 that an input from a pedestrian has been received (Yes in step S51), the radio transmission unit 12 transmits a pedestrian radio (approach radio) (step S52). Note that, if an input from a pedestrian has been received in step S51, the notification unit 13 may notify the user that the input has been received, for example, by voice or text.

[0116] Next, the control unit 21 of the autonomous vehicle 2 determines whether the autonomous vehicle 2 is within a receivable range of the pedestrian radio (step S53). If it is determined in step S53 that the autonomous vehicle 2 is within a receivable range of the pedestrian radio (Yes in step S53), the radio receiving unit 22 receives the pedestrian radio (entry radio) transmitted by the intention display device 1 (step S54).

[0117] Next, control unit 21 determines whether or not autonomous vehicle 2 is about to cross crosswalk 6 (step S55). The determination in step S55 can be made based on, for example, images from an in-vehicle camera, collision prevention sensing information from the vehicle side, changes in pedestrian radio output strength, changes in pedestrian radio frequency, etc. In step S55, if it is determined that autonomous vehicle 2 is about to cross crosswalk 6 (Yes in step S55), control unit 21 stops autonomous vehicle 2 and at the same time sets a warning status (step S56).

[0118] Next, the input receiving unit 11 determines whether or not an input from a pedestrian has been received (step S57). If it is determined in step S57 that an input from a pedestrian has been received (Yes in step S57), the radio transmission unit 12 transmits a pedestrian radio signal (exit radio signal) (step S58). Note that, if an input from a pedestrian has been received in step S58, the notification unit 13 may notify the user of the received input by voice, text, or the like.

[0119] Next, the radio receiver 22 receives the pedestrian radio signal (exit radio signal) transmitted by the intention display device 1 (step S59). Next, the control unit 21 determines whether or not the time from when the approach radio signal is transmitted until when the exit radio signal is transmitted is longer than a predetermined time t (step S60). If it is determined that the time from when the approach radio signal is transmitted until when the exit radio signal is transmitted is longer than the predetermined time t (Yes in step S60), the control unit 21 determines that the pedestrian has completed crossing the street, starts the autonomous vehicle 2 (step S61), and completes this process.

[0120] Here, if it is determined in step S51 that no input from a pedestrian has been received (No in step S51), wireless transmitter 12 returns to the beginning of the process in step S51. Also, if it is determined in step S53 that autonomous vehicle 2 is not within the receivable range of the pedestrian radio (No in step S53), control unit 21 causes autonomous vehicle 2 to continue traveling at a normal speed (step S62), and completes this process. In this case, the pedestrian also continues to cross the crosswalk 6.

[0121] Furthermore, if it is determined in step S55 that the autonomous vehicle 2 has already passed the crosswalk 6 (No in step S55), the control unit 21 causes the autonomous vehicle 2 to continue traveling at a normal speed (step S62), and ends this process. In this case, the pedestrian also continues to cross the crosswalk 6.

[0122] Furthermore, in step S57, if it is determined that no input from a pedestrian has been received (No in step S57), the wireless transmitting unit 12 returns to the beginning of the process of step S57. In addition, in step S60, if it is determined that the time from when the approach wireless signal is transmitted to when the exit wireless signal is transmitted is equal to or shorter than the predetermined time t (No in step S60), the control unit 21 returns to the beginning of the process of step S60.

[0123] According to this embodiment, the intention display devices 1 installed on both sides of the crosswalk 6 are used to determine whether or not the pedestrian has crossed the crosswalk 6, thereby enabling the pedestrian to cross the crosswalk 6 more safely.

[0124] (Control method for autonomous vehicles: third aspect) A third aspect of the control method for an autonomous vehicle executed by the control system for an autonomous vehicle according to the embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 11. This aspect is a control method for an autonomous vehicle 2 using an intention display device 1, and is a method that applies the above-mentioned "Method 2 for determining whether a pedestrian is crossing".

[0125] First, the input receiving unit 11 of the intention display device 1 judges whether or not an input by a pedestrian has been received (step S71). If it is judged in step S71 that an input by a pedestrian has been received (Yes in step S71), the wireless transmitting unit 12 judges whether or not the load sensors 31, 32 (see FIG. 5) have detected the entry of a pedestrian into the crosswalk 6 (step S72).

[0126] In step S72, when it is determined that the load sensors 31, 32 have detected the entry of a pedestrian into the crosswalk 6 (Yes in step S72), the wireless transmitter 12 transmits a pedestrian wireless signal (entry wireless signal) (step S73). Note that, when a pedestrian input is accepted in step S71, the notification unit 13 may issue a notification indicating that the input has been accepted, for example, by voice or text.

[0127] Next, the control unit 21 of the autonomous vehicle 2 determines whether the autonomous vehicle 2 is within a receivable range of the pedestrian radio (step S74). If it is determined in step S74 that the autonomous vehicle 2 is within a receivable range of the pedestrian radio (Yes in step S74), the radio receiving unit 22 receives the pedestrian radio (entry radio) transmitted by the intention display device 1 (step S75).

[0128] Next, the control unit 21 determines whether the autonomous vehicle 2 is about to cross the crosswalk 6 (step S76). The determination in step S76 can be made based on, for example, images from an in-vehicle camera, collision prevention sensing information from the vehicle side, changes in the output strength of the pedestrian radio, changes in the frequency of the pedestrian radio, etc. In step S76, if it is determined that the autonomous vehicle 2 is about to cross the crosswalk 6 (Yes in step S76), the control unit 21 stops the autonomous vehicle 2 and at the same time sets a warning status (step S77).

[0129] Next, the wireless transmitter 12 determines whether or not the load sensors 33, 34 (see FIG. 5) have detected a pedestrian exiting the crosswalk 6 (step S78).

[0130] In step S78, if it is determined that the load sensors 33, 34 have detected the exit of a pedestrian from the crosswalk 6 (Yes in step S78), the wireless transmitter 12 transmits a pedestrian wireless signal (exit wireless signal) (step S79).

[0131] Next, the radio receiving unit 22 receives the pedestrian radio signal (exit radio signal) transmitted by the intention display device 1 (step S80). Next, the control unit 21 determines whether or not the time from when the approach radio signal is transmitted until when the exit radio signal is transmitted is longer than a predetermined time t (step S81). If it is determined that the time from when the approach radio signal is transmitted until when the exit radio signal is transmitted is longer than the predetermined time t (Yes in step S81), the control unit 21 determines that the pedestrian has completed crossing the street, starts the autonomous vehicle 2 (step S82), and completes this process.

[0132] Here, if it is determined in step S71 that an input from a pedestrian has not been accepted (No in step S71), wireless transmitting unit 12 returns to the beginning of the process of step S71. Also, if it is determined in step S72 that the load sensors 31, 32 have not detected the entry of a pedestrian into the crosswalk 6 (No in step S72), wireless transmitting unit 12 returns to the beginning of the process of step S72. Also, if it is determined in step S74 that the autonomous vehicle 2 is not within a receivable range of the pedestrian radio (No in step S74), control unit 21 causes autonomous vehicle 2 to continue traveling at a normal speed (step S83), and completes this process. In this case, the pedestrian also continues to cross the crosswalk 6.

[0133] Furthermore, if it is determined in step S76 that the autonomous vehicle 2 has already passed the crosswalk 6 (No in step S76), the control unit 21 causes the autonomous vehicle 2 to continue traveling at a normal speed (step S83), and ends this process. In this case, the pedestrian also continues to cross the crosswalk 6.

[0134] Furthermore, in step S78, if it is determined that the load sensors 33, 34 have not detected the entry of a pedestrian into the crosswalk 6 (No in step S78), the wireless transmitter 12 returns to the beginning of the process of step S78. In addition, in step S81, if it is determined that the time from the transmission of the approach wireless signal to the transmission of the exit wireless signal is equal to or shorter than the predetermined time t (No in step S81), the control unit 21 returns to the beginning of the process of step S81.

[0135] According to this embodiment, by using the load sensors 31, 32, 33, and 34 installed on both sides of the crosswalk 6 to determine whether or not a pedestrian has crossed the crosswalk 6, the pedestrian can cross the crosswalk 6 more safely.

[0136] (Control method for autonomous vehicles: fourth aspect) A fourth aspect of the control method for an autonomous vehicle executed by the control system for an autonomous vehicle according to the embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 12. This aspect is a control method for an autonomous vehicle 2 using an intention display device 1, and is a method that applies the above-mentioned "Method 3 for determining whether a pedestrian is crossing".

[0137] First, the input receiving unit 11 of the intention display device 1 judges whether or not an input by a pedestrian has been received (step S91). If it is judged in step S91 that an input by a pedestrian has been received (Yes in step S91), the wireless transmitting unit 12 judges whether or not the movable gate 41 (see FIG. 7) has detected the entry of a pedestrian into the crosswalk 6 (step S92).

[0138] In step S92, when it is determined that the movable gate 41 has detected the entry of a pedestrian into the crosswalk 6 (Yes in step S92), the wireless transmitter 12 transmits a pedestrian wireless signal (entry wireless signal) (step S93). Note that, when a pedestrian input is accepted in step S91, the notification unit 13 may issue a notification indicating that the input has been accepted, for example, by voice or text.

[0139] Next, the control unit 21 of the autonomous vehicle 2 determines whether the autonomous vehicle 2 is within a receivable range of the pedestrian radio (step S94). If it is determined in step S94 that the autonomous vehicle 2 is within a receivable range of the pedestrian radio (Yes in step S94), the radio receiving unit 22 receives the pedestrian radio (entry radio) transmitted by the intention display device 1 (step S95).

[0140] Next, control unit 21 determines whether or not autonomous vehicle 2 is about to cross crosswalk 6 (step S96). The determination in step S96 can be made based on, for example, images from an in-vehicle camera, collision prevention sensing information from the vehicle side, changes in pedestrian radio output strength, changes in pedestrian radio frequency, etc. In step S96, if it is determined that autonomous vehicle 2 is about to cross crosswalk 6 (Yes in step S96), control unit 21 stops autonomous vehicle 2 and at the same time sets a warning status (step S97).

[0141] Next, the wireless transmitter 12 determines whether or not the movable gate 42 (see FIG. 8) has detected the exit of a pedestrian from the crosswalk 6 (step S98).

[0142] In step S98, when it is determined that the movable gate 42 has detected the pedestrian exiting the crosswalk 6 (Yes in step S98), the radio transmitter 12 transmits a pedestrian radio signal (exit radio signal) (step S99).

[0143] Next, the radio receiver 22 receives the pedestrian radio signal (exit radio signal) transmitted by the intention display device 1 (step S100). Next, the control unit 21 determines whether or not the time from when the approach radio signal is transmitted until when the exit radio signal is transmitted is longer than a predetermined time t (step S101). If it is determined that the time from when the approach radio signal is transmitted until when the exit radio signal is transmitted is longer than the predetermined time t (Yes in step S101), the control unit 21 determines that the pedestrian has completed crossing the street, starts the autonomous vehicle 2 (step S102), and completes this process.

[0144] Here, if it is determined in step S91 that an input from a pedestrian has not been accepted (No in step S91), wireless transmitting unit 12 returns to the beginning of the process of step S91. Also, if it is determined in step S92 that a pedestrian's entry onto the crosswalk 6 is not detected by movable gate 41 (No in step S92), wireless transmitting unit 12 returns to the beginning of the process of step S92. Also, if it is determined in step S94 that autonomous vehicle 2 is not within a receivable range of the pedestrian radio (No in step S94), control unit 21 causes autonomous vehicle 2 to continue traveling at a normal speed (step S103), and completes this process. In this case, the pedestrian also continues to cross the crosswalk 6.

[0145] Furthermore, if it is determined in step S96 that the autonomous vehicle 2 has already passed the crosswalk 6 (No in step S96), control unit 21 causes autonomous vehicle 2 to continue traveling at a normal speed (step S103), and ends this process. In this case, the pedestrian also continues to cross the crosswalk 6.

[0146] Furthermore, if it is determined in step S98 that the movable gate 42 has not detected the entry of a pedestrian into the crosswalk 6 (No in step S98), the wireless transmitter 12 returns to the beginning of the process in step S99. Furthermore, if it is determined in step S101 that the time from when the entry wireless signal is transmitted to when the exit wireless signal is transmitted is equal to or shorter than the predetermined time t (No in step S101), the control unit 21 returns to the beginning of the process in step S101.

[0147] According to this embodiment, movable gates 41, 42 installed on both sides of the crosswalk 6 are used to determine whether or not a pedestrian has crossed the crosswalk 6, thereby enabling pedestrians to cross the crosswalk 6 more safely.

[0148] (Method of controlling an autonomous vehicle: Fifth aspect) A fifth aspect of the control method for an autonomous vehicle executed by the control system for an autonomous vehicle according to the embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 13. This aspect is a control method for an autonomous vehicle 2 using an intention display device 1 and a traffic management server 3. In this aspect, the operation (slowing down, stopping, starting, etc.) of the autonomous vehicle 2 is controlled by the traffic management server 3.

[0149] First, the input receiving unit 11 of the intention display device 1 judges whether or not an input from a pedestrian has been received (step S11). If it is judged in step S11 that an input from a pedestrian has been received (Yes in step S11), the radio transmission unit 12 transmits a pedestrian radio signal (step S12). Note that, if an input from a pedestrian has been received in step S11, the notification unit 13 may notify the user that the input has been received by voice, text, or the like.

[0150] Next, the control unit 21 of the autonomous vehicle 2 determines whether the autonomous vehicle 2 is within a receivable range of the pedestrian radio (step S13). If it is determined in step S13 that the autonomous vehicle 2 is within a receivable range of the pedestrian radio (Yes in step S13), the radio receiving unit 22 receives the pedestrian radio signal transmitted by the intention display device 1 (step S14).

[0151] Next, the control unit 21 transmits the wireless communication start flag and the vehicle position information at the time of receiving the pedestrian wireless communication to the traffic management server 3 (step S15). Next, the traffic management server 3 searches for the crosswalk 6 where the intention display device 1 that is the transmission source of the pedestrian wireless communication is installed, based on the vehicle position information, the planned driving route of the autonomous vehicle 2, and the position information of the crosswalk 6 that is stored in advance (step S16).

[0152] Next, the traffic management server 3 determines whether the autonomous vehicle 2 is about to cross the crosswalk 6 based on the vehicle position information, the planned driving route of the autonomous vehicle 2, and the searched position of the crosswalk 6 (step S17). If it is determined in step S17 that the autonomous vehicle 2 is about to cross the crosswalk 6 (Yes in step S17), the traffic management server 3 instructs the autonomous vehicle 2 to stop (step S18).

[0153] Next, the control unit 21 stops the autonomous vehicle 2 (step S19). Next, the control unit 21 determines whether or not the pedestrian radio transmission has ended (step S20). In step S20, if it is determined that the pedestrian radio transmission has ended (Yes in step S20), the control unit 21 transmits a radio end flag to the fleet management server 3 (step S21).

[0154] Next, the fleet management server 3 instructs the autonomous vehicle 2 to start (step S22). Next, the control unit 21 causes the autonomous vehicle 2 to start while slowly moving (step S23), and then completes this process.

[0155] Here, if it is determined in step S11 that no input from a pedestrian has been received (No in step S11), wireless transmitter 12 returns to the beginning of the process in step S11. Also, if it is determined in step S13 that autonomous vehicle 2 is not within the receivable range of the pedestrian radio (No in step S13), control unit 21 causes autonomous vehicle 2 to continue traveling at a normal speed (step S24), and completes this process. In this case, the pedestrian also continues to cross the crosswalk 6.

[0156] Furthermore, if it is determined in step S17 that the autonomous vehicle 2 has already passed the crosswalk 6 (No in step S17), control unit 21 causes autonomous vehicle 2 to continue traveling at a normal speed (step S24), and ends this process. In this case, the pedestrian also continues to cross the crosswalk 6. Furthermore, if it is determined in step S20 that the pedestrian radio transmission has not ended (No in step S20), control unit 21 returns to the beginning of the process in step S20.

[0157] In this embodiment, when a pedestrian radio signal is received (step S14), a determination is made as to whether or not the autonomous vehicle 2 is about to cross the crosswalk 6 (step S17) before the autonomous vehicle 2 is stopped (step S19), but the determination in step S17 is not essential. In other words, the autonomous vehicle 2 may be stopped (step S19) immediately after receiving a pedestrian radio signal (step S14).

[0158] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the reception of a pedestrian radio signal (step S14) is used as a trigger to stop the autonomous vehicle 2 (step S19), but the reception of a pedestrian radio signal (step S14) may also be used as a trigger to cause the autonomous vehicle 2 to slow down for a predetermined period of time and then stop.

[0159] Here, for example, in a traffic control system used in an area where an autonomous vehicle 2, a manually driven vehicle (manned vehicle), pedestrians, etc. exist, it is desirable to use absolute coordinates as the coordinates of ground infrastructure 5 such as traffic lights, in order to give instructions to manually driven vehicles. For example, in autonomous driving control using a relative coordinate system as in Patent Document 1, if absolute coordinates are used, the system load on the autonomous vehicle side increases, or compatibility is divided. This may lead to restrictions on available autonomous vehicles.

[0160] 13, the traffic management server 3 holds the absolute coordinates of the position of the crosswalk 6, and uses these coordinates to search for the position of the crosswalk 6 and determine whether the autonomous vehicle 2 has passed by. This makes it possible to suppress an increase in the system load on the autonomous vehicle 2 side.

[0161] (Method of controlling an autonomous vehicle: Sixth aspect) A sixth aspect of the control method for an autonomous vehicle executed by the control system for an autonomous vehicle according to the embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 14 to 16. This aspect is a control method for an autonomous vehicle 2 using an intention display device 1, a traffic management server 3, and a traffic control server 4. In this aspect, the traffic management server 3 and the traffic control server 4 work together to control the operation of the autonomous vehicle 2 (slowing down, stopping, starting, etc.).

[0162] First, the input receiving unit 11 of the intention display device 1 judges whether or not an input from a pedestrian has been received (step S31). If it is judged in step S31 that an input from a pedestrian has been received (Yes in step S31), the radio transmission unit 12 transmits a pedestrian radio signal (step S32). Note that, if an input from a pedestrian has been received in step S31, the notification unit 13 may notify the user that the input has been received by voice, text, or the like.

[0163] Next, the control unit 21 of the autonomous vehicle 2 determines whether the autonomous vehicle 2 is within a receivable range of the pedestrian radio (step S33). If it is determined in step S33 that the autonomous vehicle 2 is within a receivable range of the pedestrian radio (Yes in step S33), the radio receiving unit 22 receives the pedestrian radio signal transmitted by the intention display device 1 (step S34).

[0164] Next, the control unit 21 transmits the wireless start flag and the vehicle position information at the time of receiving the pedestrian radio signal to the traffic management server 3 (step S35). Next, the traffic management server 3 transmits the wireless start flag and the vehicle position information to the traffic control server 4 (step S36). Next, the traffic control server 4 identifies the intention display device 1 transmitting the pedestrian radio signal based on the vehicle position information (step S37), and transmits the position of the identified intention display device 1 to the traffic management server 3 (step S38).

[0165] Next, the traffic control server 4 determines whether or not to operate the ground infrastructure 5 (step S39). When it is determined in step S39 that the ground infrastructure 5 is to be operated (Yes in step S39), the traffic control server 4 operates the ground infrastructure 5 (step S40).

[0166] Here, in step S38, the traffic management server 3, which has acquired the position of the intention display device 1 from the traffic control server 4, performs the following process. That is, the traffic management server 3 determines whether the autonomous vehicle 2 is about to pass the crosswalk 6 based on the vehicle position information, the planned driving route of the autonomous vehicle 2, and the position of the crosswalk 6 where the identified intention display device 1 is installed (step S41). If it is determined in step S41 that the autonomous vehicle 2 is about to pass the crosswalk 6 (Yes in step S41), the traffic management server 3 instructs the autonomous vehicle 2 to stop (step S42).

[0167] Next, the control unit 21 stops the autonomous vehicle 2 (step S43). Next, the control unit 21 determines whether or not the pedestrian radio transmission has ended (step S44). If it is determined in step S44 that the pedestrian radio transmission has ended (Yes in step S44), the control unit 21 transmits a radio end flag to the fleet management server 3 (step S45).

[0168] Next, the fleet management server 3 instructs the autonomous vehicle 2 to start (step S46). Next, the control unit 21 causes the autonomous vehicle 2 to start while slowly moving (step S47), and then completes this process.

[0169] Here, if it is determined in step S31 that no input from a pedestrian has been received (No in step S31), wireless transmitter 12 returns to the beginning of the process in step S31. Also, if it is determined in step S33 that autonomous vehicle 2 is not within the receivable range of the pedestrian radio (No in step S33), control unit 21 causes autonomous vehicle 2 to continue traveling at a normal speed (step S48), and completes this process. In this case, the pedestrian also continues to cross the crosswalk 6.

[0170] Furthermore, if it is determined in step S39 that the ground infrastructure 5 should not be operated (No in step S39), the traffic control server 4 completes this process. Furthermore, if it is determined in step S41 that the autonomous vehicle 2 has already passed the crosswalk 6 (No in step S41), the control unit 21 causes the autonomous vehicle 2 to continue traveling at a normal speed (step S48), and completes this process. In this case, the pedestrian also continues to cross the crosswalk 6. Furthermore, if it is determined in step S44 that the pedestrian radio transmission has not ended (No in step S44), the control unit 21 returns to the beginning of the process of step S44.

[0171] In this embodiment, when a pedestrian radio signal is received (step S34), a determination is made as to whether the autonomous vehicle 2 is about to cross the crosswalk 6 (step S41) and then the autonomous vehicle 2 is stopped (step S43), but the determination in step S41 is not essential. In other words, the autonomous vehicle 2 may be stopped (step S43) immediately after receiving a pedestrian radio signal (step S34).

[0172] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the reception of a pedestrian radio signal (step S34) is used as a trigger to stop the autonomous vehicle 2 (step S43), but the reception of a pedestrian radio signal (step S34) may also be used as a trigger to cause the autonomous vehicle 2 to slow down for a predetermined period of time and then stop.

[0173] (Details of step S37) Specifically, step S37 in Fig. 14 performs the process shown in Fig. 15. First, the traffic control server 4 judges whether or not there are multiple intention display devices 1 in the vicinity of the autonomous vehicle 2 that has received the pedestrian radio signal (step S371). Since the traffic control server 4 knows the positions of the intention display devices 1 in advance, the traffic control server 4 makes the judgment in step S371 based on the vehicle position information acquired in step S36 in Fig. 14 and the previously known positions of the intention display devices 1.

[0174] In step S371, if it is determined that there are multiple intention display devices 1 in the vicinity of the autonomous vehicle 2 (Yes in step S371), the traffic control server 4 determines whether any ground infrastructure 5 in the vicinity of the autonomous vehicle 2 has received a pedestrian radio signal (step S372).

[0175] In step S372, if it is determined that a pedestrian radio signal has been received from the ground infrastructure 5 near the autonomous vehicle 2 (Yes in step S372), the traffic control server 4 determines whether or not it is possible to narrow down the source of the pedestrian radio signal (step S373). In step S373, if it is determined that it is possible to narrow down the source of the pedestrian radio signal (Yes in step S373), the traffic control server 4 identifies the position of the intention display device 1 of the source (step S374) and completes this process.

[0176] Here, if it is determined in step S371 that there are no intention display devices 1 in the vicinity of the autonomous vehicle 2 (No in step S371), the traffic control server 4 proceeds to the process of step S374. Also, if it is determined in step S372 that there is no ground infrastructure 5 in the vicinity of the autonomous vehicle 2 that has received a pedestrian radio signal (No in step S372), the traffic control server 4 determines whether there is any autonomous vehicle 2 in the vicinity that has received a pedestrian radio signal (step S375).

[0177] If it is determined in step S375 that no nearby self-driving vehicles 2 have received the pedestrian radio signal (No in step S375), the traffic control server 4 identifies the location of the source intention display device 1 from among all possible intention display devices 1 (step S376) and completes this process.

[0178] If it is determined in step S373 that narrowing down the source of the pedestrian radio signal is not possible (No in step S373), the traffic control server 4 proceeds to the process of step S375. If it is determined in step S375 that any nearby autonomous vehicle 2 has received the pedestrian radio signal (Yes in step S375), the traffic control server 4 proceeds to the process of step S374.

[0179] (Details of step S40) Specifically, step S40 in Fig. 14 performs the process shown in Fig. 16. First, the traffic management server 3 determines whether there is a possibility that another autonomous vehicle 2 will pass the target crosswalk 6 within a predetermined time (step S401). The traffic management server 3 is constantly aware of the positions of the other autonomous vehicles 2, and therefore performs the determination in step S401 based on the position of the target crosswalk 6 and the vehicle position information of the other autonomous vehicles 2.

[0180] In step S401, if it is determined that there is a possibility that other autonomous vehicles 2 will pass the target crosswalk 6 for a predetermined period of time (Yes in step S401), the traffic management server 3 instructs the other autonomous vehicles 2 to slow down near the target crosswalk 6 (step S402). Next, the traffic management server 3 transmits information to the effect that the slow down instruction has been issued to the traffic control server 4 (step S403).

[0181] Next, the traffic control server 4 determines whether or not there is a ground infrastructure 5 near the target crosswalk 6 (step S404). Since the traffic control server 4 knows the position of the ground infrastructure 5 in advance, the traffic control server 4 makes the determination in step S404 based on the position of the target crosswalk 6 and the position of the ground infrastructure 5 known in advance.

[0182] If it is determined in step S404 that there is ground infrastructure 5 near the target crosswalk 6 (Yes in step S404), the traffic control server 4 operates the ground infrastructure 5 for a predetermined time (step S405) and completes this process. In step S405, for example, a message that a pedestrian is crossing the nearby crosswalk 6 or that the autonomous vehicle 2 is driving slowly is displayed on the ground infrastructure 5 such as an electric indicator, thereby alerting nearby manually operated vehicles (manned vehicles), pedestrians, and the like.

[0183] Here, if it is determined in step S401 that there is no possibility that another autonomous vehicle 2 will pass the target crosswalk 6 for a predetermined time (No in step S401), the traffic management server 3 ends this process. Also, if it is determined in step S404 that there is no ground infrastructure 5 near the target crosswalk 6 (No in step S404), the traffic control server 4 ends this process.

[0184] According to the intention display device, autonomous vehicle control system, traffic control server, autonomous vehicle, intention display method, and autonomous vehicle control method according to the embodiments described above, by using an intention display device that is easy to install and introduce, it is possible to confirm the intention of pedestrians to cross at the crosswalk 6 in an area where autonomous vehicles 2 and pedestrians exist, without carrying out large-scale construction work, etc. As a result, pedestrians can cross the crosswalk 6 safely.

[0185] In addition, according to the intention display device, autonomous vehicle control system, traffic control server, autonomous vehicle, intention display method, and autonomous vehicle control method of the embodiments, there is no need to install a large number of traffic lights at pedestrian crossing locations, which not only reduces installation costs but also makes it possible to avoid traffic congestion caused by waiting for traffic lights to turn on.

[0186] Furthermore, the intention display device, autonomous vehicle control system, traffic control server, autonomous vehicle, intention display method, and autonomous vehicle control method according to the embodiments are easy to introduce because pedestrians themselves do not need to receive the pedestrian radio signal transmitted by the intention display device. Furthermore, the intention display device according to the embodiments is a simple mechanism that only transmits pedestrian radio signals, and does not require green and red lighting control like traffic lights, so it can be installed at low cost.

[0187] The intention display device, the control system for an autonomous vehicle, the traffic control server, the autonomous vehicle, the intention display method, and the control method for an autonomous vehicle according to the present invention have been specifically described above using the form and examples for carrying out the invention, but the gist of the present invention is not limited to these descriptions and must be broadly interpreted based on the claims. Furthermore, it goes without saying that various changes, modifications, etc. based on these descriptions are also included in the gist of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0188] 1 Intention display device 11 Input reception section 12 Radio transmitter 13 Notification Department 2. Self-driving cars 21 Control section 22 Radio receiving section 3. Traffic management server 4. Traffic Control Server 5. Ground infrastructure 6. Crosswalks 7 road 31, 32, 33, 34 Load sensor 41,42 Movable gate N Network

Claims

1. An intention display device used by a pedestrian crossing a crosswalk in an area where an autonomous vehicle capable of receiving a predetermined radio signal and a pedestrian exist, an input receiving unit that receives an input from the pedestrian crossing the crosswalk; a wireless transmission unit that transmits the wireless signal for a predetermined time after receiving the input; Equipped with When the autonomous vehicle near the crosswalk receives the radio signal, the autonomous vehicle performs a predetermined operation. Intention display device.

2. The intention display device according to claim 1, which is installed and fixed at an end of the pedestrian crossing.

3. A control system for an autonomous vehicle including an intention display device used by a pedestrian crossing a crosswalk and an autonomous vehicle capable of receiving a predetermined radio signal, The said intention indication means: an input receiving unit that receives an input from the pedestrian crossing the crosswalk; a wireless transmission unit that transmits the wireless signal for a predetermined time after receiving the input; Equipped with When the autonomous vehicle receives the radio signal near the crosswalk before passing through the crosswalk, the autonomous vehicle stops until the radio signal ends. Autonomous vehicle control system.

4. A control system for an autonomous vehicle comprising: an intention display device used by a pedestrian crossing a crosswalk; an autonomous vehicle capable of receiving a predetermined radio signal; and a traffic management server that manages the operation of the autonomous vehicle, The said intention indication means: an input receiving unit that receives an input from the pedestrian crossing the crosswalk; a wireless transmission unit that transmits the wireless signal for a predetermined time after receiving the input; Equipped with When the autonomous vehicle receives the radio signal near the crosswalk, the autonomous vehicle transmits location information of the autonomous vehicle to the traffic management server, The fleet management server includes: Identifying a position of the crosswalk based on position information of the autonomous vehicle and a planned driving route of the autonomous vehicle; determining whether the autonomous vehicle has passed through the crosswalk based on position information of the autonomous vehicle and the identified position of the crosswalk; When it is determined that the autonomous vehicle is not passing through the crosswalk, the autonomous vehicle is stopped by transmitting a stop instruction information to the autonomous vehicle. Autonomous vehicle control system.

5. A control system for an autonomous vehicle comprising: an intention display device used by a pedestrian crossing a crosswalk; an autonomous vehicle capable of receiving radio signals; a traffic management server that manages the operation of the autonomous vehicle; and a traffic control server that controls ground infrastructure installed on a road, The said intention indication means: an input receiving unit that receives an input from the pedestrian crossing the crosswalk; a wireless transmission unit that transmits the wireless signal for a predetermined time after receiving the input; Equipped with When the autonomous vehicle receives the radio signal near the crosswalk, the autonomous vehicle transmits location information of the autonomous vehicle to the traffic management server, The fleet management server transmits position information of the autonomous vehicle to the traffic control server, The traffic control server identifies a position of the intention display device based on position information of the autonomous vehicle, and transmits the identified position of the intention display device to the traffic management server; The fleet management server includes: determining whether or not the autonomous vehicle has passed through the crosswalk based on position information of the autonomous vehicle and the identified position of the crosswalk on which the intention display device is installed; When it is determined that the autonomous vehicle is not passing through the crosswalk, the autonomous vehicle is stopped by transmitting a stop instruction information to the autonomous vehicle. Autonomous vehicle control system.

6. The autonomous vehicle control system of claim 5, wherein when there are multiple intention display devices in the vicinity of the autonomous vehicle from which location information has been obtained, the traffic control server identifies the intention display device that is the source of the radio signals based on the location information of the autonomous vehicle and the locations of each intention display device, and transmits the location of the identified intention display device to the traffic management server.

7. 7. The autonomous vehicle control system according to claim 5, wherein the traffic control server notifies surrounding areas of the status of the autonomous vehicle and the status of the pedestrians by activating the ground infrastructure installed near the crosswalk.

8. A traffic control server that operates together with the intention display device according to claim 1 and a traffic management server that manages the operation of an autonomous vehicle, The traffic management server transmits stop instruction information to an autonomous vehicle that receives a radio signal near a pedestrian crossing, and in order to stop the autonomous vehicle, the location of the intention display device is identified based on location information of the autonomous vehicle, and the identified location of the intention display device is transmitted to the traffic management server. Traffic control server.

9. An autonomous vehicle traveling in an area where a pedestrian and the intention display device according to claim 1, which is used by the pedestrian when crossing a pedestrian crossing, are present, A radio receiving unit that receives a predetermined radio signal transmitted from the intention display device; a control unit that causes the autonomous vehicle to execute a predetermined operation to stop transmitting the radio signal until the transmission of the radio signal ends when the autonomous vehicle receives the radio signal near the crosswalk before passing through the crosswalk; An autonomous vehicle equipped with

10. A method for expressing an intention using the intention display device according to claim 1, an input receiving step of receiving an input from a pedestrian crossing the crosswalk by an input receiving unit; a wireless transmission step of transmitting wireless signals from a wireless transmission unit for a predetermined time after receiving the input; Including, When an autonomous vehicle near the crosswalk receives the radio signal, the autonomous vehicle performs a predetermined operation. How to express your intentions.

11. A method for controlling an autonomous vehicle executed by a system including an intention display device used by a pedestrian crossing a crosswalk and an autonomous vehicle capable of receiving a predetermined radio signal, A step in which the intention display device receives an input from the pedestrian crossing the crosswalk; a step of the intention display device transmitting the wireless signal for a predetermined time after receiving the input; When the autonomous vehicle receives the radio signal near the pedestrian crossing before passing through the pedestrian crossing, the autonomous vehicle stops until the radio signal ends; A method for controlling an autonomous vehicle, comprising:

12. A method for controlling an autonomous vehicle executed by a system including an intention display device used by a pedestrian crossing a crosswalk, an autonomous vehicle capable of receiving a predetermined radio signal, and a traffic management server that manages the operation of the autonomous vehicle, A step in which the intention display device receives an input from the pedestrian crossing the crosswalk; a step of the intention display device transmitting the wireless signal for a predetermined time after receiving the input; When the autonomous vehicle receives the radio signal near the crosswalk, transmitting location information of the autonomous vehicle to the fleet management server; The traffic management server specifies the position of the pedestrian crossing based on position information of the autonomous vehicle and a planned driving route of the autonomous vehicle; a step of the traffic management server determining whether the autonomous vehicle has passed through the crosswalk based on position information of the autonomous vehicle and the identified position of the crosswalk; When the fleet management server determines that the autonomous vehicle is not passing through the crosswalk, the fleet management server stops the autonomous vehicle by transmitting stop instruction information to the autonomous vehicle; A method for controlling an autonomous vehicle, comprising:

13. A method for controlling an autonomous vehicle executed by a system including: an intention display device used by a pedestrian crossing a crosswalk; an autonomous vehicle capable of receiving radio signals; a traffic management server that manages the operation of the autonomous vehicle; and a traffic control server that controls ground infrastructure installed on a road; A step in which the intention display device receives an input from the pedestrian crossing the crosswalk; a step of the intention display device transmitting the wireless signal for a predetermined time after receiving the input; When the autonomous vehicle receives the radio signal near the crosswalk, transmitting location information of the autonomous vehicle to the fleet management server; The operation management server transmits position information of the autonomous vehicle to the traffic control server; The traffic control server identifies a position of the intention display device based on position information of the autonomous vehicle, and transmits the identified position of the intention display device to the operation management server; a step in which the traffic management server determines whether the autonomous vehicle has passed through the crosswalk based on position information of the autonomous vehicle and the identified position of the crosswalk where the intention display device is installed; When the fleet management server determines that the autonomous vehicle is not passing through the crosswalk, the fleet management server stops the autonomous vehicle by transmitting stop instruction information to the autonomous vehicle; A method for controlling an autonomous vehicle, comprising:

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