Information management system

Abstract

To enable securing safety at a corresponding intersection even when an automatic operation vehicle itself becomes a communication impossible state.SOLUTION: An information management system 100 includes: communication devices 23, 53 for performing communication of management information MI with an automatic operation vehicle VE1; and a determination device for transmitting an emergency control signal ES for securing safety under a predetermined condition to a first traffic light TL1 when communication is interrupted with the automatic operation vehicle VE1 existing in the neighborhood of the first traffic light TL1.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an information management system that manages the status of autonomous vehicles traveling within a monitoring range. [Background technology]

[0002] There is a known traffic light management system that, when it receives abnormal driving information indicating a vehicle behaving erratically from an autonomous vehicle, predicts the future trajectory of the abnormally driving vehicle and transmits an emergency control signal to the traffic light to turn the traffic light at the relevant intersection red (paragraphs

[0022] ,

[0024] ,

[0027] , Figure 3, etc. of Patent Document 1).

[0003] In the system of Patent Document 1, emergency control of traffic light display is performed when abnormal driving information is included in the information from the autonomous vehicle, but if some abnormality, including a breakdown, occurs in the autonomous vehicle, it is unclear whether the autonomous vehicle is in a state where it can communicate with the management server. In the system of Patent Document 1, if the autonomous vehicle itself is in a state where it cannot communicate, it can be considered that the autonomous vehicle itself is an abnormally driving vehicle, and emergency control of the traffic light at the intersection where the abnormally driving vehicle is heading cannot be performed. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2022-108612 Summary of the Invention

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned background, and aims to provide an information management system that makes it possible to ensure safety at a corresponding intersection even if an autonomous vehicle itself is unable to communicate.

[0006] In order to achieve the above-mentioned objective, the information management system of the present invention includes a communication device that communicates management information with an autonomous vehicle, and a determination device that, when communication with an autonomous vehicle located near a first traffic light is interrupted, transmits an emergency control signal to the first traffic light to ensure safety under specified conditions.

[0007] In the above-mentioned information management system, if communication with an autonomous vehicle near the first traffic light is lost, the determination device transmits an emergency control signal to the first traffic light to ensure safety under specified conditions. Therefore, in the event that communication with the autonomous vehicle is not possible due to a failure of the control device installed in the autonomous vehicle or for other reasons, other vehicles and people heading toward the intersection can be protected from the out-of-control autonomous vehicle.

[0008] According to a specific aspect of the present invention, the information management system includes a first roadside device associated with the first traffic light and configured to collect traffic information, the first roadside device including a communication device and a determination device. In other words, the first roadside device associated with the first traffic light operates autonomously to collect traffic information, and transmits an emergency control signal to the first traffic light when communication with an autonomous vehicle in the vicinity of the first traffic light is interrupted.

[0009] According to another aspect of the present invention, the determination device performs overall management of a group of traffic lights including the first traffic light. In this case, the determination device is incorporated in a management server that is a higher-level device that manages the group of traffic lights.

[0010] According to yet another aspect of the present invention, the emergency control signal causes the first traffic light to be in a stop state as a whole. In other words, the emergency control signal is a command signal requesting a full red light. It is not easy to clearly determine the path of an autonomous vehicle that has lost communication, and completely prohibiting entry into the intersection where the first traffic light is located effectively ensures the safety of other vehicles heading toward the intersection.

[0011] According to yet another aspect of the present invention, when communication with the autonomous vehicle is interrupted, the determination device determines the current position of the autonomous vehicle and transmits an emergency control signal to the first traffic light, with the prerequisite that the autonomous vehicle has not reached an intersection where the first traffic light is provided. Whether the autonomous vehicle has reached the intersection can be determined, for example, from a communication record with the autonomous vehicle. Whether the autonomous vehicle has reached the intersection can also be determined by providing a sensor that detects moving objects around the intersection.

[0012] According to yet another aspect of the present invention, the determination device transmits an emergency control signal to the first traffic light on the condition that it has determined that an autonomous vehicle is present in a switching determination area set near the first traffic light. It is desirable to transmit the emergency control signal to the first traffic light at a time appropriately before an autonomous vehicle heading toward an intersection enters the intersection, and the switching determination area corresponds to a location closer to the intersection than the location where the autonomous vehicle is expected to be present at this time.

[0013] According to yet another aspect of the present invention, when communication with an autonomous vehicle is interrupted and the determination device determines that the autonomous vehicle has reached or passed through an intersection where a first traffic light is provided, the determination device determines a second traffic light downstream of the first traffic light toward which the autonomous vehicle is headed. In this case, it is too late to send an emergency control signal to the first traffic light, and the second traffic light toward which the autonomous vehicle is headed can be considered to be an increased danger, making it possible to take action.

[0014] According to yet another aspect of the present invention, when communication with the autonomous vehicle is interrupted, the second roadside device associated with the second traffic light determines the current position of the autonomous vehicle and transmits an emergency control signal to the second traffic light for ensuring safety, on the prerequisite that the autonomous vehicle has not reached the intersection where the second traffic light is provided. In this case, other vehicles and people heading toward the intersection where the second traffic light is provided, where the danger has increased, can be protected from the out-of-control autonomous vehicle.

[0015] According to yet another aspect of the present invention, the second roadside device transmits an emergency control signal to the second traffic light, with the necessary condition being that it determines that an autonomous vehicle is present in a switching judgment area set near the second traffic light.

[0016] According to yet another aspect of the present invention, the determination device determines whether the autonomous vehicle has reached an intersection by predicting a current position from a previous position of the autonomous vehicle. In this case, even if the autonomous vehicle is not detected by a sensor that detects moving objects, the determination device can transmit an emergency control signal to the first traffic light at an appropriate time.

[0017] According to yet another aspect of the present invention, the determination device detects information about the passing direction of an autonomous vehicle passing through an intersection, and determines a second traffic light that corresponds to the passing direction among traffic lights present next to a first traffic light, thereby making it possible to appropriately select and control the second traffic light toward which the autonomous vehicle will head. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] 1 is a block diagram showing an information management system according to a first embodiment; [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a plan view conceptually showing a road provided with an information management system. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a specific structure of a first driving support device. [Figure 4] (A) is information transmitted from the vehicle side, which is an autonomous vehicle, to the driving assistance device on the road side, and (B) is information transmitted from the road side to the vehicle side. [Diagram 5] 4 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the information management system mainly with respect to the first driving support device. [Figure 6] 11 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of the information management system. [Figure 7] FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating the display state of a first traffic light when it receives an emergency control signal. [Figure 8] 11 is a diagram illustrating the display state of a first traffic light when it receives an emergency control release signal. FIG. [Figure 9] 11 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of the information management system. [Figure 10] 5 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the information management system mainly with respect to the second driving support device. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing an information management system according to a second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0019] [First embodiment] Hereinafter, a first embodiment of an information management system according to the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 1 etc. Fig. 1 is a block diagram for explaining an overview of an information management system 100 of the first embodiment, and Fig. 2 is a conceptual diagram for explaining a case where the information management system 100 shown in Fig. 1 is applied to a road RA including a plurality of intersections CS1 and CS2.

[0020] The information management system 100 shown in Fig. 1 includes a first driving support device PV1 which is a roadside device provided in association with a first intersection CS1 (see Fig. 2), a second driving support device PV2 which is a roadside device provided in association with a second intersection CS2 (see Fig. 2), and a management server 50 which manages the operation states of the driving support devices PV1 and PV2 and provides necessary information. The management server 50 and the driving support devices PV1 and PV2 communicate digital data via a communication network NT. Communication of management related information OI1 is performed between the first driving support device PV1 and the management server 50, and communication of management related information OI2 is performed between the second driving support device PV2 and the management server 50. The management server 50 has map information including static information and dynamic information, and the driving assistance devices PV1, PV2 can selectively receive local map information corresponding to the installation locations of the driving assistance devices PV1, PV2 from the management server 50, can reflect the received map information in their own operation, and can distribute the received map information, etc. to autonomous vehicles SP (e.g., autonomous vehicle VE1) present in the vicinity.

[0021] Although not shown in the figure, the information management system 100 manages a large number of intersections, and includes a third driving support device, a fourth driving support device, . . . an m-th driving support device (m is a natural number) not shown.

[0022] The first driving assistance device PV1 communicates management information MI including driving assistance information, etc. with an autonomously driven vehicle VE1 that is present in a specified assistance zone, by performing digital data communication with the autonomously driven vehicle VE1 via the communication network NT while identifying the other device. Note that, when a target autonomously driven vehicle (not shown) is present in the specified assistance zone, the second driving assistance device PV2 can communicate digital data with the autonomously driven vehicle while identifying the other device via the communication network NT, and can communicate management information with the autonomously driven vehicle.

[0023] The first driving support device PV1 operates in cooperation with the first traffic light TL1, and collects area traffic information including the first traffic light TL1 and its surrounding area. The first traffic light TL1 may operate autonomously, for example, or may operate based on a control command from a control device installed in a control center. Furthermore, the first traffic light TL1 may operate based on a control command from the first driving support device PV1. In either case, the first traffic light TL1 receives control information CI1 output from the first driving support device PV1. This control information CI1 may include an emergency control signal ES. When the first traffic light TL1 receives the emergency control signal ES, it executes an operation corresponding to the emergency control signal ES as an interrupt-like operation. The emergency control signal ES realizes a display state required for ensuring safety. Specifically, the emergency control signal ES is, for example, a command to gradually change the first traffic light TL1 as a whole to a stop aspect state (i.e., all red). Of the signal lamps 72 constituting the first traffic light TL1 that received the emergency control signal ES, those that do not have their red signal lamps lit will go through a transitional current state, and then all of their red signal lamps will be lit and all of their other color signal lamps will be turned off. Note that those that have their red signal lamps lit will remain in that state. This all-red state of the first traffic light TL1 will continue until the emergency control command is released.

[0024] The second driving support device PV2 operates in cooperation with the second traffic light TL2, and collects area traffic information including the second traffic light TL2 and its surrounding area. The second traffic light TL2 may operate autonomously, for example, or may operate based on a control command from a control device installed in a control center. Furthermore, the second traffic light TL2 may operate based on a control command from the second driving support device PV2. In either case, the second traffic light TL2 receives control information CI2 output from the second driving support device PV2. This control information CI2 may include an emergency control signal ES. When the second traffic light TL2 receives the emergency control signal ES, it executes an operation corresponding to the emergency control signal ES as an interrupt-like operation. The emergency control signal ES realizes a display state required for ensuring safety. Specifically, the emergency control signal ES is, for example, a command to gradually put the second traffic light TL2 into a stop aspect state as a whole.

[0025] In FIG. 2, two intersections CS1 and CS2 are arranged on a road RA. At the first intersection CS1, a first road A1 intersects with a second road A2, and at the second intersection CS2, the first road A1 intersects with a third road A3. The first road A1 has opposing lanes A11 and A12, and the second road A2 has opposing lanes A21 and A22. The third road A3 has opposing lanes A31 and A32. The second intersection CS2 is located next to the first intersection CS1.

[0026] Four vehicle lights 31, 32, 33, 34 and four sets of pedestrian lights 41, 42, 43, 44 are provided at the corner of the first intersection CS1. The vehicle light 31 is intended for oncoming vehicles VE2 and the like in the lane A11 toward the left side of the paper of the first road A1, and displays a signal toward the oncoming vehicles VE2 and the like. The vehicle light 32 is intended for autonomous vehicles VE1 and the like in the lane A12 toward the right side of the paper of the first road A1, and displays a signal toward the autonomous vehicles VE1 and the like. The pedestrian lights 41, 42 provided in association with the vehicle lights 31, 32 operate in synchronization with the vehicle lights 31, 32. The vehicle lights 33, 34 are intended for vehicles in the lanes A21, A22 of the second road A2, and the pedestrian lights 43, 44 operate in synchronization with the vehicle lights 33, 34. The vehicle lights 31-34 and the pedestrian lights 41-44 are also referred to as signal lights 72. The operation of each signal light 72 provided at the first intersection CS1 is controlled by a signal controller 71. A combination of the signal light 72 and the signal controller 71 is referred to as a first traffic light TL1.

[0027] At the corner of the second intersection CS2, four vehicle lights 31, 32, 33, 34 and four sets of pedestrian lights 41, 42, 43, 44 are provided, as in the case of the first intersection CS1. The vehicle lights 31, 32 provide indications to vehicles on the lanes A11, A12 of the first road A1, and the pedestrian lights 43, 44 operate in synchronization with the vehicle lights 31, 32. The vehicle lights 33, 34 provide indications to vehicles on the lanes A31, A32 of the third road A3, and the pedestrian lights 43, 44 operate in synchronization with the vehicle lights 33, 34. The vehicle lights 31 to 34 and the pedestrian lights 41 to 44 are also referred to as signal lights 72. The operation of the signal lights 72 is controlled by a signal controller 71. A combination of the signal lights 72 and the signal controller 71 is referred to as a second traffic light TL2. Since the second intersection CS2 is located next to the first intersection CS1, the second traffic light TL2 is located next to the first traffic light TL1.

[0028] The first driving support device PV1 is installed near the first intersection CS1. The first driving support device PV1 includes a plurality of sensors 20a that perform measurements for optically monitoring the first intersection CS1 and the first road A1 and the second road A2 in the vicinity thereof, and a control management device 20b that operates the sensors 20a and communicates management information MI (see FIG. 1) with an autonomous vehicle that has entered the monitoring range MR1. In the illustrated example, the sensors 20a are provided independently of the vehicle lights 31, 32, 33, and 34 in correspondence with them, but may be incorporated into the vehicle lights 31, 32, 33, and 34. The control management device 20b is attached to an existing object such as a utility pole or a light near the first intersection CS1, but is not limited thereto, and may be installed independently of the existing object.

[0029] The second driving support device PV2 is installed near the second intersection CS2. The second driving support device PV2 includes a plurality of sensors 20a that perform measurements for optically monitoring the second intersection CS2 and the first road A1 and third road A3 in the vicinity thereof, and a control management device 20b that operates the sensors 20a and communicates management information with autonomous vehicles that have entered the monitoring range MR2.

[0030] FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram for explaining the first driving support device PV1. The first driving support device PV1 monitors the detection area SA (particularly the monitoring area MA) in which optical measurement is possible within the monitoring range MR1 (see FIG. 2), and communicates with the autonomous vehicle VE1 to obtain information about the autonomous vehicle VE1 from the autonomous vehicle VE1 itself. Specifically, the first driving support device PV1 monitors the traffic conditions in the detection area SA to obtain target information OI of a moving object MB (for example, an oncoming vehicle VE2), and obtains route information (that is, future position information FI) indicating a driving route from the autonomous vehicle VE1. As a result, the first driving support device PV1 appropriately selects, for example, the target information OI and road conditions related to the future position information FI and notifies the autonomous vehicle VE1. Specifically, the first driving support device PV1 monitors the behavior of the autonomous vehicle VE1 and the moving object MB present around it within the monitoring area MA for a specific lane A12, up to the time when the autonomous vehicle VE1 passes through the first intersection CS1. Although a detailed explanation is omitted, a similar monitoring process is performed for each lane.

[0031] In the first driving support device PV1, the sensor 20a is composed of, for example, an imaging unit 28a and a distance measuring unit 28b, and detects a moving object MB, an obstacle, etc. present in a monitoring area MA to be monitored. That is, the sensor 20a monitors the monitoring area MA including the travel path of the autonomous vehicle VE1. Note that the moving object MB is assumed to be a vehicle, a bicycle, a pedestrian, etc. The imaging unit 28a captures images to monitor the monitoring area MA and generates image data. For the distance measuring unit 28b, for example, a millimeter wave sensor, a radar, an ultrasonic sensor, etc., may be adopted in addition to LiDAR. The distance measuring unit 28b performs distance measurement and generates distance measurement data, thereby making it possible to obtain the position of the moving object MB, etc. Note that the sensor 20a may be composed of either the imaging unit 28a or the distance measuring unit 28b, as long as it can obtain object detection information including the position, moving speed, etc. of the moving object MB, etc., or may be a sensor fusion type operation that combines these and other measuring devices. Image data, distance measurement data, etc., relating to the moving object MB present in the monitoring area MA are detection results acquired by the sensor 20a and are converted into object detection information. The object detection information is various information based on the image data, distance measurement data, etc., relating to the moving object MB acquired by the sensor 20a. The object detection information includes information on the motion status of the moving object MB present in the monitoring area MA as well as the presence of a stationary obstacle.

[0032] The control management device 20b includes a control circuit 21, a communication device 23, and a storage device 25. Of these, the control circuit 21 is composed of various circuit components including a CPU, a memory, etc. The control circuit 21 includes a sensor control unit 21a and an information processing unit 21b.

[0033] The sensor control unit 21a controls the operation of each unit constituting the sensor 20a. The sensor control unit 21a acquires object detection information that is the source of target information within the monitoring area MA from sensor information (specifically, image data and distance measurement data) that is the monitoring result acquired by the sensor 20a. The sensor control unit 21a outputs the acquired object detection information to the information processing unit 21b.

[0034] The information processing unit 21b of the control circuit 21 is a determination device JU, and collects object detection information as a detection result by the sensor 20a, future position information FI of the autonomous vehicle VE1 received by the communication device 23, and the like, creates target information OI of the moving body MB from the object detection information, appropriately selects target information OI related to the future position information FI, and transmits it to the autonomous vehicle VE1. That is, the information processing unit 21b compares one or more pieces of acquired target information OI with the future position information FI of the autonomous vehicle VE1, extracts target information OI related to the course of the autonomous vehicle VE1 from the target information OI, and transmits it to the autonomous vehicle VE1. When acquiring the target information OI, the information processing unit 21b uses local dynamic map information (data related to road shapes in the detection area SA, etc.) provided by the management server 50 and stored in the storage device 25 while updating it.

[0035] The information processing unit 21b has a current position information unit C1 as a means for determining current position information among the information constituting the target information OI. The current position information unit C1 extracts current position information of the moving object MB (specifically, for example, the current location, moving speed, and traveling direction of the oncoming vehicle VE2). At this time, the information processing unit 21b projects the current position information of the moving object MB present in the monitoring area MA onto the map information stored in the storage device 25, and creates the current position information of the moving object MB based on the geographical position. This current position information is an element constituting the target information OI created by the information processing unit 21b. When the current position included in the future position information FI of the autonomous vehicle VE1 matches the current position information of the moving object MB, the moving object MB is identified as corresponding to the autonomous vehicle VE1, and the movement of the autonomous vehicle VE1 can also be grasped as a monitoring result of the sensor 20a.

[0036] The information processing section 21b has a previous information reading section C2 and a target information updating section C3 as means for including historical information in the target information OI.

[0037] The previous information reading unit C2 reads out the target information OI that was previously transmitted or created for the autonomous vehicle VE1 from a storage device (not shown) built into the information processing unit 21b. The previously transmitted or created target information OI includes information on an object that has just appeared in the monitoring area MA and an object that has moved out of the monitoring area MA.

[0038] The target information update unit C3 estimates the current position of each object in each target information OI from the previously transmitted or created target information OI, selects a combination of the estimated position of each object such that the difference between the estimated position and the current position information acquired by the sensor control unit 21a is within an allowable range, and applies the currently detected position of each object to each target information OI. That is, in each target information OI, the previous current position information is incorporated into the past position information, and the currently detected position is overwritten as the current position information. The target information OI for objects that have moved outside the monitoring area MA is erased from the monitoring list in the storage device (not shown).

[0039] The information processing unit 21b has an emergency control determination unit C4 that, when communication with the autonomous vehicle VE1 that was in the monitoring range MR1 is interrupted, determines whether or not to output an emergency control signal ES (see FIG. 1) for ensuring safety under a predetermined condition. The emergency control determination unit C4 determines the current position of the autonomous vehicle VE1 on the premise that communication with the autonomous vehicle VE1 is interrupted. When determining whether or not to transmit the emergency control signal ES to the first traffic light TL1 based on the determination of the current position of the autonomous vehicle VE1, the emergency control determination unit C4 sets as a necessary condition that the autonomous vehicle VE1 has not reached the first intersection CS1 where the first traffic light TL1 is provided, and more specifically, sets as a necessary condition that the autonomous vehicle VE1 is present in a switching determination area JA (see FIG. 2) that is set near the first traffic light TL1 and on the road leading to the first traffic light TL1. However, when the autonomous vehicle VE1 is stopped, the autonomous vehicle VE1 will not reach the first intersection CS1, and there is no need to transmit the emergency control signal ES to the first traffic light TL1. There is also a possibility that communication will be restored, and if communication that was once established with the autonomous vehicle VE1 is interrupted for a predetermined period of time or longer, it can be decided to transmit an emergency control signal ES to the first traffic light TL1.

[0040] The communication device 23 performs wireless communication with the autonomous vehicle VE1. The communication device 23 performs digital data communication with the autonomous vehicle VE1 present in a predetermined support zone through a communication network NT (see FIG. 1) while identifying the other device. The communication network NT enables communication by a communication method using a mobile communication line such as 5G or 4G LTE, a mid-range wireless communication method such as wireless LAN, a short-range wireless communication method such as DSRC, or a spot communication method such as a beacon. The communication device 23 can employ one or a combination of the above communication methods. Here, the autonomous vehicle VE1, which is the communication partner, transmits future position information FI indicating its own future position to the first driving support device PV1 as described above. The future position information FI includes the current position (position at the current time) of the autonomous vehicle VE1, a future position (including a predicted arrival time) created based on the current position, and information such as the speed and direction (travel direction) at each of these times (scheduled times). Therefore, by receiving the future position information FI from the automatically driven vehicle VE1, the first driving assistance device PV1 can ascertain, for example, the time required to pass through the monitoring area MA.

[0041] The storage device 25 stores information necessary for the operation of the first driving support device PV1, for example, map information. The map information stores data on the location where the first driving support device PV1 is installed and the detailed shape of the surrounding area, for example, road information (coordinates, shape, width, lanes, connections between roads such as intersections, traffic regulations, etc.), topographical information, etc., and is dynamically updated based on information provided by the management server 50.

[0042] Returning to FIG. 2, the second driving support device PV2 has a similar structure to the first driving support device PV1, so a description of the structure of the second driving support device PV2 will be omitted.

[0043] Returning to FIG. 1, the autonomous vehicle VE1 includes a user IF device 61, a measurement device 62, a communication device 63, and a drive control device 64. The user IF device 61 includes a touch panel display, a speaker, a microphone, and the like. The measurement device 62 includes a positioning device using GNSS, various sensors such as LiDAR and a camera, a signal processing circuit, and the like. The communication device 63 performs digital data communication with the first driving support device PV1 via the communication network NT. The drive control device 64 is a part that causes the engine, steering, brakes, turn indicators, and the like to perform appropriate driving operations, and in particular has an autonomous driving control unit 64a that accelerates, decelerates, adjusts the steering angle, and the like of the autonomous vehicle VE1 to enable autonomous driving control. The autonomous driving control unit 64a can generate future position information FI for the autonomous vehicle VE1 itself, for example. Furthermore, the autonomous driving control unit 64a can compare future position information FI of the autonomous vehicle VE1 with predicted position information of a moving body MB ahead, and determine whether there will be a collision between the autonomous vehicle VE1 and the moving body MB.

[0044] The management server 50 includes a control processing device 51, a storage device 52, and a communication device 53. The control processing device 51 controls the operation of the management server 50 according to a program recorded in the storage device 52. The control processing device 51 transmits and receives management related information OI1 from the external first driving support device PV1 and the second driving support device PV2 via the communication device 53 and the communication network NT, and stores the necessary information in the storage device 52. The control processing device 51 transmits dynamic map information stored in the storage device 52 to the first driving support device PV1 and the second driving support device PV2 in response to a request from the first driving support device PV1 and the second driving support device PV2. The management server 50 collects and manages information, and constantly updates dynamic elements of the map information. The control processing device 51 monitors the operating status of the first driving support device PV1 and the second driving support device PV2, and notifies an operator or administrator if there is an abnormality.

[0045] In response to a request from the first driving support device PV1, the control processing device 51 of the management server 50 identifies a driving support device (e.g., the second driving support device PV2) installed at an intersection adjacent to the intersection where the first driving support device PV1 is installed, for example, in a specific direction, and notifies the first driving support device PV1 of ID information of the second driving support device PV2, etc. Similarly, in response to a request from the second driving support device PV2, the control processing device 51 identifies a driving support device (e.g., the first driving support device PV1) installed at an intersection adjacent to the intersection where the second driving support device PV2 is installed, for example, in a specific direction, and notifies the second driving support device PV2 of ID information of the first driving support device PV1, etc.

[0046] 4(A) shows information transmitted from the autonomous vehicle VE1 on the vehicle side to the first driving support device PV1 on the road side, and the communication target is specified by ID. That is, a vehicle ID is defined for the vehicle side, i.e., the autonomous vehicle VE1, and a device ID is defined for the road side, i.e., the first driving support device PV1.

[0047] The vehicle side (for each vehicle in the case of multiple vehicles) transmits various IDs and creation dates and times, as well as position information (current position) and future position information FI of the autonomous vehicle VE1 to the roadside. In the illustrated example, the position information (current position) includes information on the speed (traveling speed) and direction (azimuth angle) of the autonomous vehicle VE1 in addition to the latitude and longitude indicating the location where the autonomous vehicle VE1 exists at the present time (time of transmission). On the other hand, the future position information FI includes information on a time offset from the position information (current position) in addition to the same information as the position information (current position). The future position information FI includes multiple (n) predicted values ​​at fixed time intervals (e.g., every 200 ms) from the current time. In other words, the driving assistance device PV that receives the future position information FI can grasp the driving route of the autonomous vehicle VE1 up to the upper limit of the offset (e.g., 0.2×n seconds later).

[0048] FIG. 4B shows information transmitted from the first driving support device PV1 on the road side to the autonomous vehicle VE1 on the vehicle side. In addition to various IDs and creation dates and times, target information OI is transmitted from the road side to the vehicle side. In the illustrated example, the target information OI includes a target ID for each object detected in the monitoring area MA by the first driving support device PV1, and includes information such as current position information, past position information, type, and other information associated with the target ID. Here, the current position information includes information such as latitude and longitude indicating the point or position where the detected object exists, as well as the speed (movement speed) of the detected object and the direction (azimuth angle) corresponding to the traveling direction. The past position information may include multiple points where the detected object was previously located, and specifies the past movement route. The past position information includes information such as latitude, longitude, speed, direction, etc. indicating multiple past points where the detected object was previously located by going back a predetermined time difference, together with the detection time or reverse offset (for example, 200 ms) of the multiple past points. However, when the target information OI is acquired for the first time, there is no past position information. The type item of the target information OI identifies a vehicle, bicycle, pedestrian, etc., and can include information such as a vehicle ID that identifies a vehicle and a bicycle ID that identifies a bicycle. Other items of the target information OI are, for example, in the case of a vehicle, incidental characteristic information such as the vehicle type, vehicle width, vehicle length, vehicle color, etc.

[0049] 5 and 6 are diagrams mainly explaining the operation when communication between the first driving support device PV1 and the autonomous vehicle VE1 is interrupted. The first driving support device PV1, i.e., the control management device 20b, operates the sensor 20a to acquire and update information on the moving object MB present in the monitoring area MA and the autonomous vehicle VE1 present in the monitoring range MR1 (step S11). That is, a monitoring vehicle list, which is a list of monitoring vehicles including the moving object MB and the autonomous vehicle VE1, is created, and if the monitoring vehicle list already exists, the monitoring vehicle list is updated. This allows the first driving support device PV1 to track the moving object MB in the monitoring area MA. The control management device 20b can capture the autonomous vehicle VE1 itself, which is the support target, as the moving object MB and grasp it as target information OI, and can track the autonomous vehicle VE1 using the monitoring result of the sensor 20a. On the other hand, the first driving support device PV1 or the control management device 20b receives future position information FI and transmits target information OI by communicating management information MI with the autonomous vehicle VE1. In this embodiment, from the viewpoint of monitoring autonomous vehicles, an autonomous vehicle monitoring list is created and updated based on future position information FI obtained from autonomous vehicle VE1. This allows the first driving support device PV1 to select only autonomous vehicles that are present in the monitoring area MA and perform monitoring focusing on autonomous vehicles. Since the current position information of autonomous vehicle VE1, which is the support target in the autonomous vehicle monitoring list, matches the current position information of the target information OI corresponding to autonomous vehicle VE1 among the moving bodies MB, the first driving support device PV1 can also grasp the current position information of autonomous vehicle VE1 from the specific target information OI corresponding to autonomous vehicle VE1 among the moving bodies MB. Note that the management information MI can include a signal that notifies the operation of the first traffic light TL1.

[0050] The control management device 20b, which attempted to acquire information in step S11, determines whether a communication interruption has occurred with the autonomous vehicle VE1 or whether the communication interruption continues (step S12). If a communication interruption has not occurred with the autonomous vehicle VE1 (No in step S12), the control management device 20b returns to step S11, continues to collect information about the moving body MB and the autonomous vehicle VE1, and updates the information. Note that if communication is interrupted between the first driving support device PV1 and the autonomous vehicle VE1, the current position information of the autonomous vehicle VE1 cannot be grasped with respect to the autonomous vehicle monitoring list based on the future position information FI, but predictive tracking of the current position information of the autonomous vehicle VE1 can be continued from the specific target information OI obtained using the sensor 20a.

[0051] When communication with the autonomous vehicle VE1 is interrupted (Yes in step S12), the control management device 20b checks the position of the autonomous vehicle VE1 (step S13). In this case, the position of the autonomous vehicle VE1 can be determined based on the last future position information FI obtained when communication was last established before the communication interruption occurred, but more accurately, the current position information of the autonomous vehicle VE1 obtained using the sensor 20a at the time when the communication interruption occurred can be used. For the current position of the autonomous vehicle VE1, a current position predicted or estimated assuming that the autonomous vehicle VE1 is moving at a constant speed from the previous position where the autonomous vehicle VE1 was last detected can also be used. Note that, when there are multiple autonomous vehicles with communication interruptions, processing including position confirmation and the like (steps S13 to S16) is performed in parallel for each autonomous vehicle.

[0052] Next, the control management device 20b determines whether the position where the communication interruption with the autonomous vehicle VE1 occurred is within the switching judgment area JA of the first intersection CS1 (step S14). If the position where the communication interruption with the autonomous vehicle VE1 occurred is within the switching judgment area JA of the first intersection CS1 (Yes in step S14), the control management device 20b determines whether the communication interruption with the autonomous vehicle VE1 continues (step S15). When periodic communication is repeated between the first driving support device PV1 and the autonomous vehicle VE1, for example, every certain time (for example, every 200 ms), if communication is not possible multiple times, it is determined that the communication interruption continues. However, without being limited to this, it is also possible to determine whether the communication interruption continues based on whether the communication is interrupted for a predetermined time. At this time, the first driving support device PV1 may be performing two-way communication with the autonomous vehicle VE1 or may be performing passive communication with the autonomous vehicle VE1. In either case, if the periodic transmission or response from the autonomous vehicle VE1 is interrupted beyond an allowable range, it is determined that the communication is still interrupted. If the communication with the autonomous vehicle VE1 is still interrupted (Yes in step S15), the control management device 20b determines whether the autonomous vehicle VE1 is stopped (step S16). If the control management device 20b determines that the autonomous vehicle VE1 is not stopped (No in step S16), it transmits an emergency control signal ES to the first traffic light TL1 (step S17). The emergency control signal ES is a command signal that specifically requests the first traffic light TL1 to turn all red. If the control management device 20b determines that the autonomous vehicle VE1 is stopped, it can also remove the autonomous vehicle VE1 from the autonomous vehicle monitoring list.

[0053] FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining the display state of the first traffic light TL1 that has received the emergency control signal ES. In this case, it is assumed that the state of the autonomous vehicle VE1 with no communication interruption, indicated by a solid line, has changed to that of the autonomous vehicle VE1 with communication interruption, indicated by a dashed line. The autonomous vehicle VE1 with communication interruption is actually in the switching judgment area JA. The control management device 20b can determine that the autonomous vehicle VE1 is in the switching judgment area JA by tracking using the sensor 20a, and can also determine that the autonomous vehicle VE1 is not stopped. Whether the autonomous vehicle VE1 is in the switching judgment area JA can also be determined by using a current position that is predicted or estimated assuming that the autonomous vehicle VE1 is moving at a constant speed from the previous position where the autonomous vehicle VE1 was last detected. In the illustrated situation, the control management device 20b transmits an emergency control signal ES to the first traffic light TL1 (step S17 shown in FIG. 5). The first traffic light TL1 that has received the emergency control signal ES is forced to switch to a stop aspect in stages. That is, in the first traffic light TL1 that has received the emergency control signal ES, among the signal lamps 72, those whose red signal lamp portions R are not lit will go through a transitional current state, and then all the red signal lamp portions R will be lit and all the other color signal lamp portions will be turned off. Specifically, for example, if the vehicle lamps 31-34 were originally green, they will go through a yellow light display and then be changed to a red light display. Similarly, if the pedestrian lamps 41-44 were originally green, they will go through a green flashing display and then be changed to a red light display.

[0054] Returning to Figures 5 and 6, if the location where communication was interrupted with autonomous vehicle VE1 is outside the switching decision area JA of the first intersection CS1 (No in step S14), if communication with autonomous vehicle VE1 has been restored (No in step S15), or if autonomous vehicle VE1 is stopped (Yes in step S16), the process returns to step S11 to obtain and update information regarding the moving body MB and autonomous vehicle VE1.

[0055] After the operation of transmitting the emergency control signal ES to the first traffic light TL1 (step S17), the control management device 20b judges whether the communication interruption with the autonomous vehicle VE1 has been restored (step S18). If the communication interruption with the autonomous vehicle VE1 has not been restored (No in step S18), the control management device 20b judges whether the autonomous vehicle VE1 has passed the first intersection CS1 (step S19). The autonomous vehicle VE1 having passed the first intersection CS1 means that the autonomous vehicle VE1 has moved outside the monitoring area MA. The position of the autonomous vehicle VE1 can be determined by using the current position information of the autonomous vehicle VE1 obtained using the sensor 20a, but is not limited thereto. Alternatively, a current position predicted or estimated assuming that the autonomous vehicle VE1 is moving at a constant speed from the previous position where the autonomous vehicle VE1 was last detected can be used. If control management device 20b determines that autonomous vehicle VE1 has passed the first intersection CS1 and moved outside of monitoring area MA (Yes in step S19), it transmits to management server 50 the fact that autonomous vehicle VE1, with which communication has been cut off, has passed the first intersection CS1 (step S20). If control management device 20b determines that autonomous vehicle VE1 is within monitoring area MA and has not passed the first intersection CS1 (No in step S19), it returns to step S11 and acquires and updates information about moving body MB and autonomous vehicle VE1. After the operation of transmitting to management server 50 the fact that autonomous vehicle VE1, with which communication has been cut off, has passed the first intersection CS1 (step S20), control management device 20b determines whether or not it has been able to detect the direction in which autonomous vehicle VE1 passed the first intersection CS1 (step S21). If the control management device 20b is able to detect the direction in which the autonomous vehicle VE1, with which communication has been cut off, passed through the first intersection CS1 (Yes in step S21), the control management device 20b transmits direction information, which is the passing direction of the autonomous vehicle VE1, to the management server 50 (step S22). After that, the control management device 20b transmits a cancellation signal for the emergency control signal ES to the first traffic light TL1 (step S23). If the control management device 20b is unable to detect the direction in which the autonomous vehicle VE1, with which communication has been cut off, passed through the first intersection CS1 (No in step S21), the control management device 20b also transmits a cancellation signal for emergency control to the first traffic light TL1 (step S23).When communication with the autonomous vehicle VE1 is restored (Yes in step S18), if the autonomous vehicle VE1 is passing through the first intersection CS1, the control management device 20b waits for the autonomous vehicle VE1 to pass (step S24) and then transmits an emergency control release signal to the first traffic light TL1 (step S23).

[0056] The direction in which the autonomous vehicle VE1 passed through the first intersection CS1 typically includes going straight, turning right, and turning left. The direction in which the autonomous vehicle VE1 passed through the first intersection CS1 can be detected, for example, by tracking using the sensor 20a. The direction in which the autonomous vehicle VE1 passed through the first intersection CS1 can be visually determined based on the lane travel position, or can be visually determined based on the display of a blinker, or can be determined comprehensively by combining these.

[0057] FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating the display state of the first traffic light TL1 that has received a release signal for emergency control. In this case, the autonomous vehicle VE1, in which communication has been interrupted as indicated by the dashed and dotted line, has actually passed through the switching judgment area JA, is moving straight, and is heading toward the second intersection CS2 that follows the first intersection CS1. The control management device 20b can determine that the autonomous vehicle VE1 has passed through the switching judgment area JA or the first intersection CS1 by tracking using the sensor 20a or by predicting that the autonomous vehicle VE1 is moving at a constant speed from its previous position. The first traffic light TL1 that has received the release signal for emergency control returns to normal operation (operation pattern using stairs; normal control) after a predetermined period, including a case where the signal is zero. In the illustrated example, in the first traffic light TL1 in which the emergency control has been released, the blue signal light portion B of the vehicle lights 33, 34 and pedestrian lights 43, 44 related to the second road A2 among the signal lights 72 is turned on. The timing at which the first traffic light TL1 returns to normal control after receiving the emergency control release signal can also be set to the time when it is determined that the autonomous vehicle VE1 has passed the first intersection CS1 and is sufficiently away from the first intersection CS1.

[0058] By tracking using sensor 20a, control management device 20b can determine the second intersection CS2 on the downstream side toward which autonomous vehicle VE1 is heading. In the illustrated example, control management device 20b transmits the passing direction of autonomous vehicle VE1 to management server 50 as a direction toward the second intersection CS2. Having received the passing direction of autonomous vehicle VE1, management server 50 notifies in advance the second driving assistance device PV2 at the second intersection CS2 corresponding to the passing direction that autonomous vehicle VE1, with which a communication interruption is occurring, is approaching.

[0059] Although not shown in Figure 8, even if the autonomous vehicle VE1 turns right or left at the first intersection CS1, the adjacent downstream traffic light that corresponds to the right or left turn can be determined, and the control management device 20b can notify such an adjacent downstream traffic light in advance that the autonomous vehicle VE1, with which communication has been interrupted, is approaching.

[0060] 9 and 10 are diagrams for explaining the operation of the second driving support device PV2. The operation of the second driving support device PV2 is similar to that of the first driving support device PV1 shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, and a duplicated description will be omitted. However, in the operation of the second driving support device PV2, the first intersection CS1 in the operation of the first driving support device PV1 is replaced with the second intersection CS2, and the first traffic light TL1 is replaced with the second traffic light TL2. That is, the control management device 20b of the second driving support device PV2 determines whether the position where the communication interruption occurred with the autonomous vehicle SP is within the switching judgment area JA of the second intersection CS2 rather than the first intersection CS1 (step S14). In addition, the target to which the control management device 20b of the second driving support device PV2 transmits the emergency control signal ES is the second traffic light TL2 (step S17).

[0061] When the second driving support device PV2 determines whether communication with autonomous vehicle SP has been interrupted (step S12), this includes not only cases where communication once established with autonomous vehicle SP present in the monitoring range MR2 of the second driving support device PV2 has been interrupted, but also cases where a notification is received from management server 50 that autonomous vehicle VE1 with which communication has been interrupted is approaching. In this case, the second driving support device PV2 can continue tracking using sensor 20a by receiving characteristic information included in target information OI of autonomous vehicle VE1 from management server 50. The characteristic information of autonomous vehicle VE1 includes vehicle type, vehicle width, vehicle length, vehicle color, etc.

[0062] The information management system 100 of the first embodiment described above includes a communication device 23 that communicates management information MI with the autonomous vehicle VE1, and a determination device JU that, when communication with the autonomous vehicle VE1 located in the vicinity of the first traffic light TL1 is interrupted, transmits an emergency control signal ES to the first traffic light TL1 to ensure safety under specified conditions.

[0063] In the above-described information management system, if communication between the judgment device JU and the autonomous vehicle VE1 located near the first traffic light TL1 is interrupted, the judgment device JU transmits an emergency control signal ES to the first traffic light TL1 to ensure safety under specified conditions. Therefore, if communication with the autonomous vehicle VE1 is not possible due to a failure of the drive control device 64 installed in the autonomous vehicle VE1 or for other reasons, other vehicles and people heading toward the first intersection CS1 can be protected from the uncontrollable autonomous vehicle VE1.

[0064] Second Embodiment Hereinafter, an information management system according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 11. In the second embodiment, the description of matters similar to those in the first embodiment will be omitted.

[0065] 11 is a block diagram for explaining an overview of the information management system 100. The information management system 100 of this embodiment includes a first measuring device MD1 associated with a first traffic light TL1 provided at a first intersection CS1 (see FIG. 2), and a second measuring device MD2 associated with a second traffic light TL2 provided at a second intersection CS2 (see FIG. 2). Although not shown, the information management system 100 manages traffic conditions at a large number of intersections, includes a third measuring device, a fourth measuring device, ..., an m-th measuring device (m is a natural number) not shown, and comprehensively manages a group of traffic lights (not shown) including the first traffic light TL1 and the second traffic light TL2.

[0066] The first measuring device MD1 includes a sensor 20a and a sensor control unit 21a shown in Fig. 3, and acquires sensor information that is a result of monitoring the first intersection CS1. The second measuring device MD2 includes a sensor 20a and a sensor control unit 21a shown in Fig. 3, and acquires sensor information that is a result of monitoring the second intersection CS2.

[0067] The management server 50 incorporates some of the functions of the first driving support device PV1 shown in Fig. 3, and the sensor information acquired by the measuring devices MD1, MD2 is processed by the management server 50. That is, the management server 50 creates object detection information and target information OI from the acquired sensor information. The management server 50 compares the acquired large amount of target information OI with future position information FI of the autonomous vehicle SP (e.g., autonomous vehicle VE1), extracts target information OI related to the course of the autonomous vehicle SP from the target information OI, and transmits it to the autonomous vehicle SP.

[0068] The management server 50 has, in a control processing device 51, the functions of the determination device JU incorporated in the first driving support device PV1 shown in Fig. 3, and manages map information. The management server 50 is communicatively connected to the autonomously driven vehicle SP via a communication network NT.

[0069] 11 transmits an emergency control signal ES to the first traffic light TL1 when, for example, it detects a loss of communication with autonomous vehicle VE1 traveling toward first intersection CS1 or an abnormality in autonomous vehicle VE1. However, in order to transmit the emergency control signal ES, it is necessary that communication with autonomous vehicle VE1 has been lost, and in addition to this condition, it is also essential for transmitting the emergency control signal ES that autonomous vehicle VE1 is in switching decision area JA as a result of tracking using sensor 20a and that autonomous vehicle VE1 is not stopped.

[0070] For example, if the information management system 100 detects that communication has been interrupted with the autonomous vehicle SP traveling toward the second intersection CS2, or that an abnormality has occurred in the autonomous vehicle SP, it transmits an emergency control signal ES to the second traffic light TL2 under the same conditions as described above.

[0071] In the information management system 100 shown in FIG. 11, the first measuring device MD1 and the second measuring device MD2 may be provided independently outside the first traffic light TL1 and the second traffic light TL2.

[0072] 11, the first measuring device MD1 and the second measuring device MD2 are not essential and can be omitted. In this case, for example, when the management server 50 loses communication with the autonomous vehicle VE1 traveling toward the first intersection CS1 and the autonomous vehicle VE1 is in the switching judgment area JA, the management server 50 transmits an emergency control signal ES to the first traffic light TL1.

[0073] 〔others〕 The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be embodied in various forms without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

[0074] In the above embodiment, if communication between the road and the vehicle is lost, an emergency control signal ES is sent, for example, to the first traffic light TL1, and the first traffic light TL1 as a whole is put into a stop signal state (i.e., all red), but it is also possible to issue an audio warning to those in the vicinity from a speaker attached to the first traffic light TL1.

[0075] In the above embodiment, the presence of the autonomous vehicle VE1 in the switching judgment area JA is a necessary condition for the first driving support device PV1 to transmit an emergency control signal ES to the first traffic light TL1, but even if the autonomous vehicle VE1 is outside the switching judgment area JA, the first driving support device PV1 can transmit an emergency control signal ES to the first traffic light TL1.

[0076] When the first driving support device PV1 is a parent device and the second driving support device PV2 is a child device and the two are linked, the first driving support device PV1 can also transmit an emergency control signal ES to the second driving support device PV2, which is a child device, under specified conditions.

[0077] In the above embodiment, the shape of the road RA is merely an example, and the present invention is not limited to this and can be applied to roads of various shapes and structures. In addition, the above embodiment has been described with reference to a road with one lane on each side, but the present invention can also be applied to roads with other types of lanes, such as two lanes on each side or three lanes on each side.

[0078] In the above-described embodiment, the communication network NT does not need to be a single one. For example, in the first embodiment, the communication network or communication medium that connects the autonomous vehicle SP and the driving support devices PV1 and PV2 and the communication network or communication medium that connects the management server 50 and the driving support devices PV1 and PV2 may be different systems.

[0079] In the above embodiment, the monitoring ranges MR1, MR2 of the driving support devices PV1, PV2 can be changed as appropriate. The monitoring ranges MR1, MR2 may include the periphery of the sidewalk and the road RA. [Explanation of symbols]

[0080] 20a...sensor, 20b...control management device, 21...control circuit, 21a...sensor control unit, 21b...information processing unit, 23...communication device, 25...storage device, 28a...imaging unit, 28b...distance measuring unit, 31-34...vehicle lights, 41-44...pedestrian lights, 50...management server, 51...control processing device, 52...storage device, 53...communication device, 61...user IF device, 62...measurement device, 63...communication device, 64...drive control device, 64a...automatic driving control unit, 71...signal controller, 72...signal light, 100...information management system, C1...current position information unit, C2...previous information reading unit, C3...target information update unit, C4...emergency control judgment unit, CI1,CI2...control information, CS1...first intersection, CS2...second intersection, ES...emergency control signal, FI...future position information, JA...switching decision area, JU...judgment device, MA...monitoring area, MB...moving object, MD1, MD2...measuring device, MR1, MR2...monitoring range, NT...communication network, OI...target information, OI1, OI2...management related information, PV1...first driving support device, PV2...second driving support device, RA...road, SA...detection area, VE1, SP...autonomous vehicle, VE2...oncoming vehicle

Claims

1. A communication device that communicates management information with an autonomous vehicle; a determination device that transmits an emergency control signal to the first traffic light under a predetermined condition in case communication with the autonomous vehicle that is present near the first traffic light is interrupted; An information management system comprising:

2. A first roadside device is provided in association with the first traffic light and collects traffic information; The information management system according to claim 1 , wherein the first roadside device includes the communication device and the determination device.

3. The information management system according to claim 1 , wherein the determination device comprehensively manages a group of traffic lights including the first traffic light.

4. The information management system according to claim 1 , wherein the emergency control signal causes the first traffic light as a whole to indicate a stop phase.

5. 2. The information management system of claim 1, wherein when communication with the autonomous vehicle is interrupted, the determination device determines the current position of the autonomous vehicle and transmits the emergency control signal to the first traffic light, with the necessary condition that the autonomous vehicle has not reached the intersection where the first traffic light is located.

6. 6. The information management system according to claim 5, wherein the determination device transmits the emergency control signal to the first traffic light, with the necessary condition being that the determination device has determined that the autonomous vehicle is present in a switching judgment area set in the vicinity of the first traffic light.

7. 2. The information management system of claim 1, wherein the determination device determines a second traffic light downstream of the first traffic light toward which the autonomous vehicle is heading when communication with the autonomous vehicle is interrupted and the determination device determines that the autonomous vehicle has reached or passed through an intersection where the first traffic light is located.

8. The information management system of claim 7, wherein a second roadside device associated with the second traffic light determines the current position of the autonomous vehicle when communication with the autonomous vehicle is interrupted, and transmits an emergency control signal to the second traffic light to ensure safety, provided that the autonomous vehicle has not reached the intersection where the second traffic light is located, as a necessary condition.

9. 9. The information management system according to claim 8, wherein the second roadside device transmits the emergency control signal to the second traffic light on the necessary condition that it has determined that the autonomous vehicle is present in a switching judgment area set in the vicinity of the second traffic light.

10. The information management system according to claim 5 , wherein the determination device determines whether the autonomous vehicle has reached an intersection by predicting the current position from a previous position of the autonomous vehicle.

11. 8. The information management system of claim 7, wherein the determination device detects information regarding the passing direction in which the autonomous vehicle passes through the intersection, and determines the second traffic light that corresponds to the passing direction among traffic lights present next to the first traffic light.

Images