Obstacle detection system

Abstract

To provide an obstacle detection system capable of accurately detecting an obstacle that is present on a traveling road of a vehicle by appropriately using information acquired by the vehicle.SOLUTION: An obstacle detection system according to the present disclosure comprises: an information acquisition part for acquiring a vehicle speed of a vehicle, a yaw rate, and position information; a behavior determination part for determining whether or not the vehicle shows a behavior of avoiding an obstacle based on a difference between maximum vehicle speeds that are continuously acquired, while determining whether or not the vehicle shows the behavior of avoiding the obstacle based on at least the yaw rate when the vehicle speed is a predetermined value or more, while acquiring the maximum vehicle speeds during vehicle traveling of a predetermined distance based on the vehicle speed and the position information when the vehicle speed is less than the predetermined value; and an obstacle presence / absence determination part for determining that there is the obstacle in a traveling section when a plurality of vehicles each show the behavior of avoiding the obstacle in the same traveling section within a predetermined time period.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an obstacle detection system that detects an obstacle present on a travel path of a vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there is known an obstacle detection system that determines whether or not a vehicle behaves as if it had encountered an obstacle, and determines that an obstacle is present on the road when the vehicle behaves as if it had encountered an obstacle (see, for example, Patent Document 1). This obstacle detection system determines whether or not a vehicle behaves as if it had encountered an obstacle based on output values ​​from a plurality of sensors that obtain information on the operation of a vibration sensor, G sensor, contact sensor for a moving object, steering wheel, direction indicator, accelerator pedal, brake pedal, etc. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2008-234044 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, it is not necessarily easy to accurately distinguish between the behavior of a vehicle that encounters an obstacle and the behavior of a vehicle when changing lanes. Therefore, in the above-mentioned conventional obstacle detection system, if the output values ​​of various sensors of the vehicle are not properly processed, there is a risk that it will not be possible to accurately detect whether or not an obstacle exists on the road.

[0005] Therefore, a primary object of the present disclosure is to provide an obstacle detection system that can accurately detect obstacles present on the travel path of a vehicle by appropriately utilizing information acquired by the vehicle. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The obstacle detection system disclosed herein is an obstacle detection system that detects an obstacle present on a travel path of the vehicle based on the behavior of the vehicle, and includes an information acquisition unit that acquires vehicle speed, yaw rate, and position information of the vehicle, a behavior determination unit that, when the vehicle speed is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, determines whether the vehicle has exhibited behavior to avoid the obstacle based on the yaw rate, and, when the vehicle speed is less than the predetermined value, acquires a maximum vehicle speed while the vehicle travels a predetermined distance based on the vehicle speed and the position information, and determines whether the vehicle has exhibited behavior to avoid the obstacle based on the difference between the successively acquired maximum vehicle speeds, and an obstacle presence / absence determination unit that determines that the obstacle is present in the travel section when a plurality of the vehicles exhibit behavior to avoid the obstacle in the same travel section within a predetermined time.

[0007] The behavior determination unit of the obstacle detection system of the present disclosure determines whether or not the vehicle has exhibited an obstacle avoidance behavior based on the yaw rate of the vehicle when the vehicle speed acquired from the vehicle is equal to or greater than a predetermined value. This allows accurate identification of the obstacle avoidance behavior of a vehicle traveling at a relatively high speed. In addition, when the vehicle speed is less than a predetermined value, the behavior determination unit acquires the maximum vehicle speed while the vehicle travels a predetermined distance based on the vehicle speed and position information, and determines whether or not the vehicle has exhibited an obstacle avoidance behavior based on the difference between the consecutively acquired maximum vehicle speeds. This allows accurate identification of the obstacle avoidance behavior of a vehicle traveling at a low speed and the lane change behavior of a vehicle traveling at a low speed. Then, the obstacle presence / absence determination unit determines that an obstacle exists in the traveling section when a plurality of vehicles have exhibited an obstacle avoidance behavior in the same traveling section within a predetermined time. As a result, according to the obstacle detection system of the present disclosure, it is possible to accurately detect an obstacle existing on the traveling path of the vehicle by appropriately utilizing the information acquired by the vehicle. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an obstacle detection system according to the present disclosure. [Diagram 2] 4 is a flowchart for explaining a procedure for detecting an obstacle present on a vehicle travel path in the obstacle detection system of the present disclosure. [Diagram 3] 4 is a diagram for explaining a procedure for detecting an obstacle present on a vehicle travel path in the obstacle detection system of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Next, an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0010] 1 is a schematic diagram showing an obstacle detection system 1 according to the present disclosure. The obstacle detection system 1 shown in the figure includes a roadway management server 10 installed and managed by a company or the like that manages and operates a roadway P, which may be, for example, an expressway (a national expressway and a motorway). The roadway management server 10 includes a computer (not shown) having a CPU, ROM, RAM, input / output devices, etc., a communication device 11, and a storage device 12. Furthermore, a management module 15 is built in the roadway management server 10 by cooperation between hardware such as the CPU, ROM, and RAM and a pre-installed program.

[0011] The communication device 11 exchanges various information with a plurality of vehicles 20 (including different vehicle models) traveling on the travel path P through high-speed wireless data communication (packet communication). The storage device 12 stores position information (latitude and longitude) of a large number of distance markers (kiloposts) installed on the travel path P at predetermined distances d (for example, 100 m) apart, and information indicating the behavior of the plurality of vehicles 20 traveling on the travel path P acquired (collected) through the communication device 11. The management module 15 is constructed to detect obstacles present on the travel path P based on the behavior of the plurality of vehicles 20.

[0012] The vehicle 20 includes at least one of an engine and an electric motor as a driving source for driving, and includes an in-vehicle communication device 21, a navigation device 22, and an electronic control unit (hereinafter referred to as "ECU") 23. The in-vehicle communication device 21 enables high-speed data communication (wireless packet communication) with various external devices including the roadway management server 10. The in-vehicle communication device 21 is connected to a CAN bus (not shown) and exchanges information with the ECU 23 via the CAN bus. The navigation device 22 is capable of acquiring the vehicle's own position (position information) based on a GPS signal and performing route guidance to a destination, etc. The navigation device 22 is also connected to a CAN bus (not shown) and exchanges information with the ECU 23 via the CAN bus.

[0013] The ECU 23 includes a microcomputer (not shown) having a CPU, ROM, RAM, etc. The ECU 23 also acquires the position information of the vehicle 20 acquired by the navigation device 22, the vehicle speed V of the vehicle 20 detected by the vehicle speed sensor 24, the yaw rate Yr (rotational angular velocity around the center of gravity of the vehicle 20) of the vehicle 20 detected by the yaw rate sensor 25, turn signal information indicating the operation state of the turn signal (directional indicator) 26 by the driver of the vehicle 20, etc. Furthermore, while the vehicle 20 is traveling on the travel path P, the ECU 23 causes the in-vehicle communication device 21 to transmit the acquired position information, vehicle speed V, yaw rate Yr, and turn signal information of the vehicle 20 to the travel path management server 10 at a predetermined transmission interval (for example, 100-200 msec).

[0014] Next, a procedure for detecting an obstacle present on the travel path P by the obstacle detection system 1 will be described with reference to Figs.

[0015] FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an example of a routine for detecting an obstacle existing on the travel path P, which is executed by the management module 15 of the travel path management server 10. The routine of FIG. 2 is executed by the management module 15 for each of the multiple vehicles 20 traveling on the travel path P, each time the vehicle 20 passes the first milepost on the travel path P and the position information, vehicle speed V, yaw rate Yr, and blinker information from the vehicle 20 are received by the communication device 11 (at the above-mentioned transmission interval). When the timing for executing the routine of FIG. 2 arrives, the management module 15 acquires the position information, vehicle speed V, yaw rate Yr, and blinker information transmitted from the target vehicle 20, as well as the other vehicle information, and stores them in the RAM (step S100). The other vehicle information indicates whether or not the multiple other vehicles 20 traveling on the travel path P ahead of the target vehicle 20 are behaving to avoid an obstacle, and is separately acquired and held by the travel path management server 10.

[0016] Next, the management module 15 judges whether the vehicle speed V of the vehicle 20 acquired in step S100 is less than a predetermined threshold value (predetermined value, for example, about 30 km / h) Vref (step S110). If the vehicle speed V of the vehicle 20 is less than the threshold value Vref (step S110: YES), the management module 15 judges whether the vehicle 20 has passed a milepost based on the position information from the target vehicle 20 and the position information of the mileposts on the travel route P (step S120). If the target vehicle 20 has not passed a milepost and is traveling between two adjacent mileposts (step S120: NO), the management module 15 sets the maximum vehicle speed Vmax of the vehicle 20 in the travel section between the two adjacent mileposts to the larger of the vehicle speed V acquired in step S100 and the maximum vehicle speed Vmax at the previous execution of the routine of FIG. 2 (step S125), and temporarily ends the routine of FIG. 2.

[0017] Furthermore, if the target vehicle 20 has passed the milepost (step S120: YES), the management module 15 sets the vehicle speed V acquired in step S100 as the maximum vehicle speed Vmax of the target vehicle 20 (step S130). That is, by executing the processes of steps S125 and S130, the management module 15 acquires the maximum vehicle speed Vmax of the vehicle 20 in the travel section between two adjacent mileposts on the travel path P, that is, the maximum vehicle speed Vmax while the vehicle 20 travels a distance substantially equal to the distance between the two adjacent mileposts (predetermined distance d). After the process of step S130, the management module 15 acquires the maximum vehicle speed Vmax of the travel section S recently passed by the target vehicle 20, as shown in FIG. 3. i From the maximum vehicle speed Vmax(i) of the vehicle 20 in the travel section S i The previous driving section S i-1 Then, the maximum vehicle speed Vmax(i-1) at the time of the vehicle start is subtracted from the vehicle speed Vmax(i-1) to calculate the difference ΔV (step S140).

[0018] Furthermore, the management module 15 calculates the travel section S i and driving section S i-1 It is determined whether or not the difference ΔV in the maximum vehicle speed Vmax between and is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold ΔVref (e.g., about 30 km / h) (step S150). Here, if a traffic jam occurs on the travel path P, causing the vehicle speed V of the vehicle 20 to be less than the threshold Vref, the amount of change in the vehicle speed V before and after the lane change is relatively small. In contrast, if an obstacle exists on the travel path P, causing the vehicle speed V of the vehicle 20 to be less than the threshold Vref, the vehicle speed V of the vehicle 20 returns to a relatively high speed after avoiding the obstacle.

[0019] Taking these factors into consideration, the driving section S i and driving section S i-1If the difference ΔV in the maximum vehicle speed Vmax between and , i.e., the difference ΔV between the successively acquired maximum vehicle speeds Vmax, is less than the threshold value ΔVref (step S150: NO), the management module 15 determines that the target vehicle 20 is not exhibiting a behavior to avoid an obstacle and that no obstacle is present on the travel path P, and temporarily ends the routine in FIG. 2 at that point. Also, if the difference ΔV is equal to or greater than the threshold value ΔVref (step S150: YES), the management module 15 determines that the target vehicle 20 is in the travel section S. i-1 or S i Based on the other vehicle information acquired in step S100, the management module 15 determines whether at least one other vehicle 20 (in this embodiment, a predetermined number of vehicles (e.g., two vehicles)) preceding the target vehicle 20 has passed through the travel section S within a predetermined time (e.g., about 10 to 20 minutes) i-1 or S i It is determined whether or not the vehicle is exhibiting a behavior for avoiding an obstacle (in the same traveling section) (step S160).

[0020] Within a predetermined time, another vehicle 20 preceding the target vehicle 20 passes through the travel section S i-1 or S i If the vehicle 20 does not exhibit a behavior to avoid the obstacle in the travel section S (step S160: NO), the management module 15 does not determine the presence of an obstacle on the travel path P, and temporarily ends the routine of FIG. 2 at that point. i-1 or S i When the vehicle is showing a behavior of avoiding the obstacle (step S160: YES), the management module 15 i-1 or S iIn step S170, the management module 15 determines that an obstacle exists on the travel path P (step S170). Furthermore, in step S170, the management module 15 identifies the position of the obstacle from the position information, vehicle speed V, yaw rate Yr, etc. from the target vehicle 20, transmits (notifies) information indicating the presence of an obstacle on the travel path P and the position of the obstacle to the in-vehicle communication devices 21 of the multiple vehicles 20 that exchange information with the travel path management server 10 on the travel path P, and temporarily ends the routine in Fig. 2. Note that in step S170, the information indicating the presence of an obstacle on the travel path P may be transmitted to a road information center, etc.

[0021] On the other hand, if the vehicle speed V of the vehicle 20 acquired in step S100 is equal to or greater than the threshold value Vref (step S110: NO), the management module 15 determines whether or not an obstacle exists on the travel path P based on the yaw rate Yr, the blinker information, and the vehicle speed V of the target vehicle 20 acquired in step S100 (step S180). In step S180, the management module 15 determines whether or not the steering wheel has been operated relatively abruptly by the driver of the target vehicle 20 based on the yaw rate Yr of the target vehicle 20. Specifically, the management module 15 acquires adjacent maximum and minimum values ​​of the yaw rate Yr periodically acquired from the vehicle 20. The management module 15 then determines that the steering wheel has been operated relatively abruptly by the driver of the vehicle 20 when the absolute value of the difference between adjacent maximum and minimum values ​​of the yaw rate Yr is greater than or equal to a first threshold value, the time interval between the adjacent maximum and minimum values ​​is greater than or equal to a second threshold value, and the maximum value of the slope of the yaw rate Yr between the adjacent maximum and minimum values ​​is greater than or equal to a third threshold value.

[0022] When it is determined in step S180 that the driver of the vehicle 20 has operated the steering wheel relatively abruptly, the management module 15 determines (confirms) whether or not the target vehicle 20 has exhibited a behavior for avoiding an obstacle, based on the turn signal information and the vehicle speed V acquired in step S100. In this embodiment, the management module 15 determines that the target vehicle 20 has exhibited a behavior for avoiding an obstacle when the driver does not turn on the turn signal 26 before and after the relatively abrupt steering wheel operation by the driver, when the driver turns on the turn signal 26 alternately left and right before and after the relatively abrupt steering wheel operation by the driver, and when the vehicle 20 decelerates before the relatively abrupt steering wheel operation by the driver and accelerates after the steering wheel operation.

[0023] After the process of step S180, the management module 15 determines whether at least one other vehicle 20 preceding the target vehicle 20 is in the travel section S within a predetermined time based on the other vehicle information acquired in step S100. i-1 or S i It is determined whether the preceding vehicle 20 is exhibiting a behavior to avoid the obstacle in the traveling section S (step S160). i-1 or S i If the vehicle 20 does not exhibit a behavior to avoid the obstacle in the travel section S (step S160: NO), the management module 15 temporarily ends the routine in FIG. i-1 or S i When the vehicle is showing a behavior of avoiding the obstacle (step S160: YES), the management module 15 i-1 or S iThe route management server 10 determines that an obstacle exists on the route P (step S170), transmits (notifies) information indicating the presence of an obstacle on the route P to the in-vehicle communication devices 21 of the multiple vehicles 20 that exchange information with the route management server 10, and then temporarily terminates the routine in Fig. 2. That is, in this embodiment, if a predetermined number (e.g., three) of vehicles 20 that have been determined to have exhibited an obstacle avoidance behavior in step S150 or S180 appear within a predetermined time, it is determined that an obstacle exists on the route P.

[0024] As described above, the communication device 11 and the management module 15 of the travel path management server 10 constituting the obstacle detection system 1 function as an information acquisition unit that acquires the vehicle speed V, yaw rate Yr, and position information of the vehicle 20 traveling on the travel path P (step S100). When the vehicle speed V acquired from the vehicle 20 is equal to or greater than the threshold value Vref (step S110: NO), the management module 15 also functions as a behavior determination unit (step S180) that determines whether the vehicle 20 has exhibited a behavior for avoiding an obstacle based on the yaw rate Yr of the vehicle 20. This makes it possible to accurately identify the obstacle avoidance behavior of the vehicle 20 traveling at a relatively high speed. Furthermore, when the vehicle speed V of the vehicle 20 is less than the threshold value Vref (step S110: YES), the management module 15 as a behavior determination unit acquires the maximum vehicle speed Vmax while the vehicle 20 travels a predetermined distance d, which is the distance between adjacent mileposts, based on the vehicle speed V and the position information, and determines whether the vehicle 20 has exhibited a behavior to avoid an obstacle based on the difference ΔV between the maximum vehicle speeds Vmax acquired consecutively (steps S120-S150). This makes it possible to accurately distinguish between the behavior of the vehicle 20 traveling at a low speed to avoid an obstacle and the behavior of the vehicle 20 traveling at a low speed to change lanes. Then, when a plurality of vehicles 20 exhibit a behavior to avoid an obstacle in the same traveling section within a predetermined time, the management module 15 functions as an obstacle presence / absence determination unit that determines that an obstacle exists in the traveling section (steps S160, S170, S180). As a result, according to the obstacle detection system 1, it is possible to accurately detect an obstacle existing on the traveling path P by appropriately utilizing the information acquired by the vehicle 20.

[0025] It goes without saying that the invention of this disclosure is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the present disclosure. Furthermore, the above embodiment is merely a specific form of the invention described in the Summary of the Invention, and does not limit the elements of the invention described in the Summary of the Invention. [Industrial Applicability]

[0026] The present disclosure is useful for managing vehicle travel routes, etc. [Explanation of symbols]

[0027] 1 obstacle detection system, 10 driving path management server, 11 communication device, 12 storage device, 15 management module, 20 vehicle, 21 in-vehicle communication device, 22 navigation device, 23 electronic control unit (ECU), 24 vehicle speed sensor, 25 yaw rate sensor, 26 turn signal, P driving path.

Claims

[Claim 1] 1. An obstacle detection system that detects an obstacle present on a traveling path of a vehicle based on a behavior of the vehicle, an information acquisition unit that acquires vehicle speed, yaw rate, and position information of the vehicle; a behavior determination unit that, when the vehicle speed is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, determines whether or not the vehicle has exhibited a behavior of avoiding the obstacle based on at least the yaw rate, and, when the vehicle speed is less than the predetermined value, acquires a maximum vehicle speed while the vehicle travels a predetermined distance based on the vehicle speed and the position information, and determines whether or not the vehicle has exhibited a behavior of avoiding the obstacle based on a difference between the maximum vehicle speeds acquired consecutively; an obstacle presence determination unit that determines that the obstacle is present in a travel section when a plurality of the vehicles exhibit behaviors that avoid the obstacle in the same travel section within a predetermined time; An obstacle detection system comprising:

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