Vehicle movement control device, vehicle movement control system, and vehicle movement control method

Abstract

To perform a movement control of a vehicle depending on whether or not there is movement restriction of an area for moving the vehicle.SOLUTION: A vehicle movement control device performs a movement control of a vehicle on the basis of the distance between a communication terminal and the vehicle. The movement control is performed by choosing one of: a followup system in which the vehicle moves following up the latest position of the communication terminal as a target; and a path system in which the vehicle moves following up a coordinate position on a movement path of the communication terminal as a target position sequentially from the past position on the movement path of the communication terminal to the latest position.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 14

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a vehicle movement control device, a vehicle movement control system, and a vehicle movement control method. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, when forcibly moving a vehicle, the vehicle is often connected to a rope or other device and towed. This method requires changing the rope depending on the direction of towing. Also, depending on the direction of towing, there may not be a place on the vehicle where the rope can be connected. Furthermore, it is difficult to accurately control the amount and direction of movement using towing alone.

[0003] As vehicle automation advances, methods of controlling vehicles using mobile communication terminals are being adopted for autonomous vehicles. Wireless communication eliminates the need for ropes, improving convenience. Controlling the movement of a vehicle is often done by operating multiple buttons on the mobile communication terminal. These buttons are assigned functions such as direction of movement, starting, and stopping.

[0004] However, it is not easy to precisely control the vehicle to move to a target position while avoiding obstacles using only these button operations. Furthermore, there is a problem that operating multiple buttons can lead to operational errors.

[0005] In response to this, a vehicle remote control device is known that calculates the relative position between the vehicle and a remote control device equivalent to a mobile communication terminal, and moves the vehicle along the movement path of the remote control device so that this relative position is in a predetermined positional relationship. This vehicle remote control device eliminates the need to operate buttons to move the vehicle, preventing erroneous operation and is expected to accurately control the vehicle so that it travels along the movement path of the operator carrying the remote control device (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-362466 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] In the vehicle remote control device described in Patent Document 1, the vehicle travels along the movement path of the remote control device, i.e., the movement path of the operator carrying the remote control device, while maintaining the relative distance between the remote control device and the vehicle, allowing for appropriate route setting. However, since the relative position is determined at the start of operation, the operator must approach the vehicle to a preset distance to position it in order to start movement control. Furthermore, in free spaces without obstacles or restricted areas and areas where simple driving is possible, there is a demand to be able to set an intuitive route that moves the vehicle in a manner that is close to the shortest route toward the remote control device from a long distance within the range where operation is permitted.

[0008] The present disclosure discloses technology for solving the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a vehicle movement control device and a vehicle movement control system that can easily perform initial settings for the start of movement of a vehicle to be moved, and that can control the movement of the vehicle depending on whether or not there are movement restrictions in the area to which the vehicle is to be moved. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The vehicle movement control device according to the present disclosure includes: A vehicle movement control device that controls movement of a vehicle based on a distance between a communication terminal and the vehicle, a distance measuring unit that measures the distance between the communication terminal and the vehicle; a coordinate position calculation unit that calculates a position of the communication terminal based on the distance between the communication terminal and the vehicle measured by the distance measurement unit; a movement path generating unit that generates a movement path of the communication terminal using the position of the communication terminal calculated by the coordinate position calculating unit; a path storage unit for storing the travel path generated by the travel path generation unit; a movement method control unit that sets a target position to which the vehicle will move based on the movement route or the position of the communication terminal and controls the movement of the vehicle; a travel route update unit that updates the travel route as the vehicle moves, In the movement method control unit, The vehicle's movement is controlled by selecting either a tracking method in which the nearest position of the communication terminal is used as the target position and the movement of the vehicle is controlled, or a route method in which the target positions are set sequentially on the movement route of the communication terminal and the vehicle is controlled to move along the movement route. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the present disclosure, initial settings for the start of movement can be easily performed for a vehicle to be moved, and it becomes possible to control the movement of the vehicle depending on whether or not there are movement restrictions in the area in which the vehicle is to be moved. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a vehicle movement control system and a configuration of a vehicle movement control device according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of a mobile communication terminal according to the first embodiment. FIG. [Figure 3] 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of a vehicle movement control device according to a first embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining a method for calculating the distance between antennas. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining a method for estimating the coordinate position of a mobile communication terminal. [Figure 6] 2 is a diagram for explaining the movement of a vehicle using a following method in the vehicle movement control system according to the first embodiment. FIG. [Figure 7A]1 is a diagram for explaining vehicle movement using a route method in the vehicle movement control system according to the first embodiment. FIG. [Figure 7B] 1 is a diagram for explaining vehicle movement using a route method in the vehicle movement control system according to the first embodiment. FIG. [Figure 7C] FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining vehicle movement using a route method in the vehicle movement control system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 7D] 1 is a diagram for explaining vehicle movement using a route method in the vehicle movement control system according to the first embodiment. FIG. [Figure 8] 10A and 10B are diagrams for explaining the transition of a target movement route of a vehicle when the vehicle is moving using the route method. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining a state when a vehicle starts moving. [Figure 10] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating an example of a moving operation of pushing a vehicle. [Figure 11] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a display interface unit of the portable communication terminal. [Figure 12] 4 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the vehicle movement control system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 13] 10 is a flowchart illustrating a process for selecting a vehicle's travel mode. [Figure 14] 1 is a diagram showing an example of vehicle movement control performed by the vehicle movement control system according to the first embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] Hereinafter, embodiments of a vehicle movement control system and a vehicle movement control device disclosed in the present application will be described with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the same reference numerals indicate the same or corresponding parts.

[0013] Embodiment 1 The vehicle movement control system and vehicle movement control device according to the first embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a vehicle movement control system according to the first embodiment, FIG. 2 is a hardware configuration diagram of a mobile communication terminal, and FIG. 3 is a hardware configuration diagram of a vehicle movement control device. <Configuration of vehicle movement control system> The vehicle movement control system 100 includes a vehicle movement control device 10 mounted on a vehicle 1 to be moved, and a mobile communication terminal 2 that guides the vehicle 1 to a preset position. Vehicle 1 is equipped with multiple distance measurement sensors (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as anchors) for measuring distances to mobile communication terminal 2 via wireless communication. Each anchor is composed of antennas 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15 for transmitting and receiving radio waves, and a wireless distance measurement unit 4 that analyzes the transmitted and received radio waves to measure distance. Mobile communication terminal 2 is also equipped with antenna 21 and wireless distance measurement unit 22. To estimate the position of mobile communication terminal 2, the distance between multiple antennas 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15 mounted at multiple positions on vehicle 1 and antenna 21 of mobile communication terminal 2 is required. Radio waves are often blocked by the vehicle body, pillars, and the like. Therefore, in this embodiment, an example is shown in which four antennas 11, 12, 13, and 14 are installed on the outer periphery of vehicle 1 and one antenna 15 is installed inside vehicle 1 to estimate the position of the entire circumference of vehicle 1. Distance measurement units 41, 42, 43, 44, 45 are provided corresponding to the antennas 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, and distances d1, d2, d3, d4, d5 from the antenna 21 calculated by each of the distance measurement units 41, 42, 43, 44, 45 are output to the movement control calculation unit 3. The number and layout of anchors installed on the vehicle 1 are not limited to the example of this embodiment and may be changed depending on the shape or size of the vehicle. Distance measurement units 41, 42, 43, 44, 45 may be collectively referred to as distance measurement unit 4.

[0014] An example of the hardware configuration of mobile communication terminal 2 is shown in FIG. 2, which includes processor 201 and storage device 202. Although the storage device is not shown, it may include a volatile storage device such as random access memory (RAM) and a non-volatile auxiliary storage device such as flash memory. Alternatively, a hard disk auxiliary storage device may be used instead of flash memory. Processor 201 executes a program input from storage device 202. In this case, the program is input to processor 201 from the auxiliary storage device via the volatile storage device. Processor 201 may output data such as calculation results to the volatile storage device of storage device 202, or may store the data in the auxiliary storage device via the volatile storage device. Furthermore, mobile communication terminal 2 has an input / output circuit 203 and a communication circuit 204 for transmitting and receiving radio waves to and from vehicle 1. The operation state of mobile communication terminal 2 by the operator is transmitted to movement control calculation unit 3 of vehicle movement control device 10 via communication circuit 204. That is, a signal is transmitted from mobile communication terminal 2 to movement control calculation unit 3 when a button on mobile communication terminal 2 is pressed or a switch is turned on.

[0015] <Configuration of vehicle movement control device 10> The vehicle movement control device 10 includes the plurality of distance measuring sensors 311, 312, 313, 314, and 315 and the movement control calculation unit 3 described above. The plurality of distance measurement sensors 311, 312, 313, 314, and 315 have antennas 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15 and distance measurement units 41, 42, 43, 44, and 45, respectively.

[0016] Here, a method for calculating the distance to antenna 21 in each distance measuring unit will be explained using Fig. 4. Fig. 4 is a diagram for explaining a method for calculating the distance d1 between antenna 11 and antenna 21 based on the time of flight TOF due to communication. In Fig. 4, antenna 21 receives radio waves transmitted from antenna 11, performs reception processing, and then transmits radio waves back from antenna 21 to antenna 11. Information on the time TB required for the reception processing at this time is added. Using the delay time TA and time TB calculated from the transmission time and reception time at antenna 11, the time of flight TOF is calculated using the following equation (1). TOF = (TA - TB) / 2 (1) If the speed of light is C, the distance d1 can be calculated using the following equation (2). d1=TOF × C (2) Similarly, distances d2, d3, d4, and d5 between the antennas 12, 13, 14, and 15 and the antenna 21 can be found.

[0017] The movement control calculation unit 3 includes a coordinate position calculation unit 31, a movement route generation unit 32, a route storage unit 33, a movement method control unit , a movement route update unit 35, and a receiving unit . The coordinate position calculation unit 31 receives distances d1, d2, d3, d4, and d5 from the antenna 21 calculated by the distance measurement sensors 311, 312, 313, 314, and 315, and calculates the position of the antenna 21. A method for calculating the position of antenna 21 will be described with reference to Fig. 5. In Fig. 5, the position with the smallest error is calculated using the least squares method or the like from the coordinate positions of three antennas 11, 12, and 14 and distances d1, d2, and d4 from antenna 21, as the position of antenna 21, i.e., the position of mobile communication terminal 2. Fig. 5 shows the state in which the position of mobile communication terminal 2 is calculated as a coordinate position on a two-dimensional horizontal plane, but if there are three or more sets of distance data, it is also possible to calculate as a three-dimensional spatial coordinate position, including the height direction. The calculated position coordinates of mobile communication terminal 2 are output to movement path generation unit 32 as needed.

[0018] The movement route generating unit 32 generates a movement route using the position coordinates of the mobile communication terminal 2 calculated by the coordinate position calculating unit 31 as time-series data from the control start time to the present, and stores the generated route in the route storing unit 33.

[0019] When the following method is selected as the movement method, the movement method control unit 34 reads the current time, i.e., the most recent position data on the movement route stored in the route storage unit 33, and sets this as the new target position. On the other hand, when the route method is selected as the movement method, the target position is set sequentially from the oldest position data on the movement route stored in the route storage unit 33. The following method is selected when the shortest distance between the vehicle and the target position is longer than a preset distance dth, such as in a free space without obstacles, and the route method is automatically selected when the target distance to the vehicle is short in an area with many obstacles. Note that the operator of the mobile communication terminal 2 can also manually change the movement method setting. The target position set by the movement method control unit 34 is output to the vehicle start control unit 9.

[0020] The vehicle start control unit 9 is a function installed in a general vehicle, and controls the vehicle's steering, wheel drive, etc. The vehicle start control unit 9 receives the target position set by the movement method control unit 34, and starts the movement of the vehicle 1 by steering and wheel drive. It also outputs a movement matrix representing the amount of translation and rotation accompanying the movement to the movement path update unit 35.

[0021] When the following method is selected, the movement route update unit 35 deletes position data on the movement route prior to the target position set by the movement method control unit 34 from the route storage unit 33. When the route method is selected, when the vehicle 1 reaches the target position, i.e., when the distance between the target position and the vehicle reaches a predetermined target distance, the movement route update unit 35 deletes the current target position data from the movement route. Thereafter, the movement route is updated according to the movement matrix input from the vehicle start control unit 9 and stored in the route storage unit 33. Target positions are set sequentially for the movement path updated in this way, and movement control continues.

[0022] The functions of the vehicle movement control device 10 described above are executed by hardware, an example of which is shown in FIG. 3. Vehicle 1 is equipped with multiple distance measurement sensors 311, 312, 313, 314, and 315, and the calculated distances d1, d2, d3, d4, and d5 are transmitted via a sensor interface 303 to a bus connected to the CPU 300 of the movement control calculation unit 3. The CPU 300 executes application software for movement control stored in a read-only memory (ROM) 301. The execution of this software performs a series of processes, such as estimating the mobile communication terminal position, generating and updating a movement route, controlling the movement method, and controlling the vehicle start control unit (corresponding to 9 in FIG. 1) that controls steering and drive wheels. RAM 302 is used as a memory for storing the movement route. An input / output unit 304 receives signals, such as the button operation status of the mobile communication terminal 2, and executes the function of the receiving unit 36.

[0023] A processor such as a DSP (Digital Signal Processor) or dedicated hardware may be applied to the CPU 300. In the case of dedicated hardware, for example, a single circuit, a composite circuit, a programmed processor, a parallel programmed processor, an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), or a combination thereof may be applied.

[0024] <Vehicle movement method> Next, the vehicle movement methods used in the first embodiment, the following method and the route method, will be described. The following method is a method in which the target position is set to the current position of the mobile communication terminal 2, and the movement of the vehicle 1 is controlled so as to follow the mobile communication terminal 2. The route method is a method in which a target position is set on the movement route Rm of the mobile communication terminal 2, and the movement of the vehicle 1 is controlled so as to follow the movement route Rm of the mobile communication terminal 2.

[0025] Examples of each method will be explained below, but first, the "target position," "movement route Rm," "traction starting point K," and "target distance" will be defined. The "target position" is the target position to which the vehicle 1 moves at a certain time. The "movement route Rm" is the route that the mobile communication terminal 2 has traveled. The "towing starting point K" is a point that is set in the vehicle 1 and serves as a reference point for the mobile communication terminal 2 to be towed or pushed. The "target distance Dt" is a distance set in advance between the vehicle 1 and the mobile communication terminal 2, and corresponds to the final distance between the vehicle 1 and the mobile communication terminal 2 after movement. The "target travel route TR" is the route along which the vehicle 1 travels to the current position of the mobile communication terminal 2 in the route method.

[0026] <Tracking method> FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a method of moving a vehicle using a tracking method in the vehicle movement control system according to the first embodiment. In FIG. 6, the movement path Rm of the mobile communication terminal 2 as it moves from time T1 to time T2, T2, T3, and T4 is shown by a dashed line. In the tracking method, the target position is set to the current time of the mobile communication terminal 2, i.e., the most recent position, regardless of the movement path Rm of the mobile communication terminal 2. The movement is such that the vehicle 1 pulls the towing start point K that connects this target position and the vehicle 1 by the shortest distance. That is, at T2, the mobile communication terminal 2 is moving straight, and the vehicle 1 moves along the movement path Rm of the mobile communication terminal 2. However, after time T2, the mobile communication terminal 2 moves rightward, so that the vehicle 1 pulls the towing start point K that connects the vehicle 1 by the shortest distance, and turns right. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 6, the vehicle 1 moves toward the mobile communication terminal 2, passing through positions P01, P02, and P03, so as to move along a path that is close to the shortest path. When the distance between the vehicle 1 and the mobile communication terminal 2 reaches a predetermined target distance Dt, the vehicle 1 stops. In Fig. 6, the positional relationship between the mobile communication terminal 2 and the vehicle 1 at time Tn is such that the distance is the target distance Dt, and the vehicle 1 stops at this time.

[0027] <Route Method> 7A, 7B, 7C, 7D, and 8 are diagrams for explaining a method of moving a vehicle using the route method in the vehicle movement control system according to the first embodiment. In FIGS. 7A-7D, the movement route Rm along which the mobile communication terminal 2 moves from times T1, T2, T3, and T4 is shown by a dashed line. In the route method, the target position is set to a coordinate position (P1, P2, P3, P4) on the movement route Rm of the mobile communication terminal 2 from the past start position where movement control began to the current position. Here, the movement route Rm of the mobile communication terminal 2 is assumed to be the same as that in FIG. 6.

[0028] 7A shows the state when vehicle 1 is at coordinate position P1, Fig. 7B shows the state when vehicle 1 has moved to coordinate position P2, Fig. 7C shows the state when vehicle 1 has moved to coordinate position P3, and Fig. 7D shows the state when vehicle 1 has moved to coordinate position P4. As vehicle 1 moves from coordinate position P1 to P2 to P3 to P4, vehicle start control unit 9 outputs movement matrix V (V1, V2, V3, V4) used in coordinate transformation by movement path update unit 35 according to the rotation angle θ and parallel movement amount (Tx, Ty) of vehicle 1, as shown in equation (3).

number

[0029] The movement path update unit 35 receives this movement matrix V (V1, V2, V3, V4), and performs coordinate transformation as shown in equation (4) from the coordinate position (x, y) before movement to the coordinate position (x', y') after movement as needed, thereby updating the target movement path TR at each coordinate position of the vehicle 1.

number

[0030] 8 is a diagram showing the transition of a target movement route of a vehicle when the vehicle is moving using the route method. At coordinate position P1, the target movement route TR1 of the vehicle 1 is almost the same as the movement route Rm of the mobile communication terminal 2. As the vehicle 1 moves, for example, at a right turn on the route at coordinate position P3, the target movement route TR3 of the vehicle 1 changes to a route diagonally forward to the right, and at coordinate position P4, the target movement route TR4 of the vehicle 1 changes to a route that is shorter forward. That is, in the route method, updating the target movement route of the vehicle corresponds to updating the movement route Rm. The number of coordinate positions set on the movement route Rm of the mobile communication terminal 2 can be changed depending on the period at which each distance measuring unit 4 measures the distance between the mobile communication terminal 2 and the vehicle 1, i.e., the period at which the coordinate position calculation unit 31 calculates the position, and is not limited to four.

[0031] <Operation when starting to move> Next, the operation of the vehicle 1 when it starts moving will be described. 9 is a diagram showing the positional relationship between the vehicle 1 and the mobile communication terminals 2 (2a, 2b, 2c) when the vehicle 1 starts moving. In FIG. 9, the mobile communication terminals 2a, 2b, 2c are placed in front, on the sides, and behind the vehicle 1. When the distance between vehicle 1 and mobile communication terminal 2 is within a predetermined distance dth and movement control is initiated by operating a button on mobile communication terminal 2, for example, movement method control unit 34 determines the initial target position, the shortest distance between mobile communication terminal 2 and vehicle 1, and towing start point K on vehicle 1 that corresponds to the shortest distance. As shown in FIG. 9 , towing start points K1, K2, and K3 are determined corresponding to the front, side, and rear of vehicle 1, which are the positions of mobile communication terminals 2a, 2b, and 2c, respectively. The shortest distance at this time is set as target distance Dt. Once towing start points K1, K2, and K3 are determined, distances da, db, and dc between vehicle 1 and mobile communication terminals 2a, 2b, and 2c are calculated as the distances between the target position and towing start points K1, K2, and K3.

[0032] The movement control of the vehicle 1 is continued, for example, by continuing to press a button on the mobile communication terminal 2. During the movement control, the distance between a target position set from time to time on the movement route and the towing start point K of the vehicle 1 is compared with the target distance, and the movement of the vehicle 1 is controlled so that the distance between this target position and the towing start point reaches the target distance. When the mobile communication terminal 2 moves away from the vehicle 1, a towing operation is performed, and when the mobile communication terminal 2 moves closer to the vehicle 1, a pushing operation is performed.

[0033] Specifically, as shown in Figure 9, when the mobile communication terminal 2a in front of the vehicle 1 moves in the direction of arrow A while operating a button, the distance da increases, but the vehicle 1 is towed and controlled by the mobile communication terminal 2a so that the distance da approaches the target distance Dt. When the mobile communication terminal 2c behind the vehicle 1 moves in the direction of arrow C while operating a button, the distance dc becomes smaller, but the vehicle 1 is controlled to move by being pushed by the mobile communication terminal 2c so that the distance dc approaches the target distance Dt. When the mobile communication terminal 2b beside the vehicle 1 moves in the direction of arrow B while operating a button, the distance db increases, but the vehicle 1 is controlled to move parallel to the mobile communication terminal 2b so that the distance db approaches the target distance Dt.

[0034] In this way, the position of the mobile communication terminal 2, i.e., the travel distance, can be estimated in all directions of the vehicle 1, so as shown in Fig. 9, no matter where the mobile communication terminal 2 is located relative to the vehicle 1, when the distance reaches the target distance Dt by operating the buttons on the mobile communication terminal 2, the movement of the vehicle 1 stops. The movement of the vehicle 1 also stops when the button operation on the mobile communication terminal 2 is stopped, i.e., the button is released.

[0035] 9, an example has been described in which the distance between vehicle 1 and mobile communication terminal 2 is within a preset distance dth and movement control is started by operating a button on mobile communication terminal 2. If the distance between vehicle 1 and mobile communication terminal 2 is greater than the preset distance dth, this preset distance dth is set as the target distance Dt.

[0036] <Example of pushing car 1> Fig. 10 is a diagram showing an example of controlling movement by pushing vehicle 1 as mobile communication terminal 2 approaches vehicle 1 after setting a target distance at the start of movement. In Fig. 10, towing start points Ka and Kb of the shortest distance are determined and fixed as the start points of the shortest distance based on the positional relationship between mobile communication terminal 2 and the vehicle at the start of movement control. When mobile communication terminal 2 moves closer to vehicle 1, the estimated distance between mobile communication terminal 2 and vehicle 1 becomes shorter than target distance Dt, so vehicle 1 moves in a pushed manner to correct this.

[0037] At this time, the direction of movement, i.e., the steering angle, may be controlled depending on the position of the towing origin. As shown in the figure, when towing origin Ka is on the center line of vehicle 1, vehicle 1 is controlled to move straight, and when the towing origin is deviated from the center line of vehicle 1, as in towing origin Kb, the steering angle is controlled according to the amount of deviation. This allows the direction of vehicle 1 to be changed depending on the pushing position, so that the intuitive direction of movement and the control match. In other words, the steering angle can be controlled by setting the towing origin.

[0038] The towing start point K can be set by the mobile communication terminal 2, for example. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing the display interface unit 200 of the mobile communication terminal 2. The display interface unit 200 is provided in the mobile communication terminal 2, such as a smartphone or a tablet terminal, and has a touch sensor function. The display interface unit 200 displays the towing start point K on the vehicle 1, allowing the user to check the position of the towing start point K. To change the position of the towing start point K, the user can simply drag and move the towing start point K displayed on the display interface unit 200 with a finger or a touch pen. When the towing start point K moves, the target distance is recalculated and reset.

[0039] The operator of the mobile communication terminal 2 can confirm this towing start point K, and the vehicle movement control device 10 can control the movement of the vehicle 1 more safely and efficiently. Furthermore, by adding to the display interface unit 200 a function for displaying the movement route Rm of the mobile communication terminal and a function for displaying the target movement route TR of the vehicle 1, it is possible to display the set target movement route Rm, and the update status of the movement route Rm and the target movement route TR while the vehicle 1 is moving, making it easy to reset the movement route Rm and to confirm safety while the vehicle 1 is moving.

[0040] <Operation of vehicle movement control system 100> Next, the operation of the vehicle movement control system 100 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. 12 and 13 in association with the respective functional units shown in FIG.

[0041] When the operator starts operating the mobile communication terminal 2 and presses a predetermined button on the mobile communication terminal 2, movement control of the vehicle 1 starts. In step S1, when operation of the mobile communication terminal 2 is started, the vehicle movement control device 10 receives radio waves from the mobile communication terminal 2, detects that a predetermined button on the mobile communication terminal 2 has been pressed, and starts movement control of the vehicle 1. During movement control, wireless communication is performed between each distance measuring unit 4 of the vehicle movement control device 10 mounted on the vehicle 1 and the distance measuring unit 22 of the mobile communication terminal 2, and the distance between the vehicle 1 and the mobile communication terminal 2 is measured at any time.

[0042] In step S2, coordinate position calculation unit 31 calculates the position of mobile communication terminal 2 at the start of control, and movement route generation unit 32 stores the position of mobile communication terminal 2 calculated by coordinate position calculation unit 31 as the first position of movement route Rm in route storage unit 33. At this time, movement method control unit 34 calculates the shortest distance dmin between vehicle 1 and mobile communication terminal 2, and then proceeds to step S3.

[0043] In step S3, if the shortest distance dmin between the vehicle 1 and the mobile communication terminal 2 is equal to or shorter than the preset distance dth, the process proceeds to step S4 (YES in step S4). In step S4, the shortest distance dmin between the vehicle 1 and the mobile communication terminal 2 is set as the target distance Dt, and a towing start point K corresponding to the shortest distance dmin is set, and the process proceeds to step S6.

[0044] In step S3, if the shortest distance dmin between the vehicle 1 and the mobile communication terminal 2 is greater than the preset distance dth, the process proceeds to step S5 (NO in step S4). In step S5, the preset distance dth is set as the target distance Dt, and a corresponding towing start point K is selected and set from among the preset start points, and the process proceeds to step S6.

[0045] In step S6, the vehicle movement control device 10 determines whether a signal is being received from the mobile communication terminal 2. That is, it determines whether the button on the mobile communication terminal 2 is pressed and the vehicle 1 is being moved, and if it is not pressed (NO in step S6), the movement control is terminated and the vehicle 1 stops. In step S6, if it is determined that the button on the mobile communication terminal 2 is pressed (YES in step S6), the process proceeds to the next step S7.

[0046] In step S7, the coordinate position calculation unit 31 calculates the coordinate position of the mobile communication terminal 2, and the process proceeds to step S8. In step S8, the coordinate positions calculated in step S7 are converted into time-series data and stored as a moving route Rm in the route storage unit 33, and the process proceeds to step S9.

[0047] In step S9, the movement method control unit 34 selects a movement method and sets a target position. Details of the processing in step S9 will be described with reference to FIG. In step S91, the travel method control unit 34 determines whether a travel method has been set in advance. The travel method may be set in advance by inputting it into the travel method control unit 34, for example, when the area in which the vehicle 1 will travel is planned in advance and the travel method can be set in advance. Alternatively, a signal for determining the travel method may be transmitted from the mobile communication terminal 2 by operation of the operator.

[0048] In step S91, if the travel method has not been set in advance (NO in step S91), the distance d between the vehicle 1 and the mobile communication terminal 2 is calculated in step S92. In step S93, if the distance d between the vehicle 1 and the mobile communication terminal 2 is greater than the preset distance dth (NO in step S93), the following mode is selected as the movement mode, and the process proceeds to step S97. In step S93, if the distance d between the vehicle 1 and the mobile communication terminal 2 is equal to or less than the preset distance dth (YES in step S93), the route mode is selected as the travel mode (step S94).

[0049] In step S91, if a movement method has been set in advance (YES in step S91), it is determined in step S96 whether the movement method is the follow-up method. In step S96, if it is determined that the movement method is the follow-up method (YES in step S96), the process proceeds to step S97. In step S96, if it is determined that the movement mode is not the following mode but the route mode (NO in step S96), the process proceeds from step S94 to step S95.

[0050] When the path method is selected, in step S95, the furthest past coordinate position on the movement path Rm is set as the target position. When the tracking method is selected, the coordinate position at the current time, that is, the most recent coordinate position, is set as the target position in step S97. When the target position is set in step S95 or step S97, step S9 ends and the process proceeds to step S10 in FIG.

[0051] In step S10, the distance d between the vehicle 1 and the mobile communication terminal 2 is calculated, and it is determined whether this reaches the target distance Dt. If the distance d between the vehicle 1 and the mobile communication terminal 2 has not reached the target distance Dt (NO in step S10), the process proceeds to the next step S11, where the movement of the vehicle 1 is controlled. If the distance d between the vehicle 1 and the mobile communication terminal 2 has reached the target distance Dt (YES in step S10), the movement of the vehicle 1 is not controlled, and the process returns to step S6.

[0052] In step S11, the movement method control unit 34 outputs instructions such as the movement direction of the vehicle 1 to the vehicle start control unit 9 according to the movement method and target position. The vehicle start control unit 9 controls the steering angle and drive wheels to move the vehicle 1. At this time, a movement matrix V representing the actual movement direction, rotation amount, etc. is generated and output to the movement path update unit 35.

[0053] Next, in step S12, the movement route update unit 35 updates the movement route Rm stored in the route storage unit 33. If the tracking method is selected, the target position on the movement route Rm is deleted. If the path method is selected, the target position is deleted and the movement route Rm is updated based on the movement matrix V. Then, the process returns to step S6.

[0054] As described above, the processing operations of the vehicle movement control system 100 in steps S2 to S5 are settings made when the vehicle 1 starts moving, and the position of the towing starting point K corresponding to the target distance between the vehicle 1 and the mobile communication terminal 2 can be set at any position around the vehicle, making it possible to operate the mobile communication terminal 2 from anywhere around the vehicle and control the movement of the vehicle 1.

[0055] Furthermore, the processing operations of the vehicle movement control system 100 in steps S8 and S9 make it possible to arbitrarily set a movement method according to the surrounding environment in which the vehicle 1 is moving. Alternatively, the movement method can be automatically set based on the relative positions of the vehicle 1 and the mobile communication terminal 2. This improves the convenience of vehicle movement control. When the movement method is selected manually, the set movement method may be fixed even if the operation returning to step S6 is repeated, or the setting may be changeable each time.

[0056] 12 and 13 can also be applied to the operation of pushing the vehicle 1 described above. Typically, the operation of pushing the vehicle 1 is performed by operating the mobile communication terminal 2 from near the vehicle, so the process proceeds from step S3 to step S4. Since the operator approaches the vehicle 1 while pressing the button on the mobile communication terminal 2, even if a movement method has not been set in advance in step S9, a route method is selected in steps S93 to S94. In step S10, the mobile communication terminal 2 approaches the vehicle 1, and the distance between the vehicle 1 and the mobile communication terminal 2 becomes shorter than the target distance Dt set in step S4. Therefore, in step S11, the vehicle 1 is controlled to move backward. In the case of an operation of pushing the vehicle 1, the travel route Rm is not actually generated, but the position where the mobile communication terminal 2 approaches the vehicle is calculated (step S7), and that position is stored in the route storage unit 33 (step S8) and updated (step S12).

[0057] <Specific example of movement control of vehicle 1 by vehicle movement control system 100> A specific example of movement control of vehicle 1 by vehicle movement control system 100 will be described below with reference to Fig. 14. Fig. 14 is a diagram showing how the movement of vehicle 1 is controlled by guidance from mobile communication terminal 2 from a free space FS with no restricted area to an indoor parking space PS with a restricted area NEZ.

[0058] In the free space FS, movement control of the vehicle 1 at position P0 is initiated from a distance within the permitted range of operation by operating the buttons on the mobile communication terminal 2p. At this time, the shortest distance dmin between the vehicle 1 and the mobile communication terminal 2p is greater than the preset distance dth, so the movement method is automatically set to the following method. In the following method, even when there is no movement route Rm, the vehicle moves toward the mobile communication terminal 2p held by the operator, taking the shortest route, and moves close to the operator in a short time. In other words, the vehicle moves to position SP by towing using the following method. At this position, the distance between the vehicle 1 and the mobile communication terminal 2p has reached the target distance Dt. Note that although the movement method is automatically set, it may also be set manually in advance.

[0059] After moving vehicle 1 to position SP near the entrance to the indoor area using the following method, the mobile communication terminal 2 and vehicle 1 enter the indoor area containing the restricted entry zone NEZ. It is important to control movement indoors with due consideration given to safety. Therefore, the method switches to a route method that follows the movement path Rm of the operator holding mobile communication terminal 2, who is traveling along a safe route. While the method can be explicitly switched to the route method manually, if the operator holding mobile communication terminal 2 moves within a preset distance dth from vehicle 1 at a speed slow enough for vehicle 1 to catch up, the movement method control unit 34 automatically switches to the route method, eliminating the need for manual setting.

[0060] As shown in Figure 14, the operator holding the mobile communication terminal 2 moves the vehicle 1 along the travel route Rm, avoiding the restricted area NEZ, and arrives near the parking space PS. Up to this point, the movement of the vehicle 1 has been controlled by towing using the route method. Near the parking space PS, the operator stops pressing the button on the mobile communication terminal 2q, and the vehicle 1 comes to a halt. In the present embodiment, in the route method, the vehicle 1 moves along the movement route Rm of the mobile communication terminal 2. Therefore, detailed movement control is performed according to the movement route Rm, and the vehicle 1 can move while avoiding obstacles and no-entry areas NEZ, etc., without using an obstacle sensor, etc.

[0061] FIG. 14 shows an example of a situation in which, after the vehicle 1 has been moved to the parking space PS, the target distance setting does not match the operator's image, causing the vehicle 1 to slightly overrun the parking space PS. Therefore, movement control is started again by operating the buttons on the mobile communication terminal 2q from in front of the vehicle 1, within the preset distance dth. At this time, the target distance and towing start point K are set. If the mobile communication terminal 2q is equipped with a display interface unit 200, the towing start point K is displayed, and the operator can confirm the position and change it on the touch panel as necessary. After confirmation, when the operator approaches the vehicle, that is, when the distance between the mobile communication terminal 2q and the vehicle becomes shorter, the vehicle reverses to maintain the target distance, and can move to the desired position in the parking space PS.

[0062] As described above, an appropriate transportation method can be selected depending on the surrounding environment, shortening travel time while also achieving safety, and enabling precise movement control without sacrificing convenience.

[0063] The communication method in the vehicle movement control system 100 according to this embodiment is preferably, but not limited to, a UWB (Ultra Wide Band) communication method. The mobile communication terminal 2 may be configured as a mobile terminal such as a smartphone. UWB can achieve high distance measurement accuracy and also allows for a compact antenna. This simplifies the antenna layout. Furthermore, UWB is a standardized communication method, and adopting this method as the communication method for the vehicle movement control system 100 allows a mobile terminal such as a smartphone to be used as the mobile communication terminal 2, eliminating the need for a dedicated mobile communication terminal 2 and enabling cost reduction.

[0064] In the embodiment, an example has been described in which the mobile communication terminal 2 is used and the operator of the mobile communication terminal 2 moves while holding it to control the movement of a vehicle, but the present invention is not limited to the mobile communication terminal 2. For example, when moving vehicles over a wide area, a communication terminal may be mounted on a leading vehicle, and the movement of the vehicle may be controlled based on the positions of the leading vehicle and the vehicles to be moved and the movement route of the leading vehicle. In this case, it is possible to guide multiple vehicles in a line by changing the target distance, and in the route method, if the leading vehicle slows down, the movement of the multiple vehicles in the line is precisely controlled along the movement route of the leading vehicle, thereby eliminating the risk of collision with obstacles within the area or entry into a prohibited area, and enabling efficient movement control.

[0065] In addition, an example has been given in which a mobile communication terminal 2 is used and a button is operated while being pressed, but a signal can also be sent from the mobile communication terminal 2 by operating an on switch on the display interface section of the mobile communication terminal 2, and the transmission of the signal can be stopped by operating an off switch.

[0066] As described above, according to the first embodiment, a vehicle movement control device is provided which includes a distance measurement unit which measures the distance between the communication terminal and the vehicle, a coordinate position calculation unit which calculates the position of the communication terminal from the distance between the communication terminal and the vehicle measured by the distance measurement unit, a movement path generation unit which generates a movement path for the communication terminal using the position of the communication terminal calculated by the coordinate position calculation unit, a path storage unit which stores the movement path generated by the movement path generation unit, a movement method control unit which sets a target position to which the vehicle will move based on the movement path or the position of the communication terminal and controls the movement of the vehicle, and a movement path update unit which updates the movement path as the vehicle moves, and is configured so that the movement method control unit selects either a following method which controls the movement of the vehicle using the nearest position of the communication terminal as a target position, or a route method which sequentially sets target positions on the movement path of the communication terminal and controls the vehicle to move along the movement path to control the movement of the vehicle. This configuration allows the selection of the following method or the route method, making it easy to set up the initial start of movement. In areas where free space without obstacles and areas with many obstacles are mixed, either of the appropriate methods can be selected depending on the situation, making it possible to move the vehicle in a short time while avoiding collisions, etc. In other words, it becomes possible to move the vehicle efficiently as intended by the operator holding the communication terminal and guiding the vehicle. Furthermore, since the target position to which the vehicle will move is set based on the movement route or the position of the communication terminal, the initial start of movement can be easily set up for the vehicle to be moved.

[0067] Furthermore, according to the vehicle movement control device of the first embodiment, the movement method control unit is configured to set a towing start point for the vehicle and a target distance between the vehicle and the communication terminal, and if the distance between the communication terminal and the vehicle measured by the distance measurement unit is greater than a preset distance, select the following method and set the preset distance as the target distance, and if the distance between the communication terminal and the vehicle measured by the distance measurement unit is equal to or less than the preset distance, select the route method and set the distance between the communication terminal and the vehicle measured by the distance measurement unit as the target distance, and control the movement of the vehicle so that the distance between the vehicle and the target position becomes the target distance. With this configuration, the movement method is automatically selected depending on the distance between the vehicle and the operator holding the communication terminal, so the operator does not need to manually switch the movement method each time, making it possible to move the vehicle more easily and improving convenience.

[0068] In other words, in free space, vehicle movement control can be initiated from a remote location. If the vehicle enters an environment with an obstacle, the operator can stop walking and wait for the vehicle to approach within a predetermined distance, or can walk at a slower speed so that the vehicle maintains a distance shorter than the predetermined distance. This automatically selects the route mode as the movement mode, allowing the vehicle to avoid collisions with obstacles and control movement. In this way, the operator can move the vehicle without having to manually switch movement modes each time, improving convenience.

[0069] Furthermore, according to the vehicle movement control device of the first embodiment, when the movement method control unit selects the following method and the vehicle reaches the target position, the movement path update unit deletes the position of the communication terminal before the target position set by the movement method control unit from the path storage unit, and when the path method is selected and the vehicle reaches the target position, the movement path update unit calculates and updates the movement path using a movement determinant that uses the amount of movement and rotation of the vehicle, and stores it in the path storage unit. With this configuration, no unnecessary information remains in the path storage unit, reducing the load.

[0070] As described above, according to the first embodiment, a vehicle movement control system is provided that includes a communication terminal and a vehicle equipped with the above-described vehicle movement control device. The communication terminal transmits a signal to operate the vehicle movement control device, and the vehicle movement control device controls the movement of the vehicle while receiving the signal from the communication terminal. This configuration allows for the selection of a following method or a route method, facilitating initial setting for starting movement. In an area where free space without obstacles and areas with many obstacles coexist, a vehicle movement control system can be realized that selects either of the appropriate methods depending on the situation, allowing the vehicle to move quickly while avoiding collisions, etc. Furthermore, since the vehicle movement control device controls the movement of the vehicle while receiving a signal from the communication terminal, the operator holding the communication terminal can easily start and stop vehicle movement control.

[0071] Furthermore, according to the vehicle movement control system of the first embodiment, the communication terminal includes a display interface unit and is configured to be able to set, on the display interface unit, a towing start point as a position on the periphery of the vehicle from which the vehicle will be towed or pushed. This allows the towing start point to be set at any position on the exterior of the vehicle, including the side of the vehicle. The steering angle of the vehicle is controlled based on the positional relationship between the towing start point position and the target position. Therefore, by checking and changing the position of the towing start point displayed on the display interface unit, it is possible to check whether the vehicle is moving in the desired direction, and if not, change the position so that it is in the desired direction.

[0072] Furthermore, according to the vehicle movement control system of the first embodiment, the communication terminal includes a display interface unit, and the movement route generated by the movement route generating unit and updated by the movement route updating unit is displayed on the display interface unit. This makes it possible to check the predicted route along which the vehicle will move, and to easily reset the route to a more appropriate one depending on the situation.

[0073] Furthermore, according to the vehicle movement control system of the first embodiment, it is possible to set which of the following and route modes to select in the movement mode control unit based on a signal from the communication terminal, thereby making it possible to easily change the movement mode from the communication terminal.

[0074] Although the present disclosure describes exemplary embodiments, the various features, aspects, and functions described in the embodiments are not limited to application to a particular embodiment, but may be applied to the embodiments alone or in various combinations. Therefore, countless variations not illustrated are contemplated within the scope of the technology disclosed in this specification, including, for example, the modification, addition, or omission of at least one component. [Explanation of symbols]

[0075] 1: vehicle, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15: antenna, 2, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2p, 2q: mobile communication terminal, 21: antenna, 22: distance measurement unit, 200: display interface unit, 201: processor, 202: storage device, 203: input / output circuit, 204: communication circuit, 3: movement control calculation unit, 31: coordinate position calculation unit, 32: movement route generation unit, 33: route storage unit, 34: movement method control unit, 35: movement route update unit, 36: receiving unit, 300: CPU, 301: ROM, 302: RAM, 303: sensor interface, 304: input / output unit, 311, 312, 313, 314, 315: distance measurement sensor, 4, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45: distance measurement unit, 9: Vehicle start control unit, 10: Vehicle movement control device, 100: Vehicle movement control system, d, d1, d2, d3, d4, d5, da, db, dc: distance, dmin: shortest distance, dth: distance, Dt: target distance, K, K1, K2, K3, Ka, Kb: towing starting point, P1, P2, P3, P4: coordinate position, T1, T2, T3, T4, Tn: time, TR, TR1, TR2, TR3, TR4: target movement path.

Claims

1. A vehicle movement control device that controls movement of a vehicle based on a distance between a communication terminal and the vehicle, a distance measuring unit that measures the distance between the communication terminal and the vehicle; a coordinate position calculation unit that calculates a position of the communication terminal based on the distance between the communication terminal and the vehicle measured by the distance measurement unit; a movement path generating unit that generates a movement path of the communication terminal using the position of the communication terminal calculated by the coordinate position calculating unit; a path storage unit for storing the travel path generated by the travel path generation unit; a movement method control unit that sets a target position to which the vehicle will move based on the movement route or the position of the communication terminal and controls the movement of the vehicle; a travel route update unit that updates the travel route as the vehicle moves, In the movement method control unit, A vehicle movement control device that controls the movement of the vehicle by selecting either a following method in which the nearest position of the communication terminal is set as the target position and the movement of the vehicle is controlled, or a route method in which the target positions are set sequentially on the movement route of the communication terminal and the vehicle is controlled to move along the movement route.

2. The movement method control unit setting a towing start point for the vehicle and a target distance between the vehicle and the communication terminal; If the distance between the communication terminal and the vehicle measured by the distance measuring unit is greater than a preset distance, the tracking method is selected, and the preset distance is set as the target distance; When the distance between the communication terminal and the vehicle measured by the distance measuring unit is equal to or less than a preset distance, the route method is selected, and the distance between the communication terminal and the vehicle measured by the distance measuring unit is set as the target distance; The vehicle movement control device according to claim 1 , wherein the movement of the vehicle is controlled so that the distance between the vehicle and the target position becomes the target distance.

3. The travel route update unit When the following method is selected in the movement method control unit, if the vehicle reaches the target position, delete from the route storage unit the positions of the communication terminal that were earlier than the target position set by the movement method control unit; 3. The vehicle movement control device according to claim 1, wherein when the route method is selected and the vehicle reaches the target position, the current target position is deleted from the movement route, and the movement route is calculated and updated by a movement determinant using a movement amount and a rotation amount of the vehicle, and stored in the route storage unit.

4. The vehicle movement control device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the movement of the vehicle is controlled while a signal is being received from the communication terminal.

5. A vehicle movement control system including the communication terminal and the vehicle equipped with the vehicle movement control device according to claim 1 or 2, the communication terminal transmits a signal to operate the vehicle movement control device; The vehicle movement control system is configured so that the vehicle movement control device controls the movement of the vehicle while receiving a signal from the communication terminal.

6. The communication terminal A display interface unit is provided, 6. The vehicle movement control system according to claim 5, wherein a towing start point can be set on the display interface unit on the outer periphery of the vehicle as a position from which the vehicle is towed or pushed.

7. The communication terminal A display interface unit is provided, The vehicle movement control system according to claim 6 , wherein the movement route generated by the movement route generating unit and updated by the movement route updating unit is displayed on the display interface unit.

8. In response to a signal from the communication terminal, The vehicle movement control system according to claim 7 , wherein the movement mode control unit is configured to select either the following mode or the route mode.

9. A method for controlling the movement of a vehicle using a vehicle movement control system including a communication terminal and a vehicle equipped with a vehicle movement control device, comprising: receiving a signal from the communication terminal; measuring a distance between the communication terminal and the vehicle; If the distance between the communication terminal and the vehicle is greater than a preset distance, the preset distance is set as a target distance; If the distance between the communication terminal and the vehicle is equal to or less than a preset distance, the distance between the communication terminal and the vehicle is set to a target distance; calculating a position of the communication terminal from a distance between the communication terminal and the vehicle; generating a travel route for the communication terminal using the position of the communication terminal; Selecting a movement method of the vehicle from either a following method or a route method; When the following method is selected, the nearest position of the communication terminal is set as a target position to which the vehicle will move, and the movement of the vehicle is controlled; When the route method is selected, setting target positions on a moving route of the communication terminal in sequence, and controlling the vehicle to move along the moving route; A vehicle movement control method, wherein, while receiving a signal from the communication terminal, the movement of the vehicle is controlled so that the distance between the vehicle and the target position becomes the target distance.

10. The selection of the vehicle's movement mode is If the distance between the communication terminal and the vehicle is greater than a preset distance, a following method is selected; The vehicle movement control method according to claim 9, wherein the route method is selected when the distance between the communication terminal and the vehicle is equal to or less than a preset distance.

Images