Control device

Abstract

To improve technologies related to vehicle driving support.SOLUTION: A control device 20 includes a control unit 23 that acquires from a smart pole 30 position information of a second road intersecting a first road ahead of the first road where a vehicle 10 travels, and position information of a moving vehicle traveling toward the intersection of the second road and the first road, and calculates the distance the vehicle 10 can advance along the first road based on the acquired position information of the second road and the moving vehicle.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a control device. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, technologies related to vehicle driving assistance have been known. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a technology for controlling autonomous driving based on detected information about the outside of the vehicle when the autonomous vehicle merges onto a road from a parking lot. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2022-28092 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, when a vehicle is leaving a parking lot and there is a blind spot ahead, even if the vehicle recognizes that pedestrians, bicycles, automobiles, etc. (hereinafter referred to as "moving objects") are passing on the road between the vehicle and the roadway, it is unable to determine when the moving objects will stop passing, leaving room for improvement in terms of ensuring safety. Therefore, there is room for improvement in vehicle driving assistance technology.

[0005] In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present disclosure is to improve technology relating to vehicle driving assistance. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A control device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is a control device that assists vehicle driving, and includes a control unit that acquires, from a smart pole, position information of a second road that intersects with a first road ahead of a first road on which the vehicle is traveling, and position information of a moving body moving on the second road toward the intersection with the first road, and calculates a distance that the vehicle can advance along the first road based on the acquired position information of the second road and the moving body. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, technology relating to vehicle driving assistance is improved. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration example of a control device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] 10 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the control device. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of vehicle driving assistance. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described.

[0010] An overview of a system 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to Fig. 1. The system 1 includes a vehicle 10, a control device 20 mounted on the vehicle 10, and a smart pole 30. The vehicle 10, the control device 20, and the smart pole 30 are communicably connected to a network 2 including, for example, the Internet and a mobile communication network.

[0011] The vehicle 10 is, for example, an automobile, but is not limited to this and may be any vehicle. The automobile may be, for example, a gasoline-powered vehicle, a BEV (Battery Electric Vehicle), a HEV (Hybrid Electric Vehicle), a PHEV (Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle), or a FCEV (Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle), but is not limited to these. In the present disclosure, the vehicle 10 may be an autonomous vehicle with an autonomous driving function. The number of vehicles 10 included in the system 1 may be determined arbitrarily. The vehicle 10 is connected to the control device 20 and the smart pole 30 via the network 2 so as to be able to communicate with them. The vehicle 10 may also be able to communicate with the control device 20 via a wired connection.

[0012] The control device 20 is a computer provided in the vehicle 10. The control device 20 provides driving assistance for the vehicle 10. The control device 20 is communicably connected to the vehicle 10 and the smart pole 30 via the network 2. The control device 20 may also be capable of communicating with the vehicle 10 via a wired connection.

[0013] The smart pole 30 is a multi-functional utility pole equipped with various functions, such as a 5G antenna base station, an access point such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark), a power supply point, a video camera, various sensors, lighting, and digital signage. The smart pole 30 is installed, for example, on a roadside near an intersection. The video camera detects moving objects approaching the intersection in real time. The smart pole 30 is connected to the vehicle 10 and the control device 20 via the network 2 so as to be able to communicate with them.

[0014] First, an overview of this embodiment will be described, and details will be described later. The control device 20 acquires, from the smart pole 30, position information of a second road that intersects with a first road ahead of the first road on which the vehicle 10 is traveling, and position information of a moving object moving on the second road in the direction of the intersection with the first road, and calculates a distance that the vehicle 10 can advance along the first road based on the acquired position information of the second road and the moving object.

[0015] As described above, according to this embodiment, the control device 20 calculates the distance that the vehicle 10 can advance based on the position information of the second road and the moving object acquired from the smart pole 30. Therefore, even in a situation where the driver of the vehicle 10 cannot visually recognize the moving object moving on the second road, the vehicle 10 can advance within a possible range. Therefore, the technology related to vehicle driving assistance is improved in that the number of head-on accidents between the vehicle 10 and the moving object moving on the second road is reduced.

[0016] Next, each component of the system 1 will be described in detail.

[0017] (Vehicle configuration) 1, vehicle 10 includes a communication unit 11, a positioning unit 12, a measurement unit 13, an input unit 14, an output unit 15, a storage unit 16, and a control unit 17. Vehicle 10 also includes a control device 20. Details of control device 20 will be described later. Vehicle 10 may also include a navigation device that uses some or all of the functions of the functional units 11 to 17 described above.

[0018] The communication unit 11 includes both a communication interface for wireless connection to the network 2 and a communication interface for wired connection to a CAN (Controller Area Network). The communication interface for connection to the network 2 corresponds to a mobile communication standard such as, but not limited to, 4G (4th Generation) or 5G (5th Generation).

[0019] The positioning unit 12 includes one or more devices that acquire position information of the vehicle 10. Specifically, the positioning unit 12 includes, for example, a receiver compatible with GPS, but is not limited to this and may include a receiver compatible with any satellite positioning system.

[0020] The measurement unit 13 includes one or more devices that collect data inside and outside the vehicle 10. Specifically, the one or more devices are a speed sensor, an acceleration sensor, a gyro sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, a millimeter wave radar, an infrared radar, a camera (on-board camera), or the like, and measure data inside and outside the vehicle 10.

[0021] The output unit 15 includes at least one audio output interface capable of outputting audio and at least one display interface capable of displaying text or video. The audio output interface is, for example, a speaker. The display interface is, for example, a display such as an LCD or an organic EL display.

[0022] The storage unit 16 includes one or more memories. The memories may be, for example, semiconductor memories, magnetic memories, or optical memories, but are not limited to these. Each memory included in the storage unit 16 may function as, for example, a main storage device, an auxiliary storage device, or a cache memory. The storage unit 16 stores any information used in the operation of the vehicle 10. For example, the storage unit 16 may store system programs, application programs including car navigation applications, embedded software, map information, and the like. The information stored in the storage unit 16 may be updatable with information obtained from the network 2 via the communication unit 11, for example.

[0023] The control unit 17 includes one or more processors, one or more programmable circuits, one or more dedicated circuits, or a combination thereof. The processor may be, for example, a general-purpose processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), or a dedicated processor specialized for a specific process, but is not limited to these. The programmable circuit may be, for example, but is not limited to, an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array). The dedicated circuit may be, for example, but is not limited to, an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit). The control unit 17 controls the overall operation of the vehicle 10.

[0024] (Control device configuration) As shown in FIG. 1, the control device 20 includes a communication unit 21, a storage unit 22, and a control unit .

[0025] The communication unit 21 includes both a communication interface for wireless connection to the network 2 and a communication interface for wired connection to the CAN. The communication interface for connection to the network 2 corresponds to, for example, a mobile communication standard, but is not limited to these and may correspond to any communication standard.

[0026] The storage unit 22 includes one or more memories. Each memory included in the storage unit 22 may function as, for example, a main storage device, an auxiliary storage device, or a cache memory. The storage unit 22 stores any information used in the operation of the control device 20. For example, the storage unit 22 may store a system program, an application program, a database, information received from the smart pole 30, and the like. The information received from the smart pole 30 includes position information of the second road and position information of the mobile object, and the like. The information stored in the storage unit 22 may be updatable with information obtained from the network 2 via the communication unit 21, for example.

[0027] The control unit 23 includes one or more processors, one or more programmable circuits, one or more dedicated circuits, or a combination thereof. The control unit 23 controls the overall operation of the control device 20.

[0028] (Smart pole configuration) As shown in FIG. 1, the smart pole 30 includes a communication unit 31, a sensor unit 32, a storage unit 33, and a control unit .

[0029] The communication unit 31 includes one or more communication interfaces for wirelessly connecting to the network 2. The communication interfaces are compatible with mobile communication standards such as 4G or 5G, or wireless standards such as high-speed Wi-Fi and Bluetooth (registered trademark), but are not limited to these and may be compatible with any communication standard.

[0030] The sensor unit 32 includes a video camera and detects the positions of moving objects such as bicycles and pedestrians traveling on the sidewalk. Furthermore, the sensor unit 32 may include a distance sensor such as a LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging), a millimeter wave sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, or a stereo camera.

[0031] The storage unit 33 includes one or more memories. Each memory included in the storage unit 33 may function as, for example, a main storage device, an auxiliary storage device, or a cache memory. The storage unit 33 stores any information used in the operation of the smart pole 30. For example, the storage unit 33 may store a system program, an application program, a database, information detected by the sensor unit 32, and the like. The information stored in the storage unit 33 may be updatable with information obtained from the network 2 via the communication unit 31, for example.

[0032] The control unit 34 includes one or more processors, one or more programmable circuits, one or more dedicated circuits, or a combination thereof. The control unit 34 controls the overall operation of the smart pole 30.

[0033] (Control device operation flow) 2 and 3, the operation of the control device 20 according to this embodiment will be described. This operation relates to vehicle driving support. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the control device 20.

[0034] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of driving assistance for a vehicle 10. In the present disclosure, the first road 4 is, for example, a passageway that connects a parking gate of a commercial facility and a junction with a roadway and that the vehicle 10 can travel through, but is not limited to this. The first road 4 (hereinafter also referred to as the passageway 4) may be a private road within the commercial facility or a public road. The first road 4 may also be a one-way road, a two-way road, or a road with two lanes on each side. In the present disclosure, the second road 5 is a sidewalk on which bicycles 3A and pedestrians 3B and the like travel. However, the second road 5 is not limited to these and may also be a roadway on which automobiles 3C travel. A smart pole 30 is installed near an intersection X between the passageway 4 and the second road 5 (hereinafter also referred to as the sidewalk 5). The smart pole 30 is equipped with a video camera, a distance sensor, and the like that detect the position of a moving object 3 traveling on the sidewalk 5. The smart pole 30 transmits the position information of the detected moving object 3 to the control device 20 at predetermined time intervals. The position information of the moving object 3 will be described in detail later. In this disclosure, the vehicle 10 and the automobile 3C are both automobiles, but are distinguished for the sake of convenience. The vehicle 10 is an automobile that travels through the passage 4 and merges onto the third road 6 (hereinafter also referred to as the roadway 6). On the other hand, the automobile 3C is a moving object 3 that travels on the roadway 6.

[0035] S101: Vehicle 10 travels through passage 4.

[0036] As shown in FIG. 3, for example, a vehicle 10 leaves a gate of a parking lot and travels along a passage 4 toward a junction p3 with a third road 6 (hereinafter also referred to as a roadway 6).

[0037] S102: The control unit 23 checks whether there is a sidewalk 5 ahead of the passage 4 through which the vehicle 10 is traveling that intersects with the passage 4. If the sidewalk 5 is confirmed, the process proceeds to S103, and if the sidewalk 5 is not confirmed, the process proceeds to S108.

[0038] If there is a sidewalk 5 that intersects ahead of the passage 4 through which the vehicle 10 is traveling, the control unit 23 receives a notification from the smart pole 30. However, the control unit 23 may also inquire of the smart pole 30 as to whether or not there is a sidewalk 5 ahead, and receive a response from the smart pole 30.

[0039] S103: The control unit 23 acquires the position information of the sidewalk 5 from the smart pole 30.

[0040] The position information of the sidewalk 5 is the latitude and longitude coordinates (x2, y2) of the center point p2 of the intersection X, and information on the width w of the sidewalk 5 (intersection X). However, the position information of the sidewalk 5 is not limited to these and may be any information.

[0041] S104: The control unit 23 acquires, from the smart pole 30, the position information of the moving object 3 moving on the sidewalk 5 in the direction of the intersection X with the passage 4.

[0042] The video camera provided on the smart pole 30 identifies the moving object 3 moving on the sidewalk 5 in the direction of the intersection X with the passage 4, and specifies its type (e.g., whether it is a bicycle 3A or a pedestrian 3B). The moving speed differs between the moving object 3 when it is a bicycle 3A and when it is a pedestrian 3B. For example, the walking speed of a pedestrian 3B is generally 2.9 to 3.6 kilometers per hour (in this disclosure, assumed to be 3 kilometers per hour (0.8 meters per second)), whereas the average speed of a bicycle 3A is 15 kilometers per hour (4 meters per second). Therefore, the time distance Td from the detected position to the intersection X differs depending on the type of moving object 3. The time distance Td is the distance from one point to another, expressed not as a physical distance in kilometers, but as the time (seconds) required for the movement.

[0043] The video camera detects the position information of the identified moving object 3. In the example shown in FIG. 3, the sidewalk 5 is divided into a plurality of zones Z according to the distance from the intersection X. In FIG. 3, Z ai(i=1,2,···n)is the area when the moving object 3 is a bicycle 3A, and Z bi(i=1,2,···n) is the area when the moving object 3 is a pedestrian 3B. The location information of the moving object 3 is the area Z ai or Z bi The communication unit 31 of the smart pole 30 transmits the position information of the moving object 3 detected by the video camera to the control device 20 at predetermined time intervals.

[0044] For example, consider the case where pedestrian 3B moves along sidewalk 5 toward intersection X. bi If the distance in the direction of travel is, for example, 4 meters, then area Z b1 The time distance Td2 for pedestrian 3B detected within area Z to reach intersection X is calculated to be 0 seconds at the shortest and 5 seconds at the longest (the value obtained by dividing the distance of 4 meters by the speed of 0.8 meters per second). b2 Within this zone, it is 5 to 10 seconds. b3 Within this range, it is 10 to 15 seconds.

[0045] On the other hand, consider the case where bicycle 3A moves in the direction of intersection X. a1 The time distance Td2 when detected within each zone Z is calculated in the same way. ai If the distance in the direction of travel is, for example, 20 meters, then area Z a1 The time distance Td2 for bicycle 3A detected within the intersection X is 0 to 5 seconds (the value obtained by dividing the distance 20 meters by the speed of 4 meters per second). a2 Within 5-10 seconds, Zone Z a3 Within this range, it is calculated as 10 to 15 seconds.

[0046] S105: The control unit 23 calculates the distance d that the vehicle 10 can advance along the passage 4 based on the acquired position information of the sidewalk 5 and the position information of the moving object 3.

[0047] The control unit 23 may calculate the distance d that the vehicle 10 can advance along the passage 4, for example, in accordance with the following (i) to (v). However, the calculation method and determination conditions for the distance d are not limited to these, and any method and conditions may be adopted. (i) The control unit 23 calculates the time distance Td1 required for the vehicle 10 to reach the intersection X from the point p0 where the vehicle 10 is located by subtracting half the width w of the sidewalk 5 from the distance D connecting the point p0 where the vehicle 10 is located, the position of which is measured by the positioning unit 12, and the center point p2 of the intersection X, which corresponds to the position information of the sidewalk 5 acquired from the smart pole 30, and dividing the obtained value by the vehicle speed S of the vehicle 10 measured by the measurement unit 13. As an example, if the distance D is 50 meters, the road width w is 4 meters, and the vehicle speed S is 20 kilometers / hour (5.6 meters / second), the time distance Td1 is calculated to be 8.6 seconds.

[0048] (ii) Next, the control unit 23 calculates the location information of the moving object 3 acquired from the smart pole 30, which corresponds to the area Z where the bicycle 3A moving in the direction of the intersection X is located. ai and the area Z where pedestrian 3B moving in the direction of intersection X is located. bi Based on the information, the shortest time distance Td2 for the moving object 3 to reach the intersection X is calculated. For example, b2 If the pedestrian 3B is detected within the predetermined time interval, the time distance Td2 for the pedestrian 3B to reach the intersection X is 5 to 10 seconds, and therefore the shortest time distance Td2 is 5 seconds.

[0049] (iii) If Td1≧Td2 (if the moving object 3 arrives at the intersection X before or at the same time as the vehicle 10), the control unit 23 calculates a time distance value Td3 by subtracting a reference value α from Td1 based on the following formula (1). The reference value α is the minimum time that must be ensured for the vehicle 10 to avoid a collision with the moving object 3 or the like. In the above example, if α=2 seconds, Td3 is calculated by subtracting 2 seconds from 8.6 seconds, resulting in 6.6 seconds. Td3 = Td1 - α (1)

[0050] (iv) If Td1>α in equation (1), the control unit 23 calculates the distance d that the vehicle 10 can advance by multiplying Td3 by the vehicle speed S of the vehicle 10 based on the following equation (2). The distance d is 37 meters, which is calculated by multiplying 6.6 seconds by the vehicle speed of 5.6 meters / second. d=Td3×S (2)

[0051] On the one hand, when Td1 ≤ α, as shown in the following formula (3), the control unit 23 sets the forwardable distance d of the vehicle 10 to 0 meters. That is, the control unit 23 temporarily stops the vehicle 10 at the point p0 where the vehicle 10 is located in order to avoid contact and collision with the moving body 3. d = 0 (3)

[0052] (v) Next, consider the case where Td1 < Td2 (the vehicle 10 reaches the intersection X earlier than the moving body 3). The control unit 23 may move the vehicle 10 forward across the sidewalk 5 after taking necessary safety measures such as flashing the hazard lamp. By flashing the hazard lamp of the vehicle 10, it is possible to inform the moving body 3 passing on the sidewalk 5 of the presence of the own vehicle and arouse attention. However, as shown in the following formula (4), when the vehicle 10 reaches the intersection X earlier than the moving body 3 but the time-distance difference is less than or equal to a predetermined value β, the control unit 23 may calculate the forwardable distance d based on the above formulas (1) to (3) and temporarily stop the vehicle 10 in order to avoid contact, collision, or a near miss between the moving body 3 and the vehicle 10. Td2 - Td1 ≤ β (4)

[0053] S106: The control unit 23 sets a target line l along which the vehicle 10 can move according to the calculated forwardable distance d.

[0054] As shown in FIG. 3, the target line l is set from the point p0 where the vehicle 10 is located to the point p1 that the vehicle 10 has advanced by the forwardable distance d. The target line l is not a sign displayed on the actual road surface on the road 4 but an information processing threshold value set by the control device 20. The control unit 23 may superimpose the set target line l on the video captured by the front camera of the vehicle 10 and display it on the display provided in the output unit 15 of the vehicle 10. Further, the control unit 23 may output voice guidance such as, for example, "Please move forward along the road to the target line l" or "Please stop at the point p0 where the vehicle 10 is located for a while" to the speaker provided in the output unit 15 of the vehicle 10.

[0055] S107: The control unit 23 prompts the vehicle 10 to move forward to the set target line l.

[0056] When the vehicle 10 reaches the target line 1, the control unit 23 may output a voice guidance such as "The vehicle has reached the target line 1" to a speaker. In addition, if the vehicle 10 is an autonomous vehicle, the control unit 23 may cause the vehicle 10 to move forward to the target line 1 by autonomous driving.

[0057] S108: The control unit 23 checks whether the vehicle 10 has advanced to the stop line 13. If it is not confirmed that the vehicle 10 has advanced to the stop line 13, the control unit 23 returns to S102 and continues driving assistance, and if it is confirmed that the vehicle 10 has advanced to the stop line 13, the control unit 23 ends driving assistance.

[0058] The stop line l3 is a stop line marked on the road surface at the junction p3 between the vehicle 10 and the roadway 6. After temporarily stopping at the stop line l3, the vehicle 10 merges onto the roadway 6 after confirming that it is safe.

[0059] As described above, the control device 20 according to this embodiment acquires, from the smart pole 30, position information of the second road 5 that intersects with the first road 4 ahead of the first road 4 on which the vehicle 10 is traveling, and position information of the moving body 3 that is moving on the second road 5 in the direction of the intersection with the first road 4, and calculates the distance d that the vehicle 10 can advance along the first road 4 based on the acquired position information of the second road 5 and the moving body 3.

[0060] According to this configuration, the control device 20 calculates the distance d that the vehicle 10 can advance based on the position information of the second road 5 and the moving object 3 acquired from the smart pole 30. Therefore, even in a situation where the driver of the vehicle 10 cannot visually recognize the moving object 3 moving on the second road 5, the vehicle 10 can advance within a possible range. Therefore, the technology related to vehicle driving assistance is improved in that the number of head-on accidents between the vehicle 10 and the moving object 3 moving on the second road 5 is reduced.

[0061] Although the present disclosure has been described based on the drawings and examples, it should be noted that those skilled in the art may make various modifications and alterations based on the present disclosure. Therefore, it should be noted that these modifications and alterations are included in the scope of the present disclosure. For example, the functions included in each component or step can be rearranged so as not to be logically inconsistent, and multiple components or steps can be combined or divided into one.

[0062] For example, in the above-described embodiment, the configuration and operation of the control device 20 may be distributed among multiple computers that can communicate with each other. Also, for example, an embodiment in which some or all of the components of the control device 20 are provided in the vehicle 10 is possible. For example, a navigation device installed in the vehicle 10 may include some or all of the components of the control device 20.

[0063] In the present disclosure, the first road 4 has been described as a passageway through which vehicles 10 can travel, connecting the gate of a parking lot of a commercial facility to a junction with a roadway, and the second road 5 as a sidewalk. However, the first road 4 and the second road 5 are not limited to these, and may be roadways on which automobiles 3C travel. Also, in the present disclosure, the second road 5 is assumed to be traveled by pedestrians 3B moving at a speed of 0.8 meters per second and cyclists 3A moving at a speed of 4 meters per second. However, the moving objects 3 are not limited to these, and various types of pedestrians and travel speeds may be used, such as joggers and skateboarders.

[0064] Also, an embodiment is possible in which, for example, a general-purpose computer functions as the control device 20 according to the above-described embodiment. Specifically, a program describing the processing content for realizing each function of the control device 20 according to the above-described embodiment is stored in the memory of the general-purpose computer, and the program is read and executed by a processor. Therefore, the present disclosure can also be realized as a program executable by a processor, or a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing the program. [Explanation of symbols]

[0065] 1 System 2 Network 3. Mobile 3A Bicycle 3B Pedestrians 3C car 4. First Road (Passage) 5 Second Road (Sidewalk) 6 Third Road (Roadway) 10 vehicles 11 Communications Department 12 Positioning unit 13 Measurement section 14 Input section 15 Output section 16 Memory section 17 Control Unit 20 Control device 21 Communications Department 22 Memory section 23 Control Unit 30 Smart Pole 31 Communications Department 32 Storage section 33 Control Unit

Claims

[Claim 1] A control device that assists vehicle driving, a control device that acquires, from a smart pole, position information of a second road that intersects with a first road ahead of a first road on which the vehicle travels, and position information of a moving object moving on the second road toward an intersection with the first road, and that calculates a distance that the vehicle can advance along the first road based on the acquired position information of the second road and the moving object.

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