Action planning apparatus and operation system

Abstract

To provide an action planning device for improving the convenience of a user by appropriately setting the setting condition and release condition of an area for changing the speed of a moving object, and for preventing an operation time from becoming longer than necessary.SOLUTION: The action planning device includes a sensor detection information acquisition unit (201) that acquires sensor detection information from an obstacle sensor that detects an object around a path of movement, an obstacle information management unit that records obstacle information including one or more of a position, a speed, a size, and a shape of an obstacle acquired from the sensor detection information acquisition unit, a specific area setting / releasing unit (204) that sets or releases movement of a moving body as a specific area in which the moving body moves at a speed restricted from a predetermined speed based on the obstacle information acquired by the obstacle information management unit, and a specific area information notification unit that notifies a speed setting device of information on the set or released specific area.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an action planning device and a navigation system. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, there has been a desire to introduce autonomous driving technology to moving vehicles. As part of efforts toward autonomous driving technology, technologies related to Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB), which detects nearby obstacles and brings a moving vehicle to an emergency stop, have been developed and are now in operation on the market. These technologies enable vehicles to avoid collisions with obstacles on their route.

[0003] Regarding obstacle detection, there may be cases where an obstacle is mistakenly determined to exist when it does not. In such cases, unnecessary obstacle response control will be implemented, and actions such as selecting an avoidance route, slowing down, or stopping will be taken. As a result, even though there is no obstacle in the direction of travel, the AEB function will be activated and the vehicle will behave unnaturally.

[0004] As a method for improving the reliability of obstacle detection, a technology has been disclosed in which the probability value of the existence of an obstacle is calculated for each small area around the vehicle, stored, and updated. This allows the direction and distance of the obstacle to change as the vehicle moves, making it possible to compensate for blind spots, false detections, and oversights of the sensor. Furthermore, to increase accuracy, it is known to express the presence or absence of an obstacle as an overall probability by referring to the results of past observations. Then, measures such as slowing down the vehicle and proceeding slowly when the probability of an obstacle being present on the travel route is low, and stopping the vehicle when the probability of an obstacle being present is high are taken (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 3147541 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] One method for appropriately determining whether to perform obstacle control by referring to past observation results and preventing erroneous determinations is to set an area in which the vehicle's speed is changed based on the number of past obstacle control attempts and the number of erroneous detections, and then perform speed control. However, unless a means for canceling the area in which the vehicle's speed is changed is provided, the speed change will remain even if the cause of the erroneous detection is eliminated due to changes in season or weather. As a result, when reducing the vehicle's speed in an area where there is a high probability of an obstacle being present, as in Patent Document 1, unnecessary AEB operation can be prevented, but there is a concern that the operation time will be longer than necessary, which may reduce user convenience.

[0007] The present disclosure has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide an action planning device that can prevent operation times from becoming longer than necessary and improve user convenience by appropriately setting the setting conditions and cancellation conditions for areas where the speed of a moving body is changed. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The behavior planning device according to the present disclosure comprises: a sensor detection information acquisition unit that acquires sensor detection information from an obstacle sensor that detects objects around a moving path of the moving object; an obstacle information management unit that records obstacle information including one or more of the position, speed, size, and shape of the obstacle obtained from the sensor detection information acquisition unit; a specific area setting / cancellation unit that sets or cancels the setting as a specific area in which the moving object moves at a speed setting value that is more limited than a predetermined speed based on the obstacle information obtained by the obstacle information management unit; The specific area information notification unit notifies the speed setting device of information about the specific area that has been set or released. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the behavior planning device of the present disclosure, by appropriately setting the setting conditions and cancellation conditions for the area in which the speed of a moving body is changed, a behavior planning device can be obtained that can avoid operating times being longer than necessary and improve user convenience. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a specific area and a non-specific area set in the behavior planning apparatus according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a specific area and a non-specific area set in the behavior planning apparatus according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3] 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a moving body including a behavior planning apparatus according to a first embodiment. [Figure 4] 1 is a functional block diagram of a behavior planning device according to a first embodiment. [Figure 5] 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of the behavior planning device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 6] 10 is a flowchart showing details of the specific area flag determination operation of the behavior planning device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of calculation of an obstacle score in the behavior planning apparatus according to the first embodiment. [Figure 8] 10 is a flowchart showing details of an operation of determining an additional specific area flag in the behavior planning device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 9] 10 is a flowchart showing details of an operation for creating a specific area setting list of the behavior planning device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 10] 10 is a flowchart showing details of the specific area setting operation of the behavior planning device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a configuration of a roadside device including a behavior planning apparatus according to a second embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a functional block diagram of a behavior planning apparatus according to a second embodiment. [Figure 13]10 is a flowchart showing the operation of the behavior planning device according to the second embodiment. [Figure 14] FIG. 2 illustrates an example of hardware of a behavior planning apparatus according to an embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the behavior planning device according to the present application will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the same contents and corresponding parts are assigned the same reference numerals, and detailed descriptions thereof will be omitted. Similarly, in the following embodiments, redundant descriptions of components assigned the same reference numerals will be omitted.

[0012] The drawings are schematic, and for the sake of convenience, components may be omitted or simplified as appropriate. Furthermore, the relative sizes and positions of components shown in different drawings are not necessarily accurately depicted and may be changed as appropriate.

[0013] For the sake of convenience, we will refer to the moving object as an autonomous vehicle, but the concept can be applied to any moving object, including flying objects and ships, regardless of whether they are manually operated or remotely controlled.

[0014] When operating an autonomous vehicle equipped with AEB on a limited route, appropriately setting the speed limit for the autonomous vehicle can reduce the impact when the AEB is activated. Also, by appropriately disabling the speed limit, it is possible to avoid unnecessary low-speed driving. Furthermore, in the case of an AEB function that has the characteristic that the higher the vehicle speed, the greater the range or distance of objects that the AEB will activate, unnecessary AEB can be avoided by appropriately setting the speed limit.

[0015] As shown in FIG. 1, an area on the travel route where the travel speed of the host vehicle is to be limited is defined as a specific area 301. To set the specific area 301, the travel area is divided into sections, and a score is calculated for obstacle information for each section, as described below, and a speed setting value is also calculated. The specific area 301 is set starting from the section with the highest score so as to meet the travel time. The specific area information notification unit 206 notifies the mobile object speed setting device 104 of the section information and speed information of the set specific area 301, and the mobile object speed setting device 104 limits the speed based on the specific area information. The mobile object speed setting device 104 may include an AEB function, or the mobile object speed setting device 104 may send a control signal to the AEB device. In this case, the signal may be sent via an ECU (Electronic Control Unit).

[0016] The initial speed setting value may be the same or different for each section. Sections may be set in a grid-like area every 1 m. Sections may also be set according to road conditions, such as straight sections and curved sections. Sections may also be set in any other way that the operator can think of.

[0017] A specific area 301 and a non-specific area 302 are set for the travel route. In FIG. 1, the areas are set linearly, but they may also be set on curved lines or in three-dimensional space. The length of the linear, curved, or three-dimensional route in the specific area is set as the distance of the specific area. Also, as shown in FIG. 2, a non-specific area 312 may exist between two specific areas 311a and 311b.

[0018] Embodiment 1 3 shows the configuration of a moving body including a behavior planning device according to the first embodiment. An obstacle sensor 102 is attached to the front of the moving body 101. In this embodiment, the obstacle sensor 102 is configured with at least one of millimeter-wave radar, LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging), a camera, and sonar. However, the obstacle sensor 102 is not limited to these, and various sensors conceivable by those skilled in the art can be used. In addition, a moving body speed setting device 104 and a behavior planning device 103 are mounted inside the moving body 101.

[0019] FIG. 4 shows a functional block diagram of the behavior planning device according to this embodiment. The sensor detection information acquisition unit 201 acquires relative sensor detection information from the obstacle sensor 102, which detects objects around the travel route of the mobile object 101. The mobile object position information acquisition unit 202 acquires position information of the mobile object 101. The obstacle information management unit 203 generates and records absolute obstacle information using the relative sensor detection information acquired from the sensor detection information acquisition unit 201 and the position information acquired from the mobile object position information acquisition unit 202. The time change detection unit 205 detects temporal changes in the obstacles in the obstacle information acquired by the obstacle information management unit 203. The specific area setting / cancellation unit 204 sets or cancels the specific area 301 based on the obstacle information acquired by the obstacle information management unit 203 and the time change information acquired by the time change detection unit 205. The specific area information notification unit 206 notifies the mobile object speed setting device 104 of the specific area information.

[0020] The above-mentioned "relative sensor detection information" refers to sensor detection information in a relative position, and "absolute obstacle information" refers to obstacle information in an absolute position. Here, the "relative position" refers to a position in a coordinate system with the installation position of the obstacle sensor 102 as the origin. The "absolute position" refers to a position in which the relative position is expressed in latitude and longitude. In this embodiment, the mobile object 101 is equipped with the mobile object speed setting device 104, the behavior planning device 103, and the obstacle sensor 102, so that the mobile object alone can set and cancel a specific area.

[0021] For example, when only one mobile object 101 is operating, the specific area is set or canceled at the end of the first route operation, and the result is reflected in the second operation. When multiple mobile objects 101 are operating, obstacle information for each section is accumulated as needed while the first object is traveling, so the specific area is set or canceled using the latest information on obstacle information at the time the second object departs, and this is reflected in the operation of the second object. Similarly, when a third object departs, the specific area is set or canceled from the latest information, and this is reflected in the operation of the third object.

[0022] 5, 6, 8 to 10 are flowcharts illustrating the operation of behavior planning apparatus 103 according to this embodiment. The flow of operation in this embodiment will be described below in accordance with the flowcharts.

[0023] The flowchart in FIG. 5 will be described. First, a specific area notification loop is started (step S01). The specific area notification loop is a loop that repeats the processes from step S02 to step S05 described below at regular intervals. The sensor detection information acquisition unit 201 receives relative sensor detection information from the obstacle sensor 102, with the sensor installation position as the origin (step S02).

[0024] Further, the mobile object position information acquisition unit 202 receives the position information of the mobile object 101 (step S03). In acquiring the position information of the mobile object 101, the position of the mobile object may be acquired by, for example, satellite positioning using a global positioning system (GPS) or a global navigation satellite system (GNSS). Alternatively, the position of the mobile object may be acquired by reading information from a tag or the like provided in infrastructure using a technology such as near field communication (NFC). Furthermore, if the mobile object is a vehicle, the position of the mobile object relative to its initial position may be estimated from odometry information of the vehicle calculated from the wheel angle. Note that acquisition of the position information of the mobile object is not limited to these, and the position information of the mobile object may be acquired by various methods conceivable by those skilled in the art.

[0025] The obstacle information management unit 203 generates absolute obstacle information from the relative sensor detection information received by the sensor detection information acquisition unit 201 and the position information of the mobile object 101 obtained by the mobile object position information acquisition unit 202 (step S04). The sensor detection information is used to generate the obstacle information, but the sensor detection information may be directly combined to ensure redundancy, or the information for each obstacle may be integrated using sensor fusion technology, and the means for this is not limited.

[0026] In the flowchart of FIG. 5, the following steps SA1 to SC2 are performed by the specific area setting / cancelling unit 204. (1) A speed setting value and a specific area score are calculated from the obstacle information generated by the obstacle information management unit 203, and it is determined whether to set or reset the specific area flag (step SA1). (2) A specific area setting list is created from the specific area flag and the specific area score (step SB1). (3) Using the specific area setting list, a specific area is set or cancelled so as to satisfy the specified operating hours (step SC1). (4) For sections where the specific area flag is False based on the obstacle information, an additional specific area flag determination is performed, and the specific area flag, speed setting value, and specific area score are calculated (step SA2). The additional specific area flag determination is a determination of whether or not the non-specific area 312 sandwiched between two different specific areas 311a and 311b (see FIG. 2) should be designated as a specific area. When different areas such as the specific area 311a, non-specific area 312, and specific area 311b alternate, the train may operate in a bumpy manner with repeated acceleration and deceleration, which may reduce the comfort for users and cause damage to the environment, and the purpose of this is to prevent this. (5) In step SB2, the same process as in step SB1 is performed and the process proceeds to step SC2. (6) In step SC2, the same process as in step SC1 is carried out, and the process proceeds to step S05. (7) The specific area information notification unit 206 notifies the mobile object speed setting device 104 of the specific area, and the process returns to step S02.

[0027] <Detailed Description of Specific Area Flag Determination (Step SA1)> The details of the determination of whether the specific area flag is set (True) or reset (False) will be described in detail with reference to the flowchart of FIG. Steps SA103 to SA106 are performed by the time change detection unit 205, and the other steps (steps SA101 to SA102, and steps SA107 to SA114) are performed by the specific area setting / cancellation unit 204. Note that the comparison of the obstacle score with the threshold value in step SA104 and step SA106 may be performed by the time change detection unit 205, but may also be performed by the specific area setting / cancellation unit 204.

[0028] (1) First, an operation section loop is started (step SA101). Here, the operation section loop refers to a loop in which the processing from step SA102 to step SA113, which will be described later, is performed for sections 1 to n, where n is the number of sections. (2) First, an obstacle score is calculated from the obstacle information (step SA102). This obstacle score is set for the purpose of suppressing unnecessary AEB activation when there is no obstacle, and reducing the impact of AEB activation when an obstacle is present. The higher the obstacle score, the higher the priority of setting the area as a specific area.

[0029] For example, if five or more obstacles are detected in a section, the obstacle is deemed to be present, and the percentage of time during the last 24 hours during which the obstacle is deemed to be present is defined as the probability of the obstacle being present. Furthermore, because the frequency of AEB activation can vary depending on the obstacle's characteristics, such as its position, speed, size, and shape, the obstacle score may be calculated from one or more of these characteristics, or from a combination of these.

[0030] Specifically, the above-mentioned existence probability may be used as the obstacle score. Alternatively, the reciprocal of the distance between a possible obstacle and the center of the path of the moving object may be calculated, and this reciprocal may be used as the obstacle score.

[0031] Also, from the viewpoint of suppressing unnecessary AEB, to prevent AEB from operating for weeds and the like that are present on the route and that may result in false detection, a camera and millimeter-wave radar may be used as an obstacle sensor, and the obstacle score may be calculated so that it is high when the reflection intensity of the millimeter-wave radar is low and the camera also determines that the object is a weed. This is not limited to weeds, as long as it is something that may result in false detection, like fallen leaves.

[0032] Furthermore, the obstacle score may be a combination of the probability of existence calculated from a combination of obstacle information and the inverse of the distance to the obstacle. For example, when combining the probability of existence and the position of an obstacle, consider a plane P perpendicular to the moving direction of the moving object 101 shown in FIG. 7(a). There is a possibility that the moving object 101 will collide with an area having a width a and a height b of the moving object 101. The left front end (point 105) of the moving object shown in FIG. 7(b) is set as the origin, and the horizontal direction is the x-axis and the height direction is the z-axis as shown in FIG. 7(c). It is considered that the influence of the position is greater toward the center of the moving object on the plane formed by the x-axis and z-axis. In other words, by linearly connecting the coefficients A, B, and the obstacle score (score) using the probability of existence P, the coefficients A, B, and the obstacle score (score) are expressed by the following equation (1):

[0033]

number

[0034] Furthermore, the probability of an obstacle's existence may be predicted using machine learning or time series analysis, and the predicted result of the existence probability may be used as a time-varying score, which will be described later.

[0035] (3) Next, a time-varying score is calculated (step SA103). The time-varying score has a high value when it is determined that the obstacle information changes significantly over time. For example, obstacle information from the past year is acquired, the probability of an obstacle being present for each month is calculated, and the variance is found from the distribution of the obstacle being present probability, and the reciprocal of this variance may be used as the time-varying score.

[0036] For example, if the present is December 31st of year x, the probability of presence for one month from December 1st to December 31st of year x is expressed as p1, the probability of presence for one month from November 1st to November 30th of year x as p2, and the probability of presence for one month from January 1st to January 31st of year x as p12. If q represents the average probability of presence for 12 months and r represents the variance, then the following equation (2) is obtained.

[0037]

number

[0038] This allows seasonality to be determined because the time change score is low when obstacles are present regardless of the season, and high when there is a seasonal bias. Here, the score is calculated from monthly changes, but the score can also be calculated from daily or hourly changes.

[0039] Alternatively, the time-varying score may be determined by observing the size of obstacles such as plants using an obstacle sensor. Furthermore, the probability of an obstacle's existence may be predicted using machine learning or time series analysis, and the predicted result of the existence probability may be used as the time-varying score. When combining time-varying scores to create a new time-varying score, the scores may be normalized to take values ​​between 0 and 1, and then weighted and added together.

[0040] (4) If the obstacle score calculated in step SA102 is equal to or greater than the first threshold (Yes in step SA104), step SA107 (described later) is performed; if it is less than the first threshold (No in step SA104), step SA105 is performed. The first threshold is set to a value corresponding to the obstacle score to be used, such as 0.5 when the obstacle score is calculated from the probability of obstacle existence described above, or 5 when the obstacle score is calculated from the number of obstacles. In addition, when obstacle scores are combined to create a new obstacle score, the first threshold may be determined by normalizing the scores to take a value between 0 and 1, assigning a predetermined weight to the scores, and adding the resulting score.

[0041] (5) If the time-varying score calculated in step SA103 is equal to or greater than the second threshold (if step SA105 is Yes), step SA106 (described later) is performed, and if it is less than the second threshold (if step SA105 is No), step SA110 is performed. The second threshold is set to a value corresponding to the method for calculating the time-varying score.

[0042] (6) If the time-varying score is equal to or greater than the second threshold, the current obstacle score is checked again. If the current obstacle score is equal to or greater than the third threshold (if step SA106 is Yes), step SA107 (described later) is performed, and if it is less than the third threshold (if step SA106 is No), step SA110 (described later) is performed. The third threshold is set to be less than the first threshold. This is because if the third threshold is equal to or greater than the first threshold, step SA104 will always result in No, and then step SA106 will always result in No, which is inappropriate.

[0043] (7) If the current obstacle score is equal to or greater than the third threshold, the specific area flag is set to True (step SA107), the speed setting value is updated (step SA108), and the specific area score is calculated (step SA109).

[0044] The speed setting value may be calculated from the obstacle score or the time-varying score. For example, when the obstacle score is calculated from the probability of an obstacle's existence, the higher the obstacle score, the smaller the speed setting value is set to soften the impact when the AEB is activated. More specifically, for example, when the probability of an obstacle's existence is less than 0.1, the speed setting value is set to 12 km / h; when the probability of an obstacle's existence is 0.1 or more but less than 0.25, the speed setting value is set to 6 km / h; when the probability of an obstacle's existence is 0.25 or more but less than 0.5, the speed setting value is set to 3 km / h; and when the probability of an obstacle's existence is 0.5 or more, the speed setting value is set to 1 km / h. As an alternative method for calculating the obstacle score from the probability of an obstacle's existence, the speed setting value may be calculated from a continuous value between 1 and 12 km / h depending on the obstacle score. More specifically, the calculation is performed using the following equation (3). Here, the obstacle score is defined as score (0≦score≦1) and the speed setting value is speed [km / h].

[0045]

number

[0046] The specific area score is an indicator of whether a section should be set as a specific area, and the higher the score, the higher the priority of setting the section as a specific area. The specific area score may be calculated from the obstacle score or from the time change score. Alternatively, the specific area score may be calculated by combining the obstacle score and the time change score. More specifically, for example, the specific area score may be calculated by adding together the obstacle score multiplied by an obstacle coefficient (e.g., 1) and the time change score multiplied by a time change coefficient (e.g., 0.5).

[0047] (8) If the time change score is less than the second threshold or the current obstacle score is less than the third threshold, the specific area flag is set to False (step SA110), the speed setting value is reset to the initial value (step SA111), and the specific area score is reset to 0 (step SA112). (9) If the calculated operation section is not the last operation section, processing of the next operation section begins (step SA102). If the calculated operation section is the last operation section, the operation section loop ends (step SA114), and the processing of step SA1 ends.

[0048] <Detailed Description of Additional Specific Area Flag Determination (Step SA2)> The details of the determination of the additional specific area flag will be described in detail with reference to the flowchart of FIG. Steps SA201 to SA212 are performed by the specific area setting / cancellation unit 204.

[0049] (1) An operation section loop is started (step SA201). Here, the operation section loop refers to a loop in which the processing from step SA202 to step SA211 is performed for sections 1 to n, where n is the number of sections. (2) If the specific area flag set in step SA107 is True (Yes in step SA202), step SA211 is performed. If the specific area flag is False (No in step SA202), an additional specific area score is calculated (step SA203).

[0050] The additional specific area score is an index as to whether or not the non-specific area 312 sandwiched between the two different specific areas 311a and 311b shown in Fig. 2 should be designated as a specific area. The additional specific area score may be calculated using the reciprocal of the distance between the two different specific areas 311a and 311b, or may be calculated from the specific area scores of the two different specific areas 311a and 311b, or may be calculated from the absolute value of the difference between the speed setting values ​​of the two different specific areas 311a and 311b and the speed setting value of the non-specific area 312.

[0051] (3) If the calculated additional specific area score is greater than or equal to the fourth threshold (Yes in step SA204), the specific area flag of the non-specific area 312 is set to True (step SA205), and if it is less than the fourth threshold (No in step SA204), the specific area flag is set to False (step SA208).

[0052] (4) If the specific area flag is set to True (step SA205), the speed setting value is updated (step SA206), and the specific area score is calculated (step SA207). The speed setting value is set to be equal to or greater than the smaller of the speed setting values ​​of the two different specific areas 311a, 311b, but not greater than the larger of the speed setting values. As described above, the specific area score is an indicator of which section should be set as a specific area, and the higher this score, the higher the priority for setting the section as a specific area. The specific area score may be the additional specific area score as is, or may be calculated by adding the reciprocal of the distance between the two different specific areas 311a, 311b multiplied by a coefficient (e.g., 1) and the difference between the speed setting values ​​of the two different specific areas 311a, 311b and the speed setting value of the non-specific area 312 multiplied by a coefficient (e.g., 0.5).

[0053] (5) If the specific area flag is set to False (step SA208), the speed setting value is reset to the initial value (step SA209), and the specific area score is reset to 0 (step SA210).

[0054] (6) If the calculated operation section is not the last operation section (No in step SA211), processing of the next operation section begins (step SA202). If the calculated operation section is the last operation section (Yes in step SA211), the operation section loop ends (step SA212), and processing in step SA2 ends.

[0055] <Detailed explanation of creating a specific area setting list (steps SB1 and SB2)> The creation of the specific area setting list will be described in detail with reference to the flowchart of FIG. Steps SB01 to SB07 are performed by the specific area setting / cancellation unit 204.

[0056] (1) First, an empty specific area setting list is generated (step SB01). Then, an operation section loop is started (step SB02). Here, the operation section loop refers to a loop in which the processing from step SB03 to step SB05 (described later) is performed for sections 1 to n, where n is the number of sections. (2) If the specific area flag set in steps SA107 and SA205 is True (if step SB03 is Yes), the section information is added to the specific area setting list (step SB04), and if the calculated operation section is not the last operation section (if step SB05 is No), processing of the next operation section begins (step SB03).If the calculated operation section is the last operation section (if step SB05 is Yes), the operation section loop ends (step SB06). (3) If the specific area flag set in the above-mentioned steps SA110 and SA208 is False (if step SB03 is No), and the calculated operation section is not the last operation section (if step SB05 is No), processing of the next operation section begins (step SB03). If the calculated operation section is the last operation section (if step SB05 is Yes), the operation section loop ends (step SB06). Here, section information refers to information that can identify the section, such as the section number. (4) After the operation section loop is completed, the specific area setting list is rearranged in descending order of the specific area score (step SB07), and the processing of step SB1 is terminated.

[0057] <Detailed explanation of specific area settings (steps SC1 and SC2)> The specific area setting will be described in detail with reference to the flowchart of FIG. Steps SC01 to SC09 are performed by the specific area setting / cancellation unit 204. (1) First, the estimated travel time is initialized (step SC01). As the initial value of the estimated travel time, the estimated travel time in a state where no specific area is set is set. (2) A specific area setting list loop is started (step SC02). Here, the specific area setting list loop refers to a loop in which the processes from step SC03 to step SC07, which will be described later, are performed for sections 1 to m, where m is the number of sections listed in the specific area setting list created in step SB1.

[0058] (3) If the sum of the estimated travel time and the travel time increment is smaller than or equal to the specified travel time (if step SC03 is Yes), the travel time increment is added to the estimated travel time (step SC04). Here, the specified travel time refers to the required time that must be observed when a mobile object is traveling. The travel time increment refers to the additional time required when the section is in a specific area compared to a non-specific area. For example, if the route length of the section is 10 m, the initial speed is 5 m / s, and the speed setting value when set to a specific area is 2 m / s, it takes 2 seconds in a non-specific area and 5 seconds in a specific area, so the travel time increment is calculated to be 3 seconds. If the sum of the estimated travel time and the travel time increment is larger than the specified travel time (if step SC03 is No), the specific area flag is set to False (step SC05), and the speed setting value is reset to the initial value (step SC06). In addition, for sections with high specific area scores that have been rearranged to the top of the specific area setting list in step SB07, it is not desirable to remove the specific area (set the specific area flag to False), so processing may be performed such as setting the specified operating time to have more leeway than sections lower down in the specific area setting list.

[0059] (4) If it is the last section listed in the specific area setting list (if step SC07 is Yes), the special area setting list loop is ended (step SC08) and the special area setting list is deleted (step SC09). If it is not the last section listed in the specific area setting list (if step SC07 is No), processing is started for the next section in the special area setting list (step SC03).

[0060] With the configuration of the first embodiment as described above, the moving object speed setting device 104, which has been notified of the specific area, can appropriately limit the moving speed using the specific area information, thereby reducing the impact on passengers caused by the activation of the AEB function. Furthermore, in a moving object 101 equipped with an AEB device whose AEB activation distance can change depending on the moving speed, it is possible to suppress a decrease in the convenience of the AEB function and increase the comfort of passengers of the moving object by reducing deceleration caused by unnecessary AEB activation.

[0061] Embodiment 2 In the first embodiment, the obstacle sensor 102 is mounted on the mobile object 101, and it is necessary to move the mobile object 101 in order to update the specific area information. In contrast, in the second embodiment, the obstacle sensor 102 is attached to the vicinity of the travel route of the mobile object, so that the specific area information can be updated without moving the mobile object 101. This type of configuration is particularly effective when the travel schedule of the mobile object 101 is not at regular intervals, and by constantly monitoring the vicinity of the travel route of the mobile object 101, more obstacle information is available for use when detecting changes in the time change detection unit 205. Furthermore, even when there is a large gap between the travel schedules, such as between an evening service and a service the following morning, and there is a time when the obstacle information can change significantly, obstacle information can be obtained in advance and a specific area can be appropriately set or canceled without moving the mobile object 101.

[0062] FIG. 11 shows the components of roadside equipment installed around a travel route, including a behavior planning device according to the second embodiment. The obstacle sensor 111 is fixed to the roadside of the travel route 10 of the mobile object 101. The obstacle sensor 111 is composed of at least one of millimeter-wave radar, LiDAR, camera, and sonar. The obstacle sensor 102 is not limited to any of these, and various sensors conceivable by those skilled in the art can be used. The server 112 is equipped with a mobile object speed setting device 114 and a behavior planning device 113. The server 112 may be located within the roadside equipment, or may be installed in a management device that manages the entire route, which is remote from the obstacle sensor 102, or may be installed in the mobile object 101. For example, the behavior planning device 113 may be placed on a server 112 near the movement route, and specific area information set or canceled by the behavior planning device 113 may be transmitted from the server 112 to a moving body speed setting device 104 mounted on the moving body 101 via a wired or wireless communication system such as a network, thereby enabling obstacle information around the movement route to be obtained in advance from obstacle sensors 111 placed around the movement route without moving the moving body. Alternatively, the behavior planning device 113 may be placed on a server 112 near the movement route, and specific area information set or canceled by the behavior planning device 113 may be transmitted together with the behavior planning device 113 to a mobile body speed setting device 114 placed in the server 112, and the speed information set by the mobile body speed setting device 114 may be transmitted from the management device to the mobile body 101 via a wired or wireless communication system such as a network, thereby enabling obstacle information around the movement route to be obtained in advance from obstacle sensors placed around the movement route without moving the mobile body.

[0063] 12 shows a functional block diagram of the behavior planning device 113 according to the second embodiment. The sensor detection information acquisition unit 208 acquires absolute sensor detection information from the obstacle sensor 111 that detects objects around the path of the moving object 101. The obstacle information management unit 207 generates and records absolute obstacle information from the absolute sensor detection information acquired from the obstacle sensor 111. The specific area setting / cancellation unit 204 sets or cancels the specific area 301 based on the obstacle information acquired by the obstacle information management unit 207 and the time change information acquired by the time change detection unit 205. The specific area information notification unit 206 notifies the moving object speed setting device 104 or the moving object speed setting device 114 of the specific area information.

[0064] 13 shows a flowchart for explaining the operation of behavior planning apparatus 113 according to Embodiment 2. The flow of operation in this embodiment will be explained below with reference to the flowchart in FIG. First, a specific area notification loop is started (step S21). The specific area notification loop is a loop in which the processes from step S22 to step S24 described below are repeated at regular intervals. The sensor detection information acquisition unit 208 receives absolute sensor detection information from the obstacle sensor 102 (step S22).

[0065] The obstacle information management unit 207 generates absolute obstacle information from the absolute sensor detection information received by the sensor detection information acquisition unit 208 (step S23). The sensor detection information is used to generate the obstacle information, but the sensor detection information may be directly combined to ensure redundancy, or the information for each obstacle may be integrated using sensor fusion technology, and the means for this is not limited.

[0066] In the flowchart of FIG. 13, the following steps SA3 to SC4 are performed by the specific area setting / cancelling unit 204. (1) A speed setting value and a specific area score are calculated from the obstacle information generated by the obstacle information management unit 207, and it is determined whether the specific area flag is set (True) or reset (False) (step SA3). (2) A specific area setting list is created from the specific area flag and the specific area score (step SB3). (3) Using the specific area setting list, a specific area is set or cancelled so as to satisfy the specified operating hours (step SC3). (4) For sections where the specific area flag is False based on the obstacle information, an additional specific area flag determination is performed, and the specific area flag, speed setting value, and specific area score are calculated (step SA4). (5) In step SB4, the same process as in step SB3 is performed and the process proceeds to step SC4. (6) In step SC4, the same process as in step SC3 is carried out, and the process proceeds to step S24. (7) The specific area information notification unit 206 notifies the mobile object speed setting device 104 or the mobile object speed setting device 114 of the specific area, and the process returns to step S22.

[0067] The details of step SA3 are the same as those of step SA1, the details of step SA4 are the same as those of step SA2, the details of steps SB3 and SB4 are the same as those of step SB1, and the details of steps SC3 and SC4 are the same as those of step SC1, so their explanations will be omitted.

[0068] As described above, in the second embodiment, by attaching sensors around the route of the mobile object, it is possible to update the specific area information without moving the mobile object 101. This is particularly effective when the service schedule of the mobile object is not at regular intervals, and by constantly monitoring the area around the route of the mobile object, more obstacle information is available for use when detecting changes in the time change detection unit 205. Furthermore, even when there is a large gap between the schedules, such as between an evening service and a service the following morning, and the obstacle information can change significantly, it is possible to obtain obstacle information in advance and appropriately set or cancel a specific area without moving the mobile object.

[0069] <Modification of the Second Embodiment> As a modification of the second embodiment, obstacle sensors are fixed around the route of the moving object 101 and are also attached to the moving object 101. Since some of the sensors are located around the route of the moving object, it is possible to update the specific area information without moving the moving object 101. In addition, because the sensors are also attached to the moving object 101, it is possible to collect obstacle information so that each sensor compensates for the other's blind spots.

[0070] <Hardware Configuration of Behavior Planning Device 103> FIG. 14 is an example of a hardware configuration diagram of the behavior planning device 103. The hardware configuration shown in FIG. 14 can also be applied individually to the moving object speed setting devices 104 and 114. Here, a case where it is applied to the behavior planning device 103 will be described as a representative example. The functions of the behavior planning device 103 described in FIG. 4 are realized by processing circuits provided in the behavior planning device 103. Specifically, the processing circuits include a processing device 90 (computer) such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a storage device 91 that exchanges data with the processing device 90, an input circuit 92 that inputs external signals to the processing device 90, and an output circuit 93 that outputs signals from the processing device 90 to the outside. The hardware components such as the processing device 90, the storage device 91, the input circuit 92, and the output circuit 93 are connected to each other by a wired network such as a bus or a wireless network.

[0071] The arithmetic processing device 90 may be an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), an integrated circuit (IC), a digital signal processor (DSP), a graphics processing unit (GPU), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), various logic circuits, various signal processing circuits, etc. Furthermore, the behavior planning device may be multiple devices of the same or different types, each performing a different process. The storage device 91 may be a random access memory (RAM) configured to be able to read and write data from the arithmetic processing device 90, or a read-only memory (ROM) configured to be able to read data from the arithmetic processing device 90. The storage device 91 may be a non-volatile or volatile semiconductor memory such as a flash memory, a solid state drive (SSD), an EPROM, or an EEPROM, a magnetic disk, a flexible disk, an optical disk, a compact disk, a minidisk, a DVD, etc. The input circuit 92 is connected to various sensors including the obstacle sensor 102, switches, and communication lines, and includes an A / D converter and a communication circuit that input output signals and communication information from these sensors and switches to the arithmetic processing device 90. The output circuit 93 includes a communication circuit that outputs signals from the arithmetic processing device 90. The interfaces of the input circuit 92 and the output circuit 93 may be based on specifications such as CAN (Control Area Network) (registered trademark), Ethernet (registered trademark), USB (Universal Serial Bus) (registered trademark), DVI (Digital Visual Interface) (registered trademark), or HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) (registered trademark). Furthermore, separate from the input circuit 92 and the output circuit 93, the arithmetic processing device 90 may be directly connected to a communication device for communication.

[0072] Each function of the behavior planning device 103 shown in FIG. 4 is realized by the arithmetic processing device 90 executing software (programs) stored in a storage device 91 such as a ROM, in cooperation with other hardware such as the storage device 91, an input circuit 92, and an output circuit 93. Setting data such as thresholds and judgment values ​​used by the behavior planning device 103 is stored in the storage device 91 such as a ROM as part of the software (programs). Each function of the behavior planning device 103 described in FIG. 4 or FIG. 12 may be configured as a software module, or may be configured as a combination of software and hardware. Each functional block described in FIG. 4 or FIG. 12 is an example, and each of the above-described processes may be executed not only by the functional block but also by other parts having similar functions.

[0073] Although the present disclosure describes various exemplary embodiments and examples, the various features, aspects, and functions described in one or more 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 exemplified are conceivable within the scope of the technology disclosed in the specification, including, for example, cases where at least one component is modified, added, or omitted, and cases where at least one component is extracted and combined with components of another embodiment. [Explanation of symbols]

[0074] 10: movement path, 90: processing unit, 91: storage device, 92: input circuit, 93: output circuit, 101: moving body, 102, 111: obstacle sensor, 103, 113: behavior planning device, 104, 114: moving body speed setting device, 112: server, 201, 208: sensor detection information acquisition unit, 202: moving body position information acquisition unit, 203, 207: obstacle information management unit, 204: specific area setting / cancellation unit, 205: time change detection unit, 206: specific area information notification unit, 301, 311a, 311b: specific area, 302, 312: non-specific area.

Claims

1. a sensor detection information acquisition unit that acquires sensor detection information from an obstacle sensor that detects objects around a moving path of the moving object; an obstacle information management unit that records obstacle information including one or more of the position, speed, size, and shape of the obstacle obtained from the sensor detection information acquisition unit; a specific area setting / cancellation unit that sets or cancels the setting of a specific area in which the moving object moves at a speed set value that is more limited than a predetermined speed based on the obstacle information obtained by the obstacle information management unit; The behavior planning device includes a specific area information notifying unit that notifies the speed setting device of information about the specific area that has been set or released.

2. 2. The behavior planning device according to claim 1, further comprising a time change detection unit that detects changes in the obstacle over time from the obstacle information, and that sets or cancels the setting of the specific area based on the detection result of the time change detection unit.

3. The behavior planning device according to claim 1 , wherein the obstacle sensors are arranged around the movement route.

4. a mobile object position information acquisition unit that acquires the position of the mobile object; 2. The behavior planning device according to claim 1, wherein the obstacle information management unit calculates and records absolute obstacle information based on latitude and longitude from the relative sensor detection information acquired from the obstacle sensor disposed on the moving body and the position information of the moving body acquired from the moving body position information acquisition unit.

5. 5. The behavior planning device according to claim 1, wherein the movement speed of a section of the movement route sandwiched between two different set specific areas is limited to a speed between the smaller of the speed setting values ​​of the two different specific areas and the larger of the speed setting values ​​of the two different specific areas.

6. The behavior planning device according to claim 5, characterized in that whether or not to impose a speed limit on a section of the travel route sandwiched between the specific areas is determined based on a score value calculated based on the distance between two different specific areas.

7. The behavior planning device according to claim 5, characterized in that whether or not to impose a speed limit on a section of the travel route sandwiched between the specific areas is determined based on a score calculated based on the obstacle information in two different specific areas.

8. The behavior planning device according to claim 5, characterized in that whether or not to impose a speed limit on a section of the travel route sandwiched between the specific areas is determined based on the speed setting values ​​in the two different specific areas and the speed setting value of the section of the travel route.

9. 5. The behavior planning device according to claim 1, wherein the setting of the specific area is cancelled when the time required for travel within the specific area exceeds a prescribed travel time.

10. A navigation system characterized in that the behavior planning device according to claim 1 is arranged around a travel route, and specific area information set or canceled by said behavior planning device is transmitted to a speed setting device mounted on a mobile body, thereby setting or canceling the specific area information without moving the mobile body by obtaining obstacle information around the travel route in advance from obstacle sensors arranged around the travel route.

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