Adaptive cruise control system

Abstract

To solve the problem that, since a camera takes a linear image by light and a millimeter wave radar has a strong straight advancing property, a preceding vehicle is not captured and it is dangerous when a high-speed straight road becomes a curve and a steering wheel is rotated.SOLUTION: The adaptive cruise control device for performing follow-up traveling to a preceding vehicle is provided with a rotation detection means for detecting the rotation of the steering wheel of a steering device and a detection means for rotating synchronously with the rotation of the rotation detection means and detecting the presence of the preceding vehicle in the same lane.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an adaptive cruise control system. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventional adaptive cruise control devices use a camera or millimeter wave radar as a detection means for detecting the presence of a preceding vehicle.

[0003] Because the camera uses light to produce linear images, when the highway curves and the steering wheel is turned, the camera will not capture the vehicle ahead, but will instead capture a vehicle traveling on the left side of the road on a right curve, or a vehicle traveling on the right side of the road on a left curve, resulting in false detections and instructing the adaptive cruise control system to slow down when it detects a vehicle traveling on the left, or to accelerate when it detects a vehicle traveling on the right, which is dangerous.

[0004] Because millimeter-wave radar has a strong tendency to move in a straight line, when the highway curves and the steering wheel is turned, it will not detect the vehicle ahead, but will instead detect a vehicle traveling on the left side of the vehicle on a right curve, or a vehicle traveling on the right side of the vehicle on a left curve, resulting in false detections and instructing the adaptive cruise control system to slow down when it detects a vehicle traveling on the left, or to accelerate when it detects a vehicle traveling on the right, which is dangerous. (See, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2.) [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Patent Application No. 2021-183693 [Patent Document 2] Patent Application No. 2022-505435 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] The problem that this invention aims to solve is that because cameras use light to produce linear images, and because millimeter-wave radar has a strong tendency to move in a straight line, when the highway curves and the steering wheel is turned, as shown in Figure 4(A) for a left curve and Figure 4(B) for a right curve, the vehicle ahead may not be detected, but may instead detect a vehicle traveling on the left side of the right curve, or a vehicle traveling on the right side of the left curve, resulting in a false detection and a risk of the adaptive cruise control device being instructed to slow down when it detects a vehicle traveling on the left, or to accelerate when it detects a vehicle traveling on the right.

[0007] The present invention aims to solve the above problem by providing an adaptive cruise control device that follows a preceding vehicle and is characterized by comprising: rotation detection means that detects the rotation of the steering wheel of a steering device; and detection means that rotates in synchronization with the rotation of the rotation detection means to detect the presence of a preceding vehicle in the same lane.

[0008] Also, the above problem is solved by the adaptive cruise control device of claim 1, in which the detecting means of claim 2 is a phased array radar.

[0009] Furthermore, the above problem is solved by the adaptive cruise control device of claim 1, in which the detecting means of claim 3 is a millimeter wave radar provided on the rotating base.

[0010] The above problem is solved by the adaptive cruise control device according to claims 1 to 3, in which the rotation detection means according to claim 4 is a synchro, resolver or encoder. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] In order to achieve the above object, the adaptive cruise control device of the present invention 1 is an adaptive cruise control device that follows a preceding vehicle, and is characterized by comprising a rotation detection means that detects the rotation of the steering wheel of the steering device, and a detection means that rotates in synchronization with the rotation of the rotation detection means and detects the presence of a preceding vehicle in the same lane.

[0012] The adaptive cruise control device of the present invention 2 is characterized in that the detection means is a phased array radar.

[0013] The adaptive cruise control device of the present invention 3 is characterized in that the detection means is a millimeter wave radar provided on the rotating base.

[0014] The adaptive cruise control device of the fourth invention is characterized in that the rotation detecting means is a synchro, resolver or encoder. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] The adaptive cruise control device of the first invention is equipped with a rotation detection means for detecting the rotation of the steering wheel of the steering device, and a detection means that rotates in synchronization with the rotation of the rotation detection means and detects the presence of a preceding vehicle in the same lane. Therefore, when the highway curves and the steering wheel is turned, the detection means rotates in synchronization with the rotation of the steering wheel, faces the direction in which the vehicle is traveling, and reliably detects a preceding vehicle traveling ahead of the vehicle, preventing erroneous detection and ensuring safety.

[0016] According to the adaptive cruise control device of the second aspect of the present invention, the detection means is a phased array radar. Therefore, when the highway curves and the steering wheel is turned, the direction of the radio waves from the phased array radar rotates in sync with the rotation of the steering wheel, facing the direction in which the vehicle is traveling, and accurately capturing the preceding vehicle traveling ahead of the vehicle, thereby preventing erroneous detection and ensuring safety.

[0017] According to the adaptive cruise control device of the present invention 3, the detection means is a millimeter-wave radar mounted on the rotating table. Therefore, when the reverse highway turns into a curve and the steering wheel is turned, the rotating table rotates in sync with the rotation of the steering wheel, and the direction of the millimeter-wave radar's radio waves faces the direction in which the vehicle is traveling, thereby reliably detecting the preceding vehicle traveling ahead of the vehicle, thereby preventing erroneous detection and ensuring safety.

[0018] According to the adaptive cruise control device of the fourth aspect of the present invention, the rotation detection means is a synchro, resolver or encoder, so when the highway curves and the steering wheel is turned, the rotation of the steering wheel is detected as an electric signal or a digital signal and transmitted to the detection means, and the direction of the radio waves from the phased array radar or millimeter wave radar is turned in the direction the vehicle is traveling, thereby reliably detecting a preceding vehicle traveling ahead of the vehicle, thereby preventing erroneous detection and ensuring safety. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0019] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram showing an embodiment of an adaptive cruise control device of the present invention; [Figure 2] 1 is a schematic diagram showing an embodiment of an adaptive cruise control device of the present invention; [Figure 3] 3 is a schematic diagram showing the direction of radio waves of a detection means of the adaptive cruise control device of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 4] 1 is a schematic diagram showing the direction of light or radio waves of a detection means of a conventional adaptive cruise control device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0020] An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The adaptive cruise control device according to the present invention shown in FIG.

[0021] The rotation detection means 1 comprises a shaft encoder 6 that receives rotation via a gear device 5 provided on a steering shaft 4 of the steering device 3, and the detection means 2 comprises a phased array radar 7 and a control device 8 that receives a digital signal from the shaft encoder 6 and instructs the phased array radar 7 to rotate.

[0022] When a vehicle with the adaptive cruise control device activated is driven and the vehicle turns a curve and the steering wheel 9 is turned, the steering shaft 4 also turns. The rotation is received by a shaft encoder 6 via a gear device 5 attached to the steering shaft 4, and rotation data is transmitted via a line 10 to a control device 8. The control device 8 then instructs the phased array radar 7 to orient the radio waves in a direction based on the rotation data. The phased array radar 7 adjusts the phase of the current in each antenna so that the radio waves from the antennas are added in phase in an arbitrary direction θ, and emits radio waves with strong directionality in the θ direction. In the case of a left curve, the phased array radar 7 detects the vehicle ahead as shown in Figure 3(A) and in the case of a right curve, as shown in Figure 3(B).

[0023] The rotation detection means 11 of the adaptive cruise control device according to the present invention shown in FIG. 2 comprises a synchronous transmitter 12 which receives rotation via a gear device 5 provided on the steering shaft 4 of the steering device 3, and the detection means 13 comprises a control device 15 which receives a signal from the synchronous transmitter 12 and instructs a synchronous receiver 14 to rotate, a gear device 16, a rotating shaft 17, and a millimeter wave radar 19 mounted on a rotating table 18.

[0024] The millimeter wave radar 19 is mainly composed of a synthesizer that processes the transmitted radio waves, a Tx antenna that transmits the radio waves, an Rx antenna that receives the reflected radio waves, and a CPU that processes the received signals. Radio waves processed by the synthesizer are transmitted from the radar via the Tx antenna, and radio waves reflected from the target are received via the Rx antenna, which processes them in the CPU to measure distance, etc.

[0025] When a vehicle with the adaptive cruise control device activated is driven and the vehicle turns a curve and the steering wheel 9 is turned, the steering shaft 4 also turns, and the rotation is received by the synchro transmitter 12 via a gear device 5 attached to the steering shaft 4, which transmits rotation data via a line 10 to the control device 15. The control device 15 then instructs the synchro receiver 14 to rotate in a direction based on the rotation data, and the rotation of the synchro receiver 14 causes the rotation shaft 17 to rotate via a gear device 16, which in turn causes the rotation table 18 attached to the rotation shaft 17 to rotate, causing the millimeter-wave radar 19 mounted on the rotation table 18 to rotate, and the millimeter-wave radar 19 detects the vehicle ahead as shown in Figure 3(A) in the case of a left curve, or as shown in Figure 3(B) in the case of a right curve.

[0026] In addition to the above explanation, when a vehicle with an adaptive cruise control device activated is driven and the vehicle turns a curve and the steering wheel is turned, the steering shaft also turns, and the encoder receives the rotation via a gear device attached to the steering shaft and transmits rotation data via a line to the control device, and the control device instructs the servo motor to rotate in a direction based on the rotation data, and the rotation of the servo motor causes the rotating shaft to rotate via the gear device, and the rotation of the turntable attached to the rotating shaft causes the millimeter-wave radar mounted on the turntable to rotate, and the millimeter-wave radar can capture the vehicle ahead in the case of a left curve as shown in Figure 3(A) and in the case of a right curve as shown in Figure 3(B).

[0027] In addition to the above explanation, when a vehicle with an adaptive cruise control device activated is driven and the vehicle turns a curve and the steering wheel is turned, the steering shaft also turns, and rotation data is transmitted via a line from an encoder which receives the rotation via a gear device attached to the steering shaft to a control device, and the control device instructs the stepping motor to rotate in a direction based on the rotation data, and the rotation of the stepping motor causes the rotating shaft to rotate via the gear device, and the rotation of the turntable attached to the rotating shaft causes the millimeter-wave radar mounted on the turntable to rotate, and the millimeter-wave radar can capture the vehicle ahead in the case of a left curve as shown in Figure 3(A) and in the case of a right curve as shown in Figure 3(B). [Explanation of symbols]

[0028] Rotation detection means 1, detection means 2, steering device 3, steering shaft 4, gear device 5, shaft encoder 6, phased array radar 7, control device 8, steering wheel 9, line 10, rotation detection means 11, synchronous transmitter 12, detection means 13, synchronous receiver 14, control device 15, gear device 16, rotating shaft 17, rotating table 18, millimeter wave radar 19,

Claims

1. An adaptive cruise control device that follows a preceding vehicle, a rotation detection means for detecting the rotation of a steering wheel of a steering device; a detection means that rotates in synchronization with the rotation of the rotation detection means and detects the presence of a preceding vehicle in the same lane; An adaptive cruise control device comprising:

2. 2. An adaptive cruise control system according to claim 1, wherein said detecting means is a phased array radar.

3. 2. The adaptive cruise control system according to claim 1, wherein said detecting means is a millimeter wave radar provided on a rotating base.

4. 4. An adaptive cruise control system according to claim 1, wherein said rotation detecting means is a synchro, a resolver or an encoder.

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