Vehicle control system
The vehicle control device addresses storage capacity limitations by adjusting driving plans and log data management to ensure critical data is retained, effectively managing storage in autonomous vehicles.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- TOYOTA JIDOSHA KK
- Filing Date
- 2024-11-11
- Publication Date
- 2026-05-21
AI Technical Summary
Existing vehicle control devices struggle to efficiently record driving log data due to limited storage capacity, leading to potential data loss during vehicle operation, especially in autonomous vehicles where large amounts of data are generated.
A vehicle control device with a storage device and adjustment means that adjusts driving plans or log data when storage capacity is predicted to be insufficient, including methods such as reducing sensor data, altering driving routes, and deleting unnecessary data to ensure critical data is retained.
The device effectively records necessary driving log data by managing storage capacity, ensuring data integrity for accident or malfunction analysis despite limited storage, thereby enhancing data retention capabilities.
Smart Images
Figure 2026084513000001_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
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[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of vehicle control devices.
Background Art
[0002] As an apparatus of this kind, for example, there has been proposed an apparatus that records driving log data from when a vehicle starts driving until it ends driving, and performs a process of increasing the free capacity of a storage device when a shortage in the capacity of the storage device for recording the driving log data is predicted (see Patent Document 1).
Prior Art Documents
Patent Documents
[0003]
Patent Document 1
Summary of the Invention
Problems to be Solved by the Invention
[0004] There is room for improvement in the technology described in Patent Document 1.
[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a vehicle control device that can appropriately record driving log data.
Means for Solving the Problems
[0006] A vehicle control device according to an aspect of the present invention includes a storage device for recording driving log data of a vehicle, and adjustment means for performing an adjustment process of adjusting a driving plan or driving log data of the vehicle when a shortage in the capacity of the storage device is predicted.
Brief Description of the Drawings
[0007] [Figure 1] It is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a vehicle according to an embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]
[0008] An embodiment of the vehicle control device will be described with reference to Figure 1. In Figure 1, the vehicle control device 10 is mounted on the vehicle 1. The vehicle control device 10 comprises an automatic driving control device 11 and a log management device 12. The automatic driving device 11 is a device for realizing automatic driving of the vehicle 1.
[0009] The autonomous driving system 11 executes processing related to autonomous driving based on information detected by each of the multiple sensors installed in the vehicle 1. Examples of the multiple sensors installed in the vehicle 1 include sensors that detect the surrounding environment of the vehicle 1, such as cameras, millimeter-wave radar, and LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging / Laser Imaging Detection and Ranging), as well as sensors that detect the driving state of the vehicle 1, such as vehicle speed sensors, acceleration sensors, and gyroscope sensors. Additionally, a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver can be used as a position sensor. The vehicle 1 may also be configured to communicate with external devices via the internet. In other words, the vehicle 1 may be a connected car. In this case, the autonomous driving system 11 may execute processing related to autonomous driving based on information obtained from a server on the internet, in addition to the information detected by each of the multiple sensors installed in the vehicle 1.
[0010] For example, the log management device 12 manages driving log data from the time vehicle 1 starts driving until vehicle 1 finishes driving. For example, driving log data may include time-series data of detection information from each of the multiple sensors equipped on vehicle 1, and time-series data of control information from the automatic driving system 11. The time-series data of the detection information may include at least one time-series data of driving video, point cloud data, inter-vehicle distance, white line recognition status, detected object, vehicle speed, acceleration, yaw rate, and GPS position information. The time-series data of the control information may include at least one time-series data of accelerator opening command value, brake control amount, steering control amount, target driving trajectory, and self-position estimation result. The log management device 12 may further acquire a driving plan related to vehicle 1. The driving plan is information that defines the driving of vehicle 1 to its destination. For example, the driving plan may include at least one of the destination location information, the driving route to the destination, and the arrival time at the destination.
[0011] The log management device 12 includes a processing unit 121 and a storage device 122. For example, the processing unit 121 may include a processor and memory. For example, the storage device 122 may include at least one of an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) and an SSD (Solid State Drive). The aforementioned driving log data is recorded in the storage device 122.
[0012] For example, in the event of an accident or malfunction, vehicle 1's driving log data is recorded in the storage device 122 for the purpose of investigating the cause. In particular, in autonomous vehicles, the system is much larger than that of a typical vehicle, and it is required that responsibility be objectively clarified, so the amount of driving log data that needs to be recorded is enormous. From this purpose, it is desirable that the driving log data recorded from the time vehicle 1 starts driving be retained at least until vehicle 1 finishes driving. However, the capacity of the storage device 122 for recording driving log data is finite. Therefore, there is a possibility that the capacity of the storage device 122 will run out between the time vehicle 1 starts driving and the time it finishes driving, making it impossible to record driving log data or requiring it to be overwritten. For example, if an unexpected traffic disruption or obstacle occurs, the capacity of the storage device 122 may run out.
[0013] The processing unit 121 of the log management device 12 performs adjustment processing to adjust the vehicle 1's travel plan or travel log data when a shortage of storage capacity in the storage device 122 is predicted.
[0014] For example, the processing unit 121 may determine that a shortage of storage capacity in the storage device 122 is predicted when the remaining storage capacity of the storage device 122 falls below a predetermined threshold. Note that the remaining storage capacity of the storage device 122 is not limited to the number of bits and may be expressed in units other than those specified. For example, the remaining storage capacity of the storage device 122 may be expressed in time. In this case, the time may be calculated by dividing the remaining storage capacity by the storage capacity consumed per unit time. In this case, the predetermined threshold may be expressed in units of time. For example, the predetermined threshold may be the difference between the arrival time of the destination included in the travel plan and the current time. For example, the remaining storage capacity of the storage device 122 may be expressed in distance. In this case, the distance may be calculated by multiplying the value obtained by dividing the remaining storage capacity by the storage capacity consumed per unit time by the average speed of the vehicle 1. In this case, the predetermined threshold may be expressed in units of distance. For example, the predetermined threshold may be the distance from the current position to the destination, estimated based on the travel route to the destination included in the travel plan.
[0015] If insufficient storage capacity of the storage device 122 is anticipated, the processing unit 121 may adjust the driving log data by at least one of the following methods. For example, the processing unit 121 may stop recording sensor detection information from the driving log data that is necessary for development but not necessarily necessary for troubleshooting. The processing unit 121 may record the driving log data intermittently instead of continuously. The multiple sensors provided by the vehicle 1 may include an image sensor (e.g., a camera). In this case, the processing unit 121 may narrow the field of view related to the image sensor. Specifically, the processing unit 121 may extract a portion of the image as detection information from the image sensor. Here, the range captured in the extracted portion is narrower than the range captured in the original image. In other words, the processing unit 121 may narrow the field of view related to the image sensor by extracting a portion from the image. The processing unit 121 may include the extracted portion as detection information from the image sensor in the driving log data. The processing unit 121 may configure the image sensor to output a monochrome image, provided it is nighttime. The multiple sensors provided by the vehicle 1 may include an optical sensor (e.g., LiDAR). In this case, the processing unit 121 may stop recording detection information from the optical sensor that is beyond a predetermined distance (e.g., point cloud data). The processing unit 121 may stop recording echoes of the second order or higher from the optical sensor's detection information. The processing unit 121 may stop recording the driving log data when the vehicle 1 is stopped. Alternatively, when the vehicle 1 is stopped, the processing unit 121 may record only the detection information from the minimum necessary sensors among the multiple sensors as driving log data.
[0016] Furthermore, if a shortage of storage capacity in the storage device 122 is anticipated, the processing unit 121 may adjust the driving log data by at least one of the following methods. For example, the processing unit 121 may delete a portion of the driving log data recorded in the storage device 122. Specifically, the processing unit 121 may delete at least one of the driving log data recorded in the storage device 122: detection information from unnecessary sensors and driving log data recorded before a predetermined period. The processing unit 121 may also transmit a portion of the driving log data recorded in the storage device 122 to a predetermined server via the Internet and delete that portion.
[0017] If insufficient storage capacity of the storage device 122 is anticipated, the processing unit 121 may adjust the driving plan by at least one of the following methods. For example, the processing unit 121 may lower the upper limit of the speed included in the driving plan. As a result, the speed of vehicle 1 will be reduced. The processing unit 121 may change the route (i.e., driving route) of vehicle 1 included in the driving plan. In this case, the processing unit 121 may select at least one of the following as the route for vehicle 1: a route on which vehicle 1 can travel at a reduced speed, and a route on which there is little or no traffic from other vehicles. The processing unit 121 may change the destination included in the driving plan. In this case, the processing unit 121 may set the destination as the nearest safe place where parking is possible. As a result, the driving of vehicle 1 may be canceled.
[0018] (Technical effects) As described above, in this embodiment, if a shortage of storage capacity in the storage device 122 is predicted, the processing unit 121 performs adjustment processing to adjust the vehicle 1's driving plan or driving log data. As a result, at least the driving log data necessary for analyzing the malfunction is recorded in the storage device 122. In other words, even if a shortage of storage capacity in the storage device 122 is predicted, the vehicle control device 10 can record the driving log data necessary for investigating the cause of an accident or malfunction in the storage device 122. Therefore, it can be said that the vehicle control device 10 can appropriately record driving log data.
[0019] Aspects of the invention derived from the embodiments described above will be described below.
[0020] A vehicle control device according to one aspect of the invention includes a storage device for recording driving log data of a vehicle, and adjustment means for performing adjustment processing to adjust the driving plan or driving log data of the vehicle when a shortage in the capacity of the storage device is predicted. In the above-described embodiment, "processing unit 121" corresponds to an example of the "adjustment means".
[0021] In an example of the vehicle control device, adjusting the driving plan of the vehicle may include at least one of reducing the speed of the vehicle, changing the route of the vehicle, and stopping the driving of the vehicle.
[0022] In another example of the vehicle control device, the driving log data may include outputs of one or more sensors mounted on the vehicle, the one or more sensors may include at least one of an image sensor and an optical sensor, and adjusting the driving log data may include at least one of stopping recording the output of a sensor unnecessary for failure analysis among the one or more sensors, narrowing the viewing angle of the image sensor related to the image sensor, setting the image sensor to output a monochrome image on the condition that it is nighttime, and stopping recording secondary or higher-order echoes of the output of the optical sensor.
[0023] In another example of the vehicle control device, adjusting the driving log data may include at least one of making it intermittent recording and not recording the driving log data when the vehicle is stopped.
[0024] In another example of the vehicle control device, adjusting the driving log data may include deleting at least a part of the driving log data recorded in the storage device.
[0025] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and can be modified as appropriate without contradicting the gist or idea of the invention as can be read from the claims and specification as a whole. Vehicle control devices with such modifications are also included within the technical scope of the present invention. [Explanation of Symbols]
[0026] 1...Vehicle, 10...Vehicle control device, 11...Automatic driving control device, 12...Log management device, 121...Processing unit, 122...Storage device
Claims
1. A storage device for recording vehicle driving log data, An adjustment means that performs adjustment processing to adjust the vehicle's driving plan or driving log data when a shortage of capacity of the storage device is predicted, A vehicle control device equipped with the following features.
2. Adjusting the vehicle's travel plan includes at least one of the following: reducing the vehicle's speed, changing the vehicle's route, and stopping the vehicle's journey. The vehicle control device according to claim 1.
3. The aforementioned driving log data includes the output of one or more sensors installed in the vehicle. The one or more sensors include at least one of an image sensor and an optical sensor. Adjusting the aforementioned driving log data includes at least one of the following: stopping the recording of the output of one or more sensors that are unnecessary for troubleshooting; narrowing the field of view of the image sensor; setting the image sensor to output a monochrome image under the condition that it is nighttime; and stopping the recording of secondary or higher echoes for the output of the light sensor. The vehicle control device according to claim 1.
4. Adjusting the aforementioned driving log data includes at least one of the following: making it intermittent recording, and not recording driving log data when the vehicle is stopped. The vehicle control device according to claim 1.
5. Adjusting the aforementioned driving log data includes deleting at least a portion of the driving log data recorded in the storage device. The vehicle control device according to claim 1.