Cruise control device, cruise control method, and computer program

Abstract

To provide a travel control apparatus capable of controlling a vehicular travel so as to change lanes appropriately even at a point where a lane section line is absent.SOLUTION: A travel control apparatus includes: a route generation part for generating a plurality of routes from a present lane, where a vehicle presently travels, to individual lanes other than the present lane, of a plurality of lanes sectioned by lane section lines ahead of a traveling direction via a non-lane section where no lane section line exists; a route specification part for specifying, as an in-travel route, a route corresponding to a path that is calculated by using output data of an incorporated sensor of the vehicle and where the vehicle is traveling in the non-lane section, from among the plurality of routes; and a lane-keep control part for controlling the vehicular travel so as to keep a lane where the in-trave route is headed, among the plurality of lanes.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a driving control device, a driving control method, and a computer program for automatically controlling the driving of a vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] A driving control device that automatically controls the driving of a vehicle based on a surrounding image generated by a camera mounted on the vehicle detects lane markings from the surrounding image and controls the driving of the vehicle so that the vehicle drives in the lanes defined by the lane markings (lane keeping control).Furthermore, on a road having multiple lanes, the driving control device controls the driving of the vehicle so that the vehicle moves from the lane in which the vehicle is currently driving to another lane (lane change control).

[0003] Patent Document 1 describes a vehicle control system that automatically changes lanes from a current lane to a branch lane having multiple lanes. When changing lanes from a current lane to a branch lane having multiple lanes, it may be necessary to change lanes to other lanes of the branch lane after changing lanes to one of the branch lanes. The vehicle control system described in Patent Document 1 reduces the number of lane changes by generating different driving routes for cases where the lane is changed to the lane farthest from the current lane among the branch lanes and cases where the lane is changed to other lanes included in the branch lanes. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2020-126024 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] When changing lanes from a current lane to an added lane at a point where there are no lane markings, such as a lane increase point, the cruise control device cannot properly determine whether or not the movement to the target lane has been completed based on the lane markings. Therefore, the cruise control device may shift from lane change control to lane keeping control at a position corresponding to a lane different from the target lane, and control traveling in a different lane.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide a driving control device that can control the driving of a vehicle so that the vehicle changes lanes appropriately even at points where there are no lane markings. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The driving control device of the present invention includes a route creation unit that creates multiple routes from a current lane in which the vehicle is currently traveling to each of the lanes other than the current lane among multiple lanes separated by lane markings ahead in the direction of travel, via a laneless section that does not have lane markings; a route identification unit that identifies, among the multiple routes, a route that matches the path along which the vehicle is traveling in the laneless section, which is calculated using output data from a sensor mounted on the vehicle, as a currently traveling route; and a lane keeping control unit that controls the driving of the vehicle so as to maintain the lane among the multiple lanes toward which the currently traveling route is heading.

[0008] It is preferable that the cruise control device according to the present invention further includes a lane change control unit that controls travel on a lane so as to move from a current lane to any target lane other than the current lane among a plurality of lanes.

[0009] In the cruise control device according to the present invention, it is preferable that the route identification unit identifies, from among the multiple routes, a route whose heading direction corresponds to the traveling direction of the vehicle in the laneless section as the currently traveling route.

[0010] In the driving control device of the present invention, if only one of the multiple routes is a route that the vehicle can travel from its current position in the laneless section, it is preferable that the route identification unit identifies the one route as the currently traveling route.

[0011] In the cruise control device according to the present invention, it is preferable that the route identification unit identifies the route during travel after the distance from the current lane to the current position of the vehicle in a laneless section exceeds a distance threshold.

[0012] The driving control method of the present invention includes creating a plurality of routes from a current lane in which the vehicle is currently traveling to each of a plurality of lanes separated by lane markings ahead in the direction of travel, via a laneless section that does not have lane markings, identifying a route among the plurality of routes that matches the path along which the vehicle is traveling in the laneless section, calculated using output data from a sensor mounted on the vehicle, as a currently traveling route, and controlling the driving of the vehicle so as to maintain the lane among the plurality of lanes toward which the currently traveling route is heading.

[0013] The computer program of the present invention causes a processor to create multiple routes from the current lane in which the vehicle is currently traveling, passing through a laneless section that does not have lane markings, to each of the lanes other than the current lane among multiple lanes separated by lane markings ahead in the direction of travel in the direction of travel; identify, among the multiple routes, a route that matches the path along which the vehicle is traveling through the laneless section, which is calculated using output data from a sensor mounted on the vehicle, as the currently traveling route; and control the traveling of the vehicle so as to maintain the lane among the multiple lanes toward which the currently traveling route is heading.

[0014] According to the cruise control device of the present invention, it is possible to control the travel of a vehicle so that the lane in which the vehicle is traveling is appropriately changed even at a point where there are no lane markings. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a vehicle in which a driving control device is implemented; [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a hardware schematic diagram of a driving control device. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of a processor included in the driving control device. [Figure 4] FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a first example of route specification. [Diagram 5] FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a second example of route specification. [Figure 6] 4 is a flowchart of a driving control process. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0016] Hereinafter, a detailed description will be given of a driving control device that can appropriately change the lane in which a vehicle is traveling even at a point without lane markings, with reference to the drawings. The driving control device creates multiple routes from the current lane in which the vehicle is currently traveling to each of the lanes other than the current lane among the multiple lanes divided by lane markings ahead in the traveling direction, via a laneless section that does not have lane markings. Furthermore, the driving control device specifies, as a currently traveling route, a route among the multiple routes that matches the path of the vehicle traveling in the laneless section, which is calculated using output data from a sensor mounted on the vehicle. Then, the driving control device controls the traveling of the vehicle so as to maintain the lane among the multiple lanes toward which the currently traveling route is heading.

[0017] FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a vehicle in which a driving control device is implemented.

[0018] The vehicle 1 includes a camera 2, a GNSS receiver 3, a storage device 4, and a driving control device 5. The camera 2, the GNSS receiver 3, the storage device 4, and the driving control device 5 are communicatively connected to each other via an in-vehicle network that complies with a standard such as a controller area network.

[0019] Camera 2 is an example of a sensor for detecting the situation near the vehicle. Camera 2 has a two-dimensional detector configured with an array of photoelectric conversion elements sensitive to infrared light, such as a CCD or C-MOS, and an imaging optical system that forms an image of the area to be photographed on the two-dimensional detector. Camera 2 is disposed, for example, at the front upper part of the vehicle interior facing forward, photographs the situation around vehicle 1 through the windshield at a predetermined photographing period (for example, 1 / 30 second to 1 / 10 second), and outputs an image corresponding to the surrounding situation. The image is an example of output data of the sensor.

[0020] The GNSS receiver 3 receives GNSS signals from GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) satellites at predetermined intervals, and determines the self-position of the vehicle 1 based on the received GNSS signals. The GNSS receiver 3 outputs a positioning signal representing the result of determining the self-position of the vehicle 1 based on the GNSS signals to the cruise control device 5 via the in-vehicle network at predetermined intervals.

[0021] The storage device 4 is an example of a storage unit, and includes, for example, a hard disk device or a non-volatile semiconductor memory. The storage device 4 stores a high-precision map. The high-precision map includes, for example, information indicating laneless sections and lane markings for each road included in a predetermined area shown on the high-precision map.

[0022] The driving control device 5 is an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) having a communication interface, a memory, and a processor. The driving control device 5 detects lane markings and lanes ahead of the vehicle 1 based on an image received from the camera 2 via the communication interface, and controls the driving of the vehicle 1 so that the vehicle 1 travels along a predetermined lane.

[0023] 2 is a hardware schematic diagram of the driving control device 5. The driving control device 5 includes a communication interface 51, a memory 52, and a processor 53.

[0024] The communication interface 51 is an example of a communication unit, and has a communication interface circuit for connecting the driving control device 5 to an in-vehicle network. The communication interface 51 supplies the received data to the processor 53. In addition, the communication interface 51 outputs the data supplied from the processor 53 to the outside.

[0025] The memory 52 is an example of a storage unit, and includes a volatile semiconductor memory and a non-volatile semiconductor memory. The memory 52 stores various data used in processing by the processor 53, such as a distance threshold that determines the distance of the vehicle 1 from the current lane at which lane keeping control can be started. The memory 52 also stores various application programs, such as a driving control program that executes driving control processing.

[0026] The processor 53 is an example of a control unit, and includes one or more processors and their peripheral circuits. The processor 53 may further include other arithmetic circuits, such as a logic arithmetic unit, a numerical arithmetic unit, or a graphics processing unit.

[0027] FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram of the processor 53 included in the driving control device 5. As shown in FIG.

[0028] The processor 53 of the driving control device 5 has, as functional blocks, a lane change control unit 531, a route creation unit 532, a route identification unit 533, and a lane keeping control unit 534. Each of these units in the processor 53 is a functional module implemented by a program executed on the processor 53. Alternatively, each of these units in the processor 53 may be implemented in the driving control device 5 as an independent integrated circuit, microprocessor, or firmware.

[0029] The lane change control unit 531 controls the driving of the vehicle 1 so that the vehicle 1 moves from the current lane in which the vehicle 1 is currently driving to a target lane other than the current lane among multiple lanes defined by lane markings ahead in the direction of travel, via a laneless section that does not have lane markings.

[0030] The lane change control unit 531 identifies laneless sections and lane markings ahead of the vehicle 1 by inputting the images received from the camera 2 via the communication interface into a classifier that has been trained in advance to detect lane markings, which are lines displayed on the road to divide lanes.

[0031] The classifier can be, for example, a convolutional neural network (CNN) having multiple convolution layers connected in series from the input side to the output side. Images containing lane markings are input to the CNN in advance as training data, and the CNN operates as a classifier that detects lane markings from images by learning the images.

[0032] The lane change control unit 531 may obtain information from the storage device 4 about laneless sections and lane markings that exist around the current position of the vehicle 1 on a high-precision map as represented in the positioning signal received from the GNSS receiver 3 via the communication interface.

[0033] In addition, the lane change control unit 531 may obtain information on lane-free sections and lane markings that exist around the current position of the vehicle 1, which is identified on a high-precision map by the vehicle's driving history using a wheel speed sensor (not shown) and a gyro sensor (not shown).

[0034] The lane change control unit 531 outputs a control signal to a driving mechanism (not shown) of the vehicle 1 via the communication interface 51 so as to move from the current lane to the target lane. The driving mechanism includes, for example, an engine or a motor that supplies power to the vehicle 1, a brake that reduces the traveling speed of the vehicle 1, and a steering mechanism that steers the vehicle 1.

[0035] The target lane is selected from a plurality of lanes based on a driving plan from the current position to the destination. For example, if a branch is planned ahead of the current position, a lane where the branch is possible is selected as the target lane.

[0036] The route creation unit 532 creates multiple routes from the current lane to each of multiple lanes including the target lane ahead in the traveling direction via a lane-free section. The route creation unit 532 creates the multiple routes by connecting a lane change start position where a lane change starts in the current lane and a lane change end position of each of the multiple lanes where the lane change ends ahead of the lane change position. A lane-free section is included between the lane change start position and the lane change end position.

[0037] The route identification unit 533 uses output data from the camera 2 mounted on the vehicle 1 to identify, as the currently traveling route, a route that matches the route along which the vehicle 1 is traveling in the laneless section among multiple routes. The route identification unit 533 inputs the image received from the camera 2 via the communication interface to a classifier that has been trained in advance to detect lane markings, which are lines displayed on the road to divide lanes, thereby identifying the lane markings around the vehicle 1. Then, the route identification unit 533 detects the route indicating the direction along which the vehicle 1 is traveling in the laneless section, based on the positions of the identified surrounding lane markings.

[0038] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a first example of path specification.

[0039] Before starting to change lanes, the vehicle 1 travels on the current lane L11 defined by lane markings LL11 and LL12. The lane L12 defined by lane markings LL13 and LL14, and the lane L13 defined by lane markings LL14 and LL12, are located ahead in the traveling direction, via a laneless section NLZ1 that does not have lane markings. In addition, ahead of the vehicle 1, the current lane L11 is defined by lane markings LL11 and LL13.

[0040] 4, lane L13 is selected as the target lane. The lane change control unit 531 controls the travel of the vehicle 1 from the lane change start position LCS1 toward the lane change end position LCE1 so as to move from the current lane L11 to the lane L13, which is the target lane.

[0041] The route creation unit 532 creates routes R12 and R13 by connecting a lane change start position LCS1 in the current lane L11 with a lane change end position LCE1 in lanes L12 and L13 other than the current lane L11. The route creation unit 532 sets the lane change end position LCE1 to a position where a lane marking LL14 exists that does not exist at the lane change start position LCS1.

[0042] The route R12 is a route that heads in a direction that forms an angle α with the traveling direction D11 of the vehicle 1 at the lane change start position LCS1. The route R13 is a route that heads in a direction that forms an angle β with the traveling direction D11 of the vehicle 1 at the lane change start position LCS1.

[0043] After passing the lane change start position LCS1, the vehicle 1 is traveling at a distance I from the current lane L11 based on the travel control from the current lane L11 to lane L13 by the lane change control unit 531. The traveling direction of the vehicle 1 at this time is D12. The traveling direction D12 is a direction that forms an angle γ with the traveling direction D11 of the vehicle 1 at the lane change start position LCS1.

[0044] After the distance I from the current lane L11 to the current position of the vehicle 1 in the laneless section NLZ1 exceeds a distance threshold stored in the memory 52, the route identification unit 533 identifies, as the currently traveling route, one of the routes R12, R13 that corresponds to the traveling direction D12 at the current position of the vehicle 1.

[0045] The route identification unit 533 obtains the difference between the angle between the heading direction of the routes R12 and R13 and the traveling direction D12 at the current position of the vehicle 1, and identifies the route R13 with the smallest difference as the currently traveling route. The route identification unit 533 may also identify the route with the smallest difference as the currently traveling route among the routes with the difference smaller than the angle difference threshold pre-stored in the memory 52. ​​The route identification unit 533 may also identify the currently traveling route using the ratio between the heading direction of the routes R12 and R13 and the traveling direction D12 at the current position of the vehicle 1, instead of the difference between the angle between the heading direction of the routes R12 and R13 and the traveling direction D12 at the current position of the vehicle 1.

[0046] FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a second example of path specification.

[0047] Before starting to change lanes, the vehicle 1 travels on the current lane L21, which is defined by lane markings LL21 and LL22. The lane L22, which is defined by lane markings LL23 and LL24, and the lane L23, which is defined by lane markings LL24 and LL22, are located ahead in the traveling direction, and have a laneless section NLZ2 that does not have lane markings. In addition, ahead of the vehicle 1, the current lane L21 is defined by lane markings LL21 and LL23.

[0048] 5, lane L22 is selected as the target lane. The lane change control unit 531 controls the travel of the vehicle 1 from the lane change start position LCS2 toward the lane change end position LCE2 so as to move from the current lane L21 to the lane L22, which is the target lane.

[0049] The route creation unit 532 creates routes R22 and R23 by connecting the lane change start position LCS2 in the current lane L21 and the lane change end position LCE2 in the lanes L22 and L23. The route creation unit 532 sets the lane change end position LCE2 to a position where a lane marking LL24 exists that does not exist at the lane change start position LCS2.

[0050] After passing the lane change start position LCS2, the vehicle 1 first travels from the current lane L21 to the lane L22 based on the travel control by the lane change control unit 531. In the example of Fig. 5, the vehicle 1 travels in the traveling direction D20 due to additional steering by the driver of the vehicle 1 after passing the lane change start position LCS2.

[0051] The route identification unit 533 determines whether each of the routes R22 and R23 is a route that can be traveled from the current position of the vehicle 1. In order to travel from the current position of the vehicle 1 to each of the routes R22 and R23, it is necessary to travel in the directions D22 and D23 connecting the current position and the end points of the routes R22 and R23. The route identification unit 533 obtains the angles between the traveling direction D20 of the vehicle 1 and each of the directions D22 and D23. The route identification unit 533 determines, among the directions D22 and D23, the direction in which the angle formed with the traveling direction D20 is smaller than the maximum steering angle determined according to the current vehicle speed of the vehicle 1 as a direction that can be traveled from the current position, and identifies the route corresponding to the direction as a route that can be traveled from the current position. Then, when only one of the multiple routes is a route that can be traveled from the current position, the route identification unit 533 identifies the route as a route currently being traveled.

[0052] 5, direction D22 is not a possible direction from the current position, and direction D23 is a possible direction from the current position. Therefore, the route identification unit 533 identifies route R23 corresponding to direction D23 as the currently traveling route.

[0053] The lane keeping control unit 534 controls the traveling of the vehicle 1 so that the vehicle 1 stays in the lane along which the traveling route is heading, among a plurality of lanes defined by lane markings.

[0054] The lane keeping control unit 534 identifies a lane dividing line that divides the lane along which the route is traveling, and outputs a control signal to the driving mechanism (not shown) of the vehicle 1 via the communication interface 51 so as to maintain the lane divided by the lane dividing line.

[0055] Since the identification of lane markings and the output of control signals to the driving mechanism are similar to those of the lane change control unit 531, detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0056] 6 is a flowchart of the driving control process. After the vehicle 1 starts lane change control and the distance from the current lane to the current position of the vehicle 1 exceeds the distance threshold stored in the memory 52, the driving control device 5 executes the process shown in FIG.

[0057] First, the route creation unit 532 creates multiple routes from a current lane in which the vehicle 1 is currently traveling among multiple lanes divided by lane markings to each of the multiple lanes other than the current lane (step S1).

[0058] Next, the route identification unit 533 identifies a route currently being traveled that matches the course on which the vehicle 1 is traveling, from among the multiple routes (step S2).

[0059] Then, the lane keeping control unit 534 controls the traveling of the vehicle 1 so as to keep the vehicle 1 in the lane along which the currently traveling route is heading, among the multiple lanes (step S3).

[0060] By executing the driving control process in this manner, the driving control device 5 can control the driving of the vehicle 1 so that the vehicle 1 appropriately changes the lane in which it is traveling even at a point where there are no lane markings.

[0061] It should be understood that those skilled in the art can make various changes, substitutions and alterations thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0062] 1 vehicle 5. Driving control device 531 Lane change control unit 532 Route Creation Department 533 Route Identification Department 534 Lane keeping control unit

Claims

1. a route creation unit that creates a plurality of routes from a current lane in which the vehicle is currently traveling to each of a plurality of lanes separated by lane dividing lines ahead in a traveling direction, the lanes being different from the current lane, via a laneless section not having lane dividing lines; a route identification unit that identifies, among the plurality of routes, a route that corresponds to a path along which the vehicle is traveling in the laneless section, the path being calculated using output data from a sensor mounted on the vehicle, as a currently traveling route after a distance from the current lane to a current position of the vehicle in the laneless section exceeds a distance threshold; a lane keeping control unit that controls the traveling of the vehicle so as to keep the vehicle in a lane along which the traveling route is heading, among the plurality of lanes; A driving control device comprising:

2. The driving control device according to claim 1 , further comprising a lane change control unit that controls driving on the lane so as to move from the current lane to any target lane other than the current lane among the plurality of lanes.

3. The driving control device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the route identification unit identifies, as the currently traveling route, a route among the plurality of routes whose heading direction corresponds to a traveling direction of the vehicle traveling in the laneless section.

4. 3. The driving control device according to claim 1, wherein the route identification unit identifies one of the plurality of routes as the currently traveling route when the one of the routes is a route that the vehicle can travel from a current position in the laneless section.

5. creating a plurality of routes from a current lane in which the vehicle is currently traveling to each of a plurality of lanes separated by lane dividing lines ahead in the traveling direction, the lanes being different from the current lane, via a laneless section not having lane dividing lines; after a distance from the current lane to the current position of the vehicle in the laneless section exceeds a distance threshold, a route among the plurality of routes that matches a path along which the vehicle is traveling in the laneless section, which is calculated using output data from a sensor mounted on the vehicle, is identified as a currently traveling route; Controlling the travel of the vehicle so as to maintain the lane along which the travelling route is heading among the plurality of lanes. A driving control method comprising the steps of:

6. creating a plurality of routes from a current lane in which the vehicle is currently traveling to each of a plurality of lanes separated by lane dividing lines ahead in the traveling direction, the lanes being different from the current lane, via a laneless section not having lane dividing lines; identifying, as a currently traveling route, a route among the plurality of routes that coincides with a path along which the vehicle is traveling in the laneless section, the path being calculated using output data from a sensor mounted on the vehicle, after a distance from the current lane to the current position of the vehicle in the laneless section exceeds a distance threshold; Controlling travel of the vehicle so as to maintain the lane along which the travelling route is heading among the plurality of lanes; A computer program that causes a processor to execute the following:

Images