Vehicle driving control device at roundabouts

By using RSU and camera information to conduct driving negotiations at the circular intersection, driving instructions are generated, and the safety problem of circular intersections under the mixed V2X and non-V2X vehicles is solved, and traffic safety and fluency are improved, especially the protection of VRU.

JP7627309B2Active Publication Date: 2025-02-05KOREA ELECTRONICS TECH INST
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Patent Information

Application Number
JP2023123860
Authority / Receiving Office
JP · JP
Patent Type
Patents
Current Assignee / Owner
Priority Date
2022-11-24
Filing Date
2023-07-28
Publication Date
2025-02-05
Estimated Expiration
2043-07-28

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

In vehicles with mixed V2X communication terminals and non-V2X communication terminals, driving rule identification errors at circular intersections lead to high risk of accidents, and the existing design does not consider the intersection status of VRU (vulnerable road users) on the zebra crossing, resulting in traffic congestion and safety hazards.

Method used

Through the vehicle driving control equipment, the communication information and camera identification information provided by the RSU (roadside unit) are used to determine the vehicle's classification information and environmental information, conduct driving negotiations, and generate driving instructions to control vehicle behavior and ensure safe passage through the circular intersection.

Benefits of technology

Effectively reduce traffic accidents at circular intersections, ensure autonomous driving and safe driving between vehicles and ordinary vehicles, improve traffic flow, and consider the safety of VRUs to reduce traffic congestion and fuel consumption.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

To enable safe traveling control at a circular intersection where both vehicle equipped with V2X terminals and general vehicle not equipped with V2X terminals are present.SOLUTION: A vehicle travelling control device for a circular intersection according to the present invention includes: an input unit that receives classification information and surrounding environment information related to a circular intersection a traveling vehicle is approaching; a memory storing a vehicle traveling control program for a circular intersection; and a processor that causes the program to be executed. The processor identifies a traveling negotiation object on the basis of the classification information and the surrounding environment information related to the circular intersection, and route information of the traveling vehicle, and controls a vehicle traveling behavior at the circular intersection in accordance with a result of a traveling negotiation.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1
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Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle driving control device at a roundabout. [Background technology]

[0002] A roundabout is a type of at-grade intersection where cars turn counterclockwise around a circular traffic island in the center of the intersection to pass through the intersection, and is operated on the basic principle that cars entering the intersection must yield to cars traveling on the turning lane inside the intersection. In general, roundabouts have the advantages of having fewer collisions and operating at lower speeds than at-grade intersections, making it easier for drivers to make decisions and reducing driver fatigue, lower maintenance costs than signalized intersections, increasing access to neighboring roads and areas, reducing delays, and reducing fuel consumption and exhaust gas emissions.

[0003] However, some drivers may not be aware of the rules for driving at roundabouts, and there is a high risk of accidents occurring at roundabouts in driving conditions where autonomous vehicles (vehicles that drive autonomously using V2X communication and vehicle sensors), connected cars (general vehicles equipped with V2X communication devices that can communicate with surrounding vehicles and infrastructure), and general vehicles (vehicles without autonomous driving functions and V2X communication devices) are all mixed together.As an actual example, in the area around the roundabout in front of the Giheung Tol Gate on the Gyeongbu Expressway, the number of residents of the nearby new city has increased, resulting in a sharp increase in traffic volume, and traffic congestion at and around the roundabout has become even more severe. Many drivers are unaware of the rules for roundabouts and drive in different ways, so the roundabout is not fulfilling its intended role at all.

[0004] In addition, while the design guidelines for roundabouts present design specifications such as the design speed of the turning area and the cross-sectional length and height of the central traffic island, there is a problem in relation to roundabouts in urban areas in that an operating system has not yet been established that takes into account the road crossing conditions of Vulnerable Road Users (VRUs) at surrounding crosswalks. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The present invention has been proposed to solve the above-mentioned problems, and has an object to provide a driving control device that performs driving negotiations or enables safe driving control at a roundabout according to the results of driving negotiation arbitration according to various scenarios in traffic conditions at a roundabout where vehicles equipped with V2X terminals and general vehicles not equipped with V2X terminals are mixed.

[0006] Another object of the present invention is to provide a driving control device that generates driving guides at roundabouts where synergistic delays or stagnation occur to ensure smooth traffic flow, and controls driving behavior while taking into account the safety of VRUs at pedestrian crossings located in the vicinity of the roundabout. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The vehicle driving control device at a roundabout of the present invention includes an input unit that receives classification information and surrounding environment information related to the roundabout to which a traveling vehicle is approaching, a memory that stores a vehicle driving control program at the roundabout, and a processor that executes the program, and the processor identifies a driving negotiation target based on the classification information related to the roundabout, the surrounding environment information, and route information of the traveling vehicle, and controls the vehicle driving behavior at the roundabout depending on the result of the driving negotiation.

[0008] The input unit recognizes classification information regarding the roundabout by using at least one of communication information with an RSU (Road Side Unit), map information, and camera recognition information.

[0009] The input unit acquires an ID assigned by an RSU, and the ID is used as identification information during travel negotiation arbitration of the RSU.

[0010] The processor uses classification information for the roundabout and the route information to determine an entrance lane to the roundabout and transmits a driving command signal to navigate the entrance lane.

[0011] The processor takes into account the surrounding environment information for an object in a crosswalk area located in the direction in which the moving vehicle exits the roundabout, and performs driving negotiation with a device of the object or receives the result of the driving negotiation arbitration of an RSU, thereby controlling the driving behavior regarding passing through the crosswalk.

[0012] The processor controls the driving behavior using a result of driving negotiation determined according to a congestion level of objects crossing or waiting to cross the pedestrian crossing area.

[0013] The processor controls the driving behavior using the surrounding environment information regarding the congestion situation within the roundabout, and depending on whether other vehicles with a collision risk equal to or greater than a preset value are equipped with a V2X communication function, it either negotiates driving with the other vehicles or receives the result of the driving negotiation arbitration of the RSU, and controls the driving behavior regarding entering the roundabout.

[0014] The processor receives position and predicted route information of other vehicles from the other vehicles or RSUs, calculates the collision risk with other vehicles using weights that are set differently depending on the classification of the roundabout, and controls the driving behavior of the vehicle. Effect of the Invention

[0015] According to the present invention, it is possible to prevent traffic accidents and support safe driving at roundabouts where autonomous vehicles, connected cars, and general vehicles are mixed.

[0016] According to the present invention, the driving direction at a roundabout is predicted, the driving conditions are detected in real time, and the V2X function is used to communicate between vehicles, between devices in the vehicle and the RSU, and between devices in the vehicle and the VRU, thereby helping to enable safe vehicle driving and pedestrian crossing at the roundabout.

[0017] The effects of the present invention are not limited to those mentioned above, and other effects not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] 1 shows a vehicle driving control device at a roundabout according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2a] 4 shows a driving control situation of a vehicle entering one lane at a spiral roundabout according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2b] 4 shows a driving control situation of a vehicle entering one lane at a spiral roundabout according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2c] 4 shows a driving control situation of a vehicle entering one lane at a spiral roundabout according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3a] 4 shows a driving control situation of a vehicle entering a dual carriageway at a spiral roundabout according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3b] 4 shows a driving control situation of a vehicle entering a dual carriageway at a spiral roundabout according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3c] 4 shows a driving control situation of a vehicle entering a dual carriageway at a spiral roundabout according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3d] 4 shows a state of vehicle travel control at a lane-change suppression roundabout according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4a] 4 shows a state of vehicle travel control based on pedestrian crossing area situation information at a spiral roundabout according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4b] 4 shows a state of vehicle travel control based on pedestrian crossing area situation information at a spiral roundabout according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4c]4 shows a state of vehicle travel control based on pedestrian crossing area situation information at a spiral roundabout according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5a] 1 shows a state of vehicle travel control in a stagnant state at a spiral roundabout according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5b] 1 shows a state of vehicle travel control in a stagnant state at a spiral roundabout according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5c] 1 shows a state of vehicle travel control in a stagnant state at a spiral roundabout according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5d] 1 shows a state of vehicle travel control in a stagnant state at a spiral roundabout according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5e] 1 shows a state of vehicle travel control in a stagnant state at a spiral roundabout according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6a] 1 shows a vehicle driving control situation depending on whether or not the other vehicle is equipped with a V2X function at a spiral roundabout according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6b] 1 shows a vehicle driving control situation depending on whether or not the other vehicle is equipped with a V2X function at a spiral roundabout according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] 2 shows a method for controlling vehicle travel at a roundabout according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a computer system for implementing a method according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0019] The above and other objects, advantages and features of the present invention, as well as the manner in which they are accomplished, will become apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0020] However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below, but may be embodied in various different forms. The following embodiments are provided merely to easily inform those skilled in the art of the present invention of the purpose, configuration and effects of the invention, and the scope of the present invention is defined by the claims.

[0021] Meanwhile, the terms used in this specification are for describing the embodiments and are not intended to limit the present invention. In this specification, the singular form includes the plural form unless otherwise specified in the context. As used in this specification, "comprises" and / or "comprising" do not exclude that the referenced components, steps, operations and / or elements are present or additionally provided with one or more other components, steps, operations and / or elements.

[0022] The present invention proposes a technology to prevent traffic accidents and support safe driving of vehicles in a situation where autonomous vehicles, connected cars, and general vehicles (vehicles not equipped with V2X functions) are driving together at a roundabout. According to the present invention, communication devices of V2X roadside base stations, V2X vehicle terminals, and VRUs (pedestrians, bicycles, kick scooters, etc.) linked with traffic infrastructure such as cameras and radars communicate with each other in real time to prevent traffic accidents and support safe driving.

[0023] According to the embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to support safe driving at various types of roundabouts, and to monitor the situation through real-time communication between autonomous vehicles, connected cars, and VRUs (Vulnerable Road Users) and transmit warnings of dangerous situations in real time. It is also possible to support safe driving and prevent accidents through driving negotiations between vehicles entering a roundabout and vehicles driving in the roundabout. It is also possible to monitor the driving situation of general vehicles not equipped with V2X functions and arbitrate their driving.

[0024] FIG. 1 shows a vehicle travel control device at a roundabout according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] A vehicle driving control device at a roundabout according to one embodiment of the present invention includes an input unit 110 that receives classification information and surrounding environment information related to a roundabout approached by a traveling vehicle, a memory 120 that stores a vehicle driving control program at a roundabout, and a processor 130 that executes the program, and the processor 130 identifies a driving negotiation target based on the classification information related to the roundabout, the surrounding environment information, and route information of the traveling vehicle, and controls the vehicle driving behavior at the roundabout according to the result of the driving negotiation.

[0026] The input unit 110 recognizes classification information related to the roundabout using at least one of communication information with an RSU (Road Side Unit), map information, and camera recognition information.

[0027] The input unit 110 acquires an ID assigned by an RSU, and the ID is used as identification information during travel negotiation arbitration of the RSU.

[0028] Processor 130 uses the classification and route information for the roundabout to determine an entrance lane to the roundabout and transmits a driving command signal to navigate the entrance lane.

[0029] The processor 130 takes into account surrounding environment information for objects within a crosswalk area located in the direction in which a moving vehicle exits from a roundabout, and performs driving negotiation with the object's device or receives the result of the driving negotiation arbitration of the RSU to control driving behavior regarding passing through the crosswalk.

[0030] The processor 130 controls the driving behavior using the result of the driving negotiation determined according to the congestion level of the objects crossing or waiting to cross the pedestrian crossing area.

[0031] Processor 130 controls driving behavior using surrounding environment information regarding the congestion situation within the roundabout, and depending on whether other vehicles with a collision risk equal to or greater than a preset value are equipped with V2X communication functionality, it either negotiates with other vehicles or receives the result of driving negotiation arbitration from the RSU, and controls driving behavior regarding entering the roundabout.

[0032] The processor 130 receives information on the positions and predicted routes of other vehicles from other vehicles or RSUs, calculates the risk of collision with other vehicles using weights that are set differently depending on the classification of the roundabout, and controls the driving behavior of the traveling vehicle.

[0033] A driving control device at a roundabout according to another embodiment of the present invention includes an input unit 110 that receives driving information of other vehicles at a roundabout in a stagnant situation, a memory 120 in which a driving control program at a roundabout is stored, and a processor 130 that executes the program, and the processor 130 receives a result of driving negotiation arbitration from an RSU that has generated a guide different from the basic driving guide regarding the priority of turning vehicles in a stagnant situation, and controls the driving behavior at the roundabout based on the result of the driving negotiation arbitration.

[0034] The input unit 110 receives position and route information of a first other vehicle from a first other vehicle equipped with a V2X communication function, and receives position and predicted route information of a second other vehicle not equipped with a V2X communication function from the first other vehicle located within a surrounding area of ​​the second other vehicle that has been previously set.

[0035] The processor 130 controls the driving behavior to stop temporarily before entering the roundabout, and transmits a request for driving negotiation arbitration to the RSU, and the result of the driving negotiation arbitration is transmitted to the first other vehicle.

[0036] The result of the travel negotiation arbitration is displayed through a notification unit disposed in the center traffic island and provided to the driver of the second other vehicle.

[0037] The notification unit is located in a preset edge area of ​​the central traffic island, and the display surface is rotated according to the position of the second other vehicle.

[0038] The input unit 110 receives crossing situation information at crosswalks around a roundabout, and if the processor 130 determines using the crossing situation information that the congestion situation is a temporary congestion situation due to crossing, it controls the RSU not to transmit a request for driving negotiation arbitration, and controls the driving behavior according to the basic driving guide.

[0039] In another embodiment of the present invention, the input unit 110 of a driving control device at a roundabout additionally receives route information of a moving vehicle at the roundabout and VRU information of a crosswalk area located near the roundabout, and the processor 130 predicts the behavior of the VRU using the VRU recognition information and controls the driving behavior of the moving vehicle at the roundabout according to the prediction result.

[0040] The input unit 110 receives VRU information from at least one of a VRU device and an RSU that recognizes the VRU, and the VRU information includes behavior information regarding crossing or waiting to cross.

[0041] The processor 130 controls the driving behavior so as to stop temporarily in front of the pedestrian crossing, and transmits a notification message regarding the stop via V2V communication.

[0042] When processor 130 cannot receive an ACK for the notification message from another vehicle that is expected to be traveling in the same lane as the traveling vehicle and traveling in the same direction, processor 130 controls the traveling behavior to notify the other vehicle of the crossing situation.

[0043] The processor 130 controls the driving behavior so as to change the heading angle within a preset angle toward a lane closer to the other vehicle direction within the driving lane, or controls the illumination of the turn signal lights.

[0044] 2a to 2c show a driving control situation of a vehicle entering one lane at a spiral roundabout according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0045] Although Figs. 2a to 2c show a case where there is no pedestrian crossing near a roundabout, an embodiment described later shows a case where there is a pedestrian crossing near a roundabout.

[0046] If there is a pedestrian crossing near a roundabout, the vehicle will either cross the road at the crosswalk as in the embodiment described below, or the vehicle will recognize information from a VRU waiting to cross the road at the crosswalk, and the terminal possessed by the VRU will communicate with the vehicle terminal, or the vehicle's driving behavior at the roundabout will be controlled according to the RSU's driving negotiation command.

[0047] As another example, even if there is no crosswalk near a roundabout, there may be cases where a VRU crosses the road without permission. Therefore, if there is a VRU whose location information can be confirmed through video recognition near the roundabout, or if the movement route information of the terminal held by the VRU can be confirmed, the system checks whether the VRU is a typical legal pedestrian (i.e., a pedestrian who is not at risk of crossing the road without permission), is crossing the road without permission, or is likely to cross the road without permission. Information about the VRU is then provided to vehicles entering the roundabout or traveling within the roundabout, and driving behavior is controlled to prevent accidents with the VRU.

[0048] The traveling vehicle HV is a straight-moving vehicle that enters the roundabout from the 6 o'clock direction and attempts to exit in the 12 o'clock direction.

[0049] The traveling vehicle HV checks classification information (such as super mini roundabout, mini roundabout, one-lane roundabout, two-lane roundabout, spiral roundabout, at-grade roundabout, and multi-level roundabout) of the roundabout it is about to enter using the map information already constructed. Alternatively, it can check the roundabout information by recognizing road surrounding signs and identification codes (e.g., QR code) using a camera. Alternatively, it can check the information of the roundabout it is about to enter through communication with the RSU(R).

[0050] Since the traveling vehicle HV intends to travel along the travel route as described above, taking into consideration the classification information on the roundabout (spiral roundabout), it must travel on one lane and enter the roundabout. This is because when traveling on two lanes and entering a roundabout, only entering in the 3 o'clock direction is permitted. Therefore, if the driver has driving control of the traveling vehicle HV and is not traveling on one lane until the time of entering the roundabout (e.g., a preset distance, e.g., 300 meters from the pedestrian crossing located before entering the roundabout), the driver of the traveling vehicle HV is notified that he or she must change lanes to one lane. This allows the driver to change lanes to one lane in order to pass through the roundabout, such as entering in the 6 o'clock direction or exiting in the 12 o'clock direction. Alternatively, if the driving control of the traveling vehicle HV is in the vehicle and the vehicle has not entered the first lane until entering the roundabout due to traffic congestion or a special situation on the first lane (e.g., vehicle breakdown or vehicle-to-vehicle accident on the first lane), the vehicle enters the first lane within an area where entry into the first lane is permitted. Alternatively, the driving control of the traveling vehicle HV is switched (from the vehicle to the driver) so that the vehicle can enter the first lane through the driver's manual driving behavior control.

[0051] Referring to FIG. 2a, the moving vehicle HV has not yet entered the roundabout, and the first other vehicle RV1 has entered the roundabout from the 9 o'clock direction with one lane. If the moving vehicle HV and the first other vehicle RV1 are equipped with a V2X function, the moving vehicle HV and the first other vehicle RV1 can exchange mutual driving information (location information, route information, heading angle, and other driving information, for example, the first other vehicle can notify that it will enter from the 9 o'clock direction and exit from the 12 o'clock direction) through communication between them. Alternatively, the moving vehicle HV and the first other vehicle RV1 can communicate with an RSU(R) to transmit and receive driving-related information.

[0052] If the first other vehicle RV1 is not equipped with a V2X function, the traveling vehicle HV can receive information on the first other vehicle RV1 that has entered the roundabout and is traveling from the RSU(R), but at this time, the reliability level regarding the traveling route of the first other vehicle RV1 may be lower than when the traveling route is received directly from the first other vehicle RV1 equipped with the V2X function. This is because the traveling route of the first other vehicle RV1 received from the RSU(R) is information estimated based on the traveling behavior of the first other vehicle (the entered lane, the current heading angle, etc.), and the driver of the first other vehicle may ignore the traveling guide in the roundabout and travel (for example, entering one lane from the 9 o'clock direction, changing the lane to the second lane at the 6 o'clock direction, and exiting at the 3 o'clock direction). Therefore, it is preferable that the traveling vehicle volume HV does not simply calculate the collision risk using the driving route information of other vehicles and determine its own driving behavior, but rather sets a weight for each scenario in which the driving route information of other vehicles is received (i.e., a scenario regarding whether the information was sent by a certain entity) and applies this to the calculation of the collision risk to control the behavior of the traveling vehicle HV.

[0053] In this case, in relation to the reliability level, not only classification information on the roundabout but also various types of traffic conditions can be considered. For example, assume that the first other vehicle RV1 is not equipped with a V2X function and receives from the RSU(R) that it has entered the roundabout from the 9 o'clock direction. Meanwhile, a vehicle that has entered from the 9 o'clock direction can enter the roundabout through one lane, through two lanes, or in the same way at the 3 o'clock direction. That is, it is expected that a vehicle that has entered from the 9 o'clock direction through one lane will not change lanes to the two lanes. Furthermore, it is even more expected that a vehicle that has entered from the 9 o'clock direction through one lane will not change lanes to the two lanes in the solid line section outside the dotted line section within the roundabout. However, assuming that a large number of vehicles are stuck in one lane from 6 o'clock to 3 o'clock in the roundabout to exit in the 12 o'clock direction, when the first other vehicle RV1 enters the roundabout from the 9 o'clock direction into the single lane and exits in the 3 o'clock direction, it is highly likely that the first other vehicle RV1 will change lanes to the two lanes, and the behavior of the vehicle in response to the lane change at this time can be predicted using the heading angle of the first other vehicle, etc. Therefore, even if the first other vehicle RV1 of the same specifications has entered the roundabout from the same direction (9 o'clock direction) as received from the RSU(R), it is preferable to control the traveling behavior of the traveling vehicle RV by comprehensively taking into consideration the classification information regarding the roundabout and the traffic condition information within the roundabout.

[0054] Referring to FIG. 2b, the moving vehicle HV receives information on the movement of the first other vehicle RV1 from the first other vehicle RV1 or from the RSU(R) and waits until the first other vehicle RV1 passes through the roundabout. Then, as shown in FIG. 2c, when the first other vehicle RV1 passes a certain driving point in the roundabout (the certain driving point can be variably set according to classification information on the roundabout, route information of the moving vehicle, etc.), the moving vehicle HV enters the roundabout and drives along a desired route. For example, in the situation of FIG. 2b, if the first other vehicle RV1 notifies the moving vehicle RV of its driving route (entering in the 3 o'clock direction) through V2V communication, and according to the traffic situation information in the roundabout received through the RSU(R), if there is no congestion in the roundabout, it is highly likely that the first other vehicle RV1 will not suddenly brake and change lanes to two lanes, and therefore, when the first other vehicle RV1 passes through a certain driving point, the moving vehicle HV enters the roundabout and drives along a desired route. On the other hand, if the first other vehicle RV1 is not equipped with a V2X communication function and according to the traffic situation information within the roundabout received through the RSU(R), a traffic congestion is monitored on one lane from the 6 o'clock direction to the 3 o'clock direction at the roundabout, the traveling vehicle HV changes the fixed traveling point of the first other vehicle RV1 (to a point moved a little further toward the 3 o'clock direction compared to the above case), calculates the collision risk in preparation for the possibility of the first other vehicle RV1 changing lanes, and enables the traveling vehicle RV to safely enter the roundabout.

[0055] Figures 3a to 3c show the driving control situation of a vehicle entering two lanes at a spiral roundabout in an embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 3d shows the driving control situation of a vehicle at a lane-change suppression roundabout in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0056] The traveling vehicle HV is a straight-moving vehicle that enters the roundabout from the 6 o'clock direction and attempts to exit from the roundabout at the 3 o'clock direction.

[0057] The moving vehicle HV checks the classification information for the roundabout it is currently entering using already constructed map information, camera recognition information, and communication results with the RSU.

[0058] Since the traveling vehicle HV intends to travel along the travel route as described above, taking into consideration the classification information on the roundabout (spiral roundabout), it must travel on two lanes and enter the roundabout. This is because when traveling on one lane and entering a roundabout, it is permitted to enter in the 12 o'clock or 9 o'clock direction. Therefore, if the driver has driving control of the traveling vehicle HV and is not traveling on the two-lane until the time of entering the roundabout (e.g., a preset distance, e.g., 300 meters from the pedestrian crossing located before entering the roundabout), the driver of the traveling vehicle HV is notified that he or she must change lanes to the two-lane. This allows the driver to change lanes to the two-lane in order to pass through the roundabout, such as entering in the 6 o'clock direction or exiting in the 3 o'clock direction. Alternatively, if the driving control of the traveling vehicle HV is in the vehicle and the vehicle has not entered the two-lane and is not traveling on the two-lane by the time of entering the roundabout due to a special situation on the two-lane (for example, a vehicle breakdown or an accident between vehicles on the two-lane), the vehicle enters the two-lane within an area where entry onto the two-lane is permitted. Alternatively, the driving control of the traveling vehicle HV is switched (from the vehicle to the driver) so that the vehicle can enter the two-lane through the driver's manual driving behavior control.

[0059] Referring to FIG. 3a, the moving vehicle HV has not yet entered the roundabout, and the first other vehicle RV1 has entered the roundabout from the 9 o'clock direction with one lane. If the moving vehicle HV and the first other vehicle RV1 are equipped with a V2X function, the moving vehicle HV and the first other vehicle RV1 can exchange mutual driving information (location information, route information, heading angle, and other driving information, for example, the first other vehicle can notify that it will enter from the 9 o'clock direction and exit at the 12 o'clock direction) through communication between them. Alternatively, the moving vehicle HV and the first other vehicle RV1 can communicate with an RSU(R) to transmit and receive driving-related information.

[0060] If the first other vehicle RV1 is not equipped with a V2X function, the traveling vehicle HV can receive information about the first other vehicle RV1 that has entered the roundabout and is traveling from the RSU(R), but at this time, the reliability level regarding the traveling route of the first other vehicle RV1 is lower than when the traveling route is received directly from the first other vehicle RV1 equipped with the V2X function. This is because the traveling route of the first other vehicle RV1 received from the RSU(R) is information estimated based on the traveling behavior of the first other vehicle (the entered lane, the current heading angle, etc.), and there may be cases where the driver of the first other vehicle ignores the traveling guide in the roundabout and travels (for example, when entering one lane from the 9 o'clock direction, changing the lane from the 6 o'clock direction to the two-lane lane and entering in the 3 o'clock direction). Therefore, it is preferable that the traveling vehicle volume HV does not simply calculate the collision risk using the driving route information of other vehicles and determine its own driving behavior, but rather sets a different weight for each scenario in which the driving route information of other vehicles is received (i.e., a scenario regarding whether the information was sent by a certain entity), and applies this to the calculation of the collision risk to control the behavior of the traveling vehicle HV.

[0061] In this case, in relation to the reliability level, not only classification information on the roundabout but also various types of traffic conditions can be considered. For example, assume that the first other vehicle RV1 is not equipped with a V2X function and receives information from the RSU(R) that the first other vehicle RV1 has entered the roundabout from the 9 o'clock direction. However, a vehicle that has entered from the 9 o'clock direction can enter the roundabout through one lane, through two lanes, or in the same way at the 3 o'clock direction. That is, it is expected that a vehicle that has entered from the 9 o'clock direction through one lane will not change lanes to the two lanes. Furthermore, it is even more expected that a vehicle that has entered from the 9 o'clock direction through one lane will not change lanes to the two lanes in the solid line section outside the dotted line section within the roundabout. However, assuming that many vehicles are stuck in a traffic jam in the roundabout from the 6 o'clock to 3 o'clock direction to exit in the 12 o'clock direction, if the first other vehicle RV1 enters the roundabout in one lane from the 9 o'clock direction and exits in the 3 o'clock direction, it is highly likely that the first other vehicle RV1 will change lanes to the two lanes, and the behavior of the vehicle in response to the lane change at this time can be predicted using the heading angle of the first other vehicle, etc. Therefore, even if the first other vehicle RV1 of the same specifications has entered the roundabout in the same direction (9 o'clock direction) as received from the RSU(R), it is preferable to control the traveling behavior of the traveling vehicle RV by comprehensively taking into consideration the classification information regarding the roundabout and the traffic condition information within the roundabout.

[0062] Referring to Fig. 3b, when the traveling vehicle HV receives a notification from the first other vehicle RV1 that the first other vehicle will enter in the 12 o'clock direction and receives a notification from the RSU(R) that the traffic flow in the intersection is smooth, the traveling vehicle HV controls the traveling behavior to enter the roundabout and exit in the 3 o'clock direction. As shown in Fig. 3c, the traveling is performed along the mutually predicted traveling route, and the vehicles can travel safely through their own lanes without the risk of collision.

[0063] On the other hand, if the first other vehicle RV1 is not equipped with a V2X communication function and, according to the traffic situation information within the roundabout received through the RSU(R), a traffic jam is monitored on one lane from the 6 o'clock direction to the 3 o'clock direction at the roundabout, the traveling vehicle HV changes the fixed traveling point of the first other vehicle RV1 (to a point moved a little further toward the 3 o'clock direction compared to the above case), calculates the collision risk in preparation for the possibility of the first other vehicle RV1 changing lanes, and enables the traveling vehicle RV to safely enter the roundabout.

[0064] 3d, the first other vehicle RV1 is a vehicle that entered from the 9 o'clock direction via two lanes and may change lanes in the dotted line section of the roundabout. Therefore, since the traveling vehicle HV is more likely to change lanes in the dotted line section of the lane-change suppression roundabout than in the solid line section of the spiral roundabout, the collision risk is calculated by setting different weights for each situation, and the traveling vehicle HV travels according to a driving behavior control scenario that keeps the collision risk below a preset standard.

[0065] 4a to 4c show vehicle travel control situations based on pedestrian crossing area situation information at a spiral roundabout according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0066] The moving vehicle HV controls its driving behavior regarding passing the crosswalk by taking into consideration surrounding environment information for the object in the crosswalk area arranged in the direction of exiting from the roundabout, and negotiating driving with the device of the object or receiving the result of arbitration of the driving negotiation from the RSU. In this case, the moving vehicle HV controls its driving behavior using the result of the driving negotiation determined according to the congestion level of the object crossing or waiting to cross the crosswalk area.

[0067] Referring to Fig. 4a, the first VRU (V1) is a single object, and the moving vehicle HV enters the roundabout and the distance to the crosswalk is equal to or greater than a certain reference value (e.g., 20 meters). At this time, the moving vehicle HV communicates with the terminal of the first VRU (V1) or receives the result of driving negotiation from the RSU, and controls the driving behavior so that the first VRU (V1) crosses first and the moving vehicle HV advances in the 3 o'clock direction after the first VRU (V1) completes crossing. This is because, in a situation where there are no other pedestrians waiting at the crosswalk other than the first VRU (V1), there is no congestion within the roundabout, and the distance between the moving vehicle HV and the crosswalk in the 3 o'clock direction is greater than a certain distance, the possibility of an accident occurring is significantly lower when the first VRU (V1) crosses first and then the moving vehicle HV advances in the 3 o'clock direction than when it is different (for example, when the order of crossing and driving is reversed), and the difference in the time it takes for the moving vehicle HV to pass the roundabout is only less than a certain standard (for example, 30 seconds).

[0068] Referring to FIG. 4b, the second VRU (V2) has a congestion level of "2", which is higher than that of FIG. 4a. After the moving vehicle HV enters the roundabout, the distance to the pedestrian crossing is less than a certain reference value (e.g., 20 meters). At this time, the moving vehicle HV communicates with a terminal possessed by the second VRU (V2) or receives the result of driving negotiation from the RSU, so that the moving vehicle HV advances first in the 3 o'clock direction, and the second VRU (V2) crosses after the moving vehicle has passed. This is because the second VRU (V2) does not wait in front of the pedestrian crossing, but walks a certain distance (e.g., 10 meters) to the pedestrian crossing to wait for crossing. Since the distance between the moving vehicle HV and the pedestrian crossing in the 3 o'clock direction is less than a certain distance, the driving behavior of the moving vehicle HV is controlled so that it advances first in the 3 o'clock direction without suddenly stopping in front of the pedestrian crossing.

[0069] Referring to Figure 4c, the third VRU (V3) is at a congestion level of "3," which is higher than Figures 4a and 4b. Because the moving vehicles HV have not yet entered the roundabout, the third VRU (V3) will wait in a safe area such as a yield point or drive slowly until it reaches the crosswalk, rather than entering the roundabout until it reaches the crosswalk.

[0070] The VRU-related information includes the VRU's speed and direction information, and this is used to analyze the VRU's behavior. For example, it checks whether the VRU will suddenly jump into a crosswalk, and then controls the driving behavior to pass through the crosswalk and proceed into a roundabout.

[0071] 5a to 5e show vehicle travel control situations in a stationary state at a spiral roundabout according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0072] Referring to FIG. 5a, a traffic jam situation occurs in the roundabout due to vehicles entering the roundabout from the 9 o'clock and 6 o'clock directions. It is assumed that the first other vehicle RV1 and the third other vehicle RV3 are vehicles equipped with a V2X communication function. According to the conventional guideline, the moving vehicle HV must yield to the vehicles traveling on the turning lane, and therefore cannot enter the roundabout until all the traffic jam situations are resolved. Therefore, the driving guideline at the roundabout is modified so that the yield is mutually appropriate rather than unconditional yield, at the request of the moving vehicle HV that stopped before entering the roundabout, or through the RSU's own intervention and transmission of the result of the driving negotiation arbitration, or through vehicle-to-vehicle driving negotiation, and thus the driving behavior control at the roundabout is performed.

[0073] Referring to FIG. 5b, the first other vehicle RV1 and the third other vehicle RV3 are stopped in a certain distance from the tail of the preceding vehicle on each roadway, and then the moving vehicle HV enters the roundabout. At this time, the drivers of the second other vehicle (RV2) and the fourth other vehicle (RV4) that are not equipped with a V2X communication function are notified of the situation to yield to the moving vehicle HV by turning on the emergency lights of the first other vehicle RV1 and the third other vehicle (RV3). The moving vehicle HV in the case of inter-vehicle negotiation or the RSU(R) in the case of inter-vehicle negotiation arbitration receives the position and route information of the vehicle from the vehicle equipped with the V2X communication function, and in the case of a vehicle not equipped with the V2X communication function, the information of the vehicle is shared by acquiring it from other vehicles (vehicles equipped with the V2X communication function) located in the surrounding area of ​​the vehicle. The notification unit D arranged in the central traffic island displays the result of the driving negotiation arbitration of the RSU(R) so that the drivers of the vehicles RV2 and RV4 not equipped with the V2X communication function can be aware of the result of the driving negotiation arbitration. Such a notification unit D is arranged in a preset edge area in the central traffic island, and the display surface can be rotated taking into account the position information of the vehicles RV2 and RV4 not equipped with the V2X communication function, or the display surface can be rotated as the notification unit D moves along the rail.

[0074] Referring to Fig. 5c, a moving vehicle HV receives information on the cause of the traffic jam in the roundabout (pedestrian V3 crossing at the 3 o'clock crosswalk) from an RSU(R), determines that the traffic jam is temporary, and enters the roundabout when the traffic jam is resolved as shown in Fig. 5e. The RSU(R) can preemptively transmit traffic condition information in the roundabout to a moving vehicle HV that is about to enter the roundabout, or transmit traffic condition information in the roundabout in response to a request for arbitration from a moving vehicle HV.

[0075] 6a and 6b show vehicle driving control situations depending on whether the other vehicle is equipped with a V2X function at a spiral roundabout according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0076] Referring to FIG. 6a, the moving vehicle HV predicts the behavior of the VRU using the VRU recognition information, and controls the driving behavior of the moving vehicle HV at the roundabout according to the result. The moving vehicle HV receives VRU-related information from at least one of the device of the VRU (V2) and the RSU (R) that recognizes the VRU (V2), and such VRU-related information includes behavior information related to crossing or waiting to cross. When the moving vehicle HV recognizes a pedestrian waiting to cross, it controls its driving behavior to stop in front of the crosswalk and transmits a notification message regarding the stop to the surroundings. A third other vehicle (RV3) equipped with a V2X communication function recognizes the stop situation of the preceding moving vehicle HV through the notification message, and also stops in front of the crosswalk.

[0077] 6b, since the fourth other vehicle RV4 not equipped with a V2X communication function cannot receive an ACK message in response to the notification message transmitted by the moving vehicle HV, the moving vehicle HV controls its driving behavior to notify the fourth other vehicle (RV4, a vehicle that may move in the lane next to the moving vehicle and move in the direction of travel, i.e., 3 o'clock direction) of the crossing situation. In this case, the moving vehicle HV controls the driving behavior to change the heading angle within a preset angle toward the lane closer to the fourth other vehicle (RV4) in the driving lane, or controls the lighting of the turn signal lamp, thereby supporting safe driving according to the driving behavior of the moving vehicle HV ahead in the lane next to the moving vehicle RV4 even when the driver of the fourth other vehicle RV4 cannot recognize the situation in the blind spot.

[0078] FIG. 7 shows a method for controlling vehicle travel at a roundabout according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0079] In step S710, the RSU checks whether there is a vehicle approaching the roundabout within a preset distance using V2X, a camera, a radar, etc., and checks whether the vehicle is equipped with a V2X terminal through I2V communication. It assigns an ID to general vehicles that are not equipped with a V2X terminal, tracks and predicts the driving direction in the roundabout (using a camera, radar, etc.), and assigns an ID to vehicles equipped with a V2X terminal.

[0080] In step S720, a procedure for confirming information about the roundabout is performed, in step S730, a procedure for confirming the driving route of the first vehicle HV and the situation in the roundabout is performed, and in step S740, a driving control of the first vehicle is performed. For example, if the roundabout is confirmed as a roundabout with a separate right-turn lane in step S720, and if it is confirmed that the vehicle approaching the roundabout will turn right in step S730 and driving guidance to two lanes is necessary, step S740 allows the vehicle to enter the roundabout and then turn right. If it is confirmed in step S720 that the roundabout is a roundabout with a separate right-turn lane, or if it is confirmed in steps S720 and S730 that the first vehicle HV will not turn right at the roundabout with a separate right-turn lane, step S730 checks the vehicles traveling in the roundabout and determines whether or not it is possible to enter the roundabout. If there is a vehicle traveling in the roundabout, it is determined whether or not to request driving negotiation from the RSU by checking the congestion situation in the roundabout. If the other vehicle RV is equipped with a V2X terminal, vehicle-to-vehicle driving negotiation can be performed. Upon completion of the driving negotiation or upon receiving the result of the driving negotiation arbitration, the vehicle enters the roundabout at the time permitted in step S740, and exits the roundabout along the intended route. When exiting the roundabout, step S730 checks whether the VRU is crossing or waiting to cross the crosswalk in the exit direction, and if the VRU has a device capable of communication, V2P driving negotiation is performed, and if the VRU does not have a device capable of communication, the driving behavior control of the first vehicle HV in step S740 based on the driving negotiation arbitration of the RSU is performed. If it is confirmed in step S730 that the VRU has passed the crosswalk or that the VRU is at least a certain distance away from the crosswalk, the first vehicle HV passes through the crosswalk area and finally exits the roundabout in step S740.

[0081] FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating a computer system for implementing a method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0082] Referring to FIG. 8, the computer system 1000 may include at least one of a processor 1010, a memory 1030, an input interface device 1050, an output interface device 1060, and a storage device 1040, which communicate via a bus 1070. The computer system 1000 may also include a communication device 1020 coupled to a network. The processor 1010 may be a central processing unit (CPU) or a semiconductor device that executes instructions stored in the memory (1030) or the storage device 1040. The memory (1030) and the storage device 1040 may include various forms of volatile or non-volatile storage media. For example, the memory may include a read only memory (ROM) and a random access memory (RAM). In the embodiments described herein, the memory may be located inside or outside the processor, and the memory may be coupled to the processor through various means known in the art. The memory may be in various forms of volatile or non-volatile storage media, for example, the memory may include read-only memory (ROM) or random access memory (RAM).

[0083] Accordingly, embodiments of the present invention may be embodied as a computer-implemented method or as a non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon. In one embodiment, the computer-readable instructions, when executed by a processor, may perform a method according to at least one aspect of the present disclosure.

[0084] The communications device 1020 may transmit or receive wired or wireless signals.

[0085] Furthermore, the method according to the embodiment of the present invention may be embodied in the form of program instructions executed by various computer means and recorded in a computer-readable medium.

[0086] The computer readable medium may include, alone or in combination with other program instructions, data files, data structures, and the like. The program instructions recorded on the computer readable medium may be those specially designed and constructed for the embodiments of the present invention, or may be those known and available to those of ordinary skill in the art of computer software. The computer readable medium may include a hardware device configured to store and execute program instructions. For example, the computer readable medium may be a magnetic medium such as a hard disk, a floppy disk, or a magnetic tape, an optical medium such as a CD-ROM or a DVD, a magneto-optical medium such as a floptical disk, a ROM, a RAM, a flash memory, and the like. The program instructions may include not only machine language codes such as those produced by a compiler, but also high-level language codes that can be executed by a computer through an interpreter, etc.

[0087] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the scope of the present invention is not limited thereto, and various modifications and improvements made by those skilled in the art using the basic concept of the present invention defined in the following claims also belong to the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An input unit for receiving classification information and surrounding environment information regarding a roundabout that a traveling vehicle is approaching; A memory storing a vehicle driving control program at the roundabout; a processor that executes the vehicle driving control program; The processor determines a driving negotiation target based on classification information related to the roundabout, surrounding environment information, and route information of the traveling vehicle, and controls a vehicle driving behavior at the roundabout according to a result of the driving negotiation. The processor controls a vehicle's driving behavior with respect to passing through the pedestrian crossing area by taking into account the surrounding environment information for an object of the pedestrian crossing area arranged in a direction in which the traveling vehicle exits the roundabout, and by performing driving negotiation with a device of the object or receiving a result of arbitration of the driving negotiation of the RSU; The processor controls the vehicle driving behavior regarding passage through the pedestrian crossing area using a result of driving negotiation determined according to a congestion level of objects crossing or waiting to cross the pedestrian crossing area. A vehicle driving control device at a roundabout.

2. The input unit recognizes classification information regarding the roundabout using at least one of communication information with an RSU (Road Side Unit), map information, and camera recognition information. The vehicle travel control device at a roundabout according to claim 1, wherein

3. The input unit acquires an ID given by the RSU, and the ID is used as identification information when arbitrating a travel negotiation of the RSU. The vehicle travel control device at a roundabout according to claim 1, wherein

4. The processor uses the classification information for the roundabout and the route information to determine an entrance lane to the roundabout and transmits a driving command signal to navigate the entrance lane. The vehicle travel control device at a roundabout according to claim 1, wherein

5. The processor controls the vehicle driving behavior at the roundabout using the surrounding environment information regarding the congestion situation in the roundabout, and depending on whether or not another vehicle with a collision risk equal to or greater than a preset value is equipped with a V2X communication function, performs driving negotiations with the other vehicle, or receives the result of driving negotiation arbitration of the RSU, and controls the vehicle driving behavior regarding entry into the roundabout. The vehicle travel control device at a roundabout according to claim 1, wherein

6. The processor receives information on the positions and predicted routes of other vehicles from the other vehicles or the RSU, calculates a collision risk with the other vehicles using weights that are set differently depending on the classification of the roundabout, and controls the vehicle driving behavior at the roundabout. The vehicle travel control device at a roundabout according to claim 1, wherein

Citation Information

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