Vehicle control device

Abstract

To provide a vehicle control device capable of improving robustness with respect to a posture change of an occupant during preceding vehicle follow-up control in a saddle-type vehicle such as a motor cycle.SOLUTION: In a vehicle control device 100 of a saddle-type vehicle for controlling a driving force during preceding vehicle follow-up control for causing an own vehicle to follow a preceding vehicle, the driving force (control amount of preceding vehicle follow-up control) is corrected in accordance with the posture (posture change) of a driver detected by a posture detector 800 during the preceding vehicle follow-up control. The driving force is corrected on the basis of the posture, the driving torque of the own vehicle, and the acceleration of the own vehicle. In addition, the driving force (based on posture) is corrected on the basis of at least one of the speed of the own vehicle, a target speed, a distance between the own vehicle and the preceding vehicle. a target distance, and a relative speed.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle control device that is mounted on a saddle-type vehicle such as a motorcycle and that performs following travel while maintaining a safe distance and relative speed to a preceding vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] In order to reduce the burden on the driver (hereinafter also referred to as the driver, rider, or passenger) in driving a vehicle, a technology (Adaptive Cruise Control: ACC) is known that uses a radar or a camera to measure the distance and relative speed between the vehicle and the preceding vehicle, and automatically follows the preceding vehicle without the driver operating the accelerator or brake. In addition, a technology is known that calculates and compensates for the air resistance acting on the vehicle from the vehicle speed, the air resistance coefficient of the vehicle, and the frontal projection area of ​​the vehicle (see Patent Document 1 below). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2001-47887 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, unlike automobiles, motorcycles are a type of straddle-type vehicle, and the rider is not covered by the body or glass, so the air resistance while driving also changes depending on the rider's posture. Also, because the weight of the body of a motorcycle is lighter than that of a four-wheeled vehicle, the rider's posture has a large effect on the air resistance while driving. Therefore, when adaptive cruise control (ACC) for four-wheeled vehicles is applied to a motorcycle, controllability deteriorates if the rider changes his / her posture during operation.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle control device that can improve robustness against changes in the posture of the occupant during preceding vehicle following control in a saddle-type vehicle such as a motorcycle. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above problem, the vehicle control device of the present invention is a vehicle control device for a saddle-type vehicle that controls driving force during preceding vehicle following control to cause the vehicle to follow a preceding vehicle, and corrects the driving force in accordance with the driver's posture detected by an attitude detection device during the preceding vehicle following control. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to improve robustness against changes in the posture of an occupant during control to follow the preceding vehicle (improving the accuracy of the actual vehicle distance relative to the target vehicle distance, and improving the accuracy of the actual vehicle speed relative to the target vehicle speed).

[0008] Problems, configurations and effects other than those described above will become apparent from the following description of the embodiments. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] Block diagram of the ACC vehicle system configuration. [Diagram 2] 4 is a flowchart of a process for calculating a control command value of an ACC. [Diagram 3] 6 is a flowchart of a process for calculating acceleration relative to a preceding vehicle. [Figure 4] 4 is a flowchart of a process for calculating the coefficient of air resistance. [Diagram 5] A diagram of the forces acting on a moving motorcycle. [Figure 6] A diagram of a table of preset values ​​for the coefficient of air resistance. [Figure 7] 5 is a flowchart of a process for calculating a target engine acceleration. [Figure 8] 5 is a flowchart of a process for calculating a target brake deceleration. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A vehicle control device according to an embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings.

[0011] 1 is a block diagram showing a system configuration of a vehicle equipped with a vehicle control device according to an embodiment of the present invention. A vehicle control device 100 according to this embodiment is mounted on a saddle-type vehicle such as a motorcycle (hereinafter referred to as a vehicle or a host vehicle), and the vehicle is constructed according to the block diagram shown in FIG.

[0012] The vehicle control device 100 is connected to a stereo camera 200, and the inter-vehicle distance to the preceding vehicle and the road curvature measured by the stereo camera 200 are transmitted to the vehicle control device 100 by communication.

[0013] The stereo camera 200 has a CCD camera (right) and a CCD camera (left), and measures the distance to the preceding vehicle by inputting images acquired by the CCD camera (right) and the CCD camera (left) into image processing. The distance to the preceding vehicle is transmitted to the vehicle control device 100 via the vehicle's CAN (Car Area Network) bus through communication. In addition, the images acquired by the CCD camera (right) and the CCD camera (left) are processed to measure the curvature of the road ahead of the vehicle. The road curvature is also transmitted to the vehicle control device 100 via the vehicle's CAN bus.

[0014] The vehicle control device 100 is also connected to a wheel speed sensor 300 attached to the wheel, and the wheel speed sensor 300 measures the rotation speed of the tire 900, and the speed of the host vehicle (host vehicle speed) converted from the measured rotation speed is transmitted to the vehicle control device 100. The vehicle control device 100 is also connected to an ACC control switch 700, and driver's switch operation information is transmitted to the vehicle control device 100 to determine the start of ACC control, the release of ACC control, and the set speed during ACC driving (set vehicle speed). With this configuration, the vehicle control device 100 calculates the control amount by obtaining the distance to the preceding vehicle, the host vehicle speed (host vehicle speed), and the set speed during ACC driving (set vehicle speed).

[0015] Furthermore, the vehicle control device 100 calculates a control amount for the brake 410 and a control amount for the engine 510 based on the calculated control amount, and determines a method of notifying the driver.

[0016] The calculated control amount for the brake 410 is transmitted via communication to a brake control unit 400 connected to the vehicle control device 100, and the brake control unit 400 operates the brake 410, which is an actuator, and controls the deceleration of the vehicle using the frictional force against the tire 900.

[0017] Furthermore, the control amount of the engine 510 is transmitted to an engine control unit 500 connected to the vehicle control device 100 via communication, and the engine control unit 500 controls the engine 510 based on the control amount of the engine 510. The driving force generated by the engine 510 is multiplied through a clutch 520, a transmission 530, and a final gear (sprocket) 540, and transmitted to tires 900, thereby controlling the acceleration of the vehicle.

[0018] Furthermore, the method of notifying the driver determined by the vehicle control device 100 is transmitted via communication to a meter control unit 600 connected to the vehicle control device 100, and the meter control unit 600 uses a buzzer 620 to warn the driver with sound or notifies the driver of the control status using a display device 610.

[0019] The vehicle control device 100 is also connected to a posture detection device 800. The posture detection device 800 receives outputs from a camera 810, a radar 820, a seating sensor 830, and a bending sensor 840 attached to the clothing of the vehicle occupant, which are mounted on the vehicle, and estimates the riding posture of the occupant of the vehicle. The posture estimation result is transmitted to the vehicle control device 100. It is sufficient that the vehicle is equipped with any one of the camera 810, the radar 820, the seating sensor 830, and the bending sensor 840, and a configuration in which a plurality of sensors are mounted may also be used.

[0020] The camera 810 is installed in the vehicle so as to capture a part of the occupant's body, and transmits the captured image to the attitude detection device 800. The attitude detection device 800 estimates the attitude of the occupant from the image. Since the attitude is estimated based on the image, it is possible to estimate the attitude with high accuracy. If the vehicle is equipped with a drive recorder, the camera 810 may also function as the drive recorder.

[0021] The radar 820 is mounted on the vehicle so that the occupant is within its detection range, and transmits the acquired distance to the occupant (more specifically, the measured distance from the handlebars to the rider) to the attitude detection device 800. The attitude detection device 800 estimates the attitude of the occupant from the distance. Unlike the camera 810, by using the radar 820, the attitude of the occupant can be detected regardless of the lighting conditions.

[0022] The seating sensor 830 is a sensor that is mounted on the seat of the vehicle and can detect the position of the seat surface to which pressure is applied, and transmits the detection result to the posture detection device 800. The posture detection device 800 detects the posture of the occupant from the position. If the vehicle is equipped with a seating sensor for the purpose of realizing another function, the seating sensor can be used for both purposes, and the posture of the occupant can be detected without adding an additional sensor.

[0023] Bending sensor 840 is a sensor mounted on the elbow position of the occupant's clothes and capable of detecting the amount of bending of the occupant's elbow position, and wirelessly transmits the detection result to posture detection device 800. Posture detection device 800 detects the posture of the occupant from the amount of bending. By using bending sensor 840, it is possible to detect the posture of the occupant without adding a sensor for detecting posture to the vehicle body side.

[0024] The configuration of the vehicle (host vehicle) is not limited to the above example. For example, instead of the stereo camera 200, an external recognition sensor such as a millimeter wave radar, a monocular camera, a sonar, or a laser radar may be used to monitor the surroundings of the host vehicle and measure the inter-vehicle distance and relative speed with respect to a preceding vehicle. Also, the curvature of the road ahead of the vehicle may be acquired from map information or the like. Also, the host vehicle speed may be measured by a method other than the method using the wheel speed sensor 300. Also, the host vehicle may be an electric vehicle, a hybrid vehicle, a hydrogen vehicle, or the like other than a vehicle using the engine 510.

[0025] Next, detailed functions of the vehicle control device 100 shown in Fig. 1 will be described. The vehicle control device 100 is configured as a microcomputer (also called a microcomputer) equipped with a CPU, ROM, RAM, etc., and the CPU executes various programs stored in the ROM, and information generated by the CPU being executed is temporarily stored in the RAM. Although not shown in the figure, the vehicle control device 100 of this embodiment is configured to include a posture detection means for detecting the posture (posture change) of an occupant, and a driving force control means for changing (controlling) the driving force during ACC driving (more specifically, acceleration including deceleration) according to the posture.

[0026] The acceleration control of the vehicle control device 100 will be described with reference to the flowchart in Fig. 2. The processing of the vehicle control device 100 executes the processing shown in the flowchart in Fig. 2 at regular intervals, receives the above-mentioned inter-vehicle distance from the preceding vehicle, the set vehicle speed, and the vehicle speed, and calculates the control amount of the ACC by repeatedly executing the processing shown in the flowchart in Fig. 2.

[0027] In explaining the present contents, the symbols are defined as follows. The speed of the host vehicle is Vh. The speed of the leading vehicle is Vp. The relative speed with respect to the preceding vehicle is Vdiff, and a positive value indicates a direction away. The set vehicle speed is Vtgt. The distance to the preceding vehicle is assumed to be L. The headway time is Th. The distance to the leading vehicle when the vehicle stops following the leading vehicle is defined as Loffset. The target inter-vehicle distance is L_tgt. The target acceleration is TgtA. The target acceleration for the preceding vehicle is set to TgtA_Pv. The target acceleration for the set vehicle speed is set to TgtA_Spd. The acceleration (target engine acceleration) targeted on the drive control side to realize the target acceleration is defined as TgtA_Drv. The deceleration (target brake deceleration) targeted on the braking control side to realize the target acceleration is set to TgtA_Brk. The acceleration generated in the vehicle by engine braking is represented as EgBrkAccel. The drive torque request to the engine is designated as DrvTrqReq_Eg. The brake fluid pressure request to the brake is BrkPrsReq_Brk. The execution period of the acceleration control process is defined as Tc.

[0028] The control of the ACC by the vehicle control device 100 is executed from step S105, and the relative speed Vdiff between the preceding vehicle and the subject vehicle is calculated. Vdiff is obtained by time-differentiating L. Since the process S105 is executed periodically, L is stored in a RAM (Random Access Memory) or the like mounted on the vehicle control device 100, and Vdiff is obtained by taking the difference between L stored one control cycle before and the current L and dividing it by the cycle Tc.

[0029] Next, in ACC control permission determination S110, it is determined whether any of the following states exists and ACC control is not possible. A malfunction occurs in the vehicle control device 100. A failure occurs in a device external to the vehicle control device 100 (such as the stereo camera 200, the wheel speed sensor 300, the brake control unit 400, the engine control unit 500, or the meter control unit 600). -Camera images cannot be obtained (bad weather or dirty lens). - ACC is disabled by operating a switch. The driver is operating the brakes. A certain amount of time has passed since the clutch was released. -The gear position has been in an inappropriate combination for the driving speed for a certain period of time. Driving at an uncontrollable speed. The steering angle is above a certain level. · The target acceleration TgtA is above or below a certain level.

[0030] If any of the above states are met, it is deemed inappropriate to continue ACC, and ACC is cancelled (control prohibited). If neither of these states are met, ACC is continued (control permitted). If it is determined in judgment S110 that ACC should be cancelled, processing S175 and processing S185 are executed to cancel the engine drive torque request DrvTrqReq_Eg, which is a drive request to the engine, and the brake hydraulic pressure request BrkPrsReq_Brk, which is a braking request to the brakes, so that control is not performed. At that time, an alarm is sounded using the buzzer 620, and the control state is notified using the display device 610, to notify the end of ACC. By determining whether or not to permit ACC control based on whether the target acceleration (including the target deceleration) TgtA is equal to or higher than a certain value (above a predetermined upper limit value) or equal to or lower than a certain value (below a predetermined lower limit value), the occupant is prevented from being thrown off the vehicle due to sudden acceleration and deceleration of ACC.

[0031] If it is determined in the determination S110 that ACC should be continued, the process goes from S120 to S190.

[0032] In step S120, the target inter-vehicle distance L_tgt is calculated by the following equation (1).

[0033] [Number 1] L_tgt = Th×Vp+Loffset ···(1)

[0034] At this time, a value between 1 and 3 seconds is set for Th, and a value between 3 and 5 meters is set for Loffset. In addition, by providing a function to change Th and Loffset according to the driver's preference or the operation status of the steering switch, it becomes possible to drive at a vehicle distance that suits the driver's preference.

[0035] Vp used in the calculation of equation (1) can be calculated as (Vh+Vdiff).

[0036] Next, in step S130, a target acceleration TgtA_Pv for the preceding vehicle is calculated. The process for calculating the target acceleration for the preceding vehicle will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

[0037] The calculation method for TgtA_Pv changes depending on the position and speed relative to the preceding vehicle.

[0038] First, in judgment S132, it is confirmed whether or not there is a preceding vehicle to be controlled, and if there is no preceding vehicle, the process proceeds to step S138, where TgtA_Pv is set to an invalid value. If there is a preceding vehicle, the process proceeds to judgment S133, where it is determined whether the preceding vehicle is closer than the target inter-vehicle distance (whether L_tgt≧L), and if so, in step S134, a target acceleration for separating the preceding vehicle is calculated and set to TgtA_Pv. Furthermore, if the result of judgment S133 is that the preceding vehicle is farther away than the target inter-vehicle distance, in step S135, it is determined whether the relative speed with respect to the preceding vehicle is a positive value, that is, whether the preceding vehicle is faster (whether Vdiff>0). If the preceding vehicle is faster than the subject vehicle, in step S136, an invalid value is set to TgtA_Pv.

[0039] If it is determined in step S135 that the preceding vehicle is slower, then in step S137 a target acceleration for catching up with the preceding vehicle is calculated and set as TgtA_Pv.

[0040] The calculation of the target acceleration for separating in process S134 will be described below. The target acceleration for separating, TgtA_Pv_Leave, is calculated based on a map value set in advance on the basis of Vdiff and the deviation between L_tgt and L. The map value is set as follows so that the speed can be controlled by continuously changing the acceleration control so as to reduce the speed while approaching the preceding vehicle, reduce the speed while separating from the preceding vehicle, and accelerate while separating from the preceding vehicle, and to make the relative speed with the preceding vehicle zero. -Depending on the relative speed between the vehicle and the vehicle ahead, the vehicle slows down as it approaches the vehicle ahead. -Instead of reducing speed while distancing from the vehicle ahead, the system controls the vehicle to accelerate while distancing from the vehicle ahead.

[0041] The map value may also be switched according to the riding posture. For example, when the riding posture is such that the running resistance is small, such as when the riding posture is a forward leaning posture, and the preceding vehicle and the own vehicle suddenly approach each other (in other words, when the difference in relative speed is large and the inter-vehicle distance suddenly becomes closer to the target inter-vehicle distance), the deceleration command may be strengthened using a map value that reduces the target acceleration. This makes it possible to improve the accuracy of the actual inter-vehicle distance relative to the target inter-vehicle distance, even if the riding posture changes and the running resistance is reduced.

[0042] The calculation of the target acceleration for catching up in step S137 will be described below. The target acceleration for catching up, TgtA_Pv_Approach, is calculated using the following equation (2).

[0043] [Number 2] TgtA_Pv_Approach = -Vdiff^2÷{2×(L_tgt-L)} ···(2)

[0044] In order to prevent the vehicle from starting to decelerate from a long distance and re-accelerating due to the preceding vehicle accelerating during that time, and to prevent the ride comfort from being deteriorated, TgtA_Pv is set to an invalid value unless L is shorter than the deceleration start threshold L_Thr, and TgtA_Pv is set to TgtA_Pv_Approach if L is shorter than the deceleration start threshold L_Thr, thereby calculating the target acceleration for catching up. The deceleration start threshold L_Thr is usually set to a value of about 70m to 130m based on the behavior of the driver when driving without using ACC, resulting in control that is less uncomfortable. In addition, this deceleration start threshold may be variable depending on the vehicle speed, etc.

[0045] In step S140 of FIG. 2, a target acceleration TgtA_Spd for a set vehicle speed (also referred to as a target vehicle speed) is calculated by the following formula (3).

[0046] [Number 3] TgtA_Spd = K×(Vtgt-Vh) ···(3)

[0047] In the above formula (3), K is a positive constant and is set between 0.001 and 0.02. If K is set to a variable value, such as a large value when accelerating and a small value when decelerating, it is easy to drive without using the brakes for deceleration and to drive with good fuel efficiency. If Vh is fast, safety can be improved by setting K to a variable value so that the acceleration command is weak and the deceleration command is strong. In addition, if the deviation between Vtgt and Vh is large when the riding posture is a forward leaning posture such that the running resistance is small, K can be made large to strengthen the deceleration command. This makes it possible to improve the accuracy of the actual vehicle speed relative to the target vehicle speed even if the riding posture changes and the running resistance is small. In this way, it is desirable to adjust K as a variable value according to the stability of the vehicle and the driver's preferences.

[0048] In process S150, the target acceleration TgtA is determined. The target acceleration TgtA is determined by comparing TgtA_Pv calculated in process S130 and TgtA_Spd calculated in process S140, and selecting the smaller one, that is, the one that decelerates more, and setting it as TgtA. If TgtA_Pv is set to an invalid value, TgtA_Pv is ignored, and TgtA_Spd is selected and set as TgtA. If the value of TgtA changes suddenly, the behavior of the vehicle becomes unstable, so it is desirable to smooth the change in the value of TgtA by using a change amount (change rate) limit or a first-order lag filter. Furthermore, it is desirable to make it difficult to accelerate and easy to decelerate by giving priority to a comfortable ride and making the limit stronger on the acceleration side, and giving priority to safety and making the limit weaker on the deceleration side. Moreover, if the target acceleration TgtA is excessively large either in the acceleration or deceleration direction, there is a risk that the occupant may be thrown off, so upper and lower limits are imposed. That is, the amount of change in TgtA (corresponding to the amount of change in driving force) is limited so that it is within a predetermined value. In addition to limiting the amount of change in TgtA, TgtA is stored in RAM or the like in order to determine whether to continue ACC in decision S110.

[0049] In step S160, the current weight of the vehicle (vehicle weight) and the coefficient of air resistance are calculated. The contents of step S160 will be described with reference to FIG.

[0050] First, in judgment S161, it is judged whether the target acceleration TgtA_Pv for the preceding vehicle is an invalid value, or the curvature of the road ahead is equal to or greater than the judgment threshold (the road ahead of the vehicle has a certain degree of curvature), or the curvature of the road at the vehicle's position is equal to or greater than the judgment threshold (the road on which the vehicle is traveling has a certain degree of curvature). If the judgment in judgment S161 is True, in process S162, the coefficient of air resistance is set to the same value as that of one control cycle ago and is not changed. This provides the following effects. That is, when there is no preceding vehicle, or the distance between the preceding vehicle and the vehicle ahead is equal to or greater than the target distance between the vehicles and the preceding vehicle is faster, the risk of collision with the preceding vehicle is small, so the correction of the driving force instruction or the braking force instruction according to the riding posture is stopped, and the change in the command values ​​of the driving force and braking force of the ACC based on the change in the riding posture is suppressed to reduce the discomfort of the occupant. In addition, when the vehicle has started to turn or is in the process of turning (i.e., when the road ahead of the vehicle or the road on which the vehicle is traveling has a certain degree of curvature or more), the correction of the driving force command or braking force command according to the riding position is stopped in order to prevent the occupant from losing balance of the vehicle by suppressing changes in the riding position of the ACC's driving force and braking force command values.

[0051] If the determination in step S161 is False, in step S163, estimated values ​​of the weight of the host vehicle and the coefficient of air resistance are calculated.

[0052] The contents of process S163 will be described with reference to Fig. 5. If the force acting on the vehicle in the longitudinal direction is defined as the driving force (driving torque) generated by engine 510 and applied to tires 900 through clutch 520, transmission 530, and final gear 540, the gradient resistance due to the road gradient, and the running resistance (air resistance), the equation of motion related to the force acting on the vehicle in the longitudinal direction is expressed by the following formula (4).

[0053] [Number 4] (Vehicle weight) x (Vehicle acceleration) = (driving force) + (gradient resistance) + (running resistance) = (driving force) + (weight of vehicle) × (slope component of gravitational acceleration) + (coefficient of air resistance) × (vehicle speed) × (vehicle speed) (4)

[0054] In the above formula (4), the host vehicle acceleration is calculated from the differential value of the wheel speed, and the slope direction component of the gravitational acceleration can be calculated by comparing the longitudinal acceleration sensor value mounted on the host vehicle with the differential value of the wheel speed. As a result, the host vehicle weight and the coefficient of air resistance are the two unknowns, and if the host vehicle acceleration, the slope direction component of the gravitational acceleration, and the host vehicle speed can be obtained at different control periods while traveling, the host vehicle weight and the coefficient of air resistance can be estimated. The host vehicle acceleration, the slope direction component of the gravitational acceleration, the host vehicle speed, and the past values ​​of the riding posture output from the posture detection device 800 are stored in a RAM or the like, and the host vehicle weight and the coefficient of air resistance are calculated in step S163 using the past values ​​of the host vehicle acceleration, the slope direction component of the gravitational acceleration, and the host vehicle speed when the riding posture is the same as the current value, and the current host vehicle acceleration, gradient resistance, and the host vehicle speed. Upper and lower limits to which the calculation result is allowed are set in advance, and if the calculation result is outside the range, a restriction is imposed. For example, the weight of the vehicle is restricted to a lower limit of the vehicle weight plus the weight of the driver when one is on board, and an upper limit of the total vehicle weight.

[0055] A determination is made in S164 as to whether the weight of the host vehicle and the coefficient of air resistance have been calculated, and if the result is True, then in step S165 the host vehicle weight is set to the estimated value of the host vehicle weight calculated in step S163. If the result of determination in S164 is False, then in step S167 the host vehicle weight is set to the same value as that of the previous control cycle.

[0056] If the result of the determination in S164 is True, a correction gain R for absorbing the difference in the magnitude of air resistance due to the physique of the occupant is calculated in step S166. The vehicle control device 100 has a preset value table of the coefficient of air resistance in advance as an initial value of the coefficient of air resistance. The preset value table of the coefficient of air resistance is a table corresponding to the riding posture when an occupant with a standard physique is assumed. In step S166, the riding posture of the occupant output from the posture detection device 800 is read, and a preset value of the coefficient of air resistance corresponding to the current riding posture is calculated from the preset value table of the coefficient of air resistance. If the riding posture is a discrete value, the coefficient of air resistance is selected according to the riding posture, and if the riding posture is a continuous value, the coefficient of air resistance may be calculated by linear interpolation. Next, the estimated value of the coefficient of air resistance calculated in step S163 is compared with the preset value table of the coefficient of air resistance corresponding to the current riding posture, and the magnification is set to R. R represents the difference between the physique of a standard occupant and the actual physique of the occupant. If R is greater than 1, it means that the actual occupant's physique is larger than the standard occupant's physique, and if R is smaller than 1, it means that the actual occupant's physique is smaller than the standard occupant's physique. If the result of determination in S164 is False, in process S168, the correction gain R for the occupant's physique is set to the same value as that of one control cycle ago.

[0057] Process S166 enables the vehicle control device 100 to calculate the difference between the standard occupant's physique and the actual occupant's physique (as a correction gain R), and process S168 enables the vehicle control device 100 to retain the occupant's physique information up to that point, even if for some reason an estimate of the current air resistance coefficient cannot be calculated in process S163.

[0058] In process S169, the coefficient of air resistance is calculated. First, the preset value table of the coefficient of air resistance described above is multiplied by the correction gain R of the physique of the occupant to calculate the preset value table of the coefficient of air resistance according to the current (actual) physique of the occupant. If R is greater than 1, the actual occupant's physique is assumed to be larger than the standard occupant's physique, and the entire preset value table of the coefficient of air resistance is calculated to be larger, and if R is less than 1, the actual occupant's physique is assumed to be smaller than the standard occupant's physique, and the entire preset value table of the coefficient of air resistance is calculated to be smaller (see FIG. 6). Finally, based on the riding posture of the occupant read from the posture detection device 800, the coefficient of air resistance according to the current riding posture is calculated from the preset value table of the coefficient of air resistance multiplied by R. If the riding posture is a discrete value, the coefficient of air resistance is selected according to the riding posture, and if the riding posture is a continuous value, it may be obtained by linear interpolation.

[0059] This makes it possible to calculate the coefficient of air resistance taking into account both the posture and physique of the occupant in process S160. Even if the determination result in determination S164 is False and the correction gain R for the coefficient of air resistance cannot be updated, the coefficient of air resistance taking into account the posture of the occupant can be calculated using the correction gain R for the physique of the occupant up to that point.

[0060] In this process S160, the current weight of the vehicle (vehicle weight) and the coefficient of air resistance acting on the vehicle are calculated, making it possible to calculate the running resistance (air resistance) taking into account the posture of the occupants, which affects the acceleration / deceleration (driving force) of the vehicle, in subsequent processes.

[0061] In step S170, a target engine acceleration TgtA_Drv is calculated.

[0062] The target engine acceleration TgtA_Drv is calculated based on the target acceleration TgtA calculated in step S150. The contents of step S170 will be described with reference to FIG.

[0063] First, in step S172, the acceleration EgBrkAccel generated in the vehicle by engine braking is calculated. EgBrkAccel is set to a value set according to the engine and transmission specifications and the gear ratio in accordance with Vh. Next, in step S173, the acceleration RunResistAccel due to running resistance is calculated. The running resistance is calculated using the coefficient of air resistance calculated in step S160 and Vh. In addition, the gradient of the road surface calculated from a comparison between the longitudinal acceleration sensor value mounted on the vehicle and the differential value of the wheel speed as the gradient resistance is added to the running resistance. Next, in step S174, it is determined whether the value obtained by subtracting the acceleration RunResistAccel due to running resistance from the target acceleration TgtA, that is, the value obtained by correcting the target acceleration TgtA by the running resistance in order to realize the target acceleration TgtA for the host vehicle, is larger or smaller than the acceleration EgBrkAccel generated in the vehicle by engine braking, and it is determined whether the target acceleration TgtA can be realized with an acceleration that can be operated by engine output control. If it is determined in S174 that the target acceleration TgtA can be realized with an acceleration that can be controlled by engine output control, then in step S175, the value obtained by subtracting the acceleration RunResistAccel due to running resistance from the target acceleration TgtA is set to TgtA_Drv. If it is determined in S174 that the target acceleration TgtA cannot be realized with an acceleration that can be controlled by engine output control, then in step S176, the acceleration EgBrkAccel generated in the vehicle by engine braking is set to TgtA_Drv. Then, in step S177, a dead band is set in TgtA_Drv to reduce the discomfort felt by the driver due to vibrations in the vehicle body caused by minute fluctuations in the driving force of the engine.

[0064] In step S180, a target braking deceleration TgtA_Brk is calculated.

[0065] The target braking deceleration TgtA_Brk is calculated based on the target acceleration TgtA calculated in step S150, the acceleration RunResistAccel due to running resistance calculated in step S173, and the target engine acceleration TgtA_Drv calculated in step S170. The contents of step S180 will be described with reference to FIG.

[0066] First, in step S182, TgtA_Drv and RunResistAccel are subtracted from TgtA and the sign is inverted to calculate the target brake deceleration TgtA_Brk required for braking. Next, in steps S183 and S184, it is determined whether the brake request is a weak brake that is smaller than the threshold value of TgtABrkInitThr when the brake control has not yet started. If the conditions of steps S183 and S184 are both satisfied, then in step S185, TgtA_Brk calculated in step S182 is set to zero and invalidated. By including a series of steps S183, S184, and S185, the brake is kept in an actuated state, and the phenomenon of repeated actuation and release during vehicle driving does not occur, improving the ride comfort. At this time, the threshold value TgtABrkInitThr is set as a constant value, and if it is set too large, the start of deceleration is delayed, resulting in a sudden braking. Conversely, if it is set too small, the vehicle rattle cannot be suppressed. Therefore, it is desirable to set the value by restricting it according to the braking performance and stability of the vehicle.

[0067] Next, in process S186, limit processing is performed on TgtA_Brk with zero as the lower limit to prevent an erroneous request for acceleration from being issued to the brakes. Next, in process S187, a dead band is set for TgtA_Brk to reduce the discomfort felt by the driver due to vibrations in the vehicle body caused by minute fluctuations in the output from the brakes, and the deceleration (target brake deceleration) TgtA_Brk is set as the target deceleration on the brake control side to achieve the target acceleration. In process S188, TgtA_Brk is stored in RAM or the like (as TgtA_Brk_old) in order to determine the start of brake control in decision S183.

[0068] In process S190, a driving torque request DrvTrqReq_Eg to the engine and a brake fluid pressure request BrkPrsReq_Brk to the brakes are calculated. The driving torque request DrvTrqReq_Eg to the engine is calculated based on the target engine acceleration TgtA_Drv shown in process S170, taking into consideration the weight of the host vehicle, the tire radius, and the gear ratio of the transmission. The brake fluid pressure request BrkPrsReq_Brk to the brakes is calculated by converting the target brake deceleration TgtA_Brk shown in process S180 into brake fluid pressure, taking into consideration the weight of the host vehicle and the brake characteristics.

[0069] In addition to controlling the acceleration shown in FIG. 2, the vehicle control device 100 performs communication processing to generate display information to be presented to the driver and transmit the display information via communication in controlling the ACC.

[0070] The process of generating the display information generates switch information obtained from the ACC control switch 700 and information indicating whether the ACC is under control based on the result of the determination in S110. In addition, preceding vehicle detection information by the stereo camera 200 (whether the stereo camera 200 has detected a preceding vehicle to be controlled) and control information such as the set vehicle speed used in process S140 are set as display information.

[0071] In the communication process, BrkPrsReq_Brk calculated as the brake hydraulic pressure request to the brakes is sent to the brake control unit 400, DrvTrqReq_Eg calculated as the drive torque request to the engine is sent to the engine control unit 500, and the display information generated in the process of generating display information is sent to the meter control unit 600.

[0072] The ACC control switch 700 is installed in a location where the driver can easily operate while driving, such as a switch on the vehicle's steering wheel or a lever attached to the steering column, and is used by the driver to start ACC control, release ACC control, and change the set speed when driving with ACC. The ACC control switch 700 includes a switch for starting ACC, a switch for releasing ACC, a switch for changing the set speed when driving with ACC, and a switch for changing the distance from the vehicle ahead when driving with ACC as necessary.

[0073] The brake control unit 400 controls the brake 410 using the BrkPrsReq_Brk transmitted from the vehicle control device 100 .

[0074] The engine control unit 500 uses the DrvTrqReq_Eg transmitted from the vehicle control device 100 to control the engine 510 .

[0075] The meter control unit 600 controls the display device 610 and the buzzer 620 in response to the display information communicated from the vehicle control device 100, and issues warnings and notifies the driver of the control state.

[0076] As described above, the vehicle control device 100 of this embodiment is a vehicle control device for a saddle-type vehicle that controls the driving force during preceding vehicle following control to cause the host vehicle to follow the preceding vehicle, and corrects the driving force (which is the control amount of the preceding vehicle following control) in accordance with the driver's posture (posture change) detected by the posture detection device 800 during the preceding vehicle following control.

[0077] The vehicle control device 100 corrects the driving force based on the attitude, the driving torque of the host vehicle, and the acceleration of the host vehicle. The vehicle control device 100 corrects the driving force (according to the attitude) based on at least one of the host vehicle speed, the target speed, the inter-vehicle distance between the host vehicle and the preceding vehicle, the target inter-vehicle distance, and the relative speed.

[0078] According to this embodiment, it is possible to improve robustness against changes in the posture of the occupant during control to follow the preceding vehicle (improving the accuracy of the actual vehicle distance relative to the target vehicle distance, and improving the accuracy of the actual vehicle speed relative to the target vehicle speed).

[0079] Next, a modification of the vehicle control device 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0080] In the above embodiment, a sensor or the like outside the vehicle control device 100 is used as the attitude detection device 800, but a configuration without using these is also possible. For example, on a road surface with no gradient change, the vehicle control device 100 calculates an amount of disturbance estimated from the difference between the acceleration (estimated vehicle acceleration) assumed from the actual engine driving force and the acceleration (actual vehicle acceleration actually occurring in the vehicle) obtained from the longitudinal G sensor value, and the vehicle attitude (attitude change) can be detected based on whether the amount of disturbance that suddenly changes corresponds to a change in the attitude of the occupant. Then, the acceleration (driving force) control, which is the control amount of the ACC, can be realized from the attitude (attitude change) detected using the difference between the estimated vehicle acceleration and the actual vehicle acceleration. In addition, in the above embodiment, the air resistance amount for correcting the target acceleration is calculated by changing the coefficient of air resistance according to the riding attitude, but the target acceleration may be corrected by the disturbance amount after detecting the riding attitude according to the disturbance amount. This makes it possible to realize the configuration of this embodiment while reducing costs without adding a sensor outside the vehicle control device 100.

[0081] In addition, although the above embodiment is described with a motorcycle as the saddle-type vehicle, the scope of application is not limited to motorcycles, but is effective for any vehicle in which the riding position affects air resistance. Therefore, the scope of application is not limited to motorcycles, but includes three-wheeled motorcycles with two front wheels and one rear wheel, three-wheeled motorcycles with one front wheel and two rear wheels, and four-wheeled motorcycles with two front and two rear wheels.

[0082] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and includes various modified forms. For example, the above-described embodiment has been described in detail to clearly explain the present invention, and the present invention is not necessarily limited to the embodiment having all of the described configurations.

[0083] In addition, the above-mentioned configurations, functions, processing units, processing means, etc. may be realized in part or in whole by hardware, for example, by designing them as integrated circuits. In addition, the above-mentioned configurations, functions, etc. may be realized in software by a processor interpreting and executing a program that realizes each function. Information such as the program, table, file, etc. that realizes each function can be stored in a storage device such as a memory, a hard disk, or an SSD (Solid State Drive), or in a recording medium such as an IC card, an SD card, or a DVD.

[0084] In addition, the control lines and information lines shown are those that are considered necessary for the explanation, and not all control lines and information lines in the product are necessarily shown. In reality, it can be considered that almost all components are connected to each other. [Explanation of symbols]

[0085] 100 Vehicle control device 200 Stereo Camera 300 Wheel Speed ​​Sensor 400 Brake control unit 410 Brake 500 Engine Control Unit 510 Engine 520 Clutch 530 Transmission 540 Final Gear 600 Meter Control Unit 610 Display device 620 Buzzer 700 ACC control switch 800 Attitude detection device 810 Camera 820 Radar 830 Seat Sensor 840 Bending Sensor 900 Tires

Claims

1. A vehicle control device for a saddle-type vehicle that controls a driving force during a preceding vehicle following control for causing a host vehicle to follow a preceding vehicle, A vehicle control device that corrects the driving force in response to a driver's posture detected by a posture detection device during the preceding vehicle following control, A vehicle control device comprising: a vehicle control unit that corrects the driving force based on the attitude, the driving torque of the host vehicle, and the acceleration of the host vehicle.

2. A vehicle control device for a saddle-type vehicle that controls a driving force during a preceding vehicle following control for causing a host vehicle to follow a preceding vehicle, A vehicle control device that corrects the driving force in response to a driver's posture detected by a posture detection device during the preceding vehicle following control, A vehicle control device comprising: a vehicle control unit that corrects the driving force based on an estimated vehicle acceleration estimated from the driving force and an actual vehicle acceleration actually occurring in the vehicle.

3. A vehicle control device for a saddle-type vehicle that controls a driving force during a preceding vehicle following control for causing a host vehicle to follow a preceding vehicle, A vehicle control device that corrects the driving force in response to a driver's posture detected by a posture detection device during the preceding vehicle following control, A vehicle control device comprising: a control unit for controlling a vehicle, the control unit controlling the amount of change in the driving force being limited so that the amount of change in the driving force is within a predetermined value.

4. A vehicle control device for a saddle-type vehicle that controls a driving force during a preceding vehicle following control for causing a host vehicle to follow a preceding vehicle, A vehicle control device that corrects the driving force in response to a driver's posture detected by a posture detection device during the preceding vehicle following control, A vehicle control device characterized in that, when the target deceleration or target acceleration of the host vehicle becomes equal to or greater than a predetermined upper limit value or equal to or less than a predetermined lower limit value, an alarm is sounded and control for following the preceding vehicle is terminated.

5. A vehicle control device for a saddle-type vehicle that controls a driving force during a preceding vehicle following control for causing a host vehicle to follow a preceding vehicle, A vehicle control device that corrects the driving force in response to a driver's posture detected by a posture detection device during the preceding vehicle following control, A vehicle control device characterized in that, when the road ahead of the vehicle or the road on which the vehicle is traveling has a curvature of a certain degree or more, correction of the driving force instruction according to the attitude is stopped.

6. A vehicle control device for a saddle-type vehicle that controls a driving force during a preceding vehicle following control for causing a host vehicle to follow a preceding vehicle, A vehicle control device that corrects the driving force in response to a driver's posture detected by a posture detection device during the preceding vehicle following control, A vehicle control device characterized in that, when the distance to the preceding vehicle is equal to or greater than a target distance and the speed of the preceding vehicle is greater than the speed of the host vehicle, correction of a driving force command according to the attitude is stopped.

7. A vehicle control device for a saddle-type vehicle that controls a driving force during a preceding vehicle following control for causing a host vehicle to follow a preceding vehicle, A vehicle control device that corrects the driving force in response to a driver's posture detected by a posture detection device during the preceding vehicle following control, Calculating an estimated value of a weight of the host vehicle and a coefficient of air resistance acting on the host vehicle; comparing the estimated coefficient of air resistance with a preset value table of coefficients of air resistance corresponding to the current riding posture assuming an occupant of a standard build, and calculating a correction gain representing a difference between the physique of the standard occupant and the physique of the actual occupant; multiplying the preset value table of the coefficient of air resistance by the correction gain for the physique of the occupant to calculate a preset value table of the coefficient of air resistance corresponding to the actual physique of the occupant; a vehicle control device that corrects the driving force by calculating an air resistance coefficient corresponding to the current riding posture during the preceding vehicle following control from a preset value table of the air resistance coefficient multiplied by the correction gain based on the current riding posture.

8. A vehicle control device for a saddle-type vehicle that controls a driving force during a preceding vehicle following control for causing a host vehicle to follow a preceding vehicle, A vehicle control device that corrects the driving force in response to a driver's posture detected by a posture detection device during the preceding vehicle following control, 2. A vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein the posture detection device estimates the posture from an amount of bending of the driver's elbow using a bending sensor attached to the driver's clothes.

9. A vehicle control device for a saddle-type vehicle that controls a driving force during a preceding vehicle following control for causing a host vehicle to follow a preceding vehicle, A vehicle control device that corrects the driving force in response to a driver's posture detected by a posture detection device during the preceding vehicle following control, A vehicle control device, characterized in that the attitude detection device estimates the attitude from an estimated vehicle acceleration estimated from the driving force and an actual vehicle acceleration actually occurring in the vehicle.

10. The vehicle control device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, A vehicle control device comprising: a vehicle control unit that corrects the driving force based on at least one of a vehicle speed of the host vehicle, a target speed, a vehicle-to-vehicle distance between the host vehicle and the preceding vehicle, a target vehicle-to-vehicle distance, and a relative speed.

11. The vehicle control device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, 8 and 9, A vehicle control device comprising: a vehicle control unit that corrects the driving force by calculating an air resistance coefficient according to a current riding posture during the preceding vehicle following control.

12. The vehicle control device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, 2. A vehicle control device, comprising: a vehicle attitude detection device that estimates the attitude from a camera mounted on the host vehicle.

13. The vehicle control device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein the attitude detection device estimates the attitude by measuring a distance from a steering wheel to a driver using a radar mounted on the vehicle.

14. The vehicle control device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein the attitude detection device estimates the attitude from a seating sensor mounted on the host vehicle.

15. The vehicle control device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, 2. A vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein the posture detection device estimates the posture from an amount of bending of the driver's elbow using a bending sensor attached to the driver's clothes.

16. The vehicle control device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, A vehicle control device, characterized in that the attitude detection device estimates the attitude from an estimated vehicle acceleration estimated from the driving force and an actual vehicle acceleration actually occurring in the vehicle.

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