Vehicle control device

Abstract

To allow use of information to be obtained from each sensor according to a situation.SOLUTION: A vehicle control device 10 is loaded on a vehicle to control the vehicle and comprises: a sensor unit 13 which detects a target; a first acquisition unit 11 which acquires information from a roadside sensor which detects the target; a second acquisition unit 14 which acquires position information of the vehicle; and a control unit 15 which determines whether to use either or both of first target information obtained by the sensor unit 13 and second target information obtained by the roadside sensor on the basis of a first position of the target, a second position of the vehicle, and a third position of the roadside sensor to control the vehicle on the basis of determination content.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a vehicle control device. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a technology for providing driving assistance while detecting the situation around a vehicle using a plurality of different sensors. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2006-195641 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] There has been a problem in that the accuracy of the information obtained from each sensor differs depending on factors such as the positional relationship between the target to be detected and the multiple sensors used to detect the target.

[0005] The objective of this disclosure is to enable situation-specific use of the information obtained from each sensor. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The vehicle control device according to the present disclosure includes: A vehicle control device mounted on a vehicle and controlling the vehicle, A sensor unit that detects a target; A first acquisition unit that acquires information from a roadside sensor that detects the target; A second acquisition unit that acquires position information of the vehicle; a control unit that determines whether to use either or both of the first target information obtained by the sensor unit and the second target information obtained by the roadside sensor based on a first position of the target, a second position of the vehicle, and a third position of the roadside sensor, and controls the vehicle based on the determination result; Equipped with. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to utilize information obtained from each sensor according to the situation. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a functional block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a vehicle control system including a vehicle control device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 2] 2 is a flowchart for explaining an example of a vehicle control method executed by the vehicle control device of FIG. [Diagram 3] 3 is a schematic diagram for explaining a specific example of the vehicle control method shown in FIG. 2. [Figure 4] 1. FIG. 4 is a first schematic diagram for explaining a first example of a process of determining the possibility of a collision by the vehicle control device of FIG. [Diagram 5] 1. FIG. 4 is a second schematic diagram for explaining a first example of the process of collision possibility determination by the vehicle control device of FIG. [Figure 6] 1. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram for explaining a second example of the process of determining the possibility of a collision by the vehicle control device of FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0010] Fig. 1 is a functional block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a vehicle control system 1 including a vehicle control device 10 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. With reference to Fig. 1, an overview of the vehicle control system 1 including the vehicle control device 10 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be mainly described. The vehicle control system 1 has a roadside sensor device 20 in addition to the vehicle control device 10. The vehicle control device 10 is mounted on a vehicle.

[0011] 1, for ease of explanation, only one vehicle control device 10 is illustrated, and the vehicle control system 1 includes one vehicle equipped with the vehicle control device 10, but this is not limited to the above. The vehicle control system 1 may include two or more vehicle control devices 10. In other words, when one vehicle control device 10 is equipped in one vehicle, the vehicle control system 1 may include two or more vehicles.

[0012] For ease of explanation, only one roadside sensor device 20 is illustrated in FIG. 1, but the vehicle control system 1 may have two or more roadside sensor devices 20.

[0013] The vehicle control device 10 and the roadside sensor device 20 are connected to each other so as to be able to wirelessly communicate with each other. Road-to-vehicle communication is performed between the vehicle control device 10 mounted on the vehicle and the roadside sensor device 20 installed on the road.

[0014] The vehicle control device 10 is a device that controls the autonomous driving of the vehicle on which it is mounted, or assists the driver in driving the vehicle. As an overview of one embodiment, the vehicle control device 10 controls a vehicle. The vehicle control device 10 detects targets present around the vehicle control device 10 under conditions in which the targets can be detected. In this disclosure, the "targets" include, for example, other vehicles, pedestrians, bicycles, and any other obstacles. The vehicle control device 10 acquires the first information by itself. In this disclosure, the "first information" includes, for example, information regarding the presence or absence of detection of a target, and target information including the position, speed, and direction of the detected target. In addition, the vehicle control device 10 also acquires position information of the vehicle.

[0015] The vehicle control device 10 acquires second information from a roadside sensor of the roadside sensor device 20 that detects a target object. In the present disclosure, the "second information" acquired from the roadside sensor includes, for example, information on whether a target object has been detected, target information including the position, speed, and direction of the detected target object, and position information of the roadside sensor.

[0016] The vehicle control device 10 determines whether to use either or both of the first target information obtained by the vehicle control device 10 and the second target information obtained by the roadside sensor based on the first position of the target, the second position of the vehicle, and the third position of the roadside sensor, and controls the vehicle based on the determination result. In the present disclosure, the "first target information" includes, for example, the position, speed, and direction of the target. The first target information corresponds to the target information included in the first information obtained by the vehicle control device 10 itself. The "second target information" includes, for example, the position, speed, and direction of the target. The second target information corresponds to the target information included in the second information obtained by the vehicle control device 10 from the roadside sensor.

[0017] The vehicle may be any type of automobile, such as a gasoline vehicle, a diesel vehicle, a hydrogen vehicle, a HEV, a PHEV, a BEV, or a FCEV. "HEV" is an abbreviation for Hybrid Electric Vehicle. "PHEV" is an abbreviation for Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle. "BEV" is an abbreviation for Battery Electric Vehicle. "FCEV" is an abbreviation for Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle. The vehicle may be an AV, may be driven by a driver, or may be automated at any level. "AV" is an abbreviation for Autonomous Vehicle. The level of automation may be, for example, any of levels 1 to 5 in the SAE level classification. "SAE" is an abbreviation for Society of Automotive Engineers. The vehicle may be a MaaS-only vehicle. "MaaS" is an abbreviation for Mobility as a Service.

[0018] The roadside sensor device 20 is a roadside device that provides the second information to the vehicle by wireless communication with the vehicle through road-to-vehicle communication. The roadside sensor device 20 detects targets that exist around the roadside sensor device 20 under conditions where the targets can be detected. By providing the second information to the vehicle equipped with the vehicle control device 10, the roadside sensor device 20 contributes to controlling the autonomous driving of the vehicle or supporting the driver's driving of the vehicle in cooperation with the vehicle control device 10.

[0019] An example of the configuration of each of a vehicle control device 10 and a roadside sensor device 20 included in a vehicle control system 1 will be mainly described with reference to FIG.

[0020] As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle control device 10 includes a communication unit 11, a storage unit 12, a sensor unit 13, an acquisition unit 14, and a control unit 15.

[0021] The communication unit 11 includes a communication interface communicatively connected to the roadside sensor device 20 by road-to-vehicle communication. The communication interface includes, for example, an interface compatible with any communication standard in road-to-vehicle communication. In one embodiment, the vehicle control device 10 is communicatively connected to the roadside sensor device 20 via the communication unit 11. The communication unit 11 receives information used for the operation of the vehicle control device 10 from the roadside sensor device 20. The communication unit 11 corresponds to a "first acquisition unit" described in the claims. The communication unit 11 as the first acquisition unit acquires second information from a roadside sensor of the roadside sensor device 20 that detects a target object.

[0022] The storage unit 12 includes, for example, a semiconductor memory, a magnetic memory, an optical memory, or any combination thereof. The storage unit 12 functions, for example, as a main storage device, an auxiliary storage device, or a cache memory. The storage unit 12 stores information used in the operation of the vehicle control device 10 and information obtained by the operation of the vehicle control device 10. For example, the storage unit 12 stores a system program, an application program, and various information received or transmitted by the communication unit 11. The information stored in the storage unit 12 may be updateable, for example, by information received via the communication unit 11.

[0023] The sensor unit 13 detects a target object. The sensor unit 13 includes any sensor that detects a target object existing around the vehicle control device 10 under a detectable condition. The sensor includes, for example, a millimeter wave radar, a LiDAR, and a camera. "LiDAR" is an abbreviation for Light Detection And Ranging. The sensor unit 13 outputs the first information to the control unit 15.

[0024] The acquisition unit 14 includes one or more receivers corresponding to any satellite positioning system. The acquisition unit 14 includes a GNSS receiver, for example, a GPS receiver. "GNSS" is an abbreviation for Global Navigation Satellite System. "GPS" is an abbreviation for Global Positioning System. The acquisition unit 14 acquires a measurement value of the position of the vehicle on which the vehicle control device 10 is mounted as position information. The position information includes, for example, an address, latitude, longitude, and altitude. The acquisition unit 14 may acquire the position information of the vehicle at all times, or may acquire the position information periodically or non-periodically. The acquisition unit 14 may complement the position information by using information on the vehicle speed pulse of the vehicle and other information based on autonomous navigation. The acquisition unit 14 corresponds to a "second acquisition unit" described in the claims.

[0025] The control unit 15 includes a processor, a programmable circuit, a dedicated circuit, or any combination thereof. The processor is a general-purpose processor such as a CPU or a GPU, or a dedicated processor specialized for a specific process. "CPU" is an abbreviation for Central Processing Unit. "GPU" is an abbreviation for Graphics Processing Unit. The programmable circuit is, for example, an FPGA. "FPGA" is an abbreviation for Field-Programmable Gate Array. The dedicated circuit is, for example, an ASIC. "ASIC" is an abbreviation for Application Specific Integrated Circuit. The control unit 15 may include, for example, an ECU. "ECU" is an abbreviation for Electronic Control Unit. The control unit 15 is communicably connected to each component constituting the vehicle control device 10, and executes processes related to the operation of the vehicle control device 10 while controlling each component.

[0026] As shown in FIG. 1, the roadside sensor device 20 includes a communication unit 21, a storage unit 22, a sensor unit 23, and a control unit 24.

[0027] The communication unit 21 includes a communication interface communicatively connected to a vehicle equipped with the vehicle control device 10 via road-to-vehicle communication. The communication interface includes, for example, an interface compatible with any communication standard in road-to-vehicle communication. In one embodiment, the roadside sensor device 20 is communicatively connected to the vehicle control device 10 via the communication unit 21. The communication unit 21 transmits second information used for the operation of the vehicle control device 10 to the vehicle control device 10.

[0028] The memory unit 22 includes, for example, a semiconductor memory, a magnetic memory, an optical memory, or any combination of these. The memory unit 22 functions, for example, as a main memory device, an auxiliary memory device, or a cache memory. The memory unit 22 stores information used in the operation of the roadside sensor device 20 and information obtained by the operation of the roadside sensor device 20. For example, the memory unit 22 stores system programs, application programs, and various information received or transmitted by the communication unit 21. The information stored in the memory unit 22 may be updatable, for example, by information received via the communication unit 21.

[0029] The sensor unit 23 detects a target object. The sensor unit 23 includes any roadside sensor that detects a target object present around the roadside sensor device 20 under a detectable condition. The roadside sensor includes, for example, a millimeter wave radar, a LiDAR, a camera, etc. The sensor unit 23 outputs, for example, information regarding the presence or absence of detection of a target object, as well as second target object information including the position, speed, and direction of the detected target object, to the control unit 24, etc.

[0030] The control unit 24 includes a processor, a programmable circuit, a dedicated circuit, or any combination of these. The processor is a general-purpose processor such as a CPU or GPU, or a dedicated processor specialized for specific processing. The programmable circuit is, for example, an FPGA. The dedicated circuit is, for example, an ASIC. The control unit 24 is communicatively connected to each component that constitutes the roadside sensor device 20, and executes processing related to the operation of the roadside sensor device 20 while controlling each component.

[0031] Fig. 2 is a flowchart for explaining an example of a vehicle control method executed by the vehicle control device 10 of Fig. 1. With reference to Fig. 2, an example of a vehicle control method executed by the vehicle control device 10 of Fig. 1 will be explained. The process shown in the flowchart of Fig. 2 is repeatedly executed while the vehicle equipped with the vehicle control device 10 is traveling.

[0032] In step S100, the control unit 15 of the vehicle control device 10 determines a reference position in advance. In the present disclosure, the "reference position" includes, for example, a position that is a predetermined distance ahead of the host vehicle on which the vehicle control device 10 is mounted. The control unit 15 determines a plurality of different regions based on the reference position as described below in order to determine whether to use either or both of the first target information and the second target information in the host vehicle while it is traveling.

[0033] The control unit 15 may determine the reference position based on the resolution of the sensor included in the sensor unit 13. The control unit 15 may predetermine, as the reference position, a limit position at which the sensor unit 13 can accurately detect a target, according to the resolution of the sensor included in the sensor unit 13. The detection accuracy of the sensor included in the sensor unit 13 is high in an area between the host vehicle on which the vehicle control device 10 is mounted and the reference position. On the other hand, the detection accuracy of the sensor included in the sensor unit 13 is low in an area away from the reference position on the opposite side to the host vehicle.

[0034] In step S101, the control unit 15 of the vehicle control device 10 acquires first information from the sensor unit 13. For example, when the sensor unit 13 detects a target, the control unit 15 acquires, from the sensor unit 13, the first information including the first target information.

[0035] In step S102, the control unit 15 of the vehicle control device 10 acquires the second information from the roadside sensor of the sensor unit 23. More specifically, the control unit 15 receives the second information from the roadside sensor device 20 by road-to-vehicle communication with the roadside sensor device 20 using the communication unit 11. For example, when the sensor unit 23 detects a target object, the control unit 15 acquires the second information including the second target object information from the roadside sensor device 20. For example, the control unit 15 acquires, in addition to the second target object information, information on the installation position of the roadside sensor from the roadside sensor device 20. The installation position of the roadside sensor corresponds to the "third position" described in the claims.

[0036] In step S103, the control unit 15 of the vehicle control device 10 acquires position information of the vehicle in which the vehicle control device 10 is mounted, using the acquisition unit 14. The control unit 15 acquires the current position of the vehicle. The current position of the vehicle corresponds to the "second position" described in the claims.

[0037] In step S104, the control unit 15 of the vehicle control device 10 determines a plurality of different regions based on the reference position determined in step S100. For example, the control unit 15 determines a first region between the second position acquired in step S103 and the reference position, and a second region on the side of the third position acquired in step S102 on the opposite side of the second position from the reference position.

[0038] In step S105, the control unit 15 of the vehicle control device 10 determines whether to use either or both of the first target information obtained by the sensor unit 13 and the second target information obtained by the roadside sensor, based on the first position of the target, the second position of the vehicle, and the third position of the roadside sensor. The first position of the target corresponds to the current position of the target. The first position is acquired based on at least one of the first target information acquired when the sensor unit 13 detects the target in step S101 and the second target information acquired when the roadside sensor detects the target in step S102.

[0039] For example, if the first position is within the first region determined in step S104, the control unit 15 determines to use the first target information. For example, if the first position is within the second region determined in step S104, the control unit 15 determines to use both the first target information and the second target information.

[0040] In step S106, the control unit 15 of the vehicle control device 10 controls the host vehicle in which the vehicle control device 10 is mounted. More specifically, the control unit 15 controls the host vehicle based on the determination results in step S105.

[0041] In step S107, the control unit 15 of the vehicle control device 10 determines whether or not the engine of the vehicle has stopped and the vehicle has stopped traveling. If the control unit 15 determines that the vehicle has stopped traveling, the control unit 15 ends the process. If the control unit 15 determines that the vehicle has not stopped traveling, the control unit 15 executes the process of step S101 again.

[0042] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram for explaining a specific example of the vehicle control method shown in FIG.

[0043] The control unit 15 of the vehicle control device 10 first determines a reference position P0 based on the resolution of the sensor included in the sensor unit 13. The control unit 15 acquires first information from the sensor unit 13. The control unit 15 acquires second information from the sensor unit 23 of the roadside sensor device 20. If target information is included in at least one of the acquired first information and second information, the control unit 15 measures the position, speed, direction, etc. of the target and determines the possibility of a collision between the host vehicle and the target.

[0044] The control unit 15 determines a plurality of different regions based on the determined reference position P0. For example, the control unit 15 determines a first region R1 between the second position P2 of the vehicle and the reference position P0, and a second region R2 on the opposite side of the second position P2 from the reference position P0 and on the third position P3 side of the roadside sensor. In addition, the control unit 15 determines a third region R3 and a fourth region R4 based on at least one of information from the sensor included in the sensor unit 13 and information from the roadside sensor included in the sensor unit 23.

[0045] The third region R3 is an area located in front of another vehicle parked on the road diagonally forward of the vehicle. The third region R3 is a completely blind spot from the vehicle. The third region R3 is an area in which the roadside sensor device 20 can detect a target with a certain degree of accuracy, but may be partially blind from the roadside sensor device 20.

[0046] The fourth region R4 is an area adjacent to another vehicle that is about to enter an intersection where the vehicle is heading. The fourth region R4 is a completely blind spot from the vehicle. The fourth region R4 is an area where the roadside sensor device 20 can detect a target with a certain degree of accuracy, but may be partially blind from the roadside sensor device 20.

[0047] Generally, when the TTC, which is the time required for a vehicle and a target to collide with each other, is small, that is, when the target is present in the first region R1, there is an immediate risk of collision. Therefore, braking such as sudden braking is required immediately as the control of the host vehicle by the vehicle control device 10. "TTC" is an abbreviation for Time To Collision.

[0048] On the other hand, when the TTC is large, that is, when the target exists in the second region R2, the risk of collision is a little ahead, and depending on the movement of the host vehicle and the movement of the target, there is a possibility that they will not collide with each other. Therefore, as a precautionary control of the host vehicle by the vehicle control device 10, a gentle deceleration control or the like can be considered.

[0049] In general, the longer the distance between a sensor included in the sensor unit 13 and a target, the lower the detection accuracy of the sensor. Similarly, the longer the distance between a roadside sensor included in the sensor unit 23 and a target, the lower the detection accuracy of the roadside sensor.

[0050] For example, in the first region R1, the distance from the sensor included in the sensor unit 13 to the target is short. Therefore, the detection accuracy of the sensor is high. However, the distance from the roadside sensor included in the sensor unit 23 to the target is long. Therefore, the detection accuracy of the roadside sensor may be low. For example, in the second region R2, the distance from the roadside sensor included in the sensor unit 23 to the target is short. Therefore, the detection accuracy of the roadside sensor is high. However, the distance from the sensor included in the sensor unit 13 to the target is long. Therefore, the detection accuracy of the sensor may be low. It is also possible to consider that the first region R1 is the region where the position error accuracy of the sensor included in the sensor unit 13 is within ±50 cm, for example, and the second region R2 is the region where it is outside the range of ±50 cm.

[0051] For example, when there is another obstacle between the sensor included in the sensor unit 13 and the target object, such as the third region R3 and the fourth region R4, a blind spot is generated for the sensor. The other obstacles include, for example, other vehicles parked on the road, other vehicles moving, and obstructions. In this case, the sensor cannot detect the target object. Therefore, when the control unit 15 of the vehicle control device 10 determines that the target object does not exist, the target object may suddenly appear from the blind spot.

[0052] For the above reasons, it is desirable to have an appropriate method of utilizing information obtained from the sensors and roadside sensors, taking into account the relationship between the positions of the sensors included in the sensor unit 13, i.e., the second position of the vehicle, the third position of the roadside sensor included in the sensor unit 23, and the first position of the target.

[0053] Table 1 shows an example of an appropriate method of using information from the sensors included in the sensor unit 13 and the roadside sensors included in the sensor unit 23, which is realized by the vehicle control device 10. [Table 1]

[0054] For example, in the first region R1, the accuracy of the first information obtained from the sensor included in the sensor unit 13 may be high, and the accuracy of the second information obtained from the roadside sensor included in the sensor unit 23 may be low. Therefore, the control unit 15 executes the collision possibility determination described later using only the first target information with high accuracy.

[0055] For example, in the second region R2, the accuracy of the second information obtained from the roadside sensor included in the sensor unit 23 may be high, and the accuracy of the first information obtained from the sensor included in the sensor unit 13 may be low. However, since the sensor of the sensor unit 13 mounted on the vehicle has a higher basic reliability than the roadside sensor, the control unit 15 uses the first target information in addition to the second target information in combination to slightly decelerate the vehicle.

[0056] For example, in the third region R3, the sensor included in the sensor unit 13 cannot detect a target. Therefore, the control unit 15 uses only the second information obtained from the roadside sensor included in the sensor unit 23. When the control unit 15 obtains information that a target has been detected in the second information, it determines that a target exists in the third region R3, and further executes a collision possibility determination described later. Although the second information has a certain degree of accuracy, there are also blind spots in the third region R3 from the roadside sensor device 20. Therefore, even if the control unit 15 obtains information that a target has not been detected in the second information, it does not completely trust the second information and determines that a target may exist in the third region R3, and slightly decelerates the vehicle.

[0057] For example, in the fourth region R4, the sensor included in the sensor unit 13 cannot detect a target. Therefore, the control unit 15 uses only the second information obtained from the roadside sensor included in the sensor unit 23. When the control unit 15 obtains information that a target has been detected in the second information, it determines that a target exists in the fourth region R4 and slightly decelerates the vehicle. The second information has a certain degree of accuracy, but there are also blind spots from the roadside sensor device 20 in the fourth region R4. Therefore, even if the control unit 15 obtains information that a target has not been detected in the second information, it does not completely trust the second information and determines that there is still a possibility that a target exists in the fourth region R4, and executes standby control because there is a distance to the fourth region R4. After the host vehicle approaches the fourth region R4, the control unit 15 executes a process similar to the process for the third region R3 described above, for example.

[0058] Fig. 4 is a first schematic diagram for explaining a first example of the processing of collision possibility determination by the vehicle control device 10 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a second schematic diagram for explaining the first example of the processing of collision possibility determination by the vehicle control device 10 of Fig. 1. In the first example of the processing of collision possibility determination, a situation is considered in which the host vehicle equipped with the vehicle control device 10 and a target S are about to enter an intersection from different directions.

[0059] The control unit 15 of the vehicle control device 10 acquires second information from the roadside sensor included in the sensor unit 23 of the roadside sensor device 20 via road-to-vehicle communication, and determines the possibility of a collision between the vehicle and the target S using the second information.

[0060] The control unit 15 determines an entry judgment area A including an intersection. The control unit 15 calculates an expected time Ta at which the target S will first enter the entry judgment area A. The expected time Ta is calculated assuming that the direction, speed or acceleration of the target S is constant. The control unit 15 calculates an expected time Tb at which the host vehicle will subsequently enter the entry judgment area A. The expected time Tb is calculated assuming that the direction, speed or acceleration of the host vehicle is constant. The control unit 15 calculates a time gap TG=Tb-Ta.

[0061] When 0≦TG≦the ​​first threshold, the control unit 15 determines that there is a possibility of a collision between the host vehicle and the target S. The first threshold may be preset to an appropriate value based on an empirical rule, or may be appropriately determined by the user who uses the host vehicle. In addition, the control unit 15 calculates TTC=Tb-current time, which is the time until the collision. The control unit 15 determines whether or not TTC≦the second threshold. The second threshold is a threshold necessary for collision avoidance, and may be preset to an appropriate value based on an empirical rule, or may be appropriately determined by the user who uses the host vehicle.

[0062] When the control unit 15 determines that 0≦TG≦first threshold and TTC≦second threshold, i.e., that there is a possibility of collision and the time until collision is short, the control unit 15 appropriately decelerates or stops the host vehicle to avoid the collision. For example, the control unit 15 decelerates the host vehicle to a speed of 10 km / h at a deceleration of 0.2 G, and then slowly drives the host vehicle at a low speed. If the control unit 15 still determines that there is a possibility of collision, the control unit 15 stops the host vehicle at a deceleration of 0.2 G, for example.

[0063] Fig. 6 is a schematic diagram for explaining a second example of the processing of collision possibility determination by the vehicle control device 10 of Fig. 1. In the second example of the processing of collision possibility determination, a situation is considered in which the host vehicle equipped with the vehicle control device 10 makes a right turn at an intersection.

[0064] Even in such a case, the control unit 15 of the vehicle control device 10 executes processing similar to the first example of the processing of collision possibility determination. For example, when the target object S is an oncoming vehicle moving straight, the control unit 15 determines an entry determination area A1 and executes processing similar to the first example of the processing of collision possibility determination. For example, when the target object S is a pedestrian about to cross a crosswalk ahead of a right turn, the control unit 15 determines an entry determination area A2 corresponding to the crosswalk and executes processing similar to the first example of the processing of collision possibility determination.

[0065] The vehicle control device 10 according to the embodiment as described above enables the use of information obtained from each of the sensors included in the sensor unit 13 and the roadside sensors included in the sensor unit 23 according to the situation. The vehicle control device 10 can determine the appropriate use of the information based on the characteristics of the information obtained from each sensor. As a result, the vehicle control device 10 can cooperate with the roadside sensor device 20 to support, for example, safe and smooth driving of the vehicle in autonomous driving.

[0066] The vehicle control device 10 determines the first region R1 and the second region R2. As a result, the vehicle control device 10 can execute appropriate information utilization determination while considering the limit position at which the sensor unit 13 can detect the target with high accuracy according to the resolution of the sensor included in the sensor unit 13 as the reference position.

[0067] When the first position P1 is within the first region R1, the vehicle control device 10 determines to use the first target information. This allows the vehicle control device 10 to perform optimal control of the host vehicle using the first target information, which is information from the sensor of the sensor unit 13 that has high basic reliability and is highly accurate in the first region R1.

[0068] When the first position P1 is within the second region R2, the vehicle control device 10 determines to use both the first target information and the second target information. This allows the vehicle control device 10 to execute optimal control of the host vehicle while supplementing the second target information, which is information from a roadside sensor that has a lower basic reliability and is highly accurate in the second region R2, with the first target information in combination.

[0069] The vehicle control device 10 determines the reference position P0 based on the resolution of the sensor included in the sensor unit 13. This allows the vehicle control device 10 to more accurately determine the limit position at which the sensor unit 13 can detect the target with high accuracy.

[0070] Although the present disclosure has been described based on the drawings and embodiments, it should be noted that a person skilled in the art can make various modifications and alterations based on the present disclosure. Therefore, it should be noted that these modifications and alterations are included in the scope of the present disclosure. For example, the functions included in each configuration or each step can be rearranged so as not to be logically inconsistent, and multiple configurations or steps can be combined into one or divided. Instead of executing two or more steps described in the flowchart in chronological order according to the description, each step may be executed in parallel or in a different order depending on the processing capacity of the device that executes the steps, or as necessary. Other modifications are possible within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0071] For example, at least a part of the processing operations executed in the vehicle control device 10 in the above-mentioned embodiment may be executed in the roadside sensor device 20. For example, instead of the vehicle control device 10, the roadside sensor device 20 itself may execute the above-mentioned series of processing operations related to the vehicle control device 10. In this case, the roadside sensor device 20 executes each step in the above flowchart while transmitting and receiving information required for processing to and from the vehicle control device 10.

[0072] Conversely, at least a part of the processing operations executed in the roadside sensor device 20 may be executed in the vehicle control device 10 .

[0073] For example, a general-purpose electronic device such as a smartphone or a computer can be configured to function as the vehicle control device 10 according to the above-described embodiment. Specifically, a program describing the processing contents for realizing each function of the vehicle control device 10 according to the embodiment is stored in a memory of the electronic device, and the program is read and executed by a processor of the electronic device. Therefore, the disclosure according to one embodiment can also be realized as a program executable by a processor.

[0074] Alternatively, the disclosure according to an embodiment may be realized as a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a program executable by one or more processors to cause the vehicle control device 10 according to the embodiment to execute each function. It should be understood that these are also included within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0075] A part or all of the functions of the vehicle control device 10 may be realized by a programmable circuit or a dedicated circuit as the control unit 15. In other words, a part or all of the functions of the vehicle control device 10 may be realized by hardware.

[0076] In the above embodiment, the vehicle control device 10 has been described as determining the first region R1 to the fourth region R4 as shown in FIG. 3, but is not limited thereto. The vehicle control device 10 may determine a plurality of regions in any number and at any position that enables the use of information obtained from each sensor according to the situation. The vehicle control device 10 has been described as determining the first region R1 between the second position P2 and the reference position P0, and the second region R2 on the opposite side of the second position P2 and on the third position P3 side from the reference position P0, but is not limited thereto. The vehicle control device 10 may set the boundary between the first region R1 and the second region R2 at a position different from the reference position P0. The vehicle control device 10 may determine the first region R1 and the second region R2, and may not determine at least one of the third region R3 and the fourth region R4.

[0077] In the above embodiment, an appropriate method of using the information from the sensor included in the sensor unit 13 and the roadside sensor included in the sensor unit 23 is shown as an example in Table 1, but is not limited thereto. The method of use may include other methods. For example, the vehicle control device 10 may execute a collision possibility determination using not only the first target information but also the second target information for the first region R1. For example, the vehicle control device 10 may control the vehicle using only the second target information for the second region R2. For example, the vehicle control device 10 may execute a vehicle stop control instead of a vehicle deceleration control when a target is not detected by the roadside sensor for the third region R3. For example, the vehicle control device 10 may execute a control to slightly decelerate the vehicle instead of a standby control when a target is not detected by the roadside sensor for the fourth region R4.

[0078] In the above embodiment, the second information includes, for example, information on the presence or absence of detection of a target, the second target information, and the position information of the roadside sensor, but is not limited thereto. In addition to these pieces of information, the second information may further include the reliability of the acquired information. In the present disclosure, the "reliability" may be expressed by a numerical value included in a predetermined range such as 0 to 10, or may be expressed by a level divided into predetermined stages such as low, medium, and high. The vehicle control device 10 may determine a method of using the second target information, etc., based on the reliability of the information acquired from the roadside sensor device 20.

[0079] The second information may include information on the detection range of the roadside sensor instead of or in addition to the position information of the roadside sensor. The control unit 15 of the vehicle control device 10 may acquire the detection range of the roadside sensor as information from the roadside sensor device 20. The control unit 15 may assume that the roadside sensor is installed at a position closer to the intersection, and may determine a second region R2 closer to the roadside sensor and a first region R1 farther from the roadside sensor based on the acquired detection range of the roadside sensor.

[0080] Some of the embodiments of the present disclosure will be described below as examples. However, it should be noted that the embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to these examples. [Appendix 1] A vehicle control device mounted on a vehicle and controlling the vehicle, A sensor unit that detects a target; A first acquisition unit that acquires information from a roadside sensor that detects the target; A second acquisition unit that acquires position information of the vehicle; a control unit that determines whether to use either or both of the first target information obtained by the sensor unit and the second target information obtained by the roadside sensor based on a first position of the target, a second position of the vehicle, and a third position of the roadside sensor, and controls the vehicle based on the determination result; Equipped with Vehicle control device. [Appendix 2] A vehicle control device according to claim 1, The control unit determines a first region between the second position and a reference position, and a second region on the third position side on an opposite side to the second position with respect to the reference position. Vehicle control device. [Appendix 3] A vehicle control device according to claim 2, When the first position is within the first region, the control unit determines to use the first target information. Vehicle control device. [Appendix 4] A vehicle control device according to claim 2 or 3, When the first position is within the second region, the control unit determines to use both the first target information and the second target information. Vehicle control device. [Appendix 5] A vehicle control device according to any one of appendixes 2 to 4, The control unit determines the reference position based on a resolution of a sensor included in the sensor unit. Vehicle control device. [Explanation of symbols]

[0081] 1 Vehicle Control System 10 Vehicle control device 11 Communication unit (first acquisition unit) 12 Memory unit 13 Sensor unit 14 Acquisition unit (second acquisition unit) 15 Control unit 20 Roadside sensor device 21 Communication unit 22 Memory unit 23 Sensor unit 24 Control unit A, A1, A2 Entrance determination area P0 Reference position P1 First position P2 Second position P3 Third position R1 First area R2 Second area R3 Third area R4 Fourth area S Target

Claims

1. A vehicle control device mounted on a vehicle and controlling the vehicle, A sensor unit that detects a target; A first acquisition unit that acquires information from a roadside sensor that detects the target; A second acquisition unit that acquires position information of the vehicle; a control unit that determines whether to use either or both of the first target information obtained by the sensor unit and the second target information obtained by the roadside sensor based on a first position of the target, a second position of the vehicle, and a third position of the roadside sensor, and controls the vehicle based on the determination result; Equipped with Vehicle control device.

2. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, The control unit determines a first region between the second position and a reference position, and a second region on an opposite side of the second position from the reference position toward the third position. Vehicle control device.

3. The vehicle control device according to claim 2, When the first position is within the first region, the control unit determines to use the first target information. Vehicle control device.

4. The vehicle control device according to claim 2 or 3, When the first position is within the second region, the control unit determines to use both the first target information and the second target information. Vehicle control device.

5. The vehicle control device according to claim 2 or 3, The control unit determines the reference position based on a resolution of a sensor included in the sensor unit. Vehicle control device.

Images