Lane information display device, lane information display method, and computer program for lane information display

Abstract

To provide a lane information display apparatus causing a display to display a section allowing a lane change in a way the driver can recognize.SOLUTION: A lane information display apparatus includes: a detection part for detecting, as a lane change-allowed section, a section whose length in a progress direction of a vehicle, the section where no other vehicle exists, is longer than a lane change threshold that represents a length necessary for a lane change, in an adjacent lane adjacent to an own lane where the vehicle is traveling, from a surroundings image showing a situation in surroundings of the vehicle; and a display part for causing, in a case where a lane change-allowed section includes a merge position that represents a front-rear detection position where the vehicle merges with the adjacent lane when changing lanes from the present position, a display to display the merge position as the position representing the lane change-allowed section, or to display a position of an edge portion of a lane change-allowed section closest to the present position of the vehicle as position representing the lane change-allowed section in a case where the lane change-allowed section does not include the merge position.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a lane information display device for displaying information on a lane in which a vehicle is traveling on a display, a lane information display method, and a computer program for lane information display.

Background Art

[0002] In a vehicle in which driving is controlled by a driving control device using information representing the surrounding situation of the vehicle output from a sensor such as a camera mounted on the vehicle, information regarding future driving is provided to the driver so that the driver can predict the future behavior of the vehicle.

[0003] Patent Document 1 describes a driving control device that provides a guidance display of a lane in which the vehicle is traveling and a start position or an end position of a lane change when changing lanes from a lane in which the vehicle is traveling to another lane.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] In order to change lanes, a section in which no other vehicle is traveling is required in the lane to be changed. Since the driving control device cannot control the behavior of other vehicles, the planned lane change plan may need to be changed due to the behavior of other vehicles. When the start position and the end position of the lane change are changed due to the change of the lane change plan, the driving control device that displays the start position or the end position of the lane change to the driver may give the driver a sense of discomfort.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide a lane information display device that displays a section in which a lane change is possible on a display so that a driver can appropriately recognize it.

Means for Solving the Problem

[0007] The lane information display device according to the present invention includes a detection unit that detects, as a lane changeable section, a section in an adjacent lane adjacent to the own lane in which the vehicle is traveling, where the length in the traveling direction of a vehicle without other vehicles is longer than a lane change threshold representing the length required for lane change, from a surrounding image representing the surrounding situation of the vehicle; and a display unit that, when the entry position indicating the position in the front-rear direction when the vehicle enters the adjacent lane when changing lanes from the current position is included in the lane changeable section, causes the entry position to be displayed on the display as the position representing the lane changeable section, and when the entry position is not included in the lane changeable section, causes the position of the end of the lane changeable section closest to the current position of the vehicle to be displayed on the display as the position representing the lane changeable section.

[0008] In the lane information display device according to the present invention, it is preferable that the display unit causes a figure whose length in the width direction is longer than the length in the traveling direction to be displayed on the display as the position representing the lane changeable section.

[0009] In the lane information display device according to the present invention, it is preferable that the display unit ends the display of the position representing the lane changeable section when the lane change control to the lane changeable section is started.

[0010] The lane information display method according to the present invention includes detecting, as a lane changeable section, a section in an adjacent lane adjacent to the own lane in which the vehicle is traveling, where the length in the traveling direction of a vehicle without other vehicles is longer than a lane change threshold representing the length required for lane change, from a surrounding image representing the surrounding situation of the vehicle, and when the entry position indicating the position in the front-rear direction when the vehicle enters the adjacent lane when changing lanes from the current position is included in the lane changeable section, causing the entry position to be displayed on the display as the position representing the lane changeable section, and when the entry position is not included in the lane changeable section, causing the position of the end of the lane changeable section closest to the current position of the vehicle to be displayed on the display as the position representing the lane changeable section.

[0011] The computer program for lane information display according to the present invention detects, from a surrounding image representing the situation around the vehicle, a section in an adjacent lane adjacent to the own lane in which the vehicle is traveling, where the length in the traveling direction of a vehicle in which no other vehicle exists is longer than a lane change threshold value representing the length required for a lane change, as a lane changeable section, and when the entry position indicating the position in the front-rear direction when the vehicle enters the adjacent lane when changing lanes from the current position is included in the lane changeable section, causes the entry position to be displayed on the display as the position representing the lane changeable section, and when the entry position is not included in the lane changeable section, causes the position of the end of the lane changeable section closest to the current position of the vehicle to be displayed on the display as the position representing the lane changeable section, and causes the processor to execute this.

[0012] According to the lane information display device of the present invention, it is possible to display on the display a section where a lane change is possible so that the driver can appropriately recognize it.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0013]

Figure 1

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Figure 8

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0014] Hereinafter, with reference to the drawings, a lane information display device that displays on a display a section where lane change is possible so that a driver can appropriately recognize it will be described in detail. The lane information display device detects a lane change possible section from a surrounding image representing the situation around the vehicle. The lane change possible section is a section in an adjacent lane adjacent to the own lane in which the vehicle is traveling, and the length in the traveling direction of the vehicle where no other vehicle exists is longer than a lane change threshold representing the length required for lane change. Then, the lane information display device displays the position of the lane change possible section on the display. At this time, when the entry position indicating the position in the front-rear direction when the vehicle enters the adjacent lane when changing lanes from the current position is included in the lane change possible section, the lane information display device displays the entry position on the display as the position representing the lane change possible section. Further, when the entry position is not included in the lane change possible section, the lane information display device displays the position of the end of the lane change possible section closest to the current position of the vehicle on the display as the position representing the lane change possible section.

[0015] FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a vehicle in which a display control device is implemented.

[0016] The vehicle 1 includes a camera 2, a meter display 3, a GNSS receiver 4, a storage device 5, and an ECU 6 (Electronic Control Unit). The ECU 6 is an example of a display control device. The camera 2, the meter display 3, the GNSS receiver 4, the storage device 5, and the ECU 6 are communicably connected via an in-vehicle network conforming to a standard such as a controller area network.

[0017] The camera 2 is an example of a sensor for detecting the situation in the vicinity of the vehicle. The camera 2 includes a two-dimensional detector composed of an array of photoelectric conversion elements sensitive to visible light, such as a CCD or a C-MOS, and an imaging optical system that forms an image of an area to be photographed on the two-dimensional detector. The camera 2 is disposed, for example, at the upper front of the vehicle interior, facing forward, and photographs the situation around the vehicle 1 through the windshield at a predetermined photographing cycle (for example, 1 / 30 second to 1 / 10 second), and outputs a surrounding image representing the surrounding situation.

[0018] The meter display 3 is an example of a display and has, for example, a liquid crystal display. The meter display 3 visually displays information regarding the lane in which the vehicle 1 is traveling to the driver according to a signal received from the ECU 6 via the in-vehicle network.

[0019] The GNSS receiver 4 receives GNSS signals from GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) satellites at predetermined intervals, and measures the self-position of the vehicle 1 based on the received GNSS signals. The GNSS receiver 4 outputs, at predetermined intervals, a positioning signal representing the result of measuring the self-position of the vehicle 1 based on the GNSS signals to the ECU 6 via the in-vehicle network.

[0020] The storage device 5 is an example of a storage unit and has, for example, a hard disk device or a non-volatile semiconductor memory. The storage device 5 stores map data including information regarding features such as lane division lines in association with positions.

[0021] The ECU 6 creates a driving trajectory based on the information of features in the map data around the position corresponding to the positioning signal output by the GNSS receiver 4 and the information of features represented in the surrounding image generated by the camera 2. Then, the ECU 6 operates a driving mechanism such as an engine or a motor, brakes, and steering so that the vehicle 1 travels along the driving trajectory. Further, the ECU 6 causes the meter display 3 to display information regarding the lane around the driving trajectory.

[0022] Figure 2 is a hardware schematic diagram of the ECU 6. The ECU 6 includes a communication interface 61, a memory 62, and a processor 63.

[0023] The communication interface 61 is an example of a communication unit and has a communication interface circuit for connecting the ECU 6 to an in-vehicle network. The communication interface 61 supplies the received data to the processor 63. Further, the communication interface 61 outputs the data supplied from the processor 63 to the outside.

[0024] The memory 62 has a volatile semiconductor memory and a non-volatile semiconductor memory. The memory 62 stores various data used for processing by the processor 63, for example, the margin length to be secured from other vehicles for obtaining the length of an interval in which no other vehicle exists in another lane, a lane change threshold value for determining whether an interval in which no other vehicle exists is an interval in which lane change is possible, and the like. Further, the memory 62 stores various application programs, for example, a lane information display program for executing lane information display processing.

[0025] The processor 63 is an example of a control unit and has one or more processors and peripheral circuits thereof. The processor 63 may further have other arithmetic circuits such as a logical arithmetic unit, a numerical arithmetic unit, or a graphic processing unit.

[0026] Figure 3 is a functional block diagram of the processor 63 included in the ECU 6.

[0027] The processor 63 of the ECU 6 has, as functional blocks, a detection unit 631 and a display unit 632. Each of these units included in the processor 63 is a functional module implemented by a computer program stored in the memory 62 and executed on the processor 63. The computer program for realizing the functions of each unit of the processor 63 may be provided in a form recorded on a computer-readable portable recording medium such as a semiconductor memory, a magnetic recording medium, or an optical recording medium. Alternatively, each of these units included in the processor 63 may be implemented in the ECU 6 as an independent integrated circuit, a microprocessor, or firmware.

[0028] The detection unit 631 detects a lane changeable section from a surrounding image representing the situation around the vehicle.

[0029] First, the detection unit 631 inputs the surrounding image output by the camera 2 into a discriminator trained to detect other vehicles and lane dividing lines, thereby detecting two or more other vehicles and two or more lane dividing lines.

[0030] The discriminator can be, for example, a convolutional neural network (CNN) having a plurality of convolutional layers connected in series from the input side to the output side. By inputting an image including other vehicles and lane dividing lines as teacher data into the CNN and performing pre-training, the CNN operates as a discriminator that identifies the positions of other vehicles and lane dividing lines.

[0031] The detection unit 631 uses the lane dividing lines detected from the surrounding image to identify the lane that the vehicle 1 can travel without crossing the lane dividing lines as the own lane in which the vehicle 1 is traveling. Further, the detection unit 631 identifies the lane adjacent to the own lane via the lane dividing lines as the adjacent lane.

[0032] The detection unit 631 identifies the positions of two or more other vehicles detected in the adjacent lane, and identifies the length in the traveling direction of the section sandwiched by a pair of adjacent other vehicles among the two or more other vehicles. Then, the detection unit 631 detects a section in which the length in the traveling direction is longer than the lane change threshold value stored in the memory 62 as the lane changeable section.

[0033] FIG. 4 is a first diagram for explaining the lane changeable section.

[0034] The road on which the vehicle 1 is traveling has lane dividing lines LL11, LL12, and LL13, and the vehicle 1 is traveling in the own lane L11 demarcated by the lane dividing lines LL11 and LL12.

[0035] The detection unit 631 detects other vehicles 11 and 12 adjacent to each other in the front-rear direction in the adjacent lane L12 partitioned by the lane dividing lines LL12 and LL13. The detection unit 631 specifies the length BL1 in the traveling direction from a position M11 ahead of the front end of the other vehicle 11 to a position M12 behind the rear end of the other vehicle 12. Then, the detection unit 631 determines whether the length BL1 is longer than the lane change threshold LCT stored in the memory 62. When the length BL1 is longer than the lane change threshold LCT, the detection unit 631 detects the section corresponding to the length BL1 as the lane changeable section LCS1. When the vehicle 1 changes lanes from the current position, it enters the adjacent lane L12 at the position 1'. The entry position EP1 indicates the position of the front end of the vehicle 1 at the position 1'. The detection unit 631 specifies the entry position EP1 by referring to the entry position table stored in the memory 62, which associates the current vehicle speed with the distance in the front-rear direction from the current position to the entry position. Alternatively, the detection unit 631 may specify the entry position EP1 by creating a lane change route from the current position.

[0036] The display unit 632 causes the meter display 3 to display the position of the lane changeable section LCS1. In the example of FIG. 4, the entry position EP1 is not included in the lane changeable section LCS1. In this case, the display unit 632 causes the meter display 3 to display the position of the end LCS1a of the lane changeable section LCS1 closest to the current position of the vehicle 1 as the position representing the lane changeable section LCS1. In the example of FIG. 4, when the other vehicle 12 does not exist, the lane changeable section LCS1 does not have a front end in the traveling direction. At this time, the end LCS1a on the rear side in the traveling direction of the lane changeable section LCS1 corresponds to the end closest to the current position of the vehicle 1, and the display unit 632 causes the meter display 3 to display the position representing the lane changeable section LCS1 using the end LCS1a.

[0037] FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining a first example of lane information display. The display unit 632 causes the meter display 3 to display a lane information display screen 31 indicating the position of the lane changeable section LCS1 shown in FIG. 4.

[0038] On the lane information display screen 31, the own lane L11 and the adjacent lane L12 are shown. In the own lane L11, the vehicle 1 and the trajectory P1 which the vehicle 1 is controlled to travel are shown, and in the adjacent lane L12, a graphic LCM1 representing the lane changeable section LCS1 is shown. The graphic LCM1 indicates the end LCS1a of the lane changeable section LCS1 closest to the current position of the vehicle 1. The graphic LCM1 is a graphic whose length in the width direction is longer than the length in the traveling direction. In FIG. 5, the graphic LCM1 includes a line segment in the width direction in the adjacent lane L12 and two triangles arranged at intervals from the respective ends of the line segment and having vertices facing the center of the line segment. In this way, by showing the lane changeable section LCS1 with a graphic whose length in the width direction is longer than the length in the traveling direction, the ECU 6 can appropriately let the driver recognize the position of the lane changeable section LCS1 in the front-rear direction.

[0039] FIG. 6 is a second diagram for explaining the lane changeable section.

[0040] The road on which the vehicle 1 is traveling has lane dividing lines LL21, LL22, LL23, and the vehicle 1 is traveling in the own lane L21 partitioned by the lane dividing lines LL21 and LL22. The detection unit 631 detects, as the lane changeable section LCS2, a section of length BL2 between other vehicles 21 and 22 adjacent to each other in the front-rear direction in the adjacent lane L22 partitioned by the lane dividing lines LL22 and LL23.

[0041] The entry position EP2 when the vehicle 1 changes lanes from the current position is included in the lane changeable section LCS2. In this case, the display unit 632 causes the entry position EP2 to be displayed as the position of the lane changeable section LCS2.

[0042] FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining a second example of lane information display. The display unit 632 causes a lane information display screen 32 showing the position of the lane changeable section LCS2 shown in FIG. 5 to be displayed on the meter display 3.

[0043] The lane information display screen 32 shows the own lane L21 and the adjacent lane L22. The own lane L21 shows the vehicle 1 and the trajectory P2 that the vehicle 1 is controlled to travel on, and the adjacent lane L22 shows a graphic LCM2 indicating the position of the lane changeable section LCS2. The graphic LCM2 indicates the entry position EP1.

[0044] When the lane change control to the lane changeable section is started, the display unit 632 ends the display of the position representing the lane changeable section. Then, instead of the lane changeable section, the display unit 632 causes the meter display 3 to display the lane change trajectory from the own lane to the adjacent lane by the lane change control. In the route used for the lane change control, the position where the vehicle enters the adjacent lane may be different from the entry position. By ending the display of the position representing the lane changeable section when the lane change control is started, the ECU6 can suppress the display of points not used for the driving control and prevent giving the driver a sense of discomfort.

[0045] FIG. 6 is a flowchart of the lane information display process. The ECU6 repeatedly executes the lane information display process at a predetermined time interval (for example, at 1-second intervals) while the vehicle 1 is traveling under the automatic driving control.

[0046] First, the detection unit 631 detects, as the lane changeable section, a section in the adjacent lane adjacent to the own lane where there is no other vehicle whose length in the traveling direction of the vehicle 1 is longer than the lane change threshold value from the surrounding image output by the camera 2 (step S1).

[0047] The display unit 632 determines whether the position corresponding to the current position of the vehicle 1 in the adjacent lane is included in the lane changeable section (step S2).

[0048] When it is determined that the position corresponding to the current position of the vehicle in the adjacent lane is included in the lane changeable section (step S2: Y), the display unit 632 causes the meter display 3 to display the position corresponding to the current position of the vehicle in the adjacent lane as the position of the lane changeable section (step S3), and ends the lane information display process.

[0049] When it is determined that the position corresponding to the current position of Vehicle 1 in the adjacent lane is not included in the lane changeable section (Step S2: N), the display unit 632 causes the meter display 3 to display the position of the end of the lane changeable section close to the position corresponding to the current position of Vehicle 1 in the adjacent lane as the position of the changeable section (Step S4), and ends the lane information display process.

[0050] By executing the lane information display process in this way, the ECU 6 can display the lane changeable section on the display so that the driver can appropriately recognize it.

[0051] Those skilled in the art should understand that various changes, substitutions, and modifications can be added without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

Explanation of Signs

[0052] 1 Vehicle 6 ECU 631 Detection Unit 632 Display Unit

Claims

1. A display unit capable of displaying information regarding the lane on which the vehicle is traveling; A detection unit that detects a section in an adjacent lane where a lane change is possible based on a situation around the vehicle acquired by a sensor; a control unit that, when an entry position when the vehicle enters the adjacent lane when changing lanes from a current position is included in the lane change possible section, causes the display unit to display an entry position display so as to indicate the entry position, and, when the entry position is not included in the lane change possible section, causes the display unit to display the entry position display so as to indicate an end portion of the detected lane change possible section that is closest to the current position of the vehicle; A display control device comprising:

2. The display control device according to claim 1 , wherein the detection unit detects, as the lane change possible section, a section in the adjacent lane where no other vehicles are present and where the length in the direction of travel of the vehicle is longer than the length required for a lane change.

3. The display control device according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit causes the display unit to display, as the entry position display, a graphic whose width is longer than its length in a traveling direction.

4. The display control device according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit terminates the display of the entry position when lane change control to the lane changeable section is started.

5. Detecting a section in an adjacent lane where a lane change is possible based on the situation around the vehicle acquired by the sensor; When an entry position for the vehicle to enter the adjacent lane when changing lanes from a current position is included in the lane change possible section, an entry position display is displayed on a display unit capable of displaying information about the lane in which the vehicle is traveling so as to indicate the entry position; When the entry position is not included in the lane change possible section, the entry position display is displayed on the display unit so as to indicate an end portion of the detected lane change possible section that is closest to a current position of the vehicle. A display control method comprising:

6. Detecting a section in an adjacent lane where a lane change is possible based on the surrounding conditions of the vehicle acquired by a sensor; When an entry position for the vehicle to enter the adjacent lane when changing lanes from a current position is included in the lane change possible section, an entry position display is displayed on a display unit capable of displaying information about the lane in which the vehicle is traveling so as to indicate the entry position; When the entry position is not included in the lane change possible section, displaying the entry position display on the display unit so as to indicate an end portion of the detected lane change possible section that is closest to a current position of the vehicle; A display control computer program that causes a processor to execute the above.

Images