Time interval control system and time interval control device

Abstract

To manage inter-vehicle time between vehicles while controlling an increase in processing load.SOLUTION: An inter-vehicle time control system 1 controls an inter-vehicle time between a preceding vehicle V1 and a following vehicle V2. The inter-vehicle time control system 1 includes: a tag 2 installed on a travel way L; a writing unit 31 mounted on the preceding vehicle V1 that writes the passing time to the tag 2; a reading unit 32 mounted on the following vehicle V2 that reads the passing time of the preceding vehicle V1 from the tag 2; and a speed control unit 34 mounted on the following vehicle V2 that controls the speed of the following vehicle V2 so that the time between the preceding vehicle V1 and the following vehicle V2 becomes a predetermined reference time based on the read passing time.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a time headway control system and a time headway control device that control the time headway between a leading vehicle and a following vehicle (host vehicle). [Background technology]

[0002] For example, there are cases where multiple vehicles, such as route buses, travel along a predetermined route. In such cases, a management center that manages the operation of these vehicles acquires position information of each vehicle and manages operation, such as vehicle intervals. For example, Patent Document 1 describes acquiring position information from each vehicle and managing the operation of each vehicle based on the acquired position information. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-246269 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] For example, when managing vehicle operations based on the position information of each vehicle, as in the device described in Patent Document 1, it is necessary for a management center to manage the identification information, position information, etc. of each vehicle, which increases the processing load on the management center. Therefore, in this technical field, there is a demand for managing the inter-vehicle time while suppressing the increase in the processing load. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] One aspect of the present invention is a headway time control system for controlling the time interval between a leading vehicle and a following vehicle, comprising: a memory unit installed on a roadway and capable of storing information; a writing unit mounted on the leading vehicle and writing the passing time when the leading vehicle passed the installation point of the memory unit into the memory unit; a reading unit mounted on the following vehicle and reading the passing time of the leading vehicle from the memory unit when the following vehicle passes the installation point of the memory unit; and a speed control unit mounted on the following vehicle and controlling the speed of the following vehicle based on the passing time read by the reading unit so that the time interval between the leading vehicle and the following vehicle becomes a predetermined reference headway time.

[0006] In this time headway control system, the speed of the following vehicle is controlled based on the passing time written to the memory unit by the preceding vehicle so that the following vehicle achieves a predetermined reference time headway. In other words, the time headway control system allows the following vehicle to control the time headway based on the passing time of the preceding vehicle without managing the position information of the preceding vehicle. In this way, the time headway control system can manage the time headway between vehicles while suppressing an increase in processing load.

[0007] In the above-mentioned inter-vehicle time control system, the writing unit of the preceding vehicle may associate the passing time with the vehicle identification information of the preceding vehicle and write it into the memory unit, and the speed control unit of the following vehicle may control the speed of the following vehicle based on the passing time associated with the predetermined vehicle identification information among the passing times read by the reading unit.

[0008] For example, there may be cases where multiple passing times are written to the storage unit. Even in such cases, the following vehicle can identify the time information of the preceding vehicle that requires inter-vehicle time control based on the vehicle identification information, and can control the inter-vehicle time with the preceding vehicle.

[0009] Another aspect of the present invention is a vehicle headway time control device that controls the vehicle headway time between a preceding vehicle and the subject vehicle, and includes a reading unit that reads the passing time of the preceding vehicle from the memory unit when the subject vehicle passes a location where the memory unit is installed on a driving path, and a speed control unit that controls the speed of the subject vehicle based on the passing time read by the reading unit so that the vehicle headway time between the preceding vehicle and the subject vehicle becomes a predetermined reference vehicle headway time.

[0010] This time headway control device controls the speed of the host vehicle based on the passing time written to the memory unit by the preceding vehicle to achieve a predetermined reference time headway. In other words, the time headway control device can control the time headway based on the passing time of the preceding vehicle without managing the position information of the preceding vehicle. In this way, the time headway control device can manage the time headway between vehicles while suppressing an increase in processing load. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to various aspects of the present invention, it is possible to manage the inter-vehicle time while suppressing an increase in the processing load. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of a time headway control system according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the time headway control device. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram for explaining how a following vehicle controls the time interval between itself and a leading vehicle. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, the same or corresponding elements are designated by the same reference numerals, and redundant description will be omitted.

[0014] The inter-vehicle time control system 1 shown in FIG. 1 is a system for controlling the inter-vehicle time between a leading vehicle (leading vehicle V) and a following vehicle (following vehicle V) among multiple vehicles V traveling on a road L. In this embodiment, the vehicle V is an autonomous vehicle. As an example, the vehicle V travels in a circular manner along a predetermined route. As an example, the vehicle V is a circular bus, and multiple vehicles V travel in a circular manner along the same route. The inter-vehicle time control system 1 includes a tag (storage unit) 2 and multiple inter-vehicle time control devices 3 mounted on each vehicle V.

[0015] The tag 2 is installed on the road L and can store information. In this embodiment, the tag 2 is installed on the road surface of the road L or embedded in the road surface. Note that the installation form and the information storage form (type of tag 2) of the tag 2 are not particularly limited as long as the writing unit 31 described below can write information and the reading unit 32 can read information. There is no limit to the number of tags 2 installed on the road L. The intervals between adjacent tags 2 may be constant or may differ from each other. In this embodiment, the inter-vehicle time control system 1 can control the inter-vehicle time of the vehicle V without using the installation intervals of the tags 2 (even without recognizing the installation intervals).

[0016] The time headway control device 3 controls the time interval between the vehicle V (host vehicle) on which the time headway control device 3 is installed and a vehicle ahead of the vehicle V. Below, the time headway control device 3 installed in a specific vehicle V will be described as a representative of the multiple time headway control devices 3 installed in each vehicle V. Furthermore, the specific vehicle V on which the time headway control device 3 described as a representative is installed will sometimes be referred to as the host vehicle V. Note that the time headway control devices 3 installed in other vehicles V also have the same configuration as the time headway control device 3 described below.

[0017] As shown in FIG. 2, the inter-vehicle time control device 3 includes a writing unit 31, a reading unit 32, and a control ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 33.

[0018] The writing unit 31 is a device that writes information to the tag 2. As shown in FIG. 3, the writing unit 31 is provided, for example, on the underside near the rear end of the vehicle V. For example, the writing unit 31 writes information in a non-contact manner. The method (standard) for writing information in the writing unit 31 is not particularly limited.

[0019] When the host vehicle V passes the installation point (above the tag 2) of the tag 2 installed on the road L, the writing unit 31 writes the passing time when the host vehicle V passed the installation point of the tag 2 to the tag 2. For example, the writing unit 31 can write the passing time based on time information obtained from a GPS receiver.

[0020] Furthermore, when writing the passage time to the tag 2, the writing unit 31 also writes the vehicle identification information of the vehicle V to the tag 2 in association with the passage time. The format of the vehicle identification information is not important. At the very least, the vehicle identification information needs to be information that can be used to identify the vehicle V (or group of vehicles V) whose mixing needs to be prevented.

[0021] The reading unit 32 is a device that reads information from the tag 2. As shown in FIG. 3, the reading unit 32 is provided, for example, on the underside near the front end of the vehicle V. For example, the reading unit 32 writes information in a non-contact manner. The method (standard) for reading information in the reading unit 32 is not particularly limited.

[0022] When the host vehicle V passes the installation point of the tag 2 installed on the travel path L, the reading unit 32 reads the passing time of the preceding vehicle together with the vehicle identification information from the tag 2. The preceding vehicle here is the vehicle V that passed the installation point of the tag 2 before the host vehicle V and wrote the passing time in the tag 2.

[0023] The control ECU 33 is physically an electronic control unit having a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), etc. In the control ECU 33, various functions are realized by, for example, executing a program recorded in the ROM or RAM by the CPU.

[0024] The control ECU 33 functionally includes a speed control unit 34. The speed control unit 34 has a function of controlling the speed of the host vehicle V. For example, the speed control unit 34 can control the speed of the host vehicle V by issuing instructions to an automatic driving control device that performs automatic driving of the host vehicle V.

[0025] Specifically, the speed control unit 34 controls the speed of the host vehicle V based on the passing time of the preceding vehicle read by the reading unit 32 so that the inter-vehicle time between the host vehicle V and the preceding vehicle becomes a predetermined reference inter-vehicle time. The speed control unit 34 controls the speed of the vehicle V based on the passing time associated with predetermined vehicle identification information among the passing times read by the reading unit 32. The speed control unit 34 controls the speed of the host vehicle V, thereby adjusting the inter-vehicle time between the host vehicle V and the vehicle preceding the host vehicle V.

[0026] Here, the predetermined reference inter-vehicle time may be set in advance for the speed control unit 34. Furthermore, the speed control unit 34 may obtain information on the reference inter-vehicle time via wireless communication from a management center or the like that manages the operation of each vehicle V, and use the obtained information as the predetermined reference inter-vehicle time.

[0027] Next, the overall flow of writing the passing time and the like to the tag 2 of the leading vehicle and controlling the inter-vehicle time of the following vehicle will be explained using Figure 3. As shown in Figure 3, of the two vehicles V, vehicle V1 is referred to as the leading vehicle V1, and vehicle V2 following the leading vehicle V1 is referred to as the following vehicle V2. The leading vehicle V1 and the following vehicle V2 are traveling from left to right in Figure 3.

[0028] When the leading vehicle V1 passes the installation point of the tag 2, the writing unit 31 of the leading vehicle V1 writes the passing time at which the leading vehicle V1 passed the installation point of the tag 2 to the tag 2. Thereafter, when the following vehicle V2 arrives at the installation point of the tag 2, the reading unit 32 of the following vehicle V2 reads the passing time of the leading vehicle V1 together with the identification information of the leading vehicle V1 from the tag 2. The speed control unit 34 of the following vehicle V2 controls the speed of the following vehicle V2 based on the read passing time so that the inter-vehicle time between the leading vehicle V1 and the following vehicle V2 becomes a predetermined reference inter-vehicle time.

[0029] Here, multiple passing times may be written together with vehicle identification information on the tag 2. The speed control unit 34 identifies the vehicle V that is the subject of inter-vehicle time control based on the vehicle identification information, and controls the speed based on the passing time of the identified vehicle (here, preceding vehicle V1).

[0030] When the following vehicle V2 passes the installation point of the tag 2, the writing unit 31 of the following vehicle V2 writes the passing time of the following vehicle V2 passing the installation point of the tag 2 to the tag 2. This allows the vehicle V following the following vehicle V2 to control the inter-vehicle time with the following vehicle V2 by reading the passing time of the following vehicle V2 written in the tag 2.

[0031] As described above, the time headway control system 1 (time headway control device 3) controls the speed of the following vehicle V2 (host vehicle V) to achieve a predetermined reference time headway based on the passage time written to the tag 2 by the preceding vehicle V1. In other words, the time headway control system 1 (time headway control device 3) allows the following vehicle V2 (host vehicle V) to control the time headway based on the passage time of the preceding vehicle V1, without having to manage the position information of the preceding vehicle V1 at a management center or the like. In this way, the time headway control system 1 (time headway control device 3) can manage the time headway between the vehicles V while suppressing an increase in processing load.

[0032] The writing unit 31 associates the passage time with the vehicle identification information and writes it to the tag 2. The speed control unit 34 of the following vehicle V2 controls the speed based on the passage time associated with predetermined vehicle identification information from among the passage times read by the reading unit 32. For example, there are cases where multiple passage times are written to the tag 2. One example is a case where a route bus (vehicle V) of a different route system travels past the point where the tag 2 is installed. Even in such a case, the speed control unit 34 of the following vehicle V2 can identify the time information of the preceding vehicle V1 that requires control of the inter-vehicle time based on the vehicle identification information, and control the inter-vehicle time with the preceding vehicle V1.

[0033] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications may be made in accordance with the spirit of the present invention.

[0034] For example, the tag 2 may be configured so that the passing time is overwritten each time a passing time is written, rather than storing multiple passing times. In this case, the following vehicle V2 can control the inter-vehicle time with the immediately preceding vehicle V1. [Explanation of symbols]

[0035] 1... Time headway control system, 2... Tag (storage unit), 3... Time headway control device, 31... Writing unit, 32... Reading unit, 34... Speed ​​control unit, L... Road, V... Vehicle, V1... Leading vehicle, V2... Following vehicle (own vehicle V).

Claims

1. A time headway control system for controlling a time headway between a leading vehicle and a following vehicle, a memory unit that is installed on the travel path and is capable of storing information; a writing unit that is mounted on the preceding vehicle and writes, into the memory unit, a passing time when the preceding vehicle passed through a point where the memory unit is installed; a reading unit that is mounted on the following vehicle and that reads the passing time of the preceding vehicle from the memory unit when the following vehicle passes a location where the memory unit is installed; a speed control unit mounted on the following vehicle, which controls the speed of the following vehicle based on the passage time read by the reading unit so that a time interval between the leading vehicle and the following vehicle becomes a predetermined reference time interval; A time headway control system.

2. the writing unit of the preceding vehicle writes the vehicle identification information of the preceding vehicle in association with the passing time into the storage unit; 2. The time headway control system according to claim 1, wherein the speed control unit of the following vehicle controls the speed of the following vehicle based on the passage time read by the reading unit, the passage time associated with the predetermined vehicle identification information.

3. A vehicle-to-vehicle time control device that controls a vehicle-to-vehicle time between a preceding vehicle and a vehicle, a reading unit that reads the passing time of the preceding vehicle from the memory unit when the host vehicle passes an installation point of the memory unit that is installed on a travel path; a speed control unit that controls a speed of the host vehicle based on the passage time read by the reading unit so that a time interval between the preceding vehicle and the host vehicle becomes a predetermined reference time interval; A vehicle headway time control device comprising:

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