Vehicle control device

Abstract

To provide a vehicle control device that prevents erroneous operation by configuring the braking operation unit and acceleration operation unit to be operated with different body parts, and that switches control appropriately when an operation conflict occurs, smoothly transitioning control at that time. [Solution] The vehicle control device is mounted on a vehicle 10 and has a configuration for appropriately controlling acceleration and braking operations by a driver 14. The vehicle 10 is configured to include a braking operation unit 11, an acceleration operation unit 12, a calculation control unit 13, a steering 17, and multiple vehicle state sensors (not shown).

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle control device that controls a driving state in response to an operation by a driver. [Background technology]

[0002] In conventional vehicles, in the case of four-wheeled vehicles, the driver controls the acceleration and braking of the vehicle by operating the accelerator pedal and brake pedal with the right foot, but this conventional operation method is not only inefficient but also carries the risk of accidentally pressing the accelerator pedal instead of the brake pedal. In order to operate the accelerator pedal and the brake pedal efficiently and prevent the risk of accidentally pressing the accelerator pedal instead of the brake pedal, it is effective to position the accelerator pedal and the brake pedal so that they can be operated with different hands and feet, but doing so could lead to the accelerator pedal and the brake pedal being operated simultaneously, causing the vehicle to behave unpredictably.

[0003] In addition, conventional vehicle control systems have a uniform response to driver operations, making it difficult to tailor control to suit the driving characteristics and preferences of individual drivers. Furthermore, sudden changes in control when switching operations can cause discomfort to occupants. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 7138395 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The present invention has been made to solve the problems of the above-mentioned conventional technology, and aims to provide a vehicle control device that prevents driver erroneous operation, achieves smooth control transitions, and improves passenger comfort.

[0006] Specifically, the objective is to provide a vehicle control device that prevents erroneous operation by configuring the braking operation unit and the acceleration operation unit to be operated with different body parts, and that switches control appropriately in the event of a conflict between operations, thereby smoothly transitioning control. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The present invention provides When the vehicle is running, Controls the driving state according to the driver's operation The aforementioned A vehicle control device includes a braking operation unit, an acceleration operation unit, and a calculation control unit, and the braking operation unit controls the vehicle to brake in accordance with the amount of operation of the braking operation unit. (Excluding those that use regenerative braking) and is configured to operate by a first body part of the driver, and the acceleration operating unit is configured to accelerate the vehicle according to the amount of operation thereof and is configured to be operated by a second body part of the driver that is different from the first body part, and the calculation control unit monitors the operation states of the brake operating unit and the acceleration operating unit, and when the acceleration operating unit is newly operated while the brake operating unit is in an operating state, releases the operation of the brake operating unit. [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a vehicle control device that prevents erroneous operations, switches control appropriately when conflicting operations occur, and smoothly transitions control at that time. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0025] [Figure 1A] 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a vehicle control device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 1B] 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a brake operation unit and the like of a vehicle control device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] 1 is a diagram showing a situation in which a vehicle equipped with a vehicle control device according to an embodiment of the present invention travels around a curve; [Figure 3] 4 is a graph showing the operation of a braking operation unit and an acceleration operation unit in the vehicle control device according to the embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0026] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0027] 1A, the vehicle control device according to this embodiment is mounted on a vehicle 10 and has a configuration for appropriately controlling acceleration and braking operations by a driver 14. The vehicle 10 is configured to include a braking operation unit 11, an acceleration operation unit 12, a calculation control unit 13, a steering 17 (steering operation unit), and a plurality of vehicle state sensors (not shown).

[0028] The brake operating unit 11 includes a paddle shifter 111 operated by the second body part 16 of the driver 14, i.e., the hand 161, and is arranged near the steering wheel 17. The paddle shifter 111 is configured to apply braking force to the vehicle 10 in stages according to the amount of operation, and a predetermined braking torque is determined by the calculation control unit 13 according to, for example, a certain pull-in angle or operation time. This causes the vehicle 10 to slow down or stop. In other words, the brake operating unit 11 is a substitute for a brake pedal.

[0029] The acceleration operation unit 12 is an accelerator pedal 121 operated by a first body part 15 of the driver 14, i.e., a foot 151, for example, either the right foot or the left foot. An acceleration command is sent to the calculation control unit 13 according to the amount of depression of the accelerator pedal 121. This causes the vehicle 10 to accelerate.

[0030] The calculation control unit 13 is, for example, a processor such as a CPU, and is configured to monitor the operation states of the paddle shifter 111 and the accelerator pedal 121, and to grasp the driving situation of the vehicle 10 based on information obtained from an acceleration sensor, a vehicle speed sensor, a steering angle sensor, etc., mounted on the vehicle 10. In addition, a configuration may be adopted in which programs for executing the various functions and methods according to the present embodiment are stored in a storage unit such as a RAM.

[0031] In this example hand As will be described later, if the driver 14 newly operates the paddle shifter 111 functioning as the braking operation unit 11 while depressing the accelerator pedal 121, the calculation control unit 13 temporarily disables the input from the accelerator pedal 121 and prioritizes the braking operation. This prevents acceleration and braking from being applied simultaneously, and makes it possible to suppress instability of the vehicle behavior, such as runaway driving.

[0032] Furthermore, when the driver 14 subsequently finishes operating the paddle shifter 111 and the brake operating unit 11 is in a non-operated state, if the accelerator pedal 121 is depressed, the calculation control unit 13 smoothly transitions the output so that the control amount of the accelerator pedal 121 does not change suddenly, depending on the vehicle speed, acceleration, steering angle, etc. at that time. For example, if the steering angle exceeds a predetermined value while driving around a curve, the output is adjusted to suppress an increase in acceleration, taking into account the lateral acceleration.

[0033] Furthermore, the calculation control unit 13 includes an artificial intelligence (AI) that changes the amount of adjustment, and the AI ​​learns driving tendencies based on the past operation history of the paddle shifter 111 and accelerator pedal 121 by the driver 14. For example, it is possible to set an earlier output transition for a driver who tends to prefer sudden acceleration and braking, and conversely, to set a gradual transition for a driver who prefers smooth driving.

[0034] Additionally, the calculation and control unit 13 has a driving mode selection function based on the braking operation unit 11 and the acceleration operation unit 12, and when the driver 14 performs a predetermined operation on one of these modes, multiple driving modes such as sport mode, eco mode, and normal mode can be switched. The control characteristics (response, torque control, transition speed, etc.) of the paddle shifter 111 or accelerator pedal 121 are changed depending on the selected mode, enabling flexible driving control according to the intentions of the driver 14 and road conditions. For example, when the sport mode is selected, re-acceleration according to the operation amount of the accelerator pedal 121 is performed more strongly than when the normal mode is selected. On the other hand, when the eco mode is selected, re-acceleration according to the operation amount of the accelerator pedal 121 is performed less strongly than when the normal mode is selected.

[0035] According to this embodiment configured as above, the driver 14 can perform braking operations without taking his / her hands off the steering wheel 17, and acceleration after braking is also optimized according to the situation and the individual's driving characteristics, thereby supporting safe and comfortable driving. Furthermore, because the paddle shifter 111 and the accelerator pedal 121 are operated by different parts of the driver 14's body, operational errors regarding braking and acceleration can be reduced.

[0036] As shown in FIG. 1B, the paddle shifter 111 serving as the brake operating unit 11 is disposed on the front side of the steering wheel 17. The paddle shifter 111 is disposed on each of the left and right sides of the steering wheel 17, and both function as the brake operating unit 11. The outer edge of the paddle shifter 111 that the driver 14 comes into contact with for operation is formed along the circumferential direction of the steering wheel 17. Here, the paddle shifter 111 is disposed along the circumferential direction of the steering wheel 17. almost completely That is, the outer edge portion of the left-side paddle shifter 111 may be formed over substantially the entire left side of the steering wheel 17. Also, that is, the outer edge portion of the right-side paddle shifter 111 may be formed over substantially the entire right side of the steering wheel 17. [Example]

[0037] The control operation of the present invention when the vehicle 10 passes through a curve will be described below using a specific driving situation as shown in FIGS.

[0038] Assume that the driver 14 is driving the vehicle 10 when a curve with a radius of about 30 m that turns to the right approaches ahead. The vehicle 10 constantly detects the steering amount of the steering wheel 17, the vehicle speed, and the lateral acceleration using various sensors via the calculation control unit 13, and automatically recognizes that the vehicle is entering a curve based on the current steering angle and vehicle speed.

[0039] The driver 14 operates the accelerator pedal 121 of the acceleration operating unit 12 with his / her foot 151 until just before entering the curve, and drives while maintaining the vehicle speed. Meanwhile, the driver 14 turns the steering wheel 17 to the right and pulls the paddle shifter 111 of the braking operating unit 11 with his / her hand 161, indicating his / her intention to slow down the vehicle speed (T1 in FIG. 3).

[0040] At this time, the calculation control unit 13 detects that the paddle shifter 111 has been newly operated even though the accelerator pedal 121 is in an operated state, and temporarily disables the input from the accelerator pedal 121. In addition, the calculation control unit 13 executes deceleration control of the vehicle 10 by braking operation, and at the same time, refers to the steering angle of the steering wheel 17 and the value of the lateral acceleration obtained from the acceleration sensor.

[0041] If the lateral acceleration exceeds 0.4 G (exceeds a predetermined threshold), the calculation control unit 13 determines that a sudden change in acceleration / deceleration output will cause skidding of the vehicle 10 or discomfort to the occupants, and reduces the transition speed of the output control. That is, if the accelerator pedal 121 continues to be operated even after the braking operation using the paddle shifter 111 is released (T2 in FIG. 3), the acceleration command from the accelerator pedal 121 is controlled to be smoothly increased rather than suddenly returned to its original value. Here, such control can also be performed according to the steering angle, i.e., the acceleration command from the accelerator pedal 121 is controlled to be smoothly increased rather than suddenly returned to its original value depending on the steering angle. Such control can also be performed according to the vehicle speed, i.e., the acceleration command from the accelerator pedal 121 is controlled to be smoothly increased rather than suddenly returned to its original value depending on the vehicle speed. These controls according to the driving state and vehicle driving situation may be performed alone or in combination of two or more.

[0042] In this way, this control device smoothly controls the switching between acceleration and braking when entering a curve according to the vehicle's motion state, and suppresses unnecessary torque fluctuations, allowing the driver 14 to steer the vehicle 10 without any discomfort, improving safety and comfort. [Example]

[0043] In this embodiment, an artificial intelligence installed in the calculation control unit 13 learns the past operation history of the driver 14 and performs acceleration / deceleration control according to the driving tendency.

[0044] For example, assume that the driver 14 tends to drive calmly and avoid sudden acceleration and deceleration. The calculation control unit 13 understands this tendency from the driving history over the past few days, and has learned that the driver dislikes torque fluctuations, especially when passing through curves.

[0045] During normal driving, the driver 14 operates the paddle shifter 111 when entering a curve, intending to decelerate. In response to this, the calculation control unit 13 disables the accelerator pedal 121, and even after the operation of the paddle shifter 111 is completed, the calculation control unit 13 smoothly adjusts the output so that the control amount is returned very gradually based on the learned tendency.

[0046] This allows the vehicle to behave naturally in line with the individual preferences of the driver14, resulting in a less stressful driving experience. R . [Example]

[0047] In this embodiment, a configuration is adopted in which the control characteristics of the paddle shifter 111 and the accelerator pedal 121 change depending on the selected driving mode, and in particular, the behavior can be made different between the "sport mode" and the "normal mode."

[0048] When the driver 14 has selected the "sports mode," the calculation control unit 13 performs response-priority control even when entering a curve, and restores the control amount of the accelerator pedal 121 relatively quickly after the operation of the paddle shifter 111 is released.

[0049] On the other hand, if the driver 14 has selected the "normal mode," even in the same curve-passing situation, the calculation control unit 13 detects the steering angle of the steering wheel 17 and the lateral acceleration value, and performs control to suppress output changes in the accelerator control amount according to changes in the posture of the vehicle 10.

[0050] This allows the driving characteristics to change depending on the driving mode setting, achieving optimal driving assistance according to the application and driver preferences.

[0051] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these and can be modified within the scope of the present invention. In addition, the above-described embodiments can be combined with each other.

[0052] For example, it is also possible to switch the operation of the first body part 15 and the brake operating unit 11. That is, the calculation control unit 13 can be configured to interrupt the operation of the brake operating unit 11 when the first body part 15 is newly operated during the operation of the brake operating unit 11. A vehicle control device according to an embodiment of the present invention is a vehicle control device that controls the driving state in response to operation by a driver, and is equipped with a braking operation unit, an acceleration operation unit, and a calculation control unit, wherein the braking operation unit is configured to brake the vehicle in response to the amount of operation and is configured to be operated by a first body part of the driver, and the acceleration operation unit is configured to accelerate the vehicle in response to the amount of operation and is configured to be operated by a second body part of the driver that is different from the first body part, and the calculation control unit monitors the operation state of the braking operation unit and the acceleration operation unit, detects the vehicle driving situation including at least one of the acceleration, vehicle speed, and steering angle of the vehicle, and when either the braking operation unit or the acceleration operation unit is in an operating state and the other of the braking operation unit and the acceleration operation unit is newly operated, releases the operation of either the braking operation unit or the acceleration operation unit. According to the vehicle control device of the present invention, when either the braking operation unit or the acceleration operation unit is in an operating state and the other of the braking operation unit or the acceleration operation unit is newly operated, either the braking operation unit or the acceleration operation unit can be released, thereby preventing the driver from operating it erroneously while driving. Furthermore, the vehicle control device according to the embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that the output is adjusted to smoothly transition the control amount of either the braking operation unit or the acceleration operation unit that becomes effective after release, depending on the driving conditions of the vehicle when the other of the braking operation unit and the acceleration operation unit is released. According to the vehicle control device of the present invention, by adjusting the output to smoothly transition the control amount of either the braking operation unit or the acceleration operation unit that becomes effective after release, depending on the driving conditions of the vehicle when released, it is possible to smooth the acceleration or braking of the vehicle after activation and improve the comfort of occupants in the vehicle. In addition, in the vehicle control device according to the embodiment of the present invention, the calculation control unit includes artificial intelligence that changes the adjustment amount of the output in accordance with driving tendencies learned based on the driver's past operation history. According to the vehicle control device of the present invention, by controlling acceleration or deceleration in accordance with the driver's driving tendencies, it is possible to reproduce driving behavior that is natural and familiar to the driver. In the vehicle control device according to the embodiment of the present invention, the calculation control unit suppresses the output change when the lateral acceleration or the steering angle during curve driving exceeds a predetermined value. According to the vehicle control device of the present invention, the lateral acceleration during curve driving can be reduced. In addition, in the vehicle control device according to the embodiment of the present invention, the braking operation unit is configured to be operable by the driver's hands, and the acceleration operation unit is configured to be operable by the driver's feet. According to the vehicle control device of the present invention, by performing the braking operation by the driver's hands and the acceleration operation by the driver's feet, it is possible to reduce erroneous operation and realize braking and acceleration of the vehicle according to the driver's intentions. In addition, the vehicle control device according to the embodiment of the present invention further includes a steering operation unit, the steering operation unit is configured to steer the vehicle according to the amount of operation of the steering operation unit, and the braking operation unit is disposed near the steering operation unit. According to the vehicle control device of the present invention, the steering operation and the deceleration operation can be accurately performed by the driver's hands. In addition, in the vehicle control device according to the embodiment of the present invention, the first body part that operates the braking operation unit is one of the upper limbs and the lower limbs of the driver, and the second body part that operates the acceleration operation unit is the other of the upper limbs and the lower limbs of the driver. According to the vehicle control device of the present invention, for example, by performing the braking operation with the driver's upper limbs and the acceleration operation with the driver's lower limbs, each operation can be made easier and erroneous operation can be prevented. In addition, in the vehicle control device according to an embodiment of the present invention, the arithmetic and control unit is configured to select from a plurality of driving modes that differ in the degree of braking or acceleration in response to operation of the brake operating unit or the acceleration operating unit, and the control amount of the brake operating unit or the acceleration operating unit that becomes effective after release varies depending on the selected driving mode. According to the vehicle control device of the present invention, the acceleration or deceleration after release can be varied depending on the driving mode, thereby realizing vehicle behavior that suits the driver's preference. In addition, in a vehicle control device according to an embodiment of the present invention, the braking operation unit is a paddle shift, the acceleration operation unit is an accelerator pedal, the first body part is a hand, and the second body part is a foot. According to the vehicle control device of the present invention, operation can be performed separately with a hand and a foot, thereby reducing operational errors during driving. [Explanation of symbols]

[0053] 10 vehicles 11 Brake operation section 111 Paddle shift 12 Acceleration control section 121 Accelerator pedal 13 Calculation control unit 14 Driver 15 1st body part 151 feet 16 Second body part 161 hands 17 Steering

Claims

1. A control device for a vehicle that controls a driving state in response to an operation by a driver while the vehicle is running, The vehicle includes a braking operation unit, an acceleration operation unit, and a calculation control unit, the brake operating unit is configured to brake the vehicle (excluding braking by regenerative braking) in accordance with an amount of operation of the brake operating unit, and is configured to be operated by a first body part of the driver; the acceleration operating unit is configured to accelerate the vehicle in accordance with an amount of operation thereof, and is configured to be operated by a second body part of the driver that is different from the first body part; The arithmetic and control unit monitors the operation states of the braking operation unit and the acceleration operation unit; A vehicle control device characterized in that, when the acceleration operation unit is newly operated while the brake operation unit is in an operated state, an output corresponding to an operation amount of the brake operation unit is invalidated.

2. The arithmetic and control unit monitors the operation states of the braking operation unit and the acceleration operation unit; 2. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein, when the braking operation unit is newly operated while the acceleration operation unit is in an operated state, an output corresponding to an operation amount of the acceleration operation unit is invalidated.

3. The arithmetic and control unit Detecting a vehicle driving condition including at least one of an acceleration, a vehicle speed, and a steering angle of the vehicle; The vehicle control device according to claim 2, characterized in that the output is adjusted so as to smoothly transition the control amount of either the braking operation unit or the acceleration operation unit that becomes effective after release, depending on the driving conditions of the vehicle when either the braking operation unit or the acceleration operation unit is released.

4. The arithmetic and control unit 4. The vehicle control device according to claim 3, further comprising artificial intelligence that changes the amount of adjustment of the output in accordance with driving tendencies learned based on the driver's past operation history.

5. The arithmetic and control unit 4. The vehicle control device according to claim 3, wherein when the lateral acceleration or the steering angle during curve traveling exceeds a predetermined value, a change in the output of the braking operation unit or the acceleration operation unit is suppressed.

6. Further provided with a steering operation unit, the steering operation unit is configured to steer the vehicle in accordance with an operation amount thereof, 2. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein the braking operation unit is disposed near the steering operation unit.

7. the first body part that operates the brake operating unit is one of an upper limb and a lower limb of the driver, 2. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein the second body part that operates the acceleration operation unit is the other of the driver's upper limbs and lower limbs.

8. The arithmetic and control unit A plurality of driving modes having different degrees of braking or acceleration can be selected in response to operation of the braking operation unit or the acceleration operation unit, 4. The vehicle control device according to claim 3, wherein the control amount of the braking operation unit or the acceleration operation unit that becomes effective after release varies depending on the selected driving mode.

9. the brake operating unit is a paddle shifter, the acceleration operation unit is an accelerator pedal, the first body part is a hand, The vehicle control device according to claim 1 , wherein the second body part is a foot.

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