Mobile device control device, mobile device control method, and program

Abstract

To provide a mobile control device capable of further promptly generating a target track based on a risk, a mobile control method, and a program.SOLUTION: A mobile control device comprises: a recognition section for recognizing an object being present around a mobile; a risk setting section for setting a risk which is an index value representing a degree that the mobile should avoid entrance, based on a position of the object; and a target track generation section for generating a target track, along which the mobile should travel, so as to pass a point where the risk is small. The target track generation section sets a plurality of observation points at intervals at a side of a travel direction of the mobile, sets one or more second observation points in a left direction and a right direction in a view from the mobile with respect to each of the plurality of first observation points, and searches for the point where the risk is small based on the risk in an observation point group including the first observation point and the second observation point corresponding to each other.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a mobile device control device, a mobile device control method, and a program. [Background technology]

[0002] Research and practical applications are progressing regarding the automated driving of moving objects, such as vehicles (hereinafter referred to as autonomous driving). In autonomous driving, it is necessary to automatically generate a target trajectory according to the conditions in the direction of travel.

[0003] In connection with this, an invention of a vehicle control device has been disclosed, comprising: a first setting unit that sets a first potential for a plurality of divided regions obtained by dividing a road area based on the road area; a second setting unit that sets a second potential for the divided region based on surrounding objects detected by the detection unit; an evaluation unit that derives an index value that evaluates the potential of the divided region of interest based on the first and second potentials set for a divided region of interest among the plurality of divided regions, and predictive information generated for surrounding divided regions selected from the vicinity of the divided region of interest; and a selection unit that selects one or more divided regions from the plurality of divided regions along the direction of travel of the vehicle based on the index value derived by the evaluation unit (see Patent Document 1).

[0004] The target trajectory is generated by setting an index value (potential in Patent Document 1, hereinafter referred to as risk) on the track surface that indicates the degree to which a moving object should not enter, and then passing through points with low risk.

[0005] Incidentally, since comprehensively searching for low-risk locations would result in a high processing load, a search method using sine waves is being considered. Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a search method. In this search method, a sine wave called a perturbation signal is multiplied by a reference observation point pR (for example, set along the center of the road) to set movable observation points pM that are shifted to the left or right. The moving average of the risk at multiple movable observation points pM is then calculated to determine the risk gradient (a value indicating which way the passing point should be shifted to reduce the risk). [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2019-34627 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0007] The above search method assumes a process flow in which risks on one movable observation point pM are extracted for each control cycle, and calculations are performed repeatedly for each control cycle. However, given the current situation where the processing load on the control computer that controls the autonomous driving is excessive, it is difficult to make the control cycles fast enough, and in some cases it was difficult to generate a target trajectory in time for the moving object to move.

[0008] This invention has been made in consideration of these circumstances, and one of its objectives is to provide a mobile body control device, a mobile body control method, and a program that can generate a risk-based target trajectory more quickly. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The mobile device control device, mobile device control method, and program according to this invention employ the following configuration. (1) A mobile body control device according to one aspect of the present invention comprises: a recognition unit that recognizes objects present around a mobile body; a risk setting unit that sets a risk, which is an index value representing the degree to which the mobile body should avoid entering, based on the position of the object; and a target trajectory generation unit that generates a target trajectory for the mobile body to travel, such that it passes through points with low risk. The target trajectory generation unit sets a plurality of first observation points at intervals on the side of the direction of travel of the mobile body, and sets one or more second observation points to the left and to the right of each of the plurality of first observation points, respectively, as viewed from the mobile body, and searches for points with low risk based on the risk in the observation point group including the corresponding first and second observation points.

[0010] (2): In the embodiment of (1) above, the target trajectory generation unit calculates the difference in risk between the first and second observation points included in the observation point group that are adjacent to each other in the left-right direction with respect to the moving body, calculates a risk gradient based on the difference in risk, and corrects the passing points of the target trajectory in a direction that reduces the risk based on the risk gradient.

[0011] (3) In the embodiment of (2) above, the target trajectory generation unit calculates the risk gradient by calculating the weighted sum of the differences in the risks.

[0012] (4) In the embodiment of (3) above, the target trajectory generation unit calculates the risk gradient by calculating a weighted sum that applies symmetrical weights to the difference in risk.

[0013] (5) In the embodiment of (2) above, the target trajectory generation unit generates the target trajectory by first setting a base path in one control cycle, setting the plurality of first observation points on the base path at intervals, and modifying the base path in a direction that reduces the risk based on the risk gradient.

[0014] (6) A mobile body control method according to another aspect of the present invention involves a mobile body control device that recognizes objects present around the mobile body, sets a risk which is an index value representing the degree to which the mobile body should avoid entering based on the position of the objects, generates a target trajectory that the mobile body should travel on so as to pass through points with low risk, sets a plurality of first observation points at intervals on the side of the direction of travel of the mobile body when generating the target trajectory, sets one or more second observation points to the left and to the right of each of the plurality of first observation points, and searches for points with low risk based on the risk in the observation point group including the corresponding first and second observation points.

[0015] (7): Another aspect of the present invention is a program for causing a mobile body control device to perform the following actions: recognize objects present around a mobile body; set a risk, which is an index value representing the degree to which the mobile body should avoid entering, based on the position of the objects; and generate a target trajectory for the mobile body to travel, such that it passes through points with low risk, wherein when generating the target trajectory, the program causes a plurality of first observation points to be set at intervals on the side of the direction of travel of the mobile body, and for each of the plurality of first observation points, one or more second observation points to be set to the left and to the right as seen from the mobile body, and searches for points with low risk based on the risk in the observation point group including the corresponding first and second observation points. [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] According to the embodiments described in (1) to (7) above, a risk-based target trajectory can be generated more quickly. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0017] [Figure 1] This is a diagram illustrating an example of a search method. [Figure 2] This is a diagram showing the configuration of a vehicle system 1 using a mobile control device according to an embodiment. [Figure 3] It is a functional block diagram of the first control unit 120 and the second control unit 160. [Figure 4] It is a diagram for explaining the risk set by the risk setting unit 140. [Figure 5] It shows the value of the risk on the 5-5 line in FIG. 4. [Figure 6] It is a diagram showing an example of the processing flow by the target trajectory generation unit 150. [Figure 7] It is a diagram for explaining the processing of steps S1 to S3. [Figure 8] It is a diagram for explaining the processing of calculating the risk gradient ΔR. [Figure 9] It is a diagram for explaining the processing of the path correction unit 158.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0018] Hereinafter, referring to the drawings, embodiments of the movement control device, movement control method, and program of the present invention will be described. In the following description, a vehicle is cited as a representative example of the moving body, but the moving body is not limited to a vehicle and is applicable to any moving body that moves autonomously, such as micromobility and robots (including those with wheels and those that walk on multiple legs). Further, as an example of the movement control device, it will be described by referring to an automatic driving control device.

[0019] [Overall Configuration] FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a vehicle system 1 using the movement control device according to the embodiment. The vehicle on which the vehicle system 1 is mounted is, for example, a two-wheeled, three-wheeled, four-wheeled, or other vehicle, and its drive source is an internal combustion engine such as a diesel engine or a gasoline engine, an electric motor, or a combination thereof. The electric motor operates using electric power generated by a generator connected to the internal combustion engine, or discharge power of a secondary battery or a fuel cell.

[0020] Vehicle system 1 includes, for example, a camera 10, a radar device 12, a LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) 14, an object recognition device 16, a communication device 20, an HMI (Human Machine Interface) 30, a vehicle sensor 40, a navigation device 50, an MPU (Map Positioning Unit) 60, a driver monitor camera 70, a driver control device 80, an automatic driving control device 100, a driving force output device 200, a brake device 210, and a steering device 220. These devices and equipment are connected to each other by multiplex communication lines such as CAN (Controller Area Network) communication lines, serial communication lines, wireless communication networks, etc. Note that the configuration shown in Figure 1 is merely an example, and some of the configuration may be omitted, or other configurations may be added.

[0021] Camera 10 is a digital camera that utilizes a solid-state image sensor such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) or CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor). Camera 10 is mounted at any location on the vehicle (hereinafter referred to as "vehicle M") on which the vehicle system 1 is installed. When imaging the area in front, camera 10 is mounted on the top of the front windshield, behind the rearview mirror, etc. Camera 10 periodically and repeatedly images the area around vehicle M. Camera 10 may also be a stereo camera.

[0022] The radar device 12 emits radio waves such as millimeter waves around the vehicle M and detects radio waves reflected by objects (reflected waves) to determine at least the position (distance and bearing) of an object. The radar device 12 can be mounted at any location on the vehicle M. The radar device 12 may also detect the position and velocity of an object using the FM-CW (Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave) method.

[0023] The LIDAR 14 irradiates light (or electromagnetic waves with a wavelength close to light) around the vehicle M and measures the scattered light. The LIDAR 14 detects the distance to the target based on the time from emission to reception. The irradiated light is, for example, pulsed laser light. The LIDAR 14 can be attached to any location on the vehicle M.

[0024] The object recognition device 16 performs sensor fusion processing on the detection results from some or all of the camera 10, radar device 12, and LIDAR 14 to recognize the position, type, speed, etc., of an object. The object recognition device 16 outputs the recognition results to the automatic driving control device 100. The object recognition device 16 may output the detection results from the camera 10, radar device 12, and LIDAR 14 directly to the automatic driving control device 100. The object recognition device 16 may be omitted from the vehicle system 1.

[0025] The communication device 20 communicates with other vehicles in the vicinity of its own vehicle M, or with various server devices via a wireless base station, for example, by using a cellular network, Wi-Fi network, Bluetooth®, DSRC (Dedicated Short Range Communication), etc.

[0026] The HMI30 displays various information to the occupants of the vehicle M and accepts input operations from the occupants. The HMI30 includes various display devices, speakers, buzzers, touch panels, switches, keys, etc.

[0027] The vehicle sensor 40 includes a vehicle speed sensor for detecting the speed of the vehicle M, an acceleration sensor for detecting acceleration, a yaw rate sensor for detecting angular velocity around the vertical axis, and an orientation sensor for detecting the orientation of the vehicle M.

[0028] The navigation device 50 includes, for example, a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) receiver 51, a navigation HMI 52, and a route determination unit 53. The navigation device 50 stores first map information 54 in a storage device such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or flash memory. The GNSS receiver 51 determines the position of the vehicle M based on signals received from GNSS satellites. The position of the vehicle M may be determined or supplemented by an INS (Inertial Navigation System) that utilizes the output of vehicle sensors 40. The navigation HMI 52 includes a display device, speaker, touch panel, keys, etc. The navigation HMI 52 may be partially or completely shared with the HMI 30 described above. The route determination unit 53 determines, for example, a route (hereinafter referred to as the route on the map) from the position of the vehicle M determined by the GNSS receiver 51 (or any input position) to the destination input by the occupant using the navigation HMI 52, by referring to the first map information 54. The first map information 54 is, for example, information in which the road shape is represented by links indicating roads and nodes connected by those links. The first map information 54 may also include information such as road curvature and POI (Point of Interest) information. The route on the map is output to the MPU 60. The navigation device 50 may provide route guidance using the navigation HMI 52 based on the route on the map. The navigation device 50 may be implemented, for example, by the functions of a terminal device such as a smartphone or tablet held by an occupant. The navigation device 50 may transmit the current location and destination to the navigation server via the communication device 20 and obtain a route equivalent to the route on the map from the navigation server.

[0029] The MPU 60 includes, for example, a recommended lane determination unit 61 and stores second map information 62 in a storage device such as an HDD or flash memory. The recommended lane determination unit 61 divides the map route provided by the navigation device 50 into multiple blocks (for example, every 100m with respect to the vehicle's direction of travel) and determines a recommended lane for each block by referring to the second map information 62. The recommended lane determination unit 61 makes decisions such as which lane from the left the vehicle should travel in. If there is a branching point on the map route, the recommended lane determination unit 61 determines a recommended lane so that the vehicle M can travel along a reasonable route to proceed to the branching point.

[0030] The second map information 62 is map information with higher accuracy than the first map information 54. The second map information 62 includes, for example, information on the center of lanes or information on lane boundaries. The second map information 62 may also include road information, traffic regulation information, address information (address and postal code), facility information, telephone number information, etc. The second map information 62 may be updated as needed by the communication device 20 communicating with other devices.

[0031] The driver monitoring camera 70 is a digital camera that uses a solid-state image sensor such as a CCD or CMOS. The driver monitoring camera 70 is mounted at any location in the vehicle M in a position and orientation that allows it to capture the head of the occupant (hereinafter referred to as the driver) seated in the driver's seat of the vehicle M from the front (in a direction that captures the face). For example, the driver monitoring camera 70 is mounted on top of a display device located in the center of the instrument panel of the vehicle M.

[0032] The driver control elements 80 include, for example, a steering wheel, accelerator pedal, brake pedal, shift lever, and other controls. The driver control elements 80 are equipped with sensors that detect the amount of operation or whether or not an operation is performed, and the detection results are output to the automatic driving control device 100, or to some or all of the driving force output device 200, brake device 210, and steering device 220.

[0033] The automatic driving control device 100 includes, for example, a first control unit 120 and a second control unit 160. The first control unit 120 and the second control unit 160 and their internal configurations are each realized by a hardware processor, such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), executing a program (software). Some or all of these components may be realized by hardware (including circuitry) such as an LSI (Large Scale Integration), ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), or GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), or by the cooperation of software and hardware. The program may be stored in advance in a storage device (a storage device with a non-transient storage medium) such as the HDD or flash memory of the automatic driving control device 100, or it may be stored in a removable storage medium such as a DVD or CD-ROM and installed in the HDD or flash memory of the automatic driving control device 100 when the storage medium (non-transient storage medium) is mounted on a drive device.

[0034] Figure 3 is a functional configuration diagram of the first control unit 120 and the second control unit 160. The first control unit 120 includes, for example, a recognition unit 130, a risk setting unit 140, and a target trajectory generation unit 150. The first control unit 120 implements, for example, functions using AI (Artificial Intelligence) and functions using a pre-defined model in parallel. For example, the function of "recognizing intersections" may be implemented by simultaneously performing intersection recognition using deep learning, etc., and recognition based on pre-defined conditions (such as pattern-matchable signals and road markings), and then scoring both and comprehensively evaluating them. This ensures the reliability of autonomous driving.

[0035] The recognition unit 130 recognizes the position and state, such as speed and acceleration, of objects around the vehicle M based on information input from the camera 10, radar device 12, and LIDAR 14 via the object recognition device 16. The position of an object is recognized as a position on an absolute coordinate system with a representative point of the vehicle M (such as the center of gravity or the center of the drive axis) as the origin, and is used for control. The position of an object may be represented by a representative point such as the center of gravity or a corner of the object, or it may be represented by a region. The "state" of an object may include the acceleration or jerk of the object, or the "action state" (for example, whether or not it is changing lanes or is about to change lanes). Objects include other vehicles, pedestrians, bicycles and other traffic participants, and road boundaries that demarcate the driving lanes, as described later.

[0036] Furthermore, the recognition unit 130 recognizes, for example, the lane in which the vehicle M is traveling. For example, the recognition unit 130 recognizes road markings and the driving lane by comparing the road marking pattern obtained from the second map information 62 (for example, an arrangement of solid and dashed lines) with the road marking pattern around the vehicle M recognized from the image captured by the camera 10. Note that the recognition unit 130 may recognize the driving lane not only by road markings, but also by recognizing road boundaries (road boundaries) including shoulders, curbs, median strips, guardrails, etc. In this recognition, the position of the vehicle M obtained from the navigation device 50 and the processing results by INS may also be taken into consideration. The recognition unit 130 also recognizes stop lines, obstacles, red lights, toll booths, and other road events.

[0037] When recognizing a driving lane, the recognition unit 130 recognizes the position and orientation of the vehicle M relative to the driving lane. For example, the recognition unit 130 may recognize the deviation of the vehicle M's reference point from the center of the lane, and the angle it makes with a line connecting the centers of the lanes in the direction of travel, as the relative position and orientation of the vehicle M relative to the driving lane. Alternatively, the recognition unit 130 may recognize the position of the vehicle M's reference point relative to any side edge of the driving lane (road marking or road boundary), as the relative position of the vehicle M relative to the driving lane.

[0038] The risk setting unit 140 sets a risk R(), an index value that becomes more negative the closer it is to an object recognized by the recognition unit 130, on the road plane on the side of the vehicle M's direction of travel. Risk R() is an index value that represents the degree to which the vehicle M should avoid entering. The road plane is a plane that is virtually viewed from above, similar to a map. Figure 4 is a diagram to explain the risks set by the risk setting unit 140. In the figure, R(O) is the risk corresponding to an obstacle (e.g., a parked vehicle) OB. Risk R(O) increases the closer it is to the obstacle OB (for example, the closer it is to the center of the obstacle OB), decreases as it moves away from the obstacle OB, and reaches zero. In the figure, R(B) is the risk corresponding to the road boundary. Risk R(B) decreases the closer it is to the center line CL of lane L1 where the vehicle M is located, increases as it approaches the left road boundary, and increases as it approaches the right road boundary. However, in the illustrated scenario, it is possible to change lanes to lane L2, so the risk R(B) value at the right-hand lane boundary may be set to be smaller than the risk R(B) value at the left-hand lane boundary.

[0039] Figure 5 shows the risk values ​​along the 5-5 line in Figure 4. The risk setting unit 140 calculates the risks R(O) and R(B) in this way, and adds the risks R(O) and R(B) for each point to obtain the composite risk. Hereafter, this composite risk will simply be referred to as risk R.

[0040] The risk map, which shows the distribution of risk R, is created in a time series corresponding to each future point in time, for example, 0.1 seconds later, 0.2 seconds later, and so on. The obstacles OB include traffic participants such as vehicles, bicycles, and pedestrians. Since the positions of traffic participants change from time to time, their future positions are predicted by the risk setting unit 140 using known technology, and the risk corresponding to each future point in time is calculated. When the value of risk R is later referenced, the risk map is selected according to how many seconds later the risk R corresponding to the trajectory point is to be obtained. This is not the core part of the present invention, so a detailed explanation is omitted.

[0041] The target trajectory generation unit 150 automatically (without driver intervention) generates a target trajectory for the vehicle M to travel in the future, passing through points with low risk R. The target trajectory includes, for example, a velocity element. For example, the target trajectory can be represented as a sequence of points (trajectory points) that the vehicle M should reach. The trajectory points are points that the vehicle M should reach at predetermined travel distances (e.g., a few meters) along the road, and separately, target velocity and target acceleration at predetermined sampling times (e.g., a few tenths of a second) are generated as part of the target trajectory. Alternatively, the trajectory points may be the positions that the vehicle M should reach at each sampling time. In this case, the target velocity and target acceleration information is represented by the intervals between trajectory points.

[0042] The target trajectory generation unit 150 includes, for example, a base path setting unit 152, an observation point setting unit 154, a risk gradient calculation unit 156, and a path correction unit 158. Figure 6 shows an example of the processing flow by the target trajectory generation unit 150. The target trajectory generation unit 150 repeatedly executes the illustrated process. The process of calculating the risk is executed in parallel with the process shown in Figure 5, either synchronously or asynchronously, by the risk setting unit 140, and the latest risk value is stored in memory and updated sequentially.

[0043] First, the base path setting unit 152 sets the base path (step S1). Figure 7 is a diagram illustrating the process in steps S1 to S3. The base path setting unit 152 sets the base path BP to the center line CL of the road (e.g., lane) where the vehicle M is located, which extends in the direction of travel of the vehicle. Alternatively, the base path setting unit 152 may set the base path BP to the target trajectory determined in the previous process related to this flowchart. Although the target trajectory is a collection of trajectory points, the explanation of this will be omitted here, and the target trajectory will be assumed to be a line connecting the trajectory points as appropriate. The set base path BP is treated as the initial reference path RP in subsequent processes. The reference path RP is a provisional target trajectory.

[0044] Next, the observation point setting unit 154 sets first observation points p1 at intervals on the reference path RP of the vehicle M (step S2), and sets one or more second observation points p2 to the left and right of each first observation point p1 as viewed from the vehicle (step S3). In the illustrated example, two second observation points p2 are set on both the left and right sides. In the figure, white circles represent first observation points p1, and black circles represent second observation points p2. The second observation points p2 are defined as p2-1, p2-2, p2-3, and p2-4 from left to right. Hereinafter, a pair of corresponding first observation points p1 and second observation points p2 that are approximately the same distance from the vehicle M will be called an observation point group pG. The first observation points p1 are set at equal intervals as viewed from the vehicle M, for example, but the intervals may be set to be variable depending on the distance from the vehicle M. Furthermore, if the reference path RP is curved, the second observation point p2 may be set in a direction (Y direction) perpendicular to the direction of travel of the vehicle M (X direction) with respect to the first observation point p1, or it may be set in the direction of the normal to the first observation point p1 of the reference path RP.

[0045] Next, the risk gradient calculation unit 156 reads the risk value for each observation point (the first observation point p1 and the second observation point p2, respectively) (step S4). Based on the risk value for the observation point group pG, the risk gradient ΔR for the observation point group pG is calculated (step S5).

[0046] FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining a process of calculating a risk gradient ΔR. The risk gradient calculation unit 156 calculates, for example, a difference (referred to as A, B, C, and D in order) in risk R between observation points adjacent in the left-right direction as viewed from the host vehicle M among the first observation point p1 and the second observation point p2 included in the observation point group pG (in the illustrated example, between the second observation point p2-1 and the second observation point p2-2, between the second observation point p2-2 and the first observation point p1, between the first observation point p1 and the second observation point p2-3, and between the second observation point p2-3 and the second observation point p2-4), and calculates a risk gradient ΔR based on the difference in risk R. The risk gradient calculation unit 156 calculates the risk gradient ΔR, for example, by calculating a weighted sum to which weights symmetric about the left-right direction are applied to each difference in risk. The gradient ΔR is calculated, for example, by Equation (1). The real numbers in Equation (1) are merely examples and can be arbitrarily changed without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Each of the differences A, B, C, and D in risk R is represented by Equations (2) to (5). R p2-1 is the value of the risk of the second observation point p2-1, R p2-2 is the value of the risk of the second observation point p2-2, R p2-3 is the value of the risk of the second observation point p2-3, R p2-4 is the value of the risk of the second observation point p2-4, R p1 is the value of the risk of the first observation point p1.

[0047] ΔR = (-0.3) × A + (-0.7) × B + 0.7 × C + 0.3 × D …(1) A = R p2-1 - R p2-2 …(2) B = R p2-2 - R p1 …(3) C = R p2-3 - R p1 …(4) D = R p2-4 - R p2-3 …(5)

[0048] The path correction unit 158 ​​corrects the reference path RP based on the risk gradient ΔR (step S6). Figure 9 is a diagram illustrating the process of the path correction unit 158. If the risk gradient ΔR is a negative value, the path correction unit 158 ​​moves the first observation point p1 included in the observation point group corresponding to the risk gradient ΔR in the direction of decreasing risk, i.e., to the right. If the risk gradient ΔR is a positive value, the path correction unit 158 ​​moves the first observation point p1 included in the observation point group corresponding to the risk gradient ΔR in the direction of decreasing risk, i.e., to the left. The path correction unit 158 ​​may, for example, increase the amount of movement of the first observation point p1 as the absolute value of the risk gradient ΔR increases, provided that the amount of movement does not exceed a predetermined upper limit. Also, if the absolute value of the risk gradient ΔR is less than a threshold near zero, the path correction unit 158 ​​does not move the first observation point p1. In this way, the passing point of the target trajectory (final first observation point p1) is ultimately corrected. The line connecting the first observation point p1, which has been moved in this manner or kept in its original position, becomes the revised reference path.

[0049] Next, the target trajectory generation unit 150 determines whether the convergence conditions have been met (step S7). The convergence conditions include, for example, that the percentage of the first observation point p1 that was maintained without being moved in step S6 is equal to or greater than a reference value (for example, around 80-90%). If the convergence conditions are not met, the process returns to step S2. In this case, the reference path RP corrected in step S6 becomes the target of processing in step S2. If the convergence conditions are met, the target trajectory generation unit 150 outputs the reference path corrected in step S6 as the target trajectory to the second control unit 160 (step S8).

[0050] The second control unit 160 controls the driving force output device 200, the braking device 210, and the steering device 220 so that the vehicle M passes through the target trajectory generated by the target trajectory generation unit 150 at the scheduled time. In other words, the second control unit 160 moves the vehicle M along the target trajectory.

[0051] Returning to Figure 2, the second control unit 160 includes, for example, an acquisition unit 162, a speed control unit 164, and a steering control unit 166. The acquisition unit 162 acquires information on the target trajectory (trajectory point) generated by the target trajectory generation unit 150 and stores it in memory (not shown). The speed control unit 164 controls the driving force output device 200 or the brake device 210 based on the speed elements associated with the target trajectory stored in memory. The steering control unit 166 controls the steering device 220 according to the curvature of the target trajectory stored in memory. The processing of the speed control unit 164 and the steering control unit 166 is realized, for example, by a combination of feedforward control and feedback control. As an example, the steering control unit 166 performs a combination of feedforward control according to the curvature of the road in front of the vehicle M and feedback control based on the deviation from the target trajectory.

[0052] The driving force output device 200 outputs driving force (torque) to the drive wheels for the vehicle to move. The driving force output device 200 includes, for example, a combination of an internal combustion engine, an electric motor, and a transmission, and an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) that controls them. The ECU controls the above configuration according to information input from the second control unit 160 or information input from the driver control unit 80.

[0053] The brake system 210 includes, for example, a brake caliper, a cylinder that transmits hydraulic pressure to the brake caliper, an electric motor that generates hydraulic pressure in the cylinder, and a brake ECU. The brake ECU controls the electric motor according to information input from the second control unit 160 or from the driver control unit 80, so that brake torque corresponding to the braking operation is output to each wheel. The brake system 210 may also include a backup mechanism that transmits hydraulic pressure generated by the operation of the brake pedal included in the driver control unit 80 to the cylinder via a master cylinder. The brake system 210 is not limited to the configuration described above, and may also be an electronically controlled hydraulic brake system that controls an actuator according to information input from the second control unit 160 to transmit hydraulic pressure from the master cylinder to the cylinder.

[0054] The steering device 220 includes, for example, a steering ECU and an electric motor. The electric motor, for example, applies force to a rack and pinion mechanism to change the direction of the steering wheels. The steering ECU drives the electric motor to change the direction of the steering wheels according to information input from the second control unit 160 or from the driver control unit 80.

[0055] According to the embodiment described above, the system includes a recognition unit 130 that recognizes objects present around the moving body (the vehicle M), a risk setting unit 140 that sets a risk, which is an index value representing the degree to which the moving body should avoid entering, based on the position of the objects, and a target trajectory generation unit 150 that generates a target trajectory that the moving body should travel on, passing through points with low risk. The target trajectory generation unit 150 sets a plurality of first observation points p1 at intervals on the side of the direction of travel of the moving body, and sets one or more second observation points p2 to the left and right of each of the plurality of first observation points p1, respectively, as viewed from the moving body. Based on the risk in the observation point group pG including the corresponding first observation points p1 and second observation points p2, it searches for points with low risk, thus enabling the generation of a risk-based target trajectory more quickly.

[0056] The embodiments described above can be expressed as follows. A storage medium that stores computer-readable instructions, A processor connected to the storage medium, The processor executes the computer-readable instructions to: Recognizes objects present around the moving object, Based on the position of the object, a risk is set, which is an index value representing the degree to which the moving body should avoid entering. The target trajectory that the moving object should travel is generated so as to pass through the point where the risk is small. When generating the aforementioned target trajectory, Multiple first observation points are set at intervals on the side of the direction of travel of the moving body, For each of the aforementioned plurality of first observation points, one or more second observation points are set in the left and right directions as viewed from the moving object. Based on the risk in the observation point group including the first and second observation points which correspond to each other, a location with a low risk is searched for. Mobile device control system.

[0057] Although embodiments for carrying out the present invention have been described above using examples, the present invention is not limited in any way to these embodiments, and various modifications and substitutions can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0058] 100 Automatic Driving Control System 120 First control unit 130 Recognition part 140 Risk Setting Department 150 Target trajectory generation section 152 Base path setting section 154 Observation Point Setting Section 156 Risk Gradient Calculation Unit 158 Path Correction Section 160 Second Control Unit

Claims

1. A recognition unit that recognizes objects present around a moving object, A risk setting unit sets a risk value, which is an index value representing the degree to which the moving body should avoid entering, based on the position of the object. The system includes a target trajectory generation unit that generates a target trajectory for the moving object to travel, such that it passes through points of low risk, The target trajectory generation unit sets a plurality of first observation points on the direction of travel of the moving body at intervals that vary according to the distance from the moving body, and sets one or more second observation points to the left and right of each of the plurality of first observation points, respectively, in the direction of the normal to the first observation point of the reference path when the provisional target trajectory, which is a reference path, is a curve, and searches for a point with low risk based on the risk in the observation point group including the corresponding first and second observation points. Mobile device control system.

2. A recognition unit that recognizes objects present around a moving object, A risk setting unit sets a risk value, which is an index value representing the degree to which the moving body should avoid entering, based on the position of the object. The system includes a target trajectory generation unit that generates a target trajectory for the moving object to travel, such that it passes through points of low risk, The target trajectory generation unit sets a plurality of first observation points on the direction of travel of the moving object at intervals that vary according to the distance from the moving object, and sets one or more second observation points to the left and right of each of the plurality of first observation points in a manner that is common in number and positional relationship among the plurality of first observation points, and searches for a location with low risk based on the risk in the observation point group including the corresponding first and second observation points, The difference in risk between the first and second observation points included in the observation point group, which are adjacent to each other in the left-right direction from the perspective of the moving object, is calculated, the risk gradient is calculated based on the difference in risk, and the passing points of the target trajectory are modified in a direction that reduces the risk based on the risk gradient. Mobile device control system.

3. The target trajectory generation unit calculates the risk gradient by calculating the weighted sum of the differences in the risks. The mobile device control device according to claim 2.

4. The target trajectory generation unit calculates the risk gradient by calculating a weighted sum that applies symmetrical weights to the difference in risk. The mobile device control device according to claim 3.

5. The target trajectory generation unit generates the target trajectory by first setting a base path, setting the plurality of first observation points at intervals on the base path, and modifying the base path in a direction that reduces the risk based on the risk gradient. The mobile device control device according to claim 2.

6. A recognition unit that recognizes objects present around a moving object, A risk setting unit sets a risk value, which is an index value representing the degree to which the moving body should avoid entering, based on the position of the object. The system includes a target trajectory generation unit that generates a target trajectory for the moving object to travel, such that it passes through points of low risk, The target trajectory generation unit sets a plurality of first observation points at equal intervals from each other on the side of the moving body's direction of travel, and sets one or more second observation points to the left and right of each of the plurality of first observation points, respectively, when the provisional target trajectory, which is a reference path, is a curve, in the direction of the normal to the first observation point of the reference path, and searches for a point with low risk based on the risk in the observation point group including the corresponding first and second observation points. Mobile device control system.

7. The mobile control device Recognizes objects present around the moving object, Based on the position of the object, a risk value is set, which is an index value representing the degree to which the moving body should avoid entering. The target trajectory that the moving object should travel is generated so as to pass through the point where the risk is small. When generating the aforementioned target trajectory, Multiple first observation points are set on the side of the moving body in the direction of travel, with intervals that vary according to the distance from the moving body, and for each of the multiple first observation points, one or more second observation points are set to the left and right of each of the multiple first observation points, in the direction of the normal to the first observation point of the reference path when the provisional target trajectory, which is a reference path, is a curve. Based on the risk in the observation point group including the first and second observation points that correspond to each other, a location with a low risk is searched for. A method for controlling a mobile object.

8. The mobile control device Recognizes objects present around the moving object, Based on the position of the object, a risk value is set, which is an index value representing the degree to which the moving body should avoid entering. The target trajectory that the moving object should travel is generated so as to pass through the point where the risk is small. When generating the aforementioned target trajectory, Multiple first observation points are set at equal intervals from each other on the side of the moving body in the direction of travel, and for each of the multiple first observation points, one or more second observation points are set in the direction of the normal to the first observation point of the reference path when the provisional target trajectory, which is a reference path, is a curve. Based on the risk in the observation point group including the first and second observation points that correspond to each other, a location with a low risk is searched for. A method for controlling a mobile object.

9. In the mobile control device, Recognizing objects present around a moving object, Based on the position of the object, a risk value is set, which is an index value representing the degree to which the moving body should avoid entering. The target trajectory that the moving object should travel is generated such that it passes through points where the risk is low, A program to execute, When generating the aforementioned target trajectory, Multiple first observation points are set on the side of the moving body in the direction of travel, with intervals that vary according to the distance from the moving body, and for each of the multiple first observation points, one or more second observation points are set to the left and right of each of the multiple first observation points, in the direction of the normal to the first observation point of the reference path when the provisional target trajectory, which is a reference path, is a curve. Based on the risk in the observation point group including the first and second observation points that correspond to each other, the system searches for locations with low risk. program.

10. In the mobile control device, Recognizing objects present around a moving object, Based on the position of the object, a risk value is set, which is an index value representing the degree to which the moving body should avoid entering. The target trajectory that the moving object should travel is generated such that it passes through points where the risk is low, A program to execute, When generating the aforementioned target trajectory, Multiple first observation points are set at equal intervals from each other on the side of the moving body in the direction of travel, and for each of the multiple first observation points, one or more second observation points are set to the left and right of each of the multiple first observation points as viewed from the moving body, and if the provisional target trajectory, which is the reference path, is a curve, these second observation points are set in the direction of the normal to the reference path at the first observation point. Based on the risk in the observation point group including the first and second observation points that correspond to each other, the system searches for locations with low risk. program.

Images