Driving assistance devices and automated driving systems for mobile vehicles

Abstract

To provide a drive support apparatus for a mobile body and an automatic drive system which allow drive support taking various factors such as a road surface state and so on into consideration.SOLUTION: A drive support apparatus for a mobile body according to the present invention has a control device for estimating a position of a mobile body. The control unit has an actual routing data base obtained by accumulating routing information obtained by actual movement of the mobile body to support a drive support based on the actual routing database.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0002] , , And, , , , , , , , , ,

[0004] , Based on the aforementioned posture data, the width of the trajectory of the moving object is calculated, and the cost map reflecting the width of the trajectory is created. , ,

[0006] , , Based on the aforementioned actual route database, a cost map is created showing the difficulty of movement for each part of the area in such a way that the difficulty of movement along the route included in the route information of the aforementioned actual route database is reduced, and further, , , , The control device is , The aforementioned route information includes the attitude data of the moving body, , ,<000​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ Based on the aforementioned cost map This provides driving assistance for the aforementioned mobile vehicle.

[0007] The autonomous driving system according to the present invention is The above-mentioned driver assistance system, The moving body is driven automatically in accordance with the driving assistance of the aforementioned driving assistance device, It is equipped with. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, route information when a moving object is driven by a skilled driver or other suitable driver can be stored in a real-world route database. This route information corresponds to a good travel route that is deemed suitable for passage after considering various factors such as road surface conditions, based on the skillful driving. A cost map is then created based on this real-world route database containing such route information, so a cost map can be obtained in which the difficulty of travel is determined considering various factors such as road surface conditions. Therefore, this cost map enables driving assistance that takes into account various factors such as road surface conditions. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This is a block diagram showing a mobile body and its driving support device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This figure shows an example of a travel route registered in the actual route database. [Figure 3] This figure shows an example of route information registered in the actual route database. [Figure 4] This diagram illustrates the width of the trajectory of a moving object, obtained from the attitude data included in the route information. [Figure 5] Figure (A) shows an example of a cost map, and Figure (B) is a magnified view of a part of it. [Figure 6] This diagram explains how to create a cost map. [Figure 7] This figure shows an example of a good path generated by the control unit using a cost map.

Embodiments for Carrying out the Invention

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0011] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a moving body 50 and its driving support device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0012] The driving support device 100 of the moving body 50 according to the present embodiment includes a measuring instrument 113 for estimating the position of the moving body 50 and a control device 120 for creating a performance route database 130. The measuring instrument 113 is mounted on the moving body 50. In addition to the performance route database 130, the control device 120 creates a cost map 140 and a good route 150.

[0013] The moving body 50 is a handling machine that carries loads, and more specifically, is a forklift. The moving body 50 is configured to be movable by a driver's operation. Further, the moving body 50 may be configured to be autonomously movable without a driver based on driving support, or may be configured to move while the driver receives driving support information. The moving body 50 moves on a predetermined area A. The area A corresponds to a workplace where the moving body 50 works, and corresponds to a loading and unloading area if the moving body 50 is a handling machine.

[0014] The measuring device 113 is, for example, a camera that acquires surrounding images, a receiver of a positioning system that detects a position using satellite radio waves, base station radio waves, etc., or a wheel speed log sensor that acquires a log of wheel speed. When the measuring device 113 is a camera, the position of the moving body 50 can be estimated from the surrounding images acquired by the measuring device 113 based on SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping) (such as estimating the current position based on the comparison between the surrounding images or surrounding shapes detected during the generation of a prior map and the currently detected surrounding images or surrounding shapes). Also, when the measuring device 113 is the above receiver, the position of the moving body 50 can be directly estimated from the positioning result of the positioning system. Furthermore, when the measuring device 113 is a wheel speed log sensor, the position of the moving body 50 can be estimated from the integration of the relative movement vectors of the moving body 50 based on the log of wheel speed. Note that the measuring device 113 is not limited to the above examples, and any configuration may be applied as long as it can estimate the position of the moving body 50.

[0015] The moving body 50 has a communication unit 53, and sends the measurement data of the measuring device 113 to the control device 120 via the communication unit 53.

[0016] The control device 120 is a computer that executes a program, and includes a storage device 123 that stores a performance route database 130 and a cost map 140, and a communication unit 125 that exchanges data with the moving body 50.

[0017] As the communication units 53 and 125, for example, a wireless communicator can be applied.

[0018] <Performance Route Database> FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a moving route registered in the performance route database. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of route information registered in the performance route database.

[0019] The actual route database 130 stores route information, for example, when the mobile object 50 moves from the starting point P0 to the ending point P1 on area A through skillful driving by an experienced driver. The travel routes R01 to R03 in Figure 2 show the routes taken by the mobile object 50 through skillful driving. Travel routes R01 to R03 correspond to good travel routes that avoid passing through rough road a1, which should be avoided depending on the driver's skill, and that are efficient.

[0020] The control device 120 receives measurement data from the measuring instrument 113 sequentially while the mobile body 50 is moving, and estimates the position of the mobile body 50 from the measurement data using the estimation method described above. Then, as shown in Figure 3, the control device 120 registers the data collected from the start to the end of the movement, including the elapsed time from the start of movement and the estimated position of the mobile body 50 (X coordinate and Y coordinate), as a set of record data DR in the actual route database 130. This record data DR corresponds to the travel log data that logs the position of the mobile body 50. The collection of this record data DR constitutes the actual route database 130.

[0021] Figure 4 illustrates the width of the trajectory of a moving object obtained from attitude data included in the route information. The route information may include attitude data of the moving object 50 (e.g., yaw angle θy). The moving object 50 is equipped with an IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit), and the attitude data can be included in the route information by sending the IMU's measurement data to the control device 120. Alternatively, the driver assistance device 100 may be equipped with a camera that can provide an overview of the entire movement area of ​​the moving object 50, and the attitude data may be calculated from the image from the camera.

[0022] The control device 120 can calculate the direction in which the moving object 50 is moving based on the attitude data. Depending on the direction in which the moving object 50 is moving, the width of the trajectory it passes over region A will differ. That is, as shown in Figure 4(A), if the moving object 50 moves forward, the width W1 of the trajectory it passes through will be the same as the width of the moving object 50. On the other hand, as shown in Figure 4(B), if the moving object 50 moves diagonally, the width W2 of the trajectory it passes through will be greater than the width of the moving object 50. Therefore, based on the attitude data, the control device 120 can accurately calculate the trajectory of the moving object 50, including its width.

[0023] The route information may also include information on the speed of the moving object 50. Since the speed of the moving object 50 reflects the degree of careful driving, the control device 120 may determine whether or not the driving was carried out carefully based on the speed information and reflect this information in the cost map 140 described later.

[0024] The mobile unit 50 is provided with an operation unit 118 that switches whether or not to register the route information of the mobile unit 50 in the actual route database 130 when the mobile unit 50 is moved. The operation unit 118 can be, for example, a mechanical switch or a display switch shown on a touch display. The driver can register a large amount of good route information in the actual route database 130 by switching the operation unit 118 to the registration side when performing a suitable operation and switching it to the non-registration side when performing other operations.

[0025] The control unit 118 may be provided on the control device 120, allowing the operator to check the operating status of the mobile unit 50 (e.g., whether or not it is being operated by a skilled person) and switch whether or not to register the route information in the actual route database 130.

[0026] According to the actual route database 130 formed as described above, a large amount of route information that drivers have determined to be suitable for travel, taking into account various factors such as road surface conditions, will be accumulated.

[0027] <Cost Map> Figure 5 shows an example of a cost map (A), and a magnified view of a part of it (B). Figure 6 is a diagram illustrating how to create a cost map.

[0028] The control device 120 creates a cost map 140 based on the actual route database 130. The cost map 140 is a map that shows the difficulty of movement for each part on area A. Hereafter, this difficulty of movement will be referred to as the "cost value," and a higher cost value indicates a higher difficulty of movement. The cost value for each part may be a discrete value such as an integer from 1 to 10, or it may be a continuous value. In the cost map 140 in Figure 5(A), areas with high cost values ​​are indicated by shading and solid lines.

[0029] The cost map 140 may be configured such that each part of region A is represented by a fine grid gd, as shown in Figure 5(B), and a cost value is shown for each grid gd.

[0030] As shown in Figure 6, the control device 120 determines the cost value of each part on region A based on the route information registered in the actual route database 130. Specifically, the control device 120 calculates the trajectory S01 on region A that the moving body 50 has passed through, with a width, from the movement path R01 indicated by the route information, and creates a cost map 140 so that the cost value of the trajectory S01 decreases. The trajectory S01 may be calculated more accurately using attitude data θy. Furthermore, in addition to the trajectory S01, the control device 120 may add a predetermined margin M1 on both sides in the width direction of the trajectory S01 and create a cost map 140 so that the cost value of that range (S01, M1) decreases.

[0031] The example in Figure 6 shows the cost value calculation process based on one route piece of information. The control device 120 performs the cost value calculation process shown in Figure 6 based on each of the multiple route pieces of information registered in the actual route database 130, thereby creating a single cost map 140. As a result, in the cost map 140, the cost values ​​of locations that are frequently included in multiple route pieces of information are low, while the cost values ​​of locations that are rarely included in multiple route pieces of information or not included at all are high.

[0032] Furthermore, the control device 120 may determine the cost value of the cost map 140 not only based on route information, but also by comprehensively considering, for example, the difficulty of moving each part based on the layout of area A (boundaries of area A, layout of walls and pillars, etc.), as well as the difficulty of moving each part based on various other factors.

[0033] According to the cost map 140 created as described above, for example, the cost value around travel routes selected by skilled drivers is low, while the cost value around travel routes avoided by skilled drivers is high. In other words, it is possible to obtain a cost map 140 in which routes that drivers should judge to be avoided, taking into account various factors such as road surface conditions, are less likely to be selected.

[0034] <Good route> Figure 7 shows an example of a good path generated by the control device 120 using the cost map 140.

[0035] The control device 120 uses a cost map 140 and a path planning algorithm to create a suitable route 150 for the movement of the mobile unit 50. Various known algorithms can be applied as the path planning algorithm. The path planning algorithm extracts a suitable route 150 that connects a starting point to an ending point and minimizes the sum of cost values ​​along the route. The created suitable route 150 is a route with a low sum of cost values ​​along the route, that is, a route that avoids passing through points that the driver deems to be avoided, and a route that minimizes the travel distance. The control device 120 sends information about the created suitable route 150 to the mobile unit 50. The above starting and ending points correspond to the cargo receiving point and cargo transport destination when the mobile unit 50 is a cargo handling machine.

[0036] The mobile unit 50 receives driving support information, including information on a good route 150, from the control device 120 via the communication unit 53, and moves based on this information. That is, if the mobile unit 50 is equipped with an autonomous driving device 55, the autonomous driving device 55 automatically drives along the good route 150. Also, if the mobile unit 50 is equipped with a display device 56 that outputs driving support information and is operated by a driver, the mobile unit 50 outputs information on a good route 150 to the control device 120, and the driver operates the mobile unit 50 relying on the information on the good route 150. Instead of, or in addition to, driving support by display, driving support by voice or driving assist functions may also be provided. Driving support using the good route 150 enables appropriate movement of the mobile unit 50, taking into account various factors such as road surface conditions.

[0037] As described above, the driving support device 100 for the mobile body 50 of this embodiment includes a control device 120 that estimates the position of the mobile body 50. The control device 120 has a historical route database 130 that stores route information of the mobile body 50's movement, and creates a cost map 140 of area A based on the historical route database 130. Therefore, for example, when a skilled driver performs a suitable driving maneuver, the route information from that driving is stored in the historical route database 130, and a cost map 140 reflecting that route information can be created. Since this route information represents the travel route selected by the driver considering various factors such as road surface conditions, the cost map 140 becomes a map that takes various factors such as road surface conditions into account. Therefore, the cost map 140 enables driving support that takes various factors such as road surface conditions into account.

[0038] The movement of the mobile unit 50 includes various types of movement, such as work-related movement, non-work-related movement, movement by a suitable driver, and movement during unsuitable driving. In such cases, route information from these various types of movement may become mixed into the actual route database 130. In such cases, it is convenient to be able to identify route information for each type of movement obtained from a series of movements of the mobile unit 50, such as by extracting only good route information for work-related purposes. According to the driving support device 100 for the mobile unit 50 of this embodiment, travel log data that logs the position of the mobile unit 50 is used as route information. With this configuration, it becomes easy to identify each type of route information obtained from a series of movements of the mobile unit 50. Therefore, data processing such as extracting only good route information as described above becomes easy, and thus, it becomes possible to create a good cost map 140 and provide good driving support.

[0039] Furthermore, according to the driving support device 100 for the mobile body 50 of this embodiment, the control device 120 creates a cost map 140 such that the cost value (difficulty of movement) along the route included in the route information of the actual route database 130 is reduced. Therefore, the mobile body 50 does not need to move through unfavorable areas on area A, and by simply continuing suitable work, the mobile body 50 can accumulate appropriate route information in the actual route database 130 and create a cost map 140 that provides good driving support.

[0040] Furthermore, according to the driving support device 100 for the mobile body 50 of this embodiment, the route information includes attitude data of the mobile body 50, and the control device 120 calculates the width of the trajectory S01 traveled by the mobile body 50 based on the attitude data. The control device 120 then creates a cost map 140 that reflects this width. Therefore, even if the width of the trajectory of the mobile body 50 changes significantly depending on its attitude, the width of the trajectory can be accurately calculated, and a cost map 140 that accurately reflects the trajectory of the mobile body 50 can be created.

[0041] Furthermore, the driving support device 100 for the mobile body 50 of this embodiment includes an operation unit 118 that switches whether or not to register route information in the actual route database 130 when the mobile body 50 is moved. Therefore, when a movement for which route information should not be registered in the actual route database 130 is performed, such as a movement other than work, or a movement during unsuitable driving conditions, the route information for that movement can be excluded from being registered in the actual route database 130.

[0042] (Autonomous driving system) An automated driving system according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises a mobile body 50 and a driving support device 100 as shown in Figure 1. The mobile body 50 is configured to perform automated driving based on driving support information from the driving support device 100.

[0043] The control device 120 of the driver assistance device 100 provides driving assistance for the mobile unit 50 based on the actual route database 130.

[0044] The actual route database 130 can store route information, for example, when a mobile object 50 moves from the starting point P0 to the ending point P1 on area A under optimal driving conditions by a skilled driver. Therefore, by providing driving assistance based on the actual route database 130, it is possible to realize driving assistance that takes into account various factors such as road surface conditions.

[0045] Specifically, the control device 120 of the driver assistance system 100 creates driver assistance information according to the route information registered in the actual route database 130. That is, the control device 120 extracts one route information from the actual route database 130 and creates driver assistance information that uses the route indicated by that route information as the route for automated driving. Alternatively, the control device 120 may create driver assistance information that uses a route for automated driving by combining a part of the route indicated by one route information registered in the actual route database 130 with a part of the route indicated by another route information (it may also be a combination of parts of three or more routes). Then, it sends this driver assistance information to the mobile unit 50. The mobile unit 50 receives the above driver assistance information and performs automated driving along that route.

[0046] According to this configuration, the mobile unit 50 will perform autonomous driving by mimicking route information obtained through optimal driving by a skilled driver or the like. Therefore, optimal autonomous driving that takes into account various factors such as road surface conditions can be achieved.

[0047] Furthermore, the control device 120 of the driver assistance device 100 may be configured to create a route for automated driving based on the cost map 140 described above and send it to the mobile vehicle. Alternatively, the control device 120 of the driver assistance device 100 may have an operating means that allows switching the method for creating the route for automated driving to either of the two methods described above.

[0048] Embodiments of the present invention have been described above. However, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. For example, in the above embodiments, an example was described in which the mobile body is a cargo handling machine. However, the mobile body may be a mobile robot that provides various services and does not transport cargo. Also, in the above embodiments, the control device 120 is shown to be located away from the mobile body 50, but the control device 120 may be mounted on the mobile body 50. Alternatively, the control device 120 may be provided on a cloud located away from the area A in which the mobile body 50 moves. Furthermore, details shown in the embodiments can be modified as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0049] 50 Mobile Units 53 Communications Department 55 Automatic Driving System 56 Display device 100 Driving support devices 113 Measuring Instruments 118 Operation section 120 Control device 123 Storage device 125 Communications Department 130 Actual Route Database 140 Cost Map 150 Good route Area A a1 Rough road gd grid Routes R01-R03 S01 Trajectory M1 Margin W1, W2 Track width

Claims

1. A driving support device that assists in driving a moving body moving in a predetermined area, The system includes a control device that estimates the position of the moving object and has a historical route database that stores information about the route taken by the moving object, The aforementioned route information includes the attitude data of the moving body, The control device is Based on the aforementioned actual route database, a cost map is created showing the difficulty of movement for each part of the area in such a way that the difficulty of movement along the route included in the route information of the aforementioned actual route database is reduced, and further, Based on the aforementioned posture data, the width of the trajectory of the moving object is calculated, and the cost map reflecting the width of the trajectory is created. Based on the cost map, the operation of the mobile vehicle is supported. A driving assistance system for mobile vehicles.

2. The aforementioned route information is travel log data that logs the position of the moving object. A driving support device for a mobile body according to claim 1.

3. The system further includes an operation unit for switching whether or not to register the route information in the actual route database when the mobile object is moved. A driving support device for a mobile body according to claim 1.

4. The control device provides driving assistance for the mobile vehicle in accordance with the route information registered in the actual route database. A driving support device for a mobile body according to claim 1.

5. The driving support device according to claim 4, The moving body is driven automatically in accordance with the driving assistance of the aforementioned driving assistance device, An autonomous driving system equipped with [the following features].

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