Vehicle driving control system

Abstract

To provide a vehicle travel control system for turning an autonomous travel vehicle at a corner adequately.SOLUTION: A vehicle travel control system is configured so as to determine travel line that a vehicle travels on the basis of specification of the vehicle (for example, turning radius) and to turn the vehicle along the travel line when traveling by the vehicles Vb, Vm, Vs turning a corner C (X, x) of a travel route. Specifically, it is configured so as to set a plurality of nodes N at the corner and to select turning start reference node which is the reference that the vehicle start turning and the turning end reference node which is the reference that the vehicle completes the turning from the plurality of nodes on the basis of the specification of the vehicle and to determine the circular arc-like travel line which connects the turning start reference node and the turning end reference node.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle driving control system for controlling the driving of a vehicle, particularly the turning driving of the vehicle.

Background Art

[0002] Regarding the driving control of a vehicle that drives without human operation (hereinafter sometimes referred to as an "autonomous driving vehicle"), there is a technology as described in the following patent documents. In that technology, nodes are set on the route along which the vehicle travels, and the vehicle travels by following those nodes.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Vehicles have different drivable driving lines depending on their specifications. Specifically, for example, the driving line when turning at a turning angle differs depending on the length of the vehicle and the like. In the technology described in the above patent documents, there is no description regarding the differences in vehicle specifications, and by considering the differences in vehicle specifications, the driving control of autonomous driving vehicles becomes practical. The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a highly practical vehicle driving control system.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] In order to solve the above problems, the vehicle driving control system of the present invention is a vehicle driving control system configured to include a driving control device mounted on a vehicle and controlling the driving of the vehicle, wherein when the vehicle turns and travels at a turning angle on a travel route, the travel The line is determined based on the specifications of the vehicle, and the running control device controls the vehicle's running It is configured to rotate along a line. Assuming that, The first vehicle driving control system according to the present invention includes a driving management device for managing the operation of a vehicle, and the driving management device is configured to determine the driving line. The second vehicle driving control system according to the present invention is configured such that a plurality of nodes are set at the corner, and based on the vehicle specifications, a turning start reference node, which serves as a reference for when the vehicle starts turning, and a turning end reference node, which serves as a reference for when the vehicle ends turning, are selected from among the plurality of nodes, and an arc-shaped driving line connecting the turning start reference node and the turning end reference node is determined. The third vehicle driving control system according to the present invention is configured such that, depending on the vehicle's specifications, a driving path is determined in which the vehicle veers into the oncoming lane when the driving path includes a bidirectional passage consisting of the vehicle's own lane and an oncoming lane, and the corner is a corner from the bidirectional passage to another passage, or a corner from another passage to the bidirectional passage. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] According to the vehicle driving control system of the present invention (hereinafter sometimes abbreviated as "this vehicle driving control system" or "this system"), a vehicle can appropriately turn corners in its driving path, regardless of its own specifications. Embodiments of the Invention

[0007] The area in which the vehicle to which this system applies travels is, for example, a city or a business premises, an area where roads for vehicle travel are arranged. The vehicle's travel route is set so that it travels through some of these roads. In this system, "travel line" refers to the line along which a specific point of the vehicle (for example, the vehicle's center of gravity, the midpoint of the front of the vehicle, etc.) moves, or the trajectory traced by that specific point, and the travel line that the vehicle should travel can be thought of as the target travel line in the vehicle's journey, i.e., the target line.

[0008] The optimal turning line for a vehicle varies depending on its specifications. Here, "vehicle specifications" include vehicle size (length, width, etc.), wheelbase, tread, inner wheel difference, outer wheel difference during turning, appropriate vehicle speed, turning radius, etc. It is particularly desirable that the turning radius be included in the vehicle specifications that are relied upon when determining the turning line. The turning radius should be an appropriate one selected from various turning radii, such as the minimum turning radius and the set appropriate turning radius. Incidentally, depending on the vehicle specifications, specifically when the vehicle is large or has a large turning radius, there may be corners that the vehicle cannot navigate.

[0009] In terms of a road path, a "turn" does not only refer to a bend in a single road, but also broadly includes places where a vehicle must turn, such as a T-junction where the end of one road connects to the middle of one road in the longitudinal direction, or an intersection where two roads cross each other.

[0010] The vehicle subject to driving control is preferably an autonomous vehicle, and the "driving control device" can be considered a controller for realizing that autonomous driving. Vehicles have various devices related to driving, such as drive systems, brake systems, and steering systems, and the driving control device can be configured to control these devices. Furthermore, in order to realize autonomous driving, it is desirable that the vehicle has a function to determine its own position in the driving area, such as a GPS function or a beacon detection function.

[0011] This vehicle driving control system may include a "driving management device" that manages the operation of vehicles within a driving area. Preferably, this driving management device manages the operation of multiple vehicles. The driving management device can be configured, for example, to create a vehicle driving plan and communicate assignments to the vehicles in accordance with that plan. It is also desirable that the driving management device knows the current position of the vehicles. When the driving management device manages the operation of multiple vehicles, it is desirable that it has a function to adjust or mediate the operation of at least one of the vehicles when one vehicle and another interfere with each other during their respective drives; specifically, a function to give instructions such as waiting or detouring to one of them. To achieve the above-mentioned transmission of assignments, tracking of the current position of vehicles, and adjustment of vehicle driving, it is desirable that the driving management device and the vehicles are capable of wireless communication. The determination of the driving line may be performed by the vehicle's driving control device or by the driving management device. When the driving line is determined by the driving management device, the driving line should be transmitted from the driving management device to the vehicle's driving control device.

[0012] Regarding the determination of the travel path, in this system, the travel path may be determined based on nodes set up and placed in the passageway. Specifically, for example, multiple nodes may be set at a corner, and based on the vehicle's specifications, a turning start reference node, which serves as the reference for when the vehicle starts turning, and a turning end reference node, which serves as the reference for when the vehicle ends turning, may be selected from these multiple nodes, and an arc-shaped travel path connecting these turning start reference node and turning end reference node may be determined.

[0013] The term "node" above refers to a vertex, nodal point, etc., and can be thought of as a point (for example, a virtual point) that a specific point on the vehicle should pass through. Nodes may be placed not only at corners but also along the entire travel path. For example, on a straight road, a node should be placed in the center of the lane, straight along the lane, and at a corner, a node should be placed so that the straight line extends to the center of the corner. The "turn start reference node" and "turn end reference node" may be the turn start point and turn end point themselves, respectively, or they may be reference points for determining the turn start point and the turn end point. Specifically, for example, the turn start point may be a point a set distance from the turn start reference node, or the turn end point may be a point where the turn continues for a set distance from the turn end reference node. The turning start reference node and turning end reference node should generally be selected such that, for example, when performing a turn with a large turning radius, a node located far from the center of the corner should be selected, and when performing a turn with a small turning radius, a node located close to the center of the corner should be selected. The arc-shaped travel line connecting the turning start reference node and the turning end reference node does not necessarily have to be part of a perfect circle, but it should be generally arc-shaped. In this system, the node data only needs to be held by the component that determines the travel line, and if the travel line is determined by the vehicle's driving control device, then the driving control device should hold the data, and if the travel line is determined by the operation management device, then the operation management device should hold the data.

[0014] The advantages of using nodes to determine the driving line can be considered as follows: By creating only one general-purpose node data for each corner, a different node can be selected as the reference node for each vehicle based on the vehicle's specifications by referring to that single node data, and the driving line can be determined based on the selected reference node. In short, the appropriate driving line can be determined for each vehicle with just one node data. Furthermore, since it is not necessary to determine the driving line during turns from information about the vehicle's surroundings, there is no need to specifically install surrounding information acquisition devices such as cameras or LiDAR on the vehicle in order to determine the driving line.

[0015] Regarding the determination of the driving line during turns, when the driving path includes a two-way passage consisting of the vehicle's own lane and an oncoming lane, the following preferred configuration can be considered. That is, when the corner is a corner from the two-way passage to another passage, or from another passage to the two-way passage, depending on the vehicle's specifications, the driving line may be determined such that the vehicle extends into the oncoming lane. By adopting this configuration, even vehicles that perform turns with a large turning radius can turn at relatively narrow corners. In relation to this, in turns involving two-way passages, it is also possible to determine the driving line such that the starting point of the turn differs between right turns and left turns, i.e., right turns and left turns. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0016] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram showing the driving range of a vehicle to which the vehicle driving control system of the embodiment is applied. [Figure 2] This is a perspective view of a medium-sized vehicle, which is an example of a vehicle. [Figure 3] This is a schematic diagram illustrating the differences in turning radii among vehicles, and how large vehicles turn at intersections. [Figure 4] This is a schematic diagram illustrating how medium-sized and small vehicles turn at intersections. [Figure 5] These are functional block diagrams for the operation management system and the vehicle's driving control system. [Figure 6] It is a flowchart of a process for determining a vehicle's travel line at a corner.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0017] Hereinafter, as an embodiment for carrying out the present invention, a vehicle travel control system which is an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail while referring to the drawings. Note that the present invention can be implemented in various forms obtained by making various changes and improvements based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art, in addition to the following embodiments and including the forms described in the section of 〔Aspects of the Invention〕.

Examples

[0018] [A] Travel Region of Vehicle and Vehicle Type The travel region of a vehicle to which the vehicle travel control system of the example (hereinafter, may be abbreviated as "this vehicle travel control system" or "this system") is applied is, as schematically shown in FIG. 1, one business office, and within the business office, passages are arranged in the east, west, south, and north directions. For the sake of convenience, although it is for convenience, the passages extending north and south are sequentially assigned signs of A, B, C,... from the east side, and the passages extending east and west are sequentially assigned signs of a, b, c,... from the north side. Hereinafter, the passages extending north and south will be represented as P(X), and the passages extending east and west will be represented as P(x), and when there is no need to distinguish them, they will be collectively referred to as passage P. Note that A, B, C,... are substituted for X, and a, b, c,... are substituted for x. Incidentally, passages P(A), P(C), P(a), and P(c) in the figure are two-way passages with left-hand traffic where vehicles can travel in opposite directions, and a center line is drawn in the center, and there are two lanes (traffic lanes) of the own lane and the oncoming lane on both sides of the center line. On the other hand, passage (B) and passage (b) are narrow and have only one lane, and are one-way roads.

[0019] The points where passage P(X) and passage P(x) intersect, specifically the points where the end of one passage P(X) connects to another passage P(x), the points where one passage P(X) or P(x) connects to another passage P(x) or P(X) in a T-shape, and the points where one passage P(X) and another passage P(x) intersect, will be collectively referred to as corners C for convenience. When referring to individual corners, they will be expressed as corners C(X,x), using the signs X and x of the intersecting passages P(X) and P(x).

[0020] In each passage P, a node N is placed in the center of the lane at regular intervals (e.g., 1-2 m) in the direction in which passage P extends. Each node N is individually identified by the code X or x of passage P, the code L indicating which lane it is if it is a bidirectional passage, and the number * from the end of passage P. Specifically, in a passage P(X) extending north-south, it is represented as node N(X,L,*), and in a passage P(x) extending east-west, it is represented as node N(x,L,*). In a passage P(X) extending north-south, L is assigned as E for the eastern lane and W for the western lane, and in a passage P(x) extending east-west, L is assigned as N for the northern lane and S for the southern lane. If it is not a bidirectional passage, L is not used. The node numbers* for node N are assigned sequentially from north to south in north-south passages P(X) and sequentially from east to west in east-west passages P(x), starting with east to west. In this system, nodes N are arranged at equal intervals, but the spacing of nodes N may be narrower, for example, at and near corners C.

[0021] Furthermore, in bidirectional passageways, three auxiliary nodes, called auxiliary nodes Na, are placed beside each corner C. These auxiliary nodes Na, which will be explained in detail later, are used when a vehicle turns left at corner C. Each auxiliary node Na is represented as Na(X,x,D,#). D indicates which side of corner C it is located on, with N, S, E, and W assigned to the north, south, east, and west sides, respectively. The number # is assigned as follows: R for the node on the right side when viewed from the direction of corner C, L for the node on the left side, and 0 for the node in the center.

[0022] Several types of vehicles operate within the operating area. For convenience, in this operating area, we will assume that relatively large vehicles Vb, relatively small vehicles Vs, and medium-sized vehicles Vm operate. Large vehicles Vb are vehicles the size of buses, trucks, etc., while small vehicles Vs are vehicles small enough to carry only one person. Medium-sized vehicles Vm, as will be explained in more detail later, are vehicles in this operating area consisting of a towing vehicle and a towed vehicle such as a trailer. When it is not necessary to distinguish between large vehicles Vb, medium vehicles Vm, and small vehicles Vs, they will be collectively referred to as vehicle V. Furthermore, each of these large vehicles Vb, medium vehicles Vm, and small vehicles Vs is assigned a number &, and is represented individually as Vb&, Vm&, and Vs&. Incidentally, & can be substituted with 1, 2, 3, ...

[0023] The diagram shows a large vehicle Vb1 traveling straight north along aisle P(A), a large vehicle Vb2 turning right at corner C(C,c), a medium-sized vehicle Vm1 turning left at corner C(C,a), a medium-sized vehicle Vm2 traveling straight south along aisle P(A), a small vehicle Vs1 traveling straight east along aisle P(b), and a small vehicle Vs2 turning right at corner C(B,c). Due to their turning radii and other factors, it is difficult for large vehicles Vb and medium-sized vehicles Vm to enter or exit aisles P(B) and P(b) by turning left. Therefore, aisles P(B) and P(b), i.e., one-way aisles P with only one lane, are restricted to small vehicles Vs only.

[0024] [B] Vehicle configuration As explained earlier, the vehicles to which this system applies are, for convenience, three types: large vehicles Vb, medium-sized vehicles Vm, and small vehicles Vs. Large vehicles Vb and small vehicles Vs are four-wheeled vehicles with steerable front wheels, and their structure is common, so a detailed explanation will be omitted here.

[0025] As shown in Figure 2, the medium-sized vehicle Vm consists of a towed vehicle 10 and a towing vehicle 12 that tows the towed vehicle 10. The towed vehicle 10 consists of a base plate 20 and four casters 22 attached to the lower part of the base plate 20. The side towed by the towing vehicle 12 is the front side, and the opposite side is the rear side. The four casters 22 are arranged in pairs, left and right, on the front side and left and right, on the rear side. The two casters 22 on the front side are swivel casters, and their direction can be freely changed. On the other hand, the two casters 22 on the rear side have a fixed direction, either front or rear.

[0026] The towing vehicle 12 has a body 40 that generally has a rectangular parallelepiped shape, and a pair of drive wheels 42, a left drive wheel 42L and a right drive wheel 42R. A coupler 44 is attached to the rear of the body 40, and auxiliary wheels 46 are provided in the form of swivel casters below the coupler 44 to allow the towing vehicle 12 to stand on its own. In other words, the towing vehicle 12 does not have steering wheels that can be actively turned. A connecting bar 48 is fixed to the base plate 20 of the towed vehicle 10. The front end of this connecting bar 48 is connected to the coupler 44, so that the towed vehicle 10 is connected to the towing vehicle 12 via the coupler 44 and can rotate relative to it. More specifically, when the towing vehicle 12 and the towed vehicle 10 are connected, they are allowed to rotate freely relative to each other in a generally horizontal direction around the connection point JP at the coupler 44.

[0027] The left drive wheel 42L and the right drive wheel 42R of the towing vehicle 12 are each driven independently by electric motors 50, which are in-wheel motors. By rotating the left drive wheel 42L and the right drive wheel 42R at the same speed, the towing vehicle 12 moves forward or backward in a straight line. By creating a speed difference between the rotation of the left drive wheel 42L and the right drive wheel 42R, the towing vehicle 12 can turn. Incidentally, by rotating the left drive wheel 42L and the right drive wheel 42R in opposite directions at the same speed, it is also possible to perform a pivot turn. Furthermore, the braking of the towing vehicle 12, that is, the braking of the left drive wheel 42L and the right drive wheel 42R, is also performed by regenerative braking or reverse braking by the electric motors 50.

[0028] As shown in Figure 1, in this system, an operation management device CC that manages the operation of multiple vehicles V is installed in the management building CB, and the towing vehicle 12 operates autonomously, or unmanned, based on commands from the operation management device CC. The method of autonomous driving can be a general one and will not be explained here, but for autonomous driving, the towing vehicle 12 has a camera, positioning sensor (GPS sensor), yaw rate sensor, acceleration sensor, wheel speed sensor, etc. built into a sensor box 52 attached to the top of the vehicle body 40, and is equipped with a communication device 54. In addition, the towing vehicle 12 has a controller 56 for autonomous driving, a power supply, etc. built into the vehicle body 40.

[0029] Furthermore, since the large vehicle Vb and the small vehicle Vs also operate autonomously, they are equipped with sensor boxes, communication devices, controllers, power supplies, etc., similar to the towing vehicle 12. The controllers for the large vehicle Vb, the medium vehicle Vm, and the small vehicle Vs are mounted on each of these vehicles and function as driving control devices that control the movement of each respective vehicle.

[0030] [C] Vehicle turning at a corner Vehicle V has an appropriate turning radius set when turning around corner C in the driving area. For large vehicles Vb and small vehicles Vs, the steering limits of the steering wheels are set according to the vehicle's length, width, wheelbase, inner wheel difference, outer wheel difference, etc., and the minimum turning radius is determined based on that setting. The appropriate turning radius is set based on that minimum turning radius. For medium-sized vehicles Vm, a perfect pivot turn is possible if only the towing vehicle 12 is present, but when towing the towing vehicle 10, a certain turning radius is required to take into consideration the so-called jackknife phenomenon, etc. For this reason, an appropriate turning radius is set.

[0031] When comparing the appropriate turning radii for a large vehicle Vb, a medium-sized vehicle Vm, and a small vehicle Vs, the results are as shown in Figure 3(a). Figure 3(a) shows the state when vehicle V turns at a right angle, with the solid line showing the turning of the small vehicle Vs, the dashed line showing the turning of the medium-sized vehicle Vm, and the dashed line showing the turning of the large vehicle Vb. For clarity, nodes N are placed on the left and right, and up and down in the figure. Using these nodes N, according to the appropriate turning radius, the small vehicle Vs will turn with node N(x,2) as the starting point and node N(X,2) as the ending point, the medium-sized vehicle Vm will turn with node N(x,3) as the starting point and node N(X,3) as the ending point, and the large vehicle Vb will turn with node N(x,4) as the starting point and node N(X,4) as the ending point.

[0032] For convenience, in the following explanation, the position of the turning start point will be treated as the position of the turning start reference node Ns, and the position of the turning end point will be treated as the position of the turning end reference node Ne. If treated in this way, each vehicle V will turn along a circular arc-shaped travel line connecting the turning start reference node Ns and the turning end reference node Ne. In actual turns, however, the turning start point may be set, for example, near the turning start reference node Ns, and the turning end point may be set, for example, near the turning end reference node Ne, and the vehicle V may turn along a circular arc-shaped travel line connecting these turning start and end points. For convenience, such a travel line will also be treated as a circular arc-shaped travel line connecting the turning start reference node Ns and the turning end reference node Ne. Incidentally, for convenience, the travel line will be treated as the line followed by the center point of the front end of the vehicle V.

[0033] Based on the above, the turning at corner C(X,x), which is an intersection of two-way lanes, will be explained with reference to Figures 3(b), 4(a), and 4(b). Figure 3(b) shows the turning of a large vehicle Vb, Figure 4(a) shows the turning of a medium-sized vehicle Vm, and Figure 4(b) shows the turning of a small vehicle Vs. In each figure, both the turning of a vehicle to the right and the turning of a vehicle to the left from lane P(x) to lane (X) are shown. Note that the vehicle V turning right and its lane are shown with a dashed line, and the vehicle V turning left and its lane are shown with a solid line.

[0034] First, let's explain the turning of the small vehicle Vs, referring to Figure 4(b). The small vehicle Vs has a relatively small turning radius and a relatively small inner wheel difference. Therefore, in the case of a right turn, the turning start reference node Ns is set to node N(x,N,α+1) and the turning end reference node Ne is set to node N(X,E,β+1), and the small vehicle Vs turns along the arc-shaped travel line connecting nodes N(x,N,α+1) and N(X,E,β+1). Similarly, in the case of a left turn, the turning start reference node Ns is set to node N(x,N,α+3) and the turning end reference node Ne is set to node N(X,W,β-3), and the small vehicle Vs turns along the arc-shaped travel line connecting nodes N(x,N,α+3) and N(X,W,β-3). Incidentally, α and β are specific numbers that indicate the center of the bend C(X,x).

[0035] In the case of a medium-sized vehicle Vm, the turning radius is relatively large. As shown in Figure 4(a), when turning right, the turning start reference node Ns is set to node N(x,N,α+2) and the turning end reference node Ne is set to node N(X,E,β+2). The medium-sized vehicle Vm then turns along the arc-shaped driving line connecting nodes N(x,N,α+2) and N(X,E,β+2). On the other hand, because the inner wheel difference of a medium-sized vehicle Vm is also relatively large, if it turns normally, the vehicle body will protrude into the turning radius when turning left. Therefore, in this system, when turning left, as shown by the dashed line in the figure, the medium-sized vehicle Vm is first shifted towards the center of the aisle before starting to turn with the appropriate turning radius, and after the turn is completed, it is returned to the center of the lane. Incidentally, "shift" means a change in position in the width direction of the aisle. Specifically, the shift start reference node Ns' is set to node N(x,N,α+6), the turn start reference node Ns is set to auxiliary node Na(X,x,W,L), the turn end reference node Ne is set to auxiliary node Na(X,x,N,R), and the shift end reference node Ne' is set to node N(X,W,β-6). The medium-sized vehicle Vm shifts to the right from node N(x,N,α+6) to auxiliary node Na(X,x,W,L), turns along an arc-shaped travel line connecting auxiliary node Na(X,x,W,L) and auxiliary node Na(X,x,N,R), and shifts to the left from auxiliary node Na(X,x,N,R) to node N(X,W,β-6).

[0036] In the case of a large vehicle Vb, the turning radius is even larger, so as shown in Figure 3(b), when turning right, the turning start reference node Ns is set to node N(x,N,α+3) and the turning end reference node Ne is set to node N(X,E,β+3), and the large vehicle Vb turns along the arc-shaped driving line connecting nodes N(x,N,α+2) and N(X,E,β+2). In the case of a large vehicle Vb, the inner wheel difference is even larger, so when turning left, the vehicle shifts even more to make the left turn. Specifically, the shift start reference node Ns' is set to node N(x,N,α+8), the turn start reference node Ns is set to auxiliary node Na(X,x,W,0), the turn end reference node Ne is set to auxiliary node Na(X,x,N,0), and the shift end reference node Ne' is set to node N(X,W,β-8). The large vehicle Vb shifts to the right from node N(x,N,α+8) to auxiliary node Na(X,x,W,0), turns along an arc-shaped travel line connecting auxiliary node Na(X,x,W,0) and auxiliary node Na(X,x,N,0), and shifts to the left from auxiliary node Na(X,x,N,0) to node N(X,W,β-8). In such a left turn, the large vehicle Vb will cross into the oncoming lane, and this system allows such crossing for the large vehicle Vb.

[0037] [D] Operation management system, functions of vehicle running control system and determination of running lines i) Functions of the operation management system The operation of vehicle V is managed by the operation management system CC described earlier. The operation management system CC is a device whose main component is a computer. Figure 5(a) shows a functional block diagram of the operation management system CC. Each block shown in this diagram is a functional block that is realized by the computer executing a predetermined program. The functions of the operation management system CC will be explained below with reference to this block diagram. Note that the control building CB is equipped with a communication device 100, and the operation management system CC manages the operation of vehicle V via this communication device 100.

[0038] The operation management device CC has a passage map creation and storage unit 102. The passage map creation and storage unit 102 sets the aforementioned node N and auxiliary node Na at each passage P(X), P(x) and each corner C(X,x) to create a passage map and stores it. Information regarding the passage map is transmitted to each vehicle V via the communication device 100 each time it is created. The operation management device CC also has a vehicle specifications storage unit 104 that stores the specifications of each vehicle V, and in simple terms, it knows what kind of vehicle each vehicle V is.

[0039] The operation management device CC has an operation plan creation unit 106, which creates an operation plan for each vehicle V. This operation plan can be thought of as a list that shows when and what kind of operation each vehicle V should perform. The operation management device CC also has an assignment instruction unit 108, which has the function of instructing a vehicle that has completed one job to perform the next job, i.e., the next assignment, based on the operation plan. An assignment includes the travel route and the destination. Specifically, it includes which passages P(X), P(x) to take, which corner C(X,x) to turn right or left at, and the location of the destination node N. When a vehicle V completes one assignment, the next assignment is transmitted to that vehicle V via the communication device 100.

[0040] As will be explained later, each vehicle V is aware of its own position. More specifically, it constantly knows which node N it has passed and constantly transmits information about the node N it has passed. The operation management device CC has a vehicle position recognition unit 110, which acquires this information via the communication device 100 and recognizes the current position and direction of travel of each vehicle V if it is traveling. The operation management device CC has a travel adjustment unit 112, which adjusts the travel of at least one of the vehicles V and other vehicles V to avoid interference between the two vehicles V, based on the current position and direction of travel of each vehicle V. Specifically, for example, it transmits commands to at least one of the vehicles V via the communication device 100 each time, such as slow down, stop, overtake the stopped vehicle V, or detour to a different route.

[0041] ii) Functions of the controller installed in the vehicle The controller 56 installed in each vehicle V is the vehicle's driving control device. This controller 56 has a computer as its main component and also includes drivers (drive circuits) for the drive system, braking system, steering system, etc. Figure 5(b) shows a functional block diagram of the controller 56. Each block shown in this diagram is a functional block that is realized by the computer executing a predetermined program. The functions of the controller 56 will be explained below with reference to this block diagram.

[0042] The central function of the controller 56 is to control the driving motion of the vehicle V by controlling the drive system, braking system, steering system, etc. of the vehicle V. To achieve this function, the controller 56 has a driving motion control unit 120. In controlling this driving motion, the controller 56 has a current position recognition unit 122 to determine the current position of the vehicle V. The controller 56 has a passage map storage unit 124, which stores a passage map in which the aforementioned nodes N are located, based on information transmitted from the operation management device CC. The current position recognition unit 122 determines the current position of the vehicle V by determining which node N the vehicle V has passed through, based on the passage map and the position detection information of the aforementioned GPS device. This current position is transmitted to the operation management device CC via the communication device 54.

[0043] The controller 56 has a route determination unit 126, which determines the route it should take to execute the assignment based on the assignment transmitted from the operation management device CC, by connecting the nodes N. The route determination unit 126 has a notable function unit: a corner route determination unit 128. As described above, this corner determination unit 128 determines the turning start reference node Ns, the turning end reference node Ne, and in some cases the shift start reference node Ns' and shift end reference node Ne' at the corner C(X,x) according to the specifications of the vehicle V, and determines the route during the turn. The previously described driving operation control unit 120 controls the drive system, braking system, steering system, etc. so that the vehicle V travels along the route determined by the route determination unit 126.

[0044] Furthermore, the controller 56 has a command receiving unit 130 to receive assignments, which are prerequisites for creating the travel line, and the aforementioned travel arbitration information via the communication device 54. Based on the received information, the travel line determination unit 126 determines the travel line, and the travel operation control unit 120 controls the travel operation of the vehicle V.

[0045] iii) Flowchart for determining the route around corners The process for determining the running line at corner C is briefly explained below, following the flowchart in Figure 6. This flowchart can be considered to represent the types of determination of the running line at a corner based on the specifications of vehicle V. The process according to the flowchart is assumed to be performed when the vehicle is approaching corner C to a certain extent.

[0046] In the process following the flowchart, first, in step 1 (hereinafter abbreviated as "S1"; the same applies to the other steps), the specifications of the vehicle V are identified, that is, whether the vehicle V is a small vehicle Vs, a medium vehicle Vm, or a large vehicle Vb. Next, in S2, the turning direction of the vehicle V at corner C is identified, that is, whether the vehicle V will turn right or left.

[0047] In S3, if it is determined that the vehicle V will turn right, in S4, the turn start reference node Ns and the turn end reference node Ne are determined according to the specifications of the vehicle V, as described above. Then, in S5, an arc-shaped route is determined connecting the turn start reference node Ns and the turn end reference node Ne.

[0048] In S3, if it is determined that the vehicle V is making a left turn, in S6, it is determined whether the vehicle V is a small vehicle Vs. If the vehicle V is a small vehicle Vs, in S4, the turning start reference node Ns and turning end reference node Ne are determined for the small vehicle Vs, and in S5, an arc-shaped travel line connecting the turning start reference node Ns and the turning end reference node Ne is determined.

[0049] If the vehicle V is a medium-sized vehicle Vm or a large vehicle Vb, in S7, as described above, a shift start reference node Ns', a turn start reference node Ns, a turn end reference node Ne, and a shift end reference node Ne' suitable for the medium-sized vehicle Vm or large vehicle Vb are determined, and in S8, the driving line is determined so as to connect these shift start reference node Ns', turn start reference node Ns, turn end reference node Ne, and shift end reference node Ne'.

[0050] iv) Variations of determining the running line In this embodiment, the driving line is determined by the controller 56 of the vehicle V, but the system may be configured so that the driving line is determined by the operation management device CC. The operation management device CC may determine the driving line according to the above-described process and transmit information about the determined driving line, as well as information about the turning start reference node Ns, the turning end reference node Ne, etc., to the vehicle V. [Explanation of symbols]

[0051] 10: Towed vehicle 12: Towing vehicle 54: Communication device 56: Controller [Driving control device] CC: Operation management device 100: Communication device 102: Aisle map creation and storage unit 104: Vehicle specifications storage unit 106: Operation plan creation unit 108: Assignment instruction unit 110: Vehicle position recognition unit 112: Driving arbitration unit 120: Driving motion control unit 122: Current position recognition unit 124: Aisle map storage unit 126: Driving line determination unit 128: Corner driving line determination unit 130: Command reception unit V: Vehicle Vb: Large vehicle Vm: Medium vehicle Vs: Small vehicle P(X), P(x): Aisle C(X, x): Corner N: Node Ns: Turn start reference node Ne: Turn end reference node Ns': Shift start reference node Ne': Shift end reference node

Claims

1. A vehicle driving control system comprising a driving management device for managing the operation of a vehicle and a driving control device mounted on a vehicle for controlling the driving of the vehicle, The aforementioned operation management device is configured to determine the route the vehicle should take when it turns at a corner in its route, based on the vehicle's specifications. A vehicle driving control system configured such that the driving control device causes the vehicle to turn along its driving line.

2. A vehicle driving control system comprising a driving control device mounted on a vehicle and controlling the driving of the vehicle, A vehicle driving control system configured such that when a vehicle turns at a corner in its driving path, a turning start reference node and a turning end reference node are selected from a plurality of nodes set at the corner, based on the vehicle's specifications, to serve as a reference for when the vehicle starts turning and when it ends turning. An arc-shaped driving line connecting these turning start reference nodes and turning end reference nodes is determined as the driving line the vehicle should follow, and the driving control device is configured to make the vehicle turn along that driving line.

3. A vehicle driving control system comprising a driving control device mounted on a vehicle and controlling the driving of the vehicle, When a vehicle turns at a corner along its route, the path it should follow is determined based on the vehicle's specifications, and the vehicle control device is configured to cause the vehicle to turn along that path. A vehicle driving control system configured such that, depending on the vehicle's specifications, a driving path is determined in which the vehicle veers into the oncoming lane when the driving path includes a two-way passage consisting of the vehicle's own lane and an oncoming lane, and the corner is a corner from the two-way passage to another passage, or from another passage to the two-way passage.

4. A vehicle driving control system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the vehicle specifications on which the determination of the driving line is based include the turning radius of the vehicle.

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