Change operation support device

Abstract

To prevent a setting state of driving support control from being erroneously set in a case where a setting modification request differing from a driver's intention is issued due to misrecognition of the driver's utterance.SOLUTION: A modification operation support device 10 performs voice recognition on utterance made by a driver and determines whether a setting modification request for requesting modification in a setting state of driving support control has been made through the utterance. When it is determined that a setting modification request has been made, the modification operation support device notifies the driver, by means of notification devices 42 and 43, of information related to the content of the setting modification request and information related to a predetermined approval operation corresponding to the setting modification request. When the driver performs the approval operation, the modification operation support device modifies the setting state of the driving support control in accordance with the setting modification request.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a change operation support device that supports a driver in changing the setting state of driving support control.

Background Art

[0002] Vehicles configured to execute driving support control for supporting a driver's driving are known. The driving support control is, for example, constant speed driving control, following control of a preceding vehicle, lane keeping control (LTA: Lane Tracing Assist Control), and autonomous driving control.

[0003] Furthermore, a change operation support device that supports a driver in changing the setting state of driving support control (for example, the target speed in constant speed driving control) is known. For example, one of the conventional change operation support devices (hereinafter referred to as the "conventional device") recognizes a driver's utterance related to speed by voice and sets the voice-recognized speed as the target speed of the constant speed driving control (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

[0005] However, due to misrecognition of voice, the conventional device may change the setting state of the driving support control to a setting state different from the driver's intention.

[0006] The present invention has been made to solve the above problems. That is, one of the objects of the present invention is to provide a change operation support device that can avoid erroneously setting the setting state of driving support control when a driver makes an utterance for changing the setting state of driving support control.

[0007] A change operation support device according to one aspect of the present invention (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "this aspect device") is, A control device (10) configured to execute the aforementioned driver assistance control (ACC, LTA) according to the setting state of the driver assistance control (ACC, LTA) of the vehicle (VA), An operating device operated by the driver of the vehicle, the operating device (50) used for changing the setting state of the driving assistance control, A notification device (42, 43) configured to notify the driver of information and It is equipped with. The control device is The system performs speech recognition processing to recognize the speech made by the driver (step 802), It is determined whether a setting change request has been made through the utterance requesting a change in the setting state of the driver assistance control (step 803), If it is determined through the voice recognition process that the setting change request has been made (step 803: Yes), the notification device is instructed to notify the notification device of confirmation information including information regarding the content of the setting change request and information regarding a predetermined approval operation for the setting change request (step 904). If the driver performs an operation using the operating device in accordance with the information regarding the approval operation (Step 905: Yes), the setting state of the driver assistance control is changed in accordance with the setting change request (Step 906). It is structured in this way.

[0008] For example, a misinterpretation of the driver's speech may result in a setting change request that differs from the driver's intention. In such cases, according to this embodiment of the device, since the confirmation information does not match what the driver actually said, the driver can recognize that their speech has been misinterpreted. Therefore, the driver does not perform an approval operation. If the driver does not perform an approval operation, this embodiment of the device does not change the setting state of the driver assistance control in accordance with the setting change request. Therefore, when a setting change request that differs from the driver's intention is made due to a misinterpretation of the driver's speech, it is possible to avoid the driver assistance control setting state being incorrectly set.

[0009] In one embodiment of the present apparatus, the operating device includes a plurality of operating units (51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57). The setting change request includes a plurality of types of requests. The approval operation is an operation on one of the plurality of operating units. Furthermore, the control device is configured to change the operating unit that the driver should operate when performing the approval operation, depending on the type of setting change request.

[0010] According to this embodiment, the operating unit that the driver must operate when performing the approval operation differs depending on the type of setting change request, so the driver's intention can be confirmed more accurately.

[0011] In one embodiment of the present apparatus, the control device is: When the operating state as the setting state is ON, the driving assistance control is executed. The driver assistance control is stopped when the aforementioned operating state is in the off state. It is structured in this way. The operating device includes a first operating unit (51) which is operated to change the operating state from the off state to the on state, and a second operating unit (52) which is operated to change the operating state from the on state to the off state. The setting change request includes an ON request that requests the operating state to be changed from the OFF state to the ON state, and an OFF request that requests the operating state to be changed from the ON state to the OFF state. When the control device determines that the ON request has been made via the speech recognition process, The operation on the first operating unit is determined to be the approved operation (step 902), When the operation described above is performed on the first operating unit (step 905: Yes), the operating state is changed from the off state to the on state (step 906). It is structured in this way. Furthermore, if the control device determines that the off request has been made via the speech recognition process, The operation on the second operating unit is determined to be the approved operation (step 902), When the operation described above is performed on the second operating unit (step 905: Yes), the operating state is changed from the ON state to the OFF state (step 906). It is structured in this way.

[0012] According to this embodiment, when a setting change request (on request or off request) that differs from the driver's intention is made due to a misrecognition of the driver's speech, it is possible to avoid the operating state of the driver assistance control being set incorrectly.

[0013] In one embodiment of the present invention, the control device is configured to set the values ​​of the control parameters (Vset, Ttgt) of the assistance provided by the driving assistance control as the setting state, and to execute the driving assistance control according to the values ​​of the control parameters. The operating device includes a third operating section (55, 57) operated to increase the value of the control parameter, and a fourth operating section (56, 57) operated to decrease the value of the control parameter. The setting change request includes an increase request that requests an increase in the value of the control parameter and a decrease request that requests a decrease in the value of the control parameter. If the control device determines that the increase request has been made via the speech recognition process, The operation on the third operating unit is determined to be the approved operation (step 902), When the operation described above is performed on the third operating unit (step 905: Yes), the value of the control parameter is increased according to the increase request (step 906). It is structured in this way. Furthermore, if the control device determines that the reduction request has been made via the speech recognition process, The operation on the fourth operating unit is determined to be the approved operation (step 902), When the operation on the fourth operation unit is performed (step 905: Yes), the value of the control parameter is decreased according to the decrease request (step 906). It is configured as follows.

[0014] According to this aspect, when a setting change request (increase request or decrease request) different from the driver's intention is made due to misrecognition of the driver's speech, it is possible to avoid the value of the control parameter being set erroneously.

[0015] In one form of the device of this aspect, Even when it is determined that a request other than the off request has been made through the voice recognition process, when the driver performs an operation on the second operation unit before performing the approval operation for the request other than the off request, it is configured to change the operating state from the on state to the off state.

[0016] When an operation on the second operation unit is performed, the driver has the intention to perform a driving operation by himself / herself. According to this aspect, when the driver performs an operation on the second operation unit before performing the approval operation, the intention of the driver to change the operating state of the driving support control to the off state can be immediately reflected.

[0017] In one form of the device of this aspect, when the control device determines that a plurality of requests have been made as the setting change request through the voice recognition process, it is configured to determine an operation on one of the plurality of operation units as the approval operation.

[0018] According to this aspect, even when a plurality of requests are made as the setting change request, the driver can approve those plurality of requests by performing an operation on one of the plurality of operation units. Since the driver does not need to operate a plurality of operation units, the possibility that the driver feels bothered can be reduced.

[0019] In one form of the device of this aspect, the control device When the operating state as the setting state is ON, the driving assistance control is executed. The driver assistance control is stopped when the aforementioned operating state is in the off state. It is structured in this way. The operating device includes a first operating unit (51) which is operated to change the operating state from the off state to the on state, and a second operating unit (52) which is operated to change the operating state from the on state to the off state. The setting change request includes an ON request that requests the operating state to be changed from the OFF state to the ON state, and an OFF request that requests the operating state to be changed from the ON state to the OFF state. When the control device determines that the ON request has been made via the speech recognition process, The operation on the first operating unit is determined to be the approved operation (step 902), When the operation described above is performed on the first operating unit (step 905: Yes), the operating state is changed from the off state to the on state (step 906). It is structured in this way. Furthermore, if the control device determines that the off request has been made via the speech recognition process (step 1001: Yes), Without requiring the driver to perform the aforementioned approval operation, the operating state is changed from the ON state to the OFF state (step 906). It is structured in this way.

[0020] When an off request is made, the driver often wants to take over the driving operation themselves as soon as possible. In such cases, if the driver is required to perform an approval operation, they may feel annoyed. According to this embodiment, when an off request is made, the operating state of the driver assistance control is changed to the off state without requiring the driver to perform an approval operation. Therefore, the possibility of the driver feeling annoyed can be reduced.

[0021] In the above description, to aid in understanding the present invention, the names and / or reference numerals used in the embodiments described later are indicated in parentheses for the components of the invention corresponding to those embodiments. However, the components of the present invention are not limited to the embodiments defined by the aforementioned reference numerals. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0022] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram of a change operation support device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This figure shows a word table according to an embodiment. [Figure 3] This figure shows the approval operation table according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] This diagram shows the confirmation information displayed on the screen when an ACC ON request is made. [Figure 5] This diagram shows the confirmation information displayed on the screen when an ACC off request is made. [Figure 6] This diagram shows the confirmation information displayed on the screen when a speed increase request is made. [Figure 7] This diagram shows the confirmation information displayed on the screen when a deceleration request is made. [Figure 8] This flowchart shows the "request determination routine" executed by the CPU of the driver assistance ECU according to the embodiment. [Figure 9] This flowchart shows the "request approval routine" executed by the CPU of the driver assistance ECU according to the embodiment. [Figure 10] This flowchart shows the "request approval routine" executed by the CPU of the driver assistance ECU in the modified example. [Figure 11] This diagram shows the approval procedure table for modified versions. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0023] A change operation support device according to an embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "this implementation device") is applied to a vehicle VA, as shown in Figure 1. This implementation device includes a driver support ECU 10, an engine ECU 20, and a brake ECU 30. These ECUs are Electric Control Units (ECUs) that mainly consist of a microcomputer and are connected to each other via a Controller Area Network (CAN) (not shown) so that they can transmit and receive information from one another.

[0024] In this specification, a microcomputer includes a CPU, ROM, RAM, non-volatile memory, and an interface (I / F). For example, the driver assistance ECU 10 includes a CPU 101, ROM 102, RAM 103, non-volatile memory 104, and interface 105. The CPU 101 is configured to perform various functions by executing instructions (programs, routines) stored in the ROM 102.

[0025] The driver assistance ECU 10 is connected to the sensors listed below and receives detection signals or output signals from those sensors. Note that each sensor may also be connected to an ECU other than the driver assistance ECU 10. In that case, the driver assistance ECU 10 receives the detection signal or output signal from the ECU to which the sensor is connected via CAN.

[0026] The accelerator pedal operation amount sensor 11 detects the amount of operation (accelerator opening) of the accelerator pedal 11a and outputs a signal representing the accelerator pedal operation amount AP. The brake pedal operation amount sensor 12 detects the amount of operation of the brake pedal 12a and outputs a signal representing the brake pedal operation amount BP. The vehicle speed sensor 13 detects the vehicle speed (vehicle speed) of the vehicle VA and outputs a signal representing the vehicle speed SPD.

[0027] The surrounding sensor 14 is designed to acquire information about the road surrounding the vehicle VA (for example, the lane in which the vehicle VA is traveling) and information about three-dimensional objects present on that road. Three-dimensional objects include, for example, moving objects such as automobiles (other vehicles), pedestrians and bicycles, as well as fixed objects such as guardrails and fences. Hereinafter, these three-dimensional objects may be referred to as "objects". The surrounding sensor 14 is equipped with a radar sensor 14a and a camera sensor 14b.

[0028] The surrounding sensor 14 determines the presence or absence of a target and calculates information indicating the relative relationship between the vehicle VA and the target. This information includes the distance between the vehicle VA and the target, the orientation (or position) of the target relative to the vehicle VA, and the relative speed between the vehicle VA and the target. The information obtained from the surrounding sensor 14 (including the information indicating the relative relationship between the vehicle VA and the target) is referred to as "target information." The surrounding sensor 14 outputs the target information to the driver assistance ECU 10.

[0029] The engine ECU 20 is connected to the engine actuator 21. The engine actuator 21 includes a throttle valve actuator that changes the opening degree of the throttle valve of the internal combustion engine 22. By driving the engine actuator 21, the engine ECU 20 can change the torque generated by the internal combustion engine 22. The torque generated by the internal combustion engine 22 is transmitted to the drive wheels via a transmission (not shown). Therefore, by controlling the engine actuator 21, the engine ECU 20 can control the driving force of the vehicle VA and change the acceleration state (acceleration).

[0030] Furthermore, if the vehicle VA is a hybrid vehicle, the engine ECU 20 can control the driving force generated by either the internal combustion engine or the electric motor, or both, as the vehicle's power source. In addition, if the vehicle VA is an electric vehicle, the engine ECU 20 can control the driving force generated by the electric motor, which is the vehicle's power source.

[0031] The brake ECU 30 is connected to the brake actuator 31, which is a hydraulic control actuator for the brake mechanism 32. The brake actuator 31 is located in a hydraulic circuit (not shown) between the master cylinder, which pressurizes the hydraulic fluid in response to the force applied to the brake pedal 12a, and the brake mechanism 32, which is provided on the left and right front and rear wheels. The brake actuator 31 adjusts the hydraulic pressure supplied to the wheel cylinder built into the brake caliper 32b of the brake mechanism 32 in response to instructions from the brake ECU 30. This hydraulic pressure causes the wheel cylinder to actuate, pressing the brake pads against the brake disc 32a and generating frictional braking force. Therefore, the brake ECU 30 can control the braking force of the vehicle VA and change the acceleration state (deceleration, i.e., negative acceleration) by controlling the brake actuator 31.

[0032] The driver assistance ECU 10 is connected to a microphone 41, a display 42, and a speaker 43. The microphone 41 acquires voice spoken by the occupant of the vehicle VA (e.g., the driver) and outputs the voice data to the driver assistance ECU 10. The display 42 is a multi-information display located in front of the driver's seat. A head-up display may also be used as the display 42. When the speaker 43 receives a voice command from the driver assistance ECU 10, it generates voice corresponding to that voice command. The "display 42 and speaker 43" are sometimes collectively referred to as the "notification device."

[0033] The steering wheel of the vehicle VA (not shown) is equipped with an operating device 50 for adaptive cruise control, located on the side facing the driver and in a position accessible to the driver. Adaptive cruise control is sometimes referred to as "Adaptive Cruise Control." Hereafter, adaptive cruise control will be simply referred to as "ACC."

[0034] The driver assistance ECU 10 is connected to the following switches (operating units) in the operating device 50 and receives the output signals from those switches. The operating device 50 includes a main switch 51, a cancel switch 52, a resume switch 53, a set switch 54, a speed increase switch 55, a speed decrease switch 56, and a vehicle interval setting switch 57. Detailed operating methods for these switches 51 to 57 will be described later.

[0035] (Overview of ACC) The driver assistance ECU 10 is capable of performing ACC as a driver assistance control. ACC itself is well known (see, for example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 2014-148293, Japanese Patent Publication No. 2006-315491, and Japanese Patent No. 4172434).

[0036] ACC includes two types of control: constant speed driving control and preceding vehicle following control. Constant speed driving control is a control that adjusts the acceleration of vehicle VA so that the vehicle's speed matches the target speed (set speed) Vset without requiring operation of the accelerator pedal 11a and brake pedal 12a. Preceding vehicle following control is a control that makes vehicle VA follow the preceding vehicle while maintaining the distance between vehicle VA and the preceding vehicle traveling directly in front of vehicle VA at a target distance.

[0037] When ACC is started (when the main switch 51 is turned ON, as described later), the driver assistance ECU 10 determines, based on the target information acquired by the surrounding sensor 14, whether or not there is a vehicle traveling in front of (immediately in front of) the vehicle VA and which the vehicle VA should follow (i.e., a vehicle to be followed). For example, the driver assistance ECU 10 determines whether or not the detected target (n) is within a predetermined area for vehicles to be followed.

[0038] The driver assistance ECU 10 determines that there is no vehicle to follow if the target (n) is not within the area of ​​the vehicle to follow. In this case, the driver assistance ECU 10 performs constant speed driving control. At the start of ACC, the target speed Vset may be set to the vehicle speed SPD at that time. The driver assistance ECU 10 determines the target acceleration Gtgt so that the vehicle speed SPD of the vehicle VA matches the target speed Vset. The driver assistance ECU 10 controls the driving force by controlling the engine actuator 21 using the engine ECU 20 so that the acceleration of the vehicle VA matches the target acceleration Gtgt, and controls the braking force by controlling the brake actuator 31 using the brake ECU 30 as needed.

[0039] In response, the driver assistance ECU 10 selects target (n) as the vehicle to be followed (a) if the target (n) remains within the area of ​​the vehicle to be followed for a predetermined period of time or longer. The driver assistance ECU 10 then performs preceding vehicle following control. Specifically, the driver assistance ECU 10 determines the target acceleration Gtgt based on the "deviation between the distance to the vehicle to be followed (a) and the target distance Dset" and the "relative speed of the vehicle to be followed (a) with respect to vehicle VA". The target distance Dset is calculated by multiplying the target distance Ttgt, which is set using the distance time setting switch 57, by the vehicle speed SPD of vehicle VA (i.e., Dset = Ttgt·SPD). The driver assistance ECU 10 controls the engine actuator 21 as described above, and also controls the brake actuator 31 as necessary, so that the acceleration of vehicle VA matches the target acceleration Gtgt.

[0040] (How to operate the switches on the control device) Next, the operation methods of switches 51 to 57 of the control device 50 will be described. The main switch 51 is a switch operated by the driver to start / stop the ACC. Each time the main switch 51 is pressed, the state of the main switch 51 alternates between the ON state and the OFF state. When the main switch 51 is switched from the OFF state to the ON state, the driver assistance ECU 10 switches the ACC operating state from the OFF state to the ON state (i.e., starts the ACC). On the other hand, when the main switch 51 is switched from the ON state to the OFF state, the driver assistance ECU 10 switches the ACC operating state from the ON state to the OFF state (i.e., stops the ACC).

[0041] The cancel switch 52 is a switch operated by the driver to cancel (temporarily turn off) the ACC. Each time the cancel switch 52 is pressed, the state of the cancel switch 52 alternates between the on state and the off state. When the main switch 51 is on (ACC is running) and the cancel switch 52 is turned on, the driver assistance ECU 10 switches the ACC operating state from the on state to a temporary off state (hereinafter referred to as the "cancelled state"), thereby stopping the ACC.

[0042] The resume switch 53 is a switch operated by the driver to restart the ACC after the ACC operating state has been switched to the canceled state. The resume switch 53 is ON when pressed by the driver and OFF when not pressed by the driver. When the main switch 51 is ON and the cancel switch 52 is ON (i.e., the ACC operating state is canceled), and the resume switch 53 is changed from the OFF state to the ON state, the driver assistance ECU 10 switches the ACC operating state to the ON state (i.e., restarts the ACC). When the ACC is restarted, the driver assistance ECU 10 changes the state of the cancel switch 52 to the OFF state. Furthermore, the driver assistance ECU 10 restarts constant speed driving control using the target speed Vset at the time the ACC operating state was switched to the canceled state.

[0043] The set switch 54 is a switch operated by the driver when setting the target speed Vset. The set switch 54 is ON when pressed by the driver and OFF when not pressed by the driver. After ACC is started, when the set switch 54 is changed from the OFF state to the ON state, the driver assistance ECU 10 sets the target speed Vset to "the vehicle speed SPD at the time the set switch 54 was turned ON (i.e., when the driver pressed the set switch 54)".

[0044] The speed-increasing switch 55 is a switch operated by the driver when increasing the target speed Vset. The speed-increasing switch 55 is ON when pressed by the driver and OFF when not pressed by the driver. The speed-increasing switch 55 and the resume switch 53 may be integrated into a single switch.

[0045] An operation in which the speed-increasing switch 55 remains in the ON state for a predetermined first long-press time Tlp1 or longer is referred to as a "long-press operation of the speed-increasing switch 55". When a long-press operation of the speed-increasing switch 55 is performed while the ACC is in the ON state, the driver assistance ECU 10 increases the target speed Vset by a first increase amount Vi1 in steps each time a first interval time Tin1 has elapsed, as long as the speed-increasing switch 55 remains in the ON state after the first long-press time Tlp1 has elapsed.

[0046] On the other hand, "an operation in which the speed-increasing switch 55 is changed from the off state to the on state, and then returned to the off state before the first long-press time Tlp1 has elapsed" is referred to as "a short press operation of the speed-increasing switch 55". When a short press operation of the speed-increasing switch 55 is performed while the ACC is in the on state, the driver assistance ECU 10 increases the target speed Vset by the second increase amount Vi2.

[0047] The deceleration switch 56 is a switch operated by the driver when reducing the target speed Vset. The deceleration switch 56 is in the ON state when pressed by the driver and in the OFF state when not pressed by the driver.

[0048] An operation in which the deceleration switch 56 remains in the ON state for a predetermined second long-press time Tlp2 or longer is referred to as "long-press operation of the deceleration switch 56". When the deceleration switch 56 is long-pressed while the ACC is in the ON state, the driver assistance ECU 10 gradually decreases the target speed Vset by a first reduction amount Vd1 each time a second interval time Tin2 elapses, as long as the deceleration switch 56 remains in the ON state after the second long-press time Tlp2 has elapsed.

[0049] On the other hand, "the operation in which the deceleration switch 56 is changed from the off state to the on state, and then returned to the off state before the second long-press time Tlp2 has elapsed" is referred to as "a short press operation of the deceleration switch 56". When a short press operation of the deceleration switch 56 is performed while the ACC is in the on state, the driver assistance ECU 10 reduces the target speed Vset by the second reduction amount Vd2.

[0050] Note that the first long-press time Tlp1 and the second long-press time Tlp2 may be set to the same value. The first increase amount Vi1 and the first decrease amount Vd1 may be set to the same amount. The second increase amount Vi2 and the second decrease amount Vd2 may be set to the same amount. The first interval time Tin1 and the second interval time Tin2 may be set to the same amount.

[0051] The distance interval setting switch 57 is operated by the driver when setting the target distance interval Ttgt in the adaptive cruise control. Each time the distance interval setting switch 57 is pressed while the ACC is activated, the target distance interval Ttgt is changed. The driver can select one of three time levels (long, medium, short) as the target distance interval Ttgt.

[0052] Furthermore, the driver assistance ECU 10 can disable the functions of switches 51 to 57 under specific circumstances described later (when the routine in Figure 9 is executed). For example, if the driver assistance ECU 10 disables the function of the main switch 51, the state of the main switch 51 will not change even if the driver operates the main switch 51.

[0053] (Speech recognition processing) The driver assistance ECU 10 performs speech recognition processing on the voice data acquired from the microphone 41 and stores the speech recognition results as text data in the RAM 103. The driver assistance ECU 10 retains the speech recognition results in the RAM 103 for a predetermined period of time. The ROM 102 of the driver assistance ECU 10 stores an acoustic model and a recognition dictionary. The driver assistance ECU 10 performs speech recognition by comparing the acquired voice data with the acoustic model to extract features and matching the extracted features with the recognition dictionary. Such speech recognition processing is well known (see, for example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 2012-063537 and WO2007 / 091462, etc.).

[0054] The driver assistance ECU 10 determines whether a setting change request has been made to change the ACC settings, based on the voice recognition results, the operating status of the ACC, and the driving status of the vehicle VA (vehicle speed SPD).

[0055] A setting change request includes several types of requests. Specifically, setting change requests include ACC on requests, ACC off requests (cancellation requests), speed increase requests, and deceleration requests. An ACC on request is a request to change the operating state of ACC from the off state to the on state. An ACC off request is a request to change the operating state of ACC from the on state to the canceled state (temporarily off state). A speed increase request is a request to increase the value of the target speed Vset, which is a control parameter of constant speed driving control. A deceleration request is a request to decrease the value of the target speed Vset.

[0056] 1. ACC ON request The driver assistance ECU 10 determines that an ACC ON request has been made when all of the following conditions are met. (Condition A1) The speech recognition result includes "words related to ACC" and "words related to the ON state". (Condition A2) The ACC is currently in the off or canceled state.

[0057] The driver assistance ECU 10 can determine whether condition A1 is met by referring to the word table 200 shown in Figure 2. The word table 200 is stored in the ROM 102. The word table 200 defines sets of words related to ACC, sets of words related to the ON state, and sets of words related to the OFF state, etc. For example, if the voice recognition result is "Start ACC", the voice recognition result includes "words related to ACC (=ACC)" and "words related to the ON state (=start)". Therefore, the driver assistance ECU 10 determines that condition A1 is met.

[0058] 2. ACC OFF request The driver assistance ECU 10 determines that an ACC off request has been made when all of the following conditions are met. (Condition B1) The speech recognition result includes "words related to ACC" and "words related to the off state". (Condition B2) The ACC is currently in the ON state.

[0059] As mentioned above, the driver assistance ECU 10 can determine whether condition B1 is met by referring to the word table 200. For example, if the voice recognition result is "Cancel cruise control," the voice recognition result includes "words related to ACC (=cruise control)" and "words related to the off state (=cancel)." Therefore, the driver assistance ECU 10 determines that condition B1 is met.

[0060] 3. Request for increased speed The driver assistance ECU 10 determines that a speed increase request has been made when all of the following conditions are met. (Condition C1) The speech recognition result includes "words related to the target speed" and "numerical values ​​related to vehicle speed." Note that "numerical values ​​related to vehicle speed" include simple numbers and combinations of numbers with predetermined units (e.g., ~ kilometers, ~ miles). (Condition C2) The ACC is in the ON state, and constant speed driving control is currently being performed. (Condition C3) Current vehicle speed SPD < "Value related to vehicle speed" in the voice recognition result (Condition C4) Vth1 < "Numerical values ​​related to vehicle speed" in the speech recognition results <Vth2 Vth1 is the lower limit of the vehicle speed that can be set as the target speed Vset, and Vth2 is the upper limit of the vehicle speed that can be set as the target speed Vset.

[0061] As mentioned above, the driver assistance ECU 10 can determine whether condition C1 is met by referring to the word table 200. For example, if the voice recognition result is "Set the target speed to 80 km / h", the voice recognition result includes "words related to target speed (=target speed)" and "numerical values ​​related to vehicle speed (=80 km / h)". Therefore, the driver assistance ECU 10 determines that condition C1 is met.

[0062] 4.Deceleration request The driver assistance ECU 10 determines that a deceleration request has been made when all of the following conditions are met. (Condition D1) The speech recognition result includes "words related to the target speed" and "numerical values ​​related to vehicle speed". (Condition D2) The ACC is in the ON state, and constant speed driving control is currently being performed. (Condition D3) Current vehicle speed SPD > "Value related to vehicle speed" in the voice recognition result (Condition D4) Vth1 < "Numerical values ​​related to vehicle speed" in the voice recognition results <Vth2

[0063] As mentioned above, the driver assistance ECU 10 can determine whether condition D1 is met by referring to the word table 200.

[0064] (Confirmation process for setting changes) When the driver assistance ECU 10 determines that a setting change request has been made, it executes a "setting change confirmation process" to allow the driver to confirm the contents of the setting change request. Specifically, the driver assistance ECU 10 determines the approval operation according to the type of setting change request by referring to the approval operation table 300 shown in Figure 3. The approval operation is the operation that the driver should perform when approving the contents of the setting change request made through the driver's utterance. In this example, the approval operation is an operation on one of the switches 51 to 57. The approval operation table 300 is stored in the ROM 102. The approval operation table 300 defines the relationship between the type of setting change request and the approval operation.

[0065] The driver assistance ECU 10 notifies the driver of confirmation information to allow the driver to confirm the content of the setting change request using a notification device (display 42 and speaker 43). In this example, the confirmation information includes information about the content of the setting change request determined via voice recognition processing, and information about the approval operation determined by referring to the approval operation table 300.

[0066] If the "content of the setting change request" in the confirmation information matches the request intended by the driver (i.e., what the driver said), the driver performs the approval operation notified by the confirmation information. Once the approval operation is performed, the driver assistance ECU 10 changes the ACC setting state according to the setting change request.

[0067] In contrast, if the "content of the setting change request" in the confirmation information does not match the request intended by the driver, the driver can recognize that their utterance has been misinterpreted. Therefore, the driver does not perform the approval operation. In this case, the driver assistance ECU 10 does not change the ACC setting state according to the setting change request. In this way, even if a setting change request different from the driver's intention is made due to a misinterpretation of the driver's utterance, it is possible to avoid incorrectly setting the ACC setting state. The setting change confirmation process for each of the ACC on request, ACC off request, speed increase request, and deceleration request will be explained in order below.

[0068] 1. Configuration change confirmation process - ACC ON request When the driver assistance ECU 10 determines that an ACC ON request has been made, it refers to the approval operation table 300 and decides that "pressing the main switch 51" is the approved operation. The driver assistance ECU 10 then uses the notification devices (42 and 43) to perform notification processing of confirmation information. Specifically, the driver assistance ECU 10 displays confirmation information 400, as shown in Figure 4, on the display 42. The confirmation information 400 includes information 401 indicating that the ACC ON request has been received, and information 402 regarding the approval operation of the ACC ON request. Furthermore, the driver assistance ECU 10 has the speaker 43 speak this information 401 and 402.

[0069] If the information 401 matches what the driver himself said, the driver presses the main switch 51 as an approval operation. If the main switch 51 is pressed within a predetermined time threshold Tth from the time the above notification process is performed, the driver assistance ECU 10 changes the operating state of the ACC to the ON state.

[0070] 2. Configuration change confirmation process - ACC off request When the driver assistance ECU 10 determines that an ACC off request has been made, it refers to the approval operation table 300 and decides that "pressing the cancel switch 52" is the approved operation. The driver assistance ECU 10 then displays confirmation information 500 on the display 42, as shown in Figure 5. The confirmation information 500 includes information 501 indicating that the ACC off request has been received, and information 502 regarding the approval operation for the ACC off request. Furthermore, the driver assistance ECU 10 has the speaker 43 speak this information 501 and 502.

[0071] If the information 501 matches what the driver himself said, the driver presses the cancel switch 52 as an acknowledgment. If the cancel switch 52 is pressed within the time threshold Tth from the time the notification process is performed, the driver assistance ECU 10 changes the ACC operating state to the canceled state (temporarily off state).

[0072] 3. Configuration change confirmation process - Speed ​​increase request When the driver assistance ECU 10 determines that a speed increase request has been made, it refers to the approval operation table 300 and decides that "pressing and holding the speed increase switch 55" is the approved operation. The driver assistance ECU 10 then displays confirmation information 600 on the display 42, as shown in Figure 6. The confirmation information 600 includes information 601 indicating that the speed increase request has been received, and information 602 regarding the approval operation for the speed increase request. Furthermore, the driver assistance ECU 10 has the speaker 43 speak these pieces of information 601 and 602.

[0073] If the information 601 matches what the driver himself said, the driver performs an approval operation by pressing and holding the speed-increasing switch 55. If the speed-increasing switch 55 is pressed and held within the time threshold Tth from the time the notification process is performed, the driver assistance ECU 10 sets the target speed Vset according to the speed-increasing request (i.e., the content of the information 601).

[0074] 4. Configuration Change Confirmation Process - Deceleration Request When the driver assistance ECU 10 determines that a deceleration request has been made, it refers to the approval operation table 300 and decides that "pressing and holding the deceleration switch 56" is the approved operation. The driver assistance ECU 10 then displays confirmation information 700 on the display 42, as shown in Figure 7. The confirmation information 700 includes information 701 indicating that the deceleration request has been received, and information 702 regarding the approval operation for the deceleration request. Furthermore, the driver assistance ECU 10 has the speaker 43 speak this information 701 and 702.

[0075] If the information 701 matches what the driver himself said, the driver performs an approval operation by pressing and holding the deceleration switch 56. If the deceleration switch 56 is pressed and held within the time threshold Tth from the time the notification process is performed, the driver assistance ECU 10 sets the target speed Vset according to the deceleration request (i.e., the content of the information 701).

[0076] (Specific operation) The CPU 101 of the driver assistance ECU 10 (hereinafter simply referred to as "CPU") is configured to execute the routine shown in Figure 8 every predetermined time (for convenience, referred to as "the first hour").

[0077] Furthermore, the CPU acquires audio data from microphone 41 by executing a routine (not shown) every time the first time interval elapses. In addition, the CPU acquires detection signals or output signals from various sensors 11-14 and various switches 51-57 by executing a routine (not shown) every time the first time interval elapses.

[0078] At a predetermined timing, the CPU starts processing from step 800 in Figure 8 and proceeds to step 801, where it determines whether the value of the setting change request flag Fr (hereinafter simply referred to as "request flag Fr") is "0". The value of the request flag Fr is set to "1" when it is determined that a setting change request has been made through the driver's utterance (see step 804 described later). The value of the request flag Fr is set to "0" in the initialization routine executed by the CPU when the ignition switch (not shown) is changed from the OFF position to the ON position. Furthermore, the value of the request flag Fr is also set to "0" in step 907 of the routine in Figure 9 described later.

[0079] If the value of the request flag Fr is not "0", the CPU determines "No" in step 801 and proceeds directly to step 895, terminating this routine.

[0080] Now, assuming that the value of the request flag Fr is "0", the CPU determines "Yes" in step 801 and proceeds to step 802, where it performs speech recognition processing on the voice data acquired by microphone 41 as described above. Next, in step 803, the CPU determines whether a setting change request (i.e., any of the ACC on request, ACC off request, speed increase request, and speed decrease request) has been made.

[0081] Assuming a configuration change request has been made, the CPU determines "Yes" in step 803 and proceeds to step 804, setting the value of the request flag Fr to "1". After that, the CPU proceeds to step 895 and terminates this routine.

[0082] In contrast, if no configuration change request has been made, the CPU determines "No" in step 803 and proceeds directly to step 895, terminating this routine.

[0083] Furthermore, the CPU is configured to execute the routine shown in Figure 9 every time a "second time equal to or longer than the first time" has elapsed.

[0084] At the predetermined timing, the CPU starts processing from step 900 in Figure 9 and proceeds to step 901 to determine whether the value of the request flag Fr is "1". If the value of the request flag Fr is not "1", the CPU determines "No" in step 901 and proceeds directly to step 995, terminating this routine.

[0085] Now, since a setting change request has been made through the driver's utterance, we assume that the value of the request flag Fr is "1" (see step 804). In this case, the CPU determines "Yes" in step 901 and executes the processes in steps 902 through 904 described below in order. After that, the CPU proceeds to step 905.

[0086] Step 902: The CPU determines the approval operation according to the type of configuration change request by referring to the approval operation table 300 shown in Figure 3. Step 903: The CPU disables the functions of switches other than the switch used for the authorization operation determined in Step 902. For example, if an ACC ON request is made, the CPU disables the functions of switches other than the "main switch 51" (52, 53, 54, 55, 56, and 57). Step 904: The CPU uses the notification device (display 42 and speaker 43) as described above to perform notification processing of confirmation information (400, 500, 600, or 700).

[0087] When the CPU proceeds to step 905, it determines whether or not the approval operation (the operation determined in step 902) has been performed. If the approval operation has been performed, the CPU determines "Yes" in step 905 and executes the processes in steps 906 through 908 described below in order. After that, the CPU proceeds to step 995 and terminates this routine.

[0088] Step 906: The CPU changes the ACC setting state in accordance with the setting change request. Step 907: The CPU sets the value of the request flag Fr to "0". Step 908: The CPU enables the function of the switch that was disabled in Step 903.

[0089] If no approval operation is performed, the CPU determines "No" in step 905 and proceeds to step 909. In step 909, the CPU determines whether the elapsed time Ta from the time the notification process was performed in step 904 is greater than the time threshold Tth. If the elapsed time Ta is less than or equal to the time threshold Tth, the CPU determines "No" in step 909 and returns to the process in step 905 to determine whether an approval operation was performed.

[0090] If the elapsed time Ta exceeds the time threshold Tth without an approval operation being performed, the CPU determines "No" in step 909 and proceeds to step 910 to execute notification processing. Specifically, the CPU uses a notification device to inform the driver that no approval operation was performed. Next, the CPU executes the processes in steps 907 and 908 in order, as described above. After that, the CPU proceeds to step 995 and terminates this routine. In this case, since the setting change request was not approved by the driver, the ACC setting status is not changed.

[0091] When this implementing device determines that a setting change request has been made, it notifies the driver via a notification device of confirmation information (400, 500, 600, or 700) that includes the content of the setting change request and information regarding the approval operation. When the driver performs an operation corresponding to the "information regarding the approval operation (402, 502, 602, or 702)" in the confirmation information, this implementing device changes the ACC setting state according to the setting change request.

[0092] For example, a misinterpretation of the driver's speech may lead to a system error where a setting change request differs from the driver's intent. In such cases, the driver can recognize that their speech was misinterpreted because the content of the setting change request in the confirmation information does not match the request the driver intended. In this case, the driver does not perform an approval operation. If the driver does not perform an approval operation, the system does not change the ACC setting state according to the setting change request. Therefore, when a setting change request differs from the driver's intent due to a misinterpretation of the driver's speech, it is possible to avoid the ACC setting state being incorrectly set.

[0093] Furthermore, by referring to the approval operation table 300, the device changes the switches (51, 52, 55, 56) of the control device 50 that the driver should operate when performing the approval operation, depending on the type of setting change request. The switches to be operated as part of the approval operation are set to match the content of the setting change request. For example, if an ACC ON request is made, the approval operation is to press the main switch 51. In this way, the switches to be operated when performing the approval operation differ depending on the type of setting change request, allowing for more accurate confirmation of the driver's intentions.

[0094] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications can be adopted within the scope of the present invention.

[0095] (Variation 1) When performing an approval operation, only a specific switch from switches 51 to 57 may be used, regardless of the type of configuration change request. For example, the approval operation may be a press operation of the main switch 51, regardless of the type of configuration change request. Other switches not shown may also be used for the approval operation.

[0096] (Modification 2) For certain setting change requests, an approval operation may not be required. An example of such a request is an ACC off request. When an ACC off request is made, the driver often wants to take control of the vehicle themselves (acceleration or deceleration) as soon as possible. In such cases, if the driver is required to take approval, they may feel annoyed. Therefore, by changing the ACC operating state to a canceled state (temporarily off state) without requiring the driver to take approval, the possibility of the driver feeling annoyed can be reduced. Furthermore, even if the driver's speech is misinterpreted and an ACC off request is made, only the ACC operating state is changed to the off state, and the vehicle VA will not suddenly accelerate or decelerate. Therefore, the impact on the vehicle VA's driving state is minimal.

[0097] The CPU of the driver assistance ECU 10 in this modified example executes the routine shown in Figure 10 instead of the routine shown in Figure 9. The routine shown in Figure 10 is the routine in Figure 9 with step 1001 added.

[0098] The CPU starts the routine in Figure 10 from step 1000 and, if it determines "Yes" at step 901, it determines at step 1001 whether the setting change request is an ACC off request. If the setting change request is an ACC off request, the CPU determines "Yes" at step 1001 and executes the processes from step 906 to step 908 in order as described above. After that, the CPU proceeds to step 1095 and terminates this routine. In this way, if the setting change request is an ACC off request, the CPU changes the ACC operating state to the canceled state without requesting an approval operation from the driver.

[0099] (Variation 3) The setting change request is not limited to the examples described above. The setting change request may include a delay time setting request that requests an increase or decrease in the target delay time Ttgt, which is a control parameter of the preceding vehicle following control. In this case, as shown in Figure 11, the approval operation for the delay time setting request may be a pressing operation of the delay time setting switch 57.

[0100] Furthermore, the setting change request may also include a request to change the setting state of driver assistance controls other than ACC. The driver assistance ECU 10 may be configured to perform lane keeping control (LTA) while ACC is running. In this configuration, the setting change request may include an LTA on request to change the operating state of lane keeping control (LTA) from off to on, and an LTA off request to change the operating state of lane keeping control (LTA) from on to off.

[0101] (Modification 4) The driver assistance ECU 10 may simultaneously receive multiple setting change requests and decide on a single approval operation for each of those multiple setting change requests.

[0102] For example, the driver assistance ECU 10 determines that an ACC on request and a speed setting request have been made simultaneously when all of the following conditions are met. The speed setting request is a request to set the target speed Vset at the start of ACC. (Condition E1) The voice recognition result includes "words related to ACC", "words related to the ON state", and "numerical values ​​related to vehicle speed". (Condition E2) The ACC is currently in the off or canceled state.

[0103] For example, if the voice recognition result is "Start ACC and set the speed to 80 km / h," the voice recognition result includes "words related to ACC (=ACC)," "words related to the ON state (=start)," and "a number related to vehicle speed (=80 km / h)." Therefore, the driver assistance ECU 10 determines that condition E1 is met.

[0104] As shown in Figure 11, the approval operation for the ACC ON request and the speed setting request is a long press of the speed boost switch 55. When the speed boost switch 55 is long pressed, the driver assistance ECU 10 changes the ACC operating state to the ON state and sets the target speed Vset to 80 km / h. According to this modified example, when multiple setting change requests are made, the driver assistance ECU 10 decides to approve the operation of one of the multiple switches 51 to 57 (speed boost switch 55). Therefore, operability is improved. Since the driver does not need to operate multiple switches, the possibility of the driver feeling inconvenienced is reduced.

[0105] Furthermore, multiple setting change requests may be associated with a single word. The ACC on request and the LTA on request may be associated with the word "highway mode". In this configuration, the driver assistance ECU 10 determines that the ACC on request and the LTA on request have been made simultaneously when all of the following conditions are met. (Condition F1) The speech recognition result includes "highway mode" and "words related to the ON state". (Condition F2) The ACC is currently in the off or canceled state, and the LTA is currently in the off state.

[0106] For example, if the voice recognition result is "Start highway mode," the voice recognition result will include "highway mode" and "words related to the ON state (=start)." Therefore, the driver assistance ECU 10 will determine that condition F1 is met.

[0107] As shown in Figure 11, the approval operation for the ACC ON request and the LTA ON request is the operation of pressing the main switch 51. When the main switch 51 is pressed, the driver assistance ECU 10 changes the operating state of ACC to the ON state and also changes the operating state of LTA to the ON state.

[0108] (Variation 5) In step 903 of the routine in Figure 9, the CPU may maintain the function of certain switches in an enabled state in addition to the switches for approval operations. An example of such a switch is the cancel switch 52. When the cancel switch 52 is pressed, the driver intends to take control of the driving operation (acceleration or deceleration operation) themselves. Therefore, it is preferable to immediately transfer the driving operation to the driver.

[0109] For example, in step 903, the CPU may disable the functions of switches other than the approval switch and the cancel switch 52. In this case, the function of the cancel switch 52 is always kept enabled while the CPU is executing the routine in Figure 9. If it is determined that a request other than an ACC off request (e.g., an acceleration request or a deceleration request) has been made (step 803: Yes), the driver operates the cancel switch 52 before performing the approval operation for that request. In response to this operation, the CPU changes the operating state of the ACC to the off state. According to this modified example, if the driver presses the cancel switch 52 before step 905 in the routine in Figure 9, the driver's intention to change the operating state of the ACC to the off state can be immediately reflected. [Explanation of symbols]

[0110] 10...Driving assistance ECU, 20...Engine ECU, 30...Brake ECU, 41...Microphone, 42...Display, 43...Speaker, 50...Control device, 51...Main switch, 52...Cancel switch, 55...Speed ​​increase switch, 56...Decelerate switch.

Claims

1. A change operation support device including a control device configured to perform vehicle driving assistance control according to the setting state of the assistance provided by said driving assistance control, The control device is Obtain information from the operating device, Perform speech recognition processing to recognize speech made by the crew. Through the speech recognition process, it is determined whether a change request has been made by the occupant requesting a change in the setting state through the occupant's utterance. When it is determined that the change request has been made, a predetermined operation on the operating device is determined as an approval operation, and when the approval operation on the operating device is performed, the setting state is changed in accordance with the change request. In a change operation support device configured as follows, The control device is When the aforementioned approval operation is determined, a second function, which is different from the first function of the operating device used for the determined approval operation, is disabled. A change operation support device configured in such a way.

2. In the change operation support device according to claim 1, The control device is When the aforementioned approval operation is performed, the disabling of the second function is released. A change operation support device configured in such a way.

3. In the change operation support device according to claim 2, The control device is If a predetermined time has elapsed since the approval operation was decided but the approval operation has not been performed, the crew member will be notified and the deactivation of the second function will be released. A change operation support device configured in such a way.

4. In the change operation support device according to claim 1, The second function does not include a cancellation function that changes the driver assistance control to an off state. A device to assist with modification operations.

Images