Exercise manager and system

Abstract

To set kinetic plans concerning operation support of a vehicle adequately.SOLUTION: A motion manager 200 comprises: a reception unit 202 configured to receive respective pieces of information indicating a plurality of kinetic plans from a plurality of systems; an arbitration unit 204 configured to arbitrate the plurality of kinetic plans; and a distribution unit configured to distribute motion request with respect to a vehicle which is set on the basis of arbitration result by the arbitration unit 204 to at least one of a plurality of actuators. The plurality of systems contain ADS 122 and PCS 110. The reception unit 204 receives nullification request which requests to select by prioritizing a first kinetic plan that is set in the ADS 122 over a second kinetic plan that is set in PCS 110 from the ADS 122.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[[Technical Field]]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to control of a motion manager that mediates action plans received from a plurality of applications related to vehicle driving support. [[Background Art]]

[0002] A vehicle is publicly known that is configured from: a plurality of applications that set and request an action plan related to vehicle driving support; a motion manager that unifies a plurality of action plans from the plurality of applications and sets a motion request based on the unified action plan; and an actuator system that realizes the set motion request. In this vehicle, for example, when unifying action plans requested to the motion manager from each of the plurality of applications, a requested value that satisfies a predetermined condition among the plurality of requested values may be selected, for instance.

[0003] For example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2020-032894 (Patent Document 1) discloses a technique for selecting the minimum value among a plurality of requested accelerations from a plurality of applications related to autonomous driving and various types of driving support. [[Prior Art Documents]] [[Patent Documents]]

[0004] [[Patent Document 1]] Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2020-032894 [[Summary of the Invention]] [[Problem to be Solved by the Invention]]

[0005] In the case of a vehicle as described above, where there are multiple applications that set action plans, for example, if one application sets an action plan for a series of vehicle operations such as autonomous driving, and other systems set action plans sporadically, the execution of the action plan for the series of operations may be hindered by the action plans set sporadically. As a result, one application may not be able to achieve the series of vehicle operations it intended.

[0006] This disclosure was made to solve the aforementioned problems, and its purpose is to provide a motion manager, an autonomous driving device, a control system, a vehicle, a method for controlling a vehicle, and a program for appropriately setting an action plan for assisting vehicle driving. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] A motion manager relating to a certain aspect of this disclosure is a motion manager that requests motion of a vehicle from at least one of a plurality of actuators provided on the vehicle in accordance with a plurality of action plans relating to vehicle driving assistance set in each of a plurality of systems. This motion manager comprises a receiving unit that receives information indicating a plurality of action plans from each of the plurality of systems, an arbitration unit that arbitrates the plurality of action plans, and a distribution unit that distributes motion requests for the vehicle set based on the arbitration results by the arbitration unit to at least one of the plurality of actuators. The plurality of systems includes a first system and a second system. The receiving unit receives request information from the first system that requests the selection of a first action plan set in the first system as a priority over a second action plan set in the second system.

[0008] This approach prevents the execution of the first action plan from being hindered by the second action plan. Therefore, it is possible to control the vehicle based on the action plan set in the first system while suppressing functional interference between the first and second systems. .

[0009] In one embodiment, the request information includes information requesting the invalidation of the second action plan set in the second system.

[0010] In this way, if the second action plan is invalidated when request information is received from the first system, it is possible to prevent the execution of the first action plan from being hindered by the second action plan.

[0011] Furthermore, in one embodiment, the request information includes information requesting that the priority of the first action plan set in the first system be set higher than the priority of the second action plan set in the second system.

[0012] In this way, when request information is received from the first system, the first action plan will have a higher priority than the second action plan, thus preventing the execution of the first action plan from being hindered by the second action plan.

[0013] In one further embodiment, the mediation unit mediates multiple action plans in accordance with the received request information.

[0014] In this way, when request information is received, multiple action plans are mediated by the mediation unit according to the request information, thus preventing the execution of the first action plan from being hindered by the second action plan.

[0015] In one further embodiment, the mediation unit outputs information regarding the request information to the second system.

[0016] In this way, information regarding the request information is output to the second system, thus preventing the second system from being determined to be in an abnormal state, for example, because the second action plan is not selected by the mediation unit.

[0017] In a further embodiment, the plurality of systems further includes a third system that is different from the first system and the second system, and sets an action plan for which the first action plan is not prioritized.

[0018] With this configuration, since the action plan set in the third system is an action plan for which the first action plan is not prioritized, it is possible to suppress inhibition of the execution of an action plan for which invalidation is not required.

[0019] In a further embodiment, the motion manager further includes a storage unit that stores information on at least one of the second system and the third system.

[0020] With this configuration, information on at least one of the second system and the third system can be stored.

[0021] In a further embodiment, the first system includes an automatic driving system. Each of the second system and the third system includes a system mounted on a vehicle.

[0022] With this configuration, inhibition of the execution of the first action plan set by the automatic driving system by the second action plan set by the system mounted on the vehicle is suppressed .

[0023] In a further embodiment, the first system includes an automatic driving system. The second system and the third system include at least one of a plurality of driving assistance systems.

[0024] With this configuration, it is possible to suppress inhibition of the execution of the first action plan set by the automatic driving system by the second action plan set by the second system, which is a driving assistance system.

[0025] In a further embodiment, the third system includes a system configured to comply with laws and regulations.

[0026] With this configuration, it is possible to suppress the first action plan from being prioritized over an action plan set in the third system.

[0027] In a further embodiment, the second system includes a system that supports driving of a vehicle driver.

[0028] With this configuration, it is possible to suppress the execution of the first action plan set by the first system from being hindered by the second action plan set by the system that supports driving operation of the vehicle driver.

[0029] In a further embodiment, the reception unit receives the request information from the first system during autonomous driving of the vehicle, and does not receive the request information from the first system during manual driving of the vehicle.

[0030] With this configuration, it is possible to suppress occurrence of vehicle behavior unintended by the driver during manual driving of the vehicle.

[0031] An autonomous driving device according to another aspect of the present disclosure is an autonomous driving device that transmits a first action plan related to autonomous driving to a motion manager that controls behavior of a vehicle. The motion manager requests the vehicle to perform motion via at least one of a plurality of actuators provided in the vehicle in accordance with a plurality of action plans related to vehicle driving assistance set in each of a plurality of systems. The autonomous driving device comprises a first system that sets the first action plan. The first system transmits the first action plan set by the autonomous driving device to the motion manager, and transmits request information requesting that the first action plan be selected with priority over the second action plan to the motion manager. The plurality of systems include the first system, and a second system mounted on the vehicle that sets the second action plan.

[0032] A control system relating to another aspect of this disclosure is a control system including a motion manager and an autonomous driving system. The motion manager requests motion of the vehicle from at least one of a plurality of actuators provided on the vehicle in accordance with a plurality of action plans for assisting the driving of the vehicle, which are set in each of a plurality of systems including the autonomous driving system. The autonomous driving system sets a first action plan from the plurality of action plans and transmits request information to the motion manager requesting that the first action plan be selected in preference to a second action plan. The plurality of systems include the autonomous driving system and a system mounted on the vehicle that sets a second action plan.

[0033] Vehicles relating to other aspects of this disclosure include a motion manager and an autonomous driving system. The system is a vehicle. The motion manager requests the motion of the vehicle from at least one of several actuators provided on the vehicle, according to several action plans for assisting the vehicle's driving, which are set in each of several systems, including the autonomous driving system. The autonomous driving system sets one of the several action plans as the first action plan and sends request information to the motion manager requesting that the first action plan be selected in preference to the second action plan. The several systems include the autonomous driving system and a system installed on the vehicle that sets the second action plan.

[0034] A vehicle control method relating to yet another aspect of this disclosure is a vehicle control method performed by a computer. This control method includes the steps of: receiving information indicating a plurality of action plans relating to vehicle driving assistance set in each of a plurality of systems; mediating the plurality of action plans; and distributing motion requests to the vehicle set based on the mediation results to at least one of a plurality of actuators provided in the vehicle. The plurality of systems includes a first system and a second system. The control method further includes receiving request information from the first system requesting that a first action plan set in the first system be selected in preference to a second action plan set in the second system.

[0035] A program relating to yet another aspect of this disclosure causes a computer to perform the steps of: receiving information indicating a plurality of action plans relating to vehicle driving assistance set in each of a plurality of systems; mediating the plurality of action plans; and distributing motion requests for the vehicle set based on the mediation results to at least one of a plurality of actuators provided in the vehicle. The plurality of systems include a first system and a second system. The program further causes the computer to perform the step of receiving request information from the first system requesting that a first action plan set in the first system be selected in preference to a second action plan set in the second system. [Effects of the Invention]

[0036] According to this disclosure, it is possible to provide a motion manager for appropriately setting an action plan for vehicle driving assistance, an autonomous driving device, a control system, a vehicle, a method for controlling a vehicle, and a program. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0037] [Figure 1] This is a diagram showing an example of a vehicle configuration. [Figure 2] This is a diagram illustrating an example of how the exercise manager works. [Figure 3] This diagram shows an example of the configuration of the system group and the exercise manager. [Figure 4] This flowchart shows an example of the process performed in ADS. [Figure 5] This flowchart shows an example of the process performed in the invalidation processing unit. [Figure 6] This is a diagram illustrating an example of vehicle operation. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0038] The embodiments of this disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the same or corresponding parts are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their descriptions will not be repeated.

[0039] Figure 1 shows an example of the configuration of vehicle 1. As shown in Figure 1, vehicle 1 consists of an ADAS-ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 10, a brake ECU 20, and an actuator It includes the TA system 30, the central ECU 40, and the ADK (Autonomous Driving Kit) 120, which is an autonomous driving device.

[0040] Vehicle 1 is any vehicle having a configuration that can realize the functions of the driver assistance system described later. For example, it may be a vehicle powered by an engine, or an electric vehicle powered by an electric motor, or a hybrid vehicle equipped with both an engine and an electric motor, with at least one of them powered by an engine.

[0041] ADAS-ECU10, Brake ECU20, Central ECU40, and ADK120 are all processors that execute programs such as the CPU (Central Processing Unit). Includes a computer having a processor, memory, and input / output interfaces.

[0042] The ADAS-ECU10 includes a driver assistance system 100 that has functions related to driving assistance for vehicle 1. The driver assistance system 100 is configured to implement various functions for assisting the driving of vehicle 1, including at least one of steering control, drive control, and braking control of vehicle 1, by executing the applications implemented in it. Examples of applications implemented in the driver assistance system 100 include an application that implements the functions of an automatic parking system and an application that implements the functions of an Advanced Driver Assist System (ADAS) (hereinafter referred to as an ADAS application).

[0043] ADAS applications include, for example, adaptive cruise control (ACC), which maintains a constant distance from the vehicle in front. Applications that implement the functions of ), applications that implement the function of ASL (Auto Speed ​​Limiter) which recognizes the speed limit and maintains the vehicle's speed limit, and lane keeping assist (LKA (Lane Keeping Assist) or LTA (Lane Tracing) which maintains the vehicle in the lane being driven in. Applications that implement functions such as Assist, applications that implement collision mitigation braking (such as AEB (Autonomous Emergency Braking) or PCS (Pre-Crash Safety)) that automatically apply the brakes to reduce the damage of a collision, and The application includes at least one of the following: an application that implements a lane departure warning function (such as LDW (Lane Departure Warning) or LDA (Lane Departure Alert)) to warn of a vehicle 1 deviating from its lane; and an application that implements an Intelligent Speed ​​Assistance (ISA) function to control the vehicle's speed so that it does not exceed the speed limit.

[0044] Each application of this driver assistance system 100 outputs a request for an action plan to the brake ECU 20 (more specifically, the motion manager 200) that ensures the commercial viability (functionality) of the application itself, based on information about the surrounding vehicle conditions acquired (input) from multiple sensors (not shown) and driver assistance requests. The multiple sensors include, for example, vision sensors such as a forward-facing camera, radar, LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging), or position detection devices.

[0045] A forward-facing camera is, for example, located behind the rearview mirror inside the vehicle and is used to capture images of the area in front of the vehicle. Radar is a distance measuring device that measures the distance and direction to an object by emitting short-wavelength radio waves onto the object and detecting the radio waves that return from the object. LiDAR is a distance measuring device that measures distance by emitting pulsed laser light (such as infrared light) onto an object and measuring the time it takes for the light to reflect off the object and return. A position detection device consists of, for example, a GPS (Global Positioning System) that detects the position of vehicle 1 using information received from multiple satellites orbiting the Earth.

[0046] Each application acquires information about the vehicle's surroundings as recognized sensor information, which integrates the detection results of one or more sensors, and also acquires driver assistance requests via a user interface (not shown), such as a switch. Each application, for example, uses artificial intelligence (AI) and an image processing processor to process images and videos of the vehicle's surroundings acquired by multiple sensors, to detect other vehicles and obstacles around the vehicle. This makes it possible to recognize people.

[0047] The action plan also includes requirements such as those related to the longitudinal acceleration / deceleration of vehicle 1, the steering angle of vehicle 1, and the ability to maintain a stationary position for vehicle 1.

[0048] Requirements for longitudinal acceleration / deceleration to be generated in vehicle 1 include, for example, operational requests to the powertrain system 302 and operational requests to the brake system 304.

[0049] Requirements for holding vehicle 1 while stopped include, for example, requirements for allowing and prohibiting the operation of at least one of the following: an electric parking brake and a parking lock mechanism (neither of which are shown).

[0050] An electric parking brake restricts the rotation of the wheels of vehicle 1, for example, by the operation of an actuator. The electric parking brake may be configured to restrict the rotation of the wheels by using an actuator to activate a parking brake provided on some of the wheels of the vehicle 1. Alternatively, the electric parking brake may restrict the rotation of the wheels by operating an actuator for the parking brake to adjust the hydraulic pressure supplied to the braking device of the brake system 304, thereby activating the braking device.

[0051] The parking lock mechanism restricts the rotation of the transmission's output shaft through the operation of an actuator. For example, the parking lock mechanism engages a projection at the tip of a parking lock pawl, whose position is adjusted by an actuator, with the teeth of a gear (lock gear) connected to a rotating element in the transmission of vehicle 1. This restricts the rotation of the transmission's output shaft, thereby restricting the rotation of the drive wheels.

[0052] Furthermore, the applications implemented in the driver assistance system 100 are not limited to those described above; applications that implement other functions may be added, or existing applications may be omitted, and there is no particular limit to the number of applications that can be implemented.

[0053] Furthermore, although the ADAS-ECU10 has been described as including a driver assistance system 100 composed of multiple applications in this embodiment, for example, an ECU may be provided for each application. For example, the driver assistance system 100 may be composed of an ECU on which an application realizing the functions of an automatic parking system is implemented and an ECU on which an ADAS application is implemented.

[0054] ADK120 is an Autonomous Driving System (ADS) 122 The ADK120 is configured to be detachable from the vehicle 1 and replaceable with other ADKs. The ADS122 has an application that realizes the function of autonomous driving. Based on the multiple sensors mounted on the ADK120 and information on the surrounding conditions of the vehicle acquired from the vehicle 1, the ADS122 outputs a request to the brake ECU20 for an action plan (i.e., an action plan for performing autonomous driving) that ensures the commercial viability (function) of the application alone. The multiple sensors mounted on the ADK120 include, for example, vision sensors such as a forward-facing camera, radar, LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging), or position detection devices. As these sensors have been described above, a detailed explanation will not be repeated. For example, in the section from the current location to a pre-set destination or a part of that section, the acceleration, deceleration, steering, and stopping of the vehicle 1 are determined according to the conditions around the vehicle 1. Automated driving is performed by carrying out at least one of the following actions without the driver's intervention. In this embodiment, the ADS120 is configured to acquire the surrounding conditions of the vehicle 1 using sensors or image processing equipment separate from the driver assistance system 100.

[0055] Furthermore, the application that implements the autonomous driving function may, for example, be included in the driver assistance system 100, or it may be implemented in an ECU different from the ADAS-ECU 10.

[0056] The brake ECU 20 includes a motion manager 200. In this embodiment, the case in which the brake ECU 20 includes a motion manager 200 is described as an example, but the motion manager 200 may be provided as a separate ECU from the brake ECU 20, or it may be included in another ECU different from the brake ECU 20. The brake ECU 20 is configured to communicate with the ADAS-ECU 10, the various ECUs included in the actuator system 30, the central ECU 40, and the ADK 120.

[0057] The motion manager 200 requests the actuator system 30 to perform the motion of vehicle 1 in accordance with the action plan set in at least one of the multiple applications of the driver assistance system 100 and the application that realizes the autonomous driving function of ADS 122. The detailed configuration of the motion manager 200 will be described later.

[0058] The actuator system 30 is configured to realize the motion requests of the vehicle 1 output from the motion manager 200. The actuator system 30 includes multiple actuators. Figure 1 shows an example where the actuator system 30 includes, for example, the powertrain system 302, the brake system 304, and the steering system 306 as actuators. The number of actuators to which the motion manager 200 requests is not limited to the three mentioned above, but may be four or more, or two or fewer.

[0059] The powertrain system 302 includes a powertrain capable of generating driving force to the drive wheels of vehicle 1 and an ECU (neither of which is shown) that controls the operation of the powertrain. The powertrain includes, for example, at least one of the following: an internal combustion engine such as a gasoline engine or a diesel engine, a transmission including a gearbox and differential, a motor generator that serves as a driving source, a power storage device that stores the power supplied to the motor generator, a power converter that converts power between the motor generator and the power storage device, a power source such as a fuel cell, etc. The ECU that controls the operation of the powertrain controls the corresponding equipment in the powertrain system 302 to realize motion requests from the motion manager 200 to the corresponding equipment.

[0060] The brake system 304 includes, for example, a plurality of braking devices provided on each wheel of the vehicle 1. The braking devices include, for example, hydraulic brakes such as disc brakes that generate braking force using hydraulic pressure. The braking devices may further include, for example, a motor generator connected to the wheel that generates regenerative torque. The braking operation of the vehicle 1 using the plurality of braking devices is controlled by the brake ECU 20. The brake ECU 20 is provided with, for example, a control unit (not shown) for controlling the brake system 304 separately from the motion manager 200.

[0061] The steering system 306 includes, for example, a steering device capable of changing the steering angle of the steering wheels (e.g., the front wheels) of the vehicle 1, and an ECU (neither of which is shown) that controls the operation of the steering device. The steering system includes, for example, a steering wheel that changes the steering angle according to the amount of steering input, and electric power steering (EPS) that allows the steering angle to be adjusted by an actuator independently of the steering wheel operation. The ECU controls the operation of the EPS actuator.

[0062] The central ECU 40 includes a memory 42 whose contents can be updated. The central ECU 40 is configured to communicate with, for example, the brake ECU 20, and also to communicate with external equipment (e.g., a server) of the vehicle 1 (not shown) via a communication module (not shown). When the central ECU 40 receives update information from a server outside the vehicle 1, it updates the information stored in the memory 42 using the received update information. Predetermined information is stored in the memory 42. Predetermined information includes, for example, information read from various ECUs when the vehicle 1 system starts up.

[0063] In this embodiment, the central ECU 40 has been described as reading predetermined information from various ECUs when the vehicle 1 system is started up, but it may also have functions such as relaying communication between various ECUs (gateway function).

[0064] Below, an example of the operation of the exercise manager 200 will be explained in detail using Figure 2. Figure 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the operation of the exercise manager 200.

[0065] Figure 2 shows a system group 150 including the driver assistance system 100 and ADS122. Figure 2 also shows an example where the driver assistance system 100 includes applications such as AEB102, LKA104, ACC106, ASL108, PCS110, and ISA112. Furthermore, Figure 2 shows how ADS122 implements functions such as autonomous driving (AD). The example shows the case where application AD124 is included. From the system group 150, which includes the driver assistance system 100 and ADS122, a request for an action plan set in at least one of the multiple applications is sent to the motion manager 200 as a request signal PLN1.

[0066] The request signal PLN1 may include, for example, information about the target acceleration set as one of the action plans in ACC, AEB, ASL, PCS, ISA, or AD, or information about the target curvature set as one of the action plans in LKA or AD.

[0067] The motion manager 200 sets the motion to be requested from the vehicle 1 based on the action plan request contained in the received request signal PLN1, and requests the actuator system 30 to realize the set motion. Specifically, the motion manager 200 sends a request signal ACL1 to the actuator system 30 for an action request to the powertrain system 302. The motion manager 200 sends a request signal BRK1 to the actuator system 30 for an action request to the brake system 304. Furthermore, the motion manager 200 sends a request signal STR1 to the actuator system 30 for an action request to the steering system 306.

[0068] The request signal ACL1 includes, for example, information regarding the requested value of the drive torque or drive force, and information regarding the arbitration method (for example, whether to select a maximum or minimum value, change it in steps, or change it gradually).

[0069] The request signal BRK1 may contain information such as the requested value of the braking torque, information on how to adjust it (e.g., whether to change it in steps or gradually), and the timing of when the braking will be performed. This includes information about the implementation (such as whether it will be implemented immediately or not).

[0070] The request signal STR1 includes, for example, information such as the target steering angle, whether the target steering angle is valid or not, and information regarding the upper and lower torque limits for the steering wheel operation assistance torque.

[0071] Among the multiple actuators constituting the actuator system 30, the actuator that receives the corresponding request signal is controlled so that the operation request included in the request signal is fulfilled.

[0072] An example of the configuration of the exercise manager 200 is described below. As shown in Figure 2, the exercise manager 200 includes a reception unit 202, an arbitration unit 204, a calculation unit 206, and a distribution unit 208.

[0073] The reception unit 202 receives requests for action plans output by one or more applications of the system group 150. Details of the action plan in this embodiment will be described later.

[0074] The mediation unit 204 mediates the requests for multiple action plans received from each application via the reception unit 202. One example of this mediation process is to select one action plan from among multiple action plans based on predetermined selection criteria. Another example of the mediation process is to set a new action plan based on the multiple action plans. The mediation unit 204 may also mediate the requests for multiple action plans by adding predetermined information received from the actuator system 30. Furthermore, the mediation unit 204 may determine whether to temporarily prioritize the movement of vehicle 1, which is determined according to the driver state and vehicle state, over the movement of vehicle 1 corresponding to the action plan determined based on the mediation result.

[0075] The calculation unit 206 calculates motion requirements based on the arbitration result of the action plan request in the arbitration unit 204 and the motion of the vehicle 1 determined based on that arbitration result. These motion requirements are physical quantities for controlling at least one of the actuators of the actuator system 30 and include physical quantities different from the physical quantities of the action plan request. For example, if the action plan request (first requirement) is longitudinal acceleration, the calculation unit 206 calculates a value obtained by converting the acceleration into driving force or driving torque as the motion requirement (second requirement).

[0076] The distribution unit 208 distributes the motion request calculated by the calculation unit 206 to at least one actuator of the actuator system 30. For example, if acceleration of the vehicle 1 is required, the distribution unit 208 distributes the motion request only to the powertrain system 302. Alternatively, if deceleration of the vehicle 1 is required, the distribution unit 208 appropriately distributes the motion request to the powertrain system 302 and the brake system 304 in order to achieve the target deceleration.

[0077] The powertrain system 302 of the actuator system 30 transmits information about the state of the powertrain system 302 to the motion manager 200 as signal ACL2. This information about the state of the powertrain system 302 includes, for example, information about the operation of the accelerator pedal, information about the actual driving torque or driving force of the powertrain system 302, actual shift range information, information about the upper and lower limits of the driving torque, information about the upper and lower limits of the driving force, and information about the reliability of the powertrain system 302.

[0078] The brake system 304 of the actuator system 30 transmits information about the state of the brake system 304 as a signal BRK2 to the motion manager 200. Information regarding the status of the brake system 304 includes, for example, information regarding the operation of the brake pedal, information regarding the braking torque requested by the driver, information regarding the requested braking torque after arbitration, information regarding the actual braking torque after arbitration, and information regarding the reliability of the brake system 304.

[0079] The steering system 306 of the actuator system 30 transmits information about the state of the steering system 306 to the motion manager 200 as signal STR2. This information about the state of the steering system 306 includes, for example, information about the reliability of the steering system 306, information about whether the driver is gripping the steering wheel, information about the torque used to operate the steering wheel, and information about the rotation angle of the steering wheel.

[0080] Furthermore, the actuator system 30 includes a sensor group 308 in addition to the powertrain system 302, brake system 304, and steering system 306 described above.

[0081] The sensor group 308 includes a plurality of sensors for detecting the behavior of the vehicle 1. The sensor group 308 includes, for example, a longitudinal G sensor for detecting the longitudinal acceleration of the vehicle 1, a lateral G sensor for detecting the lateral acceleration of the vehicle 1, a wheel speed sensor provided on each wheel for detecting the wheel speed, and a yaw rate sensor for detecting the angular velocity of the rotation angle (yaw angle) in the yaw direction. The sensor group 308 transmits information including the detection results of the plurality of sensors to the motion manager 200 as a signal VSS2. That is, the signal VSS2 includes, for example, the detected values ​​of the longitudinal G sensor, the detected values ​​of the lateral G sensor, the detected values ​​of the wheel speed sensors for each wheel, the detected values ​​of the yaw rate sensor, and information regarding the reliability of each sensor.

[0082] When the motion manager 200 receives various signals from the actuator system 30, it transmits predetermined information as signal PLN2 to the driver assistance system 100.

[0083] The configuration of the equipment installed in vehicle 1 and the configuration of the motion manager 200 described above are examples, and additions, replacements, changes, and omissions can be made as appropriate. In addition, the functions of each device can be integrated into a single device or distributed among multiple devices as appropriate.

[0084] In the vehicle 1 having the above configuration, the motion manager 200, as described above, mediates and unifies multiple action plans received from each application of the driver assistance system 100. That is, the motion manager 200 selects one action plan from among the multiple action plans based on predetermined selection criteria. The motion manager 200 requests the actuator system 30 to perform the motion of the vehicle 1 according to the selected action plan.

[0085] In the case of the vehicle 1 described above, if there are multiple applications for setting action plans, for example, if a first action plan performing a series of operations such as autonomous driving is set in ADS122, and a second action plan is set sporadically in other systems, the execution of the first action plan may be hindered by the second action plan. As a result, the series of operations of vehicle 1 intended by ADS122 may not be realized. In particular, since ADS122 is provided separately from the driver assistance system 100 installed in vehicle 1, and acquires the surrounding conditions of vehicle 1 using sensors from a separate system from the various sensors installed in vehicle 1, the execution of the first action plan may be hindered by the second action plan due to differences in detection accuracy, differences in image analysis accuracy, etc.

[0086] Therefore, in this embodiment, the reception unit 202 of the exercise manager 200 receives the first action plan set in ADS122 from a predetermined app of the driving support system 100. The ADS122 receives request information requesting that a particular action plan be selected in priority over a second action plan set in the application. The mediation unit 204 mediates multiple action plans according to the received request information. In this embodiment, the request information includes a request to invalidate a second action plan set in a predetermined application of the driver assistance system 100.

[0087] In this way, it is possible to suppress the execution of the first action plan set in ADS122 from being hindered by the second action plan in other applications of the driver assistance system 100. Therefore, it is possible to control the vehicle 1 based on the action plan set in ADS122 while suppressing functional interference between ADS122 and the driver assistance system 100.

[0088] Below, an example of the functions of the reception unit 202 and the mediation unit 204 of the exercise manager 200 in this embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 3. Figure 3 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the system group 150 and the exercise manager 200.

[0089] As shown in Figure 3, the system group 150 includes the ADS 122 and the driver assistance system 100. In Figure 3, an example is shown where the driver assistance system 100 includes the PCS 110 and the ISA 112. Figure 3 also shows, for example, a case where the required values ​​for acceleration and deceleration as an action plan are input from the system group 150 to the motion manager 200.

[0090] In this embodiment, the PCS110 is configured to output to the exercise manager 200 an action plan including, for example, required values ​​for acceleration and deceleration, and identification information (hereinafter referred to as ID) that identifies the PCS110 as the application from which the action plan is output.

[0091] Similarly, ISA112 is configured to output to the exercise manager 200 an action plan including, for example, required values ​​for acceleration and deceleration, and an ID that identifies ISA112 as the application from which the action plan was output.

[0092] Furthermore, AD124 is configured to output to the exercise manager 200 either request information requesting the invalidation of an action plan from a predetermined application (hereinafter sometimes referred to as an invalidation request) or request information requesting the release of said invalidation (hereinafter sometimes referred to as an invalidation release request), as shown by the dashed arrow in Figure 3(A). In this embodiment, the predetermined application includes, for example, the PCS110 application.

[0093] The reception unit 202 of the motion manager 200 receives action plans including various request values ​​and IDs from each application of the driver assistance system 100, and also receives invalidation requests in addition to action plans including request values ​​and IDs from AD124. The various information received by the reception unit 202 is stored in a storage device such as memory.

[0094] When the exercise manager 200 receives a request to invalidate from AD124, it invalidates the action plan that includes the requested values ​​from PCS110 and unifies the action plans by mediating other action plans.

[0095] In this embodiment, the mediation unit 204 executes a process to invalidate the action plan from the PCS 110 when it receives an invalidation request.

[0096] More specifically, the arbitration unit 204 includes an invalidation processing unit 204a and an acceleration / deceleration arbitration unit 204b. If the invalidation processing unit 204a does not accept an invalidation request, it outputs the action plan (for example, the requested values ​​for acceleration / deceleration) input from the PCS110 via the reception unit 202 to the acceleration / deceleration arbitration unit 204b without invalidating it, as shown in Figure 3. That is, the invalidation processing unit 204a outputs the action plan from AD124, the action plan from PCS110, and the action plan from ISA112 to the acceleration / deceleration arbitration unit 204b.

[0097] On the other hand, when the invalidation processing unit 204a receives an invalidation request, it invalidates the action plan input from the PCS110 via the reception unit 202 and does not output the action plan to the acceleration / deceleration arbitration unit 204b. In other words, the invalidation processing unit 204a outputs the action plan from AD124 and the action plan from ISA112 to the acceleration / deceleration arbitration unit 204b.

[0098] Furthermore, when the invalidation processing unit 204a receives an invalidation request and invalidates the action plan from the PCS110 (without outputting it to the acceleration / deceleration arbitration unit 204b), it is configured to output information to the PCS110 indicating that the action plan from the PCS110 has been invalidated (hereinafter referred to as request rejection information), as shown by the dashed arrow in Figure 3(B).

[0099] Note that the dashed arrows in Figure 3(A) and (B) illustrate, as an example, a state in which the invalidation request has not been received and the request rejection information has not been output to the PCS110.

[0100] For example, if the PCS110 receives request rejection information from the invalidation processing unit 204a, it will suppress the determination that an abnormality has occurred due to the action plan set in the PCS110 not being selected.

[0101] The acceleration / deceleration arbitration unit 204b uses the action plan and ID, which include the requested values ​​input from the invalidation processing unit 204a, to arbitrate (determine) the final requested value. Specifically, the acceleration / deceleration arbitration unit 204b determines, for example, the minimum value among the requested values ​​of acceleration / deceleration degrees input from the invalidation processing unit 204a as the final requested value of acceleration / deceleration degree. The acceleration / deceleration arbitration unit 204b outputs the arbitration result (the final requested value of acceleration / deceleration degree) to the calculation unit 206.

[0102] The acceleration / deceleration arbitration unit 204b, for example, if the same minimum value is input from multiple request values ​​at different timings, determines the request value input earliest as the final acceleration / deceleration degree request value. Furthermore, if the same minimum value is input simultaneously from multiple request values, the acceleration / deceleration arbitration unit 204b determines the request value with the higher priority ID as the final acceleration / deceleration degree request value. Note that the method of arbitrating request values ​​is not limited to selecting the minimum value as described above. For example, the request value corresponding to the higher priority ID may be determined as the final request value.

[0103] The following describes the processes performed in ADS122 of ADK120, with reference to Figure 4. Figure 4 is a flowchart showing an example of the processes performed in ADS122.

[0104] In step 100 (hereinafter referred to as S), ADS122 determines whether or not the vehicle is in autonomous driving mode. For example, if autonomous driving is started by an occupant of vehicle 1 or by remote control, ADS122 sets the flag to the ON state. Also, if autonomous driving is stopped by an operation or the like, ADS122 sets the flag to the OFF state. If the flag is ON, ADS122 determines that the vehicle is in autonomous driving mode. If it is determined that the vehicle is in autonomous driving mode (YES in S100), the process moves to S102.

[0105] In S102, ADS122 determines whether or not deactivation has been requested. If the request flag (described later) is in the ON state, ADS122 determines that deactivation has been requested. On the other hand, if the request flag is in the OFF state, ADS122 determines that deactivation has not been requested. If it is determined that deactivation has been requested (YES in S102), this process is terminated. If it is determined that deactivation has not been requested (NO in S102), the process moves to S104.

[0106] In S104, ADS122 outputs a deactivation request to the exercise manager 200. As the deactivation request is as described above, a detailed explanation will not be repeated.

[0107] In S106, ADS122 sets the request flag to the ON state. After that, processing ends. On the other hand, if it is determined that the vehicle is not in autonomous driving mode (NO in S100), processing moves to S108.

[0108] In S108, ADS122 determines whether or not deactivation has been requested. If the request flag is off, ADS122 determines that deactivation has been requested. On the other hand, if the request flag is on, ADS122 determines that deactivation has not been requested. If it is determined that deactivation has been requested (YES in S108), this process is terminated. If it is determined that deactivation has not been requested (NO in S108), the process moves to S110.

[0109] In S110, the ADS122 outputs a deactivation request to the motion manager 200, which requests the deactivation of some of the driver assistance functions (i.e., the functions of the PCS110).

[0110] In S112, ADS122 sets the request flag to the off state. The process then terminates.

[0111] Next, the processes performed in the exercise manager 200 (more specifically, the invalidation processing unit 204a) will be explained with reference to Figure 5. Figure 5 is a flowchart showing an example of the processes performed in the invalidation processing unit 204a.

[0112] In S200, the deactivation processing unit 204a determines whether or not there is a deactivation request. For example, the deactivation processing unit 204a determines that there is a deactivation request if a deactivation request is input from ADS122. If it is determined that there is a deactivation request (YES in S200), the process moves to S202.

[0113] In S202, the deactivation processing unit 204a determines whether or not the system is deactivated. For example, if the deactivation flag, which indicates that a part of the driver assistance function (i.e., a function of PCS110) is deactivated, is in the ON state, the deactivation processing unit 204a determines that the system is deactivated. On the other hand, if the deactivation flag is in the OFF state, the deactivation processing unit 204a determines that the system is not deactivated. If it is determined that the system is not deactivated (NO in S202), the process moves to S204.

[0114] In S204, the disabling processing unit 204a sets the disabling flag to the ON state. Then, the process moves to S212. On the other hand, if it is determined that there is no disabling request (NO in S200), the process moves to S206.

[0115] In S206, the deactivation processing unit 204a determines whether or not there is a request to deactivate. For example, if a deactivation request is input from ADS122, the deactivation processing unit 204a It is determined that there is a request to deactivate the device. If it is determined that there is a request to deactivate the device (YES in S206), processing is moved to S208.

[0116] In S208, the deactivation processing unit 204a determines whether or not the deactivation has been released. For example, if the deactivation flag is in the off state, the deactivation processing unit 204a determines that the deactivation has been released. On the other hand, if the deactivation flag is in the on state, the deactivation processing unit 204a determines that the deactivation has not been released. If it is determined that the deactivation has not been released (NO in S208), the process moves to S210.

[0117] In S210, the deactivation processing unit 204a sets the deactivation flag to the off state. The process then moves to S212. On the other hand, if it is determined that the device is already deactivated (YES in S202), or if it is determined that there is no request to undo the deactivation (NO in S206), or if it is determined that the deactivation has already been released (YES in S208), the process moves to S212.

[0118] In S212, the disabling processing unit 204a determines whether the disabling flag is in the on state. If it is determined that the disabling flag is in the on state (YES in S212), the process moves to S214.

[0119] In S214, the deactivation processing unit 204a outputs the requested values ​​for acceleration and deceleration other than those requested by the PCS110 to the acceleration and deceleration arbitration unit 204b. That is, the deactivation processing unit 204a outputs the requested values ​​for acceleration and deceleration from the AD124 and ISA112 to the acceleration and deceleration arbitration unit 204b. If it is determined that the deactivation flag is in the off state (NO in S212), the process moves to S216.

[0120] In S216, the invalidation processing unit 204a outputs request rejection information to the PCS110 indicating that the action plan set in the PCS110 has been invalidated.

[0121] In S218, the deactivation processing unit 204a outputs the requested values ​​for all acceleration and deceleration, including the requested values ​​from the PCS110, to the acceleration and deceleration arbitration unit 204b.

[0122] An example of the operation of Vehicle 1 based on the structure and flowchart described above will be explained with reference to Figure 6. Figure 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of the operation of Vehicle 1. Note that the configuration of the system group 150 and the motion manager 200 in Figure 6 is the same as the configuration of the system group 150 and the motion manager 200 in Figure 3, so a detailed explanation will not be repeated.

[0123] For example, consider a scenario where vehicle 1 is in manual operation mode, being driven manually. In this case, both the request flag and the disable flag are set to off.

[0124] If ADS122 determines that the system is not in automatic operation mode (NO in S100), it is determined whether a request to deactivate the system has been made (S108). In this case, if the system remains in manual operation mode, the request flag remains off. Therefore, the determination that the system is not in automatic operation mode (NO in S100) and the determination that a request to deactivate the system has been made (YES in S108) are repeated.

[0125] At this time, in the deactivation processing unit 204a, since there is no deactivation request (NO in S200) and no deactivation release request (NO in S206), if the deactivation flag is in the off state (NO in S212), all request values ​​are output from the deactivation processing unit 204a to the acceleration / deceleration arbitration unit 204b (S218).

[0126] On the other hand, for example, if the ADS122 starts automatic driving of vehicle 1 by operation by an occupant or remote operation, the ADS122 determines that automatic driving is in progress (YES in S100) and determines whether or not a deactivation request has been made (S102). At this time, since the request flag is in the off state, it is determined that a deactivation request has not been made (NO in S102). Therefore, a deactivation request is output to the motion manager 200 (S104), and the request flag is set to the on state (S106). If automatic driving continues, the request flag remains in the on state. Therefore, the determination that automatic driving is in progress (YES in S100) and the determination that a deactivation request has been made (YES in S102) are repeated.

[0127] If a deactivation request is input from ADS122, it is determined that a deactivation request exists (YES in S200), and it is determined whether or not it has been deactivated (S202). Since the deactivation flag is in the off state, it is determined that it has not been deactivated (NO in S202), and the deactivation flag is set to the on state (S204).

[0128] When the invalidation flag is turned ON (YES in S212), the action plan from PCS110 is invalidated, as shown by the dashed arrow in Figure 6, and the requested values ​​for acceleration and deceleration other than those requested by PCS110 are output to the acceleration and deceleration arbitration unit 204b (S214). As a result, the selection of the requested values ​​for acceleration and deceleration from PCS110 by the acceleration and deceleration arbitration unit 204b is suppressed. Then, as shown by the thin solid arrow in Figure 6(B), request rejection information is output to PCS110 (S216). As a result, the determination that an abnormality has occurred due to the action plan set in PCS110 not being selected is suppressed.

[0129] Subsequently, if the automatic driving of vehicle 1 is stopped in ADS122 by operation by the occupant or remote operation, ADS122 determines that the vehicle is not in automatic driving mode (NO in S100), and determines whether a deactivation release has been requested (S108). At this time, since the request flag is in the ON state, it is determined that a deactivation release has not been requested (NO in S108). Therefore, a deactivation release request is output to the motion manager 200 (S110), and the request flag is set to the OFF state (S112). If the stopped state of automatic driving (manual driving state) continues, the request flag remains in the OFF state. Therefore, the determination that the vehicle is not in automatic driving mode (NO in S100) and the determination that a deactivation release has been requested (YES in S108) are repeated.

[0130] If a deactivation request is input from ADS122, it is determined that there is no deactivation request (NO in S200), and that there is a deactivation request (YES in S206). At this time, since the deactivation flag is in the ON state, it is determined that the deactivation has not been released (NO in S208), and the deactivation flag is set to the OFF state (S210).

[0131] When the disable flag is turned off (NO in S212), all request values ​​are output from the disable processing unit 204a to the acceleration / deceleration arbitration unit 204b (S218).

[0132] As described above, with the motion manager 200 according to this embodiment, during autonomous driving, the action plan set in PCS110 is invalidated by an invalidation request, so that the execution of the action plan set in ADS122 is suppressed by the action plan set in PCS110. Therefore, interference between the functions of ADS120 and some systems of the driver assistance system 100 is suppressed, and the vehicle 1 can be controlled so that a series of operations based on the action plan set in ADS122 are realized. Thus, it is possible to provide a motion manager, autonomous driving device, control system, vehicle, vehicle control method, and program that appropriately set an action plan related to driver assistance for a vehicle.

[0133] Furthermore, the action plan set in ISA112, which is a different system from PCS110 among the multiple systems set in the driver assistance system 100, will not be invalidated. Therefore, for example, if ISA112 is set to comply with regulations, it is possible to prevent the action plan set in ISA112 from being invalidated.

[0134] The following describes variations. In the above-described embodiment, the request information was explained to include information requesting the invalidation of the action plan set in PCS110. However, the request information only needs to include information indicating that the first action plan set in AD124 takes precedence over the second action plan set in PCS110, and is not limited in particular to information requesting the invalidation of the second action plan set in PCS110. For example, the request information may include information indicating that the priority of the first action plan set in AD124 is higher than the priority of the second action plan set in PCS110. In this way, it is possible to prevent the execution of the first action plan set in AD124 from being hindered by the second action plan set in PCS110.

[0135] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the invalidation processing unit 204a of the mediation unit 204 was described as outputting request rejection information to the PCS110 indicating that the action plan from the PCS110 has been invalidated during automatic driving. However, information related to invalidation requests, such as information indicating that an invalidation request has been input from the AD124, may also be output to the PCS110. By receiving such information, the PCS110 can prevent being determined to be in an abnormal state even if the action plan input from the PCS110 is invalidated by the invalidation processing unit 204a and the action plan set in the PCS110 is not selected by the mediation unit 204 for a prolonged period.

[0136] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the ADS122 outputs a deactivation request to the motion manager 200 during autonomous driving, causing the deactivation processing unit 204a to deactivate the action plan set in the PCS110. However, the application that is subject to deactivation during autonomous driving is not limited to the PCS110, but may be other applications such as the AEB102, ACC106, or ASL108.

[0137] Furthermore, although the above-described embodiment was explained assuming that the arbitration unit 204 includes the acceleration / deceleration arbitration unit 204b, it is also possible to further include an arbitration unit that arbitrates requested values ​​such as steering angle, and to target the action plan set in any application that outputs requested values ​​such as steering angle for invalidation. The application that outputs requested values ​​such as steering angle and is subject to invalidation includes, for example, at least one of a plurality of applications that set action plans related to steering angle, such as LKA104 and LTA.

[0138] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, it was explained that when not in automatic driving mode, a request for deactivation is made to prevent the action plan set in PCS110 from being deactivated. However, for example, when not in automatic driving mode, i.e., when in manual driving mode, the reception unit 202 may not accept the deactivation request from AD124. In this case, the deactivation processing unit 204a does not accept the deactivation request from the reception unit 202, and outputs to the acceleration / deceleration arbitration unit 204b without deactivating the action plan set in PCS110.

[0139] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, when the ADS122 outputs a deactivation request, predetermined While the example given was the case where an action plan set in an application is disabled, the application that outputs the disablement request is not particularly limited to ADS122. For example, at least one application included in the driver assistance system 100 may output a disablement request, thereby disabling the action plan set in at least one of multiple applications, including ADS122.

[0140] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the exercise manager 200 was described as having a configuration including a reception unit 202, an arbitration unit 204, a calculation unit 206, and a distribution unit 208 as an example. However, the exercise manager 200 may also have a configuration including, for example, a first exercise manager that receives action plans from applications, and a second exercise manager that can communicate with the first exercise manager and requests exercise from the actuator system 30. In this case, the functions of the arbitration unit 204, the calculation unit 206, and the distribution unit 208 may be implemented in either the first exercise manager or the second exercise manager.

[0141] Furthermore, the above-mentioned modifications may be implemented by combining all or part of them as appropriate. The embodiments disclosed herein should be considered in all respects to be illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is indicated by the claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the claims are intended to be included. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0142] 1 Vehicle, 30 Actuator system, 42 Memory, 100 Driving assistance system, 102 AEB, 104 LKA, 106 ACC, 110 PCS, 112 ISA, 120 ADK, 122 ADS, 124 AD, 150 System group, 200 Motion manager, 202 Reception unit, 204 Arrangement unit, 204a Deactivation processing unit, 204b Acceleration / deceleration arbitration unit, 206 Calculation unit, 208 Distribution unit, 302 Powertrain system, 304 Brake system, 306 Steering system, 308 Sensor group.

Claims

1. A reception unit that receives action plans from multiple systems, A mediation department that mediates the multiple aforementioned action plans received, A motion manager comprising a distribution unit that distributes motion requests set based on the arbitration results by the arbitration unit to at least one of a plurality of actuators, The aforementioned plurality of systems include a first system and a second system, The mediation unit is an exercise manager that, when it invalidates the second action plan set in the second system, outputs request rejection information to the second system indicating that the action plan set in the second system has been invalidated.

2. The exercise manager according to claim 1, wherein the mediation unit invalidates the second action plan when the reception unit receives request information from the first system requesting that the first action plan set in the first system be given priority over the second action plan set in the second system.

3. The exercise manager according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of systems further include a third system that sets an action plan different from the first system and the second system, and in which the first action plan is not prioritized.

4. The exercise manager according to claim 3, further comprising a storage unit for storing information relating to at least one of the second system and the third system.

5. The first system includes an autonomous driving system, The motion manager according to claim 3 or 4, wherein each of the second system and the third system includes a system mounted on a vehicle.

6. The first system includes an autonomous driving system, The motion manager according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the second system and the third system include at least one of a plurality of driving assistance systems.

7. The exercise manager according to any one of claims 3 to 6, wherein the third system includes a system configured to comply with regulations.

8. The motion manager according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the second system includes a system for assisting the driver of a vehicle in driving.

9. The motion manager according to any one of claims 2 to 7, wherein the reception unit receives the request information from the first system when the vehicle is in autonomous driving mode, and does not receive the request information from the first system when the vehicle is in manual driving mode.

10. A system that receives request rejection information indicating that an action plan set by itself has been invalidated from a motion manager comprising: a receiving unit that receives action plans from a plurality of systems; a mediating unit that mediates the plurality of received action plans; and a distribution unit that distributes motion requests set based on the mediation results by the mediating unit to at least one of a plurality of actuators.

11. The system according to claim 10, which, upon receiving the request rejection information, suppresses the determination that an abnormality has occurred due to the action plan set by the system not being selected.

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