Driving assistance system, driving assistance device, and driving assistance method
Patent Information
- Application Number
- JP2024517787
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2024-10-18
- Publication Date
- 2025-01-06
- Estimated Expiration
- 2042-04-28
AI Technical Summary
Existing forklift driving support systems are limited in their ability to accurately display the trajectory of rear wheels at a predetermined steering angle, leading to insufficient driving support due to speed and steering mechanism performance limitations, resulting in a mismatch between displayed and actual turning capabilities.
A driving support system that acquires information on the amount of driving operation, specifies the area a mobile object can proceed within based on this information, and displays this area to the user, enhancing operability and safety by providing a realistic travelable range.
The system improves operability and safety by accurately displaying the travelable range, allowing users to better understand and navigate the forklift's capabilities, thereby reducing the risk of accidents and improving driving performance.
Smart Images

Figure 2023209980000001
Abstract
Description
Driving assistance system, driving assistance device, and driving assistance method
[0001] The present disclosure relates to a driving assistance system, a driving assistance device, and a driving assistance method.
[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a forklift driving assistance device that displays a maximum turning trajectory, which is a trajectory of the rear wheels when the forklift travels at a predetermined steering angle, superimposed on a predicted driving trajectory corresponding to the steering angle.
[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2020-083572
[0004] As described above, the forklift driving assistance device described in Patent Document 1 displays the trajectory of the rear wheels when the forklift is traveling at a predetermined steering angle as the maximum turning trajectory. However, when actually operating a forklift, the turning performance of the forklift is limited due to limitations in the forklift's travel speed and the performance of the steering mechanism. Therefore, the forklift driving assistance device described in Patent Document 1 may display a trajectory that cannot actually be traveled as the maximum turning trajectory, resulting in insufficient driving assistance.
[0005] The present disclosure has been made to solve such problems, and aims to provide a driving assistance system, a driving assistance device, and a driving assistance method that can improve operability and safety when driving a mobile object.
[0006] The driving assistance system according to the present disclosure is a driving assistance system including: an acquisition unit that acquires information relating to the driving operation amount of a moving body; an identification unit that identifies an area in which the moving body can proceed based on the information relating to the driving operation amount acquired by the acquisition unit; and a display information generation unit that displays the area identified by the identification unit to a user.
[0007] The driving assistance device according to the present disclosure is a driving assistance device including: an acquisition unit that acquires information relating to the driving operation amount of a moving body; an identification unit that identifies an area in which the moving body can proceed based on the information relating to the driving operation amount acquired by the acquisition unit; and a display information generation unit that displays the area identified by the identification unit to a user.
[0008] A driving assistance method according to the present disclosure is a driving assistance method that acquires information relating to driving operation amounts of a moving object, identifies an area in which the moving object can proceed based on the acquired information relating to the driving operation amounts, and displays the identified area to a user.
[0009] The present disclosure makes it possible to provide a driving assistance system, a driving assistance device, and a driving assistance method that can improve operability and safety when driving a mobile object.
[0010] 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a driving assistance system according to a first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a driving assistance device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the driving assistance device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a driving assistance system according to a second embodiment. FIG. 5 is a schematic overhead view showing an example of a moving body according to the second embodiment. FIG. 6 is a schematic overhead view showing an example of a travelable area according to the second embodiment. FIG. 7 is a schematic overhead view showing an example of boundary lines of a travelable area according to the second embodiment. FIG. 8 is a schematic overhead view showing an example of boundary lines of a travelable area according to the second embodiment. FIG. 9 is a schematic side view showing an example of boundary lines of a travelable area according to the second embodiment. FIG. 10 is a schematic overhead view showing an example of boundary lines of a travelable area according to the second embodiment. FIG. 11 is a schematic overhead view showing an example of a travelable area according to the second embodiment. FIG. 12 is a schematic overhead view showing an example of a travelable area according to the second embodiment. 10 is a flowchart showing the operation of the driving assistance device according to the second embodiment.
[0011] (First embodiment) <Configuration of driving assistance system> A driving assistance system according to a first embodiment will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the driving assistance system according to the first embodiment.
[0012] The driving assistance system 1001 according to this embodiment assists a user who drives a mobile object. More specifically, the driving assistance system 1001 identifies an area in which the mobile object can proceed based on information related to the driving operation amount of the mobile object, and displays the identified area to the user. The driving assistance system 1001 includes an acquisition unit 11, an identification unit 12, and a display information generation unit 13.
[0013] The acquisition unit 11 acquires information related to the driving operation amount of the mobile object. Here, the information related to the driving operation amount is information related to the traveling speed and traveling direction of the mobile object. The information related to the driving operation amount may include, for example, information related to a drive mechanism that moves the mobile object and information related to a steering mechanism that adjusts the traveling direction of the mobile object. Note that the information related to the driving operation amount may be, for example, an actual measurement value detected by a sensor attached to each mechanism that adjusts the traveling speed and traveling direction of the mobile object, a parameter value included in a control signal input to each mechanism, or a predetermined upper limit value, lower limit value, or specified value for various parameter values of each mechanism. The acquisition unit 11 outputs the acquired information to the identification unit 12.
[0014] The identification unit 12 identifies an area in which the mobile object can travel based on the information acquired by the acquisition unit 11. The identification unit 12 may, for example, identify a boundary line of the area in which the mobile object can travel based on the acquired information, and identify an area surrounded by the identified boundary line as an area in which the mobile object can travel. The identification unit 12 outputs the identified area to the display information generation unit 13.
[0015] The display information generating unit 13 generates display information that displays to the user the area identified by the identifying unit 12. The display information generating unit 13 may be configured as, for example, a device equipped with a display, may have a function for displaying the generated display information, or may transmit the generated display information to a device other than the device equipped with the display information generating unit 13.
[0016] The driving assistance system 1001 may be realized as a single device. That is, the driving assistance system 1001 may be realized as a driving assistance device 1 as shown in FIG. 2 . Furthermore, the driving assistance system 1001 may have its functions distributed across multiple devices. For example, a cloud device capable of communicating with the mobile object 2 may execute some of the functions of the driving assistance system 1001. For example, the cloud device may include the acquisition unit 11 and the identification unit 12, and the terminal used by the user may include the display information generation unit 13.
[0017] <Operation of driving assistance system> Next, the operation of the driving assistance system according to the first embodiment, i.e., the driving assistance method, will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Figure 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the driving assistance system according to the first embodiment. In the following description, Figure 1 or Figure 2 will be referenced as appropriate.
[0018] First, the acquisition unit 11 acquires information on the driving operation amount of the moving object (step ST101). Next, the identification unit 12 identifies an area in which the moving object can proceed based on the information acquired by the acquisition unit 11 (step ST102). Finally, the display information generation unit 13 displays the identified area to the user (step ST103), and the driving assistance system 1001 ends the series of operations.
[0019] As described above, the driving assistance system 1001 according to this embodiment identifies an area in which a moving object can proceed based on information about the driving operation amount of the moving object, and displays the area to the user. With this configuration, the driving assistance system 1001 can display an appropriate area in which the moving object can proceed to the user. As a result, the driving assistance system 1001 can improve the operability and safety of driving a moving object.
[0020] Second Embodiment <Configuration of Driving Assistance System> A driving assistance system according to a second embodiment will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. First, the configuration of the driving assistance system according to the second embodiment will be described. Figure 4 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the driving assistance system according to the second embodiment.
[0021] The driving assistance system 1002 according to this embodiment assists a user who drives a mobile object. More specifically, the driving assistance system 1002 identifies an area in which the mobile object can proceed based on information related to the driving operation amount of the mobile object, and displays the identified area to the user. The driving assistance system 1002 according to this embodiment includes a driving assistance device 1 and a mobile object 2.
[0022] The moving object 2 is driven by a user. The moving object 2 may be, for example, a vehicle that travels on the ground, an aircraft, a ship, or a submarine. In other words, the moving object 2 may be any object that can move and be driven by a user. However, the moving object 2 according to this embodiment is assumed to be a four-wheeled vehicle that travels on the ground.
[0023] The moving object 2 may be driven by a user on board the moving object 2, or may be remotely controlled by a user not on board the moving object 2. However, the moving object 2 according to this embodiment is assumed to be driven by a user not on board the moving object 2 via remote control.
[0024] The moving object 2 includes a driving operation mechanism 21 and a remote control mechanism 22. The driving operation mechanism 21 adjusts the moving speed and moving direction of the moving object based on the driving operation of the user. More specifically, the driving operation mechanism 21 is operated by the remote control mechanism 22, which mechanically operates based on a remote control signal from the user, and adjusts the moving speed and moving direction of the moving object. The driving operation mechanism 21 includes a drive mechanism 211 and a steering mechanism 212.
[0025] The drive mechanism 211 is operated by a remote control mechanism 22 that mechanically operates based on a remote control signal from the user, and adjusts the moving speed of the moving object 2. The drive mechanism 211 may collectively refer to, for example, a drive power source such as an engine, a drive power transmission mechanism such as a reduction gear, a drive power output destination such as wheels or a screw propeller, and a mechanism for adjusting the output amount of drive power such as an accelerator or a brake. Note that sensors may be attached to the components of the drive mechanism 211. Information detected by the sensors may be output to the remote control mechanism 22 as information related to the driving operation mechanism 21.
[0026] The steering mechanism 212 controls the direction of movement of the moving object 2 based on the user's control via the remote control mechanism 22. The steering mechanism 212 may refer to a general term for mechanisms that adjust the steering angle of the moving object 2, such as a steering shaft or a steering wheel. Note that a sensor may be attached to a component of the steering mechanism 212. Information detected by the sensor may be output to the remote control mechanism 22 as information related to the driving operation mechanism 21.
[0027] The remote operation mechanism 22 operates mechanically based on remote control from the user to operate the driving operation mechanism 21 of the vehicle 2. The remote operation mechanism 22 also transmits information related to the driving operation mechanism 21 to the driving assistance device 1. In other words, the remote operation mechanism 22 has a function to operate the driving operation mechanism 21 and a function to communicate with the user and the driving assistance device 1.
[0028] The remote control mechanism 22 mechanically operates the driving operation mechanism 21 based on remote control from the user. The remote control mechanism 22 may include, for example, a device that operates an accelerator or a brake of the moving object 2 based on remote control from the user. Furthermore, the remote control mechanism 22 may include, for example, a device that operates a steering wheel of the moving object 2 based on remote control from the user.
[0029] In addition, the remote operation mechanism 22 in this embodiment mechanically operates the driving operation mechanism 21 based on remote control from the user, but the remote operation mechanism 22 may also be configured to output a remote control signal from the user to a control unit (not shown) of the driving operation mechanism 21.
[0030] Fig. 5 is a schematic overhead view showing an example of a moving body 2 according to the second embodiment. As shown in Fig. 5, the moving body 2 in this embodiment includes a vehicle body BD, front wheels FW1 and FW2, and rear wheels RW1 and RW2. However, in the following description, unless there is a particular need to distinguish between them, the front wheels FW1 and FW2 will be simply referred to as front wheels FW, and the rear wheels RW1 and RW2 will be referred to as rear wheels RW.
[0031] The vehicle body BD is equipped with the driving operation mechanism 21 and the remote control mechanism 22. The vehicle body BD moves forward by the driving force output to the rear wheels RW, and the direction of movement is determined by the steering angle of the front wheels FW. In other words, the moving body 2 according to this embodiment is a front-wheel steering vehicle and a rear-wheel drive vehicle.
[0032] The front wheels FW are connected to a steering mechanism 212, and the steering angle is adjusted. The front wheels FW may be considered to be part of the steering mechanism 212. The steering angle of the front wheels FW refers to the angle between the front direction of the vehicle body BD and the rotational direction of the front wheels FW. That is, the steering angle in this embodiment refers to the angle θ1 between the front direction D1 and the rotational direction D2 shown in FIG. 5. The rear wheels RW are connected to the drive mechanism 211 described above, and output a driving force. The rear wheels RW may be considered to be part of the drive mechanism 211.
[0033] However, the configuration of the moving body 2 described using Figure 5 is an example, and the configuration of the moving body 2 to which the technology according to the present disclosure can be applied is not limited to this. For example, the moving body 2 may be a front-wheel drive vehicle or a rear-wheel steering vehicle. Furthermore, as described above, the moving body 2 may be an aircraft or a ship. In these cases, the steering angle may be defined as the angle between the forward direction of the moving body 2 and the rudder of the moving body 2. In other words, the steering angle may be defined as the angle of the rudder of the steering mechanism 212.
[0034] Returning to the explanation of Figure 4, the driving assistance device 1 identifies an area in which the mobile object can proceed based on information related to the driving operation mechanism 21, and displays the identified area to the user. More specifically, the driving assistance device 1 according to this embodiment receives information related to the driving operation mechanism 21 from the remote control mechanism 22 provided on the mobile object 2, identifies an area in which the mobile object can proceed based on the information, and displays the identified area to the user. The driving assistance device 1 includes an acquisition unit 11, an identification unit 12, and a display information generation unit 13.
[0035] The acquisition unit 11 acquires information related to the driving operation mechanism 21. More specifically, the acquisition unit 11 receives information related to the driving operation mechanism 21 from the remote control mechanism 22. In other words, the acquisition unit 11 may also function as a communication device. Here, the information related to the driving operation mechanism 21 in this embodiment includes information related to the steering angle and moving speed of the mobile object 2. The acquisition unit 11 includes a speed information acquisition unit 111 and a steering angle information acquisition unit 112.
[0036] The speed information acquisition unit 111 acquires information about the moving speed of the moving object 2 from the information about the driving operation mechanism 21, i.e., information about the drive mechanism 211. The speed information acquisition unit 111 outputs the acquired information to the identification unit 12.
[0037] The information regarding the moving speed of the moving body 2 may include, for example, information regarding the current value of the speed of the moving body 2, information regarding the upper limit value of the speed of the moving body 2, or information regarding the upper limit value of the acceleration of the moving body 2.
[0038] The information on the upper limit of acceleration may be information on the upper limit of positive acceleration with respect to the direction of travel, or information on the upper limit of negative acceleration with respect to the direction of travel. In other words, the information on the upper limit of acceleration may be information on the upper limit of acceleration in a direction that accelerates the moving body 2, or information on the upper limit of acceleration in a direction that decelerates the moving body 2.
[0039] The speed information acquisition unit 111 may acquire specific numerical values of the speed or acceleration, or both, of the moving body 2 as information regarding the moving speed of the moving body 2.
[0040] The speed information acquisition unit 111 may acquire the parameter values of each device belonging to the drive mechanism 211, such as the speed or acceleration of the moving body 2, or both, as information related to the moving speed of the moving body 2. The speed information acquisition unit 111 may also acquire the detection values of sensors attached to each device belonging to the drive mechanism 211, such as the speed or acceleration of the moving body 2, or both, as information related to the moving speed of the moving body 2. In these cases, the speed information acquisition unit 111 may calculate specific numerical values for the speed or acceleration of the moving body 2, or both, from the acquired parameter values.
[0041] The steering angle information acquisition unit 112 acquires information relating to the steering angle of the mobile object 2, that is, information relating to the steering mechanism 212, from among the information relating to the driving operation mechanism 21. The steering angle information acquisition unit 112 outputs the acquired information to the identification unit 12.
[0042] The information regarding the steering angle of the moving body 2 may include, for example, information regarding the current value of the steering angle of the moving body 2, information regarding the range of possible values of the steering angle of the moving body 2, or information regarding the upper limit value of the fluctuation speed of the steering angle of the moving body 2.
[0043] Here, the range of possible values of the steering angle of the moving body 2 may be a range of values that can be taken due to the structure of the steering mechanism 212, a range of values of the steering angle that can fluctuate within a predetermined time, a range of values of the steering angle that can fluctuate before the moving body 2 travels a predetermined distance, or a range that includes a combination of these. However, the range of values of the steering angle that can fluctuate before the moving body 2 travels a predetermined distance may be calculated by the specifying unit 12. Furthermore, the fluctuation speed of the steering angle of the moving body 2 is the amount of increase or decrease in the value of the steering angle per unit time.
[0044] The steering angle information acquisition unit 112 may acquire specific numerical values of the steering angle of the moving body 2, or the speed at which the steering angle fluctuates, or both, as information relating to the steering angle of the moving body 2, or the speed at which the steering angle fluctuates, or both.
[0045] The steering angle information acquisition unit 112 may acquire the parameter values of each device belonging to the steering mechanism 212, such as the steering angle of the mobile body 2, or the rate of change of the steering angle, or both, as information relating to the steering angle of the mobile body 2. Furthermore, the steering angle information acquisition unit 112 may acquire the detection values of sensors provided in each device belonging to the steering mechanism 212, such as the steering angle of the mobile body 2, or the rate of change of the steering angle, or both, as information relating to the steering angle of the mobile body 2. In these cases, the steering angle information acquisition unit 112 may calculate specific numerical values of the steering angle of the mobile body 2, or the rate of change of the steering angle, or both, from the acquired parameter values.
[0046] Furthermore, the information regarding the upper limit of the fluctuation speed of the steering angle of the moving body 2 may include information regarding the remote control mechanism 22. For example, the information regarding the upper limit of the fluctuation speed of the steering angle of the moving body 2 may include, as the information regarding the remote control mechanism 22, information regarding an operation delay of the remote control mechanism 22 or information regarding an output limit of the remote control mechanism 22.
[0047] The information regarding the operation delay of remote operation mechanism 22 is information regarding the time required from when the user inputs a driving operation until remote operation mechanism 22 causes driving operation mechanism 21 to execute the driving operation. Furthermore, the information regarding the output limit of remote operation mechanism 22 is information regarding the output limit of the mechanical components of remote operation mechanism 22 that are provided to operate driving operation mechanism 21. For example, if remote operation mechanism 22 includes a device that rotates the steering wheel, steering angle information acquisition unit 112 may acquire, as information regarding the output limit of remote operation mechanism 22, the maximum value of torque that can be output by the device that rotates the steering wheel.
[0048] The identification unit 12 identifies an area in which the moving object 2 can proceed, based on the information acquired by the acquisition unit 11. More specifically, the identification unit 12 identifies a boundary line of the area in which the moving object 2 can proceed, based on information related to the steering angle and moving speed of the moving object 2, and identifies an area surrounded by the identified boundary lines as the area in which the moving object 2 can proceed. The identification unit 12 includes a depth boundary line identification unit 121 and a left-right boundary line identification unit 122.
[0049] The "progressible area" referred to here may be defined as an area within which the vehicle 2 can safely proceed based on the performance of the driving operation mechanism 21, predicted from various actual measurements, parameter values, or specified values. The "progressible area" may also be defined as an area within which the vehicle 2 can safely proceed. That is, the "progressible area" may be an area calculated by imposing virtual limitations on the performance of the driving operation mechanism 21 from the perspective of preventing unexpected accidents. Furthermore, the "progressible area" may be a value calculated approximately using various values related to the driving operation mechanism 21. In other words, the "progressible area" according to this embodiment may be a theoretically progressible area calculated from various values related to the driving operation mechanism 21, or may be a guideline area presented to the user to guide the vehicle 2 safely. Here, when the "progressible area" is a guideline area presented to the user to guide the vehicle 2 safely, the "progressible area" may be narrower than the theoretically progressible area calculated from various values related to the driving operation mechanism 21.
[0050] 6 is a schematic overhead view showing an example of a travelable area according to the second embodiment. In this embodiment, the identification unit 12 identifies a depth boundary line FL indicating a travelable range of the moving object 2 in the traveling direction, and left and right boundary lines SL1 and SL2 indicating a travelable range of the moving object 2 in the left and right directions as viewed from the traveling direction. The identification unit 12 then identifies, as the travelable area, an area surrounded by the depth boundary line FL, the left and right boundary lines SL1 and SL2, and the boundary line BL corresponding to the side portion of the moving object 2 in the traveling direction.
[0051] The depth boundary line specifying unit 121 specifies a boundary line that indicates a range in which the moving object 2 can travel in the traveling direction. That is, the depth boundary line specifying unit 121 specifies the depth boundary line FL in Fig. 6. For example, the depth boundary line specifying unit 121 may specify the depth boundary line FL based on information related to the traveling speed of the moving object 2.
[0052] 7 and 8 are schematic overhead views showing examples of boundaries of a travelable area according to the second embodiment. For example, as shown in Fig. 7, the depth boundary line specifying unit 121 may specify, as the depth boundary line FL, a straight line that is separated from the moving body 2 by a length L1 determined based on information related to the travel speed of the moving body 2. Alternatively, for example, as shown in Fig. 8, the depth boundary line specifying unit 121 may specify, as the depth boundary line FL, an arc whose radius is the length L1 determined based on information related to the travel speed of the moving body 2 and whose center is a point on the side surface of the moving body 2 in the travel direction.
[0053] Here, the length L1 may be determined, for example, according to the current value of the moving speed of the moving object 2. The length L1 may be determined to decrease as the moving speed of the moving object 2 increases, or may be determined to decrease as the acceleration in the traveling direction of the moving object 2 increases. With this configuration, the faster the moving speed of the moving object 2 increases, the narrower the available travel area presented to the user becomes. When the available travel area becomes narrower, the user will perform driving operations with greater care, which can result in reducing the occurrence of accidents.
[0054] Furthermore, for example, the length L1 may be determined based on the distance between the moving body 2 and the obstacle and the braking distance of the moving body 2. Fig. 9 is a schematic side view showing an example of a boundary line of a travelable area according to the second embodiment. More specifically, this is a schematic side view for explaining a method of calculating the length L1 when the length L1 is determined based on the distance between the moving body 2 and the obstacle and the braking distance of the moving body 2. Here, the length L2 in Fig. 9 represents the distance between the moving body 2 and the obstacle B, and the length L3 represents the braking distance of the moving body 2.
[0055] 9 , the length L1 may be determined as a distance L2 from the moving body 2 to the obstacle minus a braking distance L3 of the moving body 2. The distance L2 from the moving body 2 to the obstacle may be information detected by a sensor attached to a position from which the moving body 2, a ceiling, a beam, or the like can be viewed from above and transmitted to the driving assistance device 1, or may be a value calculated from position information of the moving body 2 and position information of the obstacle. The braking distance L3 of the moving body 2 may be a value calculated according to the moving speed of the moving body 2. With this configuration, the depth boundary line specification unit 121 can appropriately set a boundary line along which the moving body 2 can safely travel, thereby reducing the occurrence of accidents, etc.
[0056] Returning to the description of Fig. 4, the left-right boundary specifying unit 122 specifies boundary lines that indicate a range in which the moving object 2 can travel in the left-right direction as viewed from the traveling direction. That is, the left-right boundary specifying unit 122 specifies the left-right boundary lines SL1 and SL2 in Fig. 6. For example, the left-right boundary specifying unit 122 may specify the left-right boundary lines SL1 and SL2 based on information related to the steering angle and traveling speed of the moving object 2.
[0057] FIG. 10 is a schematic overhead view showing an example of a boundary line of a travelable area according to the second embodiment. More specifically, it is a schematic overhead view showing an example of a boundary line on the left side as viewed from the traveling direction, among the left and right boundary lines. Reference numeral 2a in FIG. 10 indicates the moving body 2 when the moving body 2 travels at a constant speed while varying the steering angle of the moving body 2 leftward as viewed from the traveling direction so that the fluctuation speed reaches an upper limit value. In other words, the moving body 2a indicates the position of the moving body 2 when the moving body 2 turns as far left as possible at a predetermined speed. The left and right boundary line specifying unit 122 may calculate a trajectory of the moving body 2 until it reaches the position of the moving body 2a based on information related to the steering angle and traveling speed of the moving body 2. The left and right boundary line specifying unit 122 may then specify, as the left and right boundary line SL1, a trajectory along which the left side of the vehicle body BD of the moving body 2 passes before the moving body 2 reaches the position of the moving body 2a. In other words, the left-right boundary line specifying unit 122 may specify, as the left-right boundary line SL1, an estimated trajectory along which the side of the moving body 2 located on the left side as viewed from the direction of travel passes when the moving body 2 travels at a constant speed while varying the steering angle of the moving body 2 leftward as viewed from the direction of travel so that the variation speed reaches an upper limit. With this configuration, it is possible to more accurately specify the area that the moving body 2 can theoretically reach.
[0058] Of the left and right boundary lines, the boundary line to the right as viewed from the traveling direction, i.e., the left and right boundary line SL2, can also be identified in the same manner as in the above example. That is, when the moving body 2 travels at a constant speed while varying the steering angle of the moving body 2 to the right as viewed from the traveling direction so that the variation speed becomes the upper limit value, the left and right boundary line identification unit 122 may identify, as the boundary line of the area in which the moving body 2 can travel, an estimated trajectory along which the side portion of the moving body 2 located on the right as viewed from the traveling direction passes.
[0059] FIG. 11 is a schematic overhead view showing an example of a boundary line of a travelable area according to the second embodiment. More specifically, the left-right boundary line is a schematic overhead view showing an example of a boundary line to the left as viewed from the traveling direction. As shown in FIG. 11 , the left-right boundary line specification unit 122 may specify a straight line that forms an angle θ2 with the forward direction D1 of the moving object 2 as the left-right boundary line SL1. The angle θ2 may be calculated based on information related to the steering angle and traveling speed of the moving object 2. The angle θ2 may be calculated to be larger as the steering angle is turned to the left, the larger the upper limit value of the fluctuation speed of the steering angle, and the smaller the traveling speed of the moving object 2. This configuration simplifies the process for specifying the left-right boundary line SL1. Among the left-right boundary lines, the boundary line to the right as viewed from the traveling direction, i.e., the left-right boundary line SL2, can also be specified in the same manner as in the above example.
[0060] 12 is a schematic overhead view showing a travelable area according to the second embodiment. The identification unit 12 may identify, as a travelable area, an area surrounded by the depth boundary line FL identified as shown in FIG. 8 and the left and right boundary lines SL1 and SL2 identified as shown in FIG. 10. In this case, the identification unit 12 may set a plurality of predetermined speeds and identify a plurality of travelable areas by assuming that the moving speed of the moving object 2 is the set speed. Then, as shown in FIG. 12, the identified multiple areas may be superimposed and output to the display information generation unit 13.
[0061] FIG. 15 is a schematic overhead view showing a travelable area according to the second embodiment. The identification unit 12 may identify, as a travelable area, an area surrounded by the depth boundary line FL identified as shown in FIG. 7 and the left and right boundary lines SL1 and SL2 identified as shown in FIG. 11. In this case, the identification unit 12 may set a plurality of predetermined speeds and identify a plurality of left and right boundary lines SL1 and SL2 by assuming that the moving speed of the moving object 2 is the set speed. Then, the identification unit 12 may identify a plurality of travelable areas based on the plurality of left and right boundary lines SL1 and SL2, and output the identified areas to the display information generation unit 13 in a superimposed manner, as shown in FIG. 13.
[0062] Returning to the description of Fig. 4, the display information generation unit 13 displays the area identified by the identification unit 12 to the user. The display information generation unit 13 may be, for example, a display device installed in a position visible to the user while driving, or a wearable terminal that can be worn by the user. Furthermore, the display information generation unit 13 may be a transmitter that transmits image data to be displayed to the user to the display device or the wearable terminal.
[0063] The display information generation unit 13 may display the area identified by the identification unit 12 by superimposing it on a map of the area in which the moving object 2 moves, for example. Furthermore, the display information generation unit 13 may display the area identified by the identification unit 12 by superimposing it on an image captured of the state in the traveling direction of the moving object 2, for example.
[0064] 12 and 13, the display information generating unit 13 may display each area in a different color, or may distinguish each boundary line by a dashed line, a wavy line, or the like, as shown in Fig. 14 and 15. The display information generating unit 13 may distinguish the multiple areas by blinking them at different times, or by displaying them with different brightness or saturation.
[0065] Note that some or all of the functions of the driving assistance device 1 described above may be executed by a calculation unit included in the driving assistance device 1. FIG. 16 is a block diagram showing an example of a driving assistance device according to a second embodiment. As shown in FIG. 16 , the driving assistance device 1 may include a calculation unit 14 such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), and a storage unit 15 such as a RAM (Random Access Memory) or a ROM (Read Only Memory) that stores programs, data, and the like for controlling the driving assistance device 1. In other words, the driving assistance device 1 has the functions of a computer, and may execute the functions of the driving assistance device 1 described above based on the programs.
[0066] 4 can be configured in terms of hardware using the CPU, storage unit, other circuits, etc., and can be realized in terms of software using a program stored in the storage unit for controlling the driving assistance device 1. In other words, the driving assistance device 1 can be realized in various forms using hardware, software, or a combination of both.
[0067] <Operation of driving assistance system> Next, the operation of the driving assistance system according to the second embodiment, i.e., the driving assistance method, will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Fig. 17 is a flowchart showing the operation of the driving assistance system according to the second embodiment, and more specifically, the operation of the driving assistance device 1. In the following description, Fig. 4 will be referred to as appropriate.
[0068] First, speed information acquisition unit 111 acquires information related to the moving speed of moving object 2 (step ST201). Next, steering angle information acquisition unit 112 acquires information related to the steering angle of moving object 2 (step ST202). However, the order of execution of steps ST201 and ST202 may be reversed. Furthermore, steps ST201 and ST202 may be executed in parallel.
[0069] Next, the depth boundary line specifying unit 121 specifies a depth boundary line FL (step ST203). More specifically, the depth boundary line specifying unit 121 specifies a boundary line indicating a range in the traveling direction within which the moving object 2 can proceed. Next, the left-right boundary line specifying unit 122 specifies a left-right boundary line SL (step ST204). More specifically, the left-right boundary line specifying unit 122 specifies a boundary line indicating a range in which the moving object 2 can proceed in the left-right direction as viewed from the traveling direction. However, the order of execution of steps ST203 and ST204 may be reversed. Furthermore, steps ST203 and ST204 may be executed in parallel.
[0070] Next, the identification unit 12 identifies an area where the vehicle 2 can proceed (step ST205). More specifically, the identification unit 12 identifies, as the area where the vehicle 2 can proceed, an area surrounded by the depth boundary line identified in step ST203, the left-right boundary line identified in step ST204, and the boundary line BL corresponding to the side of the vehicle 2 in the traveling direction. Finally, the display information generation unit 13 displays the area where the vehicle 2 can proceed (step ST206), and the driving assistance device 1 ends the series of operations. More specifically, the area identified in step ST205 is displayed to the user, and the series of operations ends. The driving assistance device 1 continuously performs the series of operations described above while the vehicle 2 is being driven. For example, the driving assistance device 1 may perform the series of operations described above at predetermined time intervals, or may perform each step continuously in parallel.
[0071] As described above, the driving assistance system 1002 according to this embodiment identifies an area in which a moving object can proceed based on information related to the driving operation mechanism 21, and displays the identified area to the user. With this configuration, the driving assistance system 1002 can display an appropriate area in which a moving object can proceed to the user. As a result, the driving assistance system 1002 can improve the operability and safety of driving a moving object.
[0072] (Other Embodiments) In the second embodiment, the acquisition unit 11 acquires information from the driving operation mechanism 21 via the remote operation mechanism 22. However, the acquisition unit 11 may acquire information from the driving operation mechanism 21 without via the remote operation mechanism 22. Even with such a configuration, the driving assistance system according to the present disclosure can display an appropriate travelable range of a moving object to the user.
[0073] The identification unit 12 according to the present disclosure may identify a travelable area for the mobile object 2 based on information about the luggage carried by the mobile object 2. For example, the identification unit 12 may calculate the inertial force associated with the luggage carried by the mobile object 2 based on information about the steering angle and information about the travel speed of the mobile object 2, and identify the travelable area by restricting the inertial force to a range that does not cause the luggage to move. This configuration makes it possible to identify a travelable area with greater safety. As a result, it is possible to appropriately provide driving assistance for a mobile object that transports luggage, such as a forklift.
[0074] The present disclosure has been described above in accordance with the above-described embodiments, but the present disclosure is not limited to the configurations of the above-described embodiments, and includes combinations of the above-described embodiments, as well as various modifications, alterations, and combinations that a person skilled in the art could make within the scope of the claims of the present application.
[0075] Some or all of the above embodiments can be described as, but are not limited to, the following supplementary notes. (Supplementary Note 1) A driving assistance system comprising: an acquisition unit that acquires information related to a driving operation amount of a moving object; an identification unit that identifies an area in which the moving object can advance based on the information related to the driving operation amount acquired by the acquisition unit; and a display information generation unit that displays the area identified by the identification unit to a user. (Supplementary Note 2) The driving assistance system according to Supplementary Note 1, wherein the identification unit identifies an area in which the moving object can advance based on its performance as an area in which the moving object can advance. (Supplementary Note 3) The driving assistance system according to Supplementary Note 1 or 2, wherein the information related to the driving operation amount of the moving object includes information related to a steering angle of the moving object, and the identification unit identifies a boundary line of the area in which the moving object can advance based on the information related to the steering angle of the moving object. (Supplementary Note 4) The driving assistance system according to Supplementary Note 3, wherein the information related to the steering angle of the moving object includes information related to an upper limit of a fluctuation speed of the steering angle of the moving object. (Supplementary Note 5) The driving assistance system according to Supplementary Note 4, wherein the moving body comprises a remote control mechanism that operates a steering mechanism of the moving body based on remote control by a user, and the information on an upper limit value of a fluctuation speed of a steering angle of the moving body includes information on the remote control mechanism. (Supplementary Note 6) The driving assistance system according to any one of Supplements 1 to 5, wherein the identification unit identifies a boundary line indicating a range in which the moving body can travel in a left-right direction as a boundary line of the travelable area. (Supplementary Note 7) The driving assistance system according to any one of Supplements 1 to 6, wherein the identification unit identifies a boundary line indicating a range in which the moving body can travel in a travel direction according to information on the travel speed of the moving body. (Supplementary Note 8) A driving assistance device comprising: an acquisition unit that acquires information on a driving operation amount of the moving body; an identification unit that identifies a travelable area of the moving body based on the information on the driving operation amount acquired by the acquisition unit; and a display information generation unit that displays the area identified by the identification unit to a user. (Supplementary Note 9) The driving assistance device according to Supplementary Note 8, wherein the specifying unit specifies, as the area in which the moving object can travel, an area in which the moving object can travel based on its performance.(Supplementary Note 10) The driving assistance device according to Supplementary Note 8 or 9, wherein the information related to the driving operation amount of the moving body includes information related to a steering angle of the moving body, and the identification unit identifies a boundary line of the possible travel area based on the information related to the steering angle of the moving body. (Supplementary Note 11) The driving assistance device according to Supplementary Note 10, wherein the information related to the steering angle of the moving body includes information related to an upper limit of a fluctuation speed of the steering angle of the moving body. (Supplementary Note 12) The driving assistance device according to Supplementary Note 11, wherein the moving body comprises a remote control mechanism that operates a steering mechanism of the moving body based on remote control by a user, and the information related to the upper limit of a fluctuation speed of the steering angle of the moving body includes information related to the remote control mechanism. (Supplementary Note 13) The driving assistance device according to any one of Supplementary Notes 8 to 12, wherein the identification unit identifies a boundary line indicating a range in which the moving body can travel in a left-right direction as the boundary line of the possible travel area. (Supplementary Note 14) The driving assistance device according to any one of Supplementary Notes 8 to 13, wherein the identification unit identifies a boundary line indicating a range in which the moving object can travel in the traveling direction, according to information related to the moving speed of the moving object. (Supplementary Note 15) A driving assistance method comprising: acquiring information related to a driving operation amount of the moving object; identifying an area in which the moving object can travel based on the acquired information related to the driving operation amount; and displaying the identified area to a user. (Supplementary Note 16) The driving assistance method according to Supplementary Note 15, identifying an area in which the moving object can travel based on its performance, as the area in which the moving object can travel. (Supplementary Note 17) The driving assistance method according to Supplementary Note 15 or 16, wherein the information related to the driving operation amount of the moving object includes information related to a steering angle of the moving object, and identifying a boundary line of the area in which the moving object can travel based on the information related to the steering angle of the moving object. (Supplementary Note 18) The driving assistance method according to Supplementary Note 17, wherein the information related to the steering angle of the moving object includes information related to an upper limit of a fluctuation speed of the steering angle of the moving object. (Supplementary Note 19) The driving assistance method according to Supplementary Note 18, wherein the moving body includes a remote control mechanism that operates a steering mechanism of the moving body based on remote control by a user, and the information regarding an upper limit value of a fluctuation speed of a steering angle of the moving body includes information regarding the remote control mechanism.(Supplementary Note 20) The driving assistance method according to any one of Supplementary Notes 15 to 19, wherein a boundary line indicating a range in which the moving object can travel in a left-right direction is specified as the boundary line of the travelable area. (Supplementary Note 21) The driving assistance method according to any one of Supplementary Notes 15 to 20, wherein a boundary line indicating a range in which the moving object can travel in a travel direction is specified according to information on the travel speed of the moving object.
[0076] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Driving assistance device 2 Mobile body 11 Acquisition unit 12 Identification unit 13 Display information generation unit 21 Driving operation mechanism 22 Remote operation mechanism 111 Speed information acquisition unit 112 Steering angle information acquisition unit 121 Depth boundary line identification unit 122 Left / right boundary line identification unit 211 Drive mechanism 212 Steering mechanism FT, FT1, FT2 Front wheels BT, BT1, BT2 Rear wheels 1001, 1002, 1003 Driving assistance system
Claims
1. An acquisition unit that acquires information regarding a driving operation amount of a moving object; an identification unit that identifies an area in which the moving object can travel based on information about the driving operation amount acquired by the acquisition unit; a display information generating unit that displays the area identified by the identifying unit to a user; Driving assistance system.
2. the identification unit identifies an area in which the moving object can advance based on its performance as the area in which the moving object can advance; The driving assistance system according to claim 1 .
3. The information regarding the driving operation amount of the moving body includes information regarding a steering angle of the moving body, The identification unit identifies a boundary line of the advanceable area based on information related to a steering angle of the moving object. A driving assistance system according to claim 1 or 2.
4. The information regarding the steering angle of the moving body includes information regarding an upper limit value of a fluctuation speed of the steering angle of the moving body. The driving assistance system according to claim 3 .
5. the moving body includes a remote control mechanism that operates a steering mechanism of the moving body based on remote control by a user, The information regarding the upper limit value of the fluctuation speed of the steering angle of the moving object includes information regarding the remote control mechanism. A driving assistance system according to claim 4.
6. the identification unit identifies a boundary line indicating a range in which the moving object can travel in a left-right direction as the boundary line of the travelable area; A driving assistance system according to claim 1 or 2.
7. the identification unit identifies a boundary line indicating a range in which the moving object can travel in a traveling direction according to information related to a traveling speed of the moving object; A driving assistance system according to claim 1 or 2.
8. An acquisition unit that acquires information regarding a driving operation amount of a moving object; an identification unit that identifies an area in which the moving object can travel based on information about the driving operation amount acquired by the acquisition unit; a display information generating unit that displays the area identified by the identifying unit to a user; Driving assistance device.
9. Acquire information regarding the amount of driving operation of a moving object; Identifying an area in which the moving body can proceed based on the acquired information on the driving operation amount; Displaying the identified area to the user; Driving assistance methods.
