Automatic operation system, automatic operation method, and operation control device

Abstract

The purpose of the present disclosure is to provide an automatic operation system, an automatic operation method, and an operation control device that can be easily applied to a mobile body. An automatic operation system according to the present invention includes a mobile body monitoring device, a processing device, and an operation control device. The mobile body monitoring device monitors the travel state of the mobile body and the surrounding environment of the mobile body and outputs monitoring information that indicates the monitoring results. The processing device outputs operation commands for automatic operation of the mobile body on the basis of the monitoring information. The operation control device is provided to the mobile body and controls automatic operation of the mobile body in accordance with the operation commands.

Description

Autonomous driving system, automatic driving method, and driving control device

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an automated driving system, an automated driving method, and a driving control device.

[0002] In recent years, technological developments related to the autonomous driving of vehicles and other moving objects have progressed. For example, technologies have been proposed that utilize infrastructure installed in the environment in which the moving object travels and run the vehicle based on information collected by the infrastructure.

[0003] For example, Patent Literature 1 proposes a method for selecting a driving trajectory to be used for a vehicle to move autonomously from among driving trajectory candidates based on information collected by an infrastructure, and the vehicle then performs autonomous driving along the instructed driving trajectory.

[0004] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2020-140534

[0005] Patent Document 1 determines the driving trajectory of a vehicle capable of autonomous driving. Therefore, the vehicle itself must be equipped with an advanced system that enables autonomous driving. In an autonomous driving system, many sensors and computing devices are installed on the vehicle to grasp the situation around the vehicle. Therefore, building a system requires significant costs, including equipment costs, system maintenance costs, and equipment for compliance. Furthermore, because a large amount of equipment is required, there are problems such as difficulties in manufacturing the system if the supply of certain equipment is disrupted.

[0006] Therefore, there is a demand for a system that can be introduced more simply and at low cost to automatically operate moving objects such as vehicles.

[0007] The autonomous driving system according to the present disclosure comprises a monitoring means for monitoring the traveling state of a mobile body and the surrounding environment of the mobile body and outputting monitoring information indicating the monitoring results, a processing means for outputting driving commands for autonomously driving the mobile body based on the monitoring information, and a driving control means provided in the mobile body for controlling the autonomous driving of the mobile body in accordance with the driving commands.

[0008] The autonomous driving method disclosed herein monitors the traveling state of a mobile body and the surrounding environment of the mobile body, outputs monitoring information indicating the monitoring results, outputs a driving command for autonomously driving the mobile body based on the monitoring information, and controls the autonomous driving of the mobile body in accordance with the driving command using a driving control means provided in the mobile body.

[0009] The driving control device according to the present disclosure comprises an acquisition means for acquiring, from a device external to the mobile body, a driving command for automatically driving the mobile body, the driving command being output based on monitoring information including the traveling state of the mobile body and information on the surrounding environment of the mobile body, and a control means for controlling the automatic driving of the mobile body in accordance with the acquired driving command, and is provided on the mobile body, is physically separated from the mobile body, and is configured to be able to transport passengers of the mobile body.

[0010] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide an automatic driving system, an automatic driving method, and a driving control device that can be easily applied to a moving body.

[0011] FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically illustrating the configuration of an autonomous driving system according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a block diagram schematically illustrating the configuration of a driving control device according to an embodiment. FIG. 3 is a diagram schematically illustrating an example of an autonomous driving system according to an embodiment. FIG. 4 is a block diagram schematically illustrating the configuration of a driving control device according to an embodiment. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a first example of a route along which a moving body travels. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a second example of a route along which a moving body travels. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a third example of a route along which a moving body travels. FIG. 8 is a diagram schematically illustrating the configuration of an autonomous driving system according to an embodiment. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of a case where the autonomous driving system according to an embodiment controls a plurality of vehicles. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a computer for realizing one or both of a processing device and a driving control device.

[0012] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the same elements are designated by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations will be omitted as necessary.

[0013] When referring to one embodiment below, it means that the present invention can be applied to any one of the embodiments described below or a combination of two or more embodiments, and is not limited to a specific embodiment.

[0014] First Embodiment A description will be given of an automated driving system according to a first embodiment. The automated driving system according to the first embodiment is configured to automatically drive a mobile object based on the results of monitoring the mobile object and the environment surrounding the mobile object.

[0015] 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an automated driving system according to an embodiment. The automated driving system 1000 includes a moving object monitoring device 1, a processing device 2, and a driving control device 3.

[0016] Hereinafter, the mobile body 10 will be described as being equipped with a device or system capable of executing operations for controlling the moving state of the mobile body, such as steering, acceleration, and deceleration, in response to a control signal CON provided from the driving control device 3. For example, if the mobile body 10 is a vehicle, the mobile body 10 is provided with devices such as an electronic steering system capable of steering in response to an external control signal, and an electronic throttle capable of accelerating and decelerating. The device or system capable of executing operations for controlling the moving state of the mobile body 10 may be incorporated into the mobile body 10 at the time of manufacture. Alternatively, the device or system capable of executing operations for controlling the moving state of the mobile body 10 may be installed in the mobile body 10 after the fact.

[0017] The mobile object monitoring device 1 monitors the mobile object 10 and the surrounding environment of the mobile object 10. For example, the mobile object monitoring device 1 monitors the movement state of the mobile object 10, such as the position, direction of travel, speed, and acceleration of the mobile object 10, as well as obstacles related to the movement of the mobile object 10.

[0018] If the moving object 10 is a vehicle, the moving object monitoring device 1 may be, for example, a camera installed along the road on which the moving object 10 travels. In this case, the camera constituting the moving object monitoring device 1 outputs monitoring information MON including video or images of the moving object 10 to the processing device 2. The camera may be of various types, such as a camera that captures visible light images or a camera that captures infrared images. The camera may also be a general PTZ camera that captures a rectangular area, or a camera with various imaging ranges, such as a surveillance camera with a fisheye lens.

[0019] Furthermore, the mobile object monitoring device 1 may be any of various sensors that detect mobile objects using radio waves or the like, such as a sensor embedded in a road, a sensor installed on a road, or a sensor installed at the side of a road. The means used by the sensor to monitor the mobile object 10 is not limited to radio waves, and various means capable of detecting the mobile object 10, such as infrared rays or laser light, may also be used. The mobile object monitoring device 1 outputs monitoring information MON including the detection results of the mobile object 10 to the processing device 2.

[0020] The processing device 2 generates a driving command INS for causing the moving object 10 to move in a desired manner based on the monitoring information MON received from the moving object monitoring device 1. Then, the processing device 2 outputs the driving command INS to the moving object 10 by various communication means, for example, wireless communication.

[0021] The operation control device 3 is installed or carried on the mobile body 10. The operation control device 3 receives the operation command INS output from the processing device 2. Then, the operation control device 3 provides a control signal CON to the mobile body 10 based on the operation command INS.

[0022] 2 is a block diagram schematically illustrating the configuration of a driving control device according to one embodiment. The driving control device 3 includes a communication unit 31 and a control processing unit 32. The communication unit 31 receives a driving command INS from the processing device 2 to acquire the driving command INS. The communication unit 31 then outputs the received driving command INS to the control processing unit 32. The control processing unit 32 provides a control signal CON to the moving object 10 based on the driving command INS.

[0023] In the following description, the driving control device 3 is assumed to be installed in the mobile body 10. FIG. 3 is a diagram schematically illustrating an example of an automated driving system according to an embodiment. When the mobile body 10 is a vehicle traveling on a road 11, the driving control device 3 is attached to a dashboard or the like inside the vehicle interior of the mobile body 10 and is configured to be able to communicate with the processing device 2 through a windshield or the like. In this case, the driving control device 3 may be incorporated into, for example, an external car navigation device or a drive recorder device. The driving control device 3 may be connected to the mobile body 10 via a cable or the like. Alternatively, the driving control device 3 may be connected to the mobile body 10 via various wireless communication means such as Bluetooth. This allows the driving control device 3 to provide the mobile body 10 with a control signal CON for controlling steering, acceleration / deceleration, etc.

[0024] The driving control device 3 may also be a communication-capable terminal device such as a dedicated terminal, smartphone, or tablet computer that can be carried by a passenger of the vehicle 10. In this case, when the passenger gets on the vehicle 10, the vehicle 10 and the driving control device 3 may be connected by a cable, or by various wireless communication means such as Bluetooth. This allows the driving control device 3 to provide the vehicle 10 with a control signal CON for controlling steering, acceleration / deceleration, etc.

[0025] This makes it possible to realize automatic driving of the mobile body 10 in accordance with the results of monitoring the external surrounding environment of the mobile body 10. The driving control device 3 can be configured as a device that can be retrofitted to the mobile body 10, so by retrofitting the driving control device 3 to the mobile body 10, the automatic driving system 1000 can be easily applied to the automatic driving of the mobile body 10.

[0026] When using a general-purpose terminal device such as a smartphone or tablet computer, the driving control device 3 can be easily realized by simply installing software that provides the terminal device with the functions of the driving control device 3. As a result, the automated driving system 1000 can be easily introduced to any mobile object 10.

[0027] As described above, the automatic driving system 1000 can realize automatic driving of a moving object with a simple configuration and low cost.

[0028] Second Embodiment An automated driving system according to a second embodiment will be described. The automated driving system according to this embodiment is configured to provide information useful for the operation of a mobile body 10 to a passenger of the mobile body. Fig. 4 is a diagram schematically showing the configuration of an automated driving system according to one embodiment. The automated driving system 2000 has a configuration in which the processing device 2 and the operation control device 3 of the automated driving system 1000 are replaced with a processing device 4 and an operation control device 5, respectively.

[0029] In this embodiment, the processing device 4 not only provides the driving command INS but also provides notification information INF to the driving control device 5 to be notified to the passengers of the moving body 10 .

[0030] 5 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an operation control device according to one embodiment. The operation control device 5 has a communication unit 51, a control processing unit 52, and a notification unit 53. The communication unit 51 and the control processing unit 52 correspond to the communication unit 31 and the control processing unit 32 of the operation control device 3, respectively.

[0031] The communication unit 51 acquires the driving command INS and the notification information INF by receiving the driving command INS and the notification information INF from the processing device 4. Then, the communication unit 51 outputs the received driving command INS and notification information INF to the control processing unit 52.

[0032] Based on the driving command INS, the control processing unit 52 provides a control signal CON to the moving body 10. The control processing unit 52 also outputs notification information INF related to the driving of the moving body 10 to the notification unit 53, which is to be notified to the passengers.

[0033] The notification unit 53 provides the information indicated by the notification information INF to the passenger. The notification unit 53 is configured as a display means such as a display device. The notification unit 53 displays the information indicated by the notification information INF in a manner that is visible to the passenger. This allows the passenger of the vehicle 10 to understand information related to autonomous driving using the notification unit 53.

[0034] The notification information INF will be described below. The notification information INF may include information for automatically driving the mobile body 10, which is provided from the processing device 4 to the operation control device 5. The notification information INF may include information indicating the state of automatic driving, which is provided to the mobile body 10 to control the behavior of the mobile body 10, such as a steering command or an acceleration / deceleration command to be provided to the mobile body 10.

[0035] Furthermore, in the autonomous driving system 2000, the processing device 4 may acquire information on the surrounding environment of the moving object 10 based on the monitoring information MON from the moving object monitoring device 1. The processing device 4 may include the acquired information on the surrounding environment of the moving object 10 in notification information INF and output it to the driving control device 5.

[0036] The notification information INF may include information regarding the route along which the mobile object 10 travels. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a first example of a route along which the mobile object travels. The notification information INF may include information indicating obstacles to the mobile object 10 traveling on the road 11. For example, the processing device 4 may detect another vehicle 12 parked on the road and captured by the mobile object monitoring device 1 as an obstacle. In this case, the processing device 4 outputs the notification information INF including the detection result to the driving control device 5. The notification unit 53 displays the vehicle 12 as an obstacle on the display means. This allows passengers in the mobile object 10 to recognize the presence of the vehicle 12.

[0037] The processing device 4 may also control the movement of the moving object 10 so as to avoid the vehicle 12. In this case, the notification unit 53 may display a movement route set to avoid the vehicle 12.

[0038] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a second example of a route traveled by a mobile object. The notification information INF may include information indicating an object located in a blind spot for the mobile object 10 traveling on the road 11. For example, assume that the processing device 4, based on the monitoring information MON, detects another vehicle 15 in a position obscured by a building 14 near an intersection 13. If the processing device 4 determines that the vehicle 15 is likely to enter the intersection, the notification information INF may include information indicating the position and direction of travel of the vehicle 15 to notify the presence of the vehicle 15. In this case, the notification unit 53 may display the vehicle 15, which is obscured by the building 14 and cannot be seen, on the screen using a dashed line diagram or a 3D polygon. The notification unit 53 may also display the direction of travel of the vehicle 15 using an arrow. The notification unit 53 may also display the predicted movement of the vehicle 15 using animation.

[0039] FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a third example of a path traveled by a moving object. The notification information INF may include information about an object about to enter the road, such as a pedestrian 16 who may run out onto the road. For example, assume that the processing device 4 detects a pedestrian 16 attempting to cross the road 11 based on the monitoring information MON. If the processing device 4 determines that the pedestrian 16 may run out onto the road 11, the processing device 4 may include information indicating the position and direction of travel of the pedestrian 16 in the notification information INF to notify the user of the presence of the pedestrian 16. In this case, the notification unit 53 may display the pedestrian 16 on the screen using a dashed line diagram or a 3D polygon. The notification unit 53 may also display the pedestrian 16's direction of travel using an arrow. The notification unit 53 may also display the predicted movement of the pedestrian 16 using animation.

[0040] As described above, according to the automatic driving system 2000, even when the vehicle 10 is being driven automatically, the passengers can check the status of the automatic driving according to the surrounding environment through the notification information INF.

[0041] The notification information INF may also include information regarding switching between automatic driving and manual driving of the mobile body 10. For example, when the mobile body 10 is traveling toward a destination, it may be impossible to install a mobile body monitoring device on the entire route from the departure point to the destination. In this case, a passenger of the mobile body 10 is required to manually drive the mobile body 10 at locations where no mobile body monitoring device 1 is installed.

[0042] Therefore, the processing device 4 may include, in the notification information INF, information that notifies the occupant of the moving body 10 of a switch to manual driving when the moving body 10 approaches an area that cannot be monitored by the moving body monitoring device 1. In this case, the notification unit 53 notifies the occupant of a switch to manual driving, so that the occupant can manually drive the moving body 10 at an appropriate timing.

[0043] It is also conceivable that the manually driven mobile body 10 is moving from an area where monitoring by the mobile body monitoring device 1 cannot be performed to an area where monitoring can be performed. In this case, the processing device 4 may include information notifying the passenger of the mobile body 10 of a switch to automatic driving in the notification information INF. When the notification unit 53 notifies the passenger of the switch to automatic driving, the passenger can know that the driving of the mobile body 10 will switch to automatic driving. Note that when the notification unit 53 notifies the passenger that the mobile body 10 is approaching an area where automatic driving is possible, the passenger may choose whether to switch from manual driving to automatic driving.

[0044] Even in an area where monitoring by the mobile object monitoring device 1 is not possible, the processing device 4 can acquire the position and speed of the mobile object 10, for example, by using a GPS, etc. The processing device 4 may generate notification information INF based on the position and speed of the mobile object 10 acquired thereby.

[0045] As described above, according to the automatic driving system 2000, when the passenger of the moving body 10 recognizes that the moving body 10 is approaching an area where automatic driving is not possible, the passenger can take appropriate measures, such as switching to manual driving. When the passenger of the moving body 10 recognizes that the moving body 10 is approaching an area where automatic driving is possible from an area where automatic driving is not possible, the passenger can take appropriate measures, such as switching from manual driving to automatic driving. This makes it possible to continuously drive the moving body 10 using an appropriate driving method depending on the surrounding conditions.

[0046] An automated driving system according to embodiment 3 will be described. The automated driving system according to this embodiment is configured to issue a command to stop a moving object in advance to an operation control device in order to prepare for a situation in which it is necessary to suddenly stop the movement of the moving object.

[0047] 9 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of an autonomous driving system according to an embodiment. The autonomous driving system 3000 has a configuration in which the processing device 2 of the autonomous driving system 1000 is replaced with a processing device 6.

[0048] The mobile body 10 is automatically driven to move along a predetermined route based on the driving command INS. However, if communication between the processing device 6 and the driving control device 3 is interrupted due to a communication failure or the like, and the driving control device 3 is no longer able to receive the driving command INS, the mobile body 10 will no longer be able to be driven automatically. Therefore, in preparation for the communication interruption, the processing device 6 outputs an emergency stop command EMG to the driving control device 3, which instructs the driving control device 3 on an emergency stop route for safely stopping the mobile body 10.

[0049] In this example, the mobile object 10 is automatically driven to move along a travel path P1 based on a driving command INS. However, if communication between the processing device 6 and the driving control device 3 is interrupted, it is assumed that automatic driving along the travel path P1 will no longer be possible. Therefore, the driving control device 3 moves the mobile object 10 along an emergency stop path P2 indicated by an emergency stop command EMG previously received from the processing device 6. This allows the mobile object 10 to make an emergency stop, for example, at a safe location on the side of the road.

[0050] The operation control device 3 may determine whether to stop the moving body 10 based on the emergency stop command EMG received in advance, depending on the reception status of the operation command INS from the processing device 6.

[0051] Furthermore, the processing device 6 may update the emergency stop command EMG in accordance with the movement of the mobile object 10. Then, the processing device 6 may output the updated emergency stop command EMG to the operation control device 3 each time an update is made. In this case, by using the latest emergency stop command EMG received from the processing device 6, the operation control device 3 can safely stop the mobile object 10 using an emergency stop route that is suitable for the latest surrounding conditions.

[0052] As described above, the autonomous driving system 3000 can safely stop the vehicle 10 even if autonomous driving becomes impossible due to an unexpected cause such as a communication line break or failure. This ensures the safety of passengers in the vehicle 10.

[0053] Fourth Embodiment In the above-described embodiments, the autonomous driving of a single moving body 10 has been described, but the autonomous driving system may also perform autonomous driving of multiple moving bodies. Fig. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example in which the autonomous driving system according to one embodiment controls multiple vehicles.

[0054] In this example, it is assumed that three moving bodies 10A to 10C are traveling on a road 11. The moving body 10A is the vehicle traveling at the front. The moving body 10B is the vehicle following the moving body 10A and traveling at a slower speed than the moving body 10A. Therefore, the distance between the moving bodies 10A and 10B is increasing. The moving body 10C is the vehicle following the moving body 10B and traveling at a higher speed than the moving body 10B. Therefore, the distance between the moving bodies 10B and 10C is decreasing.

[0055] 10, by appropriately arranging the mobile object monitoring device 1, it is possible to collectively monitor the status of mobile objects 10A to 10C traveling on a road 11. Therefore, the processing device 2 can comprehensively grasp the traveling status and inter-vehicle distance of the mobile objects 10A to 10C. Therefore, when there is a change in the inter-vehicle distance between the mobile objects 10A to 10C, the processing device 2 can appropriately adjust the automatic driving of the mobile objects 10A to 10C to maintain the inter-vehicle distance at a predetermined distance.

[0056] 10, since the distance between the moving body 10A and the moving body 10B is increasing, the processing device 2 may instruct the moving body 10B to accelerate until the inter-vehicle distance reaches a predetermined distance. Also, since the distance between the moving body 10B and the moving body 10C is decreasing, the processing device 2 may instruct the moving body 10C to decelerate until the inter-vehicle distance reaches a predetermined distance.

[0057] It is also possible that the vehicle 10B may be switched from automatic driving to manual driving by the passenger, for example. In this case, the processing device 2 can automatically drive the vehicle 10C as appropriate in accordance with the behavior of the manually driven vehicle 10B.

[0058] In this embodiment, for the sake of simplicity, an example in which multiple vehicles are traveling in a single lane has been described, but multiple lanes may exist. In this case, the processing device 2 may control the automatic driving of each mobile object according to the traveling state of the mobile object traveling in each of the multiple lane. Furthermore, the processing device 2 may automatically drive each mobile object, including a mobile object traveling in an oncoming lane.

[0059] As described above, the automatic driving system according to this embodiment can automatically drive each of a plurality of moving bodies appropriately in accordance with the moving conditions of the moving bodies.

[0060] Other Embodiments The present disclosure has been described above with reference to the embodiments, but the present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments. Various modifications that can be understood by those skilled in the art can be made to the configuration and details of the present disclosure within the scope of the present disclosure. Furthermore, each embodiment can be combined with other embodiments as appropriate.

[0061] In the above embodiment, the mobile body 10 has been described as a vehicle that travels on roads, but the mobile body 10 is not limited to this. The mobile body 10 may be a vehicle that travels off roads. The mobile body 10 may also be any mobile body that travels on land, such as an electric cart.

[0062] The mobile body 10 may also be a mobile body that moves on a surface other than land. The mobile body 10 may be, for example, an aircraft, an airship, a balloon, or any other type of mobile body that moves through the air. The mobile body 10 may also be a ship or any other type of mobile body that moves on or under the sea.

[0063] Furthermore, the mobile body 10 may be any of various unmanned mobile bodies that move on land, in the air, on the sea, or underwater, such as so-called drones.

[0064] The driving control device may output information related to autonomous driving obtained from the mobile object, such as steering angle and speed, to the processing device. The processing device may compare the autonomous driving state of the mobile object obtained from the monitoring information with the autonomous driving state obtained from the driving control device, and calibrate the driving commands. Since the dimensions, weight, and movement characteristics vary depending on the mobile object, calibration can be performed to adjust the autonomous driving state to a desired state.

[0065] The information on the surrounding environment of the mobile body may include various types of information other than that described in the above embodiment. For example, the information on the surrounding environment of the mobile body may include information indicating the effects of weather such as rainfall or snowfall, the occurrence of traffic congestion, the presence of broken-down vehicles, construction sites, traffic restrictions, the approach of emergency vehicles, etc.

[0066] Communication between the processing device and the operation control device may be performed using any one or a combination of various wireless communication means such as 4G communication, 5G communication, V2x (Vehicle to X), optical communication, BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy), and Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity).

[0067] The mobile object monitoring device may include various devices capable of acquiring an image of the environment surrounding the mobile object, such as a camera provided in the driving control device.

[0068] An autonomous driving system may be configured by appropriately combining two or more autonomous driving systems according to the embodiments.

[0069] For example, in the third embodiment, similarly to the second embodiment, the notification information INF may be notified by the operation control device.

[0070] Furthermore, for example, in the fourth embodiment, an autonomous driving system according to any one of the first to third embodiments, or an autonomous driving system that combines autonomous driving systems according to two or more embodiments, may be applied.

[0071] In the above-described embodiments, the processing device and operation control device according to the present disclosure have been described primarily as hardware configurations, but this is not limited thereto. It is also possible to realize one or both of the processing device and operation control device according to the present disclosure by having a computer execute a computer program to perform any processing. These processes may be realized by having a computer including at least one processor (e.g., a microprocessor, CPU, GPU, MPU, DSP (Digital Signal Processor)) execute the program. Specifically, one or more programs including instructions for causing a computer to perform these algorithms related to transmission signal processing or reception signal processing may be created, and the programs may be supplied to the computer.

[0072] A computer program can be stored and provided to a computer using various types of non-transitory computer-readable media. Non-transitory computer-readable media include various types of tangible storage media. Examples of non-transitory computer-readable media include magnetic recording media (e.g., flexible disks, magnetic tapes, hard disk drives), magneto-optical recording media (e.g., magneto-optical disks), CD-ROMs (Read Only Memory), CD-Rs, CD-R / Ws, and semiconductor memories (e.g., mask ROMs, PROMs (Programmable ROMs), EPROMs (Erasable PROMs), flash ROMs, and RAMs (Random Access Memory)). The program may be provided to the computer by various types of transient computer-readable media. Examples of transient computer-readable media include electrical signals, optical signals, and electromagnetic waves. The transient computer-readable media can provide the program to the computer via a wired communication path such as an electrical wire or optical fiber, or via a wireless communication path.

[0073] An example configuration of a computer for realizing one or both of the processing device and the operation control device is shown below. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example configuration of a computer for realizing one or both of the processing device and the operation control device. One or both of the processing device and the operation control device can be realized by a computer 9000 such as a dedicated computer or a personal computer (PC). However, the computer does not need to be physically single, and may be multiple when performing distributed processing. As shown in FIG. 11, the computer 9000 has, for example, a processor 9001, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 9002, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 9003, a storage unit 9004, a communication interface 9005, and a user interface 9006.

[0074] The processor 9001, ROM 9002, RAM 9003, storage unit 9004, communication interface 9005, and user interface 9006 are connected to each other so as to be able to communicate with each other via a bus 9007. Note that although explanation of the OS software for operating the computer is omitted, it is also installed in the computer 9000 as appropriate.

[0075] The ROM 9002 is configured by, for example, a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device, etc. The ROM 9002 stores information such as various programs used by the computer 9000.

[0076] The storage unit 9004 is configured with various storage devices such as a hard disk, a solid state disk, etc. Furthermore, the storage unit 9004 is not limited to a storage device installed in the computer 9000, but may be a storage device external to the computer 9000. The external storage device may be a cloud storage device connected to the computer 9000 via various communication means, for example, a network. The storage unit 9004 stores information such as various programs and data used by the computer 9000.

[0077] The RAM 9003 is configured by a volatile semiconductor memory device, etc. Programs, data, and other information used by the processor 9001 are loaded into the RAM 9003 from one or both of the ROM 9002 and the storage unit 9004 as appropriate.

[0078] The processor 9001 may be configured with, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit). Furthermore, the processor 9001 may include not only a CPU but also a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit). A GPU is suitable for performing routine processing in parallel, and by applying it to neural network processing, for example, it is possible to improve processing speed compared to a CPU. The processor 9001 executes various processes based on various programs stored in the ROM 9002 or various programs and data held in the RAM 9003, as appropriate. Furthermore, the processor 9001 may store data generated by the processing in the RAM 9003 or the storage unit 9004, as appropriate.

[0079] The communication interface 9005 is an interface that connects the computer 9000 to a communication network such as the Internet or an intranet via various wired communication means or wireless communication means, etc. This allows the computer 9000 to communicate with other devices, systems, sensors, etc. that are connected to the communication network.

[0080] The user interface 9006 includes, for example, a display unit that provides information so that the user can recognize it using a display device or the like, and an audio output unit that outputs audio. The user interface 9006 also includes an input unit that allows the user to input information to the computer 9000 by operating it, such as a keyboard, a mouse, or a touch panel. The user interface 9006 may also include devices such as sensors that obtain information useful to the user.

[0081] Although the computer 9000 has been described as a single device here, this is merely an example. The computer 9000 may be composed of multiple physically separated devices. Some of the multiple devices may be portable devices, and the other devices may be stationary devices.

[0082] Each drawing is merely an example for describing one or more embodiments. Each drawing may not relate to only one particular embodiment, but may also relate to one or more other embodiments. As will be understood by those skilled in the art, various features or steps described with reference to any one drawing can be combined with features or steps shown in one or more other drawings to create, for example, an embodiment not explicitly shown or described. Not all features or steps shown in any one drawing are necessary to describe an exemplary embodiment, and some features or steps may be omitted. The order of steps described in any drawing may be changed as appropriate.

[0083] A part or all of the above-described embodiments can be described as, but not limited to, the following supplementary notes.

[0084] (Supplementary Note 1) An autonomous driving system comprising: a monitoring means for monitoring the running state of a mobile body and the surrounding environment of the mobile body and outputting monitoring information indicating the monitoring results; a processing means for outputting a driving command for autonomously driving the mobile body based on the monitoring information; and a driving control means provided in the mobile body for controlling the autonomous driving of the mobile body in accordance with the driving command.

[0085] (Appendix 2) An autonomous driving system as described in Appendix 1, wherein the driving control means is a terminal device that is physically separated from the moving body and can be carried by a passenger of the moving body.

[0086] (Appendix 3) An autonomous driving system as described in Appendix 1 or 2, wherein the driving control means has a display means capable of displaying information indicating the autonomous driving status of the moving body.

[0087] (Appendix 4) The autonomous driving system described in Appendix 3, wherein the driving control means further displays information about the surrounding environment of the moving body.

[0088] (Appendix 5) The automatic driving system described in Appendix 4, wherein the driving control means displays information that may hinder the automatic driving of the moving body as the surrounding environment of the moving body.

[0089] (Appendix 6) An autonomous driving system described in any one of Appendices 1 to 5, wherein the processing means further outputs a stop command to urgently and safely stop the moving body based on the monitoring information, and the driving control means retains the received stop command, and when the driving command from the processing means cannot be received, stops the moving body in accordance with the retained stop command.

[0090] (Supplementary Note 7) In the automatic driving system according to any one of Supplementary Notes 1 to 6, when the moving body is approaching an area where the monitoring means cannot output the monitoring information, the processing means notifies the driving control means by the driving command that the moving body is approaching an area where automatic driving cannot be performed, and the driving control means, in response to the notification, notifies a passenger of the moving body that the moving body is approaching an area where automatic driving cannot be performed.

[0091] (Appendix 8) When the moving body is approaching an area where the monitoring means cannot output the monitoring information from an area where the monitoring means can output the monitoring information, the processing means notifies the driving control means by the driving command that the moving body is approaching an area where automatic driving can be performed from an area where automatic driving cannot be performed, and the driving control means, in response to the notification, notifies the passenger that the moving body is approaching an area where automatic driving can be performed from an area where automatic driving cannot be performed.

[0092] (Appendix 9) An autonomous driving system described in any one of Appendices 1 to 8, wherein the monitoring means monitors a plurality of moving bodies, the processing means outputs the driving command to each of the plurality of moving bodies based on the monitoring information of the plurality of movements, and the driving control means of each of the plurality of moving bodies controls the autonomous driving of the moving body based on the driving command.

[0093] (Supplementary Note 10) The automated driving system described in Supplementary Note 9, wherein the processing means outputs the driving command to each of the plurality of moving bodies so as to maintain a predetermined distance between the plurality of moving bodies.

[0094] (Appendix 11) An autonomous driving system described in any one of Appendices 1 to 10, wherein the driving control means acquires information indicating the driving state from the moving body and outputs it to the processing means, and the processing means compares the information indicating the driving state of the moving body acquired from the monitoring information with the information indicating the driving state of the moving body by the driving control means, and calibrates the driving commands given to the moving body based on the comparison result.

[0095] (Appendix 12) An autonomous driving system described in any one of Appendices 1 to 11, wherein the monitoring means includes a detection means for the moving body provided in the surrounding environment of the moving body.

[0096] (Appendix 13) An autonomous driving system described in any one of Appendices 1 to 12, wherein the monitoring means includes a means provided in the driving control means capable of collecting information about the surrounding environment of the moving body.

[0097] (Appendix 14) An autonomous driving system described in any one of Appendices 1 to 13, wherein the processing means and the driving control means are communicatively connected via wireless communication means.

[0098] (Appendix 15) An autonomous driving system as described in Appendix 14, wherein the processing means and the driving control means are communicatively connected by combining a plurality of the wireless communication means.

[0099] (Appendix 16) An automatic driving method comprising: monitoring the running state of a moving body and the surrounding environment of the moving body; outputting monitoring information indicating the monitoring results; outputting a driving command for automatically driving the moving body based on the monitoring information; and controlling the automatic driving of the moving body in accordance with the driving command by a driving control means provided in the moving body.

[0100] (Appendix 17) An automatic driving method described in Appendix 16, wherein the driving control means is a terminal device that is physically separated from the moving body and can be carried by a passenger of the moving body.

[0101] (Appendix 18) An automatic driving method as described in Appendix 16 or 17, wherein the driving control means has a display means capable of displaying information indicating the automatic driving status of the moving body.

[0102] (Supplementary Note 19) The automatic driving method described in Supplementary Note 18, wherein the driving control means further displays information about the surrounding environment of the moving body.

[0103] (Appendix 20) A driving control device comprising: an acquisition means for acquiring, from a device external to the moving body, a driving command for automatically driving the moving body, the driving command being output based on monitoring information including information on the running state of the moving body and the surrounding environment of the moving body; and a control means for controlling the automatic driving of the moving body in accordance with the acquired driving command; the driving control device being provided on the moving body, physically separated from the moving body, and configured to be able to transport passengers of the moving body.

[0104] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Mobile object monitoring device 2, 4, 6 Processing device 3, 5 Driving control device 10, 10A to 10C Mobile object 11 Road 12, 15 Vehicle 13 Intersection 14 Building 16 Pedestrian 31, 51 Communication unit 32, 52 Control processing unit 53 Notification unit 1000, 2000, 3000 Automated driving system 9000 Computer 9001 Processor 9002 ROM 9003 RAM 9004 Storage unit 9005 Communication interface 9006 User interface 9007 Bus CON Control signal EMG Emergency stop command INF Notification information INS Driving command MON Monitoring information P1 Travel route P2 Emergency stop route

Claims

1. An autonomous driving system comprising: a monitoring means for monitoring the running state of a mobile body and the surrounding environment of said mobile body, and outputting monitoring information indicating the monitoring results; a processing means for outputting driving commands for autonomously driving said mobile body based on said monitoring information; and a driving control means provided on said mobile body for controlling the autonomous driving of said mobile body in accordance with said driving commands.

2. The automated driving system according to claim 1, wherein the driving control means is a terminal device that is physically separated from the vehicle and can be carried by a passenger of the vehicle.

3. The automated driving system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the driving control means has a display means capable of displaying information indicating the automated driving status of the moving body.

4. The automated driving system according to claim 3, wherein the driving control means further displays information about the surrounding environment of the moving object.

5. The automated driving system according to claim 4, wherein the driving control means displays information that may hinder automated driving of the mobile body as the surrounding environment of the mobile body.

6. The automated driving system of claim 1 or 2, wherein the processing means further outputs a stop command to bring the moving body to an emergency and safe stop based on the monitoring information, and the driving control means retains the received stop command, and when it becomes unable to receive the driving command from the processing means, stops the moving body in accordance with the retained stop command.

7. An autonomous driving system as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein, when the moving body is approaching an area where the monitoring means cannot output the monitoring information, the processing means notifies the driving control means by the driving command that the moving body is approaching an area where autonomous driving is not possible, and the driving control means, in response to the notification, notifies a passenger of the moving body that the moving body is approaching an area where autonomous driving is not possible.

8. The autonomous driving system described in claim 7, wherein, when the moving body is approaching an area where the monitoring means cannot output the monitoring information from an area where the monitoring means can output the monitoring information, the processing means notifies the driving control means by the driving command that the moving body is approaching an area where autonomous driving can be performed from an area where autonomous driving cannot be performed, and the driving control means, in response to the notification, notifies the passenger that the moving body is approaching an area where autonomous driving can be performed from an area where autonomous driving cannot be performed.

9. An automated driving system as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the monitoring means monitors a plurality of moving bodies, the processing means outputs the driving command to each of the plurality of moving bodies based on the monitoring information of the plurality of moving bodies, and the driving control means of each of the plurality of moving bodies controls the automated driving of the moving body based on the driving command.

10. The automated driving system according to claim 9, wherein the processing means outputs the driving command to each of the plurality of moving bodies so as to maintain a predetermined distance between the plurality of moving bodies.

11. An automated driving system as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the driving control means acquires information indicating the driving state from the moving body and outputs it to the processing means, and the processing means compares the information indicating the driving state of the moving body acquired from the monitoring information with the information indicating the driving state of the moving body from the driving control means, and calibrates the driving commands to be given to the moving body based on the comparison result.

12. The automated driving system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the monitoring means includes a detection means for the moving object provided in the surrounding environment of the moving object.

13. The automated driving system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the monitoring means includes means provided in the driving control means that is capable of collecting information about the surrounding environment of the moving body.

14. The automated driving system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the processing means and the driving control means are communicatively connected by wireless communication means.

15. The automated driving system according to claim 14, wherein the processing means and the driving control means are communicatively connected by combining a plurality of the wireless communication means.

16. An automatic driving method comprising: monitoring the running state of a mobile body and the surrounding environment of the mobile body; outputting monitoring information indicating the monitoring results; outputting a driving command for automatic driving of the mobile body based on the monitoring information; and controlling the automatic driving of the mobile body in accordance with the driving command by a driving control means provided in the mobile body.

17. The automated driving method according to claim 16, wherein the driving control means is a terminal device that is physically separated from the moving body and can be carried by a passenger of the moving body.

18. The automated driving method according to claim 16 or 17, wherein the driving control means has a display means capable of displaying information indicating the automated driving status of the mobile object.

19. The automated driving method according to claim 18, wherein the driving control means further displays information about the surrounding environment of the moving object.

20. A driving control device comprising: an acquisition means for acquiring, from a device external to the moving body, a driving command for automatically driving the moving body, the driving command being output based on monitoring information including the traveling state of the moving body and information on the surrounding environment of the moving body; and a control means for controlling the automatic driving of the moving body in accordance with the acquired driving command; the driving control device being provided on the moving body, physically separated from the moving body, and configured to be capable of transporting passengers of the moving body.

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