Travel control system and vehicle

Abstract

A travel control system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure comprises a processing circuit capable of executing a first type of processing that is included in processing for a vehicle and that needs to be processed in real time, and a second type of processing that does not need to be processed in real time, the processing system being capable of executing estimation processing and determination processing in each of a plurality of unit periods. The estimation processing includes estimating a processing amount of the first type of processing in a second unit period after a first unit period in which the estimation processing is performed, on the basis of a vehicle state including a traveling state of the vehicle and an operation state of a driver of the vehicle. The determination processing includes determining the processing content of the second type of processing in the second unit period on the basis of the result of the estimation processing and the vehicle state.

Description

Travel Control System and Vehicle

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a travel control system for controlling the travel of a vehicle and a vehicle equipped with such a travel control system.

[0002] Various programs are executed by a processor mounted on a vehicle. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an apparatus that provides a plurality of cores to a processor and allocates tasks to the cores based on the characteristics of the tasks.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2021-39666

[0004] The travel control system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a processing circuit. The processing circuit can execute a first type of processing that needs to be processed in real time and a second type of processing that does not need to be processed in real time, which are included in the processing of the vehicle, and can execute estimation processing and determination processing in each of a plurality of unit periods. The estimation processing includes estimating the processing amount of the first type of processing in a second unit period after a first unit period in which the estimation processing is performed, based on a vehicle state including the travel state of the vehicle and the operation state of the driver of the vehicle. The determination processing includes determining the processing content of the second type of processing in the second unit period based on the result of the estimation processing and the vehicle state.

[0005] The vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a processing circuit. The processing circuit can execute a first type of processing that needs to be processed in real time and a second type of processing that does not need to be processed in real time, which are included in the processing of the vehicle, and can execute estimation processing and determination processing in each of a plurality of unit periods. The estimation processing includes estimating the processing amount of the first type of processing in a second unit period after a first unit period in which the estimation processing is performed, based on a vehicle state including the travel state of the vehicle and the operation state of the driver of the vehicle. The determination processing includes determining the processing content of the second type of processing in the second unit period based on the result of the estimation processing and the vehicle state.

[0006] The accompanying drawings are provided for further understanding of this disclosure and are incorporated herein and constitute part of this specification. The drawings illustrate one embodiment and, together with the specification, serve to illustrate the principles of this disclosure.

[0007] Figure 1 is a block diagram showing an example configuration of a driving control system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of two types of processing in the processing device shown in Figure 1. Figure 3 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of operation of the processing device shown in Figure 1. Figure 4 is a flowchart showing an example of operation of the processing control unit shown in Figure 1. Figure 5 is a flowchart showing an example of operation of a processing control unit according to a modified example.

[0008] In vehicles, reducing power consumption is desirable, and further reductions in power consumption are expected.

[0009] It is desirable to provide a driving control system and vehicle that can reduce power consumption.

[0010] Hereinafter, several exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The following description is intended to illustrate specific examples of the present disclosure and should not be construed as limiting the disclosure. For example, elements such as numerical values, shapes, materials, parts, the location of each part, and the method of connecting each part are merely examples and should not be construed as limiting the disclosure. Furthermore, in the following exemplary embodiments, components not described in separate sections based on the highest-level concepts of the present disclosure are optional and may be provided as needed. The drawings are schematic and are not intended to be to scale. Throughout this specification and the drawings, components having substantially the same function and substantially the same configuration are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant descriptions are omitted. Furthermore, components not directly related to an embodiment of the present disclosure are not shown in the drawings.

[0011] <Embodiment> [Configuration Example] Figure 1 shows an example configuration of a driving control system (driving control system 10) according to one embodiment. The driving control system 10 is mounted on a vehicle 1 such as an automobile. The driving control system 10 is configured to perform various controls to support the driver's driving operations, such as Autonomous Emergency Braking, Adaptive cruise control, and Lane Keep Control. However, it is not limited to this, and the driving control system 10 may be configured to perform various controls in autonomous driving. The driving control system 10 includes a stereo camera 11, a locator device 12, a vehicle sensor 13, a driving operation unit 14, a communication unit 15, a processing unit 20, a steering device 41, a power unit 42, and a braking device 43.

[0012] The stereo camera 11 is configured to generate a stereo image by capturing images of the area in front of the vehicle 1. The stereo camera 11 includes a left camera and a right camera. Each of the left and right cameras includes a lens and an image sensor. In this example, the stereo camera 11 is positioned inside the vehicle 1, above the windshield of the vehicle 1. The left and right cameras are positioned at a predetermined distance apart in the width direction of the vehicle 1. The left camera generates a left image, and the right camera generates a right image. The left and right images constitute a stereo image. The stereo camera 11 is configured to generate a series of stereo images by performing an imaging operation at a predetermined frame rate (e.g., 20 fps).

[0013] The locator device 12 is configured to detect the position of vehicle 1 on a map. Specifically, the locator device 12 detects the position coordinates of vehicle 1 by receiving signals transmitted from GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) satellites such as GPS (Global Positioning System). The locator device 12 has map data that includes data on roads and buildings. Based on this map data and the position coordinates of vehicle 1, the locator device 12 detects the position of vehicle 1 on the map. The locator device 12 then supplies the data on the position of vehicle 1 and the map data of the area around vehicle 1 to the processing unit 20.

[0014] The vehicle sensor 13 is configured to detect the driving state of the vehicle 1 and includes various sensors. Specifically, the vehicle sensor 13 includes a vehicle speed sensor, an acceleration sensor, and a gyroscope sensor. In this example, the vehicle speed sensor is configured to detect the driving speed of the vehicle 1 based on the rotational speed of the vehicle's wheels. The acceleration sensor is configured to detect the longitudinal and lateral acceleration of the vehicle 1. The gyroscope sensor is configured to detect the angular velocity of the yaw angle, pitch angle, and roll angle of the vehicle 1. The vehicle sensor 13 is configured to supply data indicating the detection results of these sensors to the processing unit 20.

[0015] The driving control unit 14 includes a steering wheel, accelerator pedal, brake pedal, various levers, etc., which the driver operates when driving the vehicle 1.

[0016] The communication unit 15 is configured to communicate with a server (not shown) located outside the vehicle 1 using wireless communication.

[0017] The processing unit 20 is configured to control the operation of the steering unit 41, the power unit 42, and the braking unit 43. The processing unit 20 includes one or more processors and one or more memories, and performs processing by executing programs. The processing unit 20 also includes a cooling fan to dissipate heat from the processors. The clock frequency of the processing unit 20 is set according to the amount of processing performed by the processing unit 20. Specifically, when the amount of processing is large, the clock frequency is set to a high frequency, and when the amount of processing is small, the clock frequency is set to a low frequency. The processing unit 20 includes an external environment recognition unit 21, a self-position estimation unit 25, a communication control unit 26, a driving support processing unit 27, a steering control unit 28, a speed control unit 29, and a processing control unit 30.

[0018] The external environment recognition unit 21 is configured to recognize the environment outside the vehicle 1 based on the stereo image generated by the stereo camera 11. The external environment recognition unit 21 includes an image correction unit 22, a distance image generation unit 23, and a recognition unit 24.

[0019] The image correction unit 22 is configured to correct the stereo image generated by the stereo camera 11. The left and right cameras of the stereo camera 11 are mounted to image the area in front of the vehicle 1. However, due to the vehicle 1's long driving time, the mounting positions and orientations of the left and right cameras may change gradually. In this case, the imaging range of the left and right cameras changes, which may reduce the accuracy of the pattern matching process (described later) in the distance image generation unit 23. Therefore, the image correction unit 22 detects changes in the mounting positions and orientations of the left and right cameras based on the left and right images included in the stereo image, and corrects the stereo image by shifting one or both of the left and right images horizontally or vertically based on the detection results. This correction process is performed when the vehicle 1's driving speed is above a predetermined speed. This allows the distance image generation unit 23 to suppress a decrease in the accuracy of the pattern matching process.

[0020] The distance image generation unit 23 is configured to generate a distance image by performing predetermined image processing, including pattern matching and filtering, based on the stereo image corrected by the image correction unit 22. Specifically, the distance image generation unit 23 performs pattern matching by identifying corresponding points, each containing two corresponding image points, based on the left and right images. The distance image contains multiple pixel values. In this example, each of the multiple pixel values ​​is a disparity value. This disparity value corresponds to the distance to the point corresponding to each pixel in three-dimensional real space. However, it is not limited to this; for example, each of the multiple pixel values ​​may be a value indicating the distance to the point corresponding to each pixel in three-dimensional real space.

[0021] The recognition unit 24 is configured to recognize the environment outside the vehicle 1 based on stereo images and depth images. Specifically, the recognition unit 24 recognizes, for example, lane markings in front of the vehicle 1, vehicles traveling in front of the vehicle 1, and pedestrians in front of the vehicle 1. The external environment recognition unit 21 then supplies data indicating the recognition results of the recognition unit 24 to the driver assistance processing unit 27.

[0022] The self-position estimation unit 25 is configured to estimate the position of the vehicle 1. Specifically, the self-position estimation unit 25 estimates the position of the vehicle 1 by correcting the position of the vehicle 1 supplied by the locator device 12 using map data supplied by the locator device 12 and stereo images and distance images supplied by the external environment recognition unit 21. For example, the position of the vehicle 1 obtained by the locator device 12 may have an error of about ± several meters. By correcting the position of the vehicle 1 supplied by the locator device 12, the self-position estimation unit 25 can reduce the error in the position of the vehicle 1 to, for example, about ± 10 cm.

[0023] The communication control unit 26 is configured to control the operation of the communication unit 15. Specifically, the communication control unit 26 controls the operation of the communication unit 15 so that, for example, the communication unit 15 transmits data such as the position and speed of the vehicle 1 to the server and receives data such as traffic information and weather forecasts transmitted from the server. The vehicle 1 can present traffic information and weather forecasts to the driver using a user interface (not shown).

[0024] The driver assistance processing unit 27 is configured to perform various controls to support the driver's driving operations, such as collision mitigation braking, adaptive cruise control, and lane keeping control, based on the recognition results of the external environment recognition unit 21, the estimation results of the self-position estimation unit 25, and the detection results of the vehicle sensor 13. For example, with collision mitigation braking, if there is a possibility that vehicle 1 will collide with an obstacle such as a car in front of vehicle 1, the driver is warned and braking control is performed. With adaptive cruise control, speed control is performed to keep the vehicle 1's driving speed constant or to keep the distance between it and the preceding vehicle constant. With lane keeping control, steering control is performed to prevent vehicle 1 from deviating from its driving lane.

[0025] The steering control unit 28 is configured to control the operation of the steering device 41. Specifically, the steering control unit 28 controls the operation of the steering device 41 based on the driver's operation of the steering wheel. Furthermore, for example, when lane keeping control is being performed, the steering control unit 28 controls the operation of the steering device 41 based on instructions from the driver assistance processing unit 27.

[0026] The speed control unit 29 is configured to control the operation of the power unit 42 and the braking unit 43. Specifically, the speed control unit 29 controls the operation of the power unit 42 based on the driver's operation of the accelerator pedal, and controls the operation of the braking unit 43 based on the driver's operation of the brake pedal. Furthermore, when collision mitigation braking is performed, the speed control unit 29 controls the operation of the braking unit 43 based on instructions from the driver assistance processing unit 27. Also, when adaptive cruise control is performed, the speed control unit 29 controls the operation of the power unit 42 and the braking unit 43 based on instructions from the driver assistance processing unit 27.

[0027] The processing control unit 30 is configured to control the processing performed in the processing unit 20. The processing performed in the processing unit 20 includes type A processing, which needs to be processed in real time, and type B processing, which does not need to be processed in real time.

[0028] Figure 2 shows the types of processing performed in the processing unit 20. Blocks with dot shading represent blocks that perform type A processing, which requires real-time processing, while blocks with diagonal shading represent blocks that perform type B processing, which does not require real-time processing.

[0029] The processing performed by the distance image generation unit 23 of the external environment recognition unit 21, the recognition unit 24 of the external environment recognition unit 21, the processing prediction unit 31 of the processing control unit 30, the processing planning unit 32 of the processing control unit 30, the driving support processing unit 27, the steering control unit 28, and the speed control unit 29 are all Type A processing that needs to be performed in real time. In other words, the distance image generation unit 23, the recognition unit 24, the driving support processing unit 27, the steering control unit 28, and the speed control unit 29 perform vehicle driving control, so they need to be processed in real time. Also, the processing prediction unit 31 and the processing planning unit 32 control all processing, including these driving control processes, so they also need to be processed in real time. The operating system of the processing unit 20 also performs processing in real time.

[0030] On the other hand, the image correction unit 22, self-position estimation unit 25, and communication control unit 26 of the external environment recognition unit 21 are Type B processes that do not require real-time processing.

[0031] The image correction unit 22 can continue to use the correction settings obtained when correcting the image for a while afterward. That is, the mounting positions and orientations of the left and right cameras gradually change as the vehicle 1 travels for a long period of time. Therefore, the image correction unit 22 can continue to use the correction settings for a while. The image correction unit 22 can perform processing, for example, once every few hours, when the vehicle 1 is traveling at a predetermined speed or higher.

[0032] Furthermore, the self-position estimation unit 25 can continue to use the correction settings obtained when correcting the position of the vehicle 1 supplied by the locator device 12 for a while afterward. That is, the position error by the locator device 12 does not change significantly each time a position is detected, and does not change much for a while. Therefore, the self-position estimation unit 25 can continue to use these correction settings for a while. The self-position estimation unit 25 can perform processing, for example, once every few minutes, whether the vehicle 1 is moving or stopped.

[0033] Furthermore, the data transmitted and received by the communication unit 15 does not necessarily need to be transmitted and received in real time. The communication unit 15 can transmit and receive data at a rate of, for example, once every few minutes, based on instructions from the communication control unit 26, whether the vehicle 1 is moving or stopped.

[0034] Therefore, the image correction unit 22, the self-position estimation unit 25, and the communication control unit 26 do not need to perform processing in real time.

[0035] Thus, the processing performed in the processing apparatus 20 includes type A processing, which needs to be processed in real time, and type B processing, which does not need to be processed in real time. The processing control unit 30 controls type B processing, which does not need to be processed in real time, taking into account the characteristics of these processing types. The processing control unit 30 has a processing prediction unit 31 and a processing planning unit 32.

[0036] The processing prediction unit 31 is configured to estimate the processing amount of type A processing based on the vehicle state of vehicle 1, including the driving state of vehicle 1 and the operating state of the driver of vehicle 1. Specifically, as will be described later, the processing prediction unit 31 estimates the processing amount of type A processing for each of the multiple processing periods P after the processing period P, based on the vehicle state of vehicle 1, for each of the periods (processing periods P) set according to the supply of stereo images.

[0037] The processing planning unit 32 is configured to determine the processing content for type B processing based on the estimation results of the processing prediction unit 31 and the vehicle status. Specifically, as will be described later, the processing planning unit 32 determines the processing content for type B processing in the next processing period P, based on the estimation results of the processing prediction unit 31 and the vehicle status, for each processing period P.

[0038] The steering device 41 is configured to steer the vehicle 1 by changing the direction of the wheels of the vehicle 1 based on instructions from the steering control unit 28 of the processing unit 20, and includes a steering mechanism and an electric motor for power steering.

[0039] The power unit 42 is configured to accelerate or decelerate the vehicle 1 by generating a driving force to rotate the wheels based on instructions from the speed control unit 29 of the processing unit 20. The power unit 42 includes an engine, a transmission unit, and the like. If the vehicle 1 is an electric vehicle, the power unit 42 includes a motor.

[0040] The braking device 43 is configured to brake the vehicle 1 by pressing brake pads provided on the wheels of the vehicle 1 against brake discs, based on instructions from the speed control unit 29 of the processing device 20.

[0041] Here, the processing unit 20 corresponds to a specific example of the "processing circuit" in one embodiment of the present disclosure. Processing of type A corresponds to a specific example of the "first type of processing" in one embodiment of the present disclosure. Processing of type B corresponds to a specific example of the "second type of processing" in one embodiment of the present disclosure. Processing of the image correction unit 22 corresponds to a specific example of the "image correction processing" in one embodiment of the present disclosure. Processing of the self-position estimation unit 25 corresponds to a specific example of the "position estimation processing" in one embodiment of the present disclosure. Processing of the communication control unit 26 corresponds to a specific example of the "communication processing" in one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0042] [Operation and Function] Next, the operation and function of the driving control system 10 of this embodiment will be described.

[0043] (Overall Operation Overview) First, the operation of the driving control system 10 will be explained with reference to Figure 1. The stereo camera 11 generates a stereo image by capturing images of the area in front of the vehicle 1. The locator device 12 detects the position of the vehicle 1 on the map and supplies data about the position of the vehicle 1 and map data of the area around the vehicle 1 to the processing unit 20. The vehicle sensor 13 detects the driving state of the vehicle 1. The communication unit 15 communicates with a server located outside the vehicle 1 using wireless communication.

[0044] In the processing device 20, the vehicle external environment recognition unit 21 recognizes the environment outside the vehicle 1 based on the stereo image generated by the stereo camera 11. The self-position estimation unit 25 estimates the position of the vehicle 1 by correcting the position of the vehicle 1 supplied from the locator device 12 using the map data supplied from the locator device 12, the stereo image, and the distance image supplied from the vehicle external environment recognition unit 21. The communication control unit 26 controls the operation of the communication unit 15. The driving support processing unit 27 performs various controls to support the driver's driving operation based on the recognition result of the vehicle external environment recognition unit 21, the estimation result of the self-position estimation unit 25, and the detection result of the vehicle sensor 13. The steering control unit 28 controls the operation of the steering device 41. The speed control unit 29 controls the operations of the power device 42 and the braking device 43. The processing control unit 30 controls the processing performed in the processing device 20.

[0045] The steering device 41 steers the vehicle 1 by changing the direction of the wheels of the vehicle 1 based on an instruction from the steering control unit 28 of the processing device 20. The power device 42 accelerates or decelerates the vehicle 1 based on an instruction from the speed control unit 29 of the processing device 20. The braking device 43 brakes the vehicle 1 based on an instruction from the speed control unit 29 of the processing device 20.

[0046] (Detailed operation) FIG. 3 shows an operation example of the processing device 20. (A) shows the processing of the operating system of the processing device 20, (B) shows the processing of the processing prediction unit 31, (C) shows the processing of the processing plan unit 32, (D) shows the type A processing, and (E) shows the type B processing.

[0047] Each time a stereo image is supplied from the stereo camera 11 to the processing device 20, a processing period P is started. In each processing period P, the processing device 20 performs processing of type A based on this stereo image (FIG. 3(D)). In this FIG. 3(D), the processing amount of the processing of type A in each processing period P is shown as a percentage. The processing amount of the processing of type A can vary according to the driving state of the vehicle 1. Since the frame rate of the stereo camera 11 is, for example, 20 [fps], there is no significant change between two temporally adjacent stereo images. Therefore, the processing amount of the processing of type A is unlikely to change significantly between two adjacent processing periods P. The operating system of the processing device 20 continues processing across the processing period P (FIG. 3(A)).

[0048] Data regarding the driving state of the vehicle 1 is supplied to this processing device 20 from the vehicle sensor 13, and data regarding the driver's operation is supplied from the driving operation unit 14. The processing prediction unit 31 of the processing control unit 30 estimates, in each processing period P, the processing amount of the processing of type A in each of a plurality (for example, 20 to 100) of processing periods P after that processing period P, based on the vehicle state of the vehicle 1 including the driving state of the vehicle and the operation state of the driver of the vehicle 1 (FIG. 3(B)).

[0049] Then, the processing planning unit 32 of the processing control unit 30 determines, in each processing period P, the processing content of the processing of type B in the next processing period P of that processing period P, based on the estimation result of the processing prediction unit 31 and the vehicle state. Specifically, when the processing amount of type A is less than or equal to a predetermined value (for example, 50% or less), since there is a margin in the processing amount of the processing device 20, the processing planning unit 32 determines to perform the processing of type B and determines the processing content of the processing of type B (FIG. 3(C)).

[0050] For example, during the processing period P at timings t1 to t2, the processing prediction unit 31 estimates the processing volume of type A processing in each of the multiple processing periods P after that processing period P, based on the vehicle state of the vehicle 1. Then, the processing planning unit 32 determines the processing content of type B processing during the processing period P at timings t2 to t3, based on the estimation results obtained by the processing prediction unit 31 in the past and the estimation results obtained by the processing prediction unit 31 during this processing period P. In this example, the processing volume of type A processing during the processing period P at timings t2 to t3 is estimated to be about 60%. Therefore, the processing planning unit 32 decides not to perform type B processing because there is not much leeway in the processing volume of the processing device 20 (Figure 3(E)).

[0051] Similarly, during the processing period P at timings t2 to t3, the processing prediction unit 31 estimates the processing volume of type A processing in each of the multiple processing periods P after that processing period P, based on the vehicle state of vehicle 1. Then, the processing planning unit 32 determines the processing content of type B processing during the processing period P at timings t3 to t4, based on the estimation results obtained by the processing prediction unit 31 in the past and the estimation results obtained by the processing prediction unit 31 during this processing period P. In this example, it is estimated that the processing volume of type A processing during the processing period P at timings t3 to t4 is about 40%. Therefore, the processing planning unit 32 decides to perform type B processing because there is leeway in the processing volume of the processing device 20, and determines the processing content of type B processing. Based on the decision of the processing planning unit 32, the processing device 20 performs type B processing during the processing period P at timings t3 to t4 (Figure 3(E)).

[0052] Figure 4 shows an example of the operation of the processing control unit 30 in the processing device 20. The processing control unit 30 performs the following processing during each processing period P.

[0053] First, the processing prediction unit 31 of the processing control unit 30 estimates the processing amount of type A processing in each of the multiple processing periods P after the current processing period P, based on the vehicle state of the vehicle 1 (step S101). In the processing device 20, various processes are performed in response to changes in the vehicle state of the vehicle 1. For example, the type A processing performed in the processing device 20 may change depending on the speed of the vehicle 1. Also, the type A processing performed in the processing device 20 may change when the driver of the vehicle 1 operates the steering wheel. Therefore, the processing prediction unit 31 estimates the processing amount of type A processing in each of the multiple processing periods P (e.g., 20 to 100) after the current processing period P, based on the vehicle state of the vehicle 1.

[0054] Next, the processing planning unit 32 of the processing control unit 30 estimates the processing volume of type A processing in the processing period P following the current processing period P, based on multiple estimation results from the processing prediction unit 31 (step S102). That is, since the processing prediction unit 31 performs the processing in step S101 for each processing period P, there are multiple estimation results for the processing volume of type A processing in a given processing period P. The processing planning unit 32 estimates the processing volume of type A processing in the processing period P based on these multiple estimation results.

[0055] Next, the processing planning unit 32 checks whether the processing amount estimated in step S102 is less than or equal to a predetermined amount (step S103). If the estimated processing amount is greater than the predetermined amount ("N" in step S103), this process is terminated.

[0056] In step S103, if the estimated processing amount is less than or equal to a predetermined amount (Y in step S103), the processing planning unit 32 decides which of the Type B processing to perform based on the vehicle state of vehicle 1 (step S104). Some of the Type B processing is constrained by the vehicle state. For example, the image correction unit 22 performs processing when vehicle 1 is traveling at a speed of a predetermined speed or higher. Therefore, the processing planning unit 32 plans not to perform processing by the image correction unit 22 if the vehicle speed of vehicle 1 is lower than this predetermined speed. In this way, the processing planning unit 32 decides which of the Type B processing to perform based on the vehicle state of vehicle 1, taking into account the processing constraints.

[0057] Then, the processing planning unit 32 determines the processing amount for type B processing based on the processing amount for type A processing estimated in step S102 (step S105). That is, for example, if the estimated processing amount for type A processing is 20%, the processing planning unit 32 sets the processing amount so that the processing amount for type B processing is 80% or less.

[0058] This completes the process.

[0059] The operating system of the processing unit 20 sets the clock frequency based on the total processing load of all operations performed by the processing unit 20. For example, the operating system sets the clock frequency to a high frequency when the processing load is large, and to a low frequency when the processing load is small.

[0060] Thus, the driving control system 10 is capable of executing a first type of processing (Type A) that needs to be processed in real time and a second type of processing (Type B) that does not need to be processed in real time, and is equipped with a processing circuit (processing device 20) that can execute estimation processing (processing by the processing prediction unit 31) and determination processing (processing by the processing planning unit 32) in each of a plurality of unit periods (processing periods P). The estimation processing (processing by the processing prediction unit 31) includes estimating the amount of processing for the first type of processing (Type A) in a second unit period (processing period P) that follows the first unit period (processing period P) in which the estimation processing is performed, based on the vehicle state, including the driving state of the vehicle 1 and the operating state of the driver of the vehicle 1. The determination processing (processing by the processing planning unit 32) includes determining the processing content for the second type of processing (Type B) in the second unit period (processing period P) based on the results of the estimation processing (processing by the processing prediction unit 31) and the vehicle state. As a result, the processing unit 20 controls the processing so that, for example, if the processing volume of type A is large, it does not execute type B processing. Therefore, the driving control system 10 can prevent the clock frequency of the processing unit 20 from becoming too high. Furthermore, by suppressing the clock frequency of the processing unit 20 in this way, the amount of heat dissipated by the processing unit 20 can be reduced, and the rotation speed of the cooling fan that dissipates heat from the processing unit 20 can be reduced. As a result, the driving control system 10 can reduce power consumption.

[0061] Furthermore, in the driving control system 10, the decision process (processing of the processing planning unit 32) includes determining the processing content of the second type (type B) processing based on the vehicle state, when the amount of processing of the first type (type A) in the second unit period (processing period P) is less than or equal to a predetermined amount, based on the result of the estimation process (processing of the processing prediction unit 31). As a result, the processing unit 20 controls the processing so that, for example, if the amount of processing of type A is greater than a predetermined amount, it does not execute the processing of type B. This allows the driving control system 10 to reduce the clock frequency of the processing unit 20 and the rotation speed of the cooling fan. As a result, the driving control system 10 can reduce power consumption.

[0062] Furthermore, in the driving control system 10, the estimation process (processing by the processing prediction unit 31) includes estimating the processing volume of the first type (type A) of processing in each of two or more unit periods (processing period P), including the second unit period (processing period P) that follows the first unit period (processing period P). Then, the decision process (processing by the processing planning unit 32) includes determining the processing content of the second type (type B) of processing in the second unit period (processing period P) based on the results of multiple estimation processes for the processing volume of the first type (type A) of processing in the second unit period (processing period P), and the vehicle state. In other words, since the processing prediction unit 31 performs the processing of step S101 in each of the processing periods P, there are multiple estimation results for the processing volume of type A in a given processing period P. The processing planning unit 32 estimates the processing volume of type A processing in that processing period P based on these multiple estimation results. This allows the driving control system 10 to improve the estimation accuracy when estimating the processing volume of type A processing. As a result, the driving control system 10 can reduce power consumption more effectively.

[0063] Furthermore, in the driving control system 10, the first type of processing (type A) includes processing related to the driving control of the vehicle 1, and the second type of processing (type B) includes one or more of the following: image correction processing (processing by the image correction unit 22) that corrects the captured image (stereo image) generated by the imaging device (stereo camera 11) that captures the area in front of the vehicle 1, communication processing between the vehicle 1 and the outside of the vehicle 1 (processing by the communication control unit 26), and position estimation processing (processing by the self-position estimation unit 25) that estimates the position of the vehicle 1. The processing unit 20 controls the processing so that, for example, if the amount of processing for type A is large, it does not execute these type B processing operations. As a result, the driving control system 10 can reduce the clock frequency of the processing unit 20 and the rotation speed of the cooling fan.

[0064] [Effects] As described above, this embodiment is capable of executing a first type of processing that needs to be processed in real time and a second type of processing that does not need to be processed in real time, and includes a processing circuit capable of executing estimation processing and determination processing in each of a plurality of unit periods. The estimation processing includes estimating the amount of processing for the first type of processing in a second unit period that follows the first unit period in which the estimation processing is performed, based on the vehicle state, including the vehicle's driving state and the driver's operating state. The determination processing includes determining the processing content for the second type of processing in the second unit period, based on the results of the estimation processing and the vehicle state. As a result, power consumption can be reduced.

[0065] In this embodiment, the decision process includes determining the processing content of the second type of processing based on the vehicle state, when the amount of processing of the first type in the second unit period is less than or equal to a predetermined amount, based on the result of the estimation process. As a result, power consumption can be reduced.

[0066] In this embodiment, the estimation process includes estimating the processing volume of the first type of processing in each of two or more unit periods, including a second unit period, that follows the first unit period. The determination process includes determining the processing content of the second type of processing in the second unit period based on the results of multiple estimation processes for the processing volume of the first type of processing in the second unit period and the vehicle status. As a result, power consumption can be reduced.

[0067] In this embodiment, the first type of processing includes processing related to vehicle driving control, and the second type of processing includes one or more of the following: image correction processing to correct the captured image generated by an imaging device that captures the area in front of the vehicle, communication processing between the vehicle and an external device, and position estimation processing to estimate the vehicle's position. As a result, power consumption can be reduced.

[0068] [Modification] In the above embodiment, as shown in Figure 4, the processing planning unit 32 determines the processing amount of type B processing in step S115 based on the estimated processing amount of type A processing, but it is not limited to this. Alternatively, for example, the processing planning unit 32 may determine the processing amount of type B processing based on other information in addition to the estimated processing amount of type A processing. Figure 5 shows an example of operation of the processing control unit 30 according to this modification. The processing in steps S101 to S104 is the same as in the above embodiment (Figure 4). In step S115, the processing planning unit 32 determines the processing amount of type B processing based on the processing amount of type A processing estimated in step S102, the clock frequency of the processing unit 20, the temperature of the processing unit 20, and the rotation speed of the cooling fan of the processing unit 20 (step S115). Specifically, for example, if the clock frequency of the processing unit 20 is high, the processing planning unit 32 sets the processing amount of type B processing to a smaller value in order to lower the clock frequency of the processing unit 20. For example, if the temperature of the processing unit 20 is high, the processing planning unit 32 will set the processing amount of type B processing to a lower level in order to lower the temperature of the processing unit 20. Similarly, if the rotation speed of the cooling fan of the processing unit 20 is high, the processing planning unit 32 will set the processing amount of type B processing to a lower level in order to lower the rotation speed of the processing unit 20.

[0069] In this example, the processing planning unit 32 estimated the processing amount for type B processing based on the estimated processing amount for type A processing, as well as the clock frequency of the processing unit 20, the temperature of the processing unit 20, and the rotation speed of the cooling fan of the processing unit 20. However, it is not limited to this. The processing planning unit 32 may use one or two of the following: the clock frequency of the processing unit 20, the temperature of the processing unit 20, and the rotation speed of the cooling fan of the processing unit 20.

[0070] While several embodiments of this disclosure have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, this disclosure is by no means limited to the embodiments described above. Those skilled in the art will understand that various modifications and changes can be made without departing from the scope defined by the claims. This disclosure is intended to encompass such modifications and changes insofar as they fall within the scope of the claims and their equivalents.

[0071] For example, in the above embodiment, the processing unit 20 is configured to include one or more processors and one or more memories. For example, if the processing unit 20 includes multiple processors, the present technology can be applied to one or more of these multiple processors.

[0072] The effects described herein are illustrative only, and the effects of this disclosure are not limited to those described herein. Therefore, other effects may be obtained with respect to this disclosure.

[0073] Furthermore, this disclosure may take the following forms:

[0074] (1) A driving control system comprising a processing circuit capable of executing a first type of processing that needs to be processed in real time and a second type of processing that does not need to be processed in real time, and capable of executing estimation processing and determination processing in each of a plurality of unit periods, wherein the estimation processing includes estimating the amount of processing for the first type of processing in a second unit period after the first unit period in which the estimation processing is performed, based on the vehicle state including the driving state of the vehicle and the operating state of the vehicle's driver, and the determination processing includes determining the processing content of the second type of processing in the second unit period based on the result of the estimation processing and the vehicle state. (2) The driving control system according to (1), wherein the determination processing includes determining the processing content of the second type of processing based on the vehicle state when the amount of processing for the first type of processing in the second unit period is less than or equal to a predetermined amount, based on the result of the estimation processing. (3) The driving control system according to (1) or (2), wherein the estimation process includes estimating the amount of processing of the first type of processing in each of two or more unit periods, including the second unit period, that are after the first unit period, and the determination process includes determining the processing content of the second type of processing in the second unit period based on the results of a plurality of estimation processes for the amount of processing of the first type of processing in the second unit period and the vehicle state. (4) The driving control system according to any one of (1) to (3), wherein the first type of processing includes processing for driving control of the vehicle, and the second type of processing includes one or more of the following: image correction processing for correcting an image captured by an imaging device that captures the area in front of the vehicle, communication processing between the vehicle and an external device, and position estimation processing for estimating the position of the vehicle. (5) The driving control system according to any one of (1) to (4), wherein the determination process further includes determining the processing content based on one or more of the temperature of the processing circuit, the clock frequency of the processing circuit, and the rotation speed of a cooling fan that dissipates heat from the processing circuit.(6) A vehicle that is capable of performing a first type of processing that needs to be performed in real time and a second type of processing that does not need to be performed in real time, and is equipped with a processing circuit capable of performing estimation processing and determination processing in each of a plurality of unit periods, wherein the estimation processing includes estimating the amount of processing for the first type of processing in a second unit period after the first unit period in which the estimation processing is performed, based on the vehicle state including the driving state of the vehicle and the operating state of the vehicle's driver, and the determination processing includes determining the content of processing for the second type of processing in the second unit period, based on the result of the estimation processing and the vehicle state.

[0075] The processing unit 20 shown in Figure 1 can be implemented by a circuit including at least one semiconductor integrated circuit, such as at least one processor (e.g., a central processing unit (CPU)), at least one application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) and / or at least one field-programmable gate array (FPGA). At least one processor can be configured to perform all or some of the functions of the processing unit 20 shown in Figure 1 by reading instructions from at least one non-transient, tangible computer-readable medium. Such a medium can take various forms, including, but is not limited to, various magnetic media such as hard disks, various optical media such as CDs or DVDs, and various semiconductor memories (i.e., semiconductor circuits) such as volatile memory or non-volatile memory. Volatile memory may include DRAM and SRAM. Non-volatile memory may include ROM and NVRAM. An ASIC is an integrated circuit (IC) specialized to perform all or some of the functions of the processing unit 20 shown in Figure 1. An FPGA is an integrated circuit designed to be configurable after manufacturing to perform all or some of the functions of the processing unit 20 shown in Figure 1.

Claims

1. A driving control system that is capable of performing a first type of processing that needs to be performed in real time and a second type of processing that does not need to be performed in real time, and comprises a processing circuit capable of performing estimation processing and determination processing in each of a plurality of unit periods, wherein the estimation processing includes estimating the amount of processing for the first type of processing in a second unit period following the first unit period in which the estimation processing is performed, based on the vehicle state including the driving state of the vehicle and the operating state of the vehicle's driver, and the determination processing includes determining the processing content of the second type of processing in the second unit period based on the result of the estimation processing and the vehicle state.

2. The driving control system according to claim 1, wherein the determination process includes determining the content of the second type of processing based on the vehicle state when the amount of processing of the first type in the second unit period is less than or equal to a predetermined amount, based on the result of the estimation process.

3. The driving control system according to claim 1, wherein the estimation process includes estimating the amount of processing of the first type of processing in each of two or more unit periods, including the second unit period, which are after the first unit period, and the determination process includes determining the processing content of the second type of processing in the second unit period based on the results of a plurality of estimation processes for the amount of processing of the first type of processing in the second unit period and the vehicle state.

4. The driving control system according to claim 1, wherein the first type of processing includes processing for driving control of the vehicle, and the second type of processing includes one or more of the following: image correction processing for correcting an image captured by an imaging device that captures the area in front of the vehicle, communication processing between the vehicle and an external device, and position estimation processing for estimating the position of the vehicle.

5. The driving control system according to claim 1, further comprising determining the processing content based on one or more of the following: the temperature of the processing circuit, the clock frequency of the processing circuit, and the rotation speed of a cooling fan that dissipates heat from the processing circuit.

6. A vehicle capable of performing a first type of processing that needs to be performed in real time and a second type of processing that does not need to be performed in real time, and comprising a processing circuit capable of performing estimation processing and determination processing in each of a plurality of unit periods, wherein the estimation processing includes estimating the amount of processing for the first type of processing in a second unit period following the first unit period in which the estimation processing is performed, based on the vehicle state including the driving state of the vehicle and the operating state of the vehicle's driver, and the determination processing includes determining the content of processing for the second type of processing in the second unit period, based on the result of the estimation processing and the vehicle state.

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