Preceding Vehicle Trajectory Estimation for Responsive Steering Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vehicle control systems face challenges in achieving both accuracy and responsiveness when estimating the movement trajectory of a preceding vehicle, particularly when using inappropriate ranges of registered relative positions.

Innovation Solution

A vehicle control apparatus calculates approximation equations of varying degrees for different retrospective ranges of relative position information, allowing for improved estimation by reflecting information about lateral position, yaw angle, and curvature, and outputs instructions to a steering control apparatus to enhance tracking accuracy and responsiveness.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If the retrospective range is set to ensure accuracy for estimating lateral position, then the accuracy of lateral position estimation is improved, but the responsiveness of curvature estimation deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelateral position estimation accuracyVSAvoidcurvature estimation responsiveness
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the estimation process by dividing it into two distinct stages: a first estimation using a first retrospective range for lateral position, and a second estimation using a second retrospective range for curvature. This segmentation allows each estimation to use an optimized range suited to its specific requirements, resolving the contradiction between accuracy and responsiveness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies different retrospective ranges for different estimation purposes: a wider first retrospective range for lateral position estimation and a narrower second retrospective range for curvature estimation. This local quality approach tailors the estimation parameters to the specific requirements of each parameter being estimated.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Speed

If the retrospective range is set to ensure responsiveness for curvature estimation, then the responsiveness is improved, but the accuracy of lateral position estimation deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecurvature estimation responsivenessVSAvoidlateral position estimation accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the estimation process into two independent stages, allowing curvature estimation to use a narrow retrospective range for responsiveness while lateral position estimation uses a wide range for accuracy. This segmentation eliminates the trade-off by decoupling the two estimation requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies different retrospective ranges optimized for each specific estimation task: a narrow second retrospective range for curvature estimation to achieve responsiveness, and a wider first retrospective range for lateral position estimation to achieve accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Device complexity

If a single retrospective range is used for both lateral position and curvature estimation, then the device complexity is reduced, but the overall estimation accuracy and responsiveness deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveestimation system complexityVSAvoidmovement trajectory estimation accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the estimation process into two distinct stages with different retrospective ranges, improving overall estimation accuracy despite increased complexity. The segmentation allows each estimation to be optimized independently.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies different retrospective ranges for different estimation purposes, achieving superior overall performance by optimizing each local estimation task according to its specific requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP3747719B1Vehicle control device and method therefor
Publication Date: 2024.02.28 ASTEMO LTD
  • EP3747719B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3747719B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3747719B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present invention is directed to improving compatibility between accuracy and responsiveness for estimation of a movement trajectory of a preceding vehicle. A vehicle control apparatus calculates an approximation equation of an N-th degree function as a movement trajectory of a preceding vehicle from at least two pieces of relative position information in each of a plurality of retrospective ranges set as ranges to which the vehicle control apparatus should date back from newest relative position information in a history of a stored plurality of pieces of relative position information, and calculates a coefficient of a predetermined degree in each approximation equation. In the calculation of the coefficient of the predetermined degree, the vehicle control apparatus uses an approximation equation calculated from the at least two pieces of relative position information acquired when setting the retrospective range to the same range or a narrower range compared to when calculating a coefficient of a relatively low degree when calculating a coefficient of a relatively high degree, and uses an approximation equation calculated from the at least two pieces of relative position information acquired when setting the retrospective range to a narrower range compared to when calculating a coefficient of a lowest degree at least when calculating a coefficient of a highest degree. The vehicle control apparatus outputs an instruction according to the calculated coefficient of each degree to a steering control apparatus of a subject vehicle.