SUPPORT CONTROL DEVICE

• US 20090265070A1
• Filed: 05/15/2007
• Published: 10/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.), Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.), Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Nakamura, Motohiro, Hasunuma, Makoto, Nakamura, Masaki, Okada, Kiyokazu, Suzuki, Hidenobu
• Granted Patent: US 8,271,174 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/70
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/00 Purposes of road vehicle drive control systems not related to the control of a particular sub-unit, e.g. of systems using conjoint control of vehicle sub-units
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/10 related to vehicle motion
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/0098 Details of control systems ensuring comfort, safety or stability not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/30 Map- or contour-matching

Abstract

An accuracy error for measuring the position of an own vehicle is calculated based on the information of an execution history of map matching and the information of an update history of a map database. In addition, a predetermined map is referred to based on the calculated accuracy error, and an accuracy error level for performing positioning is specified from among plural stepwise levels. Then, the control level of assist control executed according to the position of the own vehicle is changed so as to correspond to the specified accuracy error level.

Claims

1. An assist control device comprising:

positioning means that measures a position of an object;

assist control execution means that executes assist control according to the position of the object measured by the positioning means;

accuracy error calculation means that calculates an accuracy error that is caused when the position of the object is measured by the positioning means, the accuracy error being accumulated as the object moves; and

control level change means that changes a control level of the assist control executed by the assist control execution means so as to correspond to the accuracy error calculated by the accuracy error calculation means.

2. The assist control device according to claim 1, wherein

the assist control has plural assist modes corresponding to the control level.

3. The assist control device according to claim 1, wherein

the control level change means expedites execution start timing of the assist control executed by the assist control execution means when the accuracy error calculated by the accuracy error calculation means is larger.

4. The assist control device according to claim 1, wherein

the assist control performs driving assist that causes an own vehicle to stop at a stop position.

5. The assist control device according to claim 1, wherein

the assist control performs driving assist that prevents an own vehicle from colliding into a crossing vehicle.

6. The assist control device according to claim 1, wherein

the accuracy error calculation means calculates the accuracy error based on a movement distance of the object after map matching of the position of the object based on recognition of a feature from an image picked up by a camera.

7. The assist control device according to claim 1, wherein

the accuracy error calculation means calculates the accuracy error based on a movement distance of the object after map matching of the position of the object based on recognition of a feature from an image picked up by a camera and an elapsed time after an update of a map database that stores map data.

9. The assist control device according to claim 2, wherein

the control level change means expedites execution start timing of the assist control executed by the assist control execution means when the accuracy error calculated by the accuracy error calculation means is larger.

10. The assist control device according to claim 2, wherein

the assist control performs driving assist that causes an own vehicle to stop at a stop position.

11. The assist control device according to claim 3, wherein

the assist control performs driving assist that causes an own vehicle to stop at a stop position.

12. The assist control device according to claim 9, wherein

the assist control performs driving assist that causes an own vehicle to stop at a stop position.

13. The assist control device according to claim 2, wherein

the assist control performs driving assist that prevents an own vehicle from colliding into a crossing vehicle.

14. The assist control device according to claim 3, wherein

the assist control performs driving assist that prevents an own vehicle from colliding into a crossing vehicle.

15. The assist control device according to claim 9, wherein

the assist control performs driving assist that prevents an own vehicle from colliding into a crossing vehicle.

8. (canceled)