VEHICLE CONTROL DEVICE, VEHICLE CONTROL METHOD, AND VEHICLE CONTROL SYSTEM

• US 20120123660A1
• Filed: 07/28/2009
• Published: 05/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Kagawa, Kazunori, Hoshino, Masayoshi
• Application Number:
  US13/387,284
• Publication Number:
  US 20120123660A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/96
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/65 Data transmitted between vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2754/10 Spatial relation or speed relative to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2754/30 Longitudinal distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/16 Control of distance between vehicles, e.g. keeping a distance to preceding vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/00 Traffic control systems for road vehicles arrangement of road signs or traffic signals E01F9/00 ; automatic vehicle control B62D
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0112 from the vehicle, e.g. floating car data [FCD]
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0133 for classifying traffic situation
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0145 for active traffic flow control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/163 involving continuous checking
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/164 Centralised systems, e.g. external to vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/167 Driving aids for lane monitoring, lane changing, e.g. blind spot detection
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/22 Platooning, i.e. convoy of communicating vehicles

Abstract

The amount of traffic on the road is greatly affected by both an inter-vehicle distance and a vehicle speed. When the amount of traffic increases and is more than a threshold value, an ECU and an ACC control the inter-vehicle distance and the vehicle speed such that the amount of traffic is a predetermined value equal to or more than the threshold value. In this way, it is possible to effectively suppress traffic congestion.

Claims

1-15. -15. (canceled)

16. :

A vehicle control device comprising;

information acquiring unit for acquiring information related to the amount of traffic on a road on which a host vehicle travels; and

traveling control unit for, when the amount of traffic related to the information acquired by the information acquiring unit is more than a first threshold value, controlling an inter-vehicle distance between the host vehicle and other vehicles traveling on the road and the speed of the host vehicle such that the amount of traffic is equal to or more than a second threshold value.

17. :

The vehicle control device according to claim 16,

wherein the traveling control unit changes the inter-vehicle distance and the vehicle speed at which the amount of traffic is equal to or more than the second threshold value, depending on the number of other vehicles which can communicate with the host vehicle.

18. :

The vehicle control device according to claim 16,

wherein the information acquiring unit acquires information related to the number of other vehicles which cannot communicate with the host vehicle between the host vehicle and other vehicles which can communicate with the host vehicle, and

the traveling control unit changes the inter-vehicle distance at which the amount of traffic is equal to or more than the second threshold value, depending on the number of other vehicles which cannot communicate with the host vehicle between the host vehicle and other vehicles which can communicate with the host vehicle related to the information acquired by the information acquiring unit.

19. :

The vehicle control device according to claim 16,

wherein the traveling control unit changes the first threshold value, depending on a region including the road.

20. :

The vehicle control device according to claim 17,

wherein the information acquiring unit acquires information related to the amount of traffic in each lane of the road, and

the traveling control unit controls at least one of the inter-vehicle distance and the vehicle speed on the basis of the amount of traffic in each lane of the road related to the information acquired by the information acquiring unit.

21. :

A vehicle control method comprising;

a step of acquiring information related to the amount of traffic on a road on which a host vehicle travels; and

a step of, when the amount of traffic related to the acquired information is more than a first threshold value, controlling an inter-vehicle distance between the host vehicle and other vehicles traveling on the road and the speed of the host vehicle such that the amount of traffic is equal to or more than a second threshold value.

22. :

The vehicle control method according to claim 21,

wherein, in the step of controlling the inter-vehicle distance and the vehicle speed such that the amount of traffic is equal to or more than the second threshold value, the inter-vehicle distance and the vehicle speed at which the amount of traffic is equal to or more than the second threshold value are changed depending on the number of other vehicles which can communicate with the host vehicle.

23. :

The vehicle control method according to claim 21,

wherein, in the step of acquiring the information related to the amount of traffic on the road on which the host vehicle travels, information related to the number of other vehicles which cannot communicate with the host vehicle between the host vehicle and other vehicles which can communicate with the host vehicle is acquired, and

in the step of controlling the inter-vehicle distance and the vehicle speed such that the amount of traffic is equal to or more than the second threshold value, the inter-vehicle distance at which the amount of traffic is equal to or more than the second threshold value is changed depending on the number of other vehicles which cannot communicate with the host vehicle between the host vehicle and other vehicles which can communicate with the host vehicle related to the acquired information.

24. :

The vehicle control method according to claim 21,

wherein, in the step of controlling the inter-vehicle distance and the vehicle speed such that the amount of traffic is equal to or more than the second threshold value, the first threshold value is changed depending on a region including the road.

25. :

The vehicle control method according to claim 22,

wherein, in the step of acquiring the information related to the amount of traffic on the road on which the host vehicle travels, information related to the amount of traffic in each lane of the road is acquired, and

in the step of controlling the inter-vehicle distance and the vehicle speed such that the amount of traffic is equal to or more than the second threshold value, at least one of the inter-vehicle distance and the vehicle speed is controlled on the basis of the amount of traffic in each lane of the road related to the information acquired.

26. :

A vehicle control system comprising;

information acquiring unit for acquiring information related to the amount of traffic on a road on which a plurality of vehicles travel; and

traveling control unit for, when the amount of traffic related to the information acquired by the information acquiring unit is more than a first threshold value, controlling an inter-vehicle distance between at least two of the vehicles traveling on the road and the speed of at least one of the vehicles such that the amount of traffic is equal to or more than a second threshold value.

27. :

The vehicle control system according to claim 26,

wherein the traveling control unit changes the inter-vehicle distance and the vehicle speed at which the amount of traffic is equal to or more than the second threshold value, depending on the number of vehicles which can communicate with each other.

28. :

The vehicle control system according to claim 26,

wherein the information acquiring unit acquires information related to the number of vehicles which cannot communicate with each other between the vehicles which can communicate with each other, and

the traveling control unit changes the inter-vehicle distance at which the amount of traffic is equal to or more than the second threshold value, depending on the number of vehicles which cannot communicate with each other between the vehicles which can communicate with each other related to the information acquired by the information acquiring unit.

29. :

The vehicle control system according to claim 26,

wherein the traveling control unit changes the first threshold value, depending on a region including the road.

30. :

The vehicle control system according to claim 27,

wherein the information acquiring unit acquires information related to the amount of traffic in each lane of the road, and

the traveling control unit controls at least one of the inter-vehicle distance and the vehicle speed on the basis of the amount of traffic in each lane of the road related to the information acquired by the information acquiring unit.