TRAVEL SUPPORT APPARATUS AND TRAVEL SUPPORT SYSTEM
First Claim
1. A travel support apparatus disposed in a subject vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
- a communication unit for communicably coupling the subject vehicle with surrounding vehicles for exchanging information via vehicle-to-vehicle communication, the information including a speed control capacity of a vehicle;
a first inter-vehicle distance detection unit for detecting an inter-vehicle distance from the subject vehicle to a lead vehicle of the subject vehicle;
a travel control unit for controlling the inter-vehicle distance to the lead vehicle based on the information received by the communication unit from the lead vehicle;
a speed control capacity calculation unit for determining a speed control capacity of the subject vehicle;
a comparison unit for comparing the speed control capacity of the subject vehicle determined by the speed control capacity calculation unit with the speed control capacity of a following vehicle of the subject vehicle when the communication unit receives the speed control capacity of the following vehicle; and
a maximum deceleration restriction unit for determining a restricted value of a maximum deceleration of the subject vehicle when the comparison unit determines that the following vehicle has a lower speed control capacity than the subject vehicle.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A travel support system uses a wireless communication unit for receiving a following vehicle'"'"'s speed control capacity, and compares the speed control capacity received with a speed control capacity of the subject vehicle. If the speed control capacity of the following vehicle is higher than the capacity of the subject vehicle, a maximum deceleration of the subject vehicle is restricted to a restricted value. In addition, a target inter-vehicle distance to a lead vehicle is set according to the restricted value of the subject vehicle, thereby enabling a reduction of the inter-vehicle distance to the lead vehicle for each of the vehicles in a convoy.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. A travel support apparatus disposed in a subject vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
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a communication unit for communicably coupling the subject vehicle with surrounding vehicles for exchanging information via vehicle-to-vehicle communication, the information including a speed control capacity of a vehicle; a first inter-vehicle distance detection unit for detecting an inter-vehicle distance from the subject vehicle to a lead vehicle of the subject vehicle; a travel control unit for controlling the inter-vehicle distance to the lead vehicle based on the information received by the communication unit from the lead vehicle; a speed control capacity calculation unit for determining a speed control capacity of the subject vehicle; a comparison unit for comparing the speed control capacity of the subject vehicle determined by the speed control capacity calculation unit with the speed control capacity of a following vehicle of the subject vehicle when the communication unit receives the speed control capacity of the following vehicle; and a maximum deceleration restriction unit for determining a restricted value of a maximum deceleration of the subject vehicle when the comparison unit determines that the following vehicle has a lower speed control capacity than the subject vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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4. A travel support apparatus disposed in a subject vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
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a communication unit for communicably coupling the subject vehicle with surrounding vehicles for exchanging information via vehicle-to-vehicle communication, information including a convoy information for a convoy travel of multiple vehicles and a speed control capacity of a vehicle transmitting the information; a inter-vehicle distance detection unit for detecting an inter-vehicle distance to a lead vehicle; a travel control unit for organizing the convoy travel of multiple vehicles by controlling the inter-vehicle distance to the lead vehicle based on the convoy information received by the communication unit; a speed control capacity calculation unit for determining a speed control capacity of the subject vehicle; a comparison unit for comparing the speed control capacity of the subject vehicle calculated by the subject vehicle speed control capacity calculation unit with a speed control capacity of the lead vehicle received by the communication unit; and a target inter-vehicle distance determination unit for determining a-target inter-vehicle distance to the lead vehicle, wherein the target inter-vehicle distance is greater when the comparison unit determines the speed control capacity of the lead vehicle is greater than the speed control capacity of the subject vehicle.
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5. A travel support apparatus disposed in a subject vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
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a communication unit for communicably coupling the subject vehicle with surrounding vehicles for exchanging information via vehicle-to-vehicle communication, the information including convoy information for a convoy travel of multiple vehicles and a capacity calculation information for determining a speed control capacity of a vehicle transmitting the information; a first inter-vehicle distance detection unit for detecting an inter-vehicle distance to a lead vehicle; a travel control unit for organizing the convoy travel of the multiple vehicles by controlling the inter-vehicle distance to the lead vehicle based on the convoy information received by the communication unit; a subject vehicle speed control capacity calculation unit for calculating a speed control capacity of the subject vehicle; a following vehicle speed control capacity calculation unit for calculating a speed control capacity of a following vehicle based on capacity calculation information received by the communication unit from the following vehicle; a comparison unit for comparing the speed control capacity of the subject vehicle with the speed control capacity of the following vehicle; and a maximum deceleration restriction unit for determining a restricted value of a maximum deceleration of the subject vehicle when the comparison unit determines the speed control capacity of the subject vehicle is greater than the speed control capacity of the following vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7)
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8. A travel support apparatus disposed in a subject vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
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a communication unit for communicably coupling the subject vehicle with surrounding vehicles for exchanging information via vehicle-to-vehicle communication, the information including convoy information for a convoy travel of multiple vehicles and a capacity calculation information for determining a speed control capacity of a vehicle transmitting the information; a inter-vehicle distance detection unit for detecting an inter-vehicle distance to a lead vehicle; a travel control unit for organizing the convoy travel of the vehicles by controlling the inter-vehicle distance to, the lead vehicle based on the convoy information received by the communication unit; an-subject vehicle speed control capacity calculation unit for determining a speed control capacity of the subject vehicle; a lead vehicle speed control capacity calculation unit for determining a speed control capacity of a lead vehicle based on the capacity calculation information received by the communication unit from the lead vehicle; a comparison unit for comparing the speed control capacity of the subject vehicle with the speed control capacity of the lead vehicle; and a target inter-vehicle distance determination unit for determining a target inter-vehicle distance to the lead vehicle, the target inter-vehicle distance being increased according to an increase of capacity difference between the subject vehicle and the lead vehicle when the comparison unit determines that the subject vehicle has a lower speed control capacity than the lead vehicle.
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13. A travel support system comprising:
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a plurality of vehicles; a travel support apparatus disposed in each of the plurality of vehicles, the travel support apparatus including; a communication unit for communicably coupling each of the plurality vehicles with each other for exchanging information via vehicle-to-vehicle communication, the information including a speed control capacity of a subject vehicle, a inter-vehicle distance detection unit for detecting an inter-vehicle distance from the subject vehicle to a lead vehicle of the subject vehicle, a travel control unit for controlling the inter-vehicle distance to the lead vehicle based on the information received by the communication unit from the lead vehicle, a speed control capacity calculation unit for determining a speed control capacity of the subject vehicle, a comparison unit for comparing the speed control capacity of the subject vehicle with the speed control capacity of a following vehicle of the subject vehicle when the communication unit receives the speed control capacity of the following vehicle, and a maximum deceleration restriction unit for determining a restricted value of a maximum deceleration of the subject vehicle when the comparison unit determines that the following vehicle has a lower speed control capacity than the subject vehicle, and a target inter-vehicle distance determination unit for determining a target inter-vehicle distance to the lead vehicle, the target inter-vehicle distance having clearance for absorbing an inter-vehicle distance change due to a difference of the speed control capacity of the subject vehicle and the speed control capacity of the lead vehicle after the maximum deceleration restriction unit determines the restricted value of the maximum deceleration of the subject vehicle, wherein the travel control unit controls the inter-vehicle distance between the subject vehicle and the lead vehicle to at least the target inter-vehicle distance determined by the target inter-vehicle distance determination unit.
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Specification