VEHICLE NAVIGATION ROUTE SEARCH SYSTEM, METHOD, AND PROGRAM

• US 20170010613A1
• Filed: 01/27/2015
• Published: 01/12/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: FUKUMOTO, Masataka
• Granted Patent: US 10,126,743 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3453 Special cost functions, i.e. other than distance or default speed limit of road segments
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3492 employing speed data or traffic data, e.g. real-time or historical traffic control systems for road vehicles involving transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle G08G1/0968
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0088 characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours using knowledge based models G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096827 where the route is computed onboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096844 where the complete route is dynamically recomputed based on new data

Abstract

A vehicle navigation route search system, method, and program search for a recommended route in the case where a vehicle travels by autonomous driving control in an autonomous driving section where autonomous driving control of the vehicle is permitted. The system, method, and program calculate a cost value by using a cost table for autonomous driving control which is set such that a route that is more suitable for traveling by autonomous driving control has a lower cost value, and search for the recommended route based on the calculated cost value.

Claims

1. A vehicle navigation route search system that searches for a recommended route in the case where a vehicle travels by autonomous driving control in an autonomous driving section where autonomous driving control of the vehicle is permitted, characterized by comprising:

a processor programmed to;

calculate a cost value by using a cost table for autonomous driving control which is set such that a route that is more suitable for traveling by autonomous driving control has a lower cost value; and

search for the recommended route based on the calculated cost value.

2. The vehicle navigation route search system according to claim 1, wherein:

the cost table for autonomous driving control includes a plurality of elements for calculating the cost value;

the processor is programmed to calculate a sum of values specified for each of the elements as the cost value; and

the plurality of elements include an autonomous driving determination element for determining if a route is suitable for traveling by autonomous driving control.

3. The vehicle navigation route search system according to claim 2, wherein the cost table for autonomous driving control includes, as the autonomous driving determination element, at least one of:

exclusive road cost for preferentially selecting a route including an exclusive lane for traveling by autonomous driving control as the recommended route;

lane change cost for preferentially selecting a route requiring fewer lane changes as the recommended route;

curve curvature cost for preferentially selecting a route comprised of a road with no curve or a route including a road with a curve having smaller curvature as the recommended route;

construction period cost for preferentially selecting a route including a more recently constructed section as the recommended route; and

traffic volume cost for preferentially selecting a route with lower traffic volume as the recommended route.

4. The vehicle navigation route search system according to claim 1, wherein the processor is programmed to:

in the case where the vehicle travels by autonomous driving control in the autonomous driving section, calculate the cost value by using the cost table for autonomous driving control; and

in the case where the vehicle travels by manual driving using user'"'"'s driving maneuvers in the autonomous driving section, calculate the cost value by using a cost table for manual driving which is different from the cost table for autonomous driving control.

5. The vehicle navigation route search system according claim 1, wherein the processor is programmed to:

select whether the vehicle travels by autonomous driving control or manual driving using user'"'"'s driving maneuvers in the autonomous driving section;

if traveling by autonomous driving control is selected for the autonomous driving section, calculate the cost value by using the cost table for autonomous driving control; and

if traveling by manual driving is selected for the autonomous driving section, calculate the cost value by using a cost table for manual driving which is different from the cost table for autonomous driving control.

6. The vehicle navigation route search system according to claim 4, wherein:

the cost table for autonomous driving control and the cost table for manual driving include, as elements for calculating the cost value, at least one of;

distance cost for preferentially selecting a shorter route as the recommended route;

traffic jam cost for preferentially selecting a less congested route as the recommended route;

road width cost for preferentially selecting a route with a greater road width as the recommended route; and

number-of-lanes cost for preferentially selecting a route with a larger number of lanes as the recommended route; and

in the cost table for autonomous driving control, the distance cost, the traffic jam cost, the road width cost, and the number-of-lanes cost account for a lower proportion of the cost value, as compared to the cost table for manual driving.

7. The vehicle navigation route search system according to claim 4, wherein:

the cost table for autonomous driving control and the cost table for manual driving include, as elements for calculating the cost value, a common element that is considered in both of the tables, an element that is considered in only the cost table for autonomous driving control, and an element that is considered in only the cost table for manual driving; and

the cost table for autonomous driving control is set such that the common element accounts for a lower proportion of the overall cost value, as compared to the cost table for manual driving.

8. The vehicle navigation route search system according claim 1, wherein the processor is programmed to:

set a content of the autonomous driving control to be performed on the vehicle in the autonomous driving section included in the recommended route.

9. The vehicle navigation route search system according to claim 1, wherein:

the cost table for autonomous driving control is set such that a route including an exclusive lane for traveling by autonomous driving control has a lower cost value.

10. The vehicle navigation route search system according to claim 1, wherein:

the cost table for autonomous driving control is set such that a route requiring fewer lane changes has a lower cost value.

11. The vehicle navigation route search system according to claim 1, wherein:

the cost table for autonomous driving control is set such that a route with no curve has the lowest cost value, and for routes with a curve, a route with a curve having smaller curvature has a lower cost value.

12. The vehicle navigation route search system according to claim 1, wherein:

the cost table for autonomous driving control is set such that a route including a more recently constructed section has a lower cost value.

13. The vehicle navigation route search system according to claim 1, wherein:

the cost table for autonomous driving control is set such that a route with lower traffic volume has a lower cost value.

14. A vehicle navigation route search method for searching for a recommended route in the case where a vehicle travels by autonomous driving control in an autonomous driving section where autonomous driving control of the vehicle is permitted, the method comprising:

calculating a cost value by using a cost table for autonomous driving control which is set such that a route that is more suitable for traveling by autonomous driving control has a lower cost value; and

searching for the recommended route based on the calculated cost value.

15. A computer-readable storage medium storing a vehicle navigation route search computer program that searches for a recommended route in the case where a vehicle travels by autonomous driving control in an autonomous driving section where autonomous driving control of the vehicle is permitted, the program causing a computer to perform functions comprising:

calculating a cost value by using a cost table for autonomous driving control which is set such that a route that is more suitable for traveling by autonomous driving control has a lower cost value; and

searching for the recommended route based on the calculated cost value.

16. (canceled)