Drive simulation apparatus

• US 6,431,872 B1
• Filed: 12/10/1999
• Issued: 08/13/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/25/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Nishihara, Takashi, Hashimoto, Yuichi, Sakai, Takuya, Nishi, Yutaka, Kawagoe, Hiroyuki, Torii, Toyotaka, Ohtsu, Akihiko, Shiraishi, Shuji, Kuriki, Nobuharu, Ishihama, Hidenori, Serizawa, Mitsuya, Yamamoto, Osamu
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheng, Joe H.
• Application Number:
  US09/457,707
• Time in Patent Office: 977 Days
• Field of Search: 434/29, 434/30, 434/38, 434/44, 434/45, 434/46, 434/55, 434/58, 434/59, 434/61, 434/62, 434/64, 434/65, 434/67, 434/69, 434/71, 434/307.R, 434/308, 434/372, 434/373, 434/365, 463/6, 463/35, 463/36, 463/39, 463/46, 463/42, 472/60, 472/61, 472/130, 731/17, 348/51, 348/121, 348/208, 345/8, 345/7, 345/145, 244/190, 273/148.B, 273/442, 703/7, 703/8, 701/2
• US Class Current: 434/69
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 9/05 the view from a vehicle being simulated G09B9/052, G09B9/058 take precedence

Abstract

A cockpit is supported by a motion base in a state of being capable of making swinging movement. A host computer calculate vehicle motion information in accordance with operation of various operation equipments performed by a driver accommodated in the cockpit. A simulation image is formed, the cockpit is controlled for swinging movement, and various meters or the like in the cockpit are controlled on the basis of an obtained result of the calculation. Thus, the drive simulation is carried out in a state approximate to that of a real vehicle.

Claims

1. A drive simulation apparatus comprising:

a cockpit provided with various operation equipments and meters required to drive a vehicle, for accommodating a driver;

a motion base for supporting said cockpit in a swingable state by the aid of actuators;

an image display unit for displaying a simulation image;

a host computer for controlling said various operation equipments, said meters, and said image display unit and calculating a control signal for swinging said motion base in accordance with operation of said driver;

a cockpit interface arranged in said cockpit, for supplying an operation signal generated by operating said operation equipment by said driver to said host computer, and supplying said control signal to said cockpit; and

a network circuit for mutually sending and receiving said signal between said cockpit interface and said host computer.

2. The drive simulation apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a motion controller for driving said actuators and controlling swinging movement of said cockpit on the basis of said control signal; and

a network circuit for mutually sending and receiving said signal between said motion controller and said host computer.

3. The drive simulation apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

an acoustic controller for controlling acoustic equipments in said cockpit on the basis of said control signal; and

a network circuit for mutually sending and receiving said signal between said acoustic controller and said host computer.

4. The drive simulation apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

an image-forming means for controlling said image display unit to form a simulation image on the basis of said control signal; and

a network circuit for mutually sending and receiving said signal between said image-forming means and said host computer.

5. The drive simulation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said motion base supports said cockpit to be capable of making at least a pitching action, and said host computer makes setting in an initial setting state before starting an action of said cockpit so that a front side of said cockpit is deflected by an offset angle θ

_n toward a side of a maximum angle θ

_MAX from a central point between said maximum angle θ

_MAX and a minimum angle θ

_MIN of a pitch angle.

6. The drive simulation apparatus according to claim 5, wherein an inclination table, which supports said cockpit to be inclined by said offset angle θ

_n, is allowed to intervene between said cockpit and said motion base, and said cockpit is maintained in a horizontal state by said inclination table in said initial setting state before starting said action of said cockpit.

7. The drive simulation apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a steering torque-detecting means for detecting a steering torque generated when a steering wheel as one of said operation equipments is steered;

a first control signal-generating means for generating a first control signal on the basis of said steering torque;

a second control signal-generating means for calculating a road surface reaction force corresponding to said operation of said driver and generating a second control signal to obtain a road surface reaction force torque;

an adding means for adding said first control signal and said second control signal; and

a steering assist means for assisting steering operation of said steering wheel on the basis of an obtained added value.

8. The drive simulation apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said first control signal-generating means generates said first control signal from said steering torque and a vehicle speed calculated on the basis of said operation signal generated by said operation of said driver.

9. The drive simulation apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said steering assist means is an electric power steering mechanism.

10. The drive simulation apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a steering control signal-generating means for calculating a steering torque of a steering wheel corresponding to said operation of said driver and a road surface reaction force torque corresponding to said operation, and generating a steering control signal to obtain an added value of said steering torque and said road surface reaction force torque; and

a steering assist means for assisting steering operation of said steering wheel on the basis of said steering control signal.

11. The drive simulation apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said steering assist means is an electric power steering mechanism.

12. The drive simulation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said host computer includes:

a scenario-holding means for holding a plurality of scenarios for said image to be displayed on said image display unit; and

a scenario-changing means for selecting said scenario in accordance with said operation of said driver and changing said scenario to be displayed on said image display unit.

13. The drive simulation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said host computer includes a mode-selecting means for selecting a mode in which said motion base is operated and a mode in which said motion base is not operated.

14. The drive simulation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said motion base includes:

a plurality of cylinders for supporting said cockpit in a state of being capable of making at least a yawing action; and

a rotary table arranged between said plurality of cylinders and said cockpit, for supporting said cockpit in a state of being capable of making said yawing action.

15. The drive simulation apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said plurality of cylinders control a high frequency component of said yawing action, and said rotary table controls a low frequency component of said yawing action.

16. The drive simulation apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said rotary table is rotated and driven by an electric motor arranged on said motion base corresponding to a central position of said rotary table.

17. The drive simulation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

said host computer includes a vehicle motion-calculating means for calculating vehicle motion information in conformity with said operation of said driver, calculating a first motion base control signal from said vehicle motion information to drive and control said motion base about a swinging center of a position of a center of gravity of said vehicle, calculating a second motion base control signal to drive and control said motion base about a swinging center of a head position of said driver in said cockpit, and adding said first motion base control signal and said second motion base control signal to generate a motion base control signal; and

said cockpit is controlled for swinging movement on the basis of said motion base control signal.

18. The drive simulation apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a motion controller for outputting a command signal to control swinging movement of said cockpit on the basis of said control signal;

drivers connected to said motion controller, for supplying electric power to said respective actuators in accordance with said command signal from said motion controller; and

a stop means connected to said drivers, for cutting off said electric power to be supplied to said respective actuators to stop an action of said motion base.

19. The drive simulation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said image display unit includes:

a front image display means for displaying a front simulation image in front of said driver; and

a rear image display means for displaying a rear simulation image at the back of said driver.

20. The drive simulation apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said rear image display means is a back mirror display arranged in said cockpit.

21. The drive simulation apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said front image display means is a projector for forming a stereoscopic image.

22. The drive simulation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said cockpit is provided with a simulation stop switch capable of being operated by said driver.

23. The drive simulation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said host computer is provided with a simulation stop switch capable of being operated by said driver.

24. A drive simulation apparatus comprising:

a cockpit provided with various operation equipments and meters required to drive a vehicle, for accommodating a driver;

a motion base for supporting said cockpit in a swingable state by the aid of actuators;

an image display unit for displaying a simulation image;

a host computer for controlling said various operation equipments, said meters, and said image display unit and calculating a control signal for swinging said motion base in accordance with operation of said driver;

an image-forming means for controlling said image display unit on the basis of said control signal to form said simulation image;

a photographing means for photographing the inside of said cockpit; and

an image-synthesizing display means for synthesizing and displaying said image formed by said image-forming means and an image photographed by said photographing means.

25. The drive simulation apparatus of claim 24, wherein

said photographing means includes a driver image camera for photographing said driver, a foot image camera for photographing foot surroundings of said driver, and a steering image camera for photographing a steering wheel.

26. A drive simulation apparatus comprising:

a cockpit provided with various operation equipments and meters required to drive a vehicle, for accommodating a driver;

a motion base for supporting said cockpit in a swingable state by the aid of actuators;

an image display unit for displaying a simulation image;

a host computer for controlling said various operation equipments, said meters, and said image display unit and calculating a control signal for swinging said motion base in accordance with operation of said driver;

an AC-DC converter for converting an alternating current supplied from an external power source into a direct current;

a battery connected in parallel to said AC-DC converter; and

a relay circuit for connecting said battery to said AC-DC converter in response to ON operation of a start switch of said drive simulation apparatus;

wherein an electric equipment system concerning said operation equipments and said meters is operated by said direct current supplied from said AC-DC converter and said battery.

27. A drive simulation apparatus comprising:

a cockpit provided with various operation equipments and meters required to drive a vehicle, for accommodating a driver;

a motion base for supporting said cockpit in a swingable state by the aid of actuators;

an image display unit for displaying a simulation image;

a host computer for controlling said various operation equipments, said meters, and said image display unit and calculating a control signal for swinging said motion base in accordance with operation of said driver;

a steering torque-detecting means for detecting a steering torque generated when a steering wheel as one of said operation equipments is steered;

a first control signal-generating means for generating a first control signal on the basis of said steering torque;

a second control signal-generating means for calculating a road surface reaction force corresponding to said operation of said driver and generating a second control signal to obtain a road surface reaction torque;

an adding means for adding said first control signal and said second control signal; and

a steering assist means for assisting steering operation of said steering wheel on the basis of an obtained added value;

wherein a selector switch, which is capable of switching supply and cutoff of said added value with respect to said steering assist means, is provided between said steering assist means and said first control signal-generating means and said second control signal-generating means.

28. A drive simulation apparatus comprising:

a cockpit provided with various operation equipments and meters required to drive a vehicle, for accommodating a driver;

a motion base for supporting said cockpit in a swingable state by the aid of actuators;

an image display unit for displaying a simulation image;

a host computer for controlling said various operation equipments, said meters, and said image display unit and calculating a control signal for swinging said motion base in accordance with operation of said driver;

a steering control signal-generating means for calculating a steering torque of a steering wheel corresponding to said operation of said driver and a road surface reaction force torque corresponding to said operation, and generating a steering control signal to obtain an added value of said steering torque and said road surface reaction force torque; and

a steering assist means for assisting steering operation of said steering wheel on the basis of said steering control signal;

wherein a selector switch, which is capable of switching supply and cutoff of said steering control signal with respect to said steering assist means, is provided between said steering control signal-generating means and said steering assist means.