Vehicle behavior control apparatus
First Claim
1. A vehicle behavior control apparatus disposed in a subject vehicle and including a wireless communication apparatus for exchanging information through vehicle to vehicle communication, the vehicle behavior control apparatus comprising:
- a current position acquisition unit regularly acquiring a current position of the subject vehicle;
a lead vehicle information acquisition unit acquiring lead vehicle information via the wireless communication apparatus, the lead vehicle information being regularly transmitted from a lead vehicle;
a virtual road shape determination unit determining a virtual shape of a road as a virtual road shape based on the lead vehicle information;
a virtual road border distance calculation unit calculating a virtual road border distance as a distance from the subject vehicle to a road border of a virtual curve road straight in front of the subject vehicle based on the current position of the subject vehicle and the virtual road shape;
a curvature radius calculation unit calculating a curvature radius of the virtual curve road in front of the subject vehicle based on the virtual road shape;
a turn radius calculation unit calculating an appropriate turn radius of the subject vehicle for a travel of the virtual curve road based on the curvature radius calculated by the curvature radius calculation unit;
an appropriate distance calculation unit calculating an appropriate distance within the virtual curve road from the subject vehicle to the road border straight in front of the subject vehicle based on the appropriate turn radius;
a steering unit performing a steering angle control of the subject vehicle by controlling a steering angle of the subject vehicle traveling along the virtual curve road such that the virtual road border distance equals the appropriate distance;
an entrance determination unit determining an entrance position of the virtual curve road based on the lead vehicle information acquired by the lead vehicle information acquisition unit, the lead vehicle information including at least one of a steering angle and an inside-outside tire speed ratio of the lead vehicle;
a steering start point determination unit determining a steering start point according to the virtual road border distance in a straight road part leading to the entrance position;
an entrance area start point determination unit determining a position being apart from the steering start point by a predetermined distance in a front direction of the subject vehicle, as an entrance area start point of a curve entrance shift area between the steering start point and a preset point; and
an entrance area virtual curve set unit setting an entrance area virtual curve in order for a travel locus of the subject vehicle to draw a relaxation curve according to the steering angle control by the steering unit, wherein,when the steering angle control by the steering unit is performed based on the appropriate distance from the subject vehicle to the entrance area virtual curve straight in front of the subject vehicle, the entrance area virtual curve is determined as a curve between (i) the entrance area start point determined by the entrance area start point determination unit and (ii) a preset end point on the virtual road border in the curve entrance shift area, andthe appropriate distance calculation unit calculates, as the appropriate distance, a distance from the subject vehicle to the entrance area start point virtual curve straight in front of the subject vehicle while the subject vehicle is traveling along the curve entrance shift area.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A vehicle behavior control apparatus disposed in a subject vehicle performs a steering angle control of the subject vehicle. The apparatus acquires lead vehicle information transmitted from a lead vehicle to determine a virtual shape of a road (i.e., a virtual road shape) based on a travel locus of the lead vehicle. A virtual road border distance is calculated as a distance from the subject vehicle to a road border of a virtual curve road positioned straight in front of the subject vehicle. The apparatus, calculates an appropriate turn radius for travel along the virtual curve road and, based on the appropriate turn radius, calculates an appropriate distance from the subject vehicle to the virtual road border positioned in front of the subject vehicle. A steering unit then controls a steering angle of the subject vehicle by maintaining the virtual road border distance with the appropriate distance.
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Citations
10 Claims
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1. A vehicle behavior control apparatus disposed in a subject vehicle and including a wireless communication apparatus for exchanging information through vehicle to vehicle communication, the vehicle behavior control apparatus comprising:
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a current position acquisition unit regularly acquiring a current position of the subject vehicle; a lead vehicle information acquisition unit acquiring lead vehicle information via the wireless communication apparatus, the lead vehicle information being regularly transmitted from a lead vehicle; a virtual road shape determination unit determining a virtual shape of a road as a virtual road shape based on the lead vehicle information; a virtual road border distance calculation unit calculating a virtual road border distance as a distance from the subject vehicle to a road border of a virtual curve road straight in front of the subject vehicle based on the current position of the subject vehicle and the virtual road shape; a curvature radius calculation unit calculating a curvature radius of the virtual curve road in front of the subject vehicle based on the virtual road shape; a turn radius calculation unit calculating an appropriate turn radius of the subject vehicle for a travel of the virtual curve road based on the curvature radius calculated by the curvature radius calculation unit; an appropriate distance calculation unit calculating an appropriate distance within the virtual curve road from the subject vehicle to the road border straight in front of the subject vehicle based on the appropriate turn radius; a steering unit performing a steering angle control of the subject vehicle by controlling a steering angle of the subject vehicle traveling along the virtual curve road such that the virtual road border distance equals the appropriate distance; an entrance determination unit determining an entrance position of the virtual curve road based on the lead vehicle information acquired by the lead vehicle information acquisition unit, the lead vehicle information including at least one of a steering angle and an inside-outside tire speed ratio of the lead vehicle; a steering start point determination unit determining a steering start point according to the virtual road border distance in a straight road part leading to the entrance position; an entrance area start point determination unit determining a position being apart from the steering start point by a predetermined distance in a front direction of the subject vehicle, as an entrance area start point of a curve entrance shift area between the steering start point and a preset point; and an entrance area virtual curve set unit setting an entrance area virtual curve in order for a travel locus of the subject vehicle to draw a relaxation curve according to the steering angle control by the steering unit, wherein, when the steering angle control by the steering unit is performed based on the appropriate distance from the subject vehicle to the entrance area virtual curve straight in front of the subject vehicle, the entrance area virtual curve is determined as a curve between (i) the entrance area start point determined by the entrance area start point determination unit and (ii) a preset end point on the virtual road border in the curve entrance shift area, and the appropriate distance calculation unit calculates, as the appropriate distance, a distance from the subject vehicle to the entrance area start point virtual curve straight in front of the subject vehicle while the subject vehicle is traveling along the curve entrance shift area. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 10)
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4. A vehicle behavior control apparatus disposed in a subject vehicle and including a wireless communication apparatus for exchanging information through vehicle to vehicle communication, the vehicle behavior control apparatus comprising:
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a current position acquisition unit regularly acquiring a current position of the subject vehicle; a lead vehicle information acquisition unit acquiring lead vehicle information via the wireless communication apparatus, the lead vehicle information being regularly transmitted from a lead vehicle; a virtual road shape determination unit determining a virtual shape of a road as a virtual road shape based on the lead vehicle information; a virtual road border distance calculation unit calculating a virtual road border distance as a distance from the subject vehicle to a road border of a virtual curve road straight in front of the subject vehicle based on the current position of the subject vehicle and the virtual road shape; a curvature radius calculation unit calculating a curvature radius of the virtual curve road in front of the subject vehicle based on the virtual road shape; a turn radius calculation unit calculating an appropriate turn radius of the subject vehicle for a travel of the virtual curve road based on the curvature radius calculated by the curvature radius calculation unit; an appropriate distance calculation unit calculating an appropriate distance within the virtual curve road from the subject vehicle to the road border straight in front of the subject vehicle based on the appropriate turn radius; a steering unit performing a steering angle control of the subject vehicle by controlling a steering angle of the subject vehicle traveling along the virtual curve road such that the virtual road border distance equals the appropriate distance; an exit determination unit determining an exit position of the virtual curve road based on at least one of a steering angle and a inside-outside tire speed ratio of the lead vehicle acquired by the lead vehicle information acquisition unit; a steering return operation start point determination unit determining, as a steering return operation start point, a position of the subject vehicle viewing an intersection between (i) the virtual road border of the virtual curve road and (ii) the virtual road border of the straight road part after the exit position of the virtual curve road; a steering end point determination unit determining, as a steering end point, the exit position determined by the exit determination unit; an exit area start point determination unit determining the intersection determined by the steering return operation start point determination unit as an exit area start point; an exit area end point determination unit determining, as an exit area end point in a curve exit shift area between the steering return operation start point and the exit position, a point apart from the exit position on a centerline between the virtual road border on both sides of the straight road part after the exit position of the curve, the point on the centerline defined according to the speed of the subject vehicle; an exit area virtual curve set unit setting an exit area virtual curve in order for a travel locus of the subject vehicle to draw a relaxation curve according to the steering angle control by the steering unit, when the steering angle control by the steering unit is performed based on the appropriate distance from the subject vehicle to the exit area virtual curve straight in front of the subject vehicle, the exit area virtual curve being determined as a curve between (i) the exit area start point determined by the exit area start point determination unit and (ii) the exit area end point determined by the exit area end point determination unit, wherein the appropriate distance calculation unit calculates, as the appropriate distance, a distance from the subject vehicle to the exit area virtual curve straight in front of the subject vehicle while the subject vehicle is traveling along the curve exit shift area. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6)
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7. A vehicle behavior control apparatus disposed in a subject vehicle and including a wireless communication apparatus for exchanging information through vehicle to vehicle communication, the vehicle behavior control apparatus comprising:
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a current position acquisition unit regularly acquiring a current position of the subject vehicle; a lead vehicle information acquisition unit acquiring lead vehicle information via the wireless communication apparatus, the lead vehicle information being regularly transmitted from a lead vehicle; a virtual road shape determination unit determining a virtual shape of a road as a virtual road shape based on the lead vehicle information; a virtual road border distance calculation unit calculating a virtual road border distance as a distance from the subject vehicle to a road border of a virtual curve road straight in front of the subject vehicle based on the current position of the subject vehicle and the virtual road shape; a curvature radius calculation unit calculating a curvature radius of the virtual curve road in front of the subject vehicle based on the virtual road shape; a turn radius calculation unit calculating an appropriate turn radius of the subject vehicle for a travel of the virtual curve road based on the curvature radius calculated by the curvature radius calculation unit; an appropriate distance calculation unit calculating an appropriate distance within the virtual curve road from the subject vehicle to the road border straight in front of the subject vehicle based on the appropriate turn radius; a steering unit performing a steering angle control of the subject vehicle by controlling a steering angle of the subject vehicle traveling along the virtual curve road such that the virtual road border distance equals the appropriate distance; a steering angle correction unit correcting the steering angle Θ
to steer the subject vehicle toward a center of the virtual road borders of the straight road part, the straight road part being defined as (i) the straight road part outside of the virtual curve road when the subject vehicle is located on a straight road part that is outside of the virtual curve road or as (ii) the straight road part that is virtually set as a tangent line of the virtual curve road when the subject vehicle is located in the virtual curve road, whereinthe steering unit performs the steering angle control, using the steering angle Θ
calculated by the steering angle correction unit as the target steering angle, andthe steering angle correction unit corrects the steering angle Θ
by using equations;
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8. A vehicle behavior control apparatus disposed in a subject vehicle and including a wireless communication apparatus for exchanging information through vehicle to vehicle communication, the vehicle behavior control apparatus comprising:
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a current position acquisition unit regularly acquiring a current position of the subject vehicle; a lead vehicle information acquisition unit acquiring lead vehicle information via the wireless communication apparatus, the lead vehicle information being regularly transmitted from a lead vehicle; a virtual road shape determination unit determining a virtual shape of a road as a virtual road shape based on the lead vehicle information; a virtual road border distance calculation unit calculating a virtual road border distance as a distance from the subject vehicle to a road border of a virtual curve road straight in front of the subject vehicle based on the current position of the subject vehicle and the virtual road shape; a curvature radius calculation unit calculating a curvature radius of the virtual curve road in front of the subject vehicle based on the virtual road shape; a turn radius calculation unit calculating an appropriate turn radius of the subject vehicle for a travel of the virtual curve road based on the curvature radius calculated by the curvature radius calculation unit; an appropriate distance calculation unit calculating an appropriate distance within the virtual curve road from the subject vehicle to the road border straight in front of the subject vehicle based on the appropriate turn radius; a steering unit performing a steering angle control of the subject vehicle by controlling a steering angle of the subject vehicle traveling along the virtual curve road such that the virtual road border distance equals the appropriate distance; a followee object determination unit determining a vehicle capable of performing vehicle-to-vehicle communication as a followee object to be followed by the subject vehicle, wherein the followee object is the lead vehicle from which the lead vehicle information is acquired by the lead vehicle information acquisition unit, the steering unit performs a follow travel control for following the followee object that is determined by the followee object determination unit; an entrance determination unit determining an entrance position of the virtual curve road based on at least one of a steering angle of the lead vehicle and an inside-outside tire speed ratio of the lead vehicle acquired as the lead vehicle information by the lead vehicle information acquisition unit; a speed acquisition unit regularly acquiring a speed of the subject vehicle; an inter-vehicle distance detection unit detecting an inter-vehicle distance between the lead vehicle and the subject vehicle; a lead vehicle relative speed calculation unit regularly calculating a relative speed of the lead vehicle relative to the subject vehicle, based on the speed of the subject vehicle and the speed of the lead vehicle; a first evaluation index calculation unit calculating a first corrected evaluation index representing a state of changing distance between the subject vehicle and the lead vehicle in consideration of the speed of the lead vehicle, the first corrected evaluation index increasing as the relative speed for approaching the lead vehicle increases and as the inter-vehicle distance to the lead vehicle decreases, wherein an increase curve of the first corrected evaluation index becomes steeper per unit change of decrease of the inter-vehicle distance as the inter-vehicle distance decreases; a first deceleration target determination unit determining whether the first corrected evaluation index exceeds a first deceleration threshold having a preset value; an adaptive deceleration calculation unit calculating a required deceleration for maintaining an actual relative speed relative to the lead vehicle with a first target relative speed being determined based on the first corrected evaluation index and the inter-vehicle distance to the lead vehicle when the first deceleration target determination unit determines that the first corrected evaluation index exceeds the first deceleration threshold; an entrance distance calculation unit calculating a distance from the current position of the subject vehicle acquired by the current position acquisition unit to the entrance position determined by the entrance determination unit; a target curving speed set unit setting a target curving speed of the subject vehicle for a travel of the virtual curve road based on the outside curvature radius calculated by the curvature radius calculation unit and a target side acceleration of the subject vehicle having a preset value; a curve entrance relative speed calculation unit calculating a curve entrance relative speed as a difference between the target curving speed and the speed of the subject vehicle; a second evaluation index calculation unit calculating a second corrected evaluation index representing a state of changing distance from the subject vehicle to the entrance position of the curve road in consideration of the target curving speed for passing the entrance of the curve road, the second corrected evaluation index increasing as the curve entrance relative speed increases, wherein an increase curve of the second corrected evaluation index becomes steeper as the distance to the entrance position of the curve road decreases; a deceleration start determination unit determining whether the second corrected evaluation index exceeds a second deceleration threshold having a preset value; a curve road deceleration calculation unit calculating a required deceleration for maintaining an actual curve entrance relative speed with a second target relative speed when the deceleration start determination unit determines that the second corrected evaluation index exceeds the second deceleration threshold, wherein the second target relative speed is determined based on the second corrected evaluation index and the distance to the entrance position of the curve road; and a comparison unit comparing the required deceleration calculated by the adaptive deceleration calculation unit with the required deceleration calculated by the curve road deceleration calculation unit when the adaptive deceleration calculation unit and the curve road deceleration calculation unit have respectively calculated the required deceleration, wherein a required deceleration having a greater absolute value is output from among two required decelerations from respective calculation units. - View Dependent Claims (9)
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Specification