Vehicle control device and vehicle control method

• US 8,996,274 B2
• Filed: 08/10/2011
• Issued: 03/31/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Shida, Mitsuhisa
• Primary Examiner(s): Khatib, Rami
• Application Number:
  US13/813,762
• Publication Number:
  US 20130144502A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,329 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/23, 701/24, 701/36, 701/70, 701/93, 701/94, 701/96, 701/300, 701/301
• US Class Current: 701/96
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2031/0033 Detecting longitudinal speed or acceleration of target vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2310/262 setting initial distance to preceding vehicle, e.g. initial algorithms
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2310/264 changing distance, e.g. reducing the distance for overtaking
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2310/28 Following time setting methods, e.g. elapsed delay between preceding and host vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/00 Vehicle fittings, acting on a single sub-unit only, for automatically controlling vehicle speed, i.e. preventing speed from exceeding an arbitrarily established velocity or maintaining speed at a particular velocity, as selected by the vehicle operator fittings acting on two or more sub-units B60W30/14; speedometers G01P; systems or devices for controlling speed in general G05D13/00 ; in traffic anti-collision system for road vehicles G08G1/16
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/0008 including means for detecting potential obstacles in vehicle path
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/00 Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/4041 Position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/4042 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/802 Longitudinal distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/804 Relative longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/16 Control of distance between vehicles, e.g. keeping a distance to preceding vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9316 combined with communication equipment with other vehicles or with base stations
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93185 Controlling the brakes
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9319 Controlling the accelerator
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/932 using own vehicle data, e.g. ground speed, steering wheel direction
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9325 for inter-vehicle distance regulation, e.g. navigating in platoons
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/22 Platooning, i.e. convoy of communicating vehicles

Abstract

Vehicle control includes: acquiring running information of a preceding vehicle that runs ahead of a host vehicle; controlling a running state of the host vehicle on the basis of the acquired running information; acquiring deceleration jerk information of the preceding vehicle; and changing a deceleration start timing, at which the host vehicle is decelerated in response to deceleration of the preceding vehicle, on the basis of the deceleration jerk information of the preceding vehicle. Alternatively, vehicle control includes: acquiring deceleration jerk information of a preceding vehicle that runs ahead of a host vehicle; and changing an inter-vehicle time or inter-vehicle distance between the preceding vehicle and the host vehicle on the basis of the deceleration jerk information of the preceding vehicle.

Claims

1. A vehicle control device comprising:

a follow-up running control unit configured to acquire running information of a preceding vehicle that runs ahead of a host vehicle and to control a running state of the host vehicle based on the acquired running information;

a deceleration jerk acquisition unit configured to acquire deceleration jerk information of the preceding vehicle;

a deceleration timing control unit configured to change a deceleration start timing, at which the follow-up running control unit decelerates the host vehicle in response to deceleration of the preceding vehicle, based on the deceleration jerk information of the preceding vehicle, the deceleration jerk information of the preceding vehicle is not only the deceleration jerk information of a vehicle immediately ahead of the host vehicle but also is the deceleration jerk information of other vehicles within a predetermined range ahead of the host vehicle; and

an equivalent response time calculation unit that calculates an equivalent response time t_delay that replaces a response time of the host vehicle when the deceleration jerk information indicates that a deceleration jerk of the host vehicle and a deceleration jerk of the preceding vehicle are different from each other with a response time as if the deceleration jerks of the host and preceding vehicles are the same, the response time being a time between a start of deceleration of the preceding vehicle and a start of deceleration of the host vehicle,

wherein, when the deceleration start timing of the host vehicle is advanced due to the deceleration jerk of the preceding vehicle being higher than the deceleration jerk of the host vehicle, a set inter-vehicle time τ

is compared with the equivalent response time t _delay calculated by the equivalent response time calculation unit, and then the deceleration start timing is advanced so that the deceleration jerk of the host vehicle satisfies the relationship;

(equivalent response time t_delay ≦

set inter-vehicle time τ

).

2. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein

the deceleration jerk acquisition unit acquires the deceleration jerk information of the preceding vehicle through inter-vehicle communication.

3. A vehicle control device comprising:

a follow-up running control unit configured to acquire running information of a preceding vehicle that runs ahead of a host vehicle and to control a running state of the host vehicle based on the acquired running information;

a deceleration jerk acquisition unit configured to acquire deceleration jerk information of the preceding vehicle, the deceleration jerk information of the preceding vehicle is not only the deceleration jerk information of a vehicle immediately ahead of the host vehicle but also is the deceleration jerk information of other vehicles within a predetermined range ahead of the host vehicle;

a deceleration timing advance unit configured to advance a deceleration start timing, at which the follow-up running control unit decelerates the host vehicle in response to deceleration of the preceding vehicle, when deceleration jerk performance of the preceding vehicle is higher than deceleration jerk performance of the host vehicle as compared with when the deceleration jerk performance of the preceding vehicle is lower than the deceleration jerk performance of the host vehicle, the deceleration jerk performance of the preceding vehicle is not only the deceleration jerk performance of the vehicle immediately ahead of the host vehicle but also is the deceleration jerk performance of the other vehicles within the predetermined range ahead of the host vehicle; and

an equivalent response time calculation unit that calculates an equivalent response time t_delay that replaces a response time of the host vehicle when the deceleration jerk performance of the host vehicle and the deceleration jerk performance of the preceding vehicle are different from each other with a response time as if the deceleration jerk performances of the host and preceding vehicles are the same, the response time being a time between a start of deceleration of the preceding vehicle and a start of deceleration of the host vehicle,

wherein, when the deceleration start timing of the host vehicle is advanced due to the deceleration jerk performance of the preceding vehicle being hider than the deceleration jerk performance of the host vehicle, a set inter-vehicle time τ

is compared with the equivalent response time t_delay calculated by the equivalent response time calculation unit, and then the deceleration start timing is advanced so that the deceleration jerk performance of the host vehicle satisfies the relationship;

(equivalent response time t_delay ≦

set inter-vehicle time τ

).

4. The vehicle control device according to claim 3, wherein

the deceleration jerk acquisition unit acquires the deceleration jerk information of the preceding vehicle through inter-vehicle communication.

5. A vehicle control device comprising:

a deceleration jerk acquisition unit configured to acquire deceleration jerk information of a preceding vehicle that runs ahead of a host vehicle;

an inter-vehicle control unit configured to change an inter-vehicle time or inter-vehicle distance between the preceding vehicle and the host vehicle based on the deceleration jerk information of the preceding vehicle, the deceleration jerk information of the preceding vehicle is not only the deceleration jerk information of a vehicle immediately ahead of the host vehicle but also is the deceleration jerk information of other vehicles within a predetermined range ahead of the host vehicle; and

an equivalent response time calculation unit that calculates an equivalent response time t_delay that replaces a response time of the host vehicle when the deceleration jerk information indicates that a deceleration jerk of the host vehicle and a deceleration jerk of the preceding vehicle are different from each other with a response time as if the deceleration jerks of the host and preceding vehicles are the same, the response time being a time between a start of deceleration of the preceding vehicle and a start of deceleration of the host vehicle,

wherein, when a deceleration start timing of the host vehicle is advanced due to the deceleration jerk of the preceding vehicle being higher than the deceleration jerk of the host vehicle, a set inter-vehicle time ρ

is compared with the equivalent response time t_delay calculated by the equivalent response time calculation unit, and then the deceleration start timing is advanced so that the deceleration jerk of the host vehicle satisfies the relationship;

(equivalent response time t_delay ≦

set inter-vehicle time τ

).

6. The vehicle control device according to claim 5, wherein

the deceleration jerk acquisition unit acquires the deceleration jerk information of the preceding vehicle through inter-vehicle communication.

7. A vehicle control device comprising:

a deceleration jerk acquisition unit configured to acquire deceleration jerk information of a preceding vehicle that runs ahead of a host vehicle, the deceleration jerk information of the preceding vehicle is not only the deceleration jerk information of a vehicle immediately ahead of the host vehicle but also is the deceleration jerk information of other vehicles within a predetermined range ahead of the host vehicle;

an inter-vehicle relation increasing unit configured to increase an inter-vehicle time or inter-vehicle distance between the preceding vehicle and the host vehicle when deceleration jerk performance of the preceding vehicle is higher than deceleration jerk performance of the host vehicle as compared with when the deceleration jerk performance of the preceding vehicle is lower than the deceleration jerk performance of the host vehicle, the deceleration jerk performance of the preceding vehicle is not only the deceleration jerk performance of the vehicle immediately ahead of the host vehicle but also is the deceleration jerk performance of the other vehicles within the predetermined range ahead of the host vehicle; and

an equivalent response time calculation unit that calculates an equivalent response time t_delay that replaces a response time of the host vehicle when the deceleration jerk performance of the host vehicle and the deceleration jerk performance of the preceding vehicle are different from each other with a response time as if the deceleration jerk performances of the host and preceding vehicles are the same, the response time being a time between a start of deceleration of the preceding vehicle and a start of deceleration of the host vehicle,

wherein, when a deceleration start timing of the host vehicle is advanced due to the deceleration jerk performance of the preceding vehicle being higher than the deceleration jerk performance of the host vehicle, a set inter-vehicle time τ

is compared with the equivalent response time t_delay calculated by the equivalent response time calculation unit, and then the deceleration start timing is advanced so that the deceleration jerk performance of the host vehicle satisfies the relationship;

(equivalent response time t_delay ≦

set inter-vehicle time τ

).

8. The vehicle control device according to claim 7, wherein

the deceleration jerk acquisition unit acquires the deceleration jerk information of the preceding vehicle through inter-vehicle communication.

9. A vehicle control device comprising:

a deceleration jerk acquisition unit configured to acquire deceleration jerk information of a preceding vehicle that runs ahead of a host vehicle, the deceleration jerk information of the preceding vehicle is not only the deceleration jerk information of a vehicle immediately ahead of the host vehicle but also is the deceleration jerk information of other vehicles within a predetermined range ahead of the host vehicle;

an inter-vehicle relation increasing unit configured to increase an inter-vehicle time or inter-vehicle distance between the preceding vehicle and the host vehicle when deceleration jerk performance of the preceding vehicle is higher than deceleration jerk performance of the host vehicle as compared with when the deceleration jerk performance of the preceding vehicle is lower than the deceleration jerk performance of the host vehicle, the deceleration jerk performance of the preceding vehicle is not only the deceleration jerk performance of the vehicle immediately ahead of the host vehicle but also is the deceleration jerk performance of the other vehicles within the predetermined range ahead of the host vehicle, wherein the inter-vehicle relation increasing unit increases the inter-vehicle time between the preceding vehicle and the host vehicle when the deceleration jerk performance of the preceding vehicle is higher than the deceleration jerk performance of the host vehicle as compared with when the deceleration jerk performance of the preceding vehicle is lower than the deceleration jerk performance of the host vehicle; and

a communication breakdown determining unit configured to determine a communication breakdown, when the communication breakdown determining unit detects a communication breakdown when the deceleration jerk acquisition unit acquires the deceleration jerk information, and when the increased inter-vehicle time is shorter than a time that is obtained by adding a response delay time of an actuator, which causes deceleration of the host vehicle, to an acquisition delay time of the deceleration jerk information,

wherein the communication breakdown determining unit notifies a driver of the host vehicle of the communication breakdown when the communication breakdown is determined.

10. The vehicle control device according to claim 9, wherein

the actuator is a brake hydraulic control device, and

when the acquisition delay time of the deceleration jerk information has elapsed, preparations of increase of hydraulic pressure by the brake hydraulic control device are made before the communication breakdown is determined.

11. A vehicle control method of a vehicle that includes a follow-up running control unit, a deceleration jerk acquisition unit, a deceleration timing control unit and an equivalent response time calculation unit, the method comprising:

acquiring, by the follow-up running control unit, running information of a preceding vehicle that runs ahead of a host vehicle;

controlling, by the follow-up running control unit, a running state of the host vehicle based on the acquired running information;

acquiring, by the deceleration jerk acquisition unit, deceleration jerk information of the preceding vehicle;

changing, by the deceleration timing control unit, a deceleration start timing, at which the host vehicle is decelerated in response to deceleration of the preceding vehicle, based on the deceleration jerk information of the preceding vehicle; and

calculating, by the equivalent response time calculation unit, an equivalent response time t_delay that replaces a response time of the host vehicle when the deceleration jerk information indicates that a deceleration jerk of the host vehicle and a deceleration jerk of the preceding vehicle are different from each other with a response time as if the deceleration jerks of the host and preceding vehicles are the same. the response time being a time between a stall of deceleration of the preceding vehicle and a start of deceleration of the host vehicle.

wherein the deceleration jerk information of the preceding vehicle is not only the deceleration jerk information of a vehicle immediately ahead of the host vehicle but also is the deceleration jerk information of other vehicles within a predetermined range ahead of the host vehicle, and

wherein, when the deceleration start timing of the host vehicle is advanced due to the deceleration jerk of the preceding vehicle being higher than the deceleration jerk of the host vehicle, a set inter-vehicle time τ

is compared with the equivalent response time t_delay calculated by the equivalent response time calculation unit, and then the deceleration start timing is advanced so that the deceleration jerk of the host vehicle satisfies the relationship;

(equivalent response time t_delay ≦

set inter-vehicle time τ

).

12. A vehicle control method of a vehicle that includes a deceleration jerk acquisition unit, a deceleration timing control unit and an equivalent response time calculation unit, the method comprising:

acquiring, by the deceleration jerk acquisition unit, deceleration jerk information of a preceding vehicle that runs ahead of a host vehicle;

changing, by the deceleration timing control unit, an inter-vehicle time or inter-vehicle distance between the preceding vehicle and the host vehicle based on the deceleration jerk information of the preceding vehicle; and

calculating, by the equivalent response time calculation unit, an equivalent response time t_delaythat replaces a response time of the host vehicle when the deceleration jerk information indicates that a deceleration jerk of the host vehicle and a deceleration jerk of the preceding vehicle are different from each other with a response time as if the deceleration jerks of the host and preceding vehicles are the same, the response time being a time between a start of deceleration of the preceding vehicle and a start of deceleration of the host vehicle.

wherein the deceleration jerk information of the preceding vehicle is not only the deceleration jerk information of a vehicle immediately ahead of the host vehicle but also is the deceleration jerk information of other vehicles within a predetermined range ahead of the host vehicle, and

wherein, when a deceleration start timing of the host vehicle is advanced due to the deceleration jerk of the preceding vehicle being higher than the deceleration jerk of the host vehicle, a set inter-vehicle time τ

is compared with the equivalent response time t_delay calculated by the equivalent response time calculation unit, and then the deceleration start timing is advanced so that the deceleration jerk of the host vehicle satisfies the relationship;

(equivalent response time t_delay ≦

set inter-vehicle time τ

).