Control system and semiconductor device

• US 9,834,159 B2
• Filed: 07/06/2015
• Issued: 12/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
• Original Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
• Inventors: Kajiwara, Yuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Jelani
• Assistant Examiner(s): Martinez Borrero, Luis A
• Application Number:
  US14/792,365
• Publication Number:
  US 20160023663A1
• Time in Patent Office: 883 Days
• Field of Search: 701 36, 701 22, 701112, 701 41, 701 42, 701113, 701115, 701301, 701 23
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0231 Circuits relating to the driving or the functioning of the vehicle monitoring tyres B60C23/00; indicating overspeed B60K31/00; for dash boards B60K37/00, B60Q3/10; for indicating emergencies B60Q1/52; brake control systems B60T; registering or indicating the working of vehicles G07C5/00; measuring distance G01C, e.g. combinations of speed and distance G01C23/00; engine indicators G01L; measuring speed or acceleration G01P
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0242 using non-visible light signals, e.g. IR or UV signals
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0246 using a video camera in combination with image processing means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0257 using a radar radar systems designed for anti-collision purposes between land vehicles or between land vehicle and fixed obstacles G01S13/931

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to control a vehicle with less delay. A control system 100 according to the present invention includes: an estimating unit 103 that estimates a factor and a required time until encountering the factor based on a result of an observation of a periphery of a vehicle; and a deciding unit 104 that decides control contents of the vehicle based on data stored in a first storage unit 101 when the required time is longer than a threshold and that decides control contents of the vehicle based on data stored in a second storage unit 102 which can be accessed at a higher speed than the first storage unit 101 when the required time is equal to or shorter than the threshold.

Claims

1. A control system comprising:

a first storage memory that stores a plurality of pieces of data indicating, in association with each other, a factor that occurs with respect to a vehicle and control contents of the vehicle to be performed with respect to the factor;

a second storage memory that can be accessed at a higher speed than the first storage memory; and

a processor executing program instructions and configured to provide;

an estimating unit that estimates the factor and a required time until encountering the factor based on a result of an observation of a periphery of the vehicle; and

a deciding unit that decides control contents of the vehicle based on the estimated factor and the data, to control the vehicle,

wherein the first storage memory stores data which a required time until encountering the factor is longer than a threshold,

wherein the second storage memory stores data which a required time until encountering the factor is equal to or shorter than the threshold,

wherein when the estimated required time is longer than the threshold, the deciding unit decides control contents of the vehicle based on data stored in the first storage memory, and

wherein when the estimated required time is equal to or shorter than the threshold, the deciding unit decides control contents of the vehicle based on data stored in the second storage memory.

2. The control system according to claim 1, wherein

the second storage memory selectively stores data stored in the first storage memory, and

when the deciding unit decides control contents of the vehicle based on the data stored in the first storage memory, the deciding unit replaces any of the data stored in the second storage memory with data indicating the decided control contents of the vehicle.

3. The control system according to claim 2, wherein

the data further indicates the required time assumed with respect to the factor, in association with the factor and the control contents of the vehicle,

the data indicates contents that can be executed before the required time lapses, as the control contents of the vehicle,

the second storage memory stores data indicating a required time that is equal to or shorter than the threshold, and

the deciding unit performs the replacement when data indicating the decided control contents of the vehicle indicates a required time that is equal to or shorter than the threshold.

4. The control system according to claim 2, wherein

the second storage memory stores, in association with the data, frequency information indicating a frequency at which control contents of the vehicle indicated by the data have been selected,

when the deciding unit decides control contents of the vehicle based on the data stored in the second storage memory, the deciding unit updates frequency information corresponding to the data indicating the decided control contents of the vehicle so as to indicate a higher frequency, and

when the deciding unit decides control contents of the vehicle based on the data stored in the first storage memory, the deciding unit preferentially replaces data corresponding to frequency information indicating a lower frequency.

5. The control system according to claim 1, wherein:

the data further indicates a priority which is set to increase as a degree by which the control contents of the vehicle evades the factor increases, in association with the factor and the control contents of the vehicle, and

the deciding unit preferentially selects control contents of the vehicle which correspond to a higher priority.

6. The control system according to claim 2, further comprising:

the processor configured to provide;

a comparing unit that compares the decided control contents of the vehicle and control contents of the vehicle based on an operation by a driver with respect to the factor; and

a learning unit that additionally stores data indicating, in association with each other, the factor and the control contents of the vehicle based on the operation by the driver with respect to the factor in the first storage memory, when the compared control contents of the vehicle are not consistent.

7. The control system according to claim 6, wherein:

the data further indicates, in association with the factor and the control contents of the vehicle, a priority of selecting the control contents of the vehicle,

the deciding unit preferentially selects control contents of the vehicle which correspond to a higher priority, and

the learning unit updates a priority of data indicating the decided control contents of the vehicle so as to lower the priority when the compared control contents of the vehicle are not consistent.

8. The control system according to claim 6, wherein:

the data further indicates, in association with the factor and the control contents of the vehicle, a result value regarding a result of a comparison between the control contents of the vehicle and control contents of the vehicle based on the operation by the driver,

the learning unit updates a result value in data indicating the decided control contents of the vehicle so as to lower the result value when the compared control contents of the vehicle are not consistent, and

the learning unit deletes data with a result value having fallen below a prescribed threshold from the first storage memory.

9. The control system according to claim 1, wherein:

the data further indicates, in association with the factor and the control contents of the vehicle, a reaction time from a point when the factor is estimated to a point when control according to the control contents of the vehicle is started, and

the control system further comprises;

the processor executing the program instructions and configured to provide;

a comparing unit that compares the decided control contents of the vehicle and control contents of the vehicle based on an operation by a driver with respect to the factor;

a measuring unit that measures the reaction time of the operation by the driver; and

a learning unit that corrects the reaction time in the data indicating the decided control contents of the vehicle so that the reaction time approaches the measured reaction time when the compared control contents of the vehicle are consistent.

10. The control system according to claim 2, further comprising:

wherein the processor is configured to provide an authenticating unit that authenticates drivers;

a third storage memory that stores, for each of a plurality of drivers, a plurality of pieces of data which indicate the factor and control contents of the vehicle in association with each other; and

a fourth storage memory that can be accessed at a higher speed than the third storage memory, and that selectively stores data stored in the third storage memory and corresponding to a driver authenticated by the authenticating unit, the number of pieces of data selectively stored in the fourth storage memory being smaller than the number of pieces of data stored in the third storage memory, wherein

the data stored in the first storage memory and the second storage memory is shared by the plurality of drivers,

when the estimated required time is equal to or shorter than a threshold and when the driver is authenticated, the deciding unit decides control contents of the vehicle based on the data stored in the second storage memory and the data of the authenticated driver stored in the third storage memory,

when the estimated required time is equal to or shorter than the threshold and when the driver is unauthenticated, the deciding unit decides control contents of the vehicle based on the data stored in the second storage memory,

when the estimated required time is longer than the threshold and when the driver is authenticated, the deciding unit decides control contents of the vehicle based on the data stored in the first storage memory and the data of the authenticated driver stored in the third storage memory, and

when the estimated required time is longer than the threshold and when the driver is unauthenticated, the deciding unit decides control contents of the vehicle based on the data stored in the first storage memory.

11. The control system according to claim 10, wherein

the second storage memory is volatile,

the first storage memory, the third storage memory, and the fourth storage memory are non-volatile,

the control system comprises a first system that is provided in the vehicle, and a second system that is connected to the first system via a network,

the first system includes the second storage memory, the fourth storage memory t, the estimating unit, the deciding unit, and the authenticating unit, and

the second system includes the first storage memory and the third storage memory.

12. The control system according to claim 10, wherein

the data further indicates, in association with the factor and the control contents of the vehicle, a reaction time from a point when the factor is estimated to a point when control according to the control contents of the vehicle is started,

the control system further comprises:

the processor executing the program instructions and configured to provide;

a comparing unit that compares the decided control contents and control contents of the vehicle based on an operation by a driver with respect to the factor;

a measuring unit that measures the reaction time of the operation by the driver; and

a learning unit that corrects a reaction time in data indicating the decided control contents so that the reaction time approaches the measured reaction time when the compared control contents are consistent, and that additionally stores data indicating, in association with each other, the factor and control contents of the vehicle based on the operation by the driver with respect to the factor in the first storage memory and the third storage memory when the compared control contents of the vehicle are not consistent, and

the learning unit corrects the reaction time when the data indicating the decided control contents is the data stored in the first storage memory, and does not correct the reaction time when the data indicating the decided control contents is the data stored in the third storage memory.

15. The control system according to claim 1, wherein when the estimated required time is equal to or shorter than the threshold, the deciding unit decides control contents of the vehicle based on the data that is written and stored only in the second storage memory.

16. The control system according to claim 1, wherein the control contents of the vehicle is decided based on data read from a selection of either the first storage memory or the second storage memory to avoid delay.

17. The control system according to claim 1, when the estimated required time is longer than a threshold, the deciding unit decides control contents of the vehicle based on data stored in the first storage memory without accessing the second storage memory.

20. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the processor comprises an electronic control unit,

wherein the second storage memory stores a smaller number of pieces of data than the number of pieces of data stored in the first storage memory, and

wherein the deciding unit outputs to the vehicle to control the vehicle.

13. A semiconductor device comprising:

a processor executing program instructions stored in a non-transitory computer readable medium, and configured to provide;

an estimating unit that estimates, based on a result of an observation of a periphery of a vehicle, a factor which occurs with respect to the vehicle and a required time until encountering the factor; and

a presenting unit that acquires control contents based on the estimated factor from a first storage memory which stores a plurality of pieces of data indicating, in association with each other, the factor and control contents of the vehicle to be performed with respect to the factor, and a second storage memory which can be accessed at a higher speed than the first storage memory, and that presents the acquired control contents as a candidate of control contents of the vehicle to another semiconductor device that controls the vehicle, wherein

the presenting unit;

acquires the control contents from the first storage memory and presents the acquired control contents to the other semiconductor device when the estimated required time is longer than a threshold; and

acquires the control contents from the second storage memory and presents the acquired control contents to the other semiconductor device when the estimated required time is equal to or shorter than the threshold, to control the vehicle,

wherein the first storage memory stores data which a required time until encountering the factor is longer than the threshold, and

wherein the second storage memory stores data which a required time until encountering the factor is equal to or shorter than the threshold.

18. The semiconductor device according to claim 13, when the estimated required time is equal to or shorter than the threshold, the presenting unit decides control contents of the vehicle based on data stored in the second storage memory without accessing the first storage memory.

14. A semiconductor device comprising:

a processor that acquires control contents based on a factor which occurs with respect to a vehicle and that decides control contents of the vehicle, from a first storage memory which stores a plurality of pieces of data indicating, in association with each other, a factor that occurs with respect to the vehicle and control contents of the vehicle to be performed with respect to the factor, and from a second storage memory which can be accessed at a higher speed than the first storage memory, wherein

the processor;

decides the control contents of the vehicle from the control contents acquired from the first storage memory when a required time until encountering the factor as acquired from another semiconductor device is longer than a threshold; and

decides the control contents of the vehicle from the control contents acquired from the second storage memory when the required time is equal to or shorter than the threshold to control the vehicle,

wherein the first storage memory stores data which a required time until encountering the factor is longer than the threshold, and

wherein the second storage memory stores data which a required time until encountering the factor is equal to or shorter than the threshold.

19. The semiconductor device according to claim 14, when the estimated required time is equal to or shorter than the threshold, the processor decides the control contents of the vehicle based on data stored in the second storage memory without accessing the first storage memory.

21. A method of a semiconductor device, the method comprising:

storing in a first storage memory, a plurality of pieces of data indicating, in association with each other, a factor that occurs with respect to a vehicle and control contents of the vehicle to be performed with respect to the factor,

wherein a second storage memory can be accessed at a higher speed than the first storage memory; and

estimating, by an estimating unit, the factor and a required time until encountering the factor based on a result of an observation of a periphery of the vehicle; and

deciding, by a deciding unit, control contents of the vehicle based on the estimated factor and the data, to control the vehicle,

wherein the first storage memory stores data which a required time until encountering the factor is longer than a threshold,

wherein the second storage memory stores data which a required time until encountering the factor is equal to or shorter than the threshold,

wherein when the estimated required time is longer than the threshold, the deciding unit decides control contents of the vehicle based on data stored in the first storage memory, and

wherein when the estimated required time is equal to or shorter than the threshold, the deciding unit decides control contents of the vehicle based on data stored in the second storage memory.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein the second storage memory stores a smaller number of pieces of data than the number of pieces of data stored in the first storage memory,

wherein the second storage memory selectively stores data stored in the first storage memory, and

wherein when the deciding unit decides control contents of the vehicle based on the data stored in the first storage memory, the deciding unit replaces any of the data stored in the second storage memory with data indicating the decided control contents of the vehicle.

23. A program product stored in a computer readable medium, including instructions executable by a processor according to the method according to claim 21,

wherein the processor comprises an electronic control unit, and

wherein the deciding unit outputs to control the vehicle.