Driving curve creation device, driving assistance device, driving control device, and driving curve creation method

• US 9,889,870 B2
• Filed: 12/10/2014
• Issued: 02/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Nameki, Hideaki, Kamo, Yushi
• Primary Examiner(s): Trivedi, Atul
• Application Number:
  US15/108,270
• Publication Number:
  US 20160297456A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,161 Days
• Field of Search: 701 20
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 15/0058 On-board optimisation of vehicle or vehicle train operation
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 15/0062 On-board target speed calculation or supervision
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 15/0092 Memory means reproducing during the running of the vehicle or vehicle train, e.g. smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 2201/00 Control methods
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 25/021 Measuring and recording of train speed
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 25/025 Absolute localisation, e.g. providing geodetic coordinates
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 27/04 Automatic systems, e.g. controlled by train; Change-over to manual control
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/60 Other road transportation technologies with climate change mitigation effect

Abstract

A running profile generation device includes a storage, a speed limit setter, a reverse coasting curve generator, a parameter setter and a simulator. The speed limit setter acquires at least one speed limit section of a running section set based on a departure point and an arrival point of the running section. The reverse coasting curve generator determines a base point from a terminal position and an upper limit speed of the speed limit section and generates a reverse coasting curve based on vehicle performance information and route information stored in the storage. The parameter setter determines a coasting start position from the generated reverse coasting curve. The reverse coasting curve generator sets a range below the upper limit speed as a coasting range and sets a range at at least the upper limit speed to the upper limit speed during coasting from the base point toward the departure point.

Claims

1. A running profile generation device comprising:

a storage that stores speed limit information, vehicle performance information of a vehicle, and route information; and

a processor which is configured to;

acquire, from the storage, at least one speed limit section of a running section being set based on a departure point and an arrival point of the running section, the speed limit section being a section delimited at positions at which a speed limit changes;

determine a base point based on a terminal position and an upper limit speed of the speed limit section and generate a reverse coasting curve from the base point based on the vehicle performance information and the route information stored in the storage, the upper limit speed being set according to a speed limit for the speed limit section;

determine a coasting start position based on the generated reverse coasting curve;

generate a running profile by performing a running simulation based on the set running section, the speed limit information on the running section, the generated reverse coasting curve, the set coasting start position, and the vehicle performance information and the route information stored in the storage; and

output the generated running profile to control running of the vehicle,

wherein the processor sets a range below the upper limit speed as a coasting range and sets a range equal to or above the upper limit speed to the upper limit speed during coasting from the base point toward the departure point.

2. The running profile generation device according to claim 1, wherein the processor computes a speed at a plurality of positions sequentially from the base point toward the departure point based on the vehicle performance information and the route information stored in the storage and, every time the computed speed equals or exceeds the upper limit speed, sets the speed at a certain position to the upper limit speed.

3. The running profile generation device according to claim 1, wherein the processor sets, as the coasting start position, a shift position from the range set to the upper limit speed to the coasting range when tracing the reverse coasting curve from the departure point to the arrival point.

4. An operation assistance device comprising:

a storage that stores speed limit information, vehicle performance information of a vehicle, and route information;

a processor which is configured to;

receive current speed and position information of the vehicle;

acquire, from the storage, at least one speed limit section of a running section being set based on a departure point and an arrival point of the running section, the speed limit section being a section delimited at positions at which a speed limit changes, the departure point being set at a current position obtained from the speed and position information receiver;

determine a base point based on a terminal position and an upper limit speed of the speed limit section and generate a reverse coasting curve from the base point based on the vehicle performance information and the route information stored in the storage, the upper limit speed being set according to a speed limit for the speed limit section;

determine a coasting start position based on the generated reverse coasting curve;

generate a running profile by performing a running simulation with use of the set running section, the speed limit information on the running section, a received current speed, the generated reverse coasting curve, the set coasting start position, and the vehicle performance information and the route information stored in the storage;

extract a target speed from the generated running profile and generate information on the target speed or target operation to achieve the target speed; and

output the generated running profile to control running of the vehicle; and

an operation assistance information display that presents to an operator the generated information on the target speed or target operation to achieve the target speed,

wherein the processor sets a range below the upper limit speed as a coasting range and sets a range equal to or above the upper limit speed to the upper limit speed during coasting from the base point toward the departure point.

5. An operation control device comprising:

a storage that stores speed limit information, vehicle performance information of a vehicle, and route information;

a processor which is configured to;

receive current speed and position information;

acquire, from the storage, at least one speed limit section of a running section being set based on a departure point and an arrival point of the running section, the speed limit section being a section delimited at positions at which a speed limit changes, the departure point being set at a current position obtained from the speed and position information receiver;

determine a base point based on a terminal position and an upper limit speed of the speed limit section and generate a reverse coasting curve from the base point based on the vehicle performance information and the route information stored in the storage, the upper limit speed being set according to a speed limit for the speed limit section;

determine a coasting start position based on the generated reverse coasting curve;

generate a running profile by performing a running simulation with use of the set running section, the speed limit information on the running section, a received current speed, the generated reverse coasting curve, the set coasting start position, and the vehicle performance information and the route information stored in the storage;

extract a target speed from the running profile generated by the simulator and generate operation control information to achieve the target speed; and

control a driving and braking device of the vehicle based on the generated operation control information to control running of the vehicle,

wherein the processor sets a range below the upper limit speed as a coasting range and sets a range equal to or above the upper limit speed to the upper limit speed during coasting from the base point toward the departure point.

6. A running profile generation method comprising:

acquiring from a storage at least one speed limit section of a running section being set based on a departure point and an arrival point, the speed limit section being a section delimited at positions at which a speed limit changes;

determining a base point based on a terminal position and an upper limit speed of the speed limit section to generate a reverse coasting curve from the base point using vehicle performance information of a vehicle and route information stored in the storage, and setting a range below the upper limit speed as a coasting range and setting a range equal to or above the upper limit speed to the upper limit speed during coasting from the base point toward the departure point, the upper limit speed being set according to a speed limit for the speed limit section;

determining a coasting start position based on the generated reverse coasting curve;

generating a running profile by performing a running simulation based on the set running section, speed limit information on the running section, the generated reverse coasting curve, the set coasting start position, and the vehicle performance information and the route information stored in the storage; and

outputting the generated running profile to control running of the vehicle.