IN-LANE RUNNING SUPPORT SYSTEM, AUTOMOBILE AND IN-LANE RUNNING SUPPORT METHOD

• US 20090024279A1
• Filed: 07/16/2008
• Published: 01/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Nishida, Yukinori, Takahama, Taku, TAKEDA, Yuya, Kimura, Takeshi, Kashiwaya, Tomoyuki
• Granted Patent: US 8,423,246 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/41
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/16 Tactile feedback to the driver, e.g. vibration or force feedback to the driver on the steering wheel or the accelerator pedal
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/025 Active steering aids, e.g. helping the driver by actively influencing the steering system after environment evaluation B62D1/28 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 5/006 power actuated
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 6/008 Control of feed-back to the steering input member, e.g. simulating road feel in steer-by-wire applications

Abstract

The in-lane running support system includes a steering input device and a steering input detector. The in-lane running support system further comprises a reaction force device that changes a condition of the steering input device between a normal operation mode that provides a normal reaction force to the driver, and a hapthic operation mode that performs a notification operation to the driver, a turning output device that is in a state mechanically disconnected from the steering input device and that turns steerable wheels, and a turning output controller. A running state detecting device acquires information of a running state of the vehicle with respect to a lane. An in-lane running support device controls the turning output device and the haptic device based on the information of the running state such that the vehicle runs in the lane, and has a first control mode that controls the turning output control device and causes the reaction force device to operate in the normal operation mode, and a second control mode that controls the turning output control device and causes the reaction force device to operate in the haptic operation mode.

Claims

1. An in-lane running support system for a vehicle;

comprising;

a steering input device configured to input steering operations by a driver;

a steering input detector configured to detect the steering operations inputted via said steering input device;

a reaction force device configured to change a condition of the steering input device between a normal operation mode that provides a normal reaction force to the driver via said steering input device, and a hapthic operation mode that performs a notification operation to the driver via said steering input device;

a turning output device, which is in a state mechanically disconnected from said steering input device, configured to turn steerable wheels;

a turning output controller configured to control turning of the steerable wheels by said turning output device corresponding to the steering operations detected by said steering input detector;

a running state detecting device configured to acquire information of a running state of the vehicle with respect to a lane; and

an in-lane running support device configured to control said turning output device and said reaction force device based on the information of the running state such that the vehicle runs in the lane,

wherein said in-lane running support device has a first control mode that controls the turning output device and causes the reaction force device to operate in the normal operation mode, and has a second control mode that controls the turning output device and causes the reaction force device to operate in the haptic operation mode.

2. The in-lane running support system according to claim 1 wherein said reaction force device increases the reaction force of said steering input device in addition to the normal reaction force as said notification operation.

3. The in-lane running support system according to claim 2 wherein:

said running state detecting device acquires information of lateral displacement of the vehicle with respect to the center of the lane;

and said in-lane running support device controls said reaction force device to apply the reaction force corresponding to said information of lateral displacement.

4. The in-lane running support system according to claim 1 wherein:

said in-lane running support device changes the control mode between the first control mode and the second control mode based on the information of the running state.

5. The in-lane running support system according to claim 4 wherein:

said running state detecting device acquires information of lateral displacement of the vehicle with respect to the center of the lane; and

said in-lane running support device controls said turning output device and said reaction force device by the first control mode when the lateral displacement is the same as or less than a predetermined value, and controls said turning output device and said reaction force device by the second control mode when the lateral displacement more than the predetermined value.

6. The in-lane running support system according to claim 1 further comprising:

a braking force controller configured to control the braking force of each wheel individually;

and wherein said in-lane running support device controls said reaction force device to perform notification operation, and at the same time controls said braking force controller to apply a yaw moment towards the center of the lane to the vehicle.

7. The in-lane running support system according to claim 1 further comprising:

a braking force controller configured to control the braking force of each wheel individually;

and wherein said in-lane running support device controls said braking force controller to apply a yaw moment towards the center of the lane to the vehicle after performing notification operation with said reaction force device.

8. The in-lane running support system according to claim 2 wherein:

said running state detecting device acquires information of the time until the vehicle arrives at a boundary line that divides the lane,

and said in-lane running support device controls said reaction force device to perform the notification operation based on the time acquired by said running state detecting device.

9. The in-lane running support system according to claim 4 wherein:

said running state detecting device acquires information of the time until the vehicle arrives at a boundary line that divides the lane;

and said in-lane running support device controls said turning output device and said reaction force device by the first control mode when the information of the time is longer than a predetermined time, and controls said turning output device and said reaction force device by the second control mode when the information of the time is the same as or shorter than the predetermined time.

10. An automobile;

comprising;

a vehicle body,

plural wheels mounted on the vehicle body,

a steering input device configured to input steering operations by a driver;

a steering input detector configured to detect the steering operations inputted via said steering input device;

a reaction force device configured to change a condition of the steering input device between a normal operation mode that provides a normal reaction force to the driver via said steering input device, and a hapthic operation mode that performs a notification operation to the driver via said steering input device;

a turning output device, which is in a state mechanically disconnected from said steering input device, configured to turn steerable wheels;

a turning output controller configured to control turning of the steerable wheels by said turning output device corresponding to the steering operations detected by said steering input detector;

a running state detecting device configured to acquire information of a running state of the automobile with respect to a lane; and

an in-lane running support device configured to control said turning output device and said reaction force device based on the information of the running state such that the automobile runs in the lane,

wherein said in-lane running support device has a first control mode that controls the turning output device and causes the reaction force device to operate in the normal operation mode, and has a second control mode that controls the turning output device and causes the reaction force device to operate in the haptic operation mode.

11. An in-lane running support system for a vehicle;

comprising;

a steering input means for inputting steering operations by a driver;

a steering input detection means for detecting the steering operations inputted via said steering input means;

a reaction force means for changing a condition of the steering input means between a normal operation mode that provides a normal reaction force to the driver via said steering input device, and a hapthic operation mode that performs a notification operation to the driver via said steering input device;

a turning output means, which is in a state mechanically disconnected from said steering input means, for turning steerable wheels;

a turning output control means for controlling turning of the steerable wheels by said turning output means corresponding to the steering operations detected by said steering input detection means;

a running state detection means for acquiring information of a running state of the vehicle with respect to a lane; and

an in-lane running support means for controlling said turning output means and said reaction force means based on the information of the running state such that the vehicle runs in the lane,

wherein said in-lane running support means has a first control mode that controls the turning output means and causes the reaction force means to operate in the normal operation mode, and has a second control mode that controls the turning output means and causes the reaction force means to operate in the haptic operation mode.

12. An in-lane running support method for a vehicle;

comprising;

detecting information of a running state of the vehicle with respect to a lane; and

controlling a turning control of steerable wheels such that the vehicle runs in the lane and reaction force of a steering input device based on the information of the running state,

wherein said controlling step has a first control mode that controls the steerable wheels and provides a normal reaction force to the driver via the steering input device, and has a second control mode that controls the steerable wheels and performs a notification operation via the steering input device.

13. A computer readable storage medium, having stored data for in-lane running support control for a vehicle;

comprising;

instructions for detecting information of a running state of the vehicle with respect to a lane; and

instructions for controlling a turning control of steerable wheels such that the vehicle runs in the lane and reaction force of a steering input device based on the information of the running state,

wherein said controlling instructions has a first control mode that controls the steerable wheels and provides a normal reaction force to the driver via the steering input device, and has a second control mode that controls the steerable wheels and performs a notification operation via the steering input device.