Vehicle Control Device and Vehicle Control Method

• US 20090228184A1
• Filed: 03/06/2006
• Published: 09/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi Astemo Ltd. (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Hanawa, Kazuhiko, Yoshida, Tatsuya, Ueyama, Mikio
• Granted Patent: US 9,008,940 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/96
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/20 Road profile, i.e. the change in elevation or curvature of a plurality of continuous road segments
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/30 Road curve radius
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/00 Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/802 Longitudinal distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/804 Relative longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/09 Taking automatic action to avoid collision, e.g. braking and steering
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/095 Predicting travel path or likelihood of collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/16 Control of distance between vehicles, e.g. keeping a distance to preceding vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/16 Anti-collision systems road vehicle drive control systems for predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision otherwise than by control of a particular sub-unit B60W30/08
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/161 Decentralised systems, e.g. inter-vehicle communication
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/165 for passive traffic, e.g. including static obstacles, trees

Abstract

A cruise control device and an obstacle detection device are provided which achieve a safe and appropriate tracking control by avoiding a sudden recognition of a short following distance when a preceding vehicle is found in an uphill or downhill gradient, in a curve, or at an intersection, or by reducing the damage of a crash when the crash cannot be avoided. An obstacle determination process section is provided which receives information from a sensor which detects an obstacle, receives terrain information of the position of the host vehicle from a navigation device, and determines the presence of the obstacle when a predetermined condition is satisfied after the sensor detects the obstacle. The predetermined condition to determine the presence of the obstacle is changed based on the terrain information of the position of the host vehicle received from the navigation device.

Claims

1. A vehicle control device, comprising:

a sensor-information input section that receives information from a sensor which detects an obstacle;

a terrain-information input section that receives terrain information of the position of an host vehicle from a map database;

an obstacle determination process section that determines the presence of an obstacle when a predetermined condition is satisfied after the sensor detects the obstacle; and

a condition change section that changes the predetermined condition based on the terrain information of the position of the host vehicle received from the terrain-information input section.

2. A vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein, after the sensor detects the obstacle, when the obstacle is continuously detected until a given period of time elapses, the obstacle determination process section determines the presence of the obstacle.

3. A vehicle control device according to claim 2, wherein the condition change section reduces a time to determine a preceding vehicle when the terrain information of the position of the host vehicle, received from the terrain-information input section, indicates that the host vehicle is located in a vicinity of a gradient road.

4. A vehicle control device according to claim 2, wherein the condition change section reduces the given period of time when the terrain information of the position of the host vehicle, received from the terrain-information input section, indicates that the host vehicle is located in a vicinity of a curve.

5. A vehicle control device according to claim 2, wherein the condition change section reduces the given period of time when the terrain information of the position of the host vehicle, received from the terrain-information input section, indicates that the host vehicle is located in a vicinity of an intersection.

6. A vehicle control device according to claim 1, further comprising a following distance control section that controls, based on a following distance to and a relative speed to a preceding vehicle determined by the obstacle determination process section, the following distance to the preceding vehicle.

7. A vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein the map database is implemented by a navigation device.

8. A vehicle control method, comprising:

receiving information from a sensor which detects an obstacle;

receiving terrain information of the position of an host vehicle from a map database;

determining, when a predetermined condition is satisfied after the sensor detects a preceding vehicle, the presence of the preceding vehicle;

controlling, based on a following distance to and a relative speed to the determined preceding vehicle, the following distance to the preceding vehicle; and

changing the predetermined condition based on the received terrain information of the position of the host vehicle.

9. A vehicle control method according to claim 8, wherein, after the sensor detects the preceding vehicle, when the preceding vehicle is continuously detected until a given period of time elapses, the presence of the obstacle is determined.

10. A vehicle control method according to claim 9, wherein a time to determine the preceding vehicle is reduced when the received terrain information of the position of the host vehicle indicates that the host vehicle is located in a vicinity of a gradient road.

11. A vehicle control method according to claim 9, wherein the given period of time is reduced when the received terrain information of the position of the host vehicle indicates that the host vehicle is located in a vicinity of a curve.

12. A vehicle control method according to claim 9, wherein the given period of time is reduced when the received terrain information of the position of the host vehicle indicates that the host vehicle is located in a vicinity of an intersection.