Autonomous traveling vehicle

• US 6,236,915 B1
• Filed: 03/14/2000
• Issued: 05/22/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Kobayashi, Sachio, Furukawa, Yoshimi
• Primary Examiner(s): Zanelli, Michael J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gibson, Eric M
• Application Number:
  US09/525,132
• Time in Patent Office: 434 Days
• Field of Search: 701/23, 701/24, 701/25, 701/26, 701/2, 701/94
• US Class Current: 701/25
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/026 using a predictor
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0261 using magnetic plots
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0289 with means for avoiding collisions between vehicles vehicle fittings for automatically controlling speed including means for detecting potential obstacles B60K31/0008; avoiding obstacles by action on the steering system B62D; radar, sonar, lidar systems designed for anti-collision purposes G01S13/93, G01S15/93, G01S17/93
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes

Abstract

In driving a motor vehicle in accordance with a control plan, the influence of the inclination of a road is recognized so as to realize an accurate control. The position and speed of a vehicle after a predetermined time period as estimated on the basis of the detection of magnetic nails, are estimated by a first processing portion, while the control plan of the vehicle (the correlation between the position and speed of the vehicle) is determined by a control plan processing portion on the basis of information received from a leakage coaxial cable. The deviations between the control plan and the estimated position and speed of the vehicle are calculated, and these deviations are further multiplied by gains Kx and Ku in a control plan converting portion so as to calculate a target acceleration. A throttle and a brake are controlled on the basis of the target acceleration, whereby the vehicle is driven in conformity with the controls. A correction device corrects the target acceleration in order to eliminate the influence of the inclination of a road.

Claims

1. In an autonomous traveling vehicle having acceleration/deceleration actuators, a vehicle control system comprising:

vehicle position detection means for detecting the position of a vehicle on the basis of information received from information sources disposed on a road;

control plan processing means for creating a control plan formed of correlation data of speed and distance, on the basis of at least one of information received from a preceding vehicle and information received from information transmission means disposed on or near the road;

deviation calculation means for calculating at least one of a distance deviation and a speed deviation at an anticipated arrival point of the vehicle after a predetermined time period, on the basis of the control plan and the vehicle position;

vehicle-speed control means for controlling the accelerating/decelerating actuators on the basis of at least one of the distance deviation and the speed deviation; and

correction means for correcting at least one of the distance deviation and the speed deviation in order to compensate for any deviation due to a gradient of the road, on the basis of information about the road gradient as received from the information transmission means.

2. An autonomous traveling vehicle as defined in claim 1, wherein the anticipated arrival point is calculated on the basis of the vehicle position, a first-order differential value of the vehicle position and a second-order differential value of the vehicle position.

3. An autonomous traveling vehicle as defined in claim 1, wherein the information from the information transmission means is speed directive information relative to positions on the road.

4. An autonomous traveling vehicle as defined in claim 1, wherein the deviation calculation means calculates the distance deviation and the speed deviation by comparing the information on the position and speed as received from the information transmission means, with the position and speed of the vehicle at the anticipated arrival point.

5. An autonomous traveling vehicle as defined in claim 1, wherein the deviation calculation means calculates the distance deviation and the speed deviation by comparing the position and speed of the preceding vehicle after the predetermined time period, as calculated on the basis of the positional information received from the preceding vehicle, with the position and speed of the vehicle at the anticipated arrival point.

6. An autonomous traveling vehicle as defined in claim 5, wherein the position and speed of the preceding vehicle after the predetermined time period, are calculated on the basis of a first-order differential value and second-order differential value of the positional information received from the preceding vehicle.