JPH0659727A - Vehicle control device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [Purpose] To provide a vehicle control device capable of favorably performing distance correction of a traveling vehicle even when the vehicle bounces. [Structure] The roadside communication device 22 transmits a signal including predetermined position data from the loop antenna 3. In-vehicle communication device 14
Recognizes its intensity level and position data from the received signal from the receiving antenna 20. On the other hand, the vehicle 10 is equipped with an in-vehicle distance sensor 12 that measures and calculates the traveling distance. The in-vehicle communication device 14 recognizes the position data when the received signal level is a predetermined value, and corrects the distance data using the position data only when the position data is the same twice or more during the three recognitions. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the distance data from being corrected in a state where the vehicle 10 rebounds and the position is erroneously detected.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vehicle control device, and more particularly to a control device for correcting a position and a distance when a vehicle is traveling by a position signal from a loop antenna on a road side.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, unmanned self-driving vehicles have been known and are used, for example, for work in a factory or for a running test on a test course. In addition, its use is also being considered on expressways and general roads. Basically, such an autopilot vehicle automatically operates an accelerator, a brake, a steering wheel, and the like based on operating conditions stored in advance, and travels on a predetermined course.
The operation condition is often stored in correspondence with the traveling distance of the vehicle, and the operation condition is controlled according to the output of the distance sensor mounted on the vehicle. However, an error occurs in the output of the distance sensor according to changes in various environmental conditions and the like, which needs to be corrected.

On the other hand, a corporation incorporated on December 9, 1983,
"One method of road-to-vehicle communication with vehicle detection function" published by the Institute of Electronics and Communication Engineers (SANE83-46) describes electromagnetic coupling between a loop antenna embedded under the road surface and a vehicle-mounted antenna. It is disclosed that various types of data are exchanged between a vehicle on the road and the ground by performing the guided wireless communication used. Therefore, by using such a loop antenna, it is considered that the position on the road can be accurately known even in an autopiloted vehicle and the output of the distance sensor can be corrected to position the traveling distance to the correct one.

FIG. 13 shows the relationship between the self-driving vehicle and the loop antenna and the reception state.
As shown in (a), the loop antenna 3 is embedded in the road 2 on which the vehicle 1 travels. The reception voltage pattern (coupling pattern) received by the vehicle-mounted antenna of the vehicle 1 is as shown by the solid line in FIG. 13B, and the reception voltage exceeding the threshold value E is continuously obtained for a predetermined time. When the position signal is received, it is determined that the vehicle 1 has arrived at the position where the loop antenna 3 on the road side is arranged. On the other hand, the vehicle 1 is provided with a distance sensor, and the traveling distance (or position) is measured by the vehicle-mounted distance sensor, but the vehicle-mounted distance sensor causes an error in the distance data due to wheel slips or the like. Therefore, if the embedded position of the loop antenna 3 on the road 2 is received by the vehicle-mounted communication device, the distance data measured by the vehicle-mounted distance sensor can be corrected by this position signal. A conventional vehicle control method using a loop antenna is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 56-153500.

[0005]

However, in the above-described vehicle control device, when the vehicle 1 bounces due to road conditions, the distance and direction between the vehicle-mounted antenna and the loop antenna 3 change, which causes a problem of erroneous detection. there were. That is, as shown in FIG. 13B, the vehicle-mounted antenna detects the voltage pattern of the chain line 100 when the vehicle 1 rebounds, and the voltage portion 10 generated at both ends of the original voltage portion 100A of the loop antenna 3 is detected.
0B exceeds the threshold value E. Therefore, when the vehicle 1 rebounds on an unpaved road or the like, a position deviated from the actual position of the loop antenna 3, for example, a front position is detected.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a vehicle control device capable of favorably correcting the distance of a traveling vehicle even when the vehicle bounces. It is in.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a vehicle control device for correcting a distance sensor of a traveling vehicle on the basis of a signal transmitted from a loop antenna installed on the road side. Receiving means for receiving a signal transmitted from a loop antenna installed on the road side, and detecting means for detecting a received voltage of the received signal,
In this detection means, the received voltage is equal to or higher than a predetermined value, and
The data recognizing means for recognizing a predetermined number of data from the received signal when continuously detected for a predetermined time, and this data is used when it is confirmed that at least two or more data recognized by the data recognizing means are the same. And a correction unit for correcting the distance sensor.

[0008]

According to the above structure, the loop antenna serving as a sign post transmits the radio wave indicating the position signal. On the other hand, in the vehicle-mounted communication device, the receiving means (vehicle-mounted antenna) receives the position signal. When the carrier detect signal for monitoring the strength of the radio wave, that is, the received voltage, continues for a predetermined time, the position signal is transmitted a predetermined number of times (for example, 3
If the data is continuously received, and the data match two or more times out of three times, the distance data measured by the vehicle-mounted distance sensor is corrected.

On the other hand, the level of the radio wave (reception voltage) fluctuates, and the carrier detect signal is turned off by the time the position signal is received three times (the level becomes a predetermined value or less).
In this case, the distance data is not corrected. When the vehicle bounces and rebounds, a signal of a predetermined level or higher is received before the original signal portion of the position signal due to the change in the direction of the vehicle. However, since this signal immediately falls below the predetermined level for a predetermined time or longer, it never exceeds the predetermined level, and by determining this discontinuous state, the erroneous detection of the position signal based on the bound state of the vehicle is detected. Can be prevented.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows the overall configuration of a vehicle control device according to an embodiment of the present invention. In a vehicle 10, an in-vehicle distance sensor 12 that measures a traveling distance and an in-vehicle communication device 1 are shown.
4. A vehicle control unit 16 that performs control such as correction of the distance measured by the distance sensor 12 is provided, and a transmission antenna 18 and a reception antenna 20 connected to the in-vehicle communication device 14 are provided on the rear side of the vehicle 10, for example. Is attached. The distance sensor 12 supplies a wheel pulse corresponding to the rotation of the wheel to the vehicle controller 16, and data is transmitted and received by wire between the vehicle-mounted communication device 14 and the vehicle controller 16.

Further, the vehicle control section 16 operates the steering, accelerator, brake actuators and other actuators to automatically steer the vehicle 10. The loop antenna 3 is provided at a predetermined position on the road (running road) 2.
The roadside communication device 22 is connected to the loop antenna 3, and the vehicle control device 24 is connected to the roadside communication device 22. Data is transmitted and received between the roadside communication device 22 and the vehicle control device 24 by optical communication.

FIG. 2 shows the configuration of the roadside communication device 22. Inside the roadside communication device 22, a modem 26 for performing two-way optical communication with a vehicle control device 24 and a vehicle. An interface 28 for sending out a detected status signal to the vehicle control device 24 by a predetermined status signal, a communication control unit 30 for performing transmission / reception control, a transmission unit 32, a reception unit 34,
A separation filter 36 that separates the transmission wave from the transmission unit 32 and the reception wave from the loop antenna 3 is provided. A position signal or the like is transmitted by the communication control unit 30 and the transmission unit 32. In the embodiment, the position signal is output as a radio wave for three consecutive data, as shown in FIG. It has become one. In this figure, the data is shown to be transmitted during each data (first to third times) and at intervals of the data, but in this example, the radio wave itself is continuously transmitted. Then, the in-vehicle communication device 14 detects the reception intensity of the radio waves continuously transmitted and demodulates the data regarding the reception radio waves of a predetermined level or higher.

On the other hand, the receiving section 34 receives the vehicle detection signal in relation to the transmitting antenna 18 on the vehicle 10 side.

FIG. 4 shows the configuration of the in-vehicle communication device 14, and in the in-vehicle communication device 14, the vehicle control unit 1 is provided.
Interface 3 for bidirectional communication with 6
8, an interface 40 for sending an open collector signal indicating that the vehicle 10 exists in the loop antenna 3 to the vehicle control unit 16, a communication control unit 42 for performing transmission / reception control, a transmission unit connected to the transmission antenna 18 Four
4. A receiving unit 46 connected to the receiving antenna 20 is provided.

As described above, the in-vehicle communication device 14 is connected to the transmitting antenna 18 and the receiving antenna 20, and the roadside communication device 2 is connected.
By providing the separation filter 36 on the second port, full-duplex communication in which transmission / reception processing is simultaneously performed becomes possible in the embodiment.
That is, in this example, the frequencies of the transmission radio wave and the reception radio wave are in different frequency bands. Therefore, the separation filter 36 can separate both signals. Also,
The communication control unit 42 monitors the strength of the radio wave received by the receiving antenna 20 with a carrier detect (CD) signal.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 5, when a voltage larger than the threshold value E is detected, an open collector signal is sent to the vehicle control unit 16. From the viewpoint of fail-safe, this threshold value E increases the margin of the communicable area, and therefore the level A of the original voltage portion 101A in the steady state and the voltage portion 101 of the end portion shown by the chain line.
It is set slightly closer to level B than the middle of level B of B.

Then, the vehicle control unit 16 determines whether or not three consecutive position signals transmitted from the loop antenna 3 are continuously received by the vehicle-mounted communication device 14 at a voltage level higher than the threshold value E. Is determined by the carrier detect signal. When the position signal above the predetermined voltage level is detected three times in a row, the in-vehicle distance sensor 1
The distance data obtained in 2 will be corrected based on the position signal. If the carrier detect signal is turned off by the time the position signal is received three times, the position signals received so far are invalid.

The embodiment is constructed as described above, and its operation will be described below with reference to FIGS. 6 to 12.

FIG. 6 shows the transmission process of the on-vehicle communication device 14 and the roadside communication device 22. At the time of transmission, when the initial process ends (step 201), the RAM
The data stored in the (memory) is read (step 202), and the read data is continuously transmitted three times in the pattern of FIG. 3 (step 203).

FIG. 7 shows a reception process (wired) for the vehicle control unit 16 of the in-vehicle communication device 14, and at the time of reception, the initial process ends (step 20).
4) It is determined whether or not data has been received from the vehicle control unit 16 (step 205), "Y (YES)".
In the case of, the received signal at this time is demodulated, data is obtained (step 206) and written in the RAM (step 207).

FIG. 8 shows a reception process (wireless) for the roadside communication device 22 of the on-vehicle communication device 14. As shown in the drawing, when the initial process is completed (step 301), the carrier detect (CD) is performed. ) It is determined whether or not the signal is in the ON state (above a predetermined level) (step 302), and if "N (NO)", the loop presence signal is turned off and the reception counter is cleared (step 30).
3). On the other hand, when the result of step 302 is "Y", the position signal is output to the vehicle control unit 16 (step 30).
4). In the next step 305, it is determined whether or not the wireless data has been received, and if "Y", it is determined whether or not the reception counter has reached 3 after the reception counter is incremented (step 307). This step 3
If it is "Y" at 07, the data for three times is written in the shared RAM (step 308), and then the vehicle controller 16
The activation trigger for performing the data transmission process is turned on (step 309).

That is, in the embodiment, it is determined whether or not the position signal has been received three times in succession by determining whether or not the reception counter has reached 3, and when the position signal has been received continuously. As described above, the processing after step 308 is performed. However, if the position signals are received discontinuously, the reception counter does not become 3 ("N") in step 307, and the process returns to step 302. In this step 302, for example, the carrier detect signal is detected every predetermined time, so the reception counter can be cleared in step 303 by the time of the next reception, whereby the next reception determination processing of the position signal is executed. It will be possible.

In this discontinuous reception state, as shown in FIG. 5, the reception voltage pattern is 10 when the vehicle rebounds.
This rebound condition, which is caused by rising like 0, is frequently repeated as the vehicle bounces.
Therefore, since the voltage portion 100B at the end portion exceeds or falls below the threshold value E, the erroneous detection state due to the vehicle bouncing is specified by the discontinuous state of the position signal. In this discontinuous state, for example, when the vehicle rebounds, position signals are received at three points P1 to P3 shown in the figure, and the position signals detected in such a discontinuous state are invalidated. . In FIG. 5, when the position signal is received in the range from point Q to D, it is treated as valid.

When the discontinuity of the position signal is determined as described above, the on-vehicle distance sensor 16
Therefore, the correction process of the distance data measured in step 1 will not be executed.

FIG. 9 shows the vehicle control unit 1 of the in-vehicle communication device 14.
6 is shown (wired), and when the initial process is completed (step 310), it is determined whether the activation trigger is turned on (step 311),
If "Y", the data in the shared RAM is read (step 312), and the activation trigger is turned off (step 31).
3). Then, it is determined whether or not two of the three received data are the same (step 31).
After 4), it is determined whether the current data is the same as the previous data (step 315). This step 3
At 15, the position signal data is transmitted once to the vehicle control unit 16 because the true signal transmitted from the loop antenna 3 is normally detected when it is "N" (step 316).

At this time, the vehicle control unit 16 corrects the distance data obtained by the vehicle-mounted distance sensor 12 based on the position signal, and can correct a calculation error caused by a wheel slip or the like. It will be possible.

FIG. 10 shows a reception process (wired) for the vehicle control device 24 of the roadside communication device 22.
This is the same as the operation of FIG. 7 described above, and after it is determined in step 210 whether or not data has been received from the vehicle control device 24, data reception and writing to the RAM are performed ( Steps 211 and 212).

FIG. 11 shows a reception process (wireless) for the on-vehicle communication device 14 of the roadside communication device 22, which is similar to the operation of FIG. That is, after the initial processing in step 401, step 402
When the carrier detect signal is not turned on in step S403, the vehicle detection signal is turned off (step 403), and when turned on, the vehicle detection signal is output to the vehicle control device 24 (step 404). When the reception counter reaches 3 (step 407), the activation trigger of the data transmission process to the vehicle control device 24 is turned on. Thus, also in the roadside communication device 22, when a discontinuous vehicle detection signal is detected, that signal is invalidated.

FIG. 12 shows a transmission process (wired) of the roadside communication device 22 to the vehicle control device 24, which is similar to the operation of FIG. That is, after it is determined whether or not two of the three received data are the same (steps 410 to 414), it is determined whether or not the current data is the same as the previous data. (Step 415). Then, when the result is "N", the received data is transmitted to the vehicle control device 24 three times (step 416), and the vehicle control device 24 performs a predetermined process based on the received data.

[0030]

As described above, according to the present invention,
The distance data is corrected when the position data received when the reception intensity of the signal sent from the loop antenna is equal to or higher than the predetermined value is normally received at least twice.
When this position data is received discontinuously, the distance data is not corrected. Therefore, even if the vehicle bounces, the position signal is accurately received, and the distance correction of the traveling vehicle is improved. It becomes possible to do.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an overall configuration of a vehicle control device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a circuit block diagram showing a configuration of a roadside communication device of the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a configuration of a radio signal transmitted from the communication device of the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a circuit block diagram showing a configuration of an in-vehicle communication device of the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a waveform diagram showing a state of a signal voltage received at the time of vehicle rebound in the communication device of the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a transmission process of the vehicle-mounted communication device and the roadside communication device of the embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a reception process (wired) for the vehicle control unit of the vehicle-mounted communication device according to the embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a flow chart showing a reception process (wireless) for the roadside communication device of the vehicle-mounted communication device according to the embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a transmission process (wired) to the vehicle control unit of the vehicle-mounted communication device according to the embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a reception process (wired) for the vehicle control device of the roadside communication device according to the embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing a reception process (wireless) of the on-vehicle communication device of the roadside communication device of the embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing a transmission process (wired) of the roadside communication device to the vehicle control device of the embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a positional relationship between an autopilot vehicle and a loop antenna [Fig. (A)] and a waveform diagram [Fig. (B)] showing a reception state on the vehicle side.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1, 10 vehicle 3 loop antenna 12 vehicle-mounted distance sensor 14 vehicle-mounted communication device 16 vehicle control unit 18 transmission antenna 20 reception antenna 22 roadside communication device 24 vehicle control device

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A vehicle control device for correcting a distance sensor of a traveling vehicle based on a signal transmitted from a loop antenna installed on a road side, a signal transmitted from a loop antenna installed on a road side. Receiving means for receiving the signal, detecting means for detecting the received voltage of the received signal, and when this detecting means continuously detects a signal having a received voltage equal to or higher than a predetermined value for a predetermined time, a predetermined number of the received signal is received. Data recognizing means for recognizing the above data, and correction means for correcting the distance sensor using this data when at least two or more data recognized by the data recognizing means can be confirmed. And a vehicle control device.