The present disclosure relates to an apparatus and method for adjusting a speed of a vehicle to control a lane change.
The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
With the development of the auto industry, a lane change control system capable of automatically changing a lane on which a vehicle is traveling has been developed. When a driver operates a turn signal with the intention of changing a lane, the lane change control system may perform a lane change by automatically controlling a vehicle in a horizontal direction toward a direction where the turn signal is turned on. The lane change control system may perform a lane change by determining whether a speed, a location, and the like of a surrounding vehicle are suitable for performing the lane change, setting a control path for the lane change, and controlling steering torque along the control path. The lane change control system may detect a preceding vehicle and a following vehicle and may perform control based on the obtained information.
We have discovered that when a driving speed of a vehicle is slower, lane change control may put a driver in danger, and the driver may set a minimum operation speed capable of performing lane change control. In addition, when the minimum operation speed is set, while the vehicle travels at a speed slower than the minimum operation speed, when a lane change command of the driver is generated, we have discovered that a control strategy is desired to accelerate the vehicle to the minimum operation speed or more.
An aspect of the present disclosure provides an apparatus and method for controlling a lane change in a vehicle to provide a strategy for lane change control when a driving speed of the vehicle is lower than a minimum operation speed.
The technical problems to be solved by the present inventive concept are not limited to the aforementioned problems, and any other technical problems not mentioned herein will be clearly understood from the following description by those skilled in the art to which the present disclosure pertains.
According to an aspect of the present disclosure, an apparatus for controlling a lane change in a vehicle may include: a sensor configured to sense an external vehicle, an input device configured to receive a lane change command from a driver of the vehicle, and a control circuit configured to be electrically connected with the sensor and the input device. The control circuit may be configured to receive the lane change command using the input device, calculate a minimum operation speed of the vehicle for a lane change control, and determine whether to accelerate the vehicle based on a speed of a preceding vehicle which is traveling on the same lane as the vehicle, when a driving speed of the vehicle is lower than the minimum operation speed.
The control circuit may be configured to calculate the minimum operation speed in response to receiving the lane change command.
The control circuit may be configured to calculate the minimum operation speed periodically while the vehicle travels.
The control circuit may be configured to, when a following vehicle which is traveling on a target lane corresponding to the lane change command is sensed by the sensor, calculate the minimum operation speed based on a speed of the following vehicle and a distance between the vehicle and the following vehicle.
The control circuit may be configured to, when a following vehicle which is traveling on a target lane corresponding to the lane change command is not sensed by the sensor, calculate the minimum operation speed based on a predetermined speed for traveling vehicles and a sensing distance corresponding to a maximum distance sensible by the sensor.
The control circuit may be configured to control the vehicle such that the driving speed of the vehicle is higher than the minimum operation speed, when the minimum operation speed is lower than the speed of the preceding vehicle and perform the lane change control.
The control circuit may be configured to control the vehicle such that the driving speed of the vehicle is higher than the minimum operation speed, when the preceding vehicle is not sensed by the sensor and perform the lane change control.
The control circuit may be configured to determine whether to accelerate the vehicle based on the speed of the preceding vehicle and a distance between the vehicle and the preceding vehicle, when the minimum operation speed is higher than the speed of the preceding vehicle.
The control circuit may be configured to determine a probability of collision between the vehicle and the preceding vehicle based on the speed of the preceding vehicle and the distance between the vehicle and the preceding vehicle, control the vehicle such that the driving speed of the vehicle is higher than the minimum operation speed, when there is no the probability of collision, and perform the lane change control.
The control circuit may be configured to estimate a predicted driving path of the vehicle and a predicted driving path of the preceding vehicle based on the speed of the preceding vehicle and the distance between the vehicle and the preceding vehicle and determine the probability of collision between the vehicle and the preceding vehicle based on the predicted driving path of the vehicle and the predicted driving path of the preceding vehicle.
The control circuit may be configured to determine a probability of collision between the vehicle and the preceding vehicle based on the speed of the preceding vehicle and the distance between the vehicle and the preceding vehicle and control the vehicle to decelerate, when there is the probability of collision.
The control circuit may be configured to determine the probability of collision, after the vehicle decelerates.
The control circuit may be configured to calculate the minimum operation speed again, after the vehicle decelerates.
According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a method for controlling a lane change of a vehicle may include: receiving, by a control circuit, a lane change command from a driver of the vehicle; calculating, by the control circuit, a minimum operation speed of the vehicle for a lane change control; and determining, by the control circuit, whether to accelerate the vehicle based on a speed of a preceding vehicle which is traveling on the same lane as the vehicle, when a driving speed of the vehicle is lower than the minimum operation speed.
The calculating the minimum operation speed may include, when a following vehicle which is traveling on a target lane corresponding to the lane change command is sensed, calculating the minimum operation speed based on a speed of the following vehicle and a distance between the vehicle and the following vehicle.
The calculating of the minimum operation speed may include, when a following vehicle which is traveling on a target lane corresponding to the lane change command is not sensed, calculating the minimum operation speed based on a predetermined speed of traveling vehicles set by a country where the vehicle is located, and a sensing distance corresponding to a maximum distance sensible by a sensor of the vehicle.
The method may further include controlling, by the control circuit, the vehicle such that the driving speed of the vehicle is higher than the minimum operation speed, when the minimum operation speed is lower than the speed of the preceding vehicle and performing the lane change control.
The method may further include controlling, by the control circuit, the vehicle such that the driving speed of the vehicle is higher than the minimum operation speed, when the preceding vehicle is not sensed and performing the lane change control.
The determining whether to accelerate the vehicle may include determining, by the control circuit, whether to accelerate the vehicle based on the speed of the preceding vehicle and a distance between the vehicle and the preceding vehicle, when the minimum operation speed is higher than the speed of the preceding vehicle.
The method may further include determining, by the control circuit, a probability of collision between the vehicle and the preceding vehicle based on the speed of the preceding vehicle and the distance between the vehicle and the preceding vehicle, controlling the vehicle such that the driving speed of the vehicle is higher than the minimum operation speed, when there is no the probability of collision, and performing the lane change control.
Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. It should be understood that the description and specific examples are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.
In order that the disclosure may be well understood, there will now be described various forms thereof, given by way of example, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which:
The drawings described herein are for illustration purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure in any way.
The following description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present disclosure, application, or uses. It should be understood that throughout the drawings, corresponding reference numerals indicate like or corresponding parts and features.
In addition, in describing an exemplary form of the present disclosure, if it is determined that a detailed description of related well-known configurations or functions blurs the gist of the present disclosure, it will be omitted.
In describing elements of forms of the present disclosure, the terms 1st, 2nd, first, second, A, B, (a), (b), and the like may be used herein. These terms are only used to distinguish one element from another element, but do not limit the corresponding elements irrespective of the nature, turn, or order of the corresponding elements. Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein, including technical or scientific terms, have the same meanings as those generally understood by those skilled in the art to which the present disclosure pertains. Such terms as those defined in a generally used dictionary are to be interpreted as having meanings equal to the contextual meanings in the relevant field of art, and are not to be interpreted as having ideal or excessively formal meanings unless clearly defined as having such in the present application.
Referring to
The sensor 110 may be configured to sense an external vehicle. The sensor 110 may include, for example, a forward sensor 110 and a blind spot assist (BSA) sensor (or a rear lateral sensor) 110. The sensor 110 may sense a preceding vehicle which is traveling on the same lane as the vehicle and a following vehicle which is traveling on a lane adjacent to the vehicle.
The input device 120 may configured to receive a lane change command from a driver of the vehicle. The input device 120 may be implemented with, for example, a turn signal lever, a switch, a button, or the like capable of receiving an input of the driver.
The steering device 130 may be configured to control a steering angle of the vehicle. The steering device 130 may include, for example, a steering wheel, an actuator interlocked with the steering wheel, and a controller for controlling the actuator.
The acceleration and deceleration device 140 may be configured to control a speed of the vehicle. The acceleration and deceleration device 140 may include, for example, a throttle, a brake, an actuator interlocked with the throttle and the brake, and a controller for controlling the actuator.
The control circuit 150 may be electrically connected with the sensor 110, the input device 120, the steering device 130, and the acceleration and deceleration device 140. The control circuit 150 may control the sensor 110, the input device 120, the steering device 130, and the acceleration and deceleration device 140 and may perform a variety of data processing and various arithmetic operations. The control circuit 150 may be, for example, an electronic control unit (ECU) or a sub-controller loaded into the vehicle.
According to an exemplary form, the control circuit 150 may receive a lane change command using the input device 120. The control circuit 150 may receive a lane change command in a left or right direction via the input device 120 from the driver.
In one form, the control circuit 150 may calculate a minimum operation speed for lane change control. For example, the control circuit 150 may calculate a minimum operation speed in response to receiving a lane change command or may calculate a minimum operation speed periodically while the vehicle travels. Upon lane change control, the apparatus 100 may activate control only when a driving speed of the vehicle is greater than or equal to the minimum operation speed for a safe lane change. An exemplary equation for calculating a minimum operation speed Vsmin may be Equation 1 below.
V
smin
=a*(tB−tG)+vapp−√{square root over (a2*(tB−tG)2−2*a*(vapp*tG−Srear))} [Equation 1]
According to Equation 1 above, the minimum operation speed Vsmin may be determined based on Srear, Vapp, a, tB, and tG. Herein, each of a, tB, and tG may be a kind of environmental variable indicating a predicted behavior of a following vehicle and may correspond to a predefined constant. Each of the distance Srear between the vehicle and the following vehicle and the speed Vapp of the following vehicle may be a value indicating a motion state of the following vehicle and may be measured by the sensor 110.
Herein, a sensing distance of the sensor 110 is limited, so there may be a need for calculating the minimum operation speed Vsmin for each of when the following vehicle is located within the sensing distance of the sensor 110 and when the following vehicle is not located within the sensing distance of the sensor 110. When the following vehicle is located within the sensing distance, the control circuit 150 may calculate the minimum distance Vsmin based on the distance Srear and the speed Vapp measured by the sensor 110. When the following vehicle is not located within the sensing distance, the control circuit 150 may calculate the minimum distance Vsmin assuming that there is the worst, that is, the following vehicle proceeds at a maximum legal speed immediately over the sensing distance of the sensor 110. In this case, the control circuit 150 may set the distance Srear to a maximum sensing distance of the sensor 110 and may set the speed Vapp to a maximum legal speed of a country where a vehicle is traveling. A description will be given in detail of an exemplary form of calculating the minimum operation speed with reference to
When a current speed of the vehicle is faster than the minimum operation speed, the control circuit 150 may immediately initiate lane change control. When the current speed of the vehicle is slower than the minimum operation speed, the control circuit 150 may provide various control strategies in consideration of a preceding vehicle.
According to an exemplary form, when a driving speed of the vehicle is lower than the minimum operation speed, the control circuit 150 may determine whether to accelerate the vehicle based on a speed of a preceding vehicle which is traveling on the same lane as the vehicle. In a situation where the vehicle should accelerate its driving speed to reach the minimum operation speed to activate lane change control, the control circuit 150 may divide a surrounding situation into four situations and may provide a control strategy suitable for each of the four situations. The control circuit 150 may suitably accelerate or decelerate the vehicle and may perform lane change control by controlling the steering device 130 and the acceleration and deceleration device 140.
First of all, the control circuit 150 may verify whether the minimum operation speed is higher than a driving speed of the vehicle. When the driving speed of the vehicle is higher than the minimum operation speed, the control circuit 150 may immediately initiate a lane change. When the driving speed of the vehicle is lower than the minimum operation speed, the control circuit 150 may perform lane change control depending on the control strategy disclosed in Table 1 above.
The control circuit 150 may verify whether there is a preceding vehicle using the sensor 110. When the preceding vehicle is not detected, the control circuit 150 may sufficiently accelerate the vehicle, thus accelerating the vehicle to the minimum operation speed or more to change a lane.
When the preceding vehicle is detected, the control circuit 150 may verify a speed of the preceding vehicle. When the speed of the preceding vehicle is higher than the minimum operation speed, since there is no collision risk although the control circuit 150 accelerates the vehicle, the control circuit 150 may accelerate the vehicle to the minimum operation speed or more and may change a lane.
When the speed of the preceding vehicle is lower than the minimum operation speed, the control circuit 150 may consider a speed of the preceding vehicle and a headway between the vehicle and the preceding vehicle. Since the headway is sufficiently long, when there is no probability of collision while the vehicle accelerates and changes a lane, the control circuit 150 may accelerates the vehicle to the minimum operation speed or more and may change a lane.
Since the headway is not sufficiently long, when there is a probability of collision while the vehicle accelerates and changes a lane, the control circuit 150 may decelerates the vehicle. After a following vehicle overtakes the vehicle or after a distance from the preceding vehicle is provided, the control circuit 150 may retry lane change control.
A description will be given in detail of each of the above-mentioned control strategies with reference to
Hereinafter, a description will be given in detail of an operation of calculating the minimum operation speed with reference to
Referring to
In one form, when a following vehicle 300 which is traveling on a target lane corresponding to a lane change command is sensed by a sensor of the vehicle 200, the vehicle 200 may calculate a minimum operation speed based on a speed of the following vehicle 300 and a distance between the vehicle 200 and the following vehicle 300. For example, when a distance d1 between the vehicle 200 and the following vehicle 300 is shorter than a maximum sensing distance of a BSA sensor (or a rear lateral sensor), the vehicle 200 may measure a distance Srear and a speed Vapp using the sensor. The vehicle 200 may calculate a minimum operation speed for lane change control based on the measured Srear and Vapp. For example, the vehicle 200 may calculate the minimum operation speed by applying the measured Srear and Vapp to Equation 1 above. When a lane change command is input, the vehicle 200 may calculate a minimum operation speed by detecting the following vehicle 300 in a lane to be changed or may calculate a minimum operation speed by detecting the following vehicle 3000 in a lane adjacent to the vehicle 200.
Referring to
Hereinafter, a description will be given in detail of a control strategy provided when a preceding vehicle is not detected, with reference to
Referring to
Hereinafter, a description will be given of a control strategy when a preceding vehicle is detected with reference to
Referring to
Referring to
According to an exemplary form, the vehicle 200 may determine a probability of collision between the vehicle 200 and the preceding vehicle 400 based on the speed Vf of the preceding vehicle 400 and a distance between the vehicle 200 and the preceding vehicle 400. When there is no the probability of collision, the vehicle 200 may control its driving speed to be higher than the minimum operation speed Vsmin and may perform lane change control when the driving speed of the vehicle 200 is higher than the minimum operation speed Vsmin. The vehicle 200 may predict a driving path of the vehicle 200 and a driving path of the preceding vehicle 400 until a lane change is completed. When there is no probability of collision with the preceding vehicle 400 since a headway is long as a result of the prediction, the vehicle 200 may accelerate its driving speed to the minimum operation speed Vsmin and may change a lane along the predicted driving speed.
Referring to
Hereinafter, a description will be given in detail of an operation of determining a probability of collision with reference to
According to one form, a vehicle may estimate its predicted driving path and a predicted driving path of a preceding vehicle based on a speed of the preceding vehicle and a distance between the vehicle and the preceding vehicle and may determine a probability of collision between the vehicle and the preceding vehicle based on the predicted driving path of the vehicle and the predicted driving path of the preceding vehicle.
Referring to
For example, a 1st point 811, a 2nd point 812, a 3rd point 813, a 4th point 814, and a 5th point 815 may represent expected movement points of the vehicle 810 at intervals of a specified time (e.g., 100 ms). A 6th point 821, a 7th point 822, an 8th point 823, a 9th point 824, and a 10th point 825 may represent expected movement points of the preceding vehicle 820 at intervals of the same time. The vehicle 810 may determine a probability of collision between the vehicle 810 and the preceding vehicle 820 in consideration of a location (e.g., the 1st point 811) of the vehicle 810 and a location (e.g., the 6th point 821) of the preceding vehicle 820 in the same time. In the case shown in
Referring to
Hereinafter, it may be assumed that an apparatus 100 of
Referring to
In operation 1020, the apparatus may calculate a minimum operation speed for lane change control. For example, the apparatus may calculate a minimum operation speed based on a measurement value for a following vehicle when the following vehicle is detected or based on a setting value when the following vehicle is not detected.
In operation 1030, when receiving a lane change command, the apparatus may determine whether a driving speed of the vehicle is lower than the minimum operation speed. For example, the apparatus may compare the calculated minimum operation speed with a current speed of the vehicle.
When the driving speed of the vehicle is lower than the minimum operation speed, in operation 1040, the apparatus may determine whether to accelerate the vehicle based on a speed of a preceding vehicle. For example, the apparatus may determine whether to accelerate the vehicle based on a speed of the preceding vehicle, a distance between the vehicle and the preceding vehicle, and/or the like. The vehicle may change a lane after acceleration control or may retry lane change control after deceleration control.
When the driving speed of the vehicle is higher than the minimum operation speed, in operation 1050, the apparatus may perform lane change control. For example, when it is verified that the driving speed of the vehicle is higher than the minimum operation speed, the apparatus may immediately initiate lane change control.
Hereinafter, it may be assumed that an apparatus 100 of
Referring to
When there is no the preceding vehicle, in operation 1130, the apparatus may accelerate the driving speed Vego of the vehicle to the minimum operation speed Vsmin or more and may change a lane. When there is the preceding vehicle, in operation 1135, the apparatus may determine whether a speed of the preceding vehicle is less than the minimum operation speed Vsmin. When the speed of the preceding vehicle is greater than or equal to the minimum operation speed Vsmin, in operation 1140, the apparatus may accelerate the driving speed Vego of the vehicle to the minimum operation speed Vsmin or more and may change the lane. When the speed of the preceding vehicle is less than the minimum operation speed Vsmin, in operation 1145, the apparatus may determine a probability of collision between the vehicle and the preceding vehicle upon acceleration. When there is no the probability of collision between the vehicle and the preceding vehicle upon acceleration, in operation 1150, the apparatus may accelerate the driving speed Vego of the vehicle to the minimum operation speed Vsmin or more and may change the lane. When there is the probability of collision between the vehicle and the preceding vehicle upon acceleration, in operation 1155, the apparatus may perform deceleration control.
Referring to
The processor 1100 may be a central processing unit (CPU) or a semiconductor device for performing processing of instructions stored in the memory 1300 and/or the storage 1600. Each of the memory 1300 and the storage 1600 may include various types of volatile or non-volatile storage media. For example, the memory 1300 may include a read only memory (ROM) and a random access memory (RAM).
Thus, the operations of the methods or algorithms described in connection with the forms disclosed in the specification may be directly implemented with a hardware module, a software module, or combinations thereof, executed by the processor 1100. The software module may reside on a storage medium (i.e., the memory 1300 and/or the storage 1600) such as a RAM, a flash memory, a ROM, an erasable and programmable ROM (EPROM), an electrically EPROM (EEPROM), a register, a hard disc, a removable disc, or a compact disc-ROM (CD-ROM). An exemplary storage medium may be coupled to the processor 1100. The processor 1100 may read out information from the storage medium and may write information in the storage medium. Alternatively, the storage medium may be integrated with the processor 1100. The processor and storage medium may reside in an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC). The ASIC may reside in a user terminal. Alternatively, the processor and storage medium may reside as a separate component of the user terminal.
The apparatus according to an exemplary form of the present disclosure may enhance the convenience of a driver and may provide safety of lane change control by determining whether to accelerate a vehicle in consideration of a speed, a location, and the like of a preceding vehicle when a driving speed of the vehicle is lower than a minimum operation speed.
In addition, various effects directly or indirectly ascertained through the present disclosure may be provided.
Hereinabove, although the present disclosure has been described with reference to exemplary forms and the accompanying drawings, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, but may be variously modified and altered by those skilled in the art to which the present disclosure pertains without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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10-2018-0107268 | Sep 2018 | KR | national |
This application claims priority to and the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2018-0107268, filed on Sep. 7, 2018, which claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Patent Application No. 62/655,831, filed on Apr. 11, 2018, the entirety of each of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
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62655831 | Apr 2018 | US |