Vehicle controller and computer-readable storage medium

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11262752-B2
Application number	US-201916395229-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 25, 2019
Priority date	May 2, 2018
Publication date	Mar 1, 2022
Grant date	Mar 1, 2022

Abstract

A vehicle controller that controls a vehicle having a first driving mode in which the vehicle travels according to a first control signal based on manual driving or automated driving, and has a second driving mode in which the vehicle travels according to the second control signal based on remote driving is provided, the vehicle controller including a signal comparing unit that compares, to a first control signal, a second control signal acquired by a second control signal acquiring unit while a vehicle control unit is controlling the travelling of the vehicle according to the first control signal, and a mode control unit that causes the vehicle to exit the first driving mode and enter the second driving mode when a comparison result by a signal comparing unit satisfies a predetermined condition.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle controller that controls a vehicle having a first driving mode in which the vehicle travels according to a first control signal based on manual driving or automated driving, and a second driving mode in which the vehicle travels according to a second control signal based on remote driving, the vehicle controller comprising:
a computer;
a first control signal acquiring unit that is configured to use the computer to acquire the first control signal;
a second control signal acquiring unit that is configured to use the computer to acquire the second control signal;
a vehicle control unit that is configured to use the computer to control the vehicle according to the first control signal when the vehicle is in the first driving mode, and controls the vehicle according to the second control signal when the vehicle is in the second driving mode;
a signal comparing unit that is configured to use the computer to compare, to the first control signal, the second control signal acquired by the second control signal acquiring unit while the vehicle is in the first driving mode and while the vehicle control unit is controlling travelling of the vehicle according to the first control signal; and
a mode control unit that is configured to use the computer to cause the vehicle to exit the first driving mode and enter the second driving mode when a comparison result by the signal comparing unit satisfies a predetermined condition in a comparison period, and
when the predetermined condition is satisfied in the comparison period, causes the vehicle to exit the first driving mode and enter the second driving mode, without waiting for an end of the comparison period.

2. The vehicle controller according to claim 1 , wherein
the mode control unit is configured to use the computer to cause the vehicle to exit the first driving mode and enter the second driving mode when a degree of similarity between the second control signal and the first control signal is higher than a predetermined threshold.

3. The vehicle controller according to claim 1 , wherein
the mode control unit is configured to use the computer to cause the vehicle to exit the first driving mode and enter the second driving mode when a degree of difference between the second control signal and the first control signal is lower than a predetermined threshold.

4. The vehicle controller according to claim 1 , wherein
the signal comparing unit is configured to use the computer to compare a time-series change amount of a steering angle that is included in the first control signal to a time-series change amount of a steering angle that is included in the second control signal.

5. The vehicle controller according to claim 4 , wherein
the signal comparing unit is configured to use the computer to compare the time-series change amount of the steering angle and a time-series change amount of a stepping operation amount of an accelerator pedal that are included in the first control signal to the time-series change amount of the steering angle and a time-series change amount of a stepping operation amount of the accelerator pedal that are included in the second control signal.

6. The vehicle controller according to claim 5 , wherein
the signal comparing unit is configured to use the computer to compare the time-series change amount of the steering angle, the time-series change amount of the stepping operation amount of the accelerator pedal and a time-series change amount of a stepping operation amount of a brake pedal that are included in the first control signal to the time-series change amount of the steering angle, the time-series change amount of the stepping operation amount of the accelerator pedal and a time-series change amount of a stepping operation amount of the brake pedal that are included in the second control signal.

7. The vehicle controller according to claim 4 , wherein
the signal comparing unit is configured to use the computer to compare the time-series change amount of the steering angle and a time-series change amount of a stepping operation amount of a brake pedal that are included in the first control signal to the time-series change amount of the steering angle and a time-series change amount of a stepping operation amount of the brake pedal that are included in the second control signal.

8. The vehicle controller according to claim 1 , wherein
the signal comparing unit is configured to use the computer to compare a time-series change amount of a stepping operation amount of an accelerator pedal that is included in the first control signal to a time-series change amount of a stepping operation amount of the accelerator pedal that is included in the second control signal.

9. The vehicle controller according to claim 1 , wherein
the signal comparing unit is configured to use the computer to compare a time-series change amount of a stepping operation amount of a brake pedal that is included in the first control signal to a time-series change amount of a stepping operation amount of a brake pedal that is included in the second control signal.

10. The vehicle controller according to claim 1 , wherein
the signal comparing unit is configured to use the computer to compare, to the second control signal, the first control signal acquired by the first control signal acquiring unit while the vehicle is in the second driving mode and while the vehicle control unit is controlling the travelling of the vehicle according to the second control signal, and
the mode control unit is configured to use the computer to cause the vehicle to exit the second driving mode and enter the first driving mode when a comparison result by the signal comparing unit satisfies a predetermined condition.

11. The vehicle controller according to claim 1 , wherein when the predetermined condition is not satisfied in the comparison period, a change of the second control signal is requested.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that stores a program thereon, the program causing a computer included in a vehicle having a first driving mode in which the vehicle travels according to a first control signal based on manual driving or automated driving, and a second driving mode in which the vehicle travels according to a second control signal based on remote driving to function as:
a signal comparing unit that compares, to the first control signal, the second control signal acquired by a vehicle control unit while the vehicle is in the first driving mode and while the vehicle control unit is controlling travelling of the vehicle according to the first control signal, the vehicle control unit controlling the vehicle according to the first control signal when the vehicle is in the first driving mode and controlling the vehicle according to the second control signal when the vehicle is in the second driving mode; and
a mode control unit that causes the vehicle to exit the first driving mode and enter the second driving mode when a comparison result by the signal comparing unit satisfies a predetermined condition in a comparison period, and
when the predetermined condition is satisfied in the comparison period, causes the vehicle to exit the first driving mode and enter the second driving mode, without waiting for an end of the comparison period.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 12 , wherein
the mode control unit causes the vehicle to exit the first driving mode and enter the second driving mode when a degree of similarity between the second control signal and the first control signal is higher than a predetermined threshold.

1

Assignees

• Honda Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Mori Takashi

Classifications

• B60W60/005 Primary

  Handover processes (Handing over between remote control and on-board control or handing over between remote control arrangements G05D1/227) · CPC title

• B60W2540/10

  Accelerator pedal position · CPC title

• B60W50/082 Primary

  Selecting or switching between different modes of propelling · CPC title

• B60W2540/18

  Steering angle · CPC title

• B60W2540/12

  Brake pedal position · CPC title