Control device for a vehicle, storage medium of control program for vehicle, and vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016282865-A1
Application number	US-201615019298-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 9, 2016
Priority date	Mar 24, 2015
Publication date	Sep 29, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A control device for a vehicle including: a peripheral information detection section that detects peripheral information of a vehicle; a sensing section that senses dirt at the peripheral information detection section; a removal section that removes dirt at the peripheral information detection section; and a control section that controls the removal section to remove the dirt, in at least one of a case in which removal of the dirt by the removal section is instructed or a case in which the dirt is sensed by the sensing section.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A control device for a vehicle comprising:
a peripheral information detection section that detects peripheral information of a vehicle; a sensing section that senses dirt at the peripheral information detection section; a removal section that removes dirt at the peripheral information detection section; and a control section that controls the removal section to remove the dirt, in at least one of a case in which removal of the dirt by the removal section is instructed or a case in which the dirt is sensed by the sensing section.

2 . The control device for a vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the peripheral information detection section is provided at a vehicle interior, and
the control device for a vehicle further comprises: a fog detection section that detects fogging of windows of the vehicle; and a fog prevention section that prevents fogging of the windows,
wherein the control section further effects control so as to operate the fog prevention section in a case in which fogging of the windows is detected by the fog detection section.

3 . The control device for a vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising a driving control section that generates a travel plan along a preset target route on the basis of peripheral information of the vehicle and map information, and that controls driving such that the vehicle travels autonomously in accordance with the generated travel plan.

4 . The control device for a vehicle of claim 3 , wherein control by the control section is carried out during control by the driving control section.

5 . The control device for a vehicle of claim 3 , further comprising a fog prevention section that prevents fogging of windows, wherein:
the driving control section further controls switching between automatic driving, in which driving is controlled such that the vehicle travels autonomously, and manual driving by a driver; and in a case in which the driving control section switches from automatic driving to manual driving, the control section operates the fog prevention section, and, in a case in which the driving control section switches from manual driving to automatic driving, the control section further controls the removal section so as to remove the dirt.

6 . A control device for a vehicle comprising:
a peripheral information detection section that detects peripheral information of a vehicle; a sensing section that senses a state expressing a deterioration in detection performance of the peripheral information detection section; an executing section that executes a predetermined processing that ensures the detection performance of the peripheral information detection section; and a control section that controls the executing section to execute the processing, in at least one of a case in which execution by the executing section is instructed or a case in which the state is sensed by the sensing section.

7 . The control device for a vehicle of claim 6 , wherein, in a case in which the peripheral information detection section is provided at a vehicle interior, the sensing section senses fogging of windows as the state, and the executing section executes a processing, that prevents fogging of the windows, as the predetermined processing.

8 . The control device for a vehicle of claim 6 , wherein the sensing section senses dirtiness of the peripheral information detection section as the state, and the executing section executes a processing, that removes dirt at the peripheral information detection section, as the predetermined processing.

9 . A computer readable non-transitory storage medium that stores a control program for a vehicle that is executable to cause a computer to function as the control section of the control device for a vehicle of claim 1 .

10 . A vehicle comprising:
a driving control section that generates a travel plan along a preset target route on the basis of peripheral information of the vehicle and map information, and that controls driving such that the vehicle travels autonomously in accordance with the generated travel plan; and the control device for a vehicle of claim 1 .

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Shimizu Tatsuya
• Hara Yasuhiro
• Shirai Yasuhiro
• Ohmi Masanobu

Classifications

• B60S1/026

  using electrical means · CPC title

• B60S1/0818 Primary

  including control systems responsive to external conditions, e.g. by detection of moisture, dirt or the like · CPC title

• B60S1/0848

  Cleaning devices for cameras on vehicle · CPC title

• B60S1/02

  Cleaning windscreens, windows or optical devices {(wind deflectors specially adapted for preventing soiling of windows or windscreens B60J1/2002)} · CPC title

• G05D1/0088 Primary

  characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours (using knowledge based models G06N5/00) · CPC title