Driving support system for a vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9008914-B2
Application number	US-201114347060-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 26, 2011
Priority date	Sep 26, 2011
Publication date	Apr 14, 2015
Grant date	Apr 14, 2015

Abstract

In the present invention, when a solid object is recognized in the direction of movement of an own vehicle, in a system which carries out driving support of a vehicle, turning control of the vehicle is carried out in order to avoid a collision with the solid object. However, the execution of the turning control is permitted, in cases where a distance between the position of the own vehicle under turning control and the position of the solid object in an entire range of a turning control zone continuous between a predetermined control starting point at which the turning control of the own vehicle is started and a predetermined control ending point at which the turning control ends becomes equal to or less than a predetermined avoidance distance at which it is determined to avoid the collision with the solid object.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A driving support system for a vehicle comprising:
a recognition unit configured to recognize a solid object existing in a direction of movement of a subject vehicle;
an acquisition unit configured to acquire an avoidance target path for avoiding a collision between the solid object and the subject vehicle based on a travel state of the subject vehicle, in cases where an existence of the solid object has been recognized by the recognition unit;
a support control unit configured to perform turning control of the subject vehicle according to the avoidance target path acquired by the acquisition unit; and
a turning permission unit configured to permit execution of the turning control of the subject vehicle by means of the support control unit based on a distance between the position of the subject vehicle under the turning control and the position of the solid object in a turning control zone on the avoidance target path on which the turning control of the subject vehicle is carried out by the support control unit;
wherein the turning permission unit permits the execution of the turning control of the subject vehicle by the support control unit, in cases where the distance between the position of the subject vehicle under the turning control and the position of the solid object in the turning control zone continuous between a predetermined control starting point on the avoidance target path at which the turning control of the subject vehicle is started by the support control unit and a predetermined control ending point at which the turning control on the avoidance target path ends becomes equal to or less than a predetermined avoidance distance at which it is determined to avoid the collision with the solid object, whereas the turning permission unit prohibits the execution of the turning control of the subject vehicle by the support control unit, in cases where the distance exceeds the predetermined avoidance distance.

2. The driving support system for a vehicle as set forth in claim 1 , wherein
the predetermined control end point is set as the position of the subject vehicle in the avoidance target path at a time point at which the subject vehicle begins to move away from the solid object due to the turning control of the subject vehicle being carried out by the support control unit, or at a time point at which the distance between the subject vehicle and the solid object begins to be constant due to the turning control of the subject vehicle being carried out by the support control unit.

3. The driving support system for a vehicle as set forth in claim 2 , wherein
in cases where the avoidance target path becomes a path in which the collision between the subject vehicle and the solid object cannot be avoided, the turning permission unit permits the execution of the turning control of the subject vehicle by the support control unit, without regard to the distance between the position of the subject vehicle under the turning control in the turning control zone and the position of the solid object.

4. The driving support system for a vehicle as set forth in claim 1 , wherein
the support control unit causes the subject vehicle to travel along the avoidance target path, by carrying out the braking control of the subject vehicle in addition to the turning control.

5. The driving support system for a vehicle as set forth in claim 4 , wherein
the predetermined control end point is set as a stop point in the avoidance target path at which the subject vehicle is stopped by the turning control and the braking control of the subject vehicle being carried out by means of the support control unit.

6. The driving support system for a vehicle as set forth in claim 5 , wherein
in cases where the avoidance target path becomes a path in which the collision between the subject vehicle and the solid object cannot be avoided, the turning permission unit permits the execution of the turning control of the subject vehicle by the support control unit, without regard to the distance between the position of the subject vehicle under the turning control in the turning control zone and the position of the solid object.

7. The driving support system for a vehicle as set forth in claim 4 , wherein
in cases where the avoidance target path becomes a path in which the collision between the subject vehicle and the solid object cannot be avoided, the turning permission unit permits the execution of the turning control of the subject vehicle by the support control unit, without regard to the distance between the position of the subject vehicle under the turning control in the turning control zone and the position of the solid object.

8. The driving support system for a vehicle as set forth in claim 1 , wherein
the predetermined control starting point is set based on the distance which is traveled by the subject vehicle for a delay time taken from when the turning permission unit permits the execution of the turning control of the subject vehicle until when the subject vehicle actually starts turning, and the position of the subject vehicle at the current point in time.

9. The driving support system for a vehicle as set forth in claim 8 , wherein
in cases where the avoidance target path becomes a path in which the collision between the subject vehicle and the solid object cannot be avoided, the turning permission unit permits the execution of the turning control of the subject vehicle by the support control unit, without regard to the distance between the position of the subject vehicle under the turning control in the turning control zone and the position of the solid object.

10. The driving support system for a vehicle as set forth in claim 1 , wherein
the turning permission unit permits the execution of the turning control of the subject vehicle by the support control unit, in cases where the distance between the position of the subject vehicle under the turning control and the position of the solid object becomes equal to or less than the predetermined avoidance distance, in an entire range of the turning control zone.

11. The driving support system for a vehicle as set forth in claim 10 , wherein
the predetermined control end point is set as the position of the subject vehicle in the avoidance target path at a time point at which the subject vehicle begins to move away from the solid object due to the turning control of the subject vehicle being carried out by the support control unit, or at a time point at which the distance between the subject vehicle and the solid object begins to be constant due to the turning control of the subject vehicle being carried out by the support control unit.

12. The driving support system for a vehicle as set forth in claim 10 , wherein
the support control unit causes the subject vehicle to travel along the avoidance target path, by carrying out the braking control of the subject vehicle in addition to the turning control.

13. The driving support system for a vehicle as set forth in claim 11 , wherein
in cases where the avoidance target path becomes a path in which the collision between the subject vehicle and the solid object cannot be avoided, the turning permission unit permits the execution of the turning control of the subject vehicle by the support control unit, without regard to the distance between the position of the subject vehicle under the turning control in the turning control zone and the position of the solid object.

14. The driving support system for a vehicle as set forth in claim 10 , wherein
the predetermined control starting point is set based on the distance which is tra

Assignees

• Akiyama Tomonori
• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Akiyama Tomonori

Classifications

• G08G1/16 Primary

  Anti-collision systems (road vehicle drive control systems for predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision otherwise than by control of a particular sub-unit B60W30/08) · CPC title

• B62D6/002

  computing target steering angles for front or rear wheels (B62D7/159 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60T7/12

  for automatic initiation; for initiation not subject to will of driver or passenger {(limiting speed of vehicles other than rail vehicles B60K31/00)} · CPC title

• B60T8/17558

  specially adapted for collision avoidance or collision mitigation (road vehicle drive control systems for collision avoidance otherwise than by controlling a particular sub-unit B60W30/09) · CPC title

• B60W30/09

  Taking automatic action to avoid collision, e.g. braking and steering · CPC title