JP5048626B2 - Automatic vehicle steering system - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention provides a steering actuator for turning wheels, a target movement locus setting means for setting a target movement locus of a vehicle to a target parking position, and set by the target movement locus setting means when automatic steering control is started. The present invention relates to an automatic vehicle steering apparatus comprising control means for controlling the operation of the steering actuator on the basis of the target movement trajectory.

Such an automatic steering device for a vehicle is known, for example, from Patent Document 1 below. This vehicle's automatic steering device is used during self-propelled steering control.
・ When the driver operates the steering wheel ・ When the vehicle is moved in a direction different from the instruction ・ When the set time elapses, the self-propelled steering control does not end ・ When the vehicle speed exceeds the limit vehicle speed ・ Stop When a situation occurs, for example, when the vehicle moves beyond the limit distance after the instruction is issued, the automatic steering control is forcibly terminated.
JP-A-9-193691

  By the way, if the driver needs to leave the vehicle temporarily during automatic steering control, the driver should leave the vehicle after performing an operation to end automatic steering control. If you forget to leave the vehicle and return to the vehicle again, if the automatic steering control continues without being terminated, the steering wheel will automatically rotate at the same time as the vehicle starts running, which may make the driver feel uncomfortable There is sex.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances. When the driver temporarily leaves the vehicle during automatic steering control, the automatic steering control is surely terminated while preventing unnecessary termination. Objective.

In order to achieve the above object, according to the first aspect of the present invention, a steering actuator for turning a wheel, a target movement locus setting means for setting a target movement locus of a vehicle to a target parking position, automatic When steering control is started, control means for controlling the operation of the steering actuator based on the target movement trajectory set by the target movement trajectory setting means is provided , and automatic steering control is started by a driver's switch operation. In the automatic steering device of the vehicle, after the start, the automatic steering control continues until the vehicle stops at the target parking position and the driver performs a switch operation for ending the automatic steering control. Brake operation detection means to detect the state and non-operation state, and shift range detection to detect the currently selected shift range And a stage, said control means, said brake operation detecting means detects that the brake pedal is in a non-operated state, and has the shift range detecting means, the non-driving range is detected that it is selected when the detection state of the both is only in the case where predetermined time or longer, the automatic steering apparatus for a vehicle, characterized in that stops the control of the steering actuator for the automatic steering control is Ru been proposed.

According to the invention described in claim 2 , in addition to the configuration of claim 1 , in addition to the configuration of claim 1 , when the control means stops the control of the steering actuator, it is provided with an informing means for informing the driver. An automatic vehicle steering device is proposed.

According to the present invention , the automatic steering control is started by the driver's switch operation, and after that, the automatic steering is performed until the vehicle stops at the target parking position and the driver performs the switch operation for ending the automatic steering control. In the automatic steering apparatus in which the control continues , the automatic steering control is executed by the control means controlling the operation of the steering actuator based on the target movement locus of the vehicle to the target parking position set by the target movement locus setting means. When the brake operation detecting means detects that the brake pedal is not operated and the shift range detecting means detects that the non-traveling range is selected, the control means stops controlling the steering actuator. This forcibly ends the automatic steering control. Therefore, when the driver leaves the vehicle without ending the automatic steering control due to an error during execution of the automatic steering control, the automatic steering control is being executed when the driver returns to the vehicle, and it is uncomfortable. Can be remembered. In addition, since a special sensor such as a seating sensor that detects that the driver has left the vehicle is not required, it can be realized at low cost.

In particular , when it is detected that the brake pedal is in the non-operating state and the non-traveling range is selected , the steering for the automatic steering control is performed only when both detection states continue for a predetermined time or more. since stops the control of the actuator, when in the automatic steering control driver that switch the traveling direction of the vehicle, state temporarily the brake pedal is the non-driving range one 且 in a non-operation state is selected Even if it occurs, the automatic steering control can be prevented from being unnecessarily terminated.

According to the invention of claim 2 , when the control means stops the control of the steering actuator, the notification means notifies the driver of the fact, so that the driver can surely recognize that the automatic steering control has ended. Can do.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  1 to 4 show an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a vehicle equipped with an automatic steering control device, FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of a back parking / left mode, and FIG. 3 is a mode selection. FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining the operation when the automatic steering control is forcibly terminated.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle V includes a pair of front wheels Wf, Wf and a pair of rear wheels Wr, Wr. A steering wheel 1 and front wheels Wf and Wf which are steering wheels are a steering shaft 2 that rotates integrally with the steering wheel 1, a pinion 3 provided at the lower end of the steering shaft 2, a rack 4 that meshes with the pinion 3, and a rack 4 are connected by left and right tie rods 5, 5 provided at both ends of the tie rods 4, and left and right knuckles 6, 6 connected to the tie rods 5, 5. A steering actuator 7 made of an electric motor is connected to the steering shaft 2 via a worm gear mechanism 8 in order to assist the driver's operation of the steering wheel 1 or to perform automatic steering control for entering a garage described later.

  The steering control device 21 includes a control unit 22 and a movement trajectory setting unit 23, and the control unit 22 detects the turning angle θ of the front wheels Wf and Wf based on the rotation angle of the steering wheel 1. The angle detection means Sa, the steering torque detection means Sb for detecting the steering torque of the steering wheel 1, the front wheel rotation angle detection means Sc, Sc for detecting the rotation angles of the left and right front wheels Wf, Wf, and the operation of the brake pedal 9 ( Alternatively, the brake operation detecting means Sd for detecting the non-operation) and the shift range for detecting the shift range (“D” range, “R” range, “N” range, “P” range, etc.) selected by the select lever 10. A signal from the detection means Se is input.

  Further, a mode selection switch Sf and an automatic parking start switch Sg operated by the driver are connected to the control unit 22. As is apparent from FIG. 3, the mode selection switch Sf selects one of four types of parking modes, that is, back parking / right mode, back parking / left mode, parallel parking / right mode, and parallel parking / left mode. When operated. The automatic parking start switch Sg is operated when automatic steering control in any mode selected by the mode selection switch Sf is started.

  The movement trajectory setting unit 23 sets a target movement trajectory from the start position to the target parking position. As is clear from FIG. 2B, the target movement locus is stored in advance as a relationship of the reference turning angle θref with respect to the movement distance X of the vehicle V, and the control unit 22 reads the target read from the movement locus setting unit 23. The operation of the steering actuator 7 is controlled based on the movement locus, and the operation of the notification means 11 including a liquid crystal monitor and a speaker is controlled. The travel distance X of the vehicle V is obtained by multiplying the known circumference of the front wheel Wf by the rotation angle of the front wheel Wf detected by the front wheel rotation angle detection means Sc. For calculating the movement distance X, the high select value, low select value, or average value of the outputs of the pair of left and right front wheel rotation angle detection means Sc, Sc is used.

  Next, the operation of the embodiment of the present invention having the above-described configuration will be described.

  During normal times when automatic steering control is not performed, the steering control device 21 functions as a general power steering control device. Specifically, when the driver operates the steering wheel 1 to turn the vehicle V, the steering torque detection means Sb detects the steering torque input to the steering wheel 1, and the control unit 22 of the steering control device 21 The steering actuator 7 is driven based on the steering torque. As a result, the left and right front wheels Wf and Wf are steered by the driving force of the steering actuator 7, and the driver's steering operation is assisted.

  Next, the contents of the automatic steering control will be described by taking back parking / left mode (a mode in which parking is performed while backing to the target parking position on the left side of the vehicle V) as an example.

  First, as shown in FIG. 2 (A), the vehicle V is moved to the vicinity of the garage to be parked and the left side surface of the vehicle body is brought as close as possible to the garage entrance line (for example, the front The vehicle V is stopped at the start position (1) where the mark provided on the inner surface of the left door and the left side mirror) coincide with the center line of the garage. When the mode selection switch Sf is operated to select the back parking / left mode and the automatic parking start switch Sg is turned on, the control unit 22 is based on the target movement track read from the movement track setting unit 23 of the steering control device 21. Performs automatic steering control. While automatic steering control is being performed, the notification means 11 monitors the current position of the vehicle, the target parking position (3), and the predicted movement trajectory of the vehicle from the start position (1) to the target parking position (3). The shift position (2) for switching from forward to reverse is displayed, and various instructions and warnings are given to the driver by voice from the speaker of the notification means 11.

  During automatic steering control, when the driver loosens the brake pedal 9 and creeps the vehicle V, the back parking / left mode selected by the mode selection switch Sf is selected without the driver having to operate the steering wheel 1. The front wheels Wf and Wf are automatically steered based on the data. That is, the control unit 22 determines the deviation E (= θref) based on the reference turning angle θref of the back parking / left mode read from the movement locus setting unit 23 and the turning angle θ input from the turning angle detection means Sa. -Θ) is calculated, and the operation of the steering actuator 7 is controlled so that the deviation E becomes zero. At this time, since the data of the reference turning angle θref is set in accordance with the movement distance X of the vehicle V, the vehicle V always moves on the target movement locus even if the creep traveling vehicle speed fluctuates. become.

  When the vehicle V travels forward from the start position (1) and reaches the shift position (2), based on the notification from the notification means 11, the driver steps on the brake pedal 9 to stop the vehicle V, and the select lever 10 After the shift range is switched from the “D” range to the “R” range by operating the vehicle V, the vehicle V is automatically guided to the target parking position (3) when traveling backward. After the vehicle V is stopped at the target parking position (3), when the back parking / left mode mode selection switch Sf pressed at the start of the automatic steering control is pressed again, the automatic steering control ends.

  By the way, while the automatic steering control is being executed (before completion), the driver automatically pushes the mode selection switch Sf again while the select lever 10 is in the non-traveling range (that is, the “P” range or the “N” range). When the vehicle V is left without forgetting to end the steering control, the automatic steering control is forcibly ended by the control unit 22 of the steering control device 21. As a result, when the driver returns to the vehicle V, the steering wheel 1 is kept running and the steering wheel 1 is automatically rotated, and the driver can be prevented from feeling uncomfortable. .

  That is, the shift range detected by the shift range detection means Se in step S1 of the flowchart of FIG. 4 is the non-traveling range of the “P” range or the “N” range, and in step S2, the brake pedal 9 is detected by the brake operation detection means Sd. If it is detected that the vehicle has not been stepped on, and the state continues in step S3 for a predetermined time (in the embodiment, 10 sec) or longer, automatic steering control is forcibly terminated in step S4.

  The automatic steering control is terminated after waiting for a predetermined time (10 sec) in the step S3. The shift range is changed from the “D” range to the “R” in the state where the driver releases the brake pedal 9 at the shift position (2). This is to prevent the automatic steering control from being unnecessarily terminated when passing through the “N” range for a moment when operating to the “range”.

  When the automatic steering control is forcibly ended in this way, the notification means 11 notifies the driver of this, so that the driver can reliably recognize the end of the automatic steering control. In addition, since a special sensor such as a seating sensor for detecting that the driver has left the vehicle V is not required, it can be realized at a low cost.

  As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention was explained in full detail, this invention can perform a various design change in the range which does not deviate from the summary.

  For example, in the embodiment, the movement locus setting unit 23 stores in advance the target movement locus of the vehicle V from the start position (1) to the target parking position (3). A TV camera or the like may be detected for the positional relationship with the target parking position (3), and the target movement locus may be calculated based on the result.

  In the embodiment, the automatic steering control is started when the driver turns on the automatic parking start switch Sg at the start position (1). However, the vehicle V reaches the shift position (2) and the driver Automatic steering control may be started when the select lever 10 is switched from the “D” range to the “R” range.

Overall configuration diagram of a vehicle equipped with an automatic steering control device Action diagram of back parking / left mode Diagram showing mode selection switch and automatic parking start switch Flowchart for explaining the operation when forcibly terminating automatic steering control

7 Steering actuator 9 Brake pedal 11 Notification means 22 Control section (control means)
23 Movement locus setting unit (target movement locus setting means)
Sd Brake operation detection means Se Shift range detection means V Vehicle Wf Front wheel (wheel)

Claims (2)

When the steering actuator (7) for turning the wheel (Wf), the target movement locus setting means (23) for setting the target movement locus of the vehicle (V) to the target parking position, and the automatic steering control are started, Control means (22) for controlling the operation of the steering actuator (7) based on the target movement locus set by the target movement locus setting means (23), and automatic steering control is started by a driver's switch operation. In the automatic steering device of the vehicle, after the start, the automatic steering control continues until the vehicle stops at the target parking position and the driver performs a switch operation for ending the automatic steering control .
Brake operation detection means (Sd) for detecting the operation state and non-operation state of the brake pedal (9) of the vehicle (V), and shift range detection means (Se) for detecting the currently selected shift range. ,
The control means (22) detects that the brake operation detecting means (Sd) is in a non-operating state of the brake pedal (9), and the shift range detecting means (Se) selects the non-traveling range. When the vehicle is detected, the control of the steering actuator (7) for automatic steering control is stopped only when both of the detection states continue for a predetermined time or more. steering equipment. When said control means (22) has stopped controlling said steering actuator (7), characterized in that it comprises a notifying means (11) to inform the driver that the automatic vehicle according to claim 1 Steering device.

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