# US 12,179,762 B2 · Vehicle control device, vehicle control method, and program

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- Number: US 12,179,762 B2
- Document ID: US12179762B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/794,890
- Filed: 2020-12-15
- Published: 2023-04-06
- Granted: 2024-12-31
- Earliest claimed: 2020-01-29
- Assignees: Hitachi Astemo, Ltd.
- Applicants: Hitachi Astemo, Ltd.
- Inventors: Hiroki Ota
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12179762B2

## CPC

- B60W 30/181: {Preparing for stopping}
- B60W 50/029: Adapting to failures or work around with other constraints, e.g. circumvention by avoiding use of failed parts
- B60W 10/18: including control of braking systems
- B60W 30/143: {Speed control (B60W30/16 takes precedence)}
- B60W 60/001: {Planning or execution of driving tasks}
- G01C 21/26: specially adapted for navigation in a road network
- G08G 1/09: Arrangements for giving variable traffic instructions ({railroad crossing signals B61L; reflectors E01F, G08B}; indicating arrangements for variable information by selection or combination of individual elements G09F9/00)
- G08G 1/16: 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)
- B60W 2420/403: Image sensing, e.g. optical camera
- B60W 2552/00: Input parameters relating to infrastructure
- B60W 2555/60: Traffic rules, e.g. speed limits or right of way
- B60W 2556/40: High definition maps
- B60W 2556/50: of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
- B60W 2720/103: Speed profile
- B60W: CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT
- G01C: MEASURING DISTANCES, LEVELS OR BEARINGS; SURVEYING; NAVIGATION; GYROSCOPIC INSTRUMENTS; PHOTOGRAMMETRY OR VIDEOGRAMMETRY (measuring liquid level G01F; radio navigation, determining distance or velocity by use of propagation effects, e.g. Doppler effects, propagation time, of radio waves, analogous arrangements using other waves G01S)
- G08G: TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS (guiding railway traffic, ensuring the safety of railway traffic B61L; arrangement of road signs or traffic signals E01F9/00; radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91, G01S15/88, G01S17/88; {radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for anti-collision purposes G01S13/93, G01S15/93, G01S17/93})

## Abstract

Provided is a vehicle control apparatus capable of preventing sudden deceleration of a vehicle to be controlled even in a case of failure to recognize a step condition at a predetermined position. The vehicle control apparatus 140 is mounted on the vehicle. The vehicle control apparatus 140 includes a position acquisition unit F1 configured to acquire a position of the vehicle, a route acquisition unit F2 configured to acquire a planned route of the vehicle, a recognition unit F3 configured to recognize a stop condition included in image data Dg from an imaging device, a range setting unit F4 configured to set a recognizable range for the stop condition in the planned route, a speed calculation unit F5 configured to calculate a braking speed of the vehicle, the braking speed allowing the vehicle to stop at a stop position corresponding to the stop condition without an acceleration of the vehicle during deceleration exceeding a set value, and a traveling control unit F6 configured to control a speed of the vehicle to the braking speed when the position of the vehicle is included in the recognizable range and the recognition unit fails to recognize the stop condition.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A vehicle control apparatus mounted on a vehicle including an imaging device, the vehicle control apparatus comprising:
a position acquisition unit configured to acquire a position of the vehicle;
a route acquisition unit configured to acquire a planned route of the vehicle;
a recognition unit configured to recognize a stop condition included in image data from the imaging device;
an intermediate coordinate setting unit configured to set a plurality of intermediate coordinates on the planned route;
a range setting unit configured to set a recognizable range for the stop condition in the planned route, based at least in part on the plurality of intermediate coordinates;
a speed calculation unit configured to calculate a braking speed of the vehicle at one or more of the plurality of intermediate coordinates, the braking speed allowing the vehicle to stop at a stop position corresponding to the stop condition without an acceleration of the vehicle during deceleration exceeding a set value; and
a traveling control unit configured to control a speed of the vehicle to the braking speed at the one or more of the plurality of intermediate coordinates when the position of the vehicle is included in the recognizable range and the recognition unit fails to recognize the stop condition.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a storage unit that stores map information and specifications of the imaging device, and a map acquisition unit configured to acquire the map information, wherein
the range setting unit is configured to set the recognizable range based on the map information and the specifications.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the storage unit stores a recognition time required for the recognition unit to recognize the stop condition, and
the range setting unit is configured to set the recognizable range further based on the recognition time.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the storage unit stores the set value.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the stop condition is a red or yellow light color of a traffic light.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the stop condition is lighting of a railroad crossing alarm or a closed state of a railroad crossing gate.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the recognition unit is configured to recognize the stop condition based on the image data and an alarm sound.

### Claim 8

A vehicle control method for controlling a vehicle including an imaging device, the vehicle control method comprising:
acquiring a position and a planned route of the vehicle;
recognizing a stop condition included in image data from the imaging device;
setting a plurality of intermediate coordinates on the planned route;
setting a recognizable range for the stop condition in the planned route, based at least in part on the plurality of intermediate coordinates;
calculating a braking speed of the vehicle at one or more of the plurality of intermediate coordinates, the braking speed allowing the vehicle to stop at a stop position corresponding to the stop condition without an acceleration of the vehicle during deceleration exceeding a set value; and
controlling a speed of the vehicle to the braking speed at the one or more of the plurality of intermediate coordinates when the position of the vehicle is included in the recognizable range and the stop condition fails to be recognized.

### Claim 9

A program for controlling a vehicle including an imaging device and a vehicle control apparatus, the program causing the vehicle control apparatus to execute:
a process of acquiring a position of the vehicle;
a process of acquiring a planned route of the vehicle;
a process of recognizing a stop condition included in image data from the imaging device;
a process of setting a plurality of intermediate coordinates on the planned route;
a process of setting a recognizable range for the stop condition in the planned route, based at least in part on the plurality of intermediate coordinates;
a process of calculating a braking speed of the vehicle at one or more of the plurality of intermediate coordinates, the braking speed allowing the vehicle to stop at a stop position corresponding to the stop condition without an acceleration of the vehicle during deceleration exceeding a set value; and
a process of controlling a speed of the vehicle to the braking speed at the one or more of the plurality of intermediate coordinates when the position of the vehicle is included in the recognizable range and the stop condition fails to be recognized.