18222522. TRAVEL CONTROLLER AND TRAVEL CONTROL METHOD simplified abstract (TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA)
Contents
TRAVEL CONTROLLER AND TRAVEL CONTROL METHOD
Organization Name
TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Inventor(s)
Eiki Kitagawa of Edogwaa-ku Tokyo-to (JP)
Satoru Akahane of Shinjuku-ku Tokyo-to (JP)
Yoshihiro Aotani of Kawasaki-shi Kanagawa-ken (JP)
TRAVEL CONTROLLER AND TRAVEL CONTROL METHOD - A simplified explanation of the abstract
This abstract first appeared for US patent application 18222522 titled 'TRAVEL CONTROLLER AND TRAVEL CONTROL METHOD
Simplified Explanation
The abstract describes a travel controller that uses peripheral data to determine if a vehicle is traveling in a merged lane. It repeatedly performs yielding determination to detect a merging vehicle in the merging lane and decides whether yielding control is necessary to secure a larger space for the merging vehicle to change lanes. The first yielding determination is based on the relative positional relationship between the merging vehicle and the vehicle, while subsequent determinations are based on the result of previous determinations. The controller then controls the vehicle's travel based on the yielding determination.
- The travel controller determines if a vehicle is in a merged lane using peripheral data.
- It repeatedly performs yielding determination to detect merging vehicles in the merging lane.
- The controller decides if yielding control is necessary to secure a larger space for the merging vehicle to change lanes.
- The first yielding determination is based on the relative positional relationship between the merging vehicle and the vehicle.
- Subsequent yielding determinations are based on the result of previous determinations.
- The controller controls the vehicle's travel based on the yielding determination.
Potential Applications:
- Autonomous vehicles: This technology can be applied to autonomous vehicles to improve their ability to merge into traffic safely.
- Traffic management systems: The travel controller can be integrated into traffic management systems to optimize traffic flow during merging situations.
Problems Solved:
- Improves safety during merging: The travel controller helps detect merging vehicles and determines if yielding control is necessary, reducing the risk of accidents during merging.
- Enhances traffic flow: By optimizing the merging process, the technology can improve traffic flow and reduce congestion.
Benefits:
- Increased safety: The travel controller improves safety by detecting merging vehicles and making informed decisions about yielding control.
- Improved efficiency: By optimizing the merging process, the technology can enhance traffic flow and reduce delays.
- Enhanced autonomous driving capabilities: The technology can be integrated into autonomous vehicles, improving their ability to merge into traffic smoothly and safely.
Original Abstract Submitted
A travel controller determines whether a traveling lane in which a vehicle is traveling is a merged lane into which a merging lane merges using peripheral data that represents a surrounding situation of the vehicle, and while the traveling lane is the merged lane, repeatedly performs yielding determination to detect a merging vehicle traveling in the merging lane from the peripheral data, and to determine whether or not yielding control for securing a larger space for the merging vehicle to change the lane to the merged lane is necessary, the yielding determination at the first time being performed based on a relative positional relationship between the merging vehicle and the vehicle, the yielding determinations at the second and subsequent times being performed based at least on a result of a previous yielding determination, and controls travel of the vehicle according to the result of the yielding determination.
