Granted Patent B2

US 12,365,342 · App. 17/919,561 · Granted Jul 22, 2025

Inventor: Mitsuhiro Nimura (Kariya, JP)

Assignee: AISIN CORPORATION

B60W30/18163B60W50/00B60W2050/0083B60W2552/53B60W2556/40

Abstract

Claims (34)

1. A drive assistance device comprising:

a memory storing instructions; and

at least one processor configured to execute the instructions to:

obtain a planned travel route along which a vehicle travels;

obtain a lane network for the planned travel route, based on map information including lane configurations, the lane network being a network representing movement into a lane that can be selected by a vehicle;

identify and obtain, using the lane network, candidates for a way of moving into a lane that can be selected when a vehicle moves along the planned travel route;

set, for the candidate for a way of moving into a lane that involves a lane change within a road section between intersections among the candidates for a way of moving into a lane, a lane change start location at which a lane change starts and a lane change end location at which a lane change ends, at a location close to a destination on a priority basis;

select a way of moving into a lane for a vehicle that is recommended when a vehicle moves, from among the candidates for a way of moving into a lane, taking into account the lane change start location and the lane change end location set;

driving assist to control at least one of acceleration, steering and braking for a vehicle to move in accordance with a way of moving into a lane selected by the recommended way-of-moving selector; and

set, for the candidate for a way of moving into a lane that involves a lane change among the candidates for a way of moving into a lane obtained by the candidate obtainer, a lane changeable area for each of included lane changes, the lane changeable area being an area in which a lane change can be made,

wherein

the lane change start location and the lane change end location are set close to a destination on a priority basis in the lane changeable area, and

adds a lane node to the lane change start position where the lane change starts and the lane change end position where the lane change ends.

2. The drive assistance device according to claim 1 , wherein

the lane network is a network that divides the planned travel route into a plurality of segments, and sets a node at a portion of each lane located at a boundary of each divided segment, and includes a link that connects set nodes, and

for the candidates for a way of moving into a lane obtained by the candidate obtainer, a lane in which a vehicle travels and a location at which a lane change is made are identified by a link included in the lane network.

3. The drive assistance device according to claim 1 , wherein the selecting the way of moving into the lane for the vehicle that is recommended when the vehicle moves, from among the candidates for the way of moving into the lane, taking into account the lane change start location and the lane change end location set

further includes

calculating, for each of the candidates for a way of moving into a lane, a cost taking into account the lane change start location and the lane change end location set by the lane change location setter, and

comparing calculated costs to select a way of moving into a lane for a vehicle that is recommended when a vehicle moves, from among the candidates for a way of moving into a lane.

4. The drive assistance device according to claim 1 , further comprising:

set, for the candidate for a way of moving into a lane that involves a lane change made to pass through a divergence point among the candidates for a way of moving into a lane obtained by the candidate obtainer, a recommended location at a point a predetermined distance before the divergence point; and

correct the lane change start location and the lane change end location that are set more on the divergence point side than the recommended location among the lane change start locations and the lane change end locations set by the lane change location setter, such that the lane change start location and the lane change end location approach the recommended location.

5. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to function as:

planned travel route obtainer for obtaining a planned travel route along which a vehicle travels;

lane network obtainer for obtaining a lane network for the planned travel route, based on map information including lane configurations, the lane network being a network representing movement into a lane that can be selected by a vehicle;

candidate obtainer for identifying and obtaining, using the lane network, candidates for a way of moving into a lane that can be selected when a vehicle moves along the planned travel route;

lane change location setter for setting, for the candidate for a way of moving into a lane that involves a lane change within a road section between intersections among the candidates for a way of moving into a lane obtained by the candidate obtainer, a lane change start location at which a lane change starts and a lane change end location at which a lane change ends, at a location close to a destination on a priority basis;

recommended way-of-moving selector for selecting a way of moving into a lane for a vehicle that is recommended when a vehicle moves, from among the candidates for a way of moving into a lane, taking into account the lane change start location and the lane change end location set by the lane change location setter;

driving assistor for providing driving assistance to control at least one of acceleration, steering and braking for a vehicle to move in accordance with a way of moving into a lane selected by the recommended way-of-moving selector; and

area setter for setting, for the candidate for a way of moving into a lane that involves a lane change among the candidates for a way of moving into a lane obtained by the candidate obtainer, a lane changeable area for each of included lane changes, the lane changeable area being an area in which a lane change can be made,

wherein

the lane change location setter sets the lane change start location and the lane change end location close to a destination on a priority basis in the lane changeable area, and

adds a lane node to the lane change start position where the lane change starts and the lane change end position where the lane change ends.

Assignments (1)

Priority Claims (1)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (18)