Granted Patent B2

US 12,346,106 · App. 18/059,078 · Granted Jul 1, 2025

Inventor: Masato Mizoguchi (Tokyo, JP)

Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATION

G05D1/0027B60W30/06B60W30/18159G05D1/0038G05D1/221G06V20/56

Abstract

Claims (75)

1. A vehicle comprising circuitry configured perform in each control cycle repeated at constant time intervals:

transmitting vehicle information to a server;

after transmission of the vehicle information, receiving a remote control value corresponding to the transmitted vehicle information from the server at a first timing; and

in response to receiving the remote control value, execute control of the vehicle by using the received remote control value at a second timing,

wherein the circuitry is further configured to:

prior to the transmission of the vehicle information, determine whether a time difference, in a previous control cycle prior to a current control cycle, from the first timing to the second timing is smaller than a predetermined threshold;

in response to determining that the time difference is equal to or greater than the predetermined threshold, include a first image and a second image in the vehicle information, the first and second images being captured by first and second cameras provided on the vehicle; and

in response to determining that the time difference is smaller than the predetermined threshold, include the first image and not include the second image in the vehicle information.

2. A vehicle traveling remote control system in which a remote control apparatus is configured to communicate with vehicles, and configured to periodically transmit, to a respective vehicle, a remote control value to be used to control traveling of the respective vehicle, the vehicle traveling remote control system comprising:

remote traveling control units, each of which is provided in the respective vehicle, and configured to (1) receive a remote control value from the remote control apparatus at a first timing and (2) execute traveling control by using the most recently received remote control value at a second timing after the first timing, the second timing being generated repeatedly at constant predetermined intervals;

transmission control units, each of which is provided in the respective vehicle, wherein the respective vehicle has multiple cameras configured to capture first images of areas surrounding the respective vehicle, and wherein each transmission control unit is configured to:

obtain the first images of the areas surrounding the respective vehicle;

determine whether a time difference from the first timing to the second timing is smaller than a predetermined threshold;

in response to determining that the time difference is equal to or greater than the predetermined threshold,

(1) include all of the first images to vehicle information, and

(2) transmit the vehicle information to the remote control apparatus so that the remote control apparatus generates the remote control value to be used in the traveling control of the respective vehicle; and

in response to determining that the time difference is smaller than the predetermined threshold,

(1) identify a driving scenario that represents a movement of the respective vehicle and an environment surrounding the respective vehicle,

(2) select one or more second images, based on the identified driving scenario, from the first images, the one or more second images being part of the first images but not all of the first images,

(3) include the one or more second images to the vehicle information and not include one or more third images to the vehicle information, the one or more third images being part of the first images but not the one or more second images, and

(4) transmit the vehicle information to the remote control apparatus so that the remote control apparatus generates the remote control value to be used in the traveling control of the respective vehicle.

3. The vehicle traveling remote control system according to claim 1 , wherein

the remote control apparatus is configured to transmit, as the remote control value, at least a steering amount and an acceleration or deceleration control amount for the respective vehicle and a control value to be used to control a lighting state of an exterior lamp of the respective vehicle, and

the transmission control unit of the respective vehicle is configured to:

estimate, on a basis of the remote control value received from the remote control apparatus, a future course of the traveling of the respective vehicle based on previously received remote control values; and

select the one or more second images from the first images based on the estimated course.

4. The vehicle traveling remote control system according to claim 3 , wherein

the areas surrounding the respective vehicle to be captured by the cameras of the respective vehicle include a front side, a right side, a rear side, and a left side of the respective vehicle, wherein the cameras are configured to generate a front-side image, a right-side image, a rear-side vehicle outside captured image, and a left-side image,

the first images include the front-side image, the right-side image, the rear-side image, and the left-side image, and

the transmission control unit of the respective vehicle is configured to, in a case where the respective vehicle is controlled to travel by remote control to perform automatic parking in a parking lot, dynamically change the one or more second images to be selected from the first images of the areas surrounding the respective vehicle based on each of traveling phases of the identified traveling scenario through which the respective vehicle enters from a passage in front of a parking position into the parking position and makes a stop, the transmission control unit of the respective vehicle being configured to:

select, as the one or more second images, the front-side image and an image corresponding to a side of the parking position, from the first images, while the respective vehicle is traveling to stop at a stop position on the passage in front of the parking position; and

select, as the one or more second images, the rear-side image and the image corresponding to the side of the parking position, from the first images, while the respective vehicle is traveling to enter from the stop position into the parking position.

5. The vehicle traveling remote control system according to claim 4 , wherein

the areas surrounding the respective vehicle to be captured by the cameras of the respective vehicle include a front side, a right-front side, a right-rear side, a rear side, a left-front side, and a left-rear side of the respective vehicle, wherein the cameras are configured to generate a front-side vehicle outside image, a right-front-side image, a right-rear-side image, a rear-side image, a left-front-side image, and a left-rear-side image,

the first images include the front-side image, the right-front-side image, the right-rear-side image, the rear-side image, the left-front-side image, and the left-rear-side image, and

the transmission control unit of the respective vehicle is configured to, in a case where the respective vehicle is controlled to travel by remote control to make a right turn or a left turn at an intersection, dynamically change the one or more second images to be selected from the first images based on each of traveling phases of the identified traveling scenario through which the respective vehicle travels from a road before an entry to the intersection to a road to be traveled after turning, the transmission control unit of the respective vehicle being configured to:

select, as the one or more second images, at least the front-side first image from the images, while the respective vehicle is traveling on the road before the entry; and

select, as the one or more second images, from the first images, the front-side image, the right-front-side image, the left-front-side image, and a captured image corresponding to an outer side of the turning, out of the right-rear-side image and the left-rear-side image, while the respective vehicle is traveling after beginning to turn at the intersection.

6. The vehicle traveling remote control system according to claim 3 , wherein

the areas surrounding the respective vehicle to be captured by the cameras of the respective vehicle include a front side, a right-front side, a right-rear side, a rear side, a left-front side, and a left-rear side of the respective vehicle, wherein the cameras are configured to generate a front-side image, a right-front-side image, a right-rear-side image, a rear-side image, a left-front-side image, and a left-rear-side image,

the first images include the front-side image, the right-front-side image, the right-rear-side image, the rear-side image, the left-front-side image, and the left-rear-side image, and

the transmission control unit of the respective vehicle is configured to, in a case where the respective vehicle is controlled to travel by remote control to make a right turn or a left turn at an intersection, dynamically change the one or more second images to be selected from the first images based on each of traveling phases of the identified traveling scenario through which the respective vehicle travels from a road before an entry to the intersection to a road to be traveled after turning, the transmission control unit of the respective vehicle being configured to:

select, as the one or more second images, the front-side image from the first images, while the respective vehicle is traveling on the road before the entry; and

select, as the one or more second images, from the first images, the front-side image, the right-front-side image, the left-front-side image, and a captured image corresponding to an outer side of the turning, out of the right-rear-side image and the left-rear-side image, while the respective vehicle is traveling after beginning to turn at the intersection.

7. The vehicle traveling remote control system according to claim 1 , wherein

the areas surrounding the respective vehicle to be captured by the cameras of the respective vehicle include a front side, a right side, a rear side, and a left side of the respective vehicle, wherein the cameras are configured to generate a front-side image, a right-side image, a rear-side image, and a left-side image,

the first images include the front-side image, the right-side image, the rear-side image, and the left-side image, and

the transmission control unit of the respective vehicle is configured to, in a case where the respective vehicle is controlled to travel by remote control to perform automatic parking in a parking lot, dynamically change the one or more second images to be selected from the first images of the areas surrounding the respective vehicle based on each of traveling phases of the identified traveling scenario through which the respective vehicle enters from a passage in front of a parking position into the parking position and makes a stop, the transmission control unit of the respective vehicle being configured to:

select, as the one or more second images, the front-side image and an image corresponding to a side of the parking position, from the first images, while the respective vehicle is traveling to stop at a stop position on the passage in front of the parking position; and

select, as the one or more second images, the rear-side image and the image corresponding to the side of the parking position, from the first images, while the respective vehicle is traveling to enter from the stop position into the parking position.

8. The vehicle traveling remote control system according to claim 7 , wherein

the areas surrounding the respective vehicle to be captured by the cameras of the respective vehicle include a front side, a right-front side, a right-rear side, a rear side, a left-front side, and a left-rear side of the respective vehicle, wherein the cameras are configured to generate a front-side image, a right-front-side image, a right-rear-side image, a rear-side image, a left-front-side image, and a left-rear-side image,

the first images include the front-side image, the right-front-side image, the right-rear-side image, the rear-side image, the left-front-side image, and the left-rear-side image, and

the transmission control unit of the respective vehicle is configured to, in a case where the respective vehicle is controlled to travel by remote control to make a right turn or a left turn at an intersection, dynamically change the one or more second images to be selected from the first images based on each of traveling phases of the identified traveling scenario through which the respective vehicle travels from a road before an entry to the intersection to a road to be traveled after turning, the transmission control unit of the respective vehicle being configured to:

select, as the one or more second images, the front-side image from the first images, while the respective vehicle is traveling on the road before the entry; and

select, as the one or more second images, from the first images, the front-side image, the right-front-side image, the left-front-side image, and a captured image corresponding to an outer side of the turning, out of the right-rear-side image and the left-rear-side image, while the respective vehicle is traveling after beginning to turn at the intersection.

9. The vehicle traveling remote control system according to claim 1 , wherein

the areas surrounding the respective vehicle to be captured by the cameras of the respective vehicle include a front side, a right-front side, a right-rear side, a rear side, a left-front side, and a left-rear side of the respective vehicle, wherein the cameras are configured to generate a front-side image, a right-front-side image, a right-rear-side image, a rear-side image, a left-front-side image, and a left-rear-side image,

the first images include the front-side image, the right-front-side image, the right-rear-side image, the rear-side image, the left-front-side image, and the left-rear-side image, and

the transmission control unit of the respective vehicle is configured to, in a case where the respective vehicle is controlled to travel by remote control to make a right turn or a left turn at an intersection, dynamically change the one or more second images to be selected from the first images based on each of traveling phases of the identified traveling scenario through which the respective vehicle travels from a road before an entry to the intersection to a road to be traveled after turning, the transmission control unit of the respective vehicle being configured to:

select, as the one or more second images, the front-side image from the first images, while the respective vehicle is traveling on the road before the entry; and

select, as the one or more second images, from the first images, the front-side image, the right-front-side image, the left-front-side image, and a captured image corresponding to an outer side of the turning, out of the right-rear-side image and the left-rear-side image, while the respective vehicle is traveling after beginning to turn at the intersection.

10. A vehicle traveling remote control system in which a remote control apparatus is configured to communicate with vehicles, and configured to periodically transmit, to a respective vehicle, a remote control value to be used to control traveling of the respective vehicle, the vehicle traveling remote control system comprising: circuitry provided in the respective vehicle each of the vehicles and configured to:

receive a remote control value from the remote control apparatus at a first timing;

execute traveling control by using the most recently received remote control value at a second timing after the first timing, the second timing being generated repeatedly at constant predetermined intervals;

obtain first images of areas surrounding the respective vehicle, wherein the respective vehicle has multiple cameras configured to capture the first images of the areas surrounding the respective vehicle;

determine whether a time difference from the first timing to the second timing is smaller than a predetermined threshold;

in response to determining that the time difference is equal to or greater than the predetermined threshold,

(1) include all of the first images to vehicle information, and

(2) transmit the vehicle information including all the images to the remote control apparatus so that the remote control apparatus generates the remote control value to be used in the traveling control of the respective vehicle; and

in response to determining that the time difference is smaller than the predetermined threshold,

(1) identify a driving scenario that represents a movement of the respective vehicle and an environment surrounding the respective vehicle,

(2) select one or more second images, based on the identified driving scenario, from the first images, the one or more second images being part of the first images but not all of the first images,

(3) include the one or more second images to the vehicle information and not include one or more third images to the vehicle information, the one or more third images being part of the first images but not the one or more second images, and

(4) transmit the vehicle information to the remote control apparatus so that the remote control apparatus generates the remote control value to be used in the traveling control of the respective vehicle.

Assignments (1)

Priority Claims (1)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (15)