IP Library Granted Patent US 12,358,557
Granted Patent B2
US 12,358,557 · App. 18/424,423 · Granted Jul 15, 2025

Vehicle control device, vehicle control method, and storage medium storing vehicle control program

Inventors: Jiro Miyawaki (Ebina, JP); Kinya Ishizuka (Toyota, JP)
Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
B62D15/025
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,358,557
App. No.
18/424,423
Granted
Jul 15, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A processor of a vehicle control device controls an electric motor such that torque for operating a steering wheel when a driver performs an operation to rotate the steering wheel matches a predetermined first target value in a predetermined first traveling scene in which lane tracing control is being executed, and controls the electric motor such that the torque for operating the steering wheel when the driver performs an operation to rotate the steering wheel matches a second target value that is less than the first target value in a predetermined second traveling scene in which the lane tracing control is being executed, the second traveling scene being predefined as a traveling scene in which the steering wheel is operated to rotate less frequently than the first traveling scene.

Claims (26)

1. A vehicle control device comprising:

a sensor that acquires information about a host vehicle and information about a target existing around the host vehicle;

a steering device including a steering mechanism that couples a steering wheel and steered wheels of the host vehicle and an electric motor that drives the steering mechanism; and

a processor that executes lane tracing control for controlling the electric motor such that the host vehicle travels along a travel lane in which the host vehicle is traveling, the processor being configured to execute steering override control for controlling the electric motor according to a mode of an operation to rotate the steering wheel when the steering wheel is operated to rotate during execution of the lane tracing control, wherein

the processor is configured to:

control the electric motor such that torque for operating the steering wheel when a driver performs an operation to rotate the steering wheel matches a predetermined first target value in a predetermined first traveling scene in which the lane tracing control is being executed; and

control the electric motor such that the torque for operating the steering wheel when the driver performs an operation to rotate the steering wheel matches a second target value that is less than the first target value in a predetermined second traveling scene in which the lane tracing control is being executed, the second traveling scene being predefined as a traveling scene in which the steering wheel is operated to rotate less frequently than the first traveling scene.

2. The vehicle control device according to claim 1 , wherein the first traveling scene includes at least one of a situation where a turn signal is activated, a situation where a vehicle is traveling on a general road, a situation where the vehicle is traveling in a work section, a situation where the vehicle is traveling near a large vehicle, a situation where an obstacle is detected, and a situation where preceding vehicle following control in which the vehicle travels so as to follow a preceding vehicle is executed.

3. The vehicle control device according to claim 2 , wherein:

the processor is configured to control the electric motor such that the torque for operating the steering wheel when the driver performs an operation to rotate the steering wheel matches a third target value that is less than the second target value in a predetermined third traveling scene in which the lane tracing control is being executed, the third traveling scene being predefined as a traveling scene in which the steering wheel is operated to rotate less frequently than the second traveling scene;

the second traveling scene is a situation where the vehicle is traveling in a hands-on mode in which the lane tracing control is executable only when the driver is holding the steering wheel; and

the third traveling scene is a situation where the vehicle is traveling in a hands-off mode in which the lane tracing control is executable even if the driver is not holding the steering wheel.

4. A vehicle control method comprising:

an information acquisition step of acquiring information about a host vehicle and information about a target existing around the host vehicle;

a lane tracing control step of controlling an electric motor that drives a steering mechanism of the host vehicle such that the host vehicle travels along a travel lane in which the host vehicle is traveling; and

a steering override control step of controlling the electric motor according to a mode of an operation to rotate a steering wheel when the steering wheel is operated to rotate during execution of the lane tracing step, wherein

the steering override control step includes:

controlling the electric motor such that torque for operating the steering wheel when a driver performs an operation to rotate the steering wheel matches a predetermined first target value in a predetermined first traveling scene in which the lane tracing control step is being executed; and

controlling the electric motor such that the torque for operating the steering wheel when the driver performs an operation to rotate the steering wheel matches a second target value that is less than the first target value in a predetermined second traveling scene in which the lane tracing control step is being executed, the second traveling scene being predefined as a traveling scene in which the steering wheel is operated to rotate less frequently than the first traveling scene.

5. A non-transitory storage medium storing a vehicle control program that causes a computer of a host vehicle to execute a process comprising:

an information acquisition step of acquiring information about a host vehicle and information about a target existing around the host vehicle;

a lane tracing control step of controlling an electric motor that drives a steering mechanism of the host vehicle such that the host vehicle travels along a travel lane in which the host vehicle is traveling; and

a steering override control step of controlling the electric motor according to a mode of an operation to rotate a steering wheel when the steering wheel is operated to rotate during execution of the lane tracing step, wherein

the steering override control step includes:

controlling the electric motor such that torque for operating the steering wheel when a driver performs an operation to rotate the steering wheel matches a predetermined first target value in a predetermined first traveling scene in which the lane tracing control step is being executed; and

controlling the electric motor such that the torque for operating the steering wheel when the driver performs an operation to rotate the steering wheel matches a second target value that is less than the first target value in a predetermined second traveling scene in which the lane tracing control step is being executed, the second traveling scene being predefined as a traveling scene in which the steering wheel is operated to rotate less frequently than the first traveling scene.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 1, 2024
From: MIYAWAKI, JIRO; ISHIZUKA, KINYA
To: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 066319/0334 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2023-067058 · Apr 17, 2023 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240343304A1 · Oct 17, 2024
References Cited (18)
US 7692534B2 · Kataoka et al. · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 8352124B2 · Taguchi · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 8682500B2 · Sakugawa · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 8818634B2 · Fujita et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 9168953B2 · Mitsumoto et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 9714034B2 · Otake et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 9880558B2 · Nakamura · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 9902399B2 · Torii et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 10345443B2 · Masui et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 10611240B2 · Masui et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 12091082B2 · Tomoi · 2024 [cited by examiner]
US 20160362136A1 · Oya · 2016 [cited by examiner]
US 20200010111A1 · Tsubaki · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 20200377148A1 · Nakade et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20210001922A1 · Aoyama · 2021 [cited by applicant]
JP 2019166949A · 2019 [cited by applicant]
JP 2020192855A · 2020 [cited by applicant]
JP 202111190A · 2021 [cited by applicant]