Autonomous driving system and autonomous deceleration control apparatus

An autonomous deceleration control apparatus includes a brake module that receives an input signal; and a brake control module that controls an operational state of the brake module. The brake module includes a pedal link having a preset length and provided to be rotatable within a preset range; and a pedal encoder located adjacent to the one end of the pedal link and configured to detect a rotational state of the pedal link. The brake control module includes: a driver; a movable link rotatable about a movable link shaft located at one end thereof by the driver and provided to press the pedal link downwards according to a rotational state thereof; and a driver encoder connected to the movable link and configured to provide an operational state of the driver and movable link state information on the location of the movable link according to the operational state of the driver.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of Republic of Korea Patent Application 10-2019-0083406 (filed 10 Jul. 2019), the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an autonomous driving system and an autonomous deceleration control apparatus, and more particularly to an autonomous driving system and an autonomous deceleration control apparatus, by which a state in which a vehicle is controlled by a driver and a state in which the vehicle is autonomously driven are effectively switched.

2. Description of the Prior Art

A vehicle is a transportation means for helping a vehicle driver and passengers to reach a desired destination as it travels on the ground through control of a steering wheel that is a steering control means, an accelerator pedal that is an acceleration/deceleration control means, and a brake pedal.

In recent years, studies on an autonomous vehicle that is constituted by mounting a plurality of sensors, a steering control means, and an acceleration/deceleration control means on an existing vehicle to be autonomously driven to a preset destination without an operation of a driver by identifying a road state, the locations of neighboring vehicles and objects, and a traffic signal.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides an autonomous driving system and an autonomous deceleration control apparatus, by which a state in which a vehicle is controlled by a driver and a state in which the vehicle is autonomously driven are effectively switched

The present invention also provides an autonomous driving system and an autonomous deceleration control apparatus, by which a weakly braked state and a sharply braked state are effectively switched.

The present invention also provides an autonomous driving system and an autonomous deceleration control apparatus which have a high system stability.

According to an aspect of the present invention, an autonomous deceleration control apparatus may include: a brake module to which a signal, by which a brake system is operated, is input; and a brake control module located adjacent to the brake module and configured to control an operational state of the brake module, wherein the brake module includes: a pedal link having a preset length and provided to be rotatable about one end thereof within a preset range; and a pedal encoder located adjacent to the one end of the pedal link and configured to detect a rotational state of the pedal link, wherein the brake control module includes: a driver; a movable link provided to be rotatable about a movable link shaft located at one end thereof by the driver and provided to press the pedal link downwards according to a rotational state thereof; and a driver encoder connected to the movable link and configured to provide an operational state of the driver and movable link state information on the location of the movable link according to the operational state of the driver.

The brake control module may further includes a link detection sensor configured to detect the movable link located at a manual mode location which is a location that is spaced apart from the pedal link with reference to a brake non-driving location state in which an opposite end of the pedal link is located on the uppermost side of a movement range thereof.

A contact part that has a preset length, and protrudes in a movable link direction by a preset width to be pressed by an opposite end of the movable link may be formed in the pedal link.

A front area of an upper surface of the contact part may protrude upwards further than a rear area thereof.

According to another aspect of the present invention, an autonomous driving system may include: a driving sensor; a controller configured to control a state of a vehicle while reflecting a signal provided by the driving sensor; and an autonomous deceleration control apparatus configured to control a brake system of the vehicle, wherein the autonomous deceleration control apparatus includes: a brake module to which a signal, by which a brake system is operated, is input; and a brake control module located adjacent to the brake module and configured to control an operational state of the brake module, wherein the brake module includes: a pedal link having a preset length and provided to be rotatable about one end thereof within a preset range; and a pedal encoder located adjacent to the one end of the pedal link and configured to detect a rotational state of the pedal link, and wherein the brake control module further includes: a driver; a movable link provided to be rotatable about a movable link shaft located at one end thereof by the driver and provided to press the pedal link downwards according to a rotational state thereof; and a driver encoder connected to the movable link and configured to provide an operational state of the driver and movable link state information on the location of the movable link according to the operational state of the driver.

According to an embodiment, the present invention can provide an autonomous driving system and an autonomous deceleration control apparatus, by which a state in which a vehicle is controlled by a driver and a state in which the vehicle is autonomously driven are effectively switched

According to an embodiment, the present invention also can provide an autonomous driving system and an autonomous deceleration control apparatus, by which a weakly braked state and a sharply braked state are effectively switched.

According to an embodiment, the present invention can also provide an autonomous driving system and an autonomous deceleration control apparatus which have high system stability.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The embodiments of the present invention may be modified in various forms, and the scope of the present invention should not be construed to be limited to the following embodiments. The embodiments of the present invention are provided to describe the present invention for those skilled in the art more completely. Accordingly, the shapes of the components of the drawings are exaggerated to emphasize clearer description thereof.

FIG. 1is a view illustrating an autonomous deceleration control apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring toFIG. 1, an autonomous deceleration control apparatus10controls a brake system. The autonomous deceleration control apparatus10includes a brake module100and a brake control module200.

Hereinafter, a direction that faces the front side of a vehicle when the autonomous deceleration control apparatus10will be referred to as a front side, and a direction that faces the rear side of the vehicle will be referred to as a rear side.

The brake module100is provided for the vehicle, and causes a signal, by which the brake system is operated provided to decelerate or stop rotation of wheels of the vehicle, to be input. The brake module100is located at a lower portion of the vehicle, and may be provided to be operated through a leg of the driver.

The brake module100includes a pedal link110, a brake pedal120, and a pedal encoder130.

The pedal link110has a preset length, and is provided such that one end thereof, which is located on the front side is rotatable within a preset range. As an example, the pedal link110may be provided to be rotatable upwards and downwards within a preset range while one end thereof acts as an axis. A torque is applied to one end of the pedal link110such that an opposite end of the pedal link100is located on the uppermost side (hereinafter, a brake non-driving location) in a movement range when a force is not applied to an opposite end thereof.

A brake sensor140may be provided adjacent to the pedal link110. The brake sensor140is provided to detect whether the pedal link110is in a brake non-driving location state. As an example, the brake sensor140may be a contact sensor that is located adjacent to one end of the pedal link110. Further, the pedal link110may be provided to contact the brake sensor140at the brake non-driving location, and to be separated from the brake sensor140if it is rotated downwards.

The brake pedal120having a preset area may be provided at an opposite end of the pedal link110. A load cell121may be located in the brake pedal120. The load cell121may be provided to detect whether a force is applied to the brake pedal120, the magnitude of a pressure applied to the brake pedal, and the like.

The pedal encoder130is located adjacent to one end of the pedal link110, and detects the rotational state of the pedal link110. In detail, the pedal encoder130may be provided to detect whether the pedal link110is in the brake non-driving location state, a rotation degree when the brake pedal120is rotated downwards at the brake non-driving location, and the like.

The brake control module200is located adjacent to the brake module100and controls an operational state of the brake module100instead of the driver when the vehicle is in the autonomous driving state. As an example, the frame201may be located adjacent to the brake module100, and the brake control module200may be located on the left side of the brake module100or on the right side of the brake module100while being fixed by the frame201.FIG. 1illustrates a case in which the brake control module200is located on the left side of the brake module100.

The brake control module200includes a driver210, a movable link220, and a link detection sensor230.

The driver210provides power for operating the brake control module200. As an example, the driver210may be a motor or the like.

The movable link220has a preset length, and is provided to be rotatable about a shaft (hereinafter, a movable link shaft221) provided at one end thereof by the power provided by the driver210. Then, a decelerator215may be located between the driver210and the movable link220, and the movable link220may be rotated to be decelerated at a preset ratio. The movable link220is located adjacent to the pedal link110to be separated from the pedal link110or press the pedal link110according to rotation thereof.

As an example, the movable link220is located on one side of the pedal link110, and the movable link shaft221is provided in the leftward/rightward direction that are perpendicular to the forward/rearward direction such that the movable link220is rotatable about the movable link shaft221on a plane that is perpendicular to the leftward/rightward direction. Accordingly, according to the rotational state of the movable link220, an opposite end of the movable link220may be spaced apart from the pedal link110, contact the pedal link110, or press the pedal link110downwards.

Further, a contact part115that protrudes toward the movable link220by a preset width and has a preset length in the forward/rearward direction is formed in the pedal link110, and the movable link220is provide to press the contact part115according to a rotational state thereof.

Further, a pressing roller225provided to be rotatable may be provided at an opposite end of the movable link220. A shaft of the pressing roller225may be provided in parallel to the movable link shaft221. Accordingly, when the movable link220is rotated in a state in which a force is applied between the opposite end of the movable link220and the pedal link110, unnecessary frictions may be removed by the rotation of the pressing roller225.

Further, a driver encoder (213ofFIG. 7) is connected to the driver210to provide the operational state of the driver210and the movable link state information on the location of the movable link220to the module controller3(240ofFIG. 7).

FIG. 2is a view illustrating the location of a movable link when the autonomous deceleration control apparatus ofFIG. 1is in a manual mode state.

A manual mode state is a state in which the vehicle is driven while the driver operates the brake module100. In the manual mode state, the movable link220is located at the manual mode location. The manual mode location corresponds to a state in which the pedal link110and a driving link are separated from each other in the case in which the pedal link110is at the brake non-driving location.

Referring toFIG. 2, the link detection sensor230is located at an upper point of the movable link220at the manual mode location to detect whether the movable link220is at the manual mode location. As an example, the link detection sensor230is a contact sensor, and if the movable link220is at the manual mode location, the link detection sensor230contacts the movable link220to detect that the movable link220is at the manual mode location while having a high precision. Although the opposite end of the movable link220may be located on the rear or front side of the movable link shaft221at the manual mode location, it is preferable that the opposite end of the movable link220is located on the rear side of the movable link shaft221.FIG. 2illustrates that the opposite end of the movable link220is located on the rear side of the movable link shaft221.

FIGS. 3 and 4are views illustrating the location of a movable link when the autonomous deceleration control apparatus is in an autonomous mode state.FIG. 3is a view illustrating that the movable link is at a standby location, andFIG. 4is a view illustrating that the movable link is at the driving location.

The autonomous mode state is a state in which the vehicle is driven while the brake module100is controlled by the brake control module200.

Referring toFIGS. 3 and 4, in the autonomous mode state, the opposite end of the movable link220is located to be rotated toward the lower side of the manual mode location, and the movable link220is at a location (hereinafter, the autonomous mode location) at which the movable link220is not detected by the link detection sensor230.

The autonomous mode location includes a standby location and a driving location.

The standby location is a location at which the opposite end of the movable link220is moved to the lower side of the manual mode location and is spaced apart from the pedal link110and the movable link220with reference to the brake non-driving location. Further, the driving location is a location at which the opposite end of the movable link220is moved to the lower side of the standby location and the movable link220pushes the pedal link110downwards from the brake non-driving location. In detail, a preset gap is present in a movement locus of the movable link220between the manual mode location and the driving location, and the movable link220is in the standby location state if the movable link220is located in the gap.

If the movable link220is moved from the standby location to the driving location, the opposite end of the movable link220contacts the contact part115. Further, if the downward rotation degree of the movable link220increases in a range of the driving location, the braking force by the brake system increases as the downward rotation degree of the pedal link110increases.

In particular, if the opposite end of the movable link220is located on the rear side of the movable link shaft221at the manual mode location, the opposite end of the movable link220presses and rotates the pedal link110downwards while moving from the rear side to the front side in the driving location state. Accordingly, the distance by which the opposite end of the movable link220presses the pedal link110downwards increases, the distance between the opposite end of the movable link220and the one end of the pedal link110decreases. That is, the distance between a point at which the movable link220presses the pedal link110and the rotational axis of the pedal link110gradually decreases such that the distance, by which the pedal link110is rotated downwards, increases even when the movable link220is rotated by the same angle.

When the driver210is configured to rotate the movable link220at different speeds, the control relationship becomes complex, and accordingly, the possibility of the malfunction of the driver210increases, deteriorating stability. Meanwhile, the autonomous deceleration control apparatus10according to the present invention may be controlled such that the brake module100is switched to a weak state or a sharply braked state even when the movable link220is driven in a state in which the rotational speed of the movable link220is not switched for each section. Accordingly, the autonomous deceleration control apparatus10has a high system stability.

In general cases, a vehicle is driven while the states of pressing the pedal link110weakly and not pressing the pedal link110are repeated. Further, in an emergency situation, the pedal link110is greatly rotated downwards in a short time. In correspondence, if the opposite end of the movable link220is located on the rear side of the movable link shaft221at the manual mode location, the rotation degree of the pedal link110may be adjusted while the pedal link110is not sharply rotated downwards due to the rotation of the movable link220in general cases, and the pedal link110may be rotated at a high speed due to the rotation of the movable link220in a section that requires emergency braking.

FIG. 5is a view illustrating a contact part according to an embodiment.

FIG. 5is drawn when viewed from the same direction ofFIG. 2.

Referring toFIG. 5, a point of the upper surface of the control part115, which is spaced apart forwards from the rear end thereof by a preset distance may protrude upwards further than the rear end thereof. For example, the contact part115may be provided such that the upper surface thereof is in a planar form. Further, a protrusion116may be formed on the upper surface of the contact surface115at a point that is spaced apart forwards from the rear end of the contact surface115by a preset distance. Accordingly, if the movable link220is rotated such that the opposite end of the movable link220is located at a point at which the protrusion116is located, the pedal link110may be sharply rotated downwards by the protrusion116, achieving sharp braking efficiently.

FIG. 6is a view illustrating a contact part according to another embodiment.

FIG. 6is drawn when viewed from the same direction ofFIG. 5.

Referring toFIG. 6, the contact part115bmay be provided such that the upper surface of the contact part115bhas curvatures that are different for areas. As an example, the contact part115bmay be provided such that the upward inclination of the contact part115bbecomes larger as the front area thereof goes the front side rather than the rear area thereof, and thus the rear area protrudes upwards further than the rear area. Accordingly, when the opposite end of the pedal link110is located in the front area of the contact part115brather than it is located in the rear area of the contact part115b, the degree, by which the pedal link110is rotated downwards, is increased by rotation of the pedal link110corresponding to a unit angle. Accordingly, in a section that requires emergency, the rotational speed of the pedal link110may be effectively increased while the rotational speed of the movable link220is not sharply increased.

FIG. 7is a view illustrating an autonomous driving system including the autonomous deceleration control apparatus.

Referring toFIG. 7, the autonomous deceleration control apparatus10may be controlled by the module controller240.

The vehicle includes an autonomous driving system1, and is provided to be autonomously driven.

The autonomous driving system1includes a driving sensor2, a controller3, and an autonomous deceleration control apparatus10.

The driving sensor2is provided for the vehicle, and provides information on a situation around a place in which the vehicle is driven. For example, the driving sensor2includes a LiDAR, a radar, and a camera, and may provide information on whether an obstacle such as another pedestrian or another vehicle is present around the vehicle, a distance from the obstacle, a movement state of the obstacle, and the like.

The controller3controls the state of the vehicle while reflecting a signal that provides the driving sensor2. For example, the controller3is configured on the basis of an artificial intelligence, and controls elements, such as the engine, the steering system, and the transmission of the vehicle such that the driving speed, the driving direction, and the like of the vehicle are controlled. Further, the controller3controls the operational state of the brake system through control of the autonomous deceleration control apparatus10. Further, when the driver directly operates at least one of the elements of the vehicle, the controller3may control the elements that are not operated by the driver or stop the autonomous driving state.

The autonomous deceleration control apparatus10is provided to include the module controller240, and the module controller240may control the operational state of the autonomous deceleration control apparatus10according to a signal of the controller3. If the controller3determines that braking is necessary, through the information provided by the driving sensor2in the autonomous driving state, it transmits a braking signal that is information on the magnitude of the braking force required through the brake system to the module controller240. If the braking signal is received, the module controller240generates a driver control signal for driving the driver210such that the pedal link110is rotated to the location at which the braking force corresponding to the braking signal is generated, to control the driver210. Further, the module controller240may generate a driver control signal with reference to movable link state information provided by the driver encoder213.

Further, the module controller240may control the operational state of the brake control module200by using location information on the movable link220provided by the driver encoder213and rotational state information of the pedal link110provided by the pedal encoder130. When the vehicle is autonomously driven by the controller3, the location information on the movable link220provided by the driver encoder213and the rotational state information on the pedal link110provided by the pedal encoder130are provided to correspond to each other. In detail, when the movable link220is at the standby location, the pedal link110is located at the brake non-driving location. Further, when the movable link220is located at the driving location, the pedal link110is located to be rotated downwards by a preset distance by the movable link220. Meanwhile, if the user presses the pedal link110in the autonomous driving state, the rotational state information on the pedal link110deviates from a value corresponding to the location information on the movable link220. Accordingly, the module controller240may terminate the autonomous mode and move the movable link220to the manual mode location if the rotational state information on the pedal link110deviates from a value corresponding to the location information on the movable link220while the brake control module200is operated in the autonomous module.

FIG. 8is a view illustrating an autonomous driving system according to another embodiment.

Referring toFIG. 8, the autonomous deceleration control apparatus10may be controlled by the controller3. That is, the above-described module controller240illustrated inFIG. 7may be integrated with the controller3, and the controller3may perform the function of the above-described module controller240.

Accordingly, in the state in which the vehicle is manually driven by the driver, the controller3switches the mode of the autonomous deceleration control apparatus10to the manual mode to control the driver210such that the movable link220is located at the manual mode location. Further, if the vehicle is in the autonomous driving state, the controller3controls the elements of the vehicle including the autonomous deceleration control apparatus10on the basis of the information provided by the driving sensor2. In detail, if it is determined during driving of the vehicle that a braking force is necessary, the controller3controls the driver210to generate a braking force. Further, the controller3may control the operational state of the brake control module200by using location information on the movable link220provided by the driver encoder213and rotational state information of the pedal link110provided by the pedal encoder130. Because the method for controlling, by the controller3, the autonomous deceleration control apparatus10is the same as or similar to the method for controlling, by the above-described module controller240ofFIG. 7, controlling the autonomous deceleration control apparatus10, a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

The above detailed description exemplifies the present invention. Furthermore, the above-mentioned contents describe the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, and the present invention may be used in various other combinations, changes, and environments. That is, the present invention can be modified and corrected without departing from the scope of the present invention that is disclosed in the specification, the equivalent scope to the written disclosures, and/or the technical or knowledge range of those skilled in the art. The written embodiment describes the best state for implementing the technical spirit of the present invention, and various changes required in the detailed application fields and purposes of the present invention can be made. Accordingly, the detailed description of the present invention is not intended to restrict the present invention in the disclosed embodiment state. Furthermore, it should be construed that the attached claims include other embodiments.