Patent Abstract:
One form of a driving test system for a moving object includes: an unmanned aircraft configured to fly at a set distance from the moving object that is configured to drive along a set route in a set zone and has a vision sensor disposed on one side that is configured to detect the moving object&#39;s motion; and a controller configured to control the flight of the unmanned aircraft to follow the moving object and to transmit to the vision sensor and to receive from the vision censor, detected motion characteristics of the moving object.

Full Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims priority to and the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2015-0065570 filed in the Korean Intellectual Property Office on May 11, 2015 and Korean Patent Application No. 10-2015-0167328 filed in the Korean Intellectual Property Office on Nov. 27, 2015, the entire contents of each of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     BACKGROUND 
     (a) Field 
     The present disclosure relates to a driving test system for a moving object that detects motion characteristics of the moving object traveling along a preset route and determines how the moving object, such as a vehicle, is functioning and driving. 
     (b) Description of the Related Art 
     In general, an autonomous test vehicle is a vehicle that is forced to drive continuously to evaluate the vehicle&#39;s driving performance so that intended test results can be obtained. This vehicle is used to perform a forced driving operation on a test road such as a Belgian road with a rough surface. 
     Thus, the autonomous test vehicle does not require a human driver to manually test-drive the vehicle. This saves the operator the trouble and risk of test driving, allows for severe driving tests, and improves the reliability of test results. Therefore, research, development, and studies on techniques and methods for automatically controlling testing and driving are ongoing. 
     Conventionally, the above autonomous test vehicle self-controls its driving by enabling a vision sensor unit installed at the front of the test vehicle to recognize road lanes and detect an approaching object. 
     That is, the driving of the autonomous test vehicle is controlled in response to a control tower&#39;s radio control signals, which are input through an antenna and radio transmitter/receiver installed on the vehicle, and a driving control unit automatically controls the driving of the vehicle through a pedal controller in response to an approaching object and lane recognition signals, which are input from an object detector and vision sensor unit using various sensors. 
     However, the operator&#39;s personal subjective view may influence a vehicle driving test, the accuracy of vehicle driving may be reduced, and the cost of labor may be increased. 
     The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present disclosure has been made in an effort to provide a driving test system for a moving object capable of increasing the accuracy of performance tests of a moving object, such as a vehicle, and reducing the cost of labor. 
     An exemplary form of the present disclosure provides a driving test system for a moving object including: an unmanned aircraft configured to fly at a set distance from the moving object, where the moving object is configured to drive along a set route in a set zone and the moving object comprises a vision sensor disposed on one side that is configured to detect a motion of the moving object&#39;; and a controller configured to control the flight of the unmanned aircraft to follow the moving object and to transmit to the vision sensor and to receive from the vision sensor, detected motion characteristics of the moving object. 
     The unmanned aircraft may control the moving object to implement a driving function including an advanced driver assistance system (ADAS), and the advanced driver assistance system may include autonomous emergency braking (AEB), a lane departure warning system (LDWS), a lane keeping assistance system (LKAS), blind spot detection (BSD), or smart cruise control (SCC). The vision sensor may detect lanes the moving object is traveling in and an obstacle near the moving object during implementation of the driving function. 
     The moving object may be controlled by the unmanned aircraft and may include a detector for detecting the moving object&#39;s surroundings. 
     The detector may detect lanes, an obstacle near the moving object, and the distance to the obstacle. 
     The moving object may be controlled by the unmanned aircraft and may have an autonomous driving function for automatically controlling a steering device, an accelerator, and a braking device. 
     The driving test system may further include: a conveyor with the unmanned aircraft&#39;s landing and takeoff spots set therein, which is disposed to move the unmanned aircraft from the landing spot to the takeoff spot; a landing marker formed on one side of the landing spot; a proximity sensor disposed on the other side of the landing spot to detect the unmanned aircraft; and photosensors disposed on one side of the takeoff spot to detect the unmanned aircraft. 
     The controller may determine the moving object&#39;s information, speed, and travel distance based on information detected by the vision sensor. 
     The controller may detect motion characteristics of the moving object using the advanced driver assistance system. 
     The driving test system may further include a radio transmitter/receiver and an antenna, and the controller may control the moving object&#39;&#39;s driving function and the unmanned aircraft by the radio transmitter/receiver and the antenna. 
     An exemplary form of the present disclosure provides a driving test method for a moving object including: causing the moving object to enter a preset route and driving the moving object; flying an unmanned aircraft along with the moving object; and detecting motion characteristics of the moving object by a vision sensor mounted on the unmanned aircraft and determining how the moving object is driving. 
     The driving test method may further include controlling, by the unmanned aircraft, the moving object to implement a driving function including an advanced driver assistance system (ADAS), and the advanced driver assistance system may include autonomous emergency braking (AEB), a lane departure warning system (LDWS), a lane keeping assistance system (LKAS), blind spot detection (BSD), or smart cruise control (SCC). 
     The driving test method may further include detecting the moving object&#39;s surroundings by a detector. 
     The detector may detect lanes, an obstacle near the moving object, and the distance to an object in front of the moving object. 
     The driving test method may further include performing an autonomous driving function for automatically controlling a steering device, an accelerator, and a braking device. 
     The testing of moving objects such as autonomous vehicles or traditional vehicles using an unmanned aircraft can improve the test accuracy and reduce the cost of labor. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic block diagram of a driving test system of a moving object. 
         FIG. 2  is a table showing functions implemented by the moving object. 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic top plan view of a conveyer where an unmanned aircraft takes off and lands, in the driving test system for the moving object. 
         FIG. 4  is a partial schematic top plan view showing a path of travel of the moving object in the driving test system for the moving object. 
         FIG. 5  is a flowchart showing a driving test method of the moving object. 
         FIG. 6  is a flowchart showing an unmanned aircraft&#39;s landing and takeoff procedure in the driving test method for the moving object. 
         FIG. 7  is a table showing a vision sensor&#39;s functions and the moving object&#39;s functions in the driving test method of the moving object. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     An exemplary form of the present disclosure will hereinafter be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
       FIG. 1  is a schematic block diagram of a driving test system for a moving object. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 4 , the driving test system for the moving object includes an unmanned aircraft  100 , a vision sensor  110 , the moving object  120 , a detector  140 , an antenna  150 , a radio transmitter/receiver  160 , and a controller  130 . 
     The moving object  120  includes an autonomous vehicle or a traditional vehicle that is set to travel along a route  400  set either manually or autonomously. 
     The unmanned aircraft  100  is autonomously controlled by the controller  130  to move along with the moving object  120  at a set distance above the moving object  120 . For example, the moving object  120  may be controlled by the unmanned aircraft  100 . 
     The vision sensor  110  disposed at the unmanned aircraft  100  detects motion of the moving object  120  and checks information on the moving object  120 . Also, the vision sensor  110  may detect a lane in which the moving object is driving and an obstacle and may detect a distance between the moving object and the obstacle. 
     Moreover, the detector  140  installed on the moving object  120  detects lanes  420  and an obstacle  410  near the moving object, and detects the distance to the obstacle  410 . 
     The controller  130  may be implemented as one or more microprocessors operating by a preset program, and the preset program may include a series of commands for performing a method according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a table showing functions implemented by the moving object. 
     The moving object  120  may implement a driving function which includes an advanced driver assistance system (ADAS). For example, the unmanned aircraft  100  may control the moving object  120  to implement (or perform) the driving function that includes the advanced driver assistance system. 
     The advanced driver assistance system may include autonomous emergency braking (AEB), a lane departure warning system (LDWS), a lane keeping assistance system (LKAS), blind spot detection (BSD), or smart cruise control (SCC). 
     The description of the well-known art can be substituted for the description of the advanced driver assistance system, and a detailed description of the advanced driver assistance system will be omitted. 
       FIG. 3  is a schematic top plan view of a conveyer where an unmanned aircraft takes off and lands, in the driving test system for the moving object. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , the conveyer  300  is disposed along a set route, and landing markers  310  are disposed on either side of one end of the conveyer  300 . Moreover, a first proximity sensor  312  is disposed between the landing markers  310 . 
     Photosensors  316  are disposed on the other end of the conveyer  300 , spaced a set distance apart in the direction the conveyor  300  moves, and a second proximity sensor  314  is disposed between the photosensors  316 . 
     The unmanned aircraft  100  detects the landing markers  310  by the vision sensor  110 , and lands between the landing markers  310 . Then, the first proximity sensor  312  detects the unmanned aircraft  100 . 
     When the unmanned aircraft  100  is detected by the first proximity sensor  312 , the conveyor  300  goes into operation and moves the unmanned aircraft  100 . 
     When the unmanned aircraft  100  is located between the photosensors  316  and the second proximity sensor  314  detects the unmanned aircraft  100 , the conveyor  300  stops operating and prepares for takeoff of the unmanned aircraft  100 . 
       FIG. 4  is a partial schematic top plan view showing a path of travel of the moving object in the driving test system of the moving object. 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , the moving object  120  is set to move along the route  400 , lanes  420  are formed on either side of the moving object  120 , and the obstacle  410  is disposed in a set position. The moving object  120  may be controlled either manually or autonomously. 
       FIG. 5  is a flowchart showing a driving test method of the moving object. 
     Referring to  FIG. 5 , control is started at S 500 , and the moving object  120  such as the autonomous vehicle or the traditional vehicle and the unmanned aircraft  100  are on standby at S 510  and S 520 . 
     The moving object  120  enters the path  400 , either by the controller  130  or by the operator at S 530 , and the unmanned aircraft  100  flies along with the moving object  120  at S 540 . 
     The moving object  120  performs functional driving at S 550 . The functional driving may include implementing an advanced driver assistance system (ADAS), and the advanced driver assistance system may include autonomous emergency braking (AEB), a lane departure warning system (LDWS), a lane keeping assistance system (LKAS), blind spot detection (BSD), or smart cruise control (SCC). 
     That is, the operator or the controller  130  selectively operates the advanced driver assistance system to control the driving of the moving object  120  at S 550 , motion characteristics of the moving object  120  are detected by the unmanned aircraft  100  at S 560 , and the driving test is finished at S 570 . 
     Then, the moving object  120  deviates from its route at S 580 , and the flight of the unmanned aircraft  100  is finished at S 590 . 
     In the exemplary form of the present disclosure, the motion characteristics of the moving object detected by the vision sensor  110  of the unmanned aircraft  100  may be transmitted to the controller  130  through the radio transmitter/receiver  160 , and the controller  130  may determine how the moving object  120  is driving based on the received information. 
       FIG. 6  is a flowchart showing an unmanned aircraft&#39;s landing and takeoff procedure in the driving test method for the moving object. 
     Referring to  FIG. 6 , the unmanned aircraft  100  lands at a landing spot in the conveyor  300  at S 600 . In this case, the vision sensor  110  of the unmanned aircraft  100  detects the landing markers  310 , and the unmanned aircraft  100  lands at the corresponding location. 
     The first proximity sensor  312  detects the unmanned aircraft  100  at S 610 , and when it is determined that the unmanned aircraft  100  is detected, the conveyor  300  operates to move the unmanned aircraft  100  at S 620 . 
     The photosensors  316  or a proximity sensor detect that the unmanned aircraft  100  has reached the set landing spot at S 630 , and the conveyor  300  is stopped at S 640 . Also, the unmanned aircraft  160  starts flying in response to a set takeoff signal. 
       FIG. 7  is a table showing a vision sensor&#39;s functions and the moving object&#39;s functions in the driving test method of the moving object. 
     Referring to  FIG. 7 , the vision sensor  110  checks information of the moving object such as the autonomous vehicle or the traditional vehicle, detects the speed of the moving object  120 , detects the distance traveled by the moving object  120 , and transmits the results to the controller  130 . 
     Also, the moving object  120  drives autonomously or performs each function in response to a control signal from the controller  130 . In this case, the moving object  120  may be operated automatically by an accelerator pedal, brake pedal, and steering wheel of the moving object  120  by a set algorithm. 
     While forms of the present disclosure have been described in connection with what is presently considered to be practical exemplary forms, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not limited to the disclosed forms. On the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. 
     DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 
       100 : unmanned aircraft 
       110 : vision sensor 
       120 : moving object 
       130 : controller 
       140 : detector 
       150 : antenna 
       160 : radio transmitter/receiver 
       300 : conveyor 
       310 : landing marker 
       312 : first proximity sensor 
       314 : second proximity sensor 
       316 : photosensor 
       400 : route 
       410 : obstacle 
       420 : lane

Technology Classification (CPC): 1