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EP-4068242-B1 - PROCESSOR AND PROCESSING METHOD FOR RIDER-ASSISTANCE SYSTEM OF STRADDLE-TYPE VEHICLE, RIDER-ASSISTANCE SYSTEM OF STRADDLE-TYPE VEHICLE, AND STRADDLE-TYPE VEHICLE

EP4068242B1EP 4068242 B1EP4068242 B1EP 4068242B1EP-4068242-B1

Inventors

  • Pfau, Lars

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20191202

Claims (10)

  1. A processor (20) for a rider-assistance system (1) of a straddle-type vehicle (100), the processor (20) comprising: an acquisition section (21) that acquires surrounding environment information about the straddle-type vehicle (100) ; a determination section (22) that determines necessity of assistance operation executed by the rider-assistance system (1) to assist with a rider's operation on the basis of the surrounding environment information acquired by the acquisition section (21); and a control section (23) that outputs a control command to an execution device (P) to execute the assistance operation in the case where the determination section (22) determines that the assistance operation is necessary, wherein the surrounding environment information includes information on surrounding environment behind the straddle-type vehicle (100), the surrounding environment information is information corresponding to output of a surrounding environment detector (11) provided to the straddle-type vehicle (100), characterized in that : the determination section (22) determines that the assistance operation is necessary, in the case where at least a first condition and a second condition are simultaneously satisfied, the first condition being that, on the basis of a comparison between a collision index value (I), the collision index value (I) being an index value depending on the information on the surrounding environment at the rear and being an index value of a collision possibility of a following vehicle against the traveling straddle-type vehicle (100), wherein the collision possibility becomes higher as the collision index value (I) is increased, and a first reference value, it is determined that the collision possibility of the following vehicle against the straddle-type vehicle (100) exceeds the first reference value, the second condition being that, on the basis of a comparison between a stability index value (J), the stability index value (J) being an index value depending on the information on the surrounding environment at the rear and being an index value of a stability degree of a relative distance (Dr) of the following vehicle to the traveling straddle-type vehicle (100), and a second reference value, it is determined that the stability index value (J) exceeds the second reference value, wherein the stability degree of the relative distance (Dr) becomes higher as the stability index value (J) is increased, and the stability index value (J) is a value that varies according to a time in which a fluctuation amount of the relative distance (Dr) is maintained to be equal to or smaller than a reference amount.
  2. The processor (20) according to claim 1, wherein the collision index value (I) is a value that varies according to at least one of the relative distance (Dr), the relative speed (Vr), and a relative acceleration (Ar) of the following vehicle to the traveling straddle-type vehicle (100) .
  3. The processor (20) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the determination section (22) changes at least one of the reference value compared with the collision index value (I) and the reference value compared with the stability index value (J) according to a setting state by the rider.
  4. The processor (20) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein in the case where a speed (V) generated on the straddle-type vehicle (100) falls below a lower limit value or exceeds an upper limit value, the determination section (22) determines that the assistance operation is unnecessary regardless of the collision index value (I) and the stability index value (J).
  5. The processor (20) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the assistance operation includes notification operation to the rider executed by an alarm (30) included in the execution device (P).
  6. The processor (20) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the assistance operation includes warning operation to the following vehicle executed by a warning device (40) included in the execution device (P).
  7. The processor (20) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the assistance operation includes speed correction operation that is executed by a speed controller (50), which is included in the execute device (P) and provided to the straddle-type vehicle (100), to correct acceleration/deceleration or speed generated on the straddle-type vehicle (100) by adaptive cruise control of the straddle-type vehicle (100).
  8. A rider-assistance system (1) of a straddle-type vehicle (100) comprising: the processor (20) according to any one of claims 1 to 7.
  9. A straddle-type vehicle (100) comprising: the rider-assistance system (1) according to claim 8.
  10. A processing method for a rider-assistance system (1) of a straddle-type vehicle (100), the processing method comprising: an acquisition step (S101) of acquiring surrounding environment information about the straddle-type vehicle (100) by an acquisition section (21) of a processor (20) for the rider-assistance system (1); a determination step (S102) of determining necessity of assistance operation, which is executed by the rider-assistance system (1), by a determination section (22) of the processor (20) to assist with a rider's operation on the basis of the surrounding environment information acquired by the acquisition section (21); and a control step (S103) of outputting a control command to an execution device (P) to execute the assistance operation by a control section (23) of the processor (20) in the case where the determination section (22) determines that the assistance operation is necessary, wherein the surrounding environment information includes information on surrounding environment behind the straddle-type vehicle (100), the surrounding environment information is information corresponding to output of a surrounding environment detector (11) provided to the straddle-type vehicle (100), characterized in that in the determination step (S102), the determination section (22) determines that the assistance operation is necessary, in the case where at least a first condition and a second condition are simultaneously satisfied, the first condition being that, on the basis of a comparison between a collision index value (I), the collision index value (I) being an index value depending on the information on the surrounding environment at the rear and being an index value of a collision possibility of a following vehicle against the traveling straddle-type vehicle (100), wherein the collision possibility becomes higher as the collision index value (I) is increased, and a first reference value, it is determined that the collision possibility of the following vehicle against the straddle-type vehicle (100) exceeds the first reference value, the second condition being that, on the basis of a comparison between a stability index value (J), the stability index value (J) being an index value depending on the information on the surrounding environment at the rear and being an index value of a stability degree of a relative distance (Dr) of the following vehicle to the traveling straddle-type vehicle (100), and a second reference value, it is determined that the stability index value (J) exceeds the second reference value, wherein the stability degree of the relative distance (Dr) becomes higher as the stability index value (J) is increased, and the stability index value (J) is a value that varies according to a time in which a fluctuation amount of the relative distance (Dr) is maintained to be equal to or smaller than a reference amount.

Description

Technical Field The present invention relates to a processor and a processing method for a rider-assistance system that determines necessity of assistance operation to assist with a rider's operation by using surrounding environment information and executes the assistance operation when necessary, to a rider-assistance system including the processor, and to a straddle-type vehicle including the rider-assistance system. Background Art As a conventional technique related to a straddle-type vehicle, a technique of assisting with a rider's operation is available. For example, a rider-assistance system is disclosed in PTL 1. The rider-assistance system warns the rider of the straddle-type vehicle that the straddle-type vehicle inappropriately approaches an obstacle by using a surrounding environment detector that detects the obstacle present in a travel direction or substantially in the travel direction. Citation List Patent Literature PTL 1: JP-A-2009-116882PTL 2: EP 3 401 198 A1, which discloses the preamble of claim 1.PTL 3: US 20017/129466 A1 Summary of Invention Technical Problem The rider operates the straddle-type vehicle while straddling and being seated on a vehicle body under a situation where a rearview mirror is not provided (that is, a situation where the rider cannot easily recognize what exists right behind the rider). Thus, necessity of assistance operation for the rider regarding a collision by a following vehicle is high. In addition, there is a high probability that the assistance operation is executed in a situation where the rider does not pay attention. Thus, the necessity of the assistance operation has to be determined with high reliability. The present invention has been made with the above-described problem as the background and therefore obtains a processor and a processing method capable of improving a rider's safety. The present invention also obtains a rider-assistance system that includes the processor. The present invention further obtains a straddle-type vehicle that includes the rider-assistance system. Solution to Problem According to the present invention, a processor for a rider-assistance system of a straddle-type vehicle is provided, as defined by independent claim 1. The processor includes: an acquisition section that acquires surrounding environment information about the straddle-type vehicle; a determination section that determines necessity of assistance operation executed by the rider-assistance system to assist with a rider's operation on the basis of the surrounding environment information acquired by the acquisition section; and a control section that outputs a control command to an execution device to execute the assistance operation in the case where the determination section determines that the assistance operation is necessary. The surrounding environment information includes information on surrounding environment behind the straddle-type vehicle. The surrounding environment information is information corresponding to output of a surrounding environment detector provided to the straddle-type vehicle. The determination section determines that the assistance operation is necessary, in the case where at least a first condition and a second condition are simultaneously satisfied. The first condition is that, on the basis of a comparison between a collision index value, the collision index value (I) being an index value depending on the information on the surrounding environment at the rear and being an index value of a collision possibility of a following vehicle against the traveling straddle-type vehicle, wherein the collision possibility becomes higher as the collision index value is increased, and a first reference value, it is determined that the collision possibility of the following vehicle against the straddle-type vehicle exceeds the first reference value. The second condition is that, on the basis of a comparison between a stability index value that, the stability index value being an index value depending on the information on the surrounding environment at the rear and being an index value of a stability degree of a relative distance of the following vehicle to the traveling straddle-type vehicle, and a second reference value, it is determined that the stability index value exceeds the second reference value, wherein the stability degree of the relative distance becomes higher as the stability index value is increased. The stability index value is a value that varies according to a time in which a fluctuation amount of the relative distance is maintained to be equal to or smaller than a reference amount. A rider-assistance system according to the present invention includes the processor. A straddle-type vehicle according to the present invention includes the rider-assistance system. According to the present invention, a processing method for a rider-assistance system of a straddle-type vehicle is provided, as defined by independent claim 10. The processi