WO2016021469A1

WO2016021469A1 - Vehicle control apparatus

Info

Publication number: WO2016021469A1
Application number: PCT/JP2015/071570
Authority: WO
Inventors: Tsutomu MOCHIDA
Original assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
Priority date: 2014-08-04
Filing date: 2015-07-23
Publication date: 2016-02-11
Also published as: JP6201928B2; JP2016034814A

Abstract

The ECU 1 performs a rotation promoting control to rotate the own vehicle (C1) in a direction of releasing a collision energy from the monitoring target object (C2) at the time of collision, as the vehicle behavior control of the own vehicle after the collision, when the collision of the monitoring target object with a side surface of the own vehicle is detected and a colliding position is an area different from a damage alleviating region that results in a damage on a passenger of the own vehicle to be relatively small at the side surface of the own vehicle (C1). Alternatively, the ECU.1 prohibits the rotation promoting control as the vehicle behavior control of the own vehicle (C1) after the collision when the colliding position is the damage alleviating region at the side surface of the own vehicle.

Description

DESCRIPTION VEHICLE CONTROL APPARATUS TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a vehicle control apparatus related to a vehicle behavior control after a collision of a vehicle in which the collision occurred at a side surface.

BACKGROUND ART

Conventionally, the damage on a passenger at the time of a collision of the vehicle is alleviated by a

conventional passenger damage alleviating technique, such as activation of an airbag, and the like. However,

improvements still can be made on the effect of alleviating the damage on the passenger. For example, Patent

Literatures 1 and 2 disclose a vehicle behavior control of a vehicle in which a collision occurred at the side surface. In the technique of Patent Literature 1, a predicted

position and a predicted time of a side surface collision (side collision) of an obstacle (another vehicle) with respect to an own vehicle are obtained based on respective speeds and advancing directions of the own vehicle and an obstacle. Subsequently, control is performed such that a brake force of a wheel distant from a side collision load input direction line extending from the predicted position of the side collision is increased as compared to the brake force of other three wheels on the anti-side collision side in the own vehicle while a vehicle body acceleration of the own vehicle after the side collision becomes smaller than or equal to a predetermined value. Thus, in the vehicle applied with such technique, a rotation movement occurs with a wheel, where the brake force is increased, as a center after the collision of the obstacle. In the

technique of Patent Literature 1, the collision load from the obstacle applied to the vehicle body of the own vehicle is alleviated by such control, thus alleviating the damage on the passenger of the own vehicle. In the technique of Patent Literature 2, a colliding region and a colliding angle of another vehicle with respect to the own vehicle are estimated, and a penetrating region on the assumption that another vehicle has penetrated through the own vehicle is estimated based on the respective estimated values. In such technique, a brake control after the collision is carried out based on the estimated values of the colliding region and the penetrating region. Patent Literature 3 discloses a technique of controlling a steering angle so that an own vehicle advances in an avoiding direction to avoid danger based on the situations surrounding the own vehicle when the own vehicle moves forward by the collision when the collision from the back side of the own vehicle is predicted.

CITATION LIST PATENT LITERATURE

[Patent Literature 1] Japanese Laid-open Patent

Publication No. 2005-254945

[Patent Literature 2] Japanese Laid-open Patent

Publication No. 2009-208560

[Patent Literature 3] Japanese Laid-open Patent

Publication No. 2007-190977

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION PROBLEMS TO BE SOLVED BY THE INVENTION

The magnitude of the damage on the passenger of the own vehicle in which a collision occurred at the side surface differs depending on the colliding position.

However, in the technique of Patent Literature 1, when a collision occurs at the side surface of the own vehicle, the own vehicle is uniformly rotated regardless of the colliding position. Thus, when the collision occurs at an area that results in the damage of the passenger to be small, the rotation of the own vehicle may induce, in fact, a secondary collision of the own vehicle.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a vehicle control apparatus capable of suppressing the occurrence of the secondary collision of the Vehicle while alleviating the damage on the passenger of the vehicle in which collision occurred at the side surface.

SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEMS

In order to achieve the above mentioned object, a vehicle control apparatus according to the present

invention includes a perimeter monitoring device configured to monitor a perimeter of an own vehicle, and detect a monitoring target object at the perimeter; a collision detection device configured to detect a collision between the monitoring target object and the own vehicle; a vehicle behavior control device configured to control a behavior of the own vehicle; and a controller configured to perform a vehicle behavior control of the own vehicle after a

collision between the monitoring target object and the own vehicle in a case where the collision is detected. The controller detects a collision between the monitoring target object and a side surface of the own vehicle; and performs a rotation promoting control, as the vehicle behavior control of the own vehicle after the collision, to rotate the own vehicle in a direction of releasing a collision energy from the monitoring target object at the time of the collision, in a case where a colliding position is an area different from a damage alleviating region which results in a damage on a passenger of the own vehicle to be relatively small at the side surface of the own vehicle, or alternatively, prohibits the rotation promoting control, as the vehicle behavior control of the own vehicle after the collision, in a case where the colliding position is the damage alleviating region at the side surface of the own vehicle .

Here, it is preferable that the controller performs the rotation promoting control in a low vehicle speed region in which an excessive rotation of the own vehicle does not occur.

Further, it is preferable that in a case where the colliding position is the area other than the damage alleviating region at the side surface of the own vehicle and in a case where an input direction of a collision load at the position is orthogonal to an advancing direction of the own vehicle or is a diagonal direction which inhibits advancement of the own vehicle with respect to the

advancing direction of the own vehicle, as long as

deceleration due to a vehicle brake force is acting on the own vehicle at the time of the collision, the controller suppresses the deceleration of the own vehicle for a predetermined time and increases the vehicle brake force after the collision as the vehicle behavior control of the own vehicle after the collision.

Further, it is preferable that in a case where the colliding position is the area other than the damage alleviating region at the side surface of the own vehicle and the input direction of the collision load is a diagonal direction which promotes advancement of the own vehicle with respect to the advancing direction of the own vehicle, the controller increases the vehicle brake force

immediately after the collision as the vehicle behavior control of the own vehicle after the collision.

Further, it is preferable that in a case where the monitoring target object possibly collides with the own vehicle at the side surface of the own vehicle, the

controller estimates a colliding position and an input direction of the collision load of the monitoring target object with respect to the own vehicle before the collision and in a case where the collision between the monitoring target object and the side surface of the own vehicle is detected but the colliding position and the input direction of the collision load of the monitoring target object with respect to the own vehicle are not specified after the collision, the controller performs the vehicle behavior control of the own vehicle after the collision based on the colliding position and the input direction of the collision load estimated before the collision.

controller estimates the colliding position and the input direction of the collision load of the monitoring target object with respect to the own vehicle before the collision and estimates a control mode for the vehicle behavior control of the own vehicle after the collision based on the estimated colliding position and the input direction of the collision load, before the collision, and the controller performs an advanced preparation of the vehicle behavior control before the collision so that the estimated vehicle behavior control is performed with satisfactory

responsiveness at the time of collision. Further, it is preferable that a target yaw moment of the own vehicle in the rotation promoting control is set based on a collision energy from the. monitoring target object corresponding to a vehicle speed and a mass or weight of the monitoring target object.

EFFECTS OF THE INVENTION

A vehicle control apparatus according to the present invention performs a rotation promoting control when a collision at an area other than a damage alleviating region is detected, so that a collision load (collision energy) from a monitoring target object is reduced and a force corresponding to the collision load acting on the passenger of the own vehicle is reduced and the damage on the

passenger can be alleviated. Furthermore, the vehicle control apparatus can easily avoid the secondary collision with another obstacle and alleviate the damage on the passenger of the own vehicle even under a situation where the driver cannot safely operate the own vehicle

immediately after the collision since the own vehicle tends to stay at the collided location (e.g., lane on which the vehicle is travelling) by the rotation promoting control. The vehicle control apparatus prohibits the rotation

promoting control when the collision at the damage

alleviating region is detected, so that the occurrence of the secondary collision can be suppressed and the damage on the passenger of the own vehicle can be alleviated.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a vehicle control apparatus of an embodiment and the other embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a view illustrating a collision with an area other than a damage alleviating region and a vehicle behavior control after the collision.

FIG. 3 is a view illustrating an example of a

collision with the damage alleviating region.

FIG. 4 is a view illustrating another example of a collision with the damage alleviating region.

FIG. 5 is a view illustrating an example of a

collision with the damage alleviating region, where an example in which the vehicle behavior control after the collision is not performed is described.

FIG. 6 is a view illustrating an example of a

collision with the damage alleviating region and the vehicle behavior control after the collision.

FIG. 7 is a view illustrating another example of a collision with the damage alleviating region and the vehicle behavior control after the collision.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating a computation process of the example.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating a computation process of the other embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, an embodiment of a vehicle control apparatus according to the present invention will be described in detail based on the drawings. The present invention is not limited by such embodiment.

[Embodiment ]

An embodiment of a vehicle control apparatus according to the present invention will be described based on FIG. 1 to FIG. 8.

The vehicle control apparatus of the present

embodiment includes an electronic control unit (ECU) 1 including a controller that processes various computations to be described later; a kinetic information detection device 10, a perimeter monitoring device 20, collision detection devices 30, and a vehicle behavior control device 40.

The kinetic information detection device 10 is a device for detecting kinetic information of an own vehicle. The kinetic information of the own vehicle is information representing a kinetic state of the own vehicle such as, for example, a vehicle speed, a front-back acceleration, a lateral acceleration, a yaw rate, and the like. Thus, for the kinetic information detection device 10, a vehicle speed detection device (vehicle speed sensor, wheel speed sensor, etc.) for detecting the vehicle speed of the own vehicle, a front-back acceleration detection device (front- back acceleration sensor) for detecting a front-back acceleration of the own vehicle, a lateral acceleration detection device (lateral acceleration sensor) for

detecting a lateral acceleration of the own vehicle, and a yaw rate detection device (yaw rate sensor) for detecting the yaw rate of the own vehicle are at least prepared. A detection signal of the kinetic information detection device 10 is transmitted to the ECU 1.

The perimeter monitoring device 20 is a device for monitoring the perimeter of the own vehicle and detecting a monitoring target object at the perimeter. The perimeter monitoring device 20 of the present example assumes an object (obstacle) , which get close to at least a side surface of the own vehicle, as a monitoring target.. At least one of a laser device, a sonar device, and an imaging device can be used, for example, as the perimeter

monitoring device 20. A detection signal of the perimeter monitoring device 20 is transmitted to the ECU 1. The ECU 1 includes, as the controller, a laser light controller that controls the operation of the laser device, an ultrasonic controller that controls the operation of the sonar device, and an imaging controller that controls the operation of the imaging device. Such controllers operate as the perimeter monitoring controller that controls the perimeter monitoring device 20, and process a computation through a well-known method in a technical field of

perimeter monitoring.

In the vehicle control apparatus, relative information of the monitoring target object and the own vehicle is detected. The relative information is a relative position of the monitoring target object with respect to the own vehicle, a relative speed of the monitoring target object with respect to the own vehicle, and the like. The

relative information is calculated through the well-known method in the technical field based on the kinetic

information of the own vehicle, the position information of the monitoring target object, and the kinetic information of the monitoring target object. The ECU 1 includes a relative information calculating section that calculates the relative information, as the controller. The kinetic information of the monitoring target object is the

information representing the kinetic state of the

monitoring target object, and includes at least the vehicle speed information, the acceleration information, and the advancing direction information of the monitoring target object. The position information and the kinetic

information of the monitoring target object are calculated through a well-known method in the technical field based on the detection signal of the perimeter monitoring device 20. The ECU 1 includes a monitoring information calculating section that calculates the position information and the kinetic information of the monitoring target object, as the controller . The collision detection devices 30 are devices for detecting the collision between the monitoring target object and the own vehicle. An airbag sensor, or the like is used for the collision detection device. The airbag sensor is a collision detection sensor for determining the necessity of activation of airbags (not illustrated)

arranged at a wide variety of positions in a vehicle

compartment. The airbag sensor is provided at different locations of the vehicle body according to the arrangement of the airbags. A pressure sensor (e.g., for detecting pressure change in an internal space in a lining of a door) , a front-back acceleration detection device (front-back acceleration sensor) , a lateral acceleration detection device (lateral acceleration sensor) , and the like are used for the airbag sensor. A detection signal of the collision detection device 30 is transmitted to the ECU 1. The ECU 1 includes a collision determination section that determines presence or absence of collision based on the detection signal of the collision detection device 30, as the

controller.

Furthermore, the ECU 1 includes a collision mode calculating section that calculates a collision mode

(colliding position and input direction of collision load) of the own vehicle collided with the monitoring target object when the collision between the monitoring target object and the own vehicle is detected, as the controller. The input direction of the collision load corresponds to a colliding angle of the monitoring target object with

respect to the own vehicle. For example, if a plurality of pressure sensors serving as the collision detection devices 30 is arranged for different regions of the vehicle body, the collision mode calculating section can specify the colliding position with the monitoring target object in the own vehicle. The collision detection devices 30 (in

particular, pressure sensors) of the present example are arranged at a plurality of areas at a predetermined

interval along at least a side surface of the own vehicle so that whether the colliding area is a first region or a second region, that are to be described later, can be at least identified. If the own vehicle includes a side airbag or a curtain airbag, an airbag sensor (pressure sensor) for activation of the airbag is to be used as the collision detection device 30. The collision mode

calculating section can specify the colliding position of the own vehicle collided with the monitoring target object at the side surface based on the detection signal of the collision detection device 30 and a yaw rate detection device (yaw rate sensor) . Furthermore, the collision mode calculating section can calculate the input direction of the collision load based on, for example, the relative information between the monitoring target object and the own vehicle, and the kinetic information of the own vehicle.

The vehicle behavior control device 40 is a device for controlling the behavior of the own vehicle. The ECU 1 includes a vehicle behavior controller that controls the behavior of the own vehicle by controlling the vehicle behavior control device 40. A braking device capable of changing the behavior of the own vehicle by the brake force control of each wheel, a turning device capable of changing the behavior of the own vehicle by the turn angle control of a turning wheel, and the like may be adopted for the vehicle behavior control device 40. The braking device can individually adjust the brake force of each wheel. The ECU 1 includes a brake controller that adjusts the brake force of the wheel to be controlled by the control of the

actuator of the braking device. The ECU 1 also includes a turn controller that adjusts a turn angle of a turning wheel by the control of the actuator of the turning device, as the controller. The brake controller and the turn controller operate as a vehicle behavior controller when controlling the behavior of the own vehicle. A power source (engine) may be used for the vehicle behavior control device 40. In this case, the ECU 1 includes an output controller of the power source, as the controller. The output controller changes the behavior of the own vehicle by individually controlling the drive force of each drive wheel.

The ECU 1 includes a collision possibility determining section that determines whether or not there is a

possibility that the monitoring target object and the own vehicle will collide, as the controller. This

determination is made based on the kinetic information of the own vehicle, the position information of the monitoring target object, and the kinetic information of the

monitoring target object. The collision possibility determining section determines whether or not there is a possibility that at least the monitoring target object and the own vehicle will collide at the side surface of the own vehicle.

In such vehicle control apparatus, when the collision between the monitoring target object and the own vehicle is detected, the vehicle behavior control of the own vehicle after the collision is performed. The vehicle behavior control of the own vehicle after the collision when the collision occurs at the side surface of the own vehicle will be described below.

In such vehicle control apparatus, a control mode for the vehicle behavior control of the own vehicle after the collision is changed according to the collision mode (colliding position and input direction of collision load) of the own vehicle collided with the monitoring target object at the side surface. The ECU 1 includes a behavior control mode selecting section that selects a control mode for the vehicle behavior control of the own vehicle at after the collision, as the controller. The behavior control mode selecting section selects the vehicle behavior control corresponding to the collision mode.

The collision energy input from the monitoring target object to the own vehicle is to be released to alleviate the damage on the passenger of the own vehicle in which the side surface collision occurred. The collision energy can be released by moving the own vehicle in the input

direction of the collision load, and actively changing (rotating) the orientation of the own vehicle. However, if the orientation of the own vehicle is changed (rotated) after the side surface collision, the secondary collision with a different object such as an obstacle, and the like may be triggered depending on the extent of change in orientation and the collision mode. When the second collision occurs following the side surface collision, the, effect of alleviating the damage on the passenger may be reduced since the conventional passenger damage alleviating control (activation of the airbags, slack winding of the belt by a pre-tensioner of the seatbelt, etc.) are Likely to have already been completed at the first side surface collision in the own vehicle.

For example, at the side surface of the own vehicle, an area that results in the damage on the passenger to be small (hereinafter referred to as "damage alleviating region") and an area that results in the damage on the passenger to be greater than the damage alleviating region exist when relatively viewing the magnitude of the damage on the passenger of the own vehicle in the side surface collision. The damage alleviating region is a region of the cabin (vehicle compartment) at the side surface of the own vehicle and a region anterior to the cabin. The area that results in the damage on the passenger of the own vehicle to be greater than the damage alleviating region (hereinafter referred to as "area other than the damage alleviating region") is a region posterior to the cabin at the side surface of the own vehicle.

In the case the colliding position is the area other than the damage alleviating region at the side surface of the own vehicle, the damage on the passenger of the own vehicle is greater than in the case the colliding position is the damage alleviating region, and thus it is desirable to first prioritize on alleviating the damage on the passenger of the own vehicle by the first side surface collision that cannot be avoided rather than being

concerned about the secondary collision that may not surely occur. That is, in this case, it is desirable to release the collision energy from the monitoring target object by actively changing (rotating) the orientation of the own vehicle, and alleviating the damage on the passenger of the own vehicle with the strong cabin and the conventional passenger damage alleviating control.

When the collision between the monitoring target object and the side surface of the own vehicle is detected and the colliding position is the area (area different from the damage alleviating region) that results in the damage on the passenger on the own vehicle to be relatively large in the side surface of the own vehicle, the behavior control mode selecting section selects the performance of the rotation promoting control of rotating the own vehicle in the direction of releasing the collision energy from the monitoring target object at the time of collision as the vehicle behavior control of the own vehicle after the collision. That is, when the monitoring target object approaches the side surface of the own vehicle (upper view of FIG. 2) and the collision between the monitoring target object and the area other than the damage alleviating region at the side surface of the own vehicle is detected, the vehicle behavior controller (brake controller, turn controller) performs the rotation promoting control as the vehicle behavior control of the own vehicle after the collision (lower view of FIG. 2) . FIG. 2 illustrates an example representing a case in which the monitoring target object (another vehicle C2) has collided with the back part (portion posterior to the cabin at the left side surface of the own vehicle) in the left side surface of the own

vehicle CI while travelling forward. In the illustration of the FIG. 2, the input direction of the collision load from the monitoring target object is orthogonal to the advancing direction of the own vehicle CI. However, when the side surface collision at the area other than the damage alleviating region is detected, it is desirable to perform the rotation promoting control regardless of the input direction of the collision load. The rotation

promoting control may be performed not only when the

vehicle is travelling forward but also when the vehicle is stopped.

In the own vehicle, the collision load (collision energy) from the monitoring target object input to the area other than the damage alleviating region is reduced by the performance of the rotation promoting control, and thus the force corresponding to the collision load acting on the passenger of the own vehicle is also reduced. Consequently, the vehicle control apparatus can alleviate the damage on the passenger. In particular, in the own vehicle, the conventional passenger damage alleviating control is

simultaneously used, so that the effect of alleviating the damage of the passenger is enhanced. Furthermore, the rotation promoting control at the area other than the damage alleviating region causes the own vehicle to remain at the collided place (lane on which the vehicle is

travelling) than when the rotation promoting control is performed at the damage alleviating region, and thus the secondary collision with another obstacle can be easily avoided even under the situation where the driver cannot safely operate the own vehicle immediately after the

collision. Thus, the vehicle control apparatus can

alleviate the damage on the passenger even after the

conventional passenger damage alleviating control is

performed in the first collision. The rotation promoting control can suppress the deformation amount at the area other than the damage alleviating region.

The rotation promoting control converts the kinetic energy in the forward moving direction in the own vehicle to the kinetic energy in the rotating direction. Therefore, when the rotation promoting control is performed at the time of high speed travelling, the own vehicle is rotated in excess and the effect of alleviating the damage of the passenger may become small. The rotation promoting control is thus desirably performed in the low vehicle speed region where such excessive rotation of the own vehicle does not occur. The excessive rotation of the own vehicle is the rotation of a predetermined rotation amount (e.g., one or more rotations) in which the behavior of the own vehicle is difficult to stabilize even with the operation of the vehicle behavior control device 40. The rotation promoting control can also stabilize the behavior of the own vehicle while alleviating the damage on the passenger by distinguishing the necessity to perform with the vehicle speed of the own vehicle.

Specifically, the rotation promoting control releases the collision energy by causing rotation movement of the own vehicle so that the wheel closer to the colliding position, of the front wheel and the rear wheel at the side surface on the side including the colliding position, is positioned closer to the input direction of the collision load than the wheel distant from the colliding position with the orientation of the own vehicle immediately before the collision as a reference position. In the collision at the area other than the damage alleviating region at the side surface of the own vehicle, the rear wheel in the relevant side surface becomes the wheel closer to the colliding position, and one of the front wheels becomes the wheel more distant from the colliding position. The wheel more distant from the colliding position is determined according to the input direction of the collision load.

The rotation promoting control is performed by

carrying out at least one of the brake force control of each wheel or the turn angle control of the turning wheel. In such rotation promoting control, a target yaw moment to be generated by the own vehicle is desirably set. The target yaw moment is the yaw moment capable of suppressing the excessive rotation of the own vehicle while escaping the collision energy. The target yaw moment is to be determined based on the collision energy from the

monitoring target object. The collision energy is to be estimated based on the previously described kinetic

information (vehicle speed) of the monitoring target object and the mass or the weight of the monitoring target object. The mass or the weight is obtained by estimating the type (e.g., type vehicle, such as passenger vehicle or freight vehicle) of the monitoring target object based on image information of the perimeter monitoring device (imaging device) 20, and by reading the value corresponding to the estimation result from the storage device, and the like of the ECU 1. The mass or the weight may be acquired, for example, through the inter-vehicle communication, the vehicle-road-vehicle communication, and the like with the monitoring target object. When estimating the collision energy, the input direction of the collision load is desirably taken into consideration.

The vehicle behavior controller (brake controller) of the own vehicle outputs the brake force to each wheel

(brake force control after collision) when the collision is detected to stop the own vehicle regardless of the whether the pre-crash brake control (brake force control before collision) is performed. If such brake force control before and after the collision is not performed, the brake controller (vehicle behavior controller) generates the brake force only at the front wheel at the collided side surface and does not generate the brake force at the other three wheels so that the rotation movement of the own vehicle having the front wheel as the center is generated. If the brake force control before the collision or after the collision is performed, the brake controller (vehicle behavior controller) may make the brake force of the front wheel at the collided side surface larger than the brake forces of the other three wheels to generate the rotation movement of the own vehicle having the front wheel as the center. In this case, for example, the brake force of the front wheel may be more increased than the brake forces of the other three wheels while maintaining the brake force of the other three wheels at the command value of the brake force control before the collision, or the brake forces of the other three wheels may be more reduced than the brake force of the front wheel while maintaining the brake force of the front wheel at the command value of the brake force control after the collision. In the illustration of FIG. 2 the own vehicle CI rotates with the left front wheel as the center .

The turn controller (vehicle behavior controller) rotates the own vehicle to release the collision energy, and then increases the brake forces of the other three wheels to stop the own vehicle.

Furthermore, the turn controller (vehicle behavior controller) turns the turning wheel toward the collided side surface to rotate the own vehicle in the direction of releasing the collision energy. In the illustration of FIG 2, the turning wheel is turned in the left turning

direction .

The rotation promoting control can be performed even if the collision occurred at the damage alleviating region at the side surface of the . own vehicle. However, when the colliding position is the damage alleviating region, the damage on the passenger of the own vehicle is small even if the orientation of the own vehicle is not actively changed (rotated) . In this case, therefore, the effect of

alleviating the damage on the passenger of the own vehicle can be more enhanced by avoiding the occurrence of the secondary collision involved in the rotation promoting control than by performing the rotation promoting control. Therefore, in this case, it is desirable to alleviate the damage on the passenger of the own vehicle by the strong cabin and the conventional passenger damage alleviating control, and to avoid the spreading of the damage on the passenger of the own vehicle without actively changing (rotating) the orientation of the own vehicle.

When the collision between the monitoring target object and the side surface of the own vehicle is detected and the colliding position is the area (damage alleviating region) that results in the damage on the passenger of the own vehicle to be relatively small in the side surface of the own vehicle, the behavior control mode selecting section prohibits the performance of the rotation promoting control for the vehicle behavior control of the own vehicle after the collision. That is, when the monitoring target object approaches the side surface of the own vehicle (FIG. 3) and the collision between the monitoring target object and the damage alleviating region in the side surface of the own vehicle is detected (FIG. 4 to FIG. 7), the vehicle behavior controller (brake controller, turn controller) prohibits the rotation promoting control as the vehicle behavior control of the own vehicle after the collision. In this case, the occurrence of the secondary collision can be suppressed and the damage on the passenger of the own vehicle can be alleviated by prohibiting the rotation promoting control.

The behavior control of the own vehicle after the collision after prohibiting the rotation promoting control will now be described.

Regarding to the side surface collision with the damage alleviating region, a case in which the input direction of the collision load is orthogonal to the advancing direction of the own vehicle or a case in which the input direction is a diagonal direction that inhibits the advancement of the own vehicle with respect to the advancing direction of the own vehicle, and a case in which the input direction of the collision load is the diagonal direction that promotes the advancement of the own vehicle with respect to the advancing direction of the own vehicle will be described by way of example. The case in which the input direction of the collision load is the diagonal direction that inhibits the advancement of the own vehicle with respect to the advancing direction of the own vehicle is, for example, a case in which the monitoring target object (another vehicle) in the opposing lane crosses into the lane of the own vehicle thus colliding to the side surface of the own vehicle. The case in which the input direction of the collision load is the diagonal direction that promotes the advancement of the own vehicle with respect to the advancing direction of the own vehicle is, for example, a case in which the monitoring target object (another vehicle) in the merging lane collides with the own vehicle from the diagonally back side of the own vehicle in the main lane such as at the merging point on a highway.

First, the case in which the input direction of the collision load is orthogonal to the advancing direction of the own vehicle CI (FIG. 3) or the case in which the input direction is the diagonal direction that inhibits the advancement of the own vehicle CI with respect to the advancing direction of the own vehicle CI (FIG. 4) will be described.

In such cases, most of the collision energy from the monitoring target object is received by the own vehicle CI (FIG. 5) , and hence the force that acts on the passenger of the own vehicle with the collision is large. Therefore, when the collision between the monitoring target object and the damage alleviating region at the side surface of the own vehicle is detected and the input direction of the collision load is orthogonal to the advancing direction of the own vehicle or is the diagonal direction that inhibits the advancement of the own vehicle with respect to the advancing direction of the own vehicle, the vehicle

behavior controller performs the vehicle behavior control of the own vehicle after the collision in the following manner .

For example, in this case, when the deceleration due to the vehicle brake force is acting on the own vehicle at the time of the collision, the vehicle behavior controller prohibits the rotation promoting control for the vehicle behavior control of the own vehicle after the collision and suppresses the deceleration of the own vehicle for a predetermined time and then increase the vehicle brake force after the collision. The deceleration is suppressed by reducing the vehicle brake force of the own vehicle or by making the vehicle brake force zero. That is, when such collision occurs, for example, the vehicle brake force generated in the brake force control before the collision is reduced to zero at a maximum immediately after the collision and the deceleration of the own vehicle CI is suppressed for a slight time (predetermined time) after the collision, as illustrated in FIG. 6. Thereby, the

collision energy in the forward moving direction of the own vehicle CI is released as much as possible and the force acting on the passenger of the own vehicle CI is reduced. The predetermined time is determined according to the released amount of the collision energy. When desiring to release a great amount of collision energy, the

predetermined time becomes longer accordingly. After a brief moment of suppression of the deceleration, the vehicle behavior controller immediately performs the brake force control after the collision and increases the

deceleration due to the increase of the vehicle brake force to stop the own vehicle CI. In FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, the case in which the input direction of the collision load is orthogonal to the advancing direction of the own vehicle Cl is illustrated.

When the collision between the monitoring target object and the damage alleviating region at the side

surface of the own vehicle is detected, and the input direction of the collision load is orthogonal to the

advancing direction of the own vehicle or is the diagonal direction that inhibits the advancement of the own vehicle with respect to the advancing direction of the own vehicle, when the deceleration due to the vehicle brake force is not acting on the own vehicle at the time of the collision, the vehicle behavior controller may prohibit the rotation promoting control for the vehicle behavior control of the own vehicle after the collision, and accelerate the own vehicle for a predetermined time and then increases the vehicle brake force. The case in which the deceleration due to the vehicle brake force is not acting on the own vehicle at the time of the collision includes, for example, when the deceleration due to inertia travelling is acting on the own vehicle, when the own vehicle is travelling at a constant speed, when the own vehicle is acceleration

travelling, when the own vehicle is stopping, and the like. That is, when such collision occurs, the vehicle is

accelerated by a slight time (predetermined time) after the collision to release the collision energy in the forward moving direction of the own vehicle as much as possible and reduce the force acting on the passenger of the own vehicle. In this case as well, the predetermined time is to be determined according to the released amount of the

collision energy, and when desiring to release a great amount of collision energy, the predetermined time becomes longer by such amount. After the brief acceleration

travelling, the vehicle behavior controller immediately performs the brake force control after the collision, and increases the deceleration due to the increase of the vehicle brake force to stop the own vehicle.

Specifically, when the collision between the

monitoring target object and the damage alleviating region at the side surface of the own vehicle is detected, and the input direction of the collision load is orthogonal to the advancing direction of the own vehicle or is the diagonal direction that inhibits the advancement of the own vehicle with respect to the advancing direction of the own vehicle, the vehicle behavior controller determines whether or not the vehicle brake force is output. Such vehicle brake force is mainly due to the brake force control (pre-crash brake control) before the collision, but also includes the control by the brake operation of the driver. If the vehicle brake force is output, the brake controller

(vehicle behavior controller) briefly reduces the

deceleration of the own vehicle by reducing the brake force of each wheel for a predetermined time after the collision. After elapse of the predetermined time, the brake

controller (vehicle behavior controller) then increases the brake force of each wheel and performs the brake force control after the collision to increase the vehicle brake force and stop the own vehicle. On the other hand, if the vehicle brake force is not output, the output controller (vehicle behavior controller) controls the output of the power source for a predetermined time after the collision to briefly accelerate the own vehicle. After elapse of the predetermined time, the brake controller (vehicle behavior controller) performs the brake force control after the collision to stop the own vehicle same as when the vehicle brake force is output.

The vehicle control apparatus can reduce the force corresponding to the collision load acting on the passenger of the own vehicle by performing the vehicle behavior control after the collision, and hence the damage on the passenger can be alleviated. The effect of alleviating the damage on the passenger may be enhanced by simultaneously using the conventional passenger damage alleviating control. Furthermore, the vehicle control apparatus briefly deviates the own vehicle in the own advancing direction without rotating, and thus the secondary collision with another obstacle can be easily avoided even under the situation where the driver cannot safely operate the own vehicle immediately after the collision. The vehicle control apparatus can alleviate the damage on the passenger even after the conventional passenger damage alleviating control is completed in the first collision. The vehicle control apparatus briefly deviates the own vehicle in the own advancing direction and stops without rotating, so that the behavior of the own vehicle can be stabilized while

reducing the damage on the passenger.

The case in which the input direction of the collision load is the diagonal direction that promotes the

advancement of the own vehicle CI with respect to the advancing direction of the own vehicle CI (FIG. 7) will now be described.

In this case, the collision load can be assumed as the divided force of the advancing direction of the own vehicle and the vehicle width direction of the own vehicle. Thus, the collision energy from the monitoring target object not only generates the force of pushing and moving the own vehicle in the own vehicle width direction, but also

generates the force of pushing and moving the own vehicle in the own advancing direction. Thus, the distance and the time until stop become long due to the force in the advancing direction by the collision energy even if the brake force control after the collision is performed, whereby the own vehicle may trigger the secondary collision, When the collision between the monitoring target object and the damage alleviating region at the side surface of the own vehicle is detected and the input direction of the collision load is the diagonal direction that promotes the advancement of the own vehicle with respect to the

advancing direction of the own vehicle, the brake control unit (vehicle behavior controller) increases the vehicle brake force immediately after the collision for the vehicle behavior control of the own vehicle after the collision without rotating the own vehicle.

Specifically, the brake controller (vehicle behavior controller) immediately performs the brake force control after the collision without rotating the own vehicle after the collision and increases the vehicle brake force to reduce the movement amount of the own vehicle by the

collision energy and stop the own vehicle while suppressing the advancement of the own vehicle. Thus, the vehicle' control apparatus easily avoids the secondary collision with another obstacle even under the situation where the driver cannot safely operate the own vehicle immediately after the collision. Therefore, the vehicle control

apparatus can alleviate the damage on the passenger even after the conventional passenger damage alleviating control is performed at the first collision. The vehicle control apparatus can also stabilize the behavior of the own

vehicle while reducing the damage on the passenger since the vehicle brake force is increased without rotating the own vehicle.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating a computation processing operation of the vehicle control apparatus of the present embodiment.

In the own vehicle, the perimeter monitoring

controller continues to monitor the perimeter of the own vehicle by the perimeter monitoring device 20. When the monitoring target object is detected by such monitoring (step ST1), the collision possibility determining section determines whether or not the monitoring target object possibly collides with the own vehicle based on the kinetic information of the own vehicle, the position information of the monitoring target object, and the kinetic information of the monitoring target object (step ST2) .

When determined that there is a possibility of

collision, the collision determining section determines whether or not the collision with the monitoring target object is detected (step ST3) .

When determined that there is no possibility of collision in step ST2 or when the collision is not detected in step ST3, the perimeter monitoring controller continues to monitor the perimeter of the own vehicle until the monitoring target object is detected in step ST1.

When the collision with the monitoring target object is detected, the collision mode calculating section

calculates the collision mode (colliding position and input direction of collision load) with the monitoring target object in the own vehicle (step ST4). The vehicle behavior controller performs the vehicle behavior control

corresponding to such collision mode (step ST5) , as

described above.

Therefore, the vehicle control apparatus of the present embodiment can suppress the occurrence of the secondary collision while alleviating the damage on the passenger of the own vehicle where collision occurred at the side surface irrespective of the collision mode. [Other embodiment]

The vehicle control apparatus of the embodiment described above can perform the vehicle behavior control after the collision corresponding to the collision mode by calculating the collision mode after the collision.

However, when the collision occurs, failure may occur in a sensor, and the like for obtaining the information

necessary for the calculation of the collision mode, and the collision mode may not be specifiable.

In the vehicle control apparatus of the embodiment, the vehicle control apparatus of the present variant estimates the collision mode in advance before the

collision so that even if the collision mode cannot be specified after the collision, the vehicle behavior control after the collision corresponding to the collision mode can be performed based on the estimated collision mode.

The ECU 1 of the other embodiment further includes a collision mode estimating section as the controller.

The collision mode estimating section estimates the colliding position and the collision direction (i.e., input direction of the collision load) of the monitoring target object with respect to the own vehicle before the collision when the monitoring target object possibly collides with the own vehicle. Such estimation is carried out based on the kinetic information of the own vehicle, the position information of the monitoring target object, and the kinetic information of the monitoring target object. The collision mode estimating section estimates the collision mode (colliding position and input direction of the

collision load) of the monitoring target object with respect to the own vehicle when at least the monitoring target object possibly collides with the own vehicle at the side surface of the own vehicle. FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating the computation processing operation of the vehicle control apparatus of the other embodiment.

Similar to the embodiment, when the perimeter

monitoring controller detects the monitoring target object (step ST11) , the collision possibility determining section determines whether or not the monitoring target object possibly collides with the own vehicle (step ST12).

When determined that there is a possibility of

collision, the collision mode estimating section estimates the collision mode (colliding position and input direction of the collision load) of the monitoring target object with respect to the own vehicle before the collision based on the kinetic information of the own vehicle, the position information of the monitoring target object, and the kinetic information of the monitoring target object (step ST13) .

The collision determining section determines whether or not the collision with the monitoring target object is detected (step ST14) .

When determined that there is no possibility of collision in step ST12 or when the collision is not

detected in step ST14, the perimeter monitoring controller continues to monitor the perimeter of the own vehicle until the monitoring target object is detected in step STll.

When the collision with the monitoring target object is detected, the vehicle behavior controller determines whether or not the collision mode is detected (step ST15) . The collision mode that becomes the target here is the collision mode calculated by the collision mode calculating section after the collision. When the collision mode calculating section specifies the collision mode after the collision, the vehicle behavior controller determines that the collision mode is detected. On the other hand, when the collision mode calculating section cannot specify the collision mode after the collision, the vehicle behavior controller determines that the collision mode is not detected.

When determined that the collision mode is detected, the vehicle behavior controller performs the vehicle behavior control corresponding to the detected collision mode (step ST16) . When determined that the collision mode is not detected, the vehicle behavior controller performs the vehicle behavior control corresponding to the collision mode estimated before the collision (step ST17).

Therefore, the vehicle control apparatus of the other embodiment has effects similar to the embodiment if the collision mode is specified after the collision. Even if the collision mode is not specified due a sensor failure, and the like at the time of the collision, the vehicle control apparatus has effects similar to when the collision mode is specified after the collision as the vehicle behavior control is performed based on the collision mode estimated before the collision.

When the collision mode is calculated after the collision, the vehicle control apparatus may compare the calculated collision mode and the collision mode estimated before the collision, specify the collision mode based on the comparison result, and select the control mode for the vehicle behavior control after the collision based on the specified collision mode.

The vehicle control apparatus of the other embodiment may further estimate the control mode for the vehicle behavior control after the collision, before the collision. For example, the behavior control mode selecting section may estimate the control mode for the vehicle behavior control of the own vehicle at after the collision

corresponding to the collision mode based on the estimated collision mode. This estimation may be carried out based on the estimation result of the kinetic state of the own vehicle after the collision. In this case, the ECU 1 includes a kinetic state estimating section that estimates the kinetic state of the own vehicle after the collision before the collision, as the controller. The kinetic state estimating section estimates the kinetic state of the own vehicle after the collision based on the collision mode estimated by the collision mode estimating section.

Thus, the vehicle control apparatus can alleviate the damage on the passenger of the own vehicle by performing the vehicle behavior control after the collision estimated in advance even if the control mode for the vehicle

behavior control cannot be selected after the collision due to reasons such as the collision mode cannot be specified after the collision, and the like, by estimating the control mode for the vehicle behavior control after the collision before the collision.

When the control mode for the vehicle behavior control after the collision is estimated before the collision, the vehicle behavior controller may carry out the advance preparation of the vehicle behavior control before the collision to perform the estimated vehicle behavior control with satisfactory responsiveness at the time of the

collision. The advance preparation is to be performed when determined that the avoiding of the collision is not possible. For example, when using the brake force for the vehicle behavior control after the collision, the vehicle behavior controller carries out a pre-compression control (control of increasing the brake fluid pressure until immediately before the brake force is generated) for the brake fluid pressure of the wheel if the brake force is not generated at the wheel being targeted for the control, so that the brake force is generated with satisfactory

responsiveness after the collision. Furthermore, for example, when increasing the brake force in the vehicle behavior control after the collision, the vehicle behavior controller secures, in advance, the drive power of the pressurization pump used to increase the brake fluid pressure to increase the brake force with satisfactory responsiveness after the collision. The vehicle control apparatus can carry out the vehicle behavior control after the collision with satisfactory responsiveness by carrying out the advance preparation of the vehicle behavior control after the collision from before the collision. Furthermore since the advance preparation is carried out, even in the case where the control mode for the vehicle behavior control cannot be selected after the collision, the vehicle control apparatus can avoid the event in which the vehicle behavior control after the collision is not performed by performing the vehicle behavior control prepared in advance Moreover, the vehicle control apparatus enable a smooth performance of the vehicle behavior control after the collision since before and after the collision are

associated to the vehicle behavior control performed after the collision.

Reference Signs List

1 ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT (ECU)

10 KINETIC INFORMATION DETECTION DEVICE

20 PERIMETER MONITORING DEVICE

30 COLLISION DETECTION DEVICE

40 VEHICLE BEHAVIOR CONTROL DEVICE

Claims

1. A vehicle control apparatus comprising:

a perimeter monitoring device configured to monitor a perimeter of an own vehicle, and detect a monitoring target object at the perimeter;

a collision detection device configured to detect a collision between the monitoring target object and the own vehicle;

a vehicle behavior control device configured to control a behavior of the own vehicle; and

a controller configured to perform a vehicle behavior control of the own vehicle after a collision between the monitoring target object and the own vehicle in a case where the collision is detected, wherein

the controller detects a collision between the

monitoring target object and a side surface of the own vehicle; and

performs a rotation promoting control, as the vehicle behavior control of the own vehicle after the collision, to rotate the own vehicle in a direction of releasing a collision energy from the monitoring target object at the time of the collision, in a case where a colliding position is an area different from a damage alleviating region which results in a damage on a passenger of the own vehicle to be relatively small at the side surface of the own vehicle, or alternatively,

prohibits the rotation promoting control, as the vehicle behavior control of the own vehicle after the collision, in a case where the colliding position is the damage alleviating region at the side surface of the own vehicle .

2. The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the controller performs the rotation promoting control in a low vehicle speed region in which an excessive

rotation of the own vehicle does not occur.

3. The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein

in a case where the colliding position is the area other than the damage alleviating region at the side surface of the own vehicle and

in a case where an input direction of a collision load at the position is orthogonal to an advancing direction of the own vehicle or is a diagonal direction which inhibits advancement of the own vehicle with respect to the

advancing direction of the own vehicle,

as long as deceleration due to a vehicle brake force is acting on the own vehicle at the time of the collision, the controller suppresses the deceleration of the own vehicle for a predetermined time and increases the vehicle brake force after the collision as the vehicle behavior control of the own vehicle after the collision.

4. The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 1, 2, or 3, wherein

in a case where the colliding position is the area other than the damage alleviating region at the side surface of the own vehicle and the input direction of the collision load is a diagonal direction which promotes advancement of the own vehicle with respect to the

advancing direction of the own vehicle, the controller increases the vehicle brake force immediately after the collision as the vehicle behavior control of the own vehicle after the collision.

5. The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 1, 2, 3, or 4, wherein

in a case where the monitoring target object possibly collides with the own vehicle at the side surface of the own vehicle, the controller estimates a colliding position and an input direction of the collision load of the

monitoring target object with respect to the own vehicle before the collision, and

in a case where the collision between the monitoring target object. and the side surface of the own vehicle is detected but the colliding position and the input direction of the collision load of the monitoring target object with respect to the own vehicle are not specified after the collision, the controller performs the vehicle behavior control of the own vehicle after the collision based on the colliding position and the input direction of the collision load estimated before the collision.

6. The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 1, 2, 3, or 4, wherein

in a case where the monitoring target object possibly collides with the own vehicle at the side surface of the own vehicle, the controller estimates the colliding

position and the input direction of the collision load of the monitoring target object with respect to the own vehicle before the collision, and estimates a control mode for the vehicle behavior control of the own vehicle after the collision based on the estimated colliding position and the input direction of the collision load, before the collision, and

the controller performs an advanced preparation of the vehicle behavior control before the collision so that the estimated vehicle behavior control is performed with satisfactory responsiveness at the time of collision.

7. The vehicle control apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein

a target yaw moment of the own vehicle in the rotation promoting control is set based on a collision energy from the monitoring target object corresponding to a vehicle speed and a mass or weight of the monitoring target object.