JP2011207348A - Vehicle lamp system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a vehicle lamp system that can improve, when the system acquires traffic information including information on a traffic light, safety in traveling a vehicle by confirming a pedestrian and the other vehicle at, for example, an intersection.SOLUTION: The vehicle lamp system includes a lamp controlling means 4 for controlling switching on/off of a lamp of a vehicle based on traffic information (a front monitoring device 1 and a traffic information detecting means 2) including information on, for example, the traffic light and traffic signs existing in front of the vehicle. The lamp controlling means 4 controls switching on/off of a head lamp HL of the vehicle with reference to the information from a vehicle traveling information detecting device 3, or additionally controls switching on/off of a signal lamp SGL which is arranged in a rear part of the vehicle.

Description

  The present invention relates to a lamp for a vehicle such as an automatic vehicle, and more particularly to a lamp system for performing lamp on / off control for ensuring safe driving of a vehicle on a road with a traffic signal or a traffic sign.

As one of the causes of automobile traffic accidents, there are oversight of pedestrians and other vehicles due to driver's carelessness, and oversight of traffic lights. For example, an accident may occur with another car inadvertently ahead when driving at an intersection with a traffic light with a green light. Also, if you turn off the headlamp of your vehicle to save power when it is stopped at a red light, lighting for pedestrians crossing the pedestrian crossing just before your vehicle will be insufficient. Therefore, in other vehicles that turn left and right at the intersection with the pedestrian crossing, the pedestrian may be insufficiently visually recognized, and an accident may occur if the pedestrian is overlooked. In addition, medium-sized cars and small cars traveling behind large cars may be blocked by the preceding large cars, and the traffic signals ahead cannot be seen. May end up. Or it may follow a large vehicle and become a red light, but it will enter into an intersection without noticing, and an accident with another vehicle or a pedestrian may be caused. Patent Document 1 provides a support system that ensures safe driving by automatically performing brake control by transmitting operation information of a traffic light to a vehicle wirelessly.

JP 2008-276498 A

Since the technology of Patent Document 1 can obtain information on traffic signals in the host vehicle, it is effective in preventing rear-end collisions and red traffic lights from entering the intersection due to overlooking the traffic signals as described above. It is. However, since the traffic signal cannot be confirmed at a small intersection or traffic signal where such a support system is not provided, safe driving cannot be ensured. Therefore, it is conceivable that safe driving can be ensured even if a support system such as that disclosed in Patent Document 1 is not provided by obtaining traffic signal information from an image captured by a front monitoring camera. However, when traveling behind a preceding large vehicle, it may be difficult to capture the traffic signal with the front monitoring camera, and information on the traffic signal cannot be obtained. In addition, even if each vehicle acquires traffic signal information, it is impossible to eliminate the oversight of pedestrians and other vehicles by the driver. It is difficult.

An object of the present invention is to make it easier to check pedestrians and other vehicles at intersections by controlling lighting / extinguishing of the lamps of the own vehicle when traffic information including traffic signal information is obtained. It is an object of the present invention to provide a vehicle lamp system that can improve the performance.

The present invention is characterized by comprising lamp control means for controlling lighting / extinguishing of the lamp of the own vehicle based on traffic information including information such as traffic signals and traffic signs existing at least in front of the own vehicle. This lamp control means controls lighting / extinguishing of the headlamp of the own vehicle or controlling lighting / extinction of a signal lamp disposed at the rear of the own vehicle.

In the former control of lighting / extinguishing, it includes an illuminance detecting means for detecting the brightness around the own vehicle and a vehicle speed detecting means for detecting the vehicle speed of the own vehicle, and the lamp control means includes the illuminance detecting means and the vehicle speed detecting means. It is preferable to control lighting / extinguishing of the lamp with reference to the detected output. Furthermore, it is preferable that pedestrian detection means for detecting a pedestrian existing in front of the host vehicle is provided, and the lamp control means controls lighting / extinguishing of the lamp with reference to the detection output of the pedestrian detection means.

  According to the present invention, when the traffic information such as traffic lights and traffic signs is detected, the headlamps and signal lamps of the own vehicle are automatically controlled to be turned on / off. It makes it easier to check different vehicles and pedestrians in the vicinity of the car, and it is easy to grasp the driving mode such as driving and stopping of the own vehicle, reducing the risk of traffic accidents on roads with traffic lights and traffic signs. It can reduce and secure safe driving.

The system block diagram of embodiment. The rear view of the vehicle provided with the signal lamp. The state diagram explaining operation | movement of embodiment. The flowchart explaining operation | movement of embodiment.

  Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a vehicle lamp system according to the present invention. It is assumed that the automobile is provided with headlamps HL on the left and right of the front part, and rear combination lamps RCL on the left and right of the rear part. This rear combination lamp RCL is an integrated tail & stop lamp T & SL, turn signal lamp TSL and backup lamp BUL as shown in the example of a large bus in FIG. 2, but here, in addition to these lamps, The signal lamp SGL is integrated. This signal lamp SGL is composed of three color lamps R, Y, and B that are lit in the same colors of red, yellow, and blue as the traffic signal, and these three color lamps are similar to traffic signals here. It is incorporated in the rear combination lamp RCL in a state of being integrally arranged in a horizontal row. The signal lamp SGL is basically provided in a large vehicle such as a truck or a bus, but may be described in a normal vehicle.

As shown in FIG. 1, the automobile includes a forward monitoring device 1 for detecting road information ahead of the host vehicle. As the forward monitoring device 1, here, a forward imaging camera 11 that captures the front of the host vehicle, and an image captured by the forward imaging camera 11 are subjected to image analysis to detect a traffic signal or a pedestrian existing in front of the host vehicle. The front detector 12 is provided. Moreover, the navigation apparatus 13 is provided as the front monitoring apparatus 1, and it is also possible to detect a crossing traffic light existing ahead of the host vehicle from the road information acquired by the navigation apparatus 13. Furthermore, as the forward monitoring device 1, a road-to-vehicle communication device 14 for performing radio communication with ITC, VICS, etc. disposed on the road to detect an intersection or traffic signal existing in front of the own vehicle; The vehicle-to-vehicle communication device 15 is provided for detecting road information detected and acquired by another vehicle by performing wireless communication with the other vehicle.

Further, based on the road information ahead of the host vehicle detected by the forward monitoring device 1, at least lighting color information (red, yellow, blue) of a traffic signal existing ahead is detected as traffic information ahead of the host vehicle. In addition, a traffic information detection device 2 for detecting a pedestrian walking at an intersection or a pedestrian crossing where the traffic signal exists is provided. For example, the lighting color of the traffic signal and the pedestrian are detected by analyzing a color photographed image in front of the host vehicle obtained from the front detector 12. Further, as will be described later, various traffic signs (road signs) installed on the road can be detected by the forward monitoring device. When this is detected, the traffic sign is detected as traffic information. It is also possible.

On the other hand, a host vehicle travel information detection device 3 for detecting host vehicle travel information is provided. The own vehicle travel information detection device 4 includes a vehicle speed sensor Sv for detecting the vehicle speed of the own vehicle and an illuminance sensor Sb for detecting ambient brightness in a region where the own vehicle exists. Here, the vehicle speed sensor Sv is used not only to detect the vehicle speed at which the host vehicle is traveling, but also to detect a state where the vehicle speed is “0”, that is, a stopped state. The illuminance sensor Sb is used here to detect the degree of visibility of a pedestrian or other vehicle by the driver. Furthermore, a direction detection sensor Sw for detecting an operation direction of a direction indicating switch (blinker switch) operated by the driver when the own vehicle changes the traveling direction is provided.

  Further, based on the traffic information ahead of the host vehicle detected by the traffic information detection device 2 and the vehicle speed and ambient illuminance (brightness) of the host vehicle detected by the host vehicle travel information detection device 3, A lamp control device 4 for controlling the lighting state of the HL is provided. When the headlamp HL includes a swivel mechanism that controls deflection of the lamp optical axis to the left and right and a leveling mechanism that controls deflection of the lamp optical axis up and down, the lamp control device 4 controls the swivel mechanism and the leveling mechanism. Is also possible. Further, the lamp control device 4 can also control the lighting of the signal lamp SGL disposed at the rear of the vehicle based on the traffic signal information detected by the traffic information detection device 2.

The operation of the lamp system of the above embodiment will be described. Here, for example, FIG. 3 shows an example of a traffic state at an intersection with a traffic signal TS. Needless to say, there are a plurality of traffic signals TS in each direction, but only one is shown here. The first car CAR1 stops at a red light, and a pedestrian WM crosses the pedestrian crossing just before that. On the other side, a large bus stops as the second car CAR2 due to a red light, and thereafter a small car stops as the third car CAR3. In addition, the fourth car CAR4 is going straight through the intersection by a green light. The fifth car CAR5 from the opposite direction is about to turn right at the intersection with a green light. In such a traffic state, the lamp system operation in each automobile will be described.

(A) Visibility improvement of a pedestrian on a road with a traffic signal For the first car CAR1, referring to the flow of FIG. 4, road information from the front monitoring device 1, for example, information from the road-to-vehicle communication device 14, Based on the road information from the front detection unit 12 based on the image captured by the front monitoring camera 11, the traffic information detection device 2 detects the traffic signal TS existing in front of the vehicle CAR1 (S11). Then, the lighting color of the traffic signal TS is detected (S12). The lamp control device 4 determines the lighting state of the headlamp HL when detecting that the detected lighting color of the traffic signal TS is red (S13), and detects the own vehicle running information when the headlamp HL is lit. The vehicle speed of the host vehicle CAR1 detected by the vehicle speed sensor Sv in the device 3 is determined, and the lighting is continued until the vehicle speed is “0”, that is, until the vehicle stops (S14). When the vehicle speed becomes “0” and the vehicle is stopped, the headlamp HL is turned off (S15). That is, when the own car CAR1 stops in front of the traffic signal TS due to the red color of the traffic signal, the headlamp HL is turned off to save power.

While the headlamp HL is turned off and the vehicle is stopped, it is detected from the image captured by the front monitoring camera 11 that the own vehicle CAR1 is stopped at the head, and the pedestrian WM immediately before the own vehicle CAR1. When it is detected by the front monitoring device 1 that the vehicle is crossing (S16), the vehicle brightness information S3 detects ambient brightness based on the detection output of the illuminance sensor Sb (S17). When the brightness of the surroundings of the own vehicle CAR1 is below a predetermined level, that is, when it is detected that the brightness is not sufficient for visually recognizing the pedestrian WM, the lamp control device 4 turns on the headlamp HL of the own vehicle CAR1. (S18). Thereby, the pedestrian WM is illuminated by the headlamp HL of the first car CAR1, and the driver of the other car, in particular, the driver of the fifth car CAR5 who is going to travel toward the pedestrian WM, It makes it easy to visually recognize the existence, and prevents an accident to a pedestrian by the fifth automobile CAR5.

At this time, in the case of the headlamp HL provided with the swivel mechanism, the lamp control device 4 follows the pedestrian WM crossing the crossing road based on the pedestrian information obtained from the traffic information detection device 2. The lamp optical axis of the headlamp HL may be horizontally deflected so as to illuminate. In the case of the headlamp HL equipped with a leveling mechanism, the lamp control device 4 detects the height of the pedestrian based on the pedestrian information and deflects the lamp optical axis in the vertical direction within a range that does not dazzle the pedestrian. Then, the entire body of the pedestrian WM may be illuminated. Furthermore, when the traffic signal TS for pedestrians starts blinking blue, the headlamp of the first automobile CAR1 may be blinked to prompt the pedestrian to cross quickly.

(B) Visibility improvement of own vehicle on road with traffic signal Referring to the flow of FIG. 4 for the fourth car CAR4, the traffic signal TS existing in front of the own car CAR4 in the traffic information detecting device 2 When detecting (S11) and detecting that the traffic signal TS is blue or yellow (S12), the lamp control device 4 detects the illuminance around the own vehicle CAR4 by the illuminance sensor Sb, and detects the vehicle CAR4. The ambient illuminance is compared with the predetermined illuminance. When the ambient illuminance is lower than the predetermined illuminance, that is, when the surrounding is dark, the headlamp HL of the vehicle CAR4 is turned on (S19). When the illuminance around the host vehicle CAR4 is equal to or greater than the predetermined illuminance, the host vehicle traveling information detection device 3 detects the vehicle speed of the host vehicle CAR4 by the vehicle speed sensor Sv and compares it with the predetermined speed (S20). Is lower, the output of the direction detection sensor Sw from the host vehicle travel information detection device 3 is determined (S21). When the output from the direction detection sensor Sw does not exist, the own vehicle CAR4 is in a state of traveling straight at a low speed, and such a traveling state is easily confirmed from other vehicles, so the headlamp HL of the own vehicle CAR4 is not lit. When the speed is equal to or higher than the predetermined speed in step S20, the headlamp HL of the own vehicle CAR4 is turned on regardless of whether the direction detection sensor Sw is output (S18). As a result, when the host vehicle travels at a medium or high speed at a point where the traffic signal TS is present, the presence of the host vehicle can be easily seen by other vehicles even during the daytime by turning on the headlamp HL of the host vehicle CAR4.

  On the other hand, the traffic signal TS is blue as in the case of the fourth car CAR4. However, in the fifth car CAR5 that turns right at the intersection, when there is an output from the direction detection sensor Sw, the oncoming car, in this case, the fourth car that goes straight ahead. In order to make it easier for the car CAR4 to check the car CAR5, the headlamp HL of the car CAR5 is turned on (S18). In addition, since the fifth car CAR5 lights the headlamp HL of the own car CAR5 in this way, the pedestrian WM existing on the right turn side can easily check the fifth car CAR5 turning right, The fifth automobile CAR5 can also easily confirm the pedestrian WM.

In this way, when the fourth car CAR4 goes straight through the intersection at a considerable speed, the own vehicle against an oncoming vehicle such as the fifth car CAR5 turning right at the intersection or a pedestrian or bicycle ignoring the signal. To prevent accidents. This is effective, for example, when the fourth automobile CAR4 tries to pass through an intersection without decreasing the vehicle speed even when the traffic signal TS changes to yellow. At this time, the alertness to other vehicles is increased by increasing the luminous intensity of the headlamp HL that is lit as the vehicle speed of the fourth automobile CAR4 increases. Further, when the own vehicle CAR4 decelerates, the other vehicle can recognize that the own vehicle CAR4 is stopped by reducing the light intensity of the headlamp HL of the own vehicle CAR4. For example, the fifth vehicle CAR5 that turns right turns right. It is also possible to make a right turn quickly by making it easy to judge the timing. In addition, you may make it change the lighting color of the headlamp HL instead of changing the luminous intensity of the headlamp HL of the own vehicle CAR4. For example, when the vehicle speed of the host vehicle is high, it is lit with a red color, and when the host vehicle decelerates or stops, it may be lit with a blue color.

(C) Notification of the lighting color of the traffic signal to the following vehicle on the road with the traffic signal Referring to the flow of FIG. 4 for the second car CAR2, the traffic information detection device 2 is the forward monitoring device 1 in the second car CAR2. When the traffic signal TS on the road ahead is detected from the road information (S11) and the lighting color of the traffic signal TS is detected (S12), any lighting color, that is, any of red, yellow, and blue However, the lamp control unit 4 lights the color lamps of the same color among the three color lamps R, Y, and B constituting the signal lamp SGL disposed at the rear part of the own vehicle CAR2 based on the lighting color (S22). That is, when the traffic signal TS ahead is yellow, the yellow coloring lamp of the signal lamp SGL of the own vehicle is turned on. When the traffic signal TS ahead is red, the red color lamp is turned on. Therefore, if the subsequent third car CAR3 traveling following the host vehicle visually recognizes the colored lamp that is lit by the rear signal lamp SGL of the preceding second car CAR2, the traffic signal TS forward And the current lighting color of the traffic signal TS can be determined. Therefore, the driver of the third car CAR3 can check the lighting state of the traffic signal TS even if the driver cannot see the traffic signal TS directly because the front view is blocked by the second car CAR2. It is possible to perform safe driving by, for example, decelerating the vehicle so as not to make a rear-end collision by predicting that the car 2 will stop. Further, when it is visually recognized that the signal lamp SGL of the preceding second car CAR2 has changed from red to blue, the timing at which the second car CAR2 starts can be predicted, and the third car CAR3 can also be appropriately prepared by preparing for starting. It is possible to start at the right timing and to ensure a smooth flow of the entire traffic.

  In the above-described embodiment, the lamp control device 4 has been described as controlling the lighting / extinguishing of the headlamp of the automobile. However, instead of lighting the headlamp, the lamp control device 4 may be configured to turn on / off the fog lamp and other auxiliary lamps. Good. Moreover, although the signal lamp SGL has been shown as an example integrated with the rear combination lamp RCL, it goes without saying that the signal lamp SGL may be configured as an independent lamp. In addition, it is possible to configure the lamp to change the lighting color to red, yellow, and blue with a single lamp, but in this case, the lamp may reflect the lighting color of the signal lamp. It is important to make it understandable.

  In the above embodiment, the case where a traffic signal is detected as road information detected by the forward monitoring device has been described. However, various road signs such as a speed limit sign and a stop sign are detected, and traffic information obtained from the detected sign is obtained. Based on this, the lighting of the headlamp and the signal lamp of the own vehicle may be controlled. For example, when a stop sign is detected, the headlamp of the vehicle is turned on even in the daytime when the surrounding illuminance is high, and at the same time the signal lamp on the rear is lit in red, thereby a pedestrian trying to cross the vehicle This makes it easy to check the vehicle with respect to the light vehicle and at the same time, recognizes that the vehicle stops with respect to the following vehicle, and ensures safe driving.

  The present invention can be used for a lamp system of a vehicle that travels on a road with a traffic signal or a traffic sign and includes a headlamp and a rear lamp.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Front monitoring apparatus 2 Traffic information detection apparatus 3 Own vehicle travel information detection apparatus 4 Lamp control apparatus 11 Front monitoring camera 12 Front detection part 13 Navigation apparatus 14 Road-to-vehicle communication apparatus 15 Inter-vehicle communication apparatus Sv Vehicle speed sensor Sb Illuminance sensor Sw Direction detection switch HL Headlamp SGL Signal lamp TS Traffic signal CAR1 to CAR5 First to fifth cars

Claims (5)

  A vehicle lamp system comprising lamp control means for controlling lighting / extinguishing of a lamp of the host vehicle based on traffic information including information of a traffic signal existing at least in front of the host vehicle.   Illuminance detection means for detecting the brightness around the host vehicle and vehicle speed detection means for detecting the vehicle speed of the host vehicle, the lamp control means refer to the detection outputs of the illuminance detection means and the vehicle speed detection means, and the lamp The vehicle lamp system according to claim 1, wherein lighting / extinguishing of the lamp is controlled.   A pedestrian detection means for detecting a pedestrian existing in front of the host vehicle is provided, and the lamp control means controls turning on / off of the lamp with reference to a detection output of the pedestrian detection means. Item 3. The vehicle lamp system according to Item 1 or 2.   The vehicle lamp system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the lamp control means controls turning on / off of a headlamp of the host vehicle. 2. The vehicle lamp system according to claim 1, wherein the lamp control unit controls turning on / off of a signal lamp disposed at a rear portion of the host vehicle.

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