JP2014004984A - Steering operation support device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To sufficiently reduce burdens on a driver related to a steering operation.SOLUTION: A steering operation support device includes: a display device 11 which is capable of making display at each of a plurality of display positions on a circumference be different from the other display positions, and is rotated around a rotary shaft in synchronism with the rotation around the rotary shaft of a steering 2; a light emitting position determination unit 12a for determining the display position closest to a position to be turned to a prescribed direction after prescribed time in the steering 2; and a light emission instruction unit 12b for controlling the display device 11 so as to make the display of the display position determined by the light emitting position determination unit 12a among the plurality of display positions be different from the other display positions.

Description

  The present invention relates to a steering operation support device that supports an operation of a steering wheel provided in a vehicle for steering.

  Systems that support steering operations such as parking assistance systems and curve driving assistance systems are already known.

  Many systems of this type display information for assisting the steering operation using a display device such as a liquid crystal display arranged on the dashboard.

  Patent Document 1 discloses an in-vehicle information presentation device that selectively emits light from a plurality of light emitters embedded in a steering wheel.

  However, the technique of Patent Document 1 always presents information such as the presence / absence of an approaching vehicle and the distance between the approaching vehicle and the own vehicle near the top of the steering regardless of the steering angle, and assists the steering operation. It is not a thing.

JP 2009-18722 A

  By using a display device such as a liquid crystal display arranged on the dashboard, it is possible to present detailed information to the driver.

  However, the driver must understand the displayed information by paying attention to the display on the display device, and must perform the steering operation based on the understood information, which can sufficiently reduce the burden on the driver. It wasn't.

  An object of the present invention is to sufficiently reduce a driver's burden related to a steering operation.

  In the steering operation support device according to the first aspect of the present invention, the display can be made different from the other display positions at each of the plurality of display positions on the circumference, and the rotation about the rotation axis of the steering is possible. A display that rotates around the rotation axis in synchronization with the display, a determination unit that determines a display position closest to a predetermined direction after a predetermined time during steering, and a display determined by the determination unit among a plurality of display positions And a control unit that controls the display so that the display of the position is different from the other display positions.

  In the steering operation support device according to the second aspect of the present invention, the predetermined direction according to the first aspect is set to be vertically upward with respect to the rotation axis.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a steering operation support device in which the indicator according to the first or second aspect is incorporated in a steering wheel.

  According to the present invention, the burden on the driver related to the steering operation can be sufficiently reduced.

The figure which shows the structure of a part of motor vehicle carrying the steering operation assistance apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment. The figure which shows an example of the table which described the correspondence of the optimal steering angle and the light emission position. The figure which shows an example of the transition of the display state of the indicator in FIG. The figure which shows an example of the transition of the state of the steering in FIG.

  A steering operation support device according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a part of the automobile 100.

  The automobile 100 includes a steering operation support device 1, a steering 2, a driving support system ECU (electric control unit) 3, and a CAN (controller area network) 4. The automobile 100 includes various elements included in the existing automobile in addition to these elements shown in FIG. 1, but illustration of those elements is omitted.

  The steering operation support device 1 executes a support operation, which will be described later, for supporting an operation by the driver of the steering 2.

  The steering 2 is rotatably supported and is rotated by a driver for steering the automobile 100.

  The driving support system ECU 3 sets an appropriate steering angle after a predetermined time for each predetermined unit time based on various information about the surrounding situation of the automobile 100 (curvature of the road, etc.) and the driving situation (steering angle, driving speed, etc.). Estimate repeatedly. The predetermined time and unit time may be arbitrarily determined by a designer of the steering operation support device 1 or the like. Hereinafter, the steering angle estimated by the driving support system ECU 3 is referred to as an optimum steering angle. Every time the optimum steering angle is newly estimated, the driving support system ECU 3 sends to the CAN 4 optimum steering angle information representing the angle of the steering 2 for obtaining the optimum steering angle (hereinafter referred to as optimum steering angle). To do.

  The CAN 4 mediates information communication between a plurality of nodes. The nodes of the CAN 4 include the steering operation support device 1 and the driving support system ECU3.

  The steering operation support device 1 includes a display 11 and a steering operation support controller (hereinafter referred to as a controller) 12.

  The indicator 11 is formed by being embedded in the steering 2 in a state where a plurality of light emitting portions 11a are arranged along the circumferential direction of the steering 2 and visible to the driver. As the light emitting unit 11a, a known light emitting device such as an LED (light emitting diode) lamp can be used as appropriate. The plurality of light emitting units 11a can individually switch between light emission and non-light emission. Thus, the display 11 can make the display different from the other display positions at each of the plurality of display positions on the circumference, and the rotation axis is synchronized with the rotation around the rotation axis of the steering 2. Rotate around.

  The controller 12 includes a light emission position determination unit 12a and a light emission instruction unit 12b.

  The light emission position determination unit 12a sequentially takes in the optimum steering angle information transmitted by the driving support system ECU3 at a constant time interval via the CAN4. The light emission position determination unit 12a is closest to the topmost point of the steering wheel 2 in a state where the optimal steering angle represented by the captured optimal steering angle information matches the actual steering angle (hereinafter referred to as the actual steering angle). The light emitting position is obtained as the position of the light emitting unit 11a located at the position. Then, the light emission position determination unit 12a outputs position information representing the calculated light emission position. As an example, the light emission position determination unit 12a has a table describing the correspondence relationship between the optimum steering angle and the light emission position, and the light emission position associated with the optimum steering angle represented by the optimum steering angle information captured by this table. Is read.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a table held by the light emission position determination unit 12a.

  The table in FIG. 2 is created under the following conditions. That is, (1) The steering angle in a state where the automobile 100 goes straight is set to 0 degree. (2) The steering angle when the automobile 100 is bent to the left in the traveling direction is represented by a positive value, and the steering angle when the automobile 100 is bent to the right is represented by a negative value. (3) Twenty-four light emitting portions 11a are located at equal intervals (15 degree intervals) on the circumference. (4) When the steering angle is 0 degree, the light emitting portion 11a located at the uppermost point of the steering wheel 2 is set to “No. 0”, and the other light emitting portions 11a are turned clockwise from “No. 1” to “No. 23”. "

  If the light emission position determination unit 12a has the table shown in FIG. 2, the light emission position determination unit 12a has an optimum steering angle represented by the acquired optimum steering angle information within a range of, for example, −7.5 or more and less than +7.5. If the light emission position is No. 0 is determined. Thus, the light emission position determination unit 12a is an example of a determination unit.

  The light emission instructing unit 12b drives the plurality of light emitting units 11a so that only those corresponding to the light emission positions represented by the position information output from the light emission position determining unit 12a among the plurality of light emitting units 11a emit light. Thus, the light emission instruction unit 12b is an example of a control unit.

  Next, the operation of the steering operation support device 1 configured as described above will be described. Here, it is assumed that the steering 2 in which the automobile 100 is traveling straight needs to be turned 90 degrees clockwise for 3 unit hours.

  First, the actual steering angle is 0 degree when the automobile 100 is traveling straight. If this state continues for a unit time or more, the optimum steering angle represented by the optimum steering angle information output most recently by the driving support system ECU 3 is 0 degree, which is −7.5 degrees or more, +7 Within the range of less than 5 degrees. Therefore, the light emission position determination unit 12a is configured to No. based on the table. 0 is determined as the light emission position. In response to this, the light emission instructing unit 12b Each of the light emitting units 11a is driven so that only the 0 light emitting unit 11a emits light. The display state of the display 11 at this time is shown in FIG.

  Next, the driving support system ECU3 estimates the optimum steering angle as +30 degrees. As a result, the optimum steering angle is in the range of +22.5 degrees or more and less than +37.5 degrees. 22 is determined as the light emission position. In response to this, the light emission instructing unit 12b Each of the plurality of light emitting units 11a is driven so that only 22 light emitting units 11a emit light. The display state of the display 11 at this time is shown in FIG.

  When one unit time further elapses, the driving support system ECU 3 estimates the optimum steering angle as 60 degrees. Then, since the optimum steering angle is in the range of +54.5 degrees or more and less than +69.5 degrees, the light emission position determination unit 12a is set to No. 20 is determined as the light emission position. In response to this, the light emission instructing unit 12b Each of the plurality of light emitting units 11a is driven so that only the 20 light emitting units 11a emit light. The display state of the display 11 at this time is shown in FIG.

  When a total of 3 unit times have elapsed, the driving support system ECU 3 estimates the optimum steering angle as 90 degrees. Then, since the optimum steering angle is in the range of +84.5 degrees or more and less than +99.5 degrees, the light emission position determination unit 12a is set to No. 18 is determined as the light emission position. In response to this, the light emission instructing unit 12b Each of the plurality of light emitting units 11a is driven so that only the 18 light emitting units 11a emit light. The display state of the display 11 at this time is shown in FIG.

  In this way, the light emission position on the display 11 is changed counterclockwise. Then, according to the change in the light emission position on the indicator 11, the driver operates the steering wheel 2 so that the light emission position at that time is located at the uppermost point of the steering wheel 2. The state transition of the steering 2 at this time is shown in FIG.

  4A and 4B correspond to FIGS. 3A and 3B, respectively. In the state of (b) of FIG. Since the light emitting part 11a of 22 is not at the topmost point of the steering wheel 2, the driver is no. The steering 2 is turned clockwise so as to move the 22 light emitting portions 11a to the uppermost point of the steering 2, and the state shown in FIG. As a result, the steering wheel 2 is turned 30 degrees clockwise, and the actual steering angle is +30 degrees.

  When the display state of the display 11 changes to the state shown in FIG. 3C, the state of the steering 2 changes to the state shown in FIG. In the state of (d) in FIG. Since the light emitting part 11a of 20 is not at the topmost point of the steering wheel 2, the driver is no. The steering 2 is turned clockwise so as to move the 20 light emitting portions 11a to the uppermost point of the steering 2, and the state shown in FIG. As a result, the steering 2 is further turned 30 degrees clockwise, and the actual steering angle is +60 degrees.

  When the display state of the display 11 changes to the state shown in FIG. 3D, the state of the steering 2 changes to the state shown in FIG. In the state of (f) in FIG. Since the 18 light-emitting portions 11a are not at the uppermost point of the steering wheel 2, the driver is no. The steering 2 is turned clockwise so as to move the 18 light emitting portions 11a to the uppermost point of the steering 2 to obtain the state shown in FIG. As a result, the steering 2 is further turned 30 degrees clockwise, and the actual steering angle becomes +90 degrees.

  In this way, when the driver operates the steering wheel 2 so that the light emission position is always positioned at the uppermost point of the steering wheel 2, the steering wheel 2 is turned 90 degrees clockwise in 3 unit times.

  As described above, according to the steering operation support device 1, the driver only needs to determine the light emission position on the display 11, so that the driver can determine the amount to turn off the steering 2 from the picture displayed on the liquid crystal display. Thus, the display content can be recognized intuitively, and there is no need to watch the display on the display 11. Thereby, the burden on the driver related to the steering operation can be sufficiently reduced.

  Furthermore, according to the steering operation support device 1, the driver only needs to perform a simple operation of always positioning the light emission position at the uppermost point of the steering 2, and complicated determination and operation are not necessary. Thereby, the burden on the driver related to the steering operation can be sufficiently reduced.

  In addition, according to the steering operation support device 1, instead of performing automatic steering support, the operation of the steering 2 is performed by the driver, which leads to improvement of the driving skill of the driver. Thereby, the burden on the driver related to the steering operation can be sufficiently reduced.

  Furthermore, according to the steering operation support device 1, since the indicator 11 is built in the steering 2, the amount of movement of the driver's line of sight when the indicator 11 is viewed can be reduced. Thereby, the burden on the driver related to the steering operation can be sufficiently reduced.

  Furthermore, if the steering wheel 2 is properly operated so that the light emission position is always located at the uppermost point of the steering wheel 2, the light emission position often exists near the uppermost point of the steering wheel 2. For this reason, the light emission position often exists in the normal visual field while the driver is driving, and the driver can visually recognize the light emission position without moving the line of sight. Thereby, the burden on the driver related to the steering operation can be sufficiently reduced.

  This embodiment can be variously modified as follows.

  Instead of CAN4, a communication line that directly connects the steering operation support device 1 and the driving support system ECU3 may be used.

  The steering operation support controller 12 may be incorporated in the driving support system ECU3.

  The indicator 11 may be incorporated in the column portion instead of the wheel portion of the steering 2.

  The display device 11 is separate from the steering wheel 2 and includes a support body that rotates around the same rotation axis in synchronization with the rotation of the steering wheel 2, and the light emitting unit 11 a is arranged on the support body. May be.

  If the display 11 can make the display different from the other display positions at each of a plurality of display positions on the circumference, a mechanism for changing the display position and a method for making the display different will be provided. It may be arbitrary. For example, the display device 11 can be configured by arranging liquid crystal panels on the circumference, and in this case, the display at each display position can be made different by changing the display color.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments as they are, and can be embodied by modifying the constituent elements without departing from the scope of the invention in the implementation stage. Various inventions can be formed by appropriately combining a plurality of constituent elements disclosed in the above-described embodiments. For example, you may delete some components from all the components shown by embodiment mentioned above. Furthermore, you may combine the component covering different embodiment suitably.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Steering operation assistance apparatus, 11 ... Indicator, 11a ... Light emission part, 12 ... Steering operation assistance controller, 12a ... Light emission position determination part, 12b ... Light emission instruction | indication part, 2 ... Steering, 100 ... Automobile.

Claims (3)

Display that can be displayed differently from the other display positions at each of a plurality of display positions on the circumference, and rotates around the rotation axis in synchronization with the rotation around the rotation axis of the steering wheel When,
Determining means for determining a display position closest to a position that should be directed in a predetermined direction after a predetermined time during the steering;
A steering operation support device comprising: control means for controlling the display so that the display position determined by the determining means among the plurality of display positions is different from other display positions. .   The steering operation support device according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined direction is vertically above the rotation axis.   The steering operation support apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the indicator is built in the steering.

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